Chapter 317: Side Story - The Earth On The Brink Of Destruction. Lee Taeyeon

"That's quite troublesome."

Lee Taeyeon muttered gloomily after meeting the wizard.

A wish as the reward for conquering the labyrinth. She had been agonizing over what to wish for.

Should she wish to revive all the dead? Or should she turn back time to create a world where the monsters couldn't invade?

But now she learned that she couldn't make a wish without fully conquering the labyrinth. Lee Taeyeon grumbled.

"If that's the condition, has anyone ever achieved their wish?"

[No. A wish is not something that can be achieved so easily.]

"Getting this far wasn't exactly easy either..."

[The criteria are relative. What the wizard desires is beyond that.]

"Well, whatever."

Lee Taeyeon shook her head, her hair softly swaying.

"Being able to return to Earth is enough for me."

Finally, she could leave this dreadful place.

She smiled contentedly.

"Create the path."

[Understood.]

Woong.

A space opened.

Beyond it, a familiar scent wafted through. She took a deep breath.

It was Earth.

She gazed into the space beyond with a dazed look.

"At last..."

She murmured with a voice full of excitement and looked at Balbamba.

"You've always been talkative and annoying, but after all this time, I've grown fond of you. Farewell."

[Take care. I also had a good time. You were the first adventurer to descend the labyrinth like this.]

"Thank you as well."

[It was nothing.]

The voice spoke quietly.

[I enjoyed it too. It was a fulfilling time.]

"Since it's the last time, let me ask again—who are you?"

Who was the voice?

She knew it was a transcendent being.

Even though she couldn't sense its true power.

Despite spending countless moments right beside it.

She kept asking out of curiosity, but the voice never gave an answer.

The voice chuckled softly.

[You'll know when the time comes.]

"Soon?"

It was a cryptic statement, but in the end, Lee Taeyeon pursed her lips, knowing its identity would remain a secret.

"You're stingy."

The voice stifled a laugh.

[Then let me give you a gift.]

Light appeared before her. The light solidified, forming a single orb.

[You have obtained an orb that holds something.]

"What is this?"

[You'll know when the time comes.]

"Hm... Thank you."

An orb she couldn't discern even with her keen observation. Given that it was handed directly to her, it couldn't be a worthless item. Lee Taeyeon gratefully accepted it.

"Then, farewell. I won't be coming back."

She had no intention of returning to the labyrinth.

To come back to this hellish place was a horrific thought.

But the voice only laughed quietly.

[I see. Then farewell.]

"Yes."

Lee Taeyeon nodded firmly and stepped forward.

She pushed herself through the space.

It was Earth.

How much progress had been made? There were many technicians, so surely they had managed electricity at least. With her body's abilities greatly enhanced by clearing the labyrinth, perhaps they had even built some structures.

How happy and colorful their lives must be.

And what kind of life could she live?

She crossed the space with happiness in her heart.

Earth came into view.

Her pupils trembled.

"What?"

What appeared were half-collapsed buildings. A world shrouded in gray.

"...Have I been summoned to a forsaken land?"

Her voice quivered.

Yes. That must be it. There weren't many survivors.

The land ravaged by the monster invasion couldn't possibly have been fully restored.

This place must be one of those.

She wanted to believe that.

But the cruel world revealed the truth to her.

"No..."

Above the sky.

A gigantic rift that had swallowed the sun.

'Why?'

Lee Taeyeon's eyes shook.

They had surely closed that rift.

They had won.

Surely, they had.

But what was this?

Something had gone terribly wrong.

Nausea surged up to her throat.

"Gasp."

She barely managed to exhale. The cold sweat running down her cheeks made her feel the chill in the air.

"Oh. A new returnee?"

Footsteps echoed. A familiar face appeared.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Who... Oh? Lee Taeyeon?"

"...Yeongjeong."

Yeongjeong. A Hard Mode player. Someone she knew.

Lee Taeyeon barely managed to look at Yeongjeong.

Untrimmed beard. Messy hair. Dry skin.

Something about that appearance.

Doesn't it look just like the appearance of a survivor living in a world on the brink of destruction?

Joy flickered in Yeongjeong's eyes when he saw her. He shouted loudly.

"Hey! Everyone, come over! Look who's returned!"

At Yeongjeong's words, the murmuring crowd approached.

"Who's here?"

"Oh. Taeyeon?"

"Huh. For real?"

The eyes of the gathered people lit up. They began to chatter excitedly.

"Wow! Lee Taeyeon actually cleared Solo Mode! And this quickly too!"

"This might actually give us some room to breathe!"

Lee Taeyeon blankly looked at them.

Their unkempt hair, their dirty skin.

They all looked the same as Yeongjeong.

She parted her dry lips.

"...Why do you all look like that?"

"Ah."

Yeongjeong's face stiffened.

Only then did the others realize it too.

They understood what Lee Taeyeon had hoped for upon her return.

Yeongjeong scratched his head.

"Um... Taeyeon, calm down and listen."

"Hahaha. I get it. This is a hidden camera prank, right?"

Yeongjeong tried to explain slowly, but Lee Taeyeon smiled brightly.

She raised her arms.

"Right? It doesn't make sense. We won, so why does Earth look like this? You're just trying to surprise me, aren't you?"

"No."

Yeongjeong shook his head somberly.

"We believed that too when we returned to Earth. But what greeted us was a ruined Earth. Taeyeon, we were deceived by the monsters."

"Don't lie to me!"

Lee Taeyeon shouted angrily.

"That's impossible! We won! We claimed victory! We survived!"

Her eyes were filled with nothing but denial.

"Isn't that right? We won! We went through that hellish time! We barely made it through that damned labyrinth to get here! This can't be right! It can't end like this!"

Her cry was like the tantrum of a three-year-old child, devoid of logic or reason.

But no one could argue against her. Yeongjeong opened his mouth gloomily.

"That's how it is, Taeyeon."

"Hah, haha..."

A soft laugh escaped from Lee Taeyeon's mouth.

Then it abruptly stopped.

"You're all fakes."

"What?"

"The final trial. That's what this is, right? A trial in this form. Fine. I'll overcome it."

Lee Taeyeon drew her sword. People gasped in shock.

"Damn, this is bad."

"Someone stop her?"

"Who?"

At those words, silence spread.

There was no problem if it was a Hard Mode player. All of them were Hard Mode players here. They could easily subdue her.

But Lee Taeyeon was a Solo Mode player.

There was only one person who could subdue her.

"...Is Taesan here?"

"Yeah, he came back a few hours ago. I'll go get him right away."

He rushed off, and the others clicked their tongues. They knew he ran off because he didn't want to deal with Lee Taeyeon.

"Uh, Taeyeon? Why don't you calm down for a bit?"

'Don't make me laugh.'

She smirked darkly.

They were all fakes.

There's no way Earth would look like this.

This was a trial created by the labyrinth.

A trial that must be overcome.

A murderous aura began to creep up from her. The half-destroyed buildings groaned as they crumbled, and the faces of the people paled.

"Wait! What is this?!"

"Oh no, I don't think we even have time..."

Lee Taeyeon gripped her sword tightly.

At that moment, a tired voice rang out.

"You're back?"

"Ah."

Lee Taeyeon's pupils dilated. The murderous aura emanating from her dissipated, and the people exhaled in relief.

"Phew. I thought I was going to die."

"Taesan, we need your help."

"I was wondering why you were calling me so frantically. So, it's her? Makes sense."

Sharp features.

He looked somewhat indifferent. With a weary face, he gazed at Lee Taeyeon.

"It's been a while."

"Taesan."

"Sorry, but this is Earth. This is how things are now."

"...Don't be ridiculous."

That couldn't be true.

It mustn't be true.

She didn't loosen her grip on the sword.

"You're a fake too. You're just another fake created by the labyrinth..."

Her murmur was hollow. Taesan sighed.

"Yeah. I figured. You won't listen to reason, huh?"

[Kang Taesan activated Temporary Time Stop. Time within a 100-meter radius around Kang Taesan is stopped for 2 minutes.]

Time stopped.

In the frozen moment, Taesan moved alone, approaching Lee Taeyeon.

"For now, why don't you lie down and cool your head."

Taesan raised his sword.

[Kang Taesan activated Multiply.] [Kang Taesan activated Double.] [Kang Taesan activated Designated Skill Reset.] [Kang Taesan activated Double.] [Kang Taesan's non-lethal attack.] [Lee Taeyeon received 92,236,816 damage.]

Lee Taeyeon stared blankly at the ceiling.

It was an old, dilapidated building, with cracks through which the sky was visible. It was a structure that could hardly be called a house.

Yet, it was the most intact building here.

"Have you calmed down?"

"...To some extent."

Taesan was sitting on an old, worn-out chair, looking at her.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"How do you feel?"

"Disgusted."

Lee Taeyeon quietly replied. Taesan nodded in understanding.

"I get it. I felt the same. I wanted to break everything."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

At her somber voice, Taesan began to speak.

The things she heard from him.

The events filled with grim experiences made her close her eyes tightly.

They hadn't won.

They had been dreaming of a hope that could never be achieved within the illusion of victory.

After returning to Earth, countless people died due to the monsters that appeared.

It was literally a time of massacre. Most of those who returned first were Easy Mode players. They were unable to resist the monsters and were all killed.

It was only after the Hard Mode players returned that people could band together and drive out the monsters to claim their territory.

But after that, despair became a repeating cycle. They would defeat the oncoming monsters, and many would die in the process. Then, another returnee would fill the void left by the fallen.

They were slowly dying atop countless corpses.

She quietly asked after hearing his story.

"...If you had Hard Mode players, shouldn't you have been able to handle the monsters?"

"We did during the last return. But now it's different. Much stronger monsters than before have started appearing. There are some that we can't beat, even if dozens of us charge at them."

Taesan spoke calmly.

"We were deceived. By those things."

"...Is Choi Junsang still alive?"

Choi Junsang. He was an Easy Mode player. He was a professional with expertise in electrical engineering. He said he would return to Earth first and make light bulbs, become the Edison of this era.

"He returned before I did, so I don't know. Given that I haven't seen him, he's probably dead."

"What about Park Ji-young?"

She was a Normal Mode player. She was an excellent cook. She said she would return to Earth and show off the culinary skills she had honed.

"She died two days before I returned."

"...Yoon Se-an?"

He was a Hard Mode player and a legal scholar. He believed that in the process of rebuilding civilization, laws would be necessary, just as they were in the old Earth.

He worked hard to create a legal code to be used on Earth while navigating the labyrinth, and he completed it right before clearing it. Everyone promised to follow his code.

Taesan answered.

"He died a year ago."

She squeezed her eyes shut.

She kept asking about the names of the people she knew, those she remembered.

Most of the answers she received were that they were dead.

"This is the situation we're in right now."

Taesan pressed his tired eyes with his fingers.

"We don't know what's happening in other countries. We didn't have the luxury to find out. But given our situation, they probably aren't doing well either."

The world was truly on the brink of destruction.

Now, there was no longer even a labyrinth to escape to. Lee Taeyeon stared blankly at the ground.

"That's why we need you."

"...Me?"

"Yeah. You need to become our leader."

Lee Taeyeon snapped her head up at Taesan's words.

"I-I'm not a leader..."

"No."

Taesan shook his head.

"You have to be. I can't do it."

Of course, Taesan was strong.

He was the strongest Easy Mode player, and if conditions were met, he could even defeat Lee Taeyeon.

"But I can only take down a single strong monster. I can't protect everyone. I'm like a gun that needs to be reloaded after each shot. In a situation like this, someone purely strong like you has to be the leader."

Taesan spoke in a low voice.

"I don't know how strong you are now, but since you cleared Solo Mode, you must be far stronger than when we last met."

The last time they met was during the final Earth Return Quest. It was ages ago.

Even back then, Lee Taeyeon was incredibly strong. Now, after clearing Solo Mode, she must have become significantly stronger.

"I..."

Lee Taeyeon's voice trembled.

Become the leader.

Take responsibility for people's lives.

It was impossible. She was already struggling to protect herself. How could she bear the responsibility for others' lives as well? Her mind couldn't handle it.

But Taesan's next words stopped her from refusing.

"I know it's hard for you. I know you've been rejecting this until now. But we don't even have the luxury to struggle anymore, Lee Taeyeon."

Taesan smiled bitterly.

His expression made Lee Taeyeon close her mouth.

Despite being in Easy Mode, he had always been confident. Even in desperate situations, he never feared and always found a way to overcome.

But now, Taesan's face was utterly exhausted.

That expression made it impossible for Lee Taeyeon to refuse.

"I won't ask you to decide right now. Take some time to cool your head first."

"...Do we even have time?"

They were on the brink of destruction. There was no way they had the luxury for someone of Lee Taeyeon's level to rest.

"I know you're frustrated, but I don't want to push you too hard. The monsters... it's like they're toying with us... they're giving us some breathing room. The current level of monsters can be handled by me and the others."

Taesan left the room. The door closed with a creak.

Left alone, she stared blankly at the closed door.

She did nothing, just staring at the sky through the cracks.

Everything felt empty.

Reality didn't feel real.

A day passed like that, and she suddenly snapped back to her senses.

She looked at the rift beyond the broken ceiling.

'That...'

She couldn't feel it before, but now that she had enough experience and power from descending the labyrinth, she understood.

The power emanating from it was beyond her comprehension.

Beings on par with the gods of the labyrinth.

They could not be defeated.

To fight them only led to undeniable death.

"Ah, ah..."

Her body began to tremble.

Earth was not a safe place.

Monsters still existed, and she had to fight for her life.

Her teeth chattered. Her entire body shook as her mind wavered.

Death.

It was standing right before her.

Just as she was about to fall into panic, the door opened.

"Um..."

A young girl cautiously entered. Lee Taeyeon, snapping out of her daze, blankly stared at the girl.

"Kim Minji...?"

"Oh, you remember me!"

Kim Minji. A Normal Mode player. She was a bright and friendly girl with whom Lee Taeyeon had formed a good relationship.

The girl spoke with a bright face.

"I was surprised! I knew you'd come back to Earth someday, but I thought it would take longer!"

"...Yeah."

Lee Taeyeon had thought the same. But her desire to clear the labyrinth had accelerated her pace.

If she had known this would happen, she would have stayed there a bit longer.

Kim Minji clenched her fist.

"Now that you're here! We can expand our territory! We'll defeat the monsters and live like we used to!"

She spoke with determination.

Lee Taeyeon asked in a trembling voice.

"...How's your brother?"

Kim Minji had an older brother. They often bickered, but they were a typical family who cared for each other.

Kim Minji quietly scratched her head.

"Haha... He died a month ago."

"...How did it happen?"

"He was trying to protect me. Foolish of him. I could have survived just fine."

She muttered softly. Her eyes were filled with sadness, but there was also resignation.

Lee Taeyeon realized it. These people didn't even have the luxury to grieve for their lost loved ones.

"...It's the life my brother saved. I can't just let it go to waste. And now you're here, Taeyeon."

Bright, hope-filled eyes turned to Lee Taeyeon.

"Taeyeon, who cleared Solo Mode, must be much stronger than before, right?"

And within those eyes was also desperation.

"Please, protect us, Taeyeon."

Fear of death, anxiety about the monsters.

This young girl, Kim Minji, was entrusting her future to her.

Lee Taeyeon felt suffocated.

"Should I run away?"

She quietly muttered to herself in the room after Kim Minji left.

It might be impossible to escape from a god-like being, but such beings couldn't easily descend to the surface. If she was alone, she could hide anywhere.

She was confident in that. Even the self-proclaimed Guides, the adventurers descending the labyrinth, and the NPCs—none of them could find her if she decided to hide. She had the skills to do so.

"Hahaha..."

A hollow laugh escaped her lips.

It was a meaningless thought.

The voices of hundreds of people beyond the cramped room continued to reach her ears.

"Taeyeon is here..."

"Now we don't have to die meaninglessly..."

"We can survive..."

The voices were filled with longing and hope for Lee Taeyeon. They were relying on her.

Even if she didn't want to hear it, her enhanced body captured every emotion contained in those voices.

Her lips dried up.

Run away? Abandon their hopes? Turn her back on their expectations? Ignore the cries of those who would die cursing her, and the despair they would feel as she disappeared, just to survive alone?

She couldn't do it.

She couldn't become that shameless person.

Every path was blocked.

"Ugh."

Nausea welled up. She barely covered her mouth.

Her head spun.

Even the mental strength she had honed in the long years of the labyrinth seemed like it would shatter if touched.

No, it had never been honed in the first place.

She was merely holding onto her worn-out mind, which had reached its limit long ago.

She groped around with her hand.

If she didn't grab onto something, she felt she would truly go mad.

Grasp.

Her hand caught something small.

It was a dull, blackened stone.

On the outside, it was just an ordinary stone, but within it was the power to turn back time.

"...Ouroboros Stone."

A labyrinth item that could turn back time once.

At first, she was overjoyed, thinking she could go back to the past, but soon, she had no choice but to be disappointed.

The Ouroboros Stone could only turn back time to just before the invasion of the Earth by the High Gods.

Even after checking with Balbamba and the transcendent being who had been watching her, it was impossible to avoid the fate of entering the labyrinth.

"...Was this what it meant?"

The voice had asked her. Do you seek death? Lee Taeyeon had answered no.

Then the voice asked again. Do you want to clear the labyrinth once more?

Lee Taeyeon had said she didn't want that either.

She still hadn't come to a conclusion.

'But.'

She couldn't abandon the people who believed in her and relied on her.

Lee Taeyeon struggled to her feet and stepped outside. The people waiting were startled and looked at her.

"Taeyeon?"

"...In two hours, monsters will swarm."

At her quiet words, the people were shocked. Lee Taeyeon continued.

"There will be about twenty-five. Twenty-three of them can be handled by Hard Mode players, but the remaining two can't. Taesan and I will have to deal with them."

"Huh? I don't sense anything..."

"They're still outside your range of perception. Everyone, get ready."

"Oh. Okay!"

"Taeyeon!"

Kim Minji looked at her with a bright face.

Lee Taeyeon deliberately ignored her gaze and drew her sword.

'First, survive.'

And protect the people.

And in the very end, if there was no more room to escape...

What would she choose then?

Even she didn't know.