The SSS Ranked Villain's Return

<You've entered Dreamspire!>

<Floor 21...>

<Ding!>

<You've regained access to all the floors!>

<Choose which floor you wish to enter.>

<10 ~100>

He currently stood in a pretty peculiar place that reminded him of the waiting room back in the tutorial.

The Sovereigns stood beside him, their faces dyed with a mix of emotions.

"The 100th floor is where they're gathered, right?" Neraxis asked. "It's a bit foggy... I remember that tree and the couple of administrators, but aside from that, nothing."

"The 99th floor is where the circlejerk happens, but yes, the 100th floor is the one that would catch their attention," Gluttony replied with a straight face.

Neraxis's brows twitched at that comment, but even so, he thought of the 100th floor, and in the next instant, his vision shifted.

<Welcome to the 100th floor, Branch of Yggdrasil>

The familiar tree appeared in his sight, its roots spreading everywhere the eye could see.

Soon, the Sovereigns manifested behind him, all of them tense and ready.

Yet he didn't necessarily come here for a fight, more so a talk.

But knowing the history between Lagus, the Sovereigns, and the administrators, peace might be a bit of a stretch.

Even so, he floated around, approaching some of the roots.

He could feel immense life force from them, and the funny thing was, he could absorb each and every single one of them into his Void before the administrators even got here.

But alas...

They were already here.

"Weaver, I take it?" Neraxis asked, staring at a completely formless being in front of him.

He was strong, so much so that Neraxis couldn't even fully gauge his strength.

At the same time, Weaver was holding a tiny thread which, upon closer inspection, seemed to be wrapped around Neraxis's neck.

[I take it you finally unlocked your memories?] Weaver asked directly into his mind. [You seem much weaker than before, but I suppose this is considerable progress since you came back so recently.]

Weaver approached, inspecting Neraxis.

[You killed the other four I see, good job,] Weaver said. [But self-destructiveness is not the best quality in a person who seeks to end the endless cycle.]

"By that cycle, do you mean Lagus's life?" Neraxis asked.

[That is correct. You're the only one who can kill him,] Weaver replied flatly. [But as always, for everything, there is a sacrifice. You'd need to give up your life to save trillions. Would you be willing to do that?]

He thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"No. I don't care about the lives of trillions. The only lives I care about are of the people closest to me."

[Then you'd fight to protect them, yes?]

"Naturally." Neraxis nodded. "But is there no way out of it aside from sacrificing myself?"

Weaver sighed. [Do you feel confident in killing the man labeled as the Eternal Sin by even the system itself? He's a being at the Origin rank, the one above Eternal. He's out of your league, and the only thing your recent attempts have done was tickle his main body.]

Neraxis's brows furrowed. "So how is my sacrifice supposed to do anything?"

[Seal him,] Weaver replied. [By doing so, he'd be locked away for a while, and because the one who sealed him was his own son, he would never be able to escape that prison, not until he reaches the Null rank. But once he does... the universe will likely lose its last light and the spark shall fade.]

He listened to Weaver's words attentively, but he couldn't help but feel like something was a bit off.

Weaver was trying to manipulate him, that much was clear.

However, if a simple seal was enough to get rid of such a strong being, then why haven't they done it yet?

They were all strong beings, Weaver, Aka, the others.

And yet, after all this time, not one of them has done what had to be done.

So that begged the question...

Why?

But as if sensing Neraxis's unease, Weaver backed off, turning his back to him.

For a moment, no words were spoken, but then, the entire 100th floor turned white.

When he turned around, he realized the Sovereigns were no longer there, so out of wariness, he opened up the Void.

The moment he did, the whiteness was completely absorbed out of the existing space, revealing a peculiar sight.

He was still on the 100th floor, but now, he was on the very top of the tree.

The ground was soft due to the leaves, yet the most important detail was ahead.

There were six thrones, and only three of them were empty.

Yet those that weren't empty were occupied by beings who looked identical to Weaver.

And as for their strength, he could only assume it was as high as Weaver's.

"Forgive me for asking... but if you people are so strong, why don't you leave the tower and kill Lagus?"

[It is not so simple, Neraxis,] Weaver replied. [For one, we are bound to this tower. If it is destroyed, then each of us will perish, never to be resurrected ever again.]

He cleared his throat.

[One of us has died in the past, so out of the six thrones, only five of them are occupied,] Weaver added. [The one who died was the leader of us all. Yet the moment she left the tower, her soul was lost forever.]

Neraxis tilted his head, as if déjà vu was dawning on him.

"Say, does your leader happen to go by the name of Delta?" he asked.

And the moment he did, Weaver halted, turning toward Neraxis with the same blank look as always.

The air suddenly grew tense as the leaves beneath them parted, revealing a solid stone ground.

It seemed like the rest of the people gathered also heard what Neraxis said, so they too stood up and walked over to him.

They all stopped in front of him, gazing down on him as if he was a bug.

[How do you know of Delta?]