How to Survive as a Dungeon Manager in Another World

40 – The Ouroboros’s Reverse Scale (1)

KOO-oooNG-!!

The completely bisected behemoth crumbled to the ground.

A rather pathetic end for something that was merely a fragment of an Outer God.

‘Shit… I thought I was a goner.’

I stood motionless for a moment, panting for breath, utterly drained.

The immense, spiritual image that had been dwelling within my body had vanished in an instant, as if it had evaporated.

This was because, in the process of obliterating the Ouroboros’s fragment, I had momentarily manifested a unique domain, a power one could only call otherworldly.

‘Of all places, I run into an Outer God here.’

The essence of those beings, collectively referred to as ‘Outer Gods,’ varied widely.

Called Outer Gods, sometimes referred to as beings from beyond, and at times defined as the source of chaos, they were broadly divided into two categories.

The primordial beings that had existed on the world’s outer edges since the dawn of time, and the acquired beings created by the rules of a specific domain – those were the two.

What I had faced belonged to the latter.

A fragment of the Ouroboros, conceived in the world’s deepest layer, beneath the abyssal chaos.

One of the final bosses symbolizing infinite cycles and self-consumption.

Its greatest characteristic was infinite proliferation.

The ability to endlessly divide and multiply while devouring itself… It was practically a cheat code.

My compatibility with the Ouroboros was, without a doubt, disadvantageous.

The Ouroboros’s division was a phenomenon that defied the world’s fundamental rules, and thus, once self-consumption began, it was accepted that the cycle could not be stopped.

Complete immunity to all damage.

Probabilistic instant death that annihilates existence itself.

Infinite proliferation and spatial encroachment.

Adorned with every cheat-like pattern imaginable, the only reason such an impossible thing was possible was because that thing was a Fragment of Chaos born from the Abyss Below.

An existence so unreasonable it made you want to curse, yet the ‘rules’ of the ‘domain’ that was the Abyss Below guaranteed it.

Therefore, it was fundamentally impossible to deal with using conventional means.

Although it was merely a fragment, not the Uroboros itself, even so, it was far beyond my capabilities, I who had barely awakened the Fifth Rune.

But I couldn’t give up here.

If I gave up, the only remaining option was for us to die together, and of course, I had not even a speck of intention to die.

More than anything, it wasn’t as if there was absolutely no way.

The Rune of Time alone wouldn’t be enough, but the ancient tome placed upon the altar over there was, no less, the Rune of Space.

Therefore, I agonized.

A price was required to obtain a Rune.

The greater the value of the offering, the more formidable the power obtained.

That meant a greater risk as well, but there was no choice.

For that was the destiny of one who bore Karma.

Of course, the textbook approach was a safe choice, offering a moderate sacrifice to receive an appropriate reward.

Rune transactions strictly adhere to the principle of equivalent exchange, so I couldn’t obtain value exceeding what I offered.

However, the calculation method was unique.

The future potential of the offering, the degree to which it was intertwined with the fate of the one offering… complex factors intertwined to determine the final value.

But the situation was different now.

To face the Outer God Fragment before me, an ordinary level of offering would be insufficient. A more potent force was needed.

‘There was no choice.’

Among the offerings I could currently make, the one with the highest inherent value was, without a doubt, the Ring of Ifrasia.

A primal treasure, only five of which existed on the continent, that absorbed Rudine’s Heavenly Star and converted it into mental imagery.

An artifact that would become central to my ability usage in the future, a relic whose potential value was impossible to even estimate.

The authority I sought in exchange was the Authority of Domain.

The pre-requisites, the Rune of Time and the Rune of Space, were prepared, and my Fifth Rune, though only at the initial stages, was also awakened.

Of course, there was a flaw in that I, the Rune user, was human, but fortunately, my soul’s inherent quality was from another world, so there were no issues with the conditions.

But I digress.

In any case.

I finished my stray thoughts and walked towards the corpse of the Ouroboros.

‘It has to be somewhere…’

With listless steps, I approached and meticulously searched the area around the body.

Having lost the Ring of Yprasia, I desperately needed a new medium to replenish my mana.

And fortunately, there was a perfect substitute, the very core of the Ouroboros’s scales.

‘The Ouroboros’s Inverse Scale.’

Self-devouring and endless cycle, that was the symbol of the Ouroboros.

Therefore, the Ouroboros’s Inverse Scale was, in essence, the same as the Ring of Yprasia crafted by the High Elves, but its caliber was a step above.

That was precisely why I hadn’t hesitated to offer the ring.

Although it was the only option, I judged that there was a chance of success, given the opponent was the Ouroboros.

And now.

‘…Found it.’

Something faintly glowing caught my eye.

A golden light peeking through the rubble, a luminescence that was uniquely radiant even among the corpse’s scales.

Reaching out, I carefully picked up the scale, a heavy weight settling in my hand.

Unlike the other scales, it pulsed subtly, as if still alive.

I quickly pocketed the Inverse Scale and turned around.

Kugugugu—!!!

The thick fog cleared, revealing those standing in the corner of the utterly devastated area.

Arkan, Adina, and Ludyne.

They were staring at me as if I were some monster.

“……”

I moved towards Arkan, who was gaping at me with a blank expression.

The translucent membrane surrounding them glowed faintly.

Probably a barrier cast by Arkan, to protect Adina and Ludyne from the aftereffects of what had just transpired.

“……You really killed it?”

Arkan’s gaze turned towards it.

Towards where the lifeless body of the Ouroboros lay, cold and still.

She must have known about the beings beyond this world.

That was why she must have sensed the aura of the Outer Seas the moment she first faced the Ouroboros.

But I suppose she never imagined I’d drive it to its death.

The bewilderment flashing across her face betrayed as much.

“…This is going to be even more bothersome now.”

Even knowing she would lapse into all sorts of misconceptions, I couldn’t help it.

Die, or kill. That was the only choice given to me, and I simply made the most rational judgement.

I opened my mouth, my voice somewhat subdued, and addressed her.

“Overlord.”

“…Hm?”

“Let us return now.”

“Ah, y-yes… we must… um, return.”

We retraced our steps, exiting the Abyss, and then promptly left Kalmaash for the Main Circuit.

The process of leaving Kalmaash was surprisingly smooth.

With Adina’s Spirit Eyes, there was no fear of getting lost even in the maze-like Kalmaash.

And the mana beasts that occasionally sprang forth were mere paltry obstacles with Arkan at our side.

Only one thing bothered me – the way Arkan looked at me, his gaze shifting from mere curiosity to a kind of awe.

Not just Arkan.

Adina and Rudine were also looking at me as if I were some sort of monster.

As we passed the boundary of Kalmaash, a Griffin was visible waiting for us before the passage.

We mounted the Griffin, cleaving through the heavens toward the Main Circuit.

And so, without incident, we safely arrived at the Main Circuit, whereupon Rudine and Adina retired to their respective private chambers to shake off their fatigue and rest.

Even I, being only human, wanted nothing more than to rest completely for a few days…

“…What business brings you here?”

I was immediately summoned to the conference room by the Overlord’s abrupt call.

“Sixth Lord, tell me frankly.”

“What do you mean?”

“That thing you met in the Abyss, it was from outside this world, wasn’t it?”

“…That’s right. More precisely, it was a fragment of it.”

“Yes, I thought as much.”

Arkan smiled brightly and rose from his seat, approaching me with quick, short steps.

“You know, I’ve been turning it over in my head the whole time I was coming here?”

“…?”

“The essence of your soul is definitely human. But, for a human, you’re just so far outside the bounds of common sense in so many ways? Your knowledge, your strength, everything.”

“…What’s your point?”

She smirked, the corners of her lips tilting upward.

“Something’s fishy. Your essence is human, but for a human, you know way too much. And your ability, at a glance, looks like some kind of Word of Power, but Word of Power inherently twists causality, so it’s not really an ability for humans, you see.”

“…”

“So, I did some digging, here and there, you know? I heard that as soon as you arrived in the Demon Realm, you killed a True Ancestor, and then left for Westmarch?”

Arkan’s gaze shifted to my right hand.

“A giant tree imbued with primeval magic, a fallen World Tree that craves blood and madness.”

“…”

“Mirkvidr, the sacred tree of the elves who are now extinct. I even heard you got a ring from it?”

“That was just a simple ritual…”

“No, that can’t be.”

Arkan stared at me, her face flushed as if excited.

“The other time, when I asked you about the Forgotten Era, you clearly answered that you saw it with your own two eyes, didn’t you?”

Did I?

I think I did.

“The essence of your soul is human, but your face is strangely handsome for a human, the power you wield is Word of Power, you even absorb the divinity imbued in the Scriptures, and you create a domain within the Abyss?”

Sparks flew in the gaze that met hers.

Arkan continued, her voice dripping with a maniacal amusement.

“A Sixth Lord.”

“…”

“You’re an elf, aren’t you? A High Elf at that.”

Shit.

As if Dragons and Caballeros weren’t enough, now Elves?