The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1777: As One

The sensation of the floor vanishing beneath him lasted only a heartbeat.

Rex struggled to maintain his resolve and keep his emotions in check—but the weight of his efforts and the magnitude of his promises felt like they had crumbled at the final hurdle. An outright loss would have been one thing. However, failing when the goal was merely a few steps away? That was a reality Rex refused to endure.

He simply could not accept it.

Yet, the truth of the situation was stubborn and immutable.

The swirling dust in front of him served as a cruel testament to his failure.

Though his physical form, his mind, and his very soul were battered from the struggle to obtain the final ingredient for the remedy, no injury felt as hollow as this. The Divine Chalice clutched in his hand felt as heavy as a mountain, causing his arm to shake as he held it aloft.

In the silence of the Banished Realm, the frantic thumping of his heart echoed like a drum in his ears.

Everything around him felt simultaneously empty and overwhelming.

A flood of emotions surged through him, yet his consciousness was unable to categorize or process the onslaught.

Without realizing it, a single tear traced a path down his face and fell away.

He understood that this catastrophe signaled the start of the end for himself and everyone he cared for.

Knowing the world's inherent cruelty toward him, he felt there was no way to stop the impending doom.

It appeared his journey had reached its conclusion.

But for the first time in this desolate existence, a glimmer of light pierced through the darkness of the abyss to reach him.

<Notice: an entity has entered the Banished Realm.>

<The Dame of Snow takes pity on the user.>

Two messages flashed before his eyes, jolting him from his stupor.

Rex wiped the moisture from his face with his hand and focused on the notifications again—gazing at them as if they were a lifeline. His pulse quickened; he had expected the final curtain, but these words suggested the exact opposite.

"The Dame of Snow...?"

The situation felt familiar.

Once before, another being had knocked him out and seized control of his body to vanquish a foe.

Now, this being had shown him compassion, reaching out with a beam of hope.

Swish...

Rex glanced toward the void above and witnessed a thick ribbon of ice-blue energy descending like a divine answer, winding its way down like a snake. It was vibrant and breathtaking. He had never seen something so simple yet so capable of stealing his breath away.

The energy bypassed him, spiraling around the mound of ash and pulling every stray grain together.

Even the particles that had begun to drift away were reeled back in.

Before Rex could comprehend the miracle, the head of Nivellen began to reform from the remains.

The scene was nothing short of surreal.

Following this supernatural event, the System began to adjust the parameters of the failed mission.

<Sudden Quest: Heal the Countess of the Dark Lunirich from her Chaos Corruption has resumed!>

<Notice: the Countess of the Banished Dark Moon is vanishing!>

<She will die in ten seconds.>

Finally, a stroke of luck occurred without him having to bleed or sweat for it.

Rex’s frame shook with emotion, but his instincts took command immediately.

Tilting the vessel, he guided the cure into her mouth—draining every single drop into her.

For a tense second, there was no reaction.

Then, a gentle yet powerful glow ignited inside her.

The light expanded, radiating outward from her very center and shining through her skull until every part of her face—eyes, mouth, and nose—was filled with a brilliant luminescence that felt both searing and comforting.

Then came the fire.

Swoosh—!

A magnificent, rushing pillar of flame surged upward, dancing with elegance rather than malice.

Rex watched as it spiraled into the sky, condensing into a massive sphere of intense heat—a burning egg of rebirth. Nivellen’s essence, her divine energy, and the tainted chaos energy were all sealed within that shell.

Slowly, a fissure appeared on the surface.

A more intense flame poured out from the crack, beginning to manifest a shape.

First came a head crowned with hair of living fire, then the line of her shoulders, the shape of her torso, and her long limbs—a Goddess crafted from light and warmth. The person Rex thought was lost moments ago stood before him.

However, she was not yet whole.

Dark purple, jagged cracks covered her body, making her look like glass pushed to its breaking point.

She seemed ready to shatter at any moment.

Yet the same fires that gave her form began to heal her.

The flames washed over the damage, filling the cracks with golden seams and restoring her until she was flawless. She returned to the perfection she possessed before the corruption took hold. It was a form Rex found as majestic and commanding as the day they first met.

Once the repairs were finished, the Goddess pulled her knees to her chest.

She floated there in a quiet, curled embrace.

Then—a burst of fire and light erupted.

Splash—!

A silent, massive wave of flame and raw chaos energy surged outward before vanishing into nothingness. All that remained was the figure of the Goddess, floating in the quiet of the Banished Realm, fully restored.

She had returned to her original state.

<Sudden Quest completed!>

<Obtained: 5x Instant Level Tickets, 30 Divine Upgrades, 50 million gold, and 1x Banished Dark Moon Ability Amalgamation.>

As the notifications confirmed the quest's success, Rex’s head slumped forward.

He stared at the shallow water beneath him, exhaling a ragged breath.

It had been far too close.

Rex had essentially failed. He had already lost, but the Dame of Snow had granted him a miracle.

He felt completely overwhelmed by the impossibility of the situation.

Meanwhile, still floating in the air, Nivellen blinked and scanned the realm as if seeing it for the first time. She lifted her hands, inspecting them with confusion. "How can I still be here...? Am I truly alive?"

"No, more importantly," She shook her head, looking through her own skin. "The corruption... I can't feel it anymore..."

At that realization, her breath hitched.

Nivellen looked toward the ground and saw the man who occupied her thoughts.

She was beyond shocked.

Even though she had feigned confidence in Rex’s promise to save her out of respect for his resolve, she never truly believed he could succeed. It seemed impossible.

Chaos Corruption was a blight that even gods found difficult to manage.

Anything involving the Chaos Realm was not a matter to be taken lightly.

Furthermore, mortals usually lacked the knowledge to even begin dealing with Chaos. For a mortal to be cured of such a thing was unheard of, and this involved the corruption of a Goddess. Rex should have had zero chance of success, which was why she had reconciled herself to her own death.

She had expected her end would be quiet, even if Rex had refused to take her power.

At the very least, she hoped he would keep his Banished Dark Moon King Mark.

To her shock, that sacrifice was unnecessary.

Nivellen stared at him, her breathing shallow.

Tears that shimmered like moonlight on water began to fall down her cheeks.

"He succeeded," she whispered, her voice trembling with awe. "He actually did it. He honored his word."

Filled with pride and joy, Nivellen floated down toward him.

She hovered over him, her tears flowing freely—not out of grief, but from a relief so deep it felt like a new beginning. She was grateful that Rex would not have to suffer the agony of another loss, as he had already endured too much.

Gently, she reached out.

Her cool, shaking hands cradled his face, tilting his head up so their eyes could meet.

"You succeeded..." she murmured.

Rex pulled away slightly and averted his gaze. "Yes, I did."

"Hmm...? Then why do you look so miserable?" Nivellen’s eyes widened, and a tight knot formed in her throat as a dark thought occurred to her. He might not be grieving her, but perhaps he had lost someone else. "Who? Who was the sacrifice?"

Though she was proud of his impossible feat, she didn't want it to come at such a price.

If a choice had to be made, she would have preferred he let her go.

She never wanted to be the cause of his pain.

"No, it isn't that..." Rex muttered, his head still hanging low. "No one was sacrificed. At least, not as far as I know."

"Then why...?" Nivellen asked softly, encouraging him to speak.

She wanted him to share his burden.

Anything at all.

Rex didn't respond immediately.

Instead, he slammed his fist into the ground, splashing water onto his face.

He struck again with his other fist, and then again.

Each blow against the shallow water grew more violent, as if he were releasing all his pent-up frustration. Nivellen was caught off guard. She didn't fully understand what had happened, but she could see that Rex desperately needed comfort.

Before he could strike the ground again, Nivellen gently caught his hand and knelt in front of him.

She leaned in, forcing him to look at her.

The dark veil no longer hidden her features; she had discarded it, allowing him to see her face clearly.

"Talk to me, Rex. Please..."

"I... I nearly failed. I almost failed to save you."

Hearing his voice—softer than she had ever heard it—Nivellen’s eyes went wide.

She hadn't known what to expect, given that no one else had died for her sake.

She never imagined he was in this state simply because he had come close to failure.

"The cure was in my hand, but you... the last bits of you turned to ash. I was seconds too late. If the Dame of Snow hadn't stepped in, I would have lost you forever."

"Oh, my dear..."

Nivellen pulled him into a tight embrace, holding him close until there was no distance between them—as if she could draw the pain out of his body and into her own. "It doesn't matter that you almost failed," she whispered into his hair, her voice steady and warm. "Even if you had been too late, the fact that you tried so hard and gave everything would have been enough for me. You have done more than enough."

She felt a tremor run through him as she held him.

Rex didn't sob.

He didn't make a sound.

But that single shiver told her everything she needed to know about his inner turmoil.

Gently, she stroked the back of his head.

"And I am still here, am I not? That is because of you," she said, her thumb brushing his temple. "That is because of you, Rex... because of you."

For a long moment, they remained locked together in the bleak realm, two souls holding onto each other in a way that made the surrounding void feel less intimidating. In that moment, they weren't just the healer and the healed, or the savior and the saved; they were simply two individuals who had prevented each other from breaking.

It was a delicate, profound peace.

For the first time, every scar that led them to this point felt like a price worth paying.

Nivellen rested her cheek against Rex’s hair, breathing in his scent, which brought her a sense of calm.

Then, she tilted her gaze upward.

Beyond the colorless clouds and the stagnant air of the Banished Realm, her eyes caught a glimpse of snow-blue light. It looked like a figure watching them from above. It was someone Nivellen recognized.

A small smile touched her lips at the sight.

"Thank you."

Nivellen spoke without making a sound, grateful that this being had descended to this realm to assist Rex.

Whether it was out of pity or something else, she was profoundly thankful for the help.