The 101st life has begun.

For a cursed infinite regressor, the death of the body offers no brief rest for the mind. The consciousness was sharp, and there were no interruptions in memory—it would have been better to slip into a light sleep, for the awareness was as clear as ever.

The senses were functioning, and the state of the body was reported. The left side of the chest, which should have felt hollow, was filled, and the veins that had been twitching and sending blood in a near-burst were now calm.

The worn-out soul had donned a new body, signaling the return of strength.

A very familiar sensation: the start of a new timeline.

It was terrifying.

He did not open his eyelids with even the slightest resistance. The moment his eyes opened and the world filled his vision, it felt as though it marked the beginning of life.

But as always, the world would not leave him still for even a moment. It shook him relentlessly.

"Shit! Where the hell is this? Hii?! What the hell are these unfinished angel statues?!"

"I-I think the monster corpses have been coated in plaster to make angel statues! This... this is such a blasphemous place! We need to get out of here!"

"I-I think we've lost our way. Deputy Commander Recto, what should we do now?"

"Hah, Gedville, Commander. Why are you asking me? You're the commander."

A group of humans was making a racket. The familiar voices that distorted his judgment.

The Chanyeong Order.

The ones who used him and betrayed him were once again surrounding him.

Right, the starting point of the regression was always with them, in the "Sculptor's Atelier" dungeon.

"Let's check the numbers first... What? Where's Tesilid? Where is that bastard Tesilid?"

The cursed regressor’s body reacted to the name, and his eyes opened.

"..."

His hair, fallen with the slightest movement, was long and black. He remained in the same state as a sinner, neither repentant nor punished.

Around him were piles of all sorts of sculptures and bas-reliefs made by a demon obsessed with angels. The grotesque creations actually helped him.

His changed appearance, combined with the winged chair backrest, hid his presence from the Chanyeong Order, who lacked keen observation.

"Tes... Tesilid should be here..."

"Where the hell is he?! We don't know when the enemy will appear, and he should be protecting us!"

The foolishly chaotic voices.

For a moment, the red light in his eyes, which had been filled with dull disillusionment, became cold.

It was noisy.

'Should I just kill them all?'

There was no reason to suppress the attractive impulse. The murderous intent was immediately projected into the magic that reached the level of a transcendence.

Without a chant or a beast's help, just by will alone, death capable of crushing the humans in front of him like bugs was about to be manifested.

However, the magic being formed collapsed just before completion.

He looked down at his left arm. The black thorn wire was suppressing his power.

The Golden Black Death.

A gift from the 100th iteration.

"...Hah."

Now he realized, the bug was himself. Completely sealed of all his power, he was helpless.

The struggles of the 100th iteration flashed through his mind. His own salvation, trying to establish a stronghold in the ruined world.

His best efforts had led him to this miserable state. It was no exaggeration to say this was the most pathetic state of all his iterations.

Indeed, one should never do things that don't suit them. After all his corruption, he shouldn't have clung to any hope of salvation.

In the midst of his bitter regret, he found a way to redeem his mistakes. The moment he saw the Golden Black Death, he instinctively knew.

The easiest way to unlock the seal was to accumulate enough good deeds. Fortunately, there were still things he could do even with his powerless body.

"Save me!"

"AAAHH!"

He thought he could sacrifice a few things for the members of the Chanyeong Order in front of him. Then, he would regain his strength.

After that, he would kill them all.

The problem was that he was just too tired.

Every move to prepare for the future was unbearable. Especially anything related to good deeds.

He wanted to be like an object, like an inanimate thing, like the background. He wanted to be lifeless.

He just wanted to die.

He just wanted to die.

If he could strangle himself and end his breath, that would be great. If possible, even the breath of his soul.

"Heh, these materials are so fresh and dynamic. I'll make them into a bas-relief. The title... yeah, Hell’s Procession seems fitting."

The Chanyeong Order, who had been pushing each other, shoving and stepping on each other to escape, were now fixed in place by wires.

The demon who had been meticulously adjusting the positions and postures of the 'materials' suddenly turned his head. It was in the direction of where he stood.

"Oh? There's one more hiding? But there's something strange about this human's energy...?"

This was different from the 100th iteration, when he had crawled and groveled in the lake of chaotic evil. The demon’s keen eyes did not immediately notice the hidden aura and presence sealed by the Golden Black.

The demon sculptor, Silvan, did not think for long.

"So what if he’s different? If he's useful as material, that’s all that matters! And, come to think of it, his face and body are quite...?! Oh, inspiration is flooding in!"

"..."

Silvan mumbled wildly in his head, scattering words like chaos, foam, nakedness, black hair, and so on. Before long, the title of the piece was decided in an instant.

"The Birth of Chaotic Evil...!"

Even demons were caught in their own absurdities. Wherever he went, the world was like a stage mocking him.

He was supposed to laugh as the audience, but he couldn't even manage a bitter smile.

He remained unresponsive. He did not even react to the wires tightening around his body.

Do as you like.

Make it as messy as you want.

He discarded his own body like trash.

Regress again.

...

Regress and live properly.

The cruel Ayleth Rodeline.

Live properly on your own after you’ve discarded me?

After abandoning me, asking such an unreasonable thing... It was almost laughable.

He wanted to resist Ayleth Rodeline's will with all his strength. And so, he made a decision.

To throw away the 101st timeline, the one she had made, as the most worthless thing.

There would be no sign of life left. He would be discarded like an object, used and trampled on, not caring about it.

Becoming a bug, the only means of rebellion. Even if it was the worst self-torture, he would willingly do it.

If there is a god above, may she hear this:

The regressor of the 101st cycle, without you, would not even want to live, let alone live properly.

The twisted pleasure slightly pulled his lips into a smile. His face, smiling like he was about to cry, was gradually covered by the demon’s blue hand.

The crackling sound that echoed in his ears came then.

"Divine Punishment!"

The shout tore open the sky. The summoned holy thunder pierced through the atelier’s roof and struck the demon, turning it white.

"...!"

That voice.

Could it be...

His eyes widened to the limit. At this moment, the world, his mind, seemed to become a vacuum. Even the demon's miserable scream vanished into a faint ringing sound.

'...Ah.'

The white light that had burned his retinas dissipated. Where the fragments of the thunder scattered, a figure appeared.

"It’s not too late."

"...."

Right now, I...

"Well, I guess it’s fortunate. For now."

"...."

Is this a dream?

"Hey, are you okay?"

"...."

How...

"You don’t seem to be hurt."

"...."

How are you here, in this timeline, in front of me?

"Hey?"

"...."

You exist, right?

Hair tinted with the color of cherry blossoms. Eyes filled with the shade of the Deasu.

The intense resentment from the 100th iteration that had been burning his soul was instantly swept away by Ayleth Rodeline.

Is this what the 101st cycle, the one she made, was like?

'Ah...' 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

It was unbelievable. But he wanted to believe it so badly. So he reached out, desperate to °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° grasp a sliver of reality. His trembling fingertips touched her cheek.

It’s real.

"Lead...?"

He had to feel her existence, but his vision blurred. The intense fatigue from his 100th life hit him all at once, crushing him.

His consciousness sank unguarded. Just like someone who has found a place to rest.