PMEVBO 53

Iser can be revived. That single fact made the despair I’d felt just moments ago melt away like snow.

But soon, I sensed something was wrong.

Nowhere in the status window did I see the phrase ‘revive’.

──────【 Wisdom 】──────

Requested Information: [‘XXX Hayut’ Creation Method]

Result:

– The physical body of identifier ‘Iser Hayut’ is in a state of death.

– The soul of identifier ‘Iser Hayut’ is also on the verge of annihilation.

-However, if the ‘Player’s System’ is temporarily transferred to that physical body, the procedure to reconstruct the damaged physical body will start.

-During this process, the soul on the verge of annihilation will also be reconstructed, and re-attached to the reconstructed physical body.

-The reconstructed entity will be redefined as identifier ‘XXX Hayut’ under the system’s judgment.

─────────────────

The word ‘reconstruction’ stuck in my mind.

If both the body and soul are reconstructed… even if revived, would that truly be the Iser I know…?

Moreover, that concept of ‘identifier’… I vaguely recall hearing about it from my brother before. He said an identifier is a name assigned to distinguish the nature of data.

So, changing the identifier from ‘Iser Hayut’ to ‘XXX Hayut’… means the nature of Iser’s existence changes.

Creation method? Sounds like a way to make something other than a person…

If I follow what this Wisdom skill tells me… what exactly will Iser become in the end?

I quietly looked down at Iser’s snow-white face. I still couldn’t believe he was dead.

Just as I wished all this were a dream, a new status window appeared over the skill cast completion screen.

────【 System Notification 】────

Transfer the system to the deceased body of ‘Iser Hayut’ and create ‘XXX Hayut’?

Time remaining until the soul of ‘Iser Hayut’ is annihilated: 1m

Yes/No

──────────────────────

“Only one minute left until Iser’s soul is annihilated…? ”

The one-minute timer began counting down. My mind went completely blank.

0m 59s

0m 58s

0m 57s

With each decreasing number, a dull sound echoed in my head.

At first, I thought it was the sound from the status window, but it wasn’t. It was the sound of my own heartbeat.

0m 46s

0m 45s

There was no time left. I had to make a choice, whatever it was.

I took a deep breath and selected ‘Yes’. Even if Iser became something different from the being I knew, it was better than letting his soul vanish like this. At least, that’s what I believed.

That was when the status window turned crimson, and the familiar alarm tone struck my ears.

Beep—!

Beep—!

Beep—!

────【 System Error 】────

Unexpected intervention detected.

‘████’ has temporarily secured authority.

‘████’ has canceled the player’s command.

───────────────────

“……What?”

Canceled the command? Then I can’t save Iser’s soul now……?

“You fucking bastard, what the hell are you doing……!”

In that instant, crimson flames of divine power erupted before my eyes. Realizing Iser was beside me, I gritted my teeth and forced the power down.

Then, a new status window appeared.

──── 【 System Error 】────

‘████’ is requesting confirmation again.

The system transfer period is 6 years, during which time quest completion and virus treatment are impossible.

Do you still wish to proceed with creating ‘XXX Hayut’?

Yes/No

───────────────────

“Six years…?”

My breath hitched in my throat.

I had never once imagined I would be trapped in this world for such a long period. Six years felt too long.

And during those six years, virus treatment, quest completion…none of it is possible…?

Then what about the wish ticket I was supposed to get after clearing all the quests? What exactly happens to that…?

The price I must pay in exchange for binding Iser’s soul to this world. Only now did I truly grasp the weight of that price. But compared to Iser’s soul being annihilated, that was nothing.

Holding Iser’s cold hand tightly, I stared at the status window. Suddenly, I realized this window didn’t display the time remaining until his soul’s annihilation.

…What if it’s already too late?

With trembling hands, I immediately selected ‘Yes’.

────【 System Notification 】────

Initiating creation of ‘XXX Hayut’.

Time remaining until the soul annihilation of ‘Iser Hayut’: 0m 1s

──────────────────────

“Thank goodness it wasn’t too late.”

The status window began to glow brilliantly.

By the time the light faded, both the status window and Iser had vanished. Exhaustion washed over me as if all the blood had drained from my body. My swaying body tilted sideways.

Beyond the broken terrace window, I could see the sky where the rain had stopped. I gazed briefly at the sunlight filtering through the dark clouds, then laughed hollowly.

“Hyung, I’m sorry…”

…I might not be able to come back.

And then I fell into a deep sleep.

***

▝V▗I▗R▗U▗S▗▝▚▘▚Infiltration▚▘▚Starting▚▘

Seriha stood against the backdrop of a storage room crammed with objects.

Seriha?

…He’s safe. Thank goodness.

But why am I here?

I was definitely in my room just a moment ago. I transferred the system to Iser and lost consciousness, right…?

▝Infiltration Rate▚▘▚15%▚▘

Huh? What was I thinking about just now…?

In my daze, Seriha’s voice faintly reached me.

“Um… what I wanted to say was… Ugh.”

“Headache?”

“Yes, a bit… I guess it’s from not sleeping for days…”

“Yes, you look worn out.”

The dim dawn light seeping in through the window illuminated Seriha’s pale face. I carefully lifted him and sat him down on the bed in the corner of the room.

“…Thank you, Lucariel.”

“It’s nothing. Rest now. You said you had to go out soon.”

Just as I was about to step aside to let him rest comfortably, Seriha tugged at my sleeve and timidly asked.

“…Would it be alright if I came to see you later? I’d like to talk again.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

I chuckled softly and nodded.

Only then did Seriha smile, looking relieved. His dimpled cheeks were quite cute.

▝Infiltration Rate▚▘▚45%▚▘

On the way back to my room after leaving the warehouse room, I checked the status window I’d been ignoring. It had been like this for several hours now.

────【 Skill Draw Ticket 】────

Would you like to use the Skill Draw Ticket (1x)?

Yes/No

──────────────────────

No way, you bastard.

Just thinking about how I accidentally hit ‘Yes’ last time and blew my Discernment skill still made my teeth grind. I snorted and pressed ‘No’. And I didn’t forget to open the inventory window to check if the Skill Draw Ticket was saved properly.

Skill Draw Tickets: 1

Yeah, that’s the spirit.

Until my inventory expands with a level-up, using skill draw tickets is strictly on hold. Like a honeybee gathering nectar, I just have to save them up first.

But then something happened.

Ping!

─▘▚─【 Main Quest 】────

▝▚Do you wish to accept the Main Quest? ▞▘

Yes/No

Reward: Level Up. Disable ‘████’ location lock.

▝▚▘───▚▘▚▗▚▘▚▗▚▘▚▗─

This time it wasn’t a sub-quest. The long-awaited main quest had appeared.

And level up and location lock deactivation as rewards? It was exactly what I’d hoped for.

But…

This is strange. Why does it feel familiar…?

This was definitely the first time a main quest had appeared. Yet, for some reason, Read on it didn’t feel like the first time. It felt like I’d seen a main quest window with different content before.

In that instant, a memory flashed through my mind.

Hunt the monster!

(0/1)

D-?

Reward: Level Up. Disable ‘████’ location lock.

In that instant, my head ached as if someone had burned my brain with fire.

▝Infiltration Rate▚▘▚75%▚▘

The fragment of memory that had surfaced quickly scattered like ashes.

“Is it because I’m tired…?”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t slept for two nights straight. Yesterday was spent clearing the praise quest, and the day before that… 

“Huh? Why couldn’t I sleep the day before yesterday…?”

I was in the room with Iser the day before yesterday, so why couldn’t I sleep?

Then, somewhere in my head, a familiar voice echoed.

‘The reason I wanted to live is the same reason I asked you to read the experiment log.’

My head throbbed painfully once more.

▝Infiltration Rate▚▘▚95%▚▘

Something seemed to surface again, but it vanished just as quickly.

Clutching my head, I glanced at the main quest window before me. The strange sense of déjà vu I felt when I first saw it had already vanished without a trace.

“Should I just go to my room and catch a quick nap?”

I’ll decide after sleeping…

The quest will be automatically accepted shortly.

(5s)

(4s)

(3s)

“…This damn shitty game never does what I want.”

If I pressed ‘No’ here, there was no telling when the main quest window would pop up again. Ultimately, there was only one thing I could do in this situation.

“I’m pressing it. I’m pressing it. Happy now?”

That was when I selected ‘Yes’.

─▘▚─【 Main Quest 】────

▝▚Kill ‘Iser Hayut’!▞▘

Success!

▝▚▘───▚▘▚▗▚▘▚▗▚▘▚▗─

“What? What the hell….”

I forgot to breathe for a moment. I don’t know what state of mind I was in when I ran to the room.

“Iser…”

Iser was lying in a pool of blood. I couldn’t feel any breath, pulse, or warmth from him. Cold, congealed blood stained my shirt red.

“I… I accepted the quest, so Iser… …?”

Because of me, Iser… Did I kill Iser…?

My vision blurred red, and a ringing piiii echoed in my ears.

What happened after that I could only recall in fragments.

The hallway reeking of blood.

Corpses piled like mountains.

The flames of divine power that wouldn’t extinguish, even in the torrential rain.

Yet one thing remained clear.

That day’s tragedy was entirely wrought by my own hands.

I killed Iser, and unable to bear that reality, I unleashed my divine power. As a result… countless people lost their lives at my hands. Simply because they happened to be there that day.

I was a mass murderer. Just like the original Lucariel.

▝Infiltration Rate▚▘▚100%▚▘

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▚▝V▗I▗R▗U▗S▗▝C▁E▁R▁E▁B▁R▁A▁L▁▚▝Infiltration▚▝Complete▚▘▞▗

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