Shei put out the fire and saved Uiseon, but Uiseon, who had consumed too much blood energy, could not recover. Even though she was a vampire, the depletion was too severe.
Uiseon's death drew public outrage from many. Those whose lives had been saved by Uiseon condemned the atrocity.
However, the other side showed an indifferent response, saying it was merely one dead vampire and wasn't it just justice being served?
The Blood Monastery, where vampires served as nuns, retrieved Uiseon's body, and Elder Sister Yegcheria eventually exacted the blood price. But the fact remained that a good vampire who had diligently treated people had been attacked and killed.
Shei looked up at the sky and asked.
"Meiel. Was this what you wanted to show me?"
[This is merely one of the countless tragedies in the world. What you saw was this, but even if you had gone somewhere else, you would have witnessed a similar tragedy.]
The Saintess of the Sky gave an immediate answer.
[Shei. Sin is like mold. Malice that blooms somewhere devours even good intentions and spreads sin.]
"Did you show me this just to tell me that? If you could see this in advance, couldn't you have stopped it?"
Shei shouted emotionally.
The Saintess of the Sky swims through countless futures while asleep, appearing at necessary moments to deliver prophecies. Demanding that she resolve all the tragedies she has seen might be an unreasonable demand.
The Saintess of the Sky's answer to that question was unexpected.
[Yes. I intend to.]
"Huh?"
[But to do that, we must first overcome sin. If we cannot overcome this trial, we too will be swept away by sin.]
The Saintess of the Sky must have been suffering as well. Shei regretted having confronted her.
Shei was in no different a position from the Saintess of the Sky, yet she had blamed her simply because she was more outstanding. Wasn't that no different from those who criticized Uiseon for failing to save people?
"Alright. I'll try too."
[At what?]
"Overcoming sin. In this iteration, I couldn't be of much help, and I wasn't really doing anything... But like my master said, if I do my best, maybe I can stop it."
Shei has a next time. If Shei takes different actions next time, the results will change. If so, she might be able to draw out the best result across dozens of regressions.
"Master is right. I'll have another chance, so I'll prepare more for that time. If I prepare in advance, Uiseon, Jiseon, Unseok—I can stop and resolve all of it."
Shei doesn't die anyway. She goes back and gets a chance to make up for her mistakes. That was why Shei could have confidence even when she lacked it.
Looking at such a Shei, the Saintess of the Sky waved her hand. Then the earth trembled, and a pitch-black club rose at Shei's feet.
"Huh? What's this?"
[It's Jizan. We subdued Jiseon and retrieved the relic of the Earth Mother Goddess.]
"How...? What about Jiseon?"
[She died. In a place no one could witness. This time, her karma won't harm us.]
Jiseon had been the archenemy of the Holy Emperor's Court in every iteration. To think such a person died in a place no one could see. It was a beneficial thing, but Shei somehow felt pity for Jiseon.
Perhaps there might be another ending left. Though it doesn't come to mind immediately...
That wasn't what was important right now. Shei said.
"That's not it. Don't you need qualifications to wield Jizan? Did you pass Jizan's trial too?"
[Such a future does not exist for me. This merely created a reason for the relic to 'be here.']
"I don't know what you mean, but you moved it here, right?"
Shei grasped Jizan and lifted it up. Though it had been a long time since they reunited, Shei's hands remembered the feel of Jizan.
Although Shei was still lacking and insufficient, she had countless opportunities. If she fails, she can just try again. Unlike the Saintess of the Sky who consumes 'time,' Shei's limits were not set.
This time she couldn't protect Uiseon because she didn't know the situation, but next time could be different. Shei thought so without basis.
"Alright. I'll try. It seems like this regression won't end until I accomplish it anyway."
Since then, Shei focused on gathering information.
11th iteration, 12th iteration. Shei saved Uiseon whenever she had the chance, and used her own money to support the Red Cross clinic.
Building the clinic made it easier to prevent infectious diseases. The plague that had triggered the beastmen massacre was overcome by Uiseon. The beastmen gathered around Uiseon and formed their own faction.
Those who claimed the plague originated from the filthy beastmen ended up looking ridiculous. The beastmen under Uiseon's care were safe from the plague, while the humans who had sealed their borders still groaned under the epidemic.
Whose fault it was became clear. If only they had the courage to admit it.
When the Floating Fortress was split in half by the Sword Saint's single strike and fell, Shei searched for survivors and interrogated them about the Mado Federation and Unseok. There she met the Blue Tower Lord and learned about magic and inherent Mado.
However, at some point, the world inevitably headed toward destruction.
One hand cannot block ten paths. What Shei saw and experienced was merely the tip of the iceberg. Even without the plague, humans rejected beastmen, the vassal states envied the prosperous Empire, the Empire pressured the Mado Federation, and the damaged Mado Federation launched attacks close to terrorism.
At the same time, someone wished for a king. They wished for a powerful king who would calm and rule the chaotic world.
The King of Sin always granted that wish.
And then came the highly anticipated 13th iteration.
This time, heaven's fortune was on her side.
In the previous iteration, while tracking Jiseon's footsteps, Shei discovered that the calamities trapped in the Abyss had been confined there. And in the next iteration, Shei made various plans to infiltrate the Abyss.
Tantalos, a prison used by the Military Nation to confine prisoners too difficult to handle.
How to get to prison? She had to commit a crime. But no matter how much of a regressor she was, it was difficult for Shei to commit extreme crimes. Troubled, Shei attacked one of the Military Nation's scout squads in a "whatever happens" mindset and subdued them without killing anyone. Then she was subdued by the Military Nation's Sixth General, Absolute Spear Patraksion, after a duel. Shei expected this would be enough to be imprisoned in Tantalos.
Of course not. How could she be locked in Tantalos without killing anyone? Shei was dragged to the Absolute Spear's home and received hospitable treatment. Though she couldn't achieve what she wanted, Shei gained the Absolute Spear's trust and warned him of the impending destruction. The Absolute Spear readily believed her words.
Afterwards, Shei helped Uiseon and beat up human supremacists before accidentally coming into contact with the Blood Monastery.
The Blood Monastery was a monastery ruled by Sister Yegcheria, who was both a historic vampire and a nun.
Sister Yegcheria commanded powerful vampires under her and was also a faction that supported Uiseon, who was a fellow vampire.
Sister Yegcheria said she would repay Shei's goodness, and Shei requested a chance to meet the Progenitor. She thought it might be an unreasonable demand, but Sister Yegcheria granted it.
The Progenitor Tirkanjaka was in a damaged state. Uiseon had treated her damage, and yielded the reward the Progenitor would give to Shei. Shei requested the Progenitor to help stop the King of Sin together.
Vampires are a race that feeds on blood. Ultimately, humans must be alive for them to enjoy life. The Progenitor was suspicious of that information but granted Shei's request.
She couldn't save the Demon King, but instead, through the Blue Tower Lord's introduction, she contacted the rest of the Demon God Temple. The Demon God Temple was also angry about the fall of the Floating Fortress, but that anger was entirely from an economic perspective. Shei informed them about the power the King of Sin possessed, and the Demon God Temple showed interest in the demon gods the King of Sin commanded.
The Empire. The Principality. The Military Nation. The Vassal States. And the sorcerers of the Demon God Temple.
Though not complete, all the remaining power at that point gathered. It was truly the most powerful force assembled across all of Shei's iterations.
If not now, humans would never be able to defeat the King of Sin. Thinking so, Shei entered the final battle.
And she tasted true despair.
Sin was still powerful. Even after resolving the calamities and gathering all remaining power, the King of Sin did not wane. Rather, he seemed to have grown stronger.
Even those powerful vampires and the sorcerers wielding mighty magic were no match.
Even the Progenitor Tirkanjaka, who seemed like she would never die, had her body torn apart thousands, tens of thousands of times, with spirit annihilation right before her eyes. Her subordinates had long since been annihilated.
Approaching Tirkanjaka, who barely maintained her physical form through blood sorcery, Shei heard deathbed words from the fallen Progenitor.
"To the... Abyss."
The Abyss. A hole that Shei had never been to and could not be seen even with the power of the Celestial God. All calamities began from within it.
Last time she was interfered with, but this time she had to reach it.
The Abyss.
And beyond the 13th regression, Shei arrived at this iteration.