Chapter 18
The next day, everyone headed toward the final battle.
「Hey there. Are you feeling well? Have you eaten? Have you slept properly?」
「I'm fine, even without your concern.」
'Jet Black''s words were bright, but there was a sense of determination in his voice.
What awaits them ahead is the decisive battle.
Either Mars's or 'Jet Black''s end is just around the corner.
「I'll teleport all of you to the summit. There's still a long way to go. I don't have anything prepared anymore, you see, so let's take a shortcut.」
As 'Jet Black' raised his hand to the side, a pitch-black black hole-like gate opened.
「Oh, you've increased again. Is that handsome guy over there is, just as I thought?」
「I told you...」
'Jet Black' pointed his finger at Zerius.
「Is he your comrade? If he's not, I'll leave him here or kill him, all right? Because he's getting in the way.」
「He... He's our comrade, for now.」
While maintaining his cheerful tone from earlier, 'Jet-Black' casually mentioned killing Zerius.
Zerius tried to appear calm but felt the urge to escape.
Zerius was surprised that Mars treated him as a comrade, but more than that, he was chilled by 'Jet-Black''s naturalness.
The absence of any killing intent or malice, the naturalness with which he would carry out the murder, sent shivers down his spine.
In the previous encounter, Zerius was wearing pitch-black armor.
Because of that, he was mistaken for 'Jet-Black'. Zerius himself honestly didn't feel guilty, but seeing the real 'Jet-Black' made him change his thoughts.
He felt that he couldn't even compare himself.
He was not within the scope of judgment based on strength or weakness.
Although Zerius had an impression of Mars that resembled a monster, he felt that Mars was a presence close to himself.
They could understand each other's words, and desires, and although he disliked him, he could still comprehend him.
But 'Jet-Black' was different.
Zerius had an absolute feeling that he couldn't understand him. He had that much pressure.
A bug cannot understand the feelings of a human that are on a completely different scale.
In this case, Zerius was the bug.
Being able to communicate and being able to have a conversation are two completely different things, Zerius thought.
A vessel aspiring for the seat of a God.
Putting aside personal feelings, Zerius was convinced that there was no one more suitable than 'Jet-Black'.
He was undoubtedly a transcendent being.
The wicked sense of intimidation that could not be imagined from his light-hearted attitude rang alarm bells in Zerius' mind.
So far, Zerius had been subjected to humiliating treatment by Mars.
He had no intention of giving up the position of God to Mars and 'Jet-Black' easily.
Therefore, during the battle between 'Jet-Black' and Mars, Zerius considered killing and defeating both of them whenever he had the chance.
He didn't want to be freely manipulated by any God, whether it be Mars or 'Jet-Black'.
And he intended to amass immense wealth, become a conqueror of the Seven Great Dungeons, and obtain a bright future.
If he could eliminate Mars, the rest of the group would be manageable.
If Mars's consciousness was focused on 'Jet-Black' during the battle, it wouldn't be so difficult to defeat him.
However... that feeling has disappeared.
He doesn't think that resisting 'Jet-Black' would be effective.
Humans are no match for natural disasters.
He resigned himself, giving up on the idea of confronting tornadoes and volcanic eruptions.
The only thing Zerius could do to express his lack of hostility was to store his spear in his "Treasury of Dreams"
Mars and the others were led by 'Jet-Black' and headed toward the top of the World Tree.
The top floor was the widest, and the edges were so far away they couldn't be seen.
The pure white space distorted the sense of distance.
The deepest part of the dungeon always had such a space.
Mars thought the dungeon had an atmosphere similar to a temple.
「It seems this place is higher than the clouds. When you hear that, you start to feel the air is thin, don't you? Well, it doesn't seem to be the case, though.」
「Maybe because the World Tree generates oxygen. This dungeon doesn't have many environmental changes.」
「Photosynthesis, huh? I don't have much education, so I don't really get it.」
While conversing, Mars felt a strange sensation.
Despite knowing they were about to kill each other, he wanted to know more about 'Jet-Black'.
「――Let's get on with it, shall we?」
「Yeah.」
Knowing the opponent makes it harder to fight.
Mars felt that way, and 'Jet Black' thought the same.
「Lilia, please stay back and watch. I think it's better if I do this alone.」
「W-What?! Our strength lies in numbers, you know!?」
「No... to be honest, you would just be a hindrance. If everyone gets killed, I might not be able to fight anymore.」
If they could manage with numbers, it would be fine to challenge together.
In this case, however, Mars believed that Lilia and the others joining the fight wouldn't contribute even 1% to their chances of winning.
If that's the case, he didn't want to see them die right in front of him.
「Lilia-nyan, Mars-nyan is probably right-nyaa. Nemu doesn't think Nemu and the others can do anything even if we try our best-nyaa.」
「I also think that... I think there might be times when Mars-san, during the battle, worries about us, and as a result, we end up dragging him down... I believe such a thing could happen.」
「As for me, I can't do anything. Fighting together in this state would not only be a hindrance but also harmful.」
Except for Lilia, the other companions agreed with Mars.
They understood the current situation where their existence became his weakness rather than his strength.
Lilia also understood it rationally, but she couldn't accept it emotionally.
「Aniki, leave these Nee-san to me. I'll become a shield to prevent them from getting involved.」
「I'm counting on you, Onyx. Zerius, if possible, I'd like you to cooperate too. Of course, we'll share the rewards here.」
Mars expressed his gratitude for Onyx's offer of support and earnestly pleaded with Zerius.
He didn't have the luxury to worry about Lilia and the others behind him this time.
「...Fine. I'll make sure to protect Hazuki. Even if you die, I don't care. I'll take Hazuki with me.」
Hmph, Zerius responded confidently.
Mars felt slightly relieved by his attitude.
Given the situation, it was somewhat reassuring.
「I absolutely hate that idea, though...?」
Hazuki made a bitter face.
The others also reacted with unease to Zerius' statement.
It was his way of encouragement, but they didn't get his true intentions.
「I don't mind if all of you come at me together, you know?」
「No, it's fine. You wouldn't be satisfied with a defeat where you can make excuses either, would you? I will teach you a defeat so complete that you won't be able to accept it.」
Although his face under the helmet couldn't be seen, it was clear that he widened his eyes.
「You're quite confident, aren't you? Are you sure about this? You won't make excuses like not having your comrades after losing, right?」
「No, I won't. If I lose, it'll be solely my fault.」
「That so? Well then, that's fine.」
'Jet Black' retrieved a sword from his "Treasury of Dreams."
It was a slim, pitch-black sword in every aspect.
Mars also retrieved his sword.
His was a pure white sword.
It was a forgotten relic left in Mars's "Treasury of Dreams" by the previous reincarnator.
The time had come to determine the outcome—black and white.
In the final showdown, it came down to a one-on-one duel.
After safely evacuating Mars's comrades to a distance where they would not be involved, Mars and 'Jet Black' faced each other.
「Fuuhh...」
Mars relaxed his entire body, confirming the grip of his sword.
Surprisingly, he felt no tension.
In fact, he was in the best condition he had ever been.
Since coming to this world, he had found someone to protect.
He had gained the luxury of dreaming about the future.
Thinking about those who watched over him gave him strength.
There might be a difference in their power.
Still, Mars believed that the difference in backgrounds and determination would compensate for it.
Moreover, now that he had realized what 'Jet Black' desired, he couldn't imagine losing――
Mars raised his sword and closed the distance.
The final battle began in complete silence, with no voices or sounds to be heard.
Mars started with an overhead strike, deliberately leaving himself open to see how 'Jet Black' would respond.
He knew he would be countered, so Mars prepared himself to retreat.
This location provided him with a solid foothold.
With astonishing speed, 'Jet Black' intercepted Mars's sword with a sideways strike, creating sparks accompanied by a loud clang.
「As expected, in the end, it's a one-on-one swordfight! Magic isn't very manly!」
「That's a biased view, isn't it!?」
Mars distanced himself with a front kick.
There were no cheats or offensive magic—just a straightforward melee battle.
The two of them had chosen this primitive form of combat.
They had an unspoken agreement not to use magic.
To stake their own existence, they needed to be nimble.
The cheats bestowed upon them by the God and the loved ones Mars had chosen were burdensome at this moment.
They were originally individuals who had nothing.
Having nothing at all suited them.
The weight necessary for their swords was solely their own pride.
Their sword clash continued with such speed and quantity that it couldn't be discerned by the gallery.
With each passing hundred, two hundred, three hundred seconds, the sword flashes between the two of them multiplied.
Mars found himself laughing. So was 'Jet Black'.
They fought as if they were playing.
They were immersed in an atmosphere of nostalgic familiarity emanating from each other.
The swords carried their emotions, and there was no craftsmanship involved.
It was the most refreshing kind of battle for warriors.
However, such moments were short-lived.
Mars was waiting for an opening. The same goes for 'Jet Black'.
Aiming for that moment, Mars would unleash his trump card—an invisible magical extension of his sword.
If it worked, it would only be effective once.
Afterward, it would undoubtedly be dodged.
Mars had refrained from using it even in dire situations because he feared 'Jet Black' might discover the true power of his sword.
The trump card would remain hidden until the very end.
――Don't miss this moment.
「You think we're getting nowhere?」
「Yeah!」
Once again, they distanced themselves from each other.
If they were only engaging in a sword duel, it would become a battle of endurance until one of them ran out of stamina.
That's why they would settle it with a powerful technique.
Even though they did not exchange words, they were thinking in the same way.
As individuals on the battlefield, only they could sense the synchrony of hearts.
At this moment, they felt closer to each other than anyone else.
「You, have you come up with a technique name?」
「Nope.」
「――As expected, it's embarrassing, isn't it?」
Perhaps this feeling was unique to the two of them as Japanese.
They couldn't shout out embarrassing technique names at the top of their lungs.
They chuckled at the notion of empathetic embarrassment.
「This is just a regular, all-out strike.」
「Same here.――I'll let you attack first. Then I'll return it and kill you.」
Sinking deeply into his stance, Mars takes an iai stance, a quick-draw technique
In a regular battle, there would be too many openings to use this technique effectively, but 'Jet Black' doesn't interfere with his stance.
'Jet Black' relaxes his body and lets his sword hang down.
It's a stance of non-stance.
It is a stance that does not set a form so that he can respond no matter where Mars attacks him.
――'Body Strengthening', 'Body Strengthening', 'Body Strengthening', 'Body Strengthening'.....!
Mars repeats the technique so many times that he loses count.
In the end, only speed and strength matter.
He knows that without power, meticulous strategies bear no fruit.
「Ah, you can kill me with that. If it connects properly, I doubt a human body can withstand it. But even so, I was waiting for it. Am I just too kind-hearted? I thought about attacking during the hero's transformation scene in the past, but when I actually saw it, I didn't feel like doing such a thing.」
「I feel the same. I thought, since I'm showing an opening, I expected you to attack me.」
Indeed, their human nature is close.
In many ways, their beginnings were similar.
The only difference lies in the various things they have acquired along their journeys.
Only in the way they walk the long path of life.
That difference separates the two.
Both Mars and 'Jet Black' had the same thought when they were reincarnated: to meet their desired end this time.
One wanted to live and die alongside their cherished person.
The other wanted to die at the hands of an equal.
What they both wanted was someone special.
Someone who understood them.
For Mars, that person was Lilia.
For 'Jet Black,' that person was Mars.
They both lived with similar anguish and died in similar despair.
If they were to be killed, they wanted it to be by someone who understood them.
If the gods chose 'Jet Black,' then 'Jet Black' chose Mars.
Having power and the ability to grasp something may seem similar, but they are different.
Having power sometimes means not being able to obtain anything.
It can lead to destruction.
Someone who wouldn't break even if he touched them—'Jet Black' had longed for Mars
「Cheats are boring. No one wants a game where everything is already set up from the beginning. That's why I'm glad. Finally, this punishment game is coming to an end.」
In the dungeon, Mars and Lilia first conquered Sekhmet.
'Jet Black' was actually present as well.
There was no particular reason for choosing Sekhmet. 'Jet Black' was just wandering around without any intention to conquer it.
It was a kind of revelation. A random chance that brought Mars and 'Jet Black' together.
Originally, 'Jet Black' had only wanted to meet "Lightning," the conqueror of the dungeon, after hearing rumors about it being cleared.
It never occurred to him that there were other reincarnators other than himself.
However, when 'Jet Black' saw Mars defeating Hydra, he trembled with delight.
It was because despair was visible in Mars's eyes.
'Jet Black' could see the eyes that knew the end.
At a glance, 'Jet Black' sensed a kinship with Mars.
It was impossible for an ordinary human to conquer even a small-scale dungeon.
Yet, a child had accomplished it.
Moreover, there was something mysterious about him.
In that case, it wasn't difficult for 'Jet Black', who was also a reincarnator, to deduce that he wasn't an ordinary person of this world, but was a reincarnator.
So, 'Jet Black' decided to wait.
At the pole—the final of the Seven Great Dungeons.
To put an absolute checkmate on God, he called for Mars.
Everything was for this moment.
For a satisfying death.
To put an end to someone who shared the same sense of alienation.
Suicide was out of the question. 'Jet Black' might be reincarnated again.
To ensure a definitive end, someone had to kill him.
However, 'Jet Black''s body was too strong. He couldn't die from attacks by monsters or accidents.
To kill him, one needed power equal to that of 'Jet Black'.
That's why Mars was necessary.
If Mars had been diligently building his body to live, then 'Jet Black' had been building his to die.
「Why was I born twice, I wonder?」
In a voice that couldn't be heard by Mars, 'Jet Black' muttered softly.
One step forward from Mars shook the World Tree, and the impact reverberated through the surrounding areas.
It was like thunder that could burn even the World Tree to ashes.
Friction heat with the air occurred at Mars' movement speed, and his whole body felt like it was burning.
Nevertheless, Mars swung his sword with all his might.
The sword flashed flew, and 'Jet Black' intercepted it with his sword.
The momentum of the sword flash was tremendous, and even though 'Jet Black' held it back with his sword, his body was blown away to the wall of the World Tree.
But Mars' strike did not stop.
Eventually, 'Jet Black's' sword was cut.
And a massive flash was engraved on the wall of the World Tree, allowing sunlight to pour in.
「Ah, this is it. I'm done for.」
'Jet Black' said in a hoarse voice.
Immediately, blood spewed out of his mouth.
The wall behind him was also cut in the same way.
In other words, 'Jet Black's' body was already severed.
Now, he was barely supporting himself with the weight and balance of his upper body.
「You actually couldn't use magic anymore, could you? You were talking about being unfair.」
Mars' right arm had completely lost its function.
His stepping foot had complex fractures internally, and standing was purely out of willpower and stubbornness.
He wanted to scream in pain, and he felt like he was about to lose consciousness.
Still, he absolutely did not want to behave in such a shameful manner in front of the death of a fellow human being.
「Oh, you figured it out, huh? Well, it's obvious. 'Monster Creation' and 'Teleportation' both require a considerable amount of magical power. I can't keep up with healing either. Even if it's called a cheat, it still uses magical power.」
Even if he had it, he didn't intend to use it, and 'Jet Black' said with a laugh while spitting up blood.
「Are you satisfied now? You wanted to be killed, didn't you?」
「Yeah, well... I feel relieved. Hey, what are you going to do with this world?」
Mars approached, embracing 'Jet Black's' body that seemed to split apart.
'Jet Black' was evil.
Considering all the people he had killed until now, there was no room for mercy.
Seeing that Sion's spirit had less darkness, it might not have been such a big problem in the end, but it was 'Jet Black' who killed Sion's husband.
Still, Mars just couldn't hate him.
Good and evil ultimately depend on where you look.
Humans judge based on subjectivity rather than vague ethics.
No matter how far Mars went, he was still human.
He couldn't deny the unreasonable revenge of those born in unfortunate circumstances.
「It's just the way it is. I want to create a world where even disliked people like us can live, a world like that... So, come and be born again. In this world. I won't let it be boring, for sure.」
「――Is that so. If there's a chance to be reborn, how about becoming friends? I've never had that experience.」
「I'll become your best friend. So, tell me your name. Not 'Jet Black,' but your real name.」
「...」
It was a voice muffled by spitting blood, but Mars definitely heard 'Jet Black's' name.
Squeezing out his last bit of strength, 'Jet Black' further widened the hole in the wall with what little magic he had left.
And then, he started walking alone.
Supporting his upper body, which seemed about to fall at any moment, he took one step after another.
Mars' sword flash was sharp, and 'Jet Black's' nerves and blood vessels were still functioning, driven by his determination.
With the vast hole behind him, 'Jet Black' showed a slightly puzzled expression.
At that moment, he threw away his helmet, revealing his true face beneath the black hair.
「I wonder what you're supposed to say in times like this. Goodbye? It doesn't quite fit.」
「Until next time, I guess.」
「Yeah, that sounds better...――Until next time.」
Still facing Mars, 'Jet Black' dived backward from his upper body.
The height of the World Tree surpassed the clouds.
Mars thought it was a fitting place to die as he looked up at the unnaturally blue sky.
「Oh, I remembered. I wanted friends. I wanted to play with someone, like a normal person.」
As his upper body remained in mid-air, 'Jet Black' finally remembered.
It was the feeling he had when he saw someone playing with someone else as a child.
They were happily laughing and talking.
He wanted to be part of that circle too.
「――In the end, it was a bit of fun.」
His words didn't reach anyone's ears.
However, his wish resonated in Mars' heart.
「Next time, I hope you find true happiness. Repent for your sins properly, even if it takes hundreds of years. And next time...」
Speaking to no one in particular, Mars muttered to himself.
「I-I feel like I'm dying too!」
Mars cried out as he collapsed to the ground.
His muscles were torn apart, and he couldn't muster the strength to take another step.
Although he had grown accustomed to fractures, it didn't mean he was immune to pain.
「Mars!」
Lilia ran over, crying, and immediately began healing him.
The final strike had been delivered with genuine intent. It was filled with sympathy for 'Jet Black'.
No one else would understand if he explained it to them.
However, Mars understood 'Jet Black''s feelings painfully well.
That's why he had given it his all.
He didn't want to hold back when taking the life of a fellow being.
For Mars, it was his first and last act of murder.
Hazuki also joins in the healing.
「We won.」
「Yes, yes!」
Lilia was tearful, but Mars felt a complex mix of emotions.
In short, ’Jet Black’ had come to be killed by Mars.
Even though he had obtained the power to acquire everything, the feeling of emptiness remained.
Despite gaining various things through cheat-like means, he was not granted the ability to acquire the one thing he truly desired. What he needed was the strength to start over in his heart.
To break and start again. Not the world, but his own heart should have been that way.
That's why his feelings were no different from when he died in his past life.
Ending in death, beginning with death, and seeking death once again.
Being killed was the only salvation for 'Jet Black'.
「As Hazuki-chan said, he wanted friends,」
Even though he possessed the vessel of a transcendent being, what he wanted was a common and not unusual thing—friends.
His life had been devoid of anything.
Even if he lived twice, he couldn't obtain anything.
His inability to fit in, his lack of courage to say, "Please let me in," Mars understood all of it.
Until he met Lilia, Mars was alone.
He thought he would continue to be alone in the future.
If he had met 'Jet Black' at that time, they might have surprisingly been good friends and conquered the world by now.
But that didn't happen――.
「Lilia, thank you.」
「W-What's the matter?」
「I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you.」
「I-I should be the one to... Ah, did you hit your head!?」
Mars laughed at Lilia's confusion.
Life easily changes with just one encounter.
For better or worse, when someone meets another person, they can no longer remain the same.
The second life had truly been blessed with encounters.
He couldn't have imagined wanting to live with someone else.
With his uninjured left arm, Mars wiped away Lilia's tears and smiled gently once again.
「Thank you so much. Let's continue to support each other from now on.」
「I-I am the one who cannot thank you enough. Until the very end, I want to be with you.」
Ignoring his aching body, Mars kissed Lilia, whose voice trembled as she sobbed.
Today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, Mars would continue to live in this world.
He would live with his loved ones.
「Fufufu, fufufu!」
Lilia skipped with an excited face even before opening the door to the dungeon's treasure vault.
「Lilia-san, you're so excited!」
「Well, of course! With this, Master can become a god, meaning our wish will come true, you know!? I don't have the slightest interest in the contents of the treasure vault!」
As expected, there is a reward in the form of valuable treasures this time as well.
But for Lilia, such things are worthless.
No matter how much she desires it, there is a miracle right in front of her that can bridge the inherent and absolute gap in lifespan between different races.
「With this, can everyone live together-nyaa? Can we have a longer life-nyaa?」
「Yes, that's right! Please take care of us from now on, senpai!」
Nemu and Sion were also happy.
「We don't need to rely on the "Forbidden Magic Book" anymore... I feel restless realizing that. Can I really die together with Lilia?」
Something warm welled up from deep within his chest.
His tear glands were stimulated, and tears naturally flowed from his eyes.
Then, his strength left his legs, and Mars knelt down on both knees.
「With this, I won't leave Lilia alone...」
「...Were you going into the dungeon for such a reason?」
Zerius spoke to the deeply moved Mars. His voice carried a profound tone.
「Yes. I've been searching for the magic that can manipulate lifespan. If I remain with the same lifespan as a human, I won't be able to be with Lilia until she has even a single wrinkle. And, as you can understand firsthand, individuals of different races are discriminated against when she is alone. That's why I wanted to be together.」
「Master...」
Touched by Mars's words, Lilia started crying.
Hazuki was also teary-eyed.
――To live with loved ones.
Mars's new life was meant for that purpose.
He was willing to risk his life, face any risk, to obtain that future.
Even coming to this fantasy world, that dream seemed distant, as if the difficulty of achieving it was insurmountable.
Each time he made progress, he felt disappointed, thinking that he couldn't manipulate lifespan.
There was also the fear of staking everything on a single hope.
But now, that hope was about to come true.
The golden door leading to the treasure vault appeared to shine with the light of the future.
「...If that's the case, I'll give you the treasures in this dungeon. I don't need my share.」
"Hmph," said Zerius with a dismissive tone.
「Ouh!? You can read the atmosphere too!?」
「Shut up! If I insisted on my share here, I would be seen as small-minded!」
Zerius shouted as he was vigorously slapped on the back by Onyx.
It was Zerius' way of offering his congratulations.
「I don't need that either! But I have a condition!」
「A condition?」
「――I want to be invited to your wedding as well!」
「Oh, about that, huh! Of course, you're invited. We'll prepare plenty of drinks that you won't be able to finish.」
Onyx nodded with a satisfied expression.
「What do you think, Lilia? Shouldn't we all open the final door together?」
「Yes, we should. Let's face the future together!」
「Kuhhhh! I'm getting nervous!」
「I-I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my mouth!」
「Nemu also feels restless-nyaa...」
Everyone agreed to Mars' suggestion.
Each of them had their own feelings.
Although they joined at different times, their feelings were the same.
They wanted to live happily together.
「It would be awkward for me and this guy to participate. So, Aniki and the others should open it.」
「What!? Why are you deciding that on your own? Although it may not seem like it, I have a long history with these guys, and we're practically like comrades—」
「You're annoying! Clearly, you're just an obstacle in this picture!」
Onyx lifted Zerius, squeezing him in a chokehold, and nodded at Mars as if urging him.
「One, two, three!」
And then, the final door was opened.
Adventures eventually come to an end.
A long journey eventually turns into a homeward path.
As Mars looked at Lilia while opening the door, Lilia was also looking at Mars in the same way.
「Thank you very much, Master. I love you.」
「I'm the one who should be thanking you. I'm glad I was born.」
Mars trembled as he spoke, his voice filled with tears.
To think there would come a day when he could say he was glad to be born.
Everyone was crying.
Everyone carried wounds in their hearts.
They had endured numerous wounds to reach this point.
Finally, they grasped a future they had been unable to choose.
There wouldn't be anyone who wasn't deeply moved.
The door leading to a golden future was opened.
◆
「Wow...」
「Has 'Jet Black' placed all of his treasure here as well.......?」
The treasures in the Seven Great Dungeons are immense.
Even in regular dungeons, the treasures are abundant enough to sustain a lifetime of leisure, but the Seven Great Dungeons surpass that easily.
But this time, it goes beyond that.
It's not just a mountain of treasure; it's a sea of treasure.
The refracted light is so dazzling that it's impossible to look directly at it.
Diamonds the size of fists appear worthless in this space.
「...I-I can't even speak!」
「Nemu know-nyaa. With this much, we could eat ice cream every day-nyaa. And two each-nya!」
「W-Well, even now, one is probably enough! It's just a restriction due to health concerns!」
Nemu also expressed her bewildered and incomprehensible impressions.
Even Mars and the others, who are accustomed to seeing treasures, are overwhelmed by the amount.
At a glance, it was more than four times the amount they saw in the previous underwater city of Critias.
「You are starting to feel regret about your share after all, aren't you?」
「I-I'm not! Don't make baseless accusations!」
「You were just acting all tough earlier, and now you're getting regret it... You're not much of a man, huh?」
「I-I'm telling you I'm not!」
Onyx pursued Zerius, who was overwhelmed by the treasures with an obviously frustrated expression.
It's understandable to feel regret when you see it with your own eyes.
And Mars thought that Zerius and Onyx might actually make a good team.
「Mars-san! We're almost finished packing up here!」
「We're almost done here too!」
Hazuki called out to Mars from a distance.
The treasure vault was so vast that you had to shout to be heard.
They packed the treasures into their "Treasury of Dreams" and emptied the World Tree's treasure vault.
All that remained was to board the teleportation magic circle in the back, and this dungeon, and their adventure, would come to an end.
Everyone had gathered in front of the magic circle.
「Before we leave here, I'd like to say this one more time.」
Mars swallowed his saliva.
He was nervous about saying it in front of so many people.
「Lilia, Hazuki-chan, Nemu-chan, and Sion-san... Marry me!」
A proposal, witnessed by Onyx and Zerius.
There was a shame, but he knelt down and lowered his head.
His face felt like it was on fire.
He had mentioned getting married many times before, but that was always an extension of a dream.
But now it was different. The reality awaited them once they left this place.
「Master, please raise your head.」
「It feels weird to see Mars-san bowing his head!」
「That's right.」
「Nyaa... Mars-nyan, did you do something wrong-nyaa?」
Lilia took Mars' kneeling hands and made him stand up.
Lilia touched Mars' cheek and smiled gently.
Mars thought about everything that had happened while feeling the warmth transmitted to his cheek.
She had always been the one to pull him up with her hand.
Despite thinking that he was the one leading her by the hand, in reality, it was the complete opposite.
He couldn't have come this far alone.
Lilia, whom he met under the moonlight, pulled him out into the sunlight.
「We will always answer your request like this――' Yes.'」
Lilia lightly kissed him on the lips.
It was the reaction he had hoped for, and Mars felt relieved.
He smiled, partly to hide his embarrassment, and everyone showed the same smiling faces.
「Thank you. I may be inexperienced, but please take care of me!」
「Nemu may be inexperienced-ced, but please take care of her-nyaa」
「You have an extra 'ced' in there! I may be inexperienced-ced-ced... huh?」1
Hazuki and Nemu laughed at the difficulty of the words.
For them, engagement felt like something distant, and they hadn't fully grasped its significance yet.
Watching their interaction, Mars thought that he wanted to live together with them forever.
「Well then, shall we go home?」
A beloved world awaits them.
They have obtained treasures that shine more beautifully than any gold.
Hand in hand, they jumped into the future, ready for the golden age that awaits them.
1. [TLN: 不束/Futsutsuka=Inexperienced, Nemu says it with extra "tsu", Futsutsutsuka, and Hazuki added one more tsu there]
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