Roxanne claimed to act in the interest of the 72 Lords, but in truth, she was driven by personal resentment and intended to pin me down.

Her arrogance was unmatched.
She couldn’t even tolerate the idea of anything, even a god, existing above her.

In the game, if the player defeated Roxanne, her lines would almost always follow a pattern:
“I cannot lose to a mere insect!” or “What underhanded trickery is this?” and similar complaints steeped in conceit.
Even in her dying moments, she would deny defeat more than death itself. Need I say more?

‘She must be feeling ridiculously insulted.’

The tribunal had no practical justification, no reasonable grounds—it was purely her way of venting.
Childish. And as if she wasn’t aware of her own pettiness, she cloaked it in the guise of noble intentions.

Bliz cleared his throat and addressed the room.

“The Second-ranked Abyss Lord has requested a tribunal against the Seventh-ranked Abyss Lord. This is an unprecedented event between Seventh Abyss Lords. Do we have consensus?”

Tribunals between lower-ranked Lords were one thing, but this was different.
A clash between Abyss Lords carried risks too great to ignore.

One might expect opposition from those fearing the fallout, but the lower-ranked Lords bent under Roxanne’s pressure, submitting to her veiled threats.

‘What about the other Abyss Lords?’

Ultimately, the stance of the Seventh Abyss Lords was what truly mattered.
Even though Roxanne ranked second, the rights of the Abyss Lords were technically equal.
If just two of the other four opposed the tribunal, it wouldn’t proceed.

“Cool your temper, will you?” Roscha chided, though Roxanne pretended not to hear.
Roscha, understanding my predicament, seemed likely to oppose, but what about the others?

“Sounds fun!”
“Rin thinks so too!”
“I agree.”
“Hmm....”

The twins giggled gleefully, their enthusiasm evident. Kalandas nodded in agreement with measured seriousness, while Darlon simply maintained an ominous silence.
No one voiced opposition.

‘Great. Just great.’

“As mediator, I will oversee this tribunal,” Bliz announced as if the matter were already settled.

“Both Lords will proceed with a direct question-and-answer format. Decisions will be reached through mutual agreement, or, failing that, by a vote from the 72 Lords.
Second-ranked Abyss Lord Roxanne, please begin your questioning.”

“I have two questions, Barghore. You are obliged to answer both.”

One would surely concern the Holy Sword. The other would likely involve appointing Charlotte, a human, as my lieutenant.
Both were prime accusations in the name of humanity—a solid pretext for anyone among the 72 Lords.

“You are undead. So how does an undead come to wield the Holy Sword?”

This was expected.
I had prepared countless rebuttals for such questions long before coming to the Round Table.

It wasn’t just a boast—I’d lived as a self-proclaimed Abyss Lord with a hyper-vigilant mindset.
Since hearing of the 72 Dungeon Assembly, I had devised every contingency imaginable.

‘Especially regarding the Holy Sword and Charlotte.’

I had prepared reasonable justifications for both.
There was no need to panic; this wasn’t a one-on-one duel.
This was merely a verbal back-and-forth, a battle of wit.

“What does the awakening of the Holy Sword signify? It is Solari’s divine revelation, an instrument of humanity’s survival. It requires a worthy bearer, someone who champions humanity. Yet here it is, in your hands. What does that suggest?”

Unlike me, Roxanne’s tribunal was motivated by petty spite.
Without a sound plan, she could never hope to win.

“You possess a sense of justice for humanity. You have betrayed the 72 Dungeons and the Seventh Abyss, harboring loyalty toward humans.”

Her words strayed from the tribunal’s purpose.
Tribunals were meant to assess clear violations or wrongdoings.
Yet Roxanne’s questions veered into abstract territory, asking where my allegiance lay—humanity or the 72 Lords.

This was something only Ren and Rin’s Heavenly Sight could determine.
But there was no sign of her intending to invoke their power, nor should she.
Tribunals strictly prohibited outside interference, relying solely on direct Q&A between the two parties.

‘So it’s just baseless agitation?’

Or perhaps she was so blinded by her own frustration that she couldn’t think clearly.

At this point, I spoke up.
“I’ve already killed two heroes.”

“That is not sufficient evidence. Both sought to kill you first. You simply acted in self-defense, with no other intent beyond that.”

“....”

“What is the purpose of this assembly? Ultimately, it is to strengthen the unity of the 72 Dungeons.
Yet your possession of the Holy Sword hinders that unity.”

As expected, she was simply stirring the pot.
Without Ren and Rin’s Heavenly Sight, my true motives were unknowable.
So instead, she relied on manipulation to sway the room against me.

“The second issue is the same. As you all know, the Seventh Abyss Lords are sacred and untouchable, revered by the Seventh Abyss. Yet look at what this Lord has done.”

Roxanne gestured sharply behind me, toward Charlotte.

“You’ve appointed a pure-blooded human as your lieutenant. This, too, disrupts our unity.
We, the 72 Dungeons and the Seventh Abyss, bear a sacred mission. No one can tolerate your recklessness.”

“And what exactly are you trying to say?”

For a brief moment, Roxanne’s brow twitched.
She had a lot to say, but not much substance behind it.

“Disruptive and dangerous elements must be eliminated. If you lose this tribunal, you will execute your lieutenant with your own hands. And you will destroy the Holy Sword.”

Charlotte’s execution and the destruction of the Holy Sword.

My gaze drifted to someone else: Kalandas.
His silence was telling. He, of all people, had every reason to want Charlotte dead and the Holy Sword destroyed.
Though it seemed unlikely they had conspired together, their shared disdain for humanity united them in purpose.

Feigning nonchalance, I crossed my arms.
“I’ll contest Charlotte’s execution first. But let me ask you something.”

Roxanne tilted her chin, inviting me to continue.

“Centuries ago, the Ten Pits spread dark magic throughout the Empire. That led to the rise of witches among humans.”

Her pupils dilated, and her gaze flickered to Charlotte.
Finally realizing the truth about her.

“When the witches appeared, humanity fractured. Isn’t that exactly what you intended?”

Roxanne had orchestrated the creation of witches to destabilize humanity.
Her plan worked; the Empire declared witch hunts, throwing humanity into chaos.

“The existence of witches divides humanity. And my lieutenant, Charlotte, is one of them.”

She had been caught in her own trap.
Surely she understood now.

“A witch serving as a lieutenant to a Seventh Abyss Lord. If the Empire discovers this, another wave of witch hunts will begin, with innocent women dying and divisions forming among their people.”

I shifted my gaze to the twins.

“They say the enemy of my enemy is my ally. Charlotte shares our cause. Ren and Rin, feel free to confirm.”

The twins could use their Heavenly Sight on Charlotte, as she was not a participant in the tribunal.

“Okay! Seventh’s lieutenant, do you want to kill all the humans? Well, except the witches!”
“Yes. That’s why I volunteered as his lieutenant.”

A witch had become the lieutenant of a Seventh Abyss Lord.
This created a narrative of division within the Empire and aligned Charlotte’s true intentions with ours.

“It’s true.”
“Yup, yup!”

A faint look of frustration crossed Roxanne’s face.
With this, Charlotte’s execution was off the table.

Now, the Holy Sword.

“Roxanne, I’ll use your own words. My rebuttal regarding the Holy Sword is the same.”

“....”

“This tribunal isn’t about my intentions. Focus on the reality before you.”

Whether I had betrayed the 72 Lords or not was unknowable.
My argument wasn’t about manipulation but practical implications.

“Ask yourselves: which faction is most unsettled by my possession of the Holy Sword? Is it you, feeling a nonexistent threat? Or humanity, whose hope has been utterly shattered?”

With that, I drew the Holy Sword.

“This, in my hands, ensures humanity’s despair. That’s why my dungeon is called the Sanctuary of Faith.
If I destroy the Holy Sword, what will humanity believe?”

The implication was clear: their unity lay in faith.

I sheathed the sword and surveyed the room.

“I assure you, I do not serve humanity. The Holy Sword is mine to wield for my own purposes.
When this tribunal ends, you may test me with Ren and Rin’s Heavenly Sight.”

Of course, tribunals couldn’t challenge rebuttals.
Even the impulsive twins wouldn’t dare.

“Roxanne, stop inciting baseless conflict. You didn’t even recognize my lieutenant as a witch.”

“…You wretch.”

Roxanne’s voice was laced with murderous intent.

…Did I go too far?
Should I have left that last comment unsaid?

Her gaze sharpened, her level’s aura turning crimson with hostility.

“I’ll speak plainly. I despise you.”

An ominous energy flared around Roxanne.
A deep, unearthly violet aura blanketed the room, suffocating everyone.

“I admit it. This tribunal was born of my personal feelings. I want nothing more than to crush you.”

“....”

“I’ll forfeit the tribunal, but let’s move on. Barghore, let’s settle this—here and now

Ah.

‘What’s with this sudden outburst?’

I knew Roxanne’s pride was childish, but I didn’t expect her to be this irrational.

If I accepted her challenge, my body would undoubtedly be annihilated, leaving no trace.
That is, if the duel actually happens.

“Elder, let it go.”
“Compose yourself, Lady Roxanne. You are the Second-Ranked Lord and the highest authority at this Round Table.”
“Elder, please restrain yourself!”
“Rin agrees! Calm down!”

Even as the second-ranked Lord, this was the Round Table, attended by all 72 Lords.

“If you act now, none of us will stand idly by. Do you wish to turn everyone here into your enemy?”
“Elder! Breathe! Breathe!”
“Rin says relax! Relax!”

Yet, despite the warnings, Roxanne’s eyebrows didn’t even twitch.
It was as if she didn’t care about the consequences of alienating everyone here.

“If you refuse to fight me, I will kill your lieutenant with my own hands. Don’t think you can stop me. If I decide to, it will be over in an instant.”

“....”

What kind of reckless madness is this?

This wasn’t an idle threat. Roxanne had the power to kill Charlotte instantly if she wished, and the resolve to do so was clear in her eyes.

“This is my final offer. Let us determine who is stronger. You may be the Seventh, but you’re a single entity. Wouldn’t this make for an excellent duel?”

It was obvious: Roxanne wasn’t throwing a tantrum over the tribunal’s outcome.
If that were the case, she would have contested the tribunal’s rulings before proposing a fight.

Roxanne had planned this from the start.
Her disdain for my supposed strength had been evident long before the meeting even began.
The tribunal was nothing more than a pretense to create an excuse for a duel.
As the strongest in this world, Roxanne could afford such recklessness.

‘This is just the worst.’

The tribunal was merely a tool to force a fight.
Her unreasonable methods were absurd, but Roxanne had the power to back them up.
She was strong enough to justify turning everyone here into her enemies.

To think that I, of all people, had to deal with this arrogant, hotheaded dragon who could incinerate me with a sneeze.

‘What the hell do I do?’

If I accept, I die.
If I decline and rely on the 72 Lords to stop her, she might immediately kill Charlotte.
Knowing her pride and impulsiveness, she was more than capable of doing just that.

‘...I’ll have to face this head-on.’

The only reason I had made it this far was through sheer bluffing.
Surely, there had to be a way to out-bluff even Roxanne.

An empty boast would only stoke her anger.
Unlike with Kalandas, I didn’t have a trump card to neutralize her.

‘Should I destroy Bliz?’

For a brief moment, the thought crossed my mind.
That would solve the immediate problem, but the aftermath would be catastrophic.
How could I destroy Old One’s lieutenant without consequences?

‘Should I just admit defeat?’

Maybe I could preserve some dignity by saying, “Let’s assume I lose.”
It would ruin the reputation I’d built, but at least everyone would survive.
And if that didn’t work, I could grovel if necessary.

‘...Wait. This might work.’

An idea sparked in my mind.
A bluff so audacious that it might even overwhelm Roxanne.

It was a gamble, much like the one I’d taken with Kalandas.
But if it worked, Roxanne herself could become the next victim of my theatrics.

I made my decision and spoke.

“This is unreasonable. You are an immortal being.”

It truly was unfair.
Rank aside, Roxanne herself was the epitome of unfairness.

Dragon Lord Roxanne. Also known as the Undying Dragon.

Roxanne was born with an unkillable body.
Beheading her, dismembering her—it didn’t matter. She couldn’t die.
Even if the Empire and the Seventh Abyss joined forces against her, killing her was impossible.
There was a reason she was one of the strongest beings in this world, surpassed only by Old One.

“If everyone here launched an all-out attack against you, they still couldn’t kill you. Not in days, not in years, not even in centuries. You cannot die.”

Everyone at the Round Table knew this.
Roxanne wasn’t just overwhelmingly powerful; she was an absolute being.

Because of this, she could afford to provoke everyone without hesitation.
She could dismiss even Bliz’s and the twins’ testimony about my strength because she believed in her immortality.

In the game, Roxanne epitomized unfairness.
Physical attacks, magic, curses, healing, divine power—
No matter the method, her health bar would only drain slightly before regenerating to full.

I was the first player to ever defeat her, but even I took over three years to figure it out.

“So it’s no wonder you act so arrogantly, without a care.”
“Let’s be honest. You’re just scared, aren’t you?”

Roxanne’s lips twisted into a smirk.
The confidence of someone who had never even considered the possibility of defeat was palpable.

If I backed down here, the situation would resolve itself peacefully.
To survive, it made sense to throw away all my bluster.
Even those around me seemed to hope I would yield.

But I didn’t want to.
I wanted to crush this arrogant lizard’s pride.

“Ren, Rin. I need your help to mediate this conflict.”

Even if the twins loved chaos, they would be reluctant to escalate a clash between Abyss Lords.
I trusted they would hear me out.

“Use your Heavenly Sight on me.”

Like with Bliz, subjective confidence alone wouldn’t trigger their power.

But unlike with Bliz, I’d killed Roxanne countless times.
Not once, not twice, but hundreds of times.
It was time for her to feel what Bliz had felt.

The twins’ eyes shimmered with a telltale glow—the prelude to their power activating.

“Roxanne. In my presence, you are no immortal.”

As is often the case in fantasy, even dragons have an Achilles’ heel.
For Roxanne, that Achilles’ heel was her dungeon core.

Roxanne’s dungeon core was unique.
A thumbnail-sized core embedded deep in her throat, hidden by no choice of her own but by nature’s design.
It took me three years to discover it.

“Right here, right now.”

Even if she opened her mouth, finding the tiny core inside was nearly impossible.

“I know how to kill you with a single strike.”
“...What nonsense is this? Words alone don’t make it true.”

Her skepticism was evident.
She couldn’t believe I could kill her, but I never claimed I could immediately do so.
All I said was that I knew how.

If I used my Holy Sword to pierce her dungeon core, she would die.
If the rules of the game matched reality, that was enough.

And if they didn’t?
Then it would simply be dismissed as a bluff.
Even if I was exposed, I wouldn’t die for bluffing.
If the situation escalated, I could always retreat.

But if my words were proven true, Roxanne would never dare treat me lightly again.
She might even come to fear me.

“...It’s true.”

Ren’s voice confirmed it.
I didn’t even need to turn to see the trembling in Roxanne’s dilated pupils, reflecting Ren’s green glow.

I had defeated Valmont with a single strike, without lifting a finger.
I could do the same to Bliz.
There was no reason Roxanne would be exempt.

Now that my words had been validated, every statement I made would hold weight.

“Roxanne. A duel between us wouldn’t merely decide superiority.”
“....”
“If emotions run this high, we won’t stop at that. We’ll try to kill each other. Is that what you want?”

It was obvious what Roxanne was thinking.
She had never expected I could actually kill her.
That misplaced confidence was what led her here.

As her misconception unraveled, her level’s aura began to shift.
A faint orange mingled with black—true fear.

The only other entity that had ever evoked this feeling in her was Old One.

“If you wish to fight me, be prepared to risk your life.”

Please, let this bluff be enough.
I’m trembling too, so let’s both calm down.