This is the beginning of the novel! Illustrations can be found .
Continues on to Chapter 1 – Innovate.

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Last Chapter 1 – Dark

It was a rainy day. The rain was heavy enough that it felt painful as each drop hit the human body. It was the afternoon of a day on which the rain seemed sharp enough to pierce one's skin. The clouds were dull, dark, thick, and an eerie shade of black. There wasn't even the slightest sign that sunlight would prevail. Occasionally though, the sky glowed. Thunder roared, and bolts of lightning streaked through the sky. It almost seemed like a kind of production. And perhaps by the greatest director.

The game was in its final stage. The conditions required for it to be cleared had been satisfied. All that was left was for the last boss to be defeated. There were three male characters who stood in a room in a ruin, enveloped in darkness. It was a place that had once been a hotel. Within these ruins, various pieces of tableware such as bowls and dishes were scattered about, and there were also some eerie characters that someone might have painted. According to the rumours, ghosts roamed about.

That was the kind of setting that it was. The only source of light was a fire that was contained within the square metal box that the three people surrounded. It was a fire which had been made by burning scrap wood and magazines which had been thrown away. And yet, all it produced was a small and unreliable flicker of light. It was rather cold for the rainy season. It felt especially cold in the room of the deserted and silent ruins.

"It's been an entire year…"

Only one out of the three characters sat down at the back in a broken chair, expressing his inner emotions. The character had a medium-sized build. He had mentioned that his name was Dullahan. He was also acknowledged as the leader among the three of them.

"Yeah. Seriously, it's been a long time."

The character with a good physique who stood to the right of Dullahan was — William. Despite the cold weather, he was only wearing a T-shirt.

"All that's left is the [Last Boss] huh…"

Dullahan stared at the space in front of him, into the darkness of the room that their light source couldn't pierce. They were on the first floor. Given the wide layout of the room, it seemed to be some kind of meeting place. There was also a section which appeared to be a raised podium. Peeled tatami mats had been scattered about all over the place. Since there weren't any windows, it was impossible to discern one's own location without a source of light.

"…It shouldn't be a problem. We've gotten considerably stronger since then. It won't be much longer before we win."

The other character was the one who had a calm tone of voice — Tathlum spoke as he stared into the fire of the box. He had a slender face, and a slim physique. Although he seemed weak at first glance, he was a sharp-eyed guy who could scoff at most things. Tathlum continued

"After coming this far, there's no turning back anymore. It's either death, or the glory of victory. That's all there is."

His mouth felt cold.

"We'll win."

William laughed as he showed off a fist pump. After Tathlum took a quick glance at William, he stared into the fire again as he said

"Just make sure you don't get in my way."

"Ha, the same goes for you."

William turned away, seemingly annoyed as he said so. Dullahan couldn't help but laugh as he saw that. Both of them directed their eyes towards Dullahan. Dullahan looked back and forth between the two of them.

"We haven't changed a bit, us three."

Indeed, they hadn't changed. It had been a year since they began fighting—. Meanwhile, the relationship between the three of them didn't change. Ever since they formed a party, William had always been the mood maker, while Tathlum was the sarcastic one. And, the one who pulled them all together was Dullahan.

We've had fights, but we're still a party in the end. We've shared a bond that won't change. And surely, it won't change even in the future. I won't say that it's a lie. I won't say that it's just a lie. That's why we have to cross over this. This party is the best. That's why we absolutely—.

But at the same time, I understood. I had been aware of it, ever since that time….  We're crazy, and there's no doubt about that. So let's finish it, this crazy and infinite spiral hell—.

(Part 1 of 1) (8/10)