D-Day, Five.
Leaving the Blue Palace behind, Eldora walked through the streets.
In the end, she hadn’t been able to make a firm decision—no, a choice—and now she was heading toward the Eldora Temple. Her mind was clear, yet the confusion inside her only grew stronger. The murmurs of the crowd around her did nothing to disturb her thoughts.
She still didn’t know if what she was doing was right or wrong. Doubt lingered, refusing to fade.
But separate from that uncertainty, her purpose was unwavering. She was walking for the individual, for humanity, and beyond that, for the entire southern continent. Her cause was beyond reproach—she knew her actions were rational.
So why did it feel like she was straying down the wrong path?
Her lack of conviction stemmed from leaning on others for answers she couldn’t find herself. Though she could rationalize it as unavoidable, that very process bred an inexplicable anxiety. Somewhere along the way, something had gone wrong.
…But now, there was no turning back.
A sudden breeze stirred. As if to feel its flow, Eldora tilted her chin up and closed her eyes softly. The wind was chilly, but it cooled the turmoil raging in her mind.
When she opened her eyes again, the white temple stood before her in all its grandeur. She sighed and paused just before climbing the steps. Her gaze dropped to the white bag slung diagonally over her right shoulder, the strap hanging down.
For a brief moment, a flicker of inner conflict crossed her eyes.
But the hesitation was fleeting. Eldora’s gaze hardened with resolve as she plunged one hand into the bag. She rummaged through it for a long moment, then withdrew a tightly clenched fist and raised it to the crown of her head.
In her hand was a hair ornament—a cluster of ten small beads, each the size of a fingernail, shimmering with a deep blue hue. With a solemn precision bordering on ritual, Eldora tied her blonde hair back tightly. Only then did she ascend the steps.
At last, inside the temple, she found the portal. Standing before it, she took several deep breaths to steady her pounding heart. Then, quietly, she stepped into the gently rippling sea of light.
The place she arrived at was—
“Welcome, Eldora.”
A space shrouded entirely in shades of gray, heavy and eerie.
“You’re a bit late. Everyone’s already gathered.”
The voice was beautiful, yet chillingly emotionless. Eldora bowed calmly, and the angel slowly rose from the altar.
“Well, it’s not too late, so no matter. I’ll guide you to the meeting place…”
Just as the angel began to gesture, their eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed they had only now taken in Eldora’s appearance. Slowly scanning her from head to toe, the angel smiled faintly.
“Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve seen you tie your hair like that. Did you come especially prepared for the meeting? Heh.”
“Huh?”
“I’m just telling you to relax. Your face is way too tense.”
“Is that so.”
Eldora reached up to touch the hair ornament but quickly lowered her hand and rubbed her face instead. She let out a quiet breath of relief—just as—
“Why are you carrying that bag?”
The angel’s question came suddenly.
Her breath caught, but Eldora responded reflexively, as she had prepared.
“It’s a monster summoning box.”
“I see. That makes sense. But why bring it here?”
She wondered if the angel already knew, but she kept her expression neutral and continued.
“I was summoned just before heading out with my clan members.”
“Heading out?”
“I heard we don’t know which monster might be summoned.”
“Oh~. Then you must want to get back quickly, huh?”
The angel nodded knowingly and chuckled softly.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be back soon enough.”
With a wave of the angel’s hand, a new portal shimmered into existence, its radiant light flickering softly.
“Eldora is wise, after all.”
Leaving those words behind, the angel stepped through the portal as if beckoning her to follow. Eldora watched quietly, then, as she fully disappeared into the light, she repeated the word “wise” under her breath and slowly stepped forward.
Meanwhile, as Eldora walked toward the other portal—
“Eldora?”
“I saw her tie her hair just outside the entrance.”
In a secluded corner outside the temple, two users were talking.
“Good. Then…”
“The D-Day has finally begun. See you after it’s over.”
Pulling his hood low, the user named Ian turned and left. Left alone, Melinus looked up at the sky with eyes full of tension for reasons he couldn’t explain.
Pop!
Not long after, a sudden flash and a burst of light.
“Huh? Did you hear that just now?”
“I did. What was that?”
“What?”
“L-look, in the sky…”
The sound was far from faint, and users strolling the streets began to look up one by one. Above, a pale blue light was slowly spreading across the clear sky, like paint blending into the air.
Gradually, the shape took form—it was an image. Like watching through a communication orb, a translucent scene began to appear.
The important thing was that there wasn’t just one cluster of light in the sky. Images rose from all over the city—at least ten in total.
Before anyone could even wonder, a deep voice echoed through the air.
The sight of angels filling the images was truly magnificent. As if entranced by the mysterious spectacle, the users’ gazes quickly turned skyward.
And then—
From the crown of Eldora’s head, standing alone on the ground, a faint, dusky aura gently rose. It was so subtle that it could easily be missed.
In the independent space connected to all summoning rooms across the continents—‘Heavenly Realm.’
“In the past few days, an unusually large number of users have been coming and going through the summoning rooms. It’s unprecedented in recent years.”
From an unseen, distant height, a clear voice descended, ringing in Eldora’s ears.
“Not just one or two, but dozens, even hundreds have heard the same story.”
“……”
“And I’ve heard the rumor’s source is the Odin Clan… is that true?”
“……”
Silence. Though the question was asked, Eldora said nothing, staring into the void.
“…So it seems.”
A light sigh followed. The voice was gentle but carried a tone of reproach, as if questioning why she was making things difficult.
Yet compared to when she first arrived, Eldora’s heart was completely calm. With so many eyes watching from all directions, most would feel intimidated—but she stood there composed.
Still, meeting those cold, hardly friendly gazes left her feeling chilled.
“Why did you do it?”
At last, the question came. Eldora slowly lifted her head.
As the endless expanse of the Heavenly Realm filled half her vision, she spoke quietly.
“Why?”
“Didn’t you ask the question first? User Eldora.”
If the angel’s voice had dropped slightly, was it just her imagination?
No. It wasn’t. It felt as if the temperature around her had dropped, freezing her entire body. Yet the more that happened, the more strength gathered in Eldora’s neck.
“First, I will admit it. The plan to conquer the eastern continent was Odin’s.”
“So I thought. Then why make such an impossible plan?”
Before the words were even finished, they were cut off, and Eldora clenched her teeth.
“So I asked. Is it not allowed?”
“…Huh?”
“Is it not allowed to attack the eastern continent?”
“……”
At that moment, sensing a challenge in her tone, the space suddenly fell silent.
Of course, the silence didn’t last long.
“No. It’s not allowed.”
The cold, resolute declaration made Eldora’s eyes narrow sharply.
“I don’t understand. Why suddenly come up with such a thought, such a plan?”
“I understand you’ve already heard the rumors. That’s my position.”
“Hmm. The competition surrounding the central region, you mean?”
“That’s right.”
As if already knowing, the angel went straight to the point.
“It’s quite an interesting theory… but are you sure?”
“……?”
“You can’t call it solid evidence based on mere suspicion. Where’s the proof?”
“There is none.”
Eldora shook her head, and just as the angel was about to laugh lightly—
“But there’s no proof it won’t happen either.”
Eldora continued calmly. The angel’s expression stiffened.
“Did I just hear that wrong?”
“……”
“I never thought we’d have to discuss something so basic. Eldora, you need to understand your position.”
“Position?”
“Yes, position. If you were an ordinary user, I’d understand why you thought that way. But aren’t you a Guardian? And a Guardian is supposed to—”
“I am not the Guardian of the eastern continent. I am the Guardian of the southern continent.”
At that moment, the angel’s words faltered, and a look of displeasure crossed their face. But Eldora, standing on the ground, showed no sign of noticing.
“The point of this plan is to eliminate a continent that might become a rival in the future. In other words, it’s a path for the entire southern continent. So why do you say it goes against the duties of a Guardian?”
“Eldora Cornelius!”
Then, for the first time, the angel’s voice rose—strangely, it carried a faint edge of reproach.
“Do you really think this meeting is some kind of joke?”
“What do you mean, a joke?”
“W-what did you say?”
“Which part of what I said sounds like a joke to you?”
Suddenly, Eldora’s eyes blazed fiercely.
“Let me be perfectly clear. I am more serious now than ever before. I understand the gravity of this meeting, and I have no intention of playing games.”
“So if you’re just going to dismiss my argument as mere wordplay and brush it aside, I absolutely refuse to let that happen this time.”
Eldora spoke with a strong, unwavering voice, her determination shining through as if she would never back down today. Whether sensing her resolve or simply at a loss for words, a heavy silence fell once more over the ‘Heavenly Realm.’
How long had it been?
“Very.”
After a long pause, the angel finally spoke.
“Surprising.”
Eldora’s eyes fluttered open. The angel, who had been stationed at the highest point of Heaven, was now descending.
By the time the angel had come down low enough for her face to be seen with the naked eye—
“I’m beginning to doubt if you’re really the Eldora I know.”
A gentle smile, soft and unexpected, curved the angel’s lips. As Eldora hesitated, the angel continued, still smiling softly.
“Anyway, I was a bit surprised… but I understand. No, I’ve decided to understand. After hearing your words, I can see why you might feel that way. Regardless of right or wrong.”
The voice that filled the space was sweet and enchanting, soothing as if coaxing one’s ears to listen.
“But Eldora, it’s a grave mistake to try to solve every problem in life with binary thinking or black-and-white logic. I don’t know who planted this idea or for what purpose, but is attacking the Eastern Continent really that important? Unless absolutely necessary, Ragnarok hasn’t even stabilized yet.”
But did the angel realize—
“The fire burning in your chest, is it what humans call ‘mannerism’?”
The blaze clinging to Eldora’s heart was already raging uncontrollably.
“Yes. Eldora has always acted rationally and led every mission. We angels know this well and hold you in high regard. And the long-awaited conquest of the Orc Fortress was a result of that…”
Suddenly, the angel’s voice faltered, probably noticing the expression on Eldora’s face—a mix of pain and a cold, bitter sneer.
“Why that expression?”
“…Didn’t I say? What I want isn’t sweet talk to gloss things over, but a clear answer. I’m not here to play word games.”
At once, the gentle spring breeze that had graced the angel’s face vanished.
“So what exactly do you want? You’re saying you won’t change your mind?”
“No. If you answer my question honestly, I might reconsider. Of course, it depends on your answer.”
The atmosphere around them shifted subtly. The angel’s face darkened, pride wounded, and soon she glared at Eldora with clear displeasure.
“Fine. What’s your question?”
“Simple. If you want to cancel this plan, just say so.”
“You mean…”
“Do we humans—or rather, the users—need to compete over the Central Continent in the future?”
A flicker of reluctance crossed the angel’s face. But Eldora pressed on.
“If you say yes, I will cancel the plan the moment I leave here.”
“Ho-how can I guarantee that? We are merely assistants.”
“Of course, there’s always the possibility of war. But I’m asking if a war is inevitable and preordained, not just an accident.”
“Th-that…”
Eldora’s firm tone silenced the angel. After a moment of hesitation and a clearing of her throat, she spoke again.
“Hmph. Unfortunately, that’s a question I cannot answer. Users must discover information about the New Continent themselves. It wouldn’t be fair to give special privileges only to the Southern Continent, after all.”
“I’m not asking for locations. I just want a clear answer on whether continental competition is inevitable. Is that too much?”
“……”
“Hah.”
The angel’s silence drew a bitter sigh.
“So, in the end, it means you can’t say anything. Just don’t do it.”
“Eldora.”
“Is this meeting… just a way to control me? To make me follow your will?”
“No, that’s not—”
“Then what is it?”
“……”
Silence. Silence. Silence.
No matter how long she waited, no answer came. Yet the atmosphere around her spoke volumes—it was a silent yes.
Finally, Remiel averted her gaze.
“If you feel that way, I apologize.”
“I’m not asking for an apology.”
“No matter what, we can’t share the information you want. We have our reasons.”
“…Reasons?”
“That’s enough. I won’t allow any more discussion.”
“……!”
At that moment, Eldora felt something she had barely held together snap completely. In an instant, her face twisted sharply.
“Why…?”
She suddenly bowed her head.
“Then why don’t you consider our reasons…?”
Her clenched fists trembled violently as a shaky voice escaped.
“Why won’t you tell us? Why do you keep hiding the truth…?”
“Just do as you’re told… Is that what you call your reasons…?”
Though she spoke as if to herself, her words were so filled with anguish that every angel heard them.
“Yes… now that I think about it, it was always like this…”
“Even when we first met… when I begged and cried, asking why I was summoned…”
Memories surfaced, and her voice grew wild, like a furious beast’s howl.
“Why! Why can’t you tell me!”
Now her cry was almost a sob.
“So this is it… that woman was right…”
The helplessness of having to admit something she didn’t want to.
“Eldora, what are you saying…?”
Then, at that moment—
As the question hung in the air, Eldora suddenly lifted her head. The angel’s eyes widened in surprise. Like the day she was first summoned, she looked utterly lost, her eyes glistening with tears. Standing there, Eldora was no longer a user but just a fragile girl.
“Is it true? That’s why you can’t—or won’t—tell me?”
Eldora wiped her eyes with the back of her hand like a child, then glared at the angel with terrifying intensity.
“W-what…?”
The angel’s face twisted in confusion, a web of embarrassment spreading across her features. But Eldora’s restraint had long since snapped.
“You’re just pawns, aren’t you?”
“Pawns…?”
“You summoned me for some purpose.”
“P-purpose? What are you talking about!”
Then it happened.
“Because of the Zero Code!”
Eldora’s outburst echoed through Heaven, shaking the entire city where the vision played.
“Because of the Zero Code!”
At the same time, the angel’s eyes widened in shock.
“…Huh?”
She was speechless, completely stunned.
Moments later, the usually serene Heaven began to stir with whispers among the angels. And as Eldora observed their reactions, a certainty settled deep within her.
“I heard it. The Zero Code—the protective device guarding Heaven…”
“Eldora? W-wait a moment.”
“They summoned us to protect it. They gave us this ridiculous ‘user’ role and planned to use us in their war against hostile forces! Isn’t that right?”
“……”
Though silence followed, the angel’s expression shifted quickly.
After a brief shock, she waved her hand lightly to quell the commotion, then looked down at the world below with cold eyes.
“Why! Why must we, who have nothing to do with this, get dragged into your fight? Why!”
“…Who told you that?”
“Does it matter now?”
“Yes. It matters. It matters a great deal. So tell me honestly—who told you?”
Her voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. Eldora’s face twisted in genuine sorrow.
She wasn’t asking for an apology.
She just hoped it wasn’t true.
No, even if it was, she wanted the truth.
But, but…
“Ugh…”
Letting out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a groan, Eldora took a deep breath. She breathed in and out several times until her pounding heart calmed and her trembling shoulders steadied. When she opened her eyes again, she had returned from the fragile girl to the user.
“…I will return.”
A hoarse voice escaped her lips with effort.
“Without a clear answer, the plan to conquer the Eastern Continent will not be canceled. We will decide what is right and wrong.”
“That’s enough. By the way, who told you that earlier?”
“…Also, as of today, I resign as protector of the Southern Continent. Farewell.”
“Eldora?”
A terrifying voice called out, but Eldora ignored it, turning away without hesitation and stepping into the shimmering portal.
No—more precisely, she was about to.
Ping!
A sudden tearing sound ripped through the air,
Fshhhhhh….
Her tightly pinned blonde hair suddenly cascades down in a futile, careless mess. Just a simple brush against something, and her hair ornament shatters into pieces. Naturally, Eldora’s steps come to an abrupt halt.
“…Remiel.”
In disbelief, Eldora turns around blankly. The angel—or rather, Remiel—stares back with an expressionless face.
“Sorry, but I think it’s best to postpone your outing today.”
“I said I’m going back.”
“No, you can’t. I haven’t given you permission.”
“…Permission?”
Crunch.
The sound of grinding teeth sends a chill down the spine. But Remiel just smirks, clicks his tongue, and stretches leisurely.
“Hoo, no wonder I can’t blame Gabriel. I always wondered why the Northern Continent, managed by the Four Archangels, was so easily swayed by Kim Suhyun… Heh heh.”
“Kim Suhyun?”
“Oh, he’s a user active in the Northern Continent. A bit of a joke, really. He’s somewhat strong and has some achievements, so he treats us like we’re nothing.”
“……”
The angel smiles faintly, then narrows his eyes and points directly at Eldora.
“Just like you.”
“…What?”
Eldora’s eyebrows twitch. Slowly, the tightly wrapped white cloth loosens, revealing the radiant Excalibur gleaming brilliantly. But Remiel just laughs dismissively.
“Put the sword away. Technically, we can’t harm you, but this situation is a bit different.”
“I said I’m going back.”
Snap!
Suddenly, Remiel snaps his fingers. The portal that had just formed vanishes without a trace. The passage to the summoning room is gone.
“You keep saying the same thing. User Eldora Cornelius, you cannot return.”
“What do you intend to do with me?”
Eldora asks, her tone tinged with sadness but laced with hostility. Remiel shrugs.
“Don’t worry. We just need to have a serious talk. As I said, we can’t intentionally harm you by principle. Once this is over, you’ll be able to return safely… Ah.”
He falls silent for a moment, then his voice turns cold as he recalls something.
“Of course, that depends on your answer.”
Suddenly, Eldora almost bursts into tears. But she swallows hard, gripping Excalibur tightly and aiming it at him. Remiel shakes his head.
“I told you to put the sword away. By the way, this is your last warning.”
“I’ll say this one last time.”
“Oh dear, I wasn’t planning to say it four times.”
“Open the portal right now…!”
At that moment, Remiel suddenly rises into the air, and Eldora feels an overwhelming force pressing down from all directions.
No. By the time she sensed it, Excalibur had already left her hand, and her body staggered violently. She lost her balance and tumbled fiercely.
Barely managing to lift her upper body, she sees Remiel hovering above, looking down at her while holding Excalibur.
“I said that was your last warning, didn’t I?”
His mocking tone makes Eldora bite her lip until it bleeds.
It’s over.
At this point, there’s nothing left to hope for.
She was nothing more than a pawn, a puppet.
To them, no more, no less.
With that thought, Eldora sinks down and quietly speaks, like a tragic heroine in a drama.
“I…”
Her voice barely above a whisper.
“I hate you all. You disgust me.”
For a fleeting moment, her arm hesitates.
But then, suddenly, she flings the bag she was carrying with all her might. The contents inside clatter and bounce across the ground as if about to break.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
More precisely, several boxes with their lids swinging open bounce along the floor, their contents exposed.
Then—
“Huh? What’s this…?”
When she checked earlier, they were just ordinary monster summoning boxes. Nothing special, no strange aura—just worthless items.
Or so it seemed.
As Remiel tilts his head and reaches out, a dark energy suddenly bursts forth from each box.
Woooooooom!
Before anyone can react, an ominous force spreads in all directions. The vibrations quickly fill the celestial realm, disturbing the space. As the boxes begin to spin, a sudden fierce wind sweeps through everything.
“W-What is this? Wh-What’s happening?”
“We have to stop this…!”
“Ah? Why isn’t it working…?”
“Wait a moment. This power is…”
Amid the angels’ murmurs, Remiel suddenly shouts, sensing something.
“How dare you! Foolishness!”
But before he can act, an immense, unfathomable energy begins to materialize. A darkness so overwhelming it easily crushes the angels’ power beneath it. The moment they feel it, no one dares to move.
Then, three things happen in quick succession, almost without pause.
Woooooooom!
The tremors intensify as a massive black magic circle rises from somewhere.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Angels are forcibly drawn into the magic circle, floating helplessly in all directions.
Fwoooosh!
The black circle, having absorbed the angels, erupts again, spewing out even more darkness.
“Ugh!”
Remiel gags instinctively, then screams in shock. The darkness they thought they knew begins to coalesce into a form.
Here.
Hmm. I don’t think this is the summoning room Satan mentioned…
A sinister, dark conversation echoes.
Still, it seems we can fully unleash our power here.
Then this must be a space connected to the summoning room. Well, well, you’ve done well.
Hearing the last words, Remiel’s mouth falls open in shock.
Eldora, still sitting, looks on with pitiful eyes. No sign of wavering. She didn’t want it to come to this, but she had expected it.
As their eyes meet, a sudden thought flashes through Remiel’s mind.
“Eldora, no way!”
The angel’s pupils widen like lanterns.
“You’ve made a pact with the devil…!”
That was Remiel’s last words.
Because—
Bang!
A black hand, flying like a beam of light from nowhere, tears through his wings and shatters his head to pieces.
Meanwhile, at the same time—
“Hehehehe! Heheheh!”
In a room within the Blue Palace, a laugh unlike any human’s rings out repeatedly.
“Ugh, heheheh!”
Anyone peeking in would surely be shocked.
“Ugh, uhhuhuh? Hahaha!”
Despite the wrecked surroundings, seeing a black-haired woman rolling wildly on the chaotic floor would send chills down anyone’s spine.
Then—
“Kihihihi… It’s done, it’s done!”
The woman, pounding the floor with her fists hard enough to dent it, suddenly bursts into giggles and flops back. Her eyes, staring at the ceiling, gleam with an indescribable madness.
“Is this what you wanted? Is this what you wished for? Huh?”
There’s no one else in the room.
“Wow, this is fun. Yeah. Just like you said, it’s really fun. Kiki, kikikikik!”
Yet the woman—no, Thanatos—speaks as if someone were right beside her, warmly.
“You arrogant fool. What about your comrades…? No, should I call them my army now? Heheheh!”
Just as she mocks, her expression suddenly shifts. A bitter look flashes briefly before her lips curl into a wide grin, laughing so hard it seems to tear her face apart, echoing through the room.
“Ahahahahahahaha!”
Her laughter, wild and unhinged, feels both frivolous and grotesque.
…No longer resembling the Satan she once was.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I did it…
It’s been a long time since I’ve burned out like this.
Anyway, Episode 5 is finally over. ㅜ.ㅠ
Suhyun, I really missed you….