The moment Dead Dealer's consciousness settled deeper into Nora's memory, dread consumed him.
Not ordinary fear.
Not battle instinct.
Dread.
Heavy and cold.
It pressed against his chest like stone.
He stood inside Nora's body, seeing through her eyes, feeling what she felt, hearing what she heard.
And before him rose the towering Crystal Palace.
It was breathtaking.
Massive crystalline pillars stretched into the crimson sky like frozen spears. Silver light flowed beneath the palace floor like rivers trapped inside glass. The entire structure shimmered with eerie beauty.
But beneath that beauty was terror.
Dead Dealer felt it immediately.
The palace was alive.
Watching.
Waiting.
And Nora…
Nora was exhausted.
He could feel every ache in her body.
Her muscles were torn from repeated combat.
Her breathing was rough.
Her spirit was worn thin.
Yet her eyes still burned with determination.
Before the palace stood two people beside her.
Christopher.
And Sophia.
The final survivors.
Once there had been dozens.
Then many died.
Then more.
Until only three remained.
And now they stood before the palace gates.
The end of the trial.
Or the beginning of another loop.
Nora stepped forward.
"I'll go in alone."
Christopher grabbed her wrist immediately.
"No."
His voice was sharp.
"We've already lost too many."
Nora didn't look at him.
Christopher tightened his grip.
"Only three of us remain."
His voice lowered.
"I won't lose you too."
Dead Dealer could feel Nora's heart react.
Fast.
Unsteady.
Christopher's concern reached her deeply.
Sophia folded her arms and sighed.
"Nora…"
She smiled weakly.
"Let your boyfriend follow you."
Christopher glanced at her with embarrassment.
Sophia laughed.
"Besides… if he stays out here with me, he'll worry so much he'll drive me insane."
Nora finally turned.
Her gaze softened.
Then she looked at Sophia.
"Are you sure you can survive out here alone?"
Sophia nodded.
Her expression became serious.
"Go."
Her eyes moved to the palace.
"Defeat the creature inside."
Then back to Nora.
"End this horrible time loop."
Dead Dealer's thoughts sharpened.
Time loop.
So that was it.
That explained the exhaustion.
The emotional fatigue.
The pain buried inside Nora's soul.
She had lived this over…
and over…
and over again.
Every failure resetting the trial.
Every death beginning the nightmare anew.
Hundreds of times.
Today was her hundredth loop.
And she was tired.
So unbearably tired.
Yet she still walked forward.
Nora gave Sophia one last nod.
Then stepped into the Crystal Palace.
Christopher followed beside her.
The gates sealed shut behind them.
---
Inside—
chaos erupted instantly.
Crystalline beasts descended from above.
Sharp-limbed creatures made of jagged silver crystal and glowing blue veins.
They rushed like predators.
Nora moved first.
A blade formed in her hand.
Christopher summoned his weapon beside her.
And together—
they fought.
Dead Dealer was forced to witness everything.
Every movement.
Every heartbeat.
Every ounce of pain.
Nora and Christopher fought like they had done this countless times.
Because they had.
They moved in perfect rhythm.
When Nora ducked, Christopher struck above.
When Christopher staggered, Nora covered his blind side.
They understood each other without words.
Crystal shattered across the floor.
Blood stained silver glass.
Monsters fell one after another.
But deeper into the palace—
something waited.
Something worse.
Then the throne chamber opened.
And they saw it.
A gigantic being sat upon a crystal throne.
Half human.
Half monster.
Its body was broken and divine all at once.
One side looked like flesh.
The other was made from crystal and darkness.
Its face shifted constantly between sorrow and madness.
Its eyes held eternity.
Then it spoke.
Its voice shook the palace.
"I… am Fate…"
Then it smiled.
"But not Fate."
Nora froze.
Christopher raised his weapon.
The creature continued.
"Fate claimed me."
"Bound me."
"Controlled me."
Its head tilted.
"But now… I require a successor."
Dead Dealer felt cold unease.
Then the creature said—
"I shall tell you my secret."
The instant those words entered the air—
something entered Nora's soul.
Corruption.
A black seed.
Small.
Tiny.
But horrifying.
Dead Dealer felt it too.
Because he was trapped inside her memory.
The corruption planted itself inside him as well.
His eyes widened.
"No…"
He immediately activated every mental defense he possessed.
His skills.
His authority.
His essence.
Everything.
Trying to stop the corruption from spreading.
But it kept growing.
Nora felt it too.
Like poison inside the spirit.
Christopher staggered beside her.
His breathing became ragged.
The creature leaned forward—
Then whispered the secret.
Words not meant for mortals.
Words beyond sanity.
Words that should never be spoken aloud.
Dead Dealer heard it.
And screamed.
Pain exploded through his consciousness.
He felt his ranks breaking.
His accumulated power shattering.
Everything he built through years of blood and suffering began collapsing under the weight of corruption.
He fought it desperately.
Burning skill after skill to survive.
Destroying parts of himself to remain sane.
Meanwhile—
Nora trembled violently.
Her knees nearly gave out.
Christopher dropped his weapon entirely.
Black veins spread along his skin.
His eyes darkened.
Corruption consumed him faster.
Nora tried to resist.
Every piece of her soul burned.
Tears ran down her face from pain.
Still—
she fought.
Then Christopher rose.
But something was wrong.
Very wrong.
His aura had changed.
His body trembled.
Darkness leaked from beneath his skin.
His eyes had become hollow black.
He was corrupted.
Nora stared.
"No…"
Christopher looked at her.
And for a second—
just one second—
clarity returned to his face.
He forced the words out.
"Nora…"
His voice was broken.
Like someone drowning.
"I'm speaking… with the last good part… of me…"
Nora shook her head immediately.
"No."
Christopher smiled sadly.
"Kill me."
Dead Dealer felt Nora's soul crack.
Christopher stepped back, barely controlling himself.
"You need to stay strong."
Darkness spread further across his body.
"You must stay pure."
He coughed black blood.
Then looked at her one final time.
"And I hope…"
his voice weakened,
"…you find a love better than me."
Nora's tears fell harder.
She couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Could barely stand.
Yet the corruption inside her continued trying to swallow her whole.
She screamed.
Fighting it with every ounce of will she possessed.
Her body shook violently.
Her vision blurred.
Pain tore through her spirit.
Dead Dealer felt it all.
Every second.
And he realized something terrifying—
Nora endured this.
She survived this.
Then—
the corruption broke.
Nora conquered it.
Through pure will.
Through unbearable suffering.
She remained herself.
Dead Dealer also survived—
but barely.
To do so, he had sacrificed everything.
Ranks destroyed.
Skills shattered.
Power lost.
Years of progress gone.
His hatred burned like wildfire.
Then Nora looked at Christopher.
He was losing himself completely now.
His humanity fading.
His body becoming monstrous.
He smiled one last time.
And nodded.
Nora lifted her weapon with shaking hands.
"I'm sorry…"
Christopher said nothing.
Only peace remained in his eyes.
Then Nora struck.
One clean strike.
Christopher fell.
Dead.
Nora dropped to her knees.
Crying.
Silent.
Broken.
Dead Dealer could feel every piece of grief ripping through her heart.
Then—
light appeared.
A door formed before Nora.
Golden.
Radiant.
The voice of the system echoed through the palace.
Congratulations, Participant Nora.
You have conquered your Trial.
Outside the palace—
Sophia heard it too.
A golden door appeared before her.
Her face lit with hope.
"Nora did it…"
The Crystal Palace gates slowly opened.
Sophia turned—
expecting two people.
Expecting Nora and Christopher.
But only Nora walked out.
Alone.
Covered in blood.
Eyes cold.
Tears dried on her face.
Sophia's smile disappeared.
She looked behind Nora.
Nothing.
Then asked quietly—
"Where is Christopher?"
Nora stopped walking.
For a moment she said nothing.
Then answered—
"He's dead."
The words struck Sophia harder than any blade.
She staggered backward like she'd been physically hit.
Her breathing broke.
Tears filled her eyes instantly.
"No…"
Nora looked at the sky.
The red moon still hung above them.
Cold.
Watching.
"We don't have time."
Sophia wiped tears from her face.
Nora's voice was emotionless now.
"If we delay…"
"…the loop begins again."
Sophia stared at her.
Nora continued.
"We're only two now."
The golden doors stood open before them.
Sophia's shoulders shook.
But she stepped toward hers.
Before entering, she looked once more at Nora.
Then disappeared into the light.
Nora remained alone before her own door.
Dead Dealer expected her to enter.
Instead—
she turned around.
And ran back into the Crystal Palace.
Back into the chamber where Christopher died.
Back through the silence.
Back through grief.
Until she reached her golden door.
Then finally—
she stepped through.
White light swallowed everything.
And Dead Dealer was dragged with her—
deeper into Nora's memory.
Toward the place where her trial would be judged.
Toward her appraisal.
And for the first time since entering her memory—
Dead Dealer was afraid of what he would see next.