Chapter 44. Dungeon

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「Title: What the heck, lol

I finished the latter half of the story, all my followers died, and I was all like 'ehehe,' but then

(Picture of a pitch-black universe)

Suddenly, it's like, 'The world has collapsed due to excessive interference.' What the heck?

└Yeah, yeah, come here, stardust

└Pathetic stardust trash mongrel

└I think the guy above just wanted to curse

└Facts~」

「Title: Tell me what's going on, dammit

-I'm sweating bullets and my hands and feet are shaking!

└Tell you what, literally

└My progress?

└Just "0"

└Regression lol

└Sometimes that happens if you only focus on the main quest and don't clear other quests lol

└No, what is that」

「Title: Sigh... La*te, Stop

-You have no more progress. Never.

But look up at the sky

Don't see anything? Yeah, that's right

(Picture of a very angry muscular man)

You just screwed everything up overnight because you're a freaking idiot!!! So just accept it, you freaking idiot son of a b*tch!

└lol, that's what you get for only focusing on the main quest~

└Ah, dammit...

└Even the Giga Constellation can't do anything about that stupidity...」

「Title: Why the Stardust Constellation is really stupid lol

-If they'd read even a little bit of the explanation, this would never have happened

They just neglected it, didn't pay attention, and now they're whining.

All they had to do was clear sub-quests, run dungeons on time, and work on their followers' Affinity, but even that was too much trouble

You deserve the reset. Accept it~

└So what's the problem, dammit?

└Whoa; they showed up themselves

└The human world is sulking because you only hang out with other Constellations;

└You should have paid attention to them and given them some love usually lol」

---

[Summon has been deactivated.]

In the white room, I stared blankly at the System window.

"No... seriously?"

I was just about to have a proper conversation, and suddenly I'm being sent back.

A sudden emptiness washes over me.

[Would you like to change the theme?]

To change my mood, I switched the stuffy white space to a lush forest background.

-Chirp!

I inhaled the fresh air, listening to the clear chirping of a bird from somewhere.

I decided to analyze the situation again.

"...What's the problem?"

I cleared up the misunderstanding with the Regarium Kingdom. I established friendly relations.

I chose a Hero.

I also neatly subdued the two Constellations who were trying to cause trouble.

"I did everything."

I glared at the status window with a god's resentment.

Was it so annoying that I was finally trying to have some downtime?

[Due to excessive interference, the foundation of the world 'Dianon' is shaking!]

"...Hmm."

[Black Sun's Incarnation: Uh...]

[Child of the Lost Star: What does that mean?]

The Black Sun spoke up.

The Star Child, who had maintained a loner lifestyle his whole life, might not know.

The foundation of the world.

It's a different concept from 'Providence,' the rules between Constellations.

The center of the world—

There's a problem with the human world and the handling of life, and it could cause the world itself to turn into cosmic dust.

In the Game, this was solved by clearing quests and unlocking various conditions.

Simply put, the world of Dianon is extremely stressed.

"Ah."

[Black Sun's Incarnation: Th-then... Are we all going to die?]

"You guys aren't going to die."

Just one form of entertainment will disappear. The disappearance of the world won't directly affect the Constellations.

Unless a Constellation attacks another Constellation.

[Black Sun's Incarnation: Still... I don't want to be kicked out of here...]

I don't want that either.

My progress, my Religious Order, and the followers I've just been able to meet, all gone?

I definitely wouldn't be able to handle that with a clear mind.

So.

"I've cleared the main story."

The important thing is the sub-quests.

But for some reason, the quest window with quests I can clear right now won't open because I don't have permission.

Do I really have to watch Dianon collapse like this?

[Due to your actions, the Flow of Stars has been activated.]

[The 'Dungeon System' is activated!]

[You can now open dungeons and give trials to the inhabitants of Dianon.]

"Ah."

Dungeon opening.

It's a System I dealt with frequently in the Game.

It was also part of my daily routine.

Roughly speaking, you send in manpower, explore the dungeon, and receive rewards.

Isn't the image of dungeons widespread in the world all the same?

Endless labyrinths, filled with terrifying monsters according to the theme.

The conclusion, rare and sweet rewards.

"Dungeon, dungeon."

I pondered.

The reason why such a System was activated at a time like this.

There must be a purpose, something they want to achieve through me.

[You can prepare various 'Objects' for yourself through dungeons.]

"...Objects?"

[Available Objects

▶Truth about the Void

▶Corrupted Constellations

▶Final Judgment

....

..

I looked over the list for a while.

"What is this... really."

[The listed items are the Object System that you can arrange as dungeon clear rewards.]

[If the dungeon is cleared, the reward consisting of the selected list will be given to the explorer.]

[When the dungeon is cleared, the source of the world will be stabilized.]

"Hmm."

It's a solution that fits the situation perfectly.

Clear the generated dungeons and relieve some of the world's stress, right?

[Create the fate of the world, 'Dianon', with your own hands!]

[Black Sun's Incarnation: Wh-what...? What's going on?]

"It's telling me to manage the dungeons."

[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...What?]

"Do you want to be the boss monster?"

.....

Since there was no answer for a while, I chuckled and let him know it was a joke.

"Just kidding."

[Black Sun's Incarnation: You scared me...! I thought you were serious...!]

Is physical labor that hard?

I've lived my whole life as a human, so I don't really know.

Anyway, the sensibilities of Constellations are hard to understand.

Fate. The Flow of Stars.

How did dungeons work again?

I briefly tried to recall my memories.

Instruct followers to explore the inside and roughly beat up the lurking monsters.

Then rewards came out.

"That's a bother."

I suddenly feel resistant to being given a task.

With a disgruntled feeling, I checked the reward list again.

And something felt off.

“The reward names… they’re a bit familiar, aren’t they?”

[▶Truth of the Void]

The Void.

A keyword that’s been bothering me ever since I got isekai’d into this Game.

The world is in chaos because I disappeared, they say—

But even I couldn’t have imagined ending up in this situation.

Even if someone came and asked me why, I wouldn’t have anything to tell them.

“Do you know where I was or what I was doing all this time?”

[Black Sun's Incarnation: How would I know?]

[Child of the Lost Star: An interesting question. What *were* you doing?]

“I don’t know.”

...?

I get the same reaction from both Constellations.

“But I think I can decide what to do from now on.”

[Black Sun's Incarnation: No, what have you been saying…?]

“What I mean is…”

Thinking about it again, if I use this well, I can live a more fulfilling and fun life.

“I can gather my Constellation friends again and create a happy dreamland. Something like that?”

It's a shame I couldn't have a deeper conversation with Calisa, but since the opportunity has presented itself, I should start working right away.

With my two Constellation friends, I continued our business discussions in my own little world.

***

Thump! Thump!

How much time has passed?

With three Constellations gathered, things got done quickly.

The followers residing in the Regarium Kingdom, Belladis heading towards my Holy Place, and Calisa, whom I met not long ago.

I focused on my Religious Order's affairs while continuing my work.

Thump! Thump!

“See? I told you it’s possible.”

[Black Sun's Incarnation: But… why…?]

[Child of the Lost Star: Creating the Dungeon core… Very intriguing.]

We're at the very center of the Dungeon.

We succeeded in creating an eco-friendly Dungeon that will be useful in the future.

Moreover, unlike when Calisa was kidnapped, this one was created by directly interfering with the world's source—

A Dungeon of a different class and quality.

Otherwise known as…

“Behold, the completion of a world where no one gets hurt.”

The Infinite Regression Dungeon was complete.

“Infinite respawns. Infinite tries. And happiness for everyone.”

The world, myself, and the Constellation friends I'll gather in the future.

I succeeded in developing a utopia where everyone can be happy.

***

The stagnant Flow of Stars begins to circulate.

Thanks to the return of a Constellation that supported the world.

The world's situation had been pure chaos.

The Constellation who ascended to the most powerful position and reigned supreme vanished.

This became an opportunity for other Constellations, and they immediately spread seeds of discord to expand their influence.

Wars, Dungeon Breaks, large-scale invasions against nations, and so on.

The Constellations' crazy circus show was currently in progress.

[The world still needs you.]

However, after the Absolute Being returned…

Along with the manifestation of the Hero, the halted Flow of Stars began to move again.

-This, this isn’t what you said would happen!

A dark place where no one can see.

A grotesque space that rejects even light and dims the source of life itself.

A resentful voice echoes.

-....

-The Absolute Being has returned! He’s started hunting down those who plotted against him!

A fleshless prophet of death.

The Constellation who tried to profit the quickest was now a fugitive, trembling in fear.

-Black Sun! The Eternal Sleeper! And even the Dragon Incarnate!

The Void where everyone is watching.

-We’re next!

A cornered Constellation wasn’t much different from mere insects.

Because everyone is equal in the face of death.

-Pfft.

Someone scoffed at him.

-What…

-Us? Who said anything about 'us'? Weren’t we all gathered here to keep each other in check?

Another Constellation scathingly criticizes everyone.

-The Absolute Being is dead? What made you so sure in the first place?

-B-but we all confirmed it, didn’t we?!

-And yet he returned alive.

Everyone remained silent.

As the excited Constellation said, the damage was already done.

They all felt a sense of crisis.

The unprecedented arrival of a powerful being.

Those who had never been under anyone before readily lowered their eyes to the world of survival of the fittest unfolding before them.

They became losers.

The erasure of the Absolute Being presented the losers with an unparalleled opportunity.

-Talking so grandly, as if they were the Absolute Being themselves.

-You…!

-Pathetic.

A Constellation chuckled softly in the darkness.

A moment of Play; this too was an important element for Constellations.

The Constellation found the other Constellations’ futile struggles amusing.

-Enough.

Finally, another Constellation, unable to bear the situation any longer, stopped those about to explode.

One of many Stars.

They were all masters of such Stars, masters of the world.

-We need to discuss the situation going forward.

While things were calm for now, there’s no telling what kind of antics the Absolute Being, who used Summon again, might pull off.

He could even pierce through this inaccessible darkness and harm the other Constellations.

-So choose. Rebel, or wag your tails like dogs and beg for mercy.

A Constellation’s pride is very high.

So high that the saying "lose face and you’re dead" generally applies.

The atmosphere grows increasingly tense.

Then, someone casually speaks.

-A Dungeon… has opened.

-A Dungeon? Now’s the time to talk about that?

-No, wait.

With this unusual development, the Constellations’ attention gradually shifts towards the first discoverer.

As the Constellation said, there was a Dungeon.

A Dungeon emanating an incredibly powerful and alluring force.

-No doubt about it. It’s a Dungeon connected to the world's source.

-It’s been so long since I’ve seen Mana of this quality.

-Absorbing it could be very helpful.

Impeccable timing. Too impeccable.

But even among them, there were Constellations waiting for an opportunity.

-That’s it.

-...What?

-If we use the source's power, we might be able to drive out the Absolute Being.

And surprisingly, this brilliant scheme was unfolding exactly as Ron desired.