Ranker Who Lives Twice

"Mom, Mom!" Sesha jumped into Ananta's arms as soon as Ananta turned the corner into the village.

Ananta stroked her daughter's hair lovingly, saying, "Did you obediently listen to everyone while I was gone?"

"Of course! I am a good child…" Sesha started speaking confidently, but then her words trailed off as she looked in another direction. Ananta could see cold sweat beading on her forehead.

'What a horrible liar.' Ananta barely held in her laughter and narrowed her eyes. She asked Sesha, "You must have caused some trouble, didn't you?"

"N-No. Nothing."

"Do you want to tell Mom?"

"I-It's…"

"Yes?"

"I told the boys to stop breaking my rubber band, but they didn't listen. And they kept on trying to lift the girls' skirts too, so…"

"So you gave them a beating?"

"N-No." Sesha fidgeted uncomfortably.

Ananta slightly grinned. "Then?"

"Five beatings…"

"What? Hahaha!" Ananta burst out laughing.

The One-horned tribe members traditionally started learning martial arts when they were children. There were many cases when "playing" among children were actual fights, and they nearly always won fights with children from outside the village… But since Sesha had disciplined such rough children, Ananta couldn't help but laugh. She knew that Sesha ruled over the village's children with an iron fist, and it seemed like Sesha had suppressed any children who didn't listen to her.

Ananta wondered if this was because of Cha Jeong-woo's blood or Brahm's teachings. 'It's probably because of Jeong-woo. She's exactly like him when it comes to her competitive streak.' If Jeong-woo knew Ananta's thoughts, he'd deny it vehemently, but Ananta already knew the personalities of the "Cha" family too well.

"So our Sesha punished the boys for all the girls?"

"Yeah!" Sesha brightened again upon realizing Ananta wouldn't scold her and nodded. "But Mom, Mom."

"Yes?"

"What about Dad and Brahm?" Sesha looked around, searching for her other family members. Ananta smiled wryly at her daughter.

After saving Hayang, the others had followed Yeon-woo to the seventy-seventh floor to catch Allforone. Ananta knew that she would only get in their way, so she had returned. Part of it was also because she had left Sesha alone for too long.

Even though Sesha had grown to be such a cheerful child, she still needed care from her parents. Ananta also thought she had been too irresponsible as a mother from the moment she fell asleep until now. She pulled Sesha closer.

Sesha's eyes widened, not understanding the sudden change in her mother, but she still rubbed her face in Ananta's arms. As she giggled, Ananta stroked Sesha's hair and looked up at the sky. 'Jeong-woo, come back soon. Sesha is waiting for you.'

Ananta just desperately hoped that Jeong-woo could just return safely even if the subjugation of the seventy-seventh floor failed.

* * *

The Vampiric Lord had kept to herself after making her home in Yeon-woo's shadow. It was difficult for her to roam the stages as she wished after her incomplete exuviation attempt, and she knew that she wouldn't be of much help to Yeon-woo… She was much stronger than Yeon-woo when they met in the Demonic Sea, but she was left in the dust after Yeon-woo came out of the Changgong Library. She was then embarrassed to call herself one of the kings of the Demonic Sea. Even Boo/Faust, who had been her rival during their younger days, had surpassed her a long time ago.

It was why the Vampiric Lord had trained intensely inside of the shadow. Fortunately, Yeon-woo was a successor of darkness, something she had also once sought to become. When she was in his territory, she could receive the baptism of darkness, and she was also able to mature her soul with the glimpse of the revelations she saw in the Changgong Library. Her goal was simple: to become stronger. She completed the exuviation that she hadn't fully completed because of Allforone, and even transcended in an attempt to become a divine being.

And the moment Yeon-woo stepped into the seventy-seventh floor, saying this would be the final battle, the Vampiric Lord realized it was time for her to finally step up. Her husband, whom she had even missed in her dreams, was here. The Vampiric Lord always had a cynical expression, but her face was now slightly red with excitement.

"It seems you've become stronger."

"My promise to help you would become nothing if I only got in your way. I never make false statements. And I will save the Count with my own hands. I also have to stab that Allforone's heart with a knife."

Seeing the Vampiric Lord's blazing eyes, Yeon-woo could see that she definitely wouldn't get in his way. Her complete divinity seemed to be one of the strongest out of the kings in the Demonic Sea. Even though she might not be as strong as Laplace, she could probably have the title of Third King or Fourth King.

The Head Elder also came through the portal after the Vampiric Lord. "So this is the seventy-seventh floor. Back in my day, Red Dragon had trouble just getting through the seventy-sixth floor. You really have to live long to see things." Light scattered around him as he adjusted his glasses. His aura was different from before; he subconsciously made the atmosphere around him feel heavier. Clearly, he had also transcended.

Upon seeing this, Yeon-woo was certain there were few in the heavenly world who'd be able to face the Head Elder now.

Sssss… Yeon-woo's shadow expanded, and his subordinates appeared one by one. There was Shanon, who was in high spirits that they were finally facing Allforone, and Hanryeong, who was sharpening his swords with an indifferent expression. Rebecca, who had silently transformed into wind and breezed around Yeon-woo, was also present.

Lam, who was assembling the line of soldiers, was also there with Valdebich, who excitedly roared with the other giants and looked forward to the upcoming battle. Then, there were Kalatus and the Summer Queen, who let their anger boil to avenge their dead race as they flew above the world of light. Boo/Faust, who cast hundreds of magic circles in the sky as his Inferno Sights blazed behind Yeon-woo, as well as Kahn and Leonhardt, who watched the other subordinates, were here too. After them, the portal opened to reveal Laputa.

『Damn you! You should've called me if you knew an amusing event like this would occur!』Phante's voice rang out through Laputa's voice amplifier.

At Laputa's entrance stood Phante, Edora, Doyle, the other Arthia members, and even Arthia's subordinate clans. All of their faces were tense with nervousness. After all, they were facing off against a stronger player and the one-man clan, Allforone. However, many of them also felt enlivened at the fact that they were standing in a place where history would be newly written.

"Let's begin."

As soon as Yeon-woo's words fell, the first to move was the Summer Queen. Boom. Crash! She stretched her head back and began to spew Breath. When the element of death was added to her already-existing element of fire, as well as darkness, her Breath was even more powerful than before. Not only did her fire pierce through the light into its deepest depths, but it also spread like a wildfire and swept away anything in its path.

Krraaaa! Kalatus roared as he plunged down, activating magic and slashing apart the world of light. To the two dragons of death, Allforone was a mortal enemy who led their race to extinction after causing the two Dragon Massacres. It was only natural that they moved first, since they had finally reached their destination after a long wait.

The players who were watching began to think the battle was evenly matched, and the dragons of death definitely stood a chance.

Laputa moved again, and the players jumped onto the stage after casting buff spells onto themselves. The world was so full of light it was impossible to tell where the sky ended and the ground began, but their fighting spirit blinded them.

『Many will die out.』

Kronos clicked his tongue as he watched the moths flying toward the light, but Yeon-woo replied nonchalantly, "I never forced them to. If they die, they can be reused again, so our forces won't decrease."

Kronos momentarily felt a sense of disharmony. Although he was a god for longer and had spent a short time living as a human, he felt pity for the humans who were about to die. However, his son, who was still human, had responded with such a cold answer that it seemed out of place.

It was true Yeon-woo was close with death, and dying from battle was the fate of players who entered the Tower, but Yeon-woo saw the players as mere resources and not humans. However, at the same time, Kronos understood his son. 'You still haven't forgiven this world of the Tower.'

Others would think that Yeon-woo's revenge was over once the Eight Clans and the Nine Kings died, but it wasn't. The driving force behind Jeong-woo's death wasn't the Eight Clans or the Nine Kings, but the bystanders and their intentional neglect. They had shown interest when Heaven Wing and Arthia had been successful, but when their help was truly needed, they turned their backs.

Everyone had been responsible. Of course, Yeon-woo didn't massacre all the players since it wasn't possible to do so. But Yeon-woo only viewed the groups of people who followed his clan for their success as tools; he'd never liked them.

Crash, crash, crash. Explosions big and small spread through the battlefield, and Shanon and the rest of the subordinates led Dis Pluto to attempt landing on the ground.

[The spring of death spins rapidly.]

[The subordinates are blessed with 'Fight' and 'Death!']

[The 'March of Death' begins!]

Yeon-woo looked at the breaking world of light, and pulled out the pocket watch to connect it to his chains.

Clatter!

[You have been connected to the spring of time.]

[The spring is very damaged. You cannot use a majority of its functions.]

[Holy power is being input to restore a part of its functions.]

Click, click. The needles of the watch spun rapidly.

[The spring of time is activated!]

[Time is sped up by 2x.]

Flash! Yeon-woo became the light as he cleared through the path his subordinates had made him. Gripping Vigrid, he combined with it as he cut down everything in his way.

[The spring of death spins at intense speeds!]

[The countless cogwheels are spinning in synchronization!]

[Currently geared cogwheels: 666]

[The concept of 'Death' is activated!]

The world of light shook after recognizing Yeon-woo's presence.

[The great holy territory has recognized the presence of a dangerous being.]

[The strongest barrier wall is activated.]

When the thousands of rays exuding from the world of light all transformed into something else, Yeon-woo's face stiffened. The light had turned into dragons, which had been massacred by Allforone in their attempt to surpass the seventy-seventh floor. They have become Allforone's subordinates.

「Vivasvat! Until the end…!」Naturally, the Summer Queen lost all reasoning to her anger and her Breath became more intense. Kalatus' roar also boomed throughout the stage.

In the meantime, the players who hadn't been able to clear the seventy-sixth floor because of the Summer Queen froze. They faced the flood of dragons.

Amid the chaotic situation, six ancient-level dragons gathered to spew their Breath at Yeon-woo, who was about to sweep them away with his Sword Thunder. After all, it wouldn't be easy to ignore them when black lightning suddenly fell in front of him.

[The allied forces 'Niflheim' has announced their participation!]

[Hel descends!]

Boom! Hel appeared with her striking form and got rid of all the Breath with a powerful thrust of her hand.

『How dare you try to touch ###'s body with your dirty hands?! Even I haven't been able… I-I mean, anyway! As the president of the third-term fan club, I can never accept this, so go away! 』