Chapter 9 – The End of Vengeance, and a New Path

Rouga Haitani never left the hospital’s psychiatric ward. His social media accounts were shut down, and all of his once-glamorous videos were deleted. His existence, whispered about in the corners of the internet as “the cautionary tale of King Wolf,” faded rapidly from public memory. Now, there was no one left to worry about him, and no one left to hate him. He would remain in silence for eternity, trapped within the memories of his past glory and his own sins.

Suzuran Shiraishi was also still alone. At school, her former friends avoided her as if she were a disease. Once her relationship with Rouga became public, and everyone learned of his tragic end, they all came to see her as a “wicked woman.” She lost her bright smile and spent her days with her head hung low. Her reunion with Karasu, far from giving her hope, had only thrown the fact that he completely rejected her in her face, plunging her into the depths of despair.

Meanwhile, Karasu Kurosu continued his streaming activities. His channel, “Black Crow,” had climbed to the very top of the dungeon streaming world. His streams had moved beyond mere game guides; his meticulous intellect and his journey of overcoming adversity gave courage to many of his viewers. However, something still felt unfulfilled in Karasu’s heart. His revenge was complete. But inside him, a gaping void had opened up.

“What’s wrong, Karasu Kurosu? Your revenge should be complete, yet you’re still not satisfied?”

Sui Hisui asked, her voice sounding as if she could see into the depths of Karasu’s soul. Karasu silently shook his head.

“Seeing them suffer brings my heart no peace. I just feel… empty.”

Sui smiled, satisfied.

“That is the taste of revenge. It is often the nature of such things. The moment you achieve your goal, you’re assaulted by the emptiness of losing your purpose. But you are not finished.”

Sui handed Karasu a new set of documents about the dungeons. It was information on their deepest levels, classified as top-secret by the government. The documents stated that these were unknown territories that humanity had not yet reached.

“It would be a waste to let your abilities end here. You should aim for the deepest, yet-unseen parts of the dungeon. There, you may find a new ‘purpose’ to fill your emptiness.”

At Sui’s words, a faint light returned to Karasu’s eyes. His revenge was over. But his life had only just begun.

Around that time, Detective Iwao Maki was finalizing his report on the series of dungeon-related incidents. His suspicion that Karasu Kurosu was behind the Rouga Haitani incident had now hardened into certainty. However, the evidence was all circumstantial, not nearly enough to arrest him.

“Karasu Kurosu… Who in the world are you?”

Maki stared once more at Karasu’s stream. He saw the sharp intelligence that dwelled in his eyes, and the occasionally glimpsed, cold-hearted expression. While Maki acknowledged Karasu’s talent, he grew more wary of the danger he posed. The influence that the unknown existence of dungeons had on society was far greater than Maki could have ever imagined.

A few days later, Karasu made a new announcement on his channel.

“Everyone, I have decided to challenge the deepest levels of an unconquered dungeon.”

The viewer comment section was flooded with shock and excitement.

‘Are you serious, Black Crow?!’ ‘Don’t you go dying on us!’ ‘A legend is born!’

Karasu stared at the viewers on the other side of the camera. There were countless people there who believed in him and cheered him on. They weren’t targets of his revenge. They were simply people who supported his challenge.

And that stream was also being received, however faintly, in Rouga’s hospital room. Rouga stared at the screen with vacant eyes. Reflected there was the figure of Karasu, standing at the pinnacle of the dungeon streaming world—the very seat that was once supposed to be his. He let out an incomprehensible groan, his face twisting in frustration and despair.

Suzuran, too, was watching Karasu’s stream in her room. The Karasu on the screen, while retaining a trace of his old self, was clearly a different person, overflowing with confidence. His eyes would never be directed at her again. She was hit with the full force of what a monumental thing her mistake had caused her to lose. Karasu, who had grasped a brilliant future, and herself, sinking in lonely despair. The gap between them was far too vast.

Karasu stood at the entrance to the dungeon. Next to him stood Sui.

“Well then, shall we go, Karasu Kurosu? Your true story begins here.”

At Sui’s words, Karasu gave a quiet nod. The burden of the past was no longer on his shoulders. His revenge was over. From now on, a new adventure to carve out his own future would begin. The path leading into the abyss of the dungeon lay wide open before him.

Chapter 10 – Their Respective Paths

Karasu’s streams, broadcast as he set foot into the deepest parts of the dungeon, would come to be retold as a new legend. His channel, “Black Crow,” was no longer just that of a popular streamer; it had become a beacon of hope for many young people. He made the impossible possible with intellect and strategy, generating even greater fervor each time he defied his viewers’ expectations. His words, broadcast from the depths of the dungeon, resonated in the hearts of many, and some even began to call him a “modern-day hero.”

The Karasu who had once felt a sense of emptiness was no more. The dark flame of revenge had burned out in the abyss of the dungeon, and now a new thirst for exploration and a sense of mission to guide others filled his heart. Sui Hisui watched over his growth from nearby, and then, quietly, she left his side. She had seen for herself that Karasu would come into contact with the true nature of the dungeon and become someone who could spread that knowledge. With her own objectives fulfilled, she vanished once again to search for a new “interesting pawn.”

Meanwhile, Rouga Haitani lived a life isolated from the outside world in the hospital’s psychiatric ward. His eyes were vacant, and only incomprehensible groans escaped his lips. Occasionally, as if dreaming of his past glory, he would mutter, “King Wolf…,” but it was just an empty echo. No one visited his hospital room. The wealth, the fame, and the human relationships he once possessed had all vanished as if they had betrayed him. His existence was completely erased from society’s memory, and he was left to spend the rest of his life in solitude and despair.

Suzuran Shiraishi, too, remained trapped by a deep sense of regret. Karasu never forgave her. She was avoided by everyone at school, and even her former friends kept their distance. The facts of her relationship with Rouga and her betrayal of Karasu left an indelible stain on her life. Every day felt as heavy as lead, and a brilliant future would never again be hers. The face that looked back at her in the mirror had lost its former brightness and wore only a look of utter exhaustion. She had no choice but to live on alone, bearing the weight of her past mistakes.

Detective Maki finished his report on the dungeons and concluded his recommendations to the government. The existence of Karasu Kurosu remained a mystery to him, but it was a fact that his appearance had deeply ingrained in society an awareness of both the need to coexist with dungeons and the dangers they posed. Maki resolved to keep a close watch on the new societal changes brought about by the dungeons in the future.

Several years later—

Karasu Kurosu had become a world-renowned dungeon researcher and, at the same time, the greatest dungeon streamer. His words captivated people all over the globe, and his actions constantly expanded the possibilities of the dungeons. He was no longer bound by the emotion of revenge; he faced the dungeons with a pure spirit of inquiry and for the sake of humanity’s future. His life began with that day’s betrayal, but in the end, he overcame that adversity and seized a true happy ending. His streams, even today, are watched with fervor all around the world.