A Villain's Will to Survive-Chapter 226: Return (1)

Pat, pat, pat, pat—

Through the darkness of the underground, the soft patter of hurried footsteps broke the silence—Ria was running toward her.

“Are you okay?” Ria asked.

"I'm fine. What about you?" Epherene replied with a bitter smile.

“Me too.”

"That's a relief, but why did this place suddenly collapse?" Epherene muttered as she drew out her Wood Steel, its mana flowing from it, and a glow spread through the darkness.

“... It’s a quest,” Ria said.

"A quest?" Epherene asked, tilting her head at the unusually serious tone in her voice.

“Yes.”

At that moment, a single line of system notification appeared before Ria’s eyes—a quest.

[Main Quest : God]

The final main quest had begun far too soon—far beyond what Ria was prepared for and an impossible challenge, given her current growth and progress. The situation was critical, but the clock had not yet run out.

“Come this way,” Ria said, grabbing Epherene’s sleeve and pulling her along.

People who were unconscious sprawled across the corridor, their weak groans filling the air, and Epherene’s face tensed as she took in the sight.

Thud, thud—

Ria, however, didn’t spare them a glance. Without hesitation, she descended deeper underground, stepping straight into the crack beneath the bookstore. There was no sign of hesitation—only a calm composure far beyond her years.

"Ria, what exactly is a quest?" Epherene asked cautiously.

“... That,” Ria replied, pointing toward something in the distance.

In the darkness, the faint sound of ripples reached her ears first, and when Epherene finally caught sight of it, her eyes widened in surprise.

“... A lake?”

“Yes.”

At the heart of the underground lay a lake, its clear waters shimmering with soft ripples.

"It’s a passage to the outer edge of the world. The people of the Altar created these lakes all over the underground of the continent," Ria explained.

“... The Altar? Ria, you knew about them as well?” Epherene said, startled as she placed a hand on Ria’s shoulder.

"Yes. Though I'm a little curious about what you mean by 'as well,' I won't ask right now since we don’t have time to—"

— Hmm... I see. There is someone there.

A dignified and imposing voice emerged from the lake, its solemn tone filling the underground. In an instant, Epherene and Ria turned toward the water.

— My apologies. It seems I have disturbed something while casting my line. Have you been harmed greatly?

“... Who’s there?” Epherene asked, gathering mana within her body.

Hummm—

The Wood Steel rang out with a resonant hum.

— Hmm... if you must know, I am God.

“... God?” Ria muttered, her face stiffening.

“God? What kind of nonsense... Oh, so you're the one in charge of the Altar?” Epherene said with a scoff.

— The Altar and its faithful are my followers. I am the one they call God.

“So you are the Altar.”

Epherene pressed a hand to her temple, muttering something under her breath.

“Principality of Yuren, bookstore underground... Principality of Yuren, bookstore underground... Principality of Yuren, bookstore underground—”

Epherene was memorizing the information she needed to deliver to Deculein after the regression.

— Hahaha. You find it difficult to believe, do you not?

At the sound of His laughter, Ria anxiously licked her dry lips.

“Of course not. People who call themselves kind are never kind. They say it because they aren’t. The ones who really are kind don’t see themselves that way. You know why? Because their standards for kindness are far too high.

“To them, they will never be good enough. And that’s exactly why you’re not God. If you were, you wouldn’t need to say you are God,” Epherene replied, shaking her head as she crossed her arms.

After a long string of words and a brief silence, an unexpected response followed.

— Indeed. It is only natural for you to think that way. After all, doubt is in the nature of mankind, and faith is not born from God Himself, but by His followers.

“... Huh?" Epherene murmured, slightly caught off guard.

— I admit it. It has not been long since my awakening, and there is still much I do not know. The fault is mine.

Oh, he’s surprisingly mild-mannered... completely different from the cruelty the Altar has committed, Epherene thought.

— From this moment on, I shall no longer call myself God. Instead, I shall prove that you recognize me as such.

Tap, tap—

"That's the final boss," Ria whispered, tugging at Epherene’s sleeve.

“Final boss?”

"Yes, the enemy of the continent."

— Do not fear.

As if in response to their words, the lake replied.

— For I will bring you no harm. Even the descendants of heretics deserve a fair chance. And you, Epherene of Luna.

“Oh? How did you know my name—”

— He will soon arrive.

For a moment, Epherene was at a loss for words, and almost instinctively, she stepped closer to the lake and peered into its depths.

— I, too, look forward to his arrival.

A form shimmered upon the water's surface—a person with long, crimson hair, and their features made it difficult to tell whether they were a man or a woman, but judging by the voice, they seemed to be a man.

"A-Are you talking about the Professor?" Epherene asked.

— Indeed. A self that transcends humanity, an unshaken man that stands defiant against the very order of the world.

“... W-When?!”

He smiled in silence, and just as Epherene furrowed her brows, ready to question him further, she suddenly sensed the mana rippling through the lake. In that instant, a realization dawned on her.

“Bomb,” Epherene muttered.

The explosion that signaled the start of Epherene’s regression on April 9th—the very detonation Murkan had forewarned.

“... This lake itself was the bomb.”

... No wonder I couldn’t find it.

— Haha.

The lake smiled, and Epherene took a step back.

“A bomb?” Ria asked.

"Yes, there’s a lake in the Imperial Palace too. It’s always mentioned in the biographies of former Emperor Crebaim—he loved fishing..."

At that moment...

Shing—

A metallic scrape rang out behind them, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps. The air grew heavy with murderous intent as Ria and Epherene slowly turned around. Seven knights stood before them, draped in robes, their faces hidden in shadow. However, Epherene had a feeling—she knew who they were.

“The tallest one over there—you’re Knight Jaelon, aren’t you?” Epherene asked.

There was no answer, only the clear sound of low laughter.

"And the rest of you, I know exactly who—"

— That is enough.

The voice from the lake interrupted the moment, pulling the knights' and Epherene’s eyes back to its surface.

— That child is one who has offered me wisdom. Moreover, I have sworn that no harm shall come to her.

Epherene and Ria blinked in confusion as the knights immediately stepped back.

“Huh?”

— Now, return from whence you came.

He said.

For a moment, Epherene looked into the still waters of the lake.

— It will not be long before we meet. Epherene Luna...

The reflection of the man on the water slowly moved, as if he were turning his head to look at Ria.

— Yoo Ah-Ra.

“... Yoo Ah-Ra?” Ria muttered, her body flinching.

Epherene furrowed her brows.

Yuara? That name sounds familiar, Epherene thought.

— And you, whose soul has become interwoven with another.

Ria released a warm breath.

It was how the final boss referred to the player—as one whose soul had become interwoven with another.

"Ria, did you have another name? Yuara?"

Just as Epherene asked her name...

Swoooosh—

A radiant glow spread across the lake, swallowing them whole.

***

... On a late night in February, I sat lost in thought, untangling the innumerable branches of my mind.

“How strange,”I muttered.

The world, the air, and even the flow of time felt strange. Everyday life played out like moments I had already witnessed, repeating over and over in a single day. At times, I could even predict what someone was about to say. But more than anything, the greatest mystery lay here, beneath the Yukline mansion.

"Grain by Grain."

My training—something I called Grain by Grain—required me to separate a bundle of sand, grain by grain, without crushing a single one. If I accidentally picked up two at once or broke even a single grain in the process, I had to start over from the beginning. It was meant to be difficult. Indeed, it was supposed to feel impossible.

“... It is way too simple.”

The training was too simple. I moved the entire bundle of sand in just two hours—not half a day, as expected—and repeated the exercise four more times. But that wasn’t all. The grade 3 mana flowing through my body, the unpredictable energy that should have taken an eternity to control, was refining itself—almost to perfection.

The flow of mana moved as if it were an extension of my own body, strengthening every aspect of my attributes. A dramatic leap in such a short time—an undeniable transformation, a fundamental evolution of the self. Was this the natural order at work, beyond my understanding, or...

Chirp— Chirp, chirp—

The moment I stepped out of the cave, an odd sense of dread washed over me. It wasn’t just discomfort—it was the feeling that I had been here before, as if time had looped back on itself. Wrapped in this creeping sensation, I stepped out of the cave.

Chirp, chirp— Chirp, chirp, chirp—

A birdcall—two notes, then three. A pale blue glow seeped through the underground cavern. Five slanted beams of light carved through the darkness at the same precise angle. However, something was different. Something new.

“... Sand.”

A handful of sand rested in my bare palm—something I would never have done under normal circumstances—and slowly, I opened my hand.

Shhhhhhhh...

The grains of sand slipped through my fingers, sinking smoothly into the earth, blending with the soil and grass of the garden. Then, I manifested Telekinesis.

Whoooosh...

The sand, reversing its fall, ascended once more—slipping between my fingers before gathering in my palm. In the silence, I closed my eyes. And in that darkness, fragments of memory stirred, disrupting my thoughts, their blurred afterimages sinking into me like the edge of a blade.

Chirp, chirp—

A birdcall, two notes, threaded clearly through the trees.

Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp—

A birdcall, four clear notes in reply, disturbed the air as I opened my eyes and looked down at the sand pooled in my hand.

"The bird has not changed."

The wind brushing past me, the grass beneath my feet, the trees swaying in the breeze—nothing had changed.

“However...”

Strangely, my mind was consumed with unfamiliar thoughts and a face that was not my own. A voice I had yet to hear lingered at the edge of my ears, and everything—every fragment—led back to one person.

“... Epherene,” I muttered.

I made a promise to her, and a promise must never be broken.

***

The ninth regression. The tenth. The eleventh. The twelfth. The thirteenth. The fourteenth. The fifteenth. The sixteenth...

Even after meeting God, Epherene's regressions continued, and for nearly two years, she endured them alone.

Even if everyone forgot the time they had shared with her, Epherene did not falter. Through each regression, she studied diligently, fought desperately, and ran when she had to—never allowing a single moment to go to waste.

... All the while, the Altar grew increasingly brutal and devious. Their schemes fueled the flames of chaos, and soon, tensions escalated into all-out war—nations against nations, races against races.

Leoc and Yuren, the Empire and the Kingdom, the Scarletborn and Aryan... With every regression, no matter how many times she tried, no matter how desperately she struggled to set things right, the timeline after Deculein’s death only grew more tangled—more broken beyond repair.

... And on this day—the twentieth regression, April 8th—at the heart of the continental education, on the grounds of the University of the Empire, on top of the shattered remains of the clock tower...

"In just a month..." Epherene muttered, staring blankly. "The world has fallen apart like this."

The once-vibrant, ever-green grounds of the University of the Empire lay in ruins, crumbling hopelessly to dust.

“Yes...”

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Epherene had survived, but the Empire was already rotting from the Altar’s hand, and in just a month, everything had fallen into ruin.

It must be God, as it seems, for He alone remains untouched by the cycle of regression, Epherene thought.

"... This life is ruined as well," Allen said.

Epherene gave him a slight nod.

In this life, Yulie died. Sylvia died. Delic died. No, it was more than just their deaths—the entire continent had fallen.

"It will be midnight soon, Miss Epherene," Allen said.

Epherene nodded, though for some reason, her heart trembled with anticipation.

"One minute left," Epherene replied, glancing over her shoulder, her eyes falling on the massive clock—the very reason they had climbed up to the tower.

"... Miss Epherene, are you alright?" Allen asked, his tone filled with concern.

"I've lost count of how many times you've asked me that," Epherene replied.

“Oh... Have I?”

"Yes. And every time, I say I'm fine—because I am. Because my hope is stronger than my disappointment, because I still want to believe."

“Hope?”

"Yes," Epherene replied with a bright smile. "When the time comes, everything will change all at once. Professor Deculein will return and set things right."

It was that belief that kept her going—through every regression, through the endless cycle of death, through the slow ruin of the continent. It was why she never let go of hope.

"So, that’s why I’m fine," Epherene added, turning to face Allen.

Tick, tock— Tick, tock— Tick, tock—

The ticking of the second hand of the clock tower echoed in the silence. Thirty seconds left until the twentieth regression. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight.

"... But still," Epherene muttered, a bitter smile tugging at her lips as she glanced at the clock. "I just wish he’d show up already..."

Through each regression, Epherene watched her dear ones die—again and again, sacrificing themselves for her. It was a suffering no one should have to bear.

"Professor will be back soon, right?"

Ten seconds, nine, eight.

As the clock inched closer to midnight, Epherene took a deep breath. Once Professor Deculein returned, she was ready to offer everything she had gathered—her thoughts, remembering all she needed to tell him, all the knowledge she had acquired, the years she had endured, the experiences she had lived, and the truths she had uncovered.

"Yes, I hope so too," Allen replied—his final words as one of the few who had survived this cycle with Epherene.

Epherene let out a faint chuckle and nodded.

Ding—!

The toll of the clock tower echoed through the night—marking the end of the twentieth regression and the beginning of the twenty-first. With her eyes closed, Epherene accepted it with quiet determination.