Chapter 341: Evil God Subjugation (8) |
Whoooosh!!!
The wave of blackish crimson flames irritably spread by the Evil God collided with the fierce firepower of my ice magic.
In the area filled with pure white light, magic circles repeatedly faded and constructed themselves along with a chain of explosions.
I observed the state of the battle.
The Evil God had taken the Yggdrasil’s Seed and made it her own. Thus, the only plant magic she was capable of using was [Yggdrasil].
Her recovery ability was likely greatly enhanced as well, but in the [Temple of Light], even that effect would be diminished.
The Domain of light significantly weakened all abilities possessed by demons.
This included the Authority of Godslaying.
I heard from Stella that it would still be impossible for a god to directly intervene… but aid on a minor scale should be possible.
I recalled the plan I discussed with Stella at the Icy Lake.
Now, it was Stella’s turn.
The time has come for me to reap the seeds I had sown a year prior in the Icy Lake.
***
The world reached a pivotal turning point centered on Higgs, the game developer.
All those who entered the Higgs building in Ilsan would vanish and reappear in closed railroad tunnels. Naturally, the whole world’s attention was focused on Higgs.
Even when helicopters bombed it, the game company’s building instantly restored itself to its original state.
Even when the CIA was called in, they all vanished, only to reappear somewhere in South Korea.
Those who returned had lost all memories of entering the Higgs building.
After this series of supernatural phenomena, the public began to renounce Higgs as aliens or monsters, and the government pressured them to make a statement.
Higgs, however, insisted on one-sided communication and firmly refused any dialogue.
They even expressed irritation at humanity’s hostility, despite causing no harm themselves.
Since then, the government had taken a more cautious approach, recognizing the severity of the situation.
Such a stand-off continued until 1 year prior; the day Isaac met Stella at the Icy Lake.
Higgs released a DLC for ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.
The title was「Isaac」.
❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ is a completely harmless and pure game, and this applies to the DLC as well. We warn that if sanctions are imposed on the services provided by Higgs for reasons outside the game, we will also take coercive measures.
Allets, the lead developer, said this through the Higgs channel on a video platform.
She bowed her body and maintained her formalities, but the undertones of the announcement were practically a warning directed at the nation.
Separate from the mystery of Higgs, people were curious.
Because Isaac, a character who was merely an extra in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, was made the protagonist of the DLC.
In the DLC story, Isaac knew the future, and could even recognize the Status Window.
It had an introduction straight out of a cookie-cutter fantasy novel.
The DLC stimulated some of the fans of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ by introducing new scenarios such as, “What if Dorothy Heartnova never self-destructed along with the Floating Island’ and “The answer to Alice Carroll’s secret”.
However, the deliberate exclusion of romance content in the DLC, along with the need to play as an extra character with predetermined traits instead of the familiar protagonist Ian Fairytale, were significant drawbacks.
Despite these shortcomings, the gameplay, graphics, controls, action, rich content, and physics engine were clearly ahead of their time.
In the end, the ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ DLC received tremendous acclaim.
New DLC from Higgs! The mysterious gaming company.
Isaac’s Status Window. DLC Content
The DLC is live… everyone’s going crazy!
God Game DLC Review: A game ahead of its time.
Video platforms, internet communities, game review sites, etc.
The ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ DLC created a massive ripple effect across the world, comparable to the mystery of Higgs.
Many played the DLC for a long time, and after a year passed…
“Why is the sky like that?”
“What? What’s that?”
…the Evil God was revived.
People were thrown into chaos as the sky was dyed a bloody red.
An emergency news broadcast aired on every TV, and experts were called to investigate the bloody sky.
However, at that moment, Higgs hacked every news channel around the world and transmitted their own video.
Hello, everyone. I am Allets, the lead developer at Higgs. This broadcast will air in all languages around the world to share an important story with all of you.
In the square.
In the subway.
At workplaces.
In restaurants.
At home.
Everywhere in the world.
People held their breath and watched the video.
It was the moment when the world was filled with the sound of Allets’ voice.
The reason the sky is dyed a blood red is because the Evil God has been revived and the apocalypse has started.
Higgs’ prominence was widely known.
The absurd story of them being a race superior to humans, whether it be aliens or gods, was now widely accepted.
Because of that, people no longer dismissed it as mere fiction and listened intently to Allets’ story.
In a video we shared before, we left a message of sorts. It was all a part of a plan to defeat the demons and the Evil God. We have chosen a Brave Hero amongst you to save all of creation.
A dark space in the video.
Under the spotlight, Allets continued speaking.
The DLC [Isaac] was created based on the steps the aforementioned Brave Hero took. A man who was once a citizen of South Korea is now fighting the Evil God in the body of Isaac. If he fails to vanquish the Evil God, humanity will have no future. So please…
In the video, Allets bowed politely.
「Final Act, Evil God Subjugation」 will be updated. After it has been updated, please defeat the Evil God.
Allets raised her head again, revealing an expressionless, doll-like face.
All the data you gather while fighting the Evil God will be passed on to the Brave Hero. We, Higgs, are unable to provide aid due to having to observe and analyze the Evil God’s patterns and reflect them in real-time. This video was also prepared in advance.
In the video, the events after the transmigration took place unfolded around Allets piece by piece.
He trained relentlessly every day, pouring out sweat and blood.
Dragging a body enveloped in an icy chill, he crawled with his teeth across a floor swept by a raging frost storm.
Even as his entire body became battered and broken, he continued to fight.
And despite it all, he kept pressing onward.
The image of a boy smiling without giving up was captured in the eyes of the masses.
As you played the game, you should have come to understand the arduous journey he has undertaken with his blood and tears. Only you can help him now.
People’s hands trembled.
Some clenched their fist, others lowered their gaze, while still others burned with fighting spirit in their eyes.
Once again I humbly ask of you… Please join forces to defeat the Evil God.
When Allets bowed once more, the video ended.
The streets and internet buzzed with excitement, and many people rushed to their game consoles.
It didn’t matter whether everyone believed Higgs’s words to be true or not.
The video broadcast worldwide served as an effective incentive to get people to play ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.
When the 「Evil God Subjugation」 update was released, the gameplay became more refined based on the existing controls. The players could control Isaac in the Domain Clash between the [Realm of the Eternal Glacial Palace] and the [Black Nest].
However, the Evil God was so powerful and unpredictable that despite the global players’ best efforts, only repeated defeat awaited them.
In the community, discussions erupted as people employed every possible means to devise a way to defeat the Evil God.
Experts analyzed the in-game elements, working hard to determine the most efficient combat methods.
They also shared strategies on how to corner the Evil God.
Meanwhile, the end had begun.
Black orbs began appearing irregularly across the world, encroaching upon spaces.
Everything the orbs touched quietly vanished, and the world descended into chaos.
As the true scene of the apocalypse unfolded, no one dismissed Higgs’ words as nonsense anymore.
Ruuuuummmbbble!!!
Suddenly, a grand dark blue summoning circle unfolded in South Korea’s airspace.
Below it, a massive demon with countless eyes emerged, startling the people.
Lucifer the Morningstar.
As the end began and the Evil God’s seal was broken, he emerged and revealed himself.
“Ahhh!!”
“W-what… what is that!”
“A monster…?”
Lucifer repeatedly rewound the time of those who were on the verge of being devoured by the orbs of void, preventing their deaths.
Time was a relative concept.
Rewinding a part of something was much simpler than rewinding the time of everything.
Remembering Isaac, the Ice Sovereign, Lucifer looked around with his countless eyes at the landscape Isaac had fought to protect.
Ice King… is this body becoming virtuous.
Questions were posed that would never reach Isaac.
Eventually, humanity recognized Lucifer as an ally and they focused even more intently on playing ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ DLC.
After Ian Fairytale’s domain expansion, [Temple of Light], was activated, Higgs began broadcasting the real-time battle between Isaac and the Evil God.
The visuals displayed in the footage were too realistic to be dismissed as mere graphics.
“Though the Evil God Nephid had taken hold of the power of life, it has been confirmed that Ian Fairytale successfully activated his Domain Expansion, [Temple of Light]…! [Temple of Light]’s effect is to weaken the authority and power of demons”
On the broadcast, a commentator explained the situation based on the actual battle scenes between Isaac and the Evil God.
Footage of a famous gamer struggling to defeat the Evil God was also broadcast live on TV.
Those who were unskilled at games merely prayed to higher powers for Isaac to win, and cheered him on through their screens.
Amid the end, humanity united toward a single goal: victory.
It didn’t matter if they were weak.
Each and every piece of data generated from their gameplay was deeply precious to Isaac.
— I lack wisdom.
These were the words Isaac spoke to Stella while seated on an ice chair at the Icy Lake.
— More than anyone else, I am deeply aware of my inadequacies. Therefore… I seek to borrow wisdom.
— Borrow from whom?
— All.
❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ 「Final Act, Evil God Subjugation.」
The battle against the final boss, The Evil God, was not Isaac’s alone.
It was a battle for all of humanity.
That was why Stella burst into laughter.
Because they were human.
Because they were humans who formed societies and lived by uniting their strength.
The ice wizard, standing on the verge of divinity and transcendence, finally thought of a way to fight together with everyone and coordinated a plan with Stella.
It was a plan that diverged entirely from the self-reliant methods of the powerful gods.
Isaac didn’t hope for any miracle.
He hadn’t expected a dramatic awakening, like the kind manwha protagonists experienced in times of crises.
Everything was the culmination of the steps he had taken under his plan.
The intersection of two inevitabilities.
In the end, Isaac intended to make his victory an inevitability.
As the battle between Isaac and the Evil God raged on, the world experienced shifting emotions of joy and sorrow.
A single post, accompanied by a video, was uploaded to an online community.
I found a way to defeat the Evil God.
***
[The demon has been recognized as an enemy.]
Like a panorama, memories of countless battles flashed through my mind.
They were all memories of battles fought against the Evil God Nephid before my eyes.
Thousands, tens of thousands, millions, hundreds of millions… countless defeats and one victory replayed in my mind.
Using all that information, I calculated the margin of error and accounted for countless variables.
…I found it. The answer.
[The unique trait Hunter is activated!]
Fwoooosh!!!
Unleashing the chill of [Ice Sovereign], I used the final power left behind by Ozma.
Triggering it, the effects of [Hunter] were multiplied by 1.5 times.
My mana churned like molten lava, spinning rapidly as if my body was about to explode.
As of now, all of my stats were EX— completely immeasurable.
Craaaack!
I partially summoned and synchronized with the Frost Dragon, Hilde.
My right half was covered in dragon scales, a gray horn protruded from the side of my head, and my right fingernails and toenails were honed into razor-sharp claws.
The white jade-like wings protruding from one side resembled that of the Frost Dragon.
Half-human, half-dragon.
It was the best measure to enhance my mobility.
From now on, I resolved to make a bold and decisive move.
Fwooosh!!!
I unfurled the cold wings of the [ Ice Sovereign] as well.
Flaaash!!
Releasing a burst of cold energy, I dashed toward Evil God Nephid like a flash of light.
Whooosh!
The Evil God unleashed a barrage of blackish crimson fire magic and void magic, but thanks to the countless pieces of information in my head, I effortlessly predicted the movements and trajectories of every attack and navigated through them with ease.
Utilizing the [Ice Moon], I froze the space where I predicted the Evil God would conjure her magic circles and froze it entirely, taken aback she furrowed her many eyes in frustration.
In the midst of my charge, I poured mana into the [Ice Moon] floating in the sky.
Whiiiii!
[Ice Moon] expanded its size, waxing until it reached the form of a full moon.
Ice mana swirled around the [Ice Moon] and the halo it cast evoked a sense of reverence.
This was the result of one year of non-stop training. A power surely unknown even to the Evil God.
However, the Evil God had even seized strong regenerative abilities thanks to the Yggdrasil’s seed.
To deny that demon even the chance to devise a countermeasure, to render her regenerative abilities meaningless, I intended to end this battle in one decisive move using the full-moon effect of [Ice Moon].
I can do this.
The [Temple of Light], unfurling like a blessing, was there after all.
Fwooosh!!!
As I savagely cleaved through the air, the Evil God spat out blackish crimson flames, seeking to incinerate my body.
I swerved to dodge the flames or clashed with them using ice or rock magic, advancing relentlessly in a fierce exchange of blows.
A continuous sequence of sharp, heavy steam explosions erupted.
Scattering ice fragments and shards of rock.
Amid a grand display of magic capable of destroying the world several times over, Daikan unleashed the destructive ice mana of absolute zero from his mouth.
Kaboooom!!!!
The [Temple of Light] was filled with a brilliant blue radiance.
A violent explosion tore through the air.
Fwoooosh!!!
However, the Evil God suffered no significant damage. All I could do was hide myself within the cold, dazzling explosion.
In this situation, the Evil God’s patterns became clear.
Whooosh!!!
The [Yggdrasil of Destruction] shone with light, and the Evil God conjured a grand magic circle blazing with blackish crimson flames.
The second form of the Evil God’s world-ending magic.
As the Evil God extended her arm, a heavy storm of fiery mana rose, forming a vast wall that spread in all directions.
Fwooooosh!!!!
The flames, distorting even time and space, surged forward with a strange, explosive roar.
A wall of destruction, sweeping away everything.
The density of its mana was near infinite.
As the searing heat that seemed capable of burning my entire body approached, I unleashed an even stronger burst of cold to cool myself.
The only way to evade was to soar high and escape the range of the wall of destruction.
If I used [Ice Moon]’s effect to stop time, I might have had a chance to launch a surprise attack.
In truth, the time-stop effect had no practical use except for moving quickly or evading an already-cast attack by the Evil God.
…To begin with, I had no intention of avoiding it.
I let out a scream to drive away my fear.
Desperately drawing forth mana, I wrapped myself in the maximum output of the [Ice Sovereign]’s cold, casting ice magic as I charged forward in a straight line.
Krrrrraaaack!!!
A chilling, thunderous noise.
I felt intense pressure crushing my entire body and a searing heat enveloping my skin.
I pierced through the dark flames and arrived right in front of the Evil God’s nose.
It happened in an instant.
[…!!]
The many eyes of the Evil God widened in shock.
She had already prepared to cast an offensive spell, aimed skyward.
It was an excellent decision. After all, she must have anticipated that I would stop time using the effects of [Ice Moon] and evade upward to launch an attack.
To anyone watching, that would have seemed the most logical and coldly rational choice.
No one would have expected anyone to break through the flames of destruction.
Based on the data delivered to me, I discovered that I could sufficiently break through and pass the Evil God’s first wall of destruction.
If there were a next time, it wouldn’t work. By then, the Evil God would know exactly how much more power was needed to strengthen the wall of destruction.
Even so, I couldn’t come out unscathed.
My entire body was already riddled with fatal injuries, practically on the verge of death.
I couldn’t move anything except my arms—no, arm.
One of my arms was already gone. The flames of destruction had engulfed my left arm, so I blew it away with [Frost Explosion].
Well, this level of loss was expected. If anything, it felt like getting off easy.
In our battle, even a momentary lapse in predicting action patterns could lead to risks beyond imagination.
In this very moment, this fleeting instant, a gap appeared in the Evil God.
This was no miracle.
In all the battles so far, the Evil God had never once let her guard down. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, carefully nurtured by inevitability.
All I could unleash was a single, all-out strike.
In my right hand, a frigidity below the absolute condensed and swirled into the 5-star spell [Frost Explosion].
The gathered ice mana glimmered with a mystical blue light, encircled by a halo like that of a full moon.
Chaaaarack!!
The crisp sound of freezing.
The full [Ice Moon] gave off a blue glow.
[You know…]
For a mere moment, I smiled and spoke directly into the mind of Evil God Nephid.
[There is nothing I can’t freeze.]
The full moon effect was clear and straightforward.
To cause absolute freezing.
No target was exempt.
I swung my right arm toward the Evil God.
For a brief moment, the field of vision was dyed pure white, and cold pierced through the Evil God’s entire body.
A late roar echoed piercingly across the eternal domain.
Booooooom!!!!!
The roar was silenced by the swirling of space.
The Evil God and I, subjected to intense gravity, began being inexorably pulled somewhere.
Looking around, I saw a passage surrounded by blue light. I felt the same sensation as when I traveled to the Nether.
This wasn’t supposed to happen…!
This is bad.
This was what I experienced during my battle with Ozma.
An excessively powerful burst of energy had shattered the space itself, leaving it fractured.
Ian will have to finish this.
Inside the frozen mass, a frozen female demon appeared before me.
The shockwave hit her directly, greatly diminishing the blackish crimson flames, revealing her face and slender neck.
“Grrr…!”
I gritted my teeth and forcibly gathered my remaining mana.
The Evil God could only be defeated if Ian used the Luminous Sword to cut her down.
This meant the Evil God must not be dragged into a remote dimension with me.
“…!”
At that moment.
As if it were inevitable, a divine light appeared beyond the back of the Evil God’s head.
I couldn’t help but be astonished.
Ian Fairytale.
Before we knew it, he had regained consciousness, holding the Luminous Sword extended behind him while emitting Divine Power like combustion, chasing us relentlessly like a rocket.
Ah… that’s right.
A smile naturally formed on my lips.
Ian was a Master Fainter, having trained himself in the art of fainting.
Hadn’t his speed between waking up after fainting gotten noticeably faster?
In other words, he had quickly awakened and finished his fainting episode.
Ian roared fiercely, tightly gripping the Luminous Sword imbued with Divine Power.
I defrosted my magic, and a pure white sword strike was unleashed at the Evil God’s neck.
Chiiiiiiing!!!!
A clear, resounding boom echoed as a rainbow-colored light source appeared.
The trajectory of the sword strike cut through the Evil God’s throat, and a dazzling explosion engulfed her remaining body.
The Evil God’s severed head turned to ashen dust and vanished.
Her last expression was… impossible to discern.
I couldn’t make it out due to my blurry vision.
Only the fact that we had won resonated deeply in my heart.
“…Isaac…!”
Ian shouted something, reaching his arm out to me.
While being pulled together beyond an unknown dimension, is he somehow trying to save me?
“…sac…!!”
Ian seemed to be shouting desperately at the top of his lungs.
I couldn’t hear well because my hearing was impaired. Since earlier, only tinnitus had been ringing, as if it would tear through my ears.
But Ian, there’s no need for you to get swept up in this.
The speed at which I was being sucked in had already accelerated. There was no stopping it now.
On the other hand, Ian had been blown to the opposite side by the explosion of light and was still in a state where he hadn’t begun to accelerate.
At least, I could save him.
I’m going to die soon anyway.
I could clearly feel the condition of my body.
I was going to lose my life soon.
Even if I returned, it would be meaningless.
I didn’t have much mana left, and I could perceive that Ian didn’t have much either.
With great effort, I stretched out my remaining arm toward Ian, gathering the last remnants of my mana and channeling it into ice mana in my hand.
I removed the [Ice Barrier] I had placed on Ian, leaving only an ice shield over him, and unleashed my ice mana.
Boom!!!
The shockwave spread, sending Ian, shielded by ice, flying far away.
I’m sorry, but no matter how hard he shouted, the distance between us grew too quickly for me to hear him.
In contrast to Ian, I was pushed further into the depths of the dimensional rift.
The surroundings grew darker and darker.
No particular thoughts came to mind.
I didn’t even have the strength to think.
My consciousness was slowly drifting into the void.
I could no longer fight off the drowsiness.
I slowly closed my eyes.
Chiiing!!
It was at that moment, I heard a clear and elegant sound.
The sound came from the starlight magic of Dorothy or Ozma.
Thunk!!
Someone grabbed my hand.
That hand was filled with dazzling starlight, as if holding the entire universe.
Even through my blurred vision, like spilled paint, I could make out how beautiful the hand was.
She grabbed me and flew off somewhere.
I felt the flow of healing magic through the clasped hands. Starting from the void in my left shoulder, my left arm regenerated, and my body, which had been fated to meet its end, rapidly recovered.
It was clear that someone shrouded in starlight was using advanced magic to heal my body.
My vision gradually sharpened, as if I had put on glasses that perfectly matched my prescription.
Before I knew it, a sense of calm had enveloped me.
“…Huh?”
When I blinked, the sight of the universe filled my vision.
Suddenly, I sensed someone’s presence.
Turning my head, I saw a woman in a black suit standing at a distance from me.
It was Allets, the masked Lead developer of the game company Higgs.
In other words, it was Stella, the Star Fairy.
[This is our second meeting.]
“…Did you save me?”
Stella nodded.
[I rescued you because you nearly crossed over into the other side of the dimension. It’s like an abandoned dump, so there’d be no hope for your retrieval if you ended up there.]
Stella gazed into the distant galaxy.
[Just now. The Evil God Nephid was destroyed.]
I took a deep breath.
I needed a moment to compose the overwhelming emotions stirred by that single sentence.
But it wasn’t the time to get lost in sentiment.
There were still things I needed to know.
“Where’s Mephisto?”
[She fled. The Evil God’s downfall stripped her of every last power, leaving her utterly helpless.]
Stella looked at me again.
[As you already know, demons are intrinsically connected to the Evil God. With her disappearance, Mephisto is already on the path to collapse. Moreover, Snow White has implanted the mana of night, leaving Mephisto in excruciating pain. Desperately clinging to life, she hid herself in a cave, but she’ll continue to suffer and eventually succumb to death before long. A tragic and futile end, wouldn’t you agree?.]
Stella’s reply was flat and emotionless.
[Why don’t you go and look for her later? Since you’ve essentially reached divinity, finding that demon should be an incredibly simple task for you.]
“I see…”
I pulled out the pendant hanging around my neck.
It was the pendant Dorothy had given me as a gift last year.
“Are the others safe?”
[There were quite a few casualties, but all the humans you care about are safe.]
“…That’s a relief.”
It truly was a relief.
After that, a brief silence followed.
[It seems there’s not much left to talk about.]
“That seems to be the case.”
I wanted to see the rest with my own eyes.
[Mr. Han Seong-ho. I have something I need to tell you.]
I looked at Stella again.
Stella smiled.
[All of the Higgs development team, myself included, will soon leave the human world. We intervened here exceptionally to defeat the Evil God, but now there’s no longer any reason for us to stay. So, if you’re angry, I can fully accept it now.]
Teasingly, Stella said in a joking manner.
At this point, there was no lingering bitterness.
I gave a gentle smile and calmly replied.
“…It’s fine.”
[Oh? Won’t you regret it?]
“I’m tired, that’s all.”
I was exhausted.
Right now, I just wanted to rest.
[Is that so…]
As if signaling the end of our conversation, Stella’s body began to shine brightly.
Her form transformed into an unknown shape filled with countless starlights.
[Mr. Han Seong-ho, no matter how many times I express my gratitude, it will never be enough. You deserve to enjoy everything you desire. Now, you have received the blessing of [Eternal Youth] and a freedom far greater than anyone else’s. All of this is my gift to you.]
As my consciousness faded, the scenery around me rapidly changed.
Countless galaxies and starlight wove beams of light, and my body was transported to some distant point within a spiral galaxy.
Suddenly, a pale blue dot came into view.
[Oh, Brave Hero.]
Stella bowed her upper body to me.
[May you find peace.]
The familiar blue planet.
Earth came into view.
As I closed my eyes, a gentle, warm sensation softly enveloped my entire body.
“…?”
The feeling of a hard surface beneath me.
When I slowly opened my eyes, a marble floor came into view.
A place filled with the faint darkness of night. The surroundings were a wide-open plaza.
I stood up and looked around. It was a very familiar place.
I turned my head back and saw a solemn statue of an Admiral.
Engraved below it were large Chinese characters that read, “忠武公李舜臣將軍像.”
It meant, “Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.”
The place is…
“Gwanghwamun…?”
South Korea, Gwanghwamun
As the name surfaced in my mind, I felt an indescribable emotion.
“Over there…!”
“We found him! It’s him!”
“Hey, are you okay…?”
As if they had been waiting, several people ran toward me. They were all Koreans.
I could hear their voices clearly, probably due to Stella’s healing, but I was too exhausted to answer.
“Isaac-nim! Are you okay?”
They recognized me as “Isaac”.
It must have been because of Higgs.
People supported me, repeatedly asking if I was okay.
Their voices gradually grew distant.
A wave of drowsiness swept over me.
My eyes slowly closed again, and just like that, I fell asleep.
***
It was the time when the bar exam was just around the corner.
After my mother’s passing, it was only natural that I couldn’t focus on my studies.
As I read through thick law books, my vision blurred, and tears fell uncontrollably.
I couldn’t maintain my composure for several days. Separation from my mother left me feeling so empty and overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness.
One day, after spending my time holed up in a dark room, I left the house without a second thought.
I wandered aimlessly, without a care or thought in my mind.
Through the exam village, asphalt roads, tall buildings, bustling markets, and overpasses.
As I walked, I suddenly looked up and was captivated by the subtle and wistful glow of the sunset sky.
A newfound realization came to mind. I thought the sky was beautiful.
My gaze returned to the street.
I saw college students eating at a restaurant. They ate as they read a small summary of the exam. When one of them tried to swallow a piece of food too big to pass through his throat, panic ensured. The tension eased after he drank some water.
On the other side, I saw a middle-aged man. Dressed in a suit, he moved his weary body, giving the impression he was on his way home from work. He walked along the sunset-stained sidewalk, carrying a bag that smelled strongly of chicken. At first, it seemed like he was talking to someone on the phone, and then a smile brightened his tired face as he called out excitedly, ‘Son~.’
I saw a mother holding a black bag of groceries with green onions poking out. With her free hand, she walked hand-in-hand with her young daughter, playfully chatting as they strolled. The daughter chattered excitedly about cartoon characters, and while the mother didn’t seem to fully understand, she simply smiled and nodded along.
I saw people hurrying out of the subway station, rushing to catch buses. Each of them seemed to be heading home after a long day at work.
That was the way we lived.
Sometimes fiercely, sometimes strenuously.
Whether joy or sorrow came our way, we lived each day under a sky that changed moment by moment.
For some reason, the scenery I had always seen looked inexplicably beautiful that day.
Perhaps my mind had cleared, because I studied exceptionally well that day.
“…”
Lost in my memories, I slowly opened my eyes.
The light of the sunset streaming through the window was the same color as the sun I used to see often.
Is this… a hospital room?
“Oh my God! You’re awake!”
At my bedside, the nurse checking my vitals on the monitor was startled.
The nurse hurriedly left the room.
I cautiously lifted my upper body. I was dressed in patient attire.
I stared blankly out the window. The cityscape of buildings and the sunset sky blended together in a way that felt deeply familiar.
However, due to the end happening, there were dents or signs of collapse everywhere I looked.
I wondered if the people there were all safe.
Ssshh
I looked down at my hands. Ice mana, as familiar as my own hands and feet, flowed gently through them.
I was still Isaac.
However, I could feel it, a power coursing through my body, stronger than when I fought the Evil God.
The fragments of divinity I once experienced, the status of a transcendent remained within me.
Thud!
Before long, the hospital room door opened, and several doctors bustled in.
It was an extraordinary show of care.
“Isaac-nim! You’ve woken up.”
An elderly doctor with a partially bald head approached me, wearing a contrived smile.
I read the name tag affixed to his chest.
He was the hospital director.
“This is the finest VIP ward in our hospital. A directive was issued at the government level, recommending that we accommodate you, Isaac.”
It seemed the game developer Higgs had done quite a lot for me.
Bringing me here must have been Stella’s decision.
“Excuse me, how long was I unconscious?”
“Yes, you’ve woken up after just one week.”
Could it be because Stella healed me?
I was in good condition after just about a week.
Maybe I felt relatively better since I had been unconscious for over a month at one point.
Anyway, as I pushed the blanket covering me aside and prepared to get out of bed…
“Can you stand up?”
“Yes. No issues at all,” I replied with a kind smile to the considerate question.
I have to go back but I don’t know how to yet.
“Well then, Isaac-nim.”
“Yes?”
“Would you care to take a look outside the window?”
The hospital director’s smiling face was full of subtle meaning.
I moved toward the window and opened it.
A beautiful sunset sky. A forest of buildings.
After looking down, my mouth gaped unknowingly.
As if not to obstruct hospital traffic, an orderly crowd and station vehicles filled my vision.
People were sitting on the ground, right there on the street.
Some prayed, some cheered, and others silently stared intently at the hospital. There were so many people.
They held signs or had banners secured in various places.
Each one conveyed gratitude to me, praised my efforts, or expressed hopes for my safe recovery.
An inexplicable shiver ran through my entire body.
For a while, I couldn’t utter a single word.
“Thank you, Isaac. For protecting us.”
At the sound of a voice, I turned my head back.
The hospital director, along with the doctors and nurses, bowed deeply to me.
“Truly, thank you for your hard work.”
“…”
I didn’t know what to say.
Suddenly, a man ran out of the hospital, grabbed a megaphone, and shouted, “Attention, everyone!! Isaac-nim has just woken up!!”
Everyone stood up.
“Woooooo!”
The people rose all at once, stretching their arms, shouting Hurray, or letting out cheers.
Relief and joy filled their faces.
Since I could read their thoughts, it wasn’t hard to notice that they were sincere.
So this is what you wanted to show me…
Stella.
I think I understand why you brought me here.
I don’t know who they are.
Yet, they are so overjoyed just to know that I’m safe.
I examined each and every face, trying to remember them all.
I tried to etch their cheers vividly into my mind.
For a while, I quietly gazed at the sight of people in a frenzy, as if spellbound.
Whoooosh!!
Huh, what?!
Soon, a gate shimmering with mana appeared in the middle of the hospital room. The mana felt familiar.
The hospital staff seemed utterly shocked.
Someone emerged from the gate, stepping onto the hospital floor.
When I turned my head, a beautiful woman with pale gold hair came into view.
“Hello, Darling.”
A gentle voice.
Alice Carroll. She greeted me with a serene smile.
“Alice…”
I wasn’t surprised.
This was the scenario I had envisioned to make my way back.
“Did Stella give you the coordinates here?”
“She did. You figured it out right away, as expected.”
The Gods no longer had to worry about the Authority of Godslaying.
They’d likely be able to intervene as much as they wanted in the world where Märchen Academy existed.
So for my sake, Stella seemed to have given Alice the coordinates to Earth.
Alice gently extended her hand to me.
“Let’s go back.”
A smile spread across my lips.
***
Riding Alice’s magic, I arrived at Märchen Academy.
Building rooftop.
Familiar faces filled the campus, as if they had been told beforehand.
Alice gestured with her chin, a smile on her face.
I approached the railing, and soon, triumphant cheers of joy resounded.
Cries revering me as the Ice Sovereign and the hero of the world overwhelmed my ears.
Even in the depths of winter, a breeze touched by the warmth of humanity gently caressed my skin.
It felt as if an early spring was on its way.