Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

Chapter 284- Bugs



Austin was in the tenth dungeon.

He had conquered the last three over the past seven months.

Despite the rage burning inside him and the grief clinging to his chest, he couldn't rush through the dungeons. Not if he wanted to survive.

Charging in without a clear mind would only get him kicked out—permanently.

Seven months without seeing Valerie.

Seven months since his parents left him behind.

Seven long months.

He didn't know what he would do with all the experience he'd gathered. But there was one thing he was absolutely certain of:

The Demon Lord was going to die.

By his hands.

No more teamwork. No more asking for permission.

He was going to slaughter them all—their forces, their kin, and finally, the one who started it all.

[The host hasn't taken a nap for the past ninety hours.]

The system's voice echoed in his mind.

Austin exhaled a tired breath. "Do I look tired to you?"

[You have accumulated stress over the past two days. Eight hours of sleep is recommended.]

Apparently, his system had taken the role of a health advisor.

Not that he could complain. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have come this far.

He knew that if he completed this dungeon, he could assimilate the fourth fragment.

A crucial step—one that would make him whole again.

And once that happened… Astaroth's countdown would begin.

"Haah... if you say so," Austin muttered as he lay down on the cold, barren ground, folding his arms behind his head like a makeshift pillow.

He stared at the dark, unmoving sky. His eyes were blank.

He knew what this world had in store. The dangers it concealed.

He had been warned—through the game in his previous life.

He had the strength now to change things.

He had the potential to end the greatest threat humanity had ever faced.

But despite all those advantages… he couldn't protect the ones who truly mattered.

Valerie, too, had come dangerously close to the edge. When the Succubus Queen expanded her domain, darkness nearly swallowed her.

If not for the training she'd endured under Selner—if not for her past experience with the Demoness and her mind-bending charms—she might've ended up just like his parents.

'This world is unfair.'

It was broken. Imbalanced.

Demons were not only stronger, they outnumbered humans by the tens of thousands.

Humans boasted a handful of warriors—elite S-rankers they clung to like lifelines. But what good are a few powerful names when the enemy can flood cities with endless hordes?

They could march into human lands whenever they wished...

And crush everything people hold dear under their feet.

"Hmm?" Austin turned his head, feeling an unexpected warmth brushing against his side.

Golden light particles floated beside him, soft and gentle, clinging to his arm like fragile fireflies refusing to drift away.

[Are you upset?]

The system's voice was quiet—tinged with something that sounded almost... sad.

Austin stared at the sky, then exhaled a long breath.

"There aren't many people I truly wish to protect," he murmured. "And the Demon Lord knew exactly who to target to break me."

A faint, bitter smile rose on his lips.

"In a way… he succeeded. He did break me."

The system didn't respond at first. The silence stretched for a few seconds before she asked softly,

[Would it be difficult… to continue your life like this?]

Austin let out a weak chuckle. "I have Valerie," he said. "So I know I won't be drowning in sadness all the time..."

But then his gaze drifted. It grew distant, his tone dimmer.

"...Still, I know that from time to time—maybe even often—I'll be reminded. Of them. The ones who cared about me. The ones I wanted to keep safe."

He hadn't moved on from Rudolph and Sebastian. Not really.

He still visited their graves—every day—kneeling in front of the cold stone, whispering things about his daily life and apologizing for not being able to protect them.

He failed them.

He thought he had made a smart move—dealing a heavy blow to the enemy. But in truth, it had been a trap. A setup.

All of it was designed not to kill him… but to crush his heart.

[Then...]

The system's voice broke the silence again, gently pulling him back to the present.

[...would you like to change everything?]

Austin blinked. "What... do you mean by that?"

His voice was hoarse. Tired.

There was nothing left to change. Not anymore.

They were gone. His friends. His parents. Everyone he had clung to when the world turned dark.

Even the Elixir—his final hope to save her—had failed.

He had already let go of hope.

[There is a way to bring them back.]

The words cut through the air like lightning.

[All of them. A chance to revive this world and the people you adore.]

Ba-dum.

His heartbeat jumped.

Was this… real?

Could such a thing truly be possible?

To go back in time.

To undo everything.

To stop the pain before it began?

"S-System," Austin's voice shook, barely above a whisper. "Please tell me you aren't joking."

[Why would I joke about something so important?]

Her tone was steady now. Unshaken.

[There is a way. A path to return. A path to rewrite those moments that brought you to your knees.]

Slowly, almost in disbelief, Austin stood up.

He turned to face the golden light floating beside him, shimmering like a small sun that had waited patiently for him to believe again.

"Tell me..." he whispered, eyes trembling. "Tell me what I need to do. I'll do anything to bring them back."

There was no hesitation in his voice.

Only longing. Only hope.

And a heart that refused to let go—no matter how much it had already lost.

[Do you remember you were granted a skill after returning from the Demonic Realm… after rescuing Adam Corwon?]

The system's words echoed gently, but there was a heaviness behind them.

Austin's brow furrowed. He thought for a moment—then his eyes widened slightly.

"Yes… I remember," he said slowly. "The skill that forced you to reboot."

He clenched his fists as the memory returned in full.

That day, the System had gone silent for a while. Unresponsive. It was the first time she had acted… strange.

As if the skill came with a bug.

The System's voice returned—now serious, and a bit gloomy.

[I found the source of that disturbance. There are forces—entities—that watch over this world. Beings obsessed with balance.]

Austin's heart sank.

It didn't take him long to understand.

"The Divine Beings," he said under his breath. "The gods."

In the game, they had only been mentioned in whispers—in old books, hidden dialogues, discarded files. They were always vague, almost like myths. But there was one detail that never changed.

They believed in balance.

Not peace.

Not war.

Balance.

And balance didn't care about good or evil. It didn't care who was crying or who was laughing.

If darkness grew too large, it would bring light.

If light shined too brightly, it would call the dark.

"They don't care about extinction..." Austin muttered. "They just want everything to stay... equal."

The System confirmed with a quiet hum.

[Yes. To them, light and darkness are both necessary. Neither should win. Neither should be erased.]

He bit his lower lip.

"And they don't interfere directly with mortals, do they?"

[No. Just like the Witches.]

A chill ran down Austin's spine.

He remembered now—Witches were also forbidden from acting freely in the mortal world. Their power was too vast. One step out of line, and everything would shift.

Their favor could tilt a nation. Their hatred could erase one.

That explained the laws. The silence. The reason even the witches stayed behind the veil.

Because if they moved, the gods would move too.

And when gods move… worlds break.

Austin felt something cold settle in his chest.

"So... that skill..." he whispered.

"It was being blocked by the deities?" Despite how absurd it sounded, the system confirmed,

[Yes. They were the bugs that were hindering me. But I got rid of their influence and can allow you to use it.]

Austin felt a little better, but then he asked, "There must be a catch, right?" Surely, not everything goes as he wishes.

The system remained silent for a bit before saying,

[You must remember, Host; what the system is about to grant you won't be liked by those beings. They might descend to the mortal realm to stop you.]

Austin's eyes turned cold as he heard her adding,

[Are you willing to go against those Primordial Beings? Not just the demons, you might have to raise your sword against the Gods as well.]

[Tell me, Austin, are you prepared to take that risk?]

Not even a second passed before the answer arrived, "Yes, I am."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- From demon slayer to God slayer. Well, I had this in mind for a long time, that's why the skill was named as Divine Mockery.

Thanks for reading.


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