* * *

“Got it!!!”

The cry of victory came thirty minutes later.

Honestly, with an overpowered protagonist among them, I expected it to end quickly—but…

‘He went easy on them.’

The voice just now had belonged to the Model Student.

The Protagonist was mingling with the crowd celebrating on the sidelines.

It might have been a move that could wound the Model Student’s pride—

“Professor, now’s the time! Before it runs away again, please tell us how to open this door! It doesn’t seem like the kind that opens normally—”

“Pull, don’t push, you idiot.”

“Ah!”

That was the Protagonist’s way of trying to fit in with the X-Class kids.

He probably didn’t want any more students feeling as powerless as the Model Student had.

The Model Student must have understood that too, which was why he said nothing.

‘Better than the first round.’

Back then, the Protagonist had acted as though he couldn’t see anyone but me.

Even so, the people around him had liked and supported him.

‘Was it truly a good relationship if there wasn’t even a shred of conflict?’

I understood why Real Chris had wanted to restore my memories. There were things I could only see now.

“Hah, this door is heavier than I thought…! Friends! Let’s combine our strength and open it together!”

“My arms are too weak, so I’ll pass~”

“Stuffed doll arms possess no muscle strength.”

“Haa, step aside. Let me…”

Bang!

“Oh, oh my. Nika, Andante! I’m sorry! I just meant to turn the doorknob a little, but the door flew open.”

“…Good job, Bell. It looks half-destroyed, but it’s open, so it’s fine.”

The Princess, wearing an expression that seemed to say ‘This is why naturals are naturals,’ turned to look this way.

“Professor.”

I pushed off the wall I’d been leaning against and nodded.

“Go in one at a time, in order. Line up single file.”

“Single file? I feel like a kid again.”

“Dolce, we are kids.”

“Oops.”

Eventually, they filed through the door as I instructed, into the brilliant white light pouring out from within.

The last one through was the Protagonist—

“…Professor. You’ll be coming with us, right?”

He looked back as he said this.

Always ghostly perceptive, that one. I furrowed my brow as if he were spouting nonsense and gestured with my chin, urging him to enter the dungeon.

‘Don’t tell me he can see my System window too.’

[Please select a ‘sacrifice’ before entering the dungeon.]

This notification had been floating before my eyes since the door opened.

Sacrifice selection.

The third condition of this quest.

In truth, the two conditions—bringing the Protagonist along and not using magic—had already been met, so there was no need to fulfill this one as well.

But…

‘To enter this dungeon’s hidden route, I have no choice but to become the sacrifice.’

And there was something I needed to obtain from there.

Even if it meant staking my life.

‘I select Chris Dotten as the sacrifice.’

[Selecting ‘Chris Dotten’ as the sacrifice. This choice cannot be undone.]

Without further hesitation, I leapt through the door.

[Entering dungeon <Temple of the Fallen God>.]

[Verifying ‘sacrifice’ status of the entrant.]

[Forcible transfer initiated.]

* * *

Because she had grabbed the doorknob, Nika Tot ended up at the head of the single-file line.

As she was practically shoved inside by Dolce, who was next in line, what appeared before her was—

“Whoa! …Huh?”

None other than a young man holding a brilliantly gleaming shield.

The shield flashed so intensely that she couldn’t even make out his face.

‘That’s even worse than my light magic! Can he even see with that?’

But… something felt familiar. Almost like looking at herself.

“By any chance, are you my brother?”

Nika thought of her three older brothers.

The Tot family, renowned for their light magic, had a trademark flair for the dramatic, so using a shield that blazed like that was entirely in character.

If it had been her actual brothers, they would have drawn their swords, but whatever.

“Brother? Hahaha! Right, you’re still at that age.”

The man laughed heartily. Then he gave his shield a casual spin and thrust it forward.

“This place tests your physical strength. People have grown so intoxicated by magic that they’ve become numb to their own bodies. But to wield a weapon, you cannot rely on tricks like magic alone!”

“Excuse me? I’ve always trained to the best of my ability! Surely you know that too, Brother? How strict Mother—”

“Which is why, if you want this shield, you must prove your worth with your body alone. The method is simple. Pick up the iron shield before you and—”

“…?!”

Even in her bewilderment, Nika had to scramble to grab the shield that had materialized before her.

Because the very next moment—

“Block them all.”

Light projectiles began raining in from every direction.

The other students found themselves in the same situation.

“Angelina… no, you’re not. What are you?”

“You caught on quick. I suppose that’s the benefit of living as a fake for so long?”

“Shut up and reveal yourself.”

“The one who will test whether you’re worthy of this spear.”

A being that looked just like them would appear and immediately launch attacks under the guise of a trial.

What these beings were—

“…”

“You didn’t even ask who I am.”

“I can guess. I’ll dispose of you and go see the Professor.”

Those without siblings, like Michael, caught on quickly.

“Hey, can’t you just hand over that bow and be on your way~? I’m worried about Gabana, you see.”

“My, how unfortunate. This is a trial you must overcome alone~ Finding someone else won’t help.”

“Hehe, you’ve gotten cockier with age, haven’t you? I suddenly feel like beating some sense into you~”

Some opponents didn’t even bother hiding their identity.

That was right. This dungeon was a place to prove your strength against a manifestation of your future self.

The weapons were the reward for doing so.

If those who entered the dungeon were treated as ‘challengers’ who had to undergo such trials—

Where, then, was the ‘sacrifice’ meant to go?

‘The altar, of course.’

Chris thought as she lay atop the cold marble altar.

* * *

The name of this dungeon was <Temple of the Fallen God>.

The “fallen god” in question was the Martial God.

In the present age, there was only one god in this world—the Creator God—but that hadn’t always been the case.

Other gods of lower rank than the Creator God had once existed and been worshipped by humans.

‘But as humans grew increasingly adept at magic—the gift bestowed by the Creator God—they could solve nearly every problem with magic alone.’

As a result, weapons, raw physical prowess, medicine, and the like gradually fell into obscurity.

With no one left to believe in or follow them, even gods had no choice but to steadily weaken.

‘One such god was the Martial God, who governed strength and weaponry.’

Weapons had at least survived as auxiliary tools for magic, so he hadn’t faded entirely.

But the Martial God, his pride deeply wounded, had hidden himself away along with his final temple…

‘And that is this dungeon.’

Well, it was a callous thing to say, but fortunate for me.

The Martial God’s temple was filled with mythic-grade weapons of his own making.

‘In the past, people supposedly drew numbers and waited a month just to attempt the grueling trials for a single weapon, but now there were no competitors and the difficulty had dropped significantly.’

Even though he had gone into hiding, gods were attention-seekers by nature—he wouldn’t be able to resist doting on the first humans to visit him in ages.

‘The minor issue was that, being an ancient god, he demanded human sacrifice(the act of offering a person as a sacrifice).’

[Bead: How is that a minor issue, you paper-thin-lived fool!]

Don’t worry, Bead. Even though I’m currently tied up and preparing to be offered, I have a plan.

[Bead: Whew— is that so? Then please say so from the start, you fool.]

Come on, that takes the fun out of it.

[Bead: You were bluffing after all? What plan? You just jumped in headfirst figuring things would work out somehow, as usual. Creator God, have mercy on this fool.]

That was the moment.

“This sacrifice is most satisfactory. It has been quite some time since I’ve seen such vitality.”

‘Here he comes.’

A booming voice that struck the mind. Truly a presence befitting a god.

Thud.

A massive shadow fell as a figure wearing an iron helm appeared before her eyes.

“Worth five weapons, at the very least. Now then, let me have a taste…”

An enormous hand reached out.

And the next moment.

Crackle!

Blue flames erupted, and the Martial God’s fingertips began to burn.

“Kgh, gaaargh?!”

“A mere five weapons? You’ve lost your eye for value along the way, it seems.”

“What… what is this? What are you?!”

What am I, you ask?

“To think you can’t even recognize your own follower. How pathetic, Martial God.”

“…!”

A faithful follower come to raid your treasure vault.

[Bead: You’re not a follower.]

…That’s the roleplay, anyway.