The room vibrated. No, to be exact, the Celestial Realm Pletas itself must have been trembling.

Led directly by Duke Nikunbel, the Demon Realm Grand Army and the soldiers of the four SS-rank Dungeon Masters boasted formidable combat power.

Even now, the Archangels and angels had to be engaged in a fierce close-quarters battle down in the middle level.

Perhaps the only beings capable of holding a conversation on the highest level were the three inside this very room.

Duke Nikunbel flashed a subtle, toothy smile.

"Hahaha. As expected of a Dungeon Master summoned from Mordanier, you're quite impatient. Right now, Demonic King Kraktio is sealed within the body of Archangel Captain Kamiel. And the only being who can kill Kraktio is none other than Eclat."

He lightly snapped his fingers, and the necklace Eclat wore began to glow.

[The seal on the mysterious necklace has been released.]

[The effect of the Archangel's Necklace is being applied.]

The white-patterned necklace shimmered with five iridescent colors.

At the same time, Kamiel's necklace turned pitch-black, and her five pairs of wings began to fade.

[The title of the S-rank Named Mercenary, Guide of the Celestial Realm Eclat, is changing.]

[Title: Archangel Captain of the Celestial Realm]

[Rank Conversion Impossible!]

[A new skill has been generated.]

Soon, five pairs of wings unfurled from Eclat's back.

Although her rank could not increase due to the limits of her divine power, there was no doubt she had become the Archangel Captain of the Celestial Realm.

"K-Kamiel?"

"Hah, from now on, you are the Archangel Captain who rules the Celestial Realm. You don't need to speak so formally to me anymore. Now, by killing me, Demonic King Kraktio will be completely annihilated."

An angel who had lost her wings was nothing more than a mere human. The only way to annihilate Demonic King Kraktio, who was sealed within her, before he could reveal himself was to dispose of him along with the host body.

Kamiel stood up and spread her arms. The Archangel Captain who had once ruled the Celestial Realm tightly closed her eyes, sensing her end.

Eclat hesitated, bewildered by the sudden promotion. Just then, a dark figure revealed itself behind Duke Nikunbel.

"Dungeon Master of Balak, Taehyun. I promise you a return to modern Earth. If you just annihilate Demonic King Kraktio, all Authority of the Dimension will fall into my hands. Wasn't your goal to return to modern Earth anyway? Now, this dimension will be a place that has absolutely nothing to do with you anymore."

He boldly revealed the final objective of his plan.

The Authority of the Dimension equated to the power of a god who ruled the world where the Astral Continent was located.

Taehyun asked, confirming the identity of the true mastermind.

"How about you introduce yourself first? I have no idea who you are."

"I am the God of Desire, Beirimp. I accidentally drifted into this distorted dimension. I tried to dispose of the bitch who was the previous Dimension Manager and take over the authority, but unfortunately, things went awry. Now, if you just order Eclat to annihilate Kamiel, all authority will return to me. When that time comes, sending you back to your original dimension won't be a difficult task."

It was the mid-tier god Beirimp, who had been exiled from the Divine Realm to wander the abyss. True to his title as the God of Desire, he was trying to swallow the dimension whole this time as well.

The remaining authority was surely dwelling within the soul of Demonic King Kraktio, sealed inside Kamiel's body.

The question was why he had so boldly revealed his final objective.

If he disclosed the entirety of his plan when someone else could potentially take the remaining authority, it meant he possessed absolute certainty.

'Seeing him act like that even though I might get greedy and take the remaining authority for myself, it seems the authority automatically transfers to him the moment Demonic King Kraktio is annihilated.'

It roughly made sense why he had offered a return to modern Earth.

Since Taehyun had only survived on the continent to return to modern Earth, this dimension didn't matter to him anymore. If he was just sent back to modern Earth as promised, he wouldn't have to care about whatever Beirimp did.

Taehyun took out a Contract and placed it on the table.

"If you're promising me a return to modern Earth, you must be confident enough to sign a Contract, right?"

"Of course. You just need to annihilate Kamiel through Eclat's new skill and return to modern Earth."

"M-Master, I-I...!"

Eclat and the Main Forces looked at him with devastated expressions.

The Dungeon Master they had trusted and followed all this time was ultimately giving up everything in this world to return to modern Earth.

Duke Nikunbel stood up and approached with a quill pen. Just then, the Contract disappeared into Taehyun's inventory.

"...What is the meaning of this, Taehyun? Is there a problem?"

"Normally, you could have used that precious partial authority of yours to forcefully annihilate Kamiel. If not, you could have threatened to strip me of my Dungeon Master qualifications. But seeing you try to sweet-talk me by even promising a return to modern Earth... You bastards."

His icy glare turned toward Duke Nikunbel and the dark figure.

They were the ones who had forcibly stripped the qualifications of rebelling Dungeon Masters, not only during the invasion of the Holy Kingdom but also during the faction wars.

It made no sense that they couldn't touch a mere SS-rank Dungeon Master when they held the partial authority to directly introduce systems and even summon new Dungeon Masters.

He recalled the main targets of the plan that Pilseus had emphasized multiple times.

Those targets included the God of Nature Ameria, the Absolute Pilseus, Demonic King Kraktio, and so on, but there was also someone who was a complete exception among them.

That was none other than himself, the Dungeon Master of Balak.

If they were targeting an SS-rank Dungeon Master who was no different from the Dungeon Masters currently invading the Celestial Realm, it meant there was definitely a good reason for it.

"You can't kill me in your current state. No, to be exact, you need me to annihilate Demonic King Kraktio. And seeing how you can't even threaten me with the partial authority you hold right now, you must have summoned me in a somewhat special way unlike the other Dungeon Masters, huh?"

Thinking about it carefully, ever since the Demon Realm gathering, the items, equipment, and Main Forces necessary for Balak had been continuously summoned.

Just recalling the first NPC Player, Leon van Noah, and the SS-rank Attacker who broke his limits, Taehwan Yoo, made it easy to notice that Taehyun was different from the other players.

He was likely the main player of the plan, someone they had invested in by directly using their partial authority.

"Seeing as you sent Pilseus despite knowing my special abilities, you must have been trying to induce mutual destruction to eliminate him as well. Send me back to modern Earth? Don't make me laugh. You bastards are the type who would annihilate Demonic King Kraktio, invade modern Earth, and still kill me without hesitation."

Duke Nikunbel fell silent.

"If you can summon players from modern Earth, there's no reason you couldn't go there in reverse. It would be even easier if you annihilated Demonic King Kraktio and seized all authority."

"...This is your only chance. Taehyun, once the Celestial Realm is conquered anyway, you will automatically be dominated by the Second Evil Dragon's Chain. Surely you don't intend to do something with just that level of Main Forces, do you?"

"It doesn't matter, now that I know you bastards can't touch me right here and now. The owner of this Contract isn't you bastards, but Demonic King Kraktio."

The one holding the key to deciding the dimension's fate wasn't any of the beings inside the room, but Kraktio, who was sealed within Kamiel's body.

Without the remaining Authority of the Dimension contained in his soul, Beirimp's plan wouldn't come to fruition in the first place.

Taehyun looked at Kamiel, recalling the Demonic King candidate competition.

"Since you have Demonic King Kraktio sealed inside you, if you sign the Contract, it will apply to both of you simultaneously. Forcing you to sign in your current state, having lost your angelic powers, is simple."

"What are you doing right now...!"

"Kahahahaha. Amusing. Truly amusing. To think such a guy existed among the Dungeon Masters summoned to the continent. You're a guy exactly to my liking!"

Darkness descended inside the room. It was the ruler of the Demon World, who had been trapped, soul and all, along with the remaining authority for a whopping twenty years.

Demonic King Kraktio, who could arguably be seen as having reached the level of a demigod, was acknowledging a mere Dungeon Master.

"This won't do. I shall invite you to my Mental World. Taehyun, chosen as a Demonic King candidate, you are more than qualified for it!"

Soon, a mighty wave of Demonic Energy swirled.

Taehyun and his Main Forces, who had been standing in the room, were sucked straight into Kamiel's body and vanished without a trace.

Duke Nikunbel immediately scowled and looked down at Kamiel, who had collapsed on the floor.

"...This is an unexpected development. Did Demonic King Kraktio have that much Demonic Energy left?"

"It seems the Demonic Energy that was being suppressed began to act up as the divine power Kamiel possessed disappeared. But you can rest assured. Demonic King Kraktio will never be able to break the seal. Moreover, even if he tries to obtain the remaining authority through a Contract, the Dimensional Management Authority is strictly the domain of gods. He will inevitably have to offer a fitting price for it."

Kraktio had reached the level of a demigod.

Since they were making a contract over the domain of gods, the God of Contracts, Morpina, would reveal herself in person.

There was no possibility that a mere SS-rank Dungeon Master could offer a fitting price for the Dimensional Management Authority.

Duke Nikunbel prepared the Second Evil Dragon's Chain in advance and left the highest level.

---

[You have entered the Mental World.]

A long corridor was revealed.

The corridor, which resembled the inside of a fortress, welcomed its guests, illuminated by torches attached to the walls.

"W-where are we now?"

"Could we have been kidnapped by the Demonic King?!"

"C-calm down. Ath long ath our mathter ith here, we'll be thafe!"

While the Main Forces trembled in anxiety, their gazes naturally turned toward the door located at the end of the corridor.

Taehyun took resolute steps with the Contract in his hand.

"Taehyun, you better wait in Balak. Pilseus will be heading there to conquer it himself soon enough. Make sure you're ready."

"...You bitch."

"Yeah. Keep talking."

"You messed with the wrong person."

He suddenly remembered the time at the Dispel dungeon—the SS-rank Dungeon Master who had used Pilseus to kill Riel, Inhye, and Narae.

Just as he had told Hee Cha back then, they had picked the wrong opponent.

If he was destined to die no matter what choice he made from the start, he wouldn't have struggled and held on like this.

He had grown Balak solely for the purpose of returning to modern Earth. Yet, it was on the verge of being annihilated because of a single entity called the God of Desire.

He had been played from beginning to end by Beirimp, who was behind it all.

'I'll show you what a true madman is. Watch closely how the Dungeon Master you played with strikes back.'

Soon, he arrived in front of the door. Grai and Dropin naturally stood to the left and right, throwing the door wide open.

"Welcome. Dungeon Master of Balak, Taehyun. I am the ruler of the Demon World, Demonic King Kraktio."

A handsome man could be seen sitting on a throne in an arrogant posture.

Introducing himself as Demonic King Kraktio, he descended with light steps and gestured with his hand.

A dining table was created in an instant. Food and wine glasses were placed upon it, completing the preparations to welcome the guests.

"You mean the 'former' ruler of the Demon World, Demonic King Kraktio. And I don't need this kind of hospitality. The only thing I want from you is a contract."

"Impatient, so impatient. Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing. But do you really have a price fitting for the authority of the dimension?"

"You'll know when you see it for yourself."

The Contract in his hand began to glow. The God of Contracts, Morpina, had always exercised her rights through the medium of a Contract.

However, with Demonic King Kraktio, who was at the level of a demigod, and the Dimensional Management Authority of Tainworth involved, she had to descend in person.

[The God of Contracts, Morpina, has descended.]

Soon, a woman holding documents revealed herself. She adjusted her glasses frame and looked around.

"It seems this is the Mental World. So, what do you intend to exchange for the Dimensional Management Authority of Tainworth?"

Perhaps having monitored the situation from the Divine Realm beforehand, she cut straight to the chase.

The gods of the Divine Realm were probably also suffering headaches because of the Tainworth dimension.

With the mid-tier god Beirimp, whom they had personally exiled, showing up and aiming for the Dimensional Management Authority, the situation had to be extremely serious.

Considering that the dimension was distorted, making intervention by other gods impossible, it was clear that they were also seeking a solution.

However, Taehyun had absolutely no intention of bringing the Dimensional Management Authority over by paying his own price.

"When did I ever say I was making a contract for the Dimensional Management Authority? I don't even have a fitting price for it in the first place."

"...Then why on earth did you call me?"

"You just popped out on your own. And what I want isn't the Dimensional Management Authority."

"What on earth are you talk..."

As she was frowning, Taehyun pointed at Demonic King Kraktio.

"I'm just trying to bring Demonic King Kraktio into Balak's affiliation. This has nothing to do with the Dimensional Management Authority, so it shouldn't matter, right?"

"W-what?! Are you saying you're going to make me, a Demonic King, affiliated with a mere dungeon? And without my consent?!"

"Hmm. Wait a moment. I'm quite flustered right now, so my head isn't working properly. So, you're saying you want to make Demonic King Kraktio affiliated with your dungeon. But even if you do that, it's impossible to possess the Dimensional Management Authority as well."

The Demonic King and the God of Contracts each showed different reactions. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Even the Main Forces standing behind him were startled, showing that the impact of his declaration to change Kraktio's affiliation was immense.

In order to obtain the Dimensional Management Authority of Tainworth, Kraktio unconditionally had to be annihilated, or a fitting price had to be offered for it.

Even if Kraktio's own affiliation was changed to Balak, obtaining the authority was impossible.

However, Taehyun's true trading partner was not the Demonic King.

"I know. He probably doesn't have the Dimensional Management Authority because he wants it, either. Even if he tried to give it to me directly, it would be impossible. So, I was thinking. I might as well change my trading partner."

"...Why are you looking at me?"

Morpina tilted her head.

Before anyone knew it, Taehyun's gaze was directed not at Demonic King Kraktio, nor at Balak's Main Forces, but solely at her.

"D-don't tell me?!"

"Yeah. That's right. My trading partner is you. No, to be exact, it would be all the gods of the Divine Realm. You can just consider yourself their proxy."

If he couldn't obtain the Dimensional Management Authority, he just had to bring Demonic King Kraktio himself.

Although he wouldn't possess the authority, the fact that Kraktio had the Dimensional Management Authority remained unchanged.

Like that, Taehyun became the first human to directly propose a deal to the gods, preparing to go on a rampage.