The World after the Fall

Generals and members of Rupture gathered in. There, they found traces of what they had been looking for. It was the remnants of the weapons used by the Lords in the craters all around them.

“I heard five Lords had been killed here…”

“So, Catastrophe has been sealed?”

“He won’t be coming back in at least in 100 years.”

People gasped. It was hard to guess how powerful he was.

“Be quiet. There should be Lords around somewhere.”

“They’re here?”

“The Lord of Steel and the Lord of Gold are guarding the seal of Catastrophe. We’ll meet up with them and proceed on with our plan.”

They agreed. That was the same order they had gotten, but after ten minutes, they realized they were in trouble. There were no signs of Steel and Gold. There was no way they couldn’t be detected with their world powers.

“I don’t think they’re here. Maybe we should search outside…”

One of the Commanders shouted and the leader among the Commanders frowned.

“But the order…”

However, the other Commanders were already leaning toward another direction.

“We’ve waited too long. I didn’t die to waste time here.”

“The final order is to ‘clean up’ anyway. Maybe Steel and Gold are out there somewhere too.”

They spoke those words, but their goal was to relieve their stress. Kill, destroy, and take. Unleash their desire upon the weak. It was then that a bright light appeared from afar, and the space began to distort.

“Oh! This energy!”

It was the world power of those Lords. And there they were, on the ground, on the brink of death.

“Lord!”

The Commanders quickly ran up to them, but it was almost too late.

‘Who did this?’

Someone began to walk up. There was more than one. The hundreds of people each had more world power than Commanders. The one at the front had a world power that was as strong as the Lords’ themselves. But were they even men?

“What are they!”

Someone shouted in shock. No Generals or Rupture could find the words to describe these people. They had not seen such people at all.

“Wh-who are you! Why are you naked?!”

And the man in the front with a very muscular body nodded.

[Ouroboros.]

And after a while, Generals and agents of Rupture were lying down on the ground, moaning after the ‘Ouroboros’, or Long Living race, attacked them.

“Uhg…. What have…”

And after the last General perished, the Palace of Dead Men filled with red energy again. Ra-hamad, the Great Warrior, stood and glared at it. The voice came from the red energy.

[…Who are you.]

It was a dark but weak voice. The voice asked again.

[Who are you? Are you Geshtalt?]

Ra-hamad looked and answered.

[Ouroboros.]

The voice came back again.

[You are not Geshtalt. One of his clothes.]

A voice referred to many meanings. Ra-hamad looked on silently. He felt Catastrophe’s surprise. There was the emotion of an old god reminiscing about his oldest friend. Ra-hamad answered,

[Ouroboros. Thank you.]

Thank you? For what? Ra-hamad was shocked by him for using a word that was so ‘human’ like. Was he influenced by someone? Ra-hamad wasn’t sure. Catastrophe spoke.

[How did you get here?]

Ra-hamad decided to go back to his normal self.

[Ouroboros.]

[…You speak just like your original.]

[Ouroboros.]

Catastrophe seemed like he was thinking of something. And he soon spoke.

[I see. So he asked for you to come. So… he got hands on the [Eye of Geshtalt].]

Ra-hamad smiled. He and his race’s world power began overwhelming the palace. The seal of Catastrophe faded out and the destroyed link began to be restored. Catastrophe was finally free.

[So, a lot of things have happened.]

[Ouroboros.]

[How strong has he become? Is it enough to fight against one of those Gods?]

[Ouro..]

[If you speak Ouroboros one more time, I will kill you all.]

Ra-hamad answered,

[He will achieve something none of us could have.]

And the voice came back with disbelief.

[Do you really think so?]

[Catastrophe. Isn’t it why you made a pact with him in the beginning?]

[…]

[He can do it. He can destroy it. The worst ‘Creation’ we ever made.]

Creation. Many memories came back to him. The end of the Three Gods War. The beginning of all tragedy.

[Does he know?]

[Probably.]

Catastrophe laughed sadly.

[What a fool I’ve become to count on a mere human.]

Ra-hamad smiled.

[Catastrophe. We were once human too.]

[Yes. Once.]

Jaehwan blinked his eyes as he felt world power filling him. The preparation was done. His clothes from within him spoke. Jaehwan looked up.

-Catastrophe is sealed. Do you think I’m lying?

“Of course, that’s not a lie.”

A few Geromes smiled.

-I see. So you just checked the link.”

“Yes.”

Geromes laughed out loud.

-Then you must know I’m right! We did it so that you will not use the [Void Sword]! That will complicate things.

The Geromes continued,

-We have enough information about you through <<Little Brother>>. You were stronger than the expected data, but if you cannot use the Void Sword, you cannot defeat me.

It was wisely planned out. There was a reason why he was a Lord. But Jaehwan seemed to be calm.

“Void Sword? You mean this?”

It was quite a sight to see all fifty faces of Gerome turn pale. The Void Sword that appeared out of nowhere was unleashing terrible energy within Jaehwan’s hand.

-Impossible!

Jaehwan wasn’t sure how it happened. The link was suddenly restored and he realized he could use this sword. It was weird for him to be able to use it even without Catastrophe controlling him. This usually required Catastrophe’s special permission.

‘Ra-hamad kept his promise.’

Jaehwan then threw Void Sword into the air and it disappeared.

“Don’t worry. I’m not using this now. I don’t know how to use it yet.”

It was more accurate to say that the link wasn’t stable enough to use it. But the Geromes began turning red with anger.

-This bastard… how dare you…

Jaehwan’s taunt by acting as if he didn’t even need the sword to fight Gerome had angered him. 50 Geromes all prepared for their bash as they charged.

Jaehwan did not back down.

‘Only thing he can use is Bash and the Shadow Substitute.’

Of course, that was enough to make him extremely powerful. He was within the three strongest foes he had ever faced. Jaehwan closed his eyes.

“I didn’t train this to fight one like you… but who cares.”

-DIE!!

-SHUT UP!!

-DESTROY HIM!!

50 Geromes all shouted in different words as they charged. Jaehwan had no way to go.

And as the dark world power covered the space around him, Jaehwan blinked his left eye. The shadow of a snake twisted inside and shined in bright light.

Eye of Geshtalt.

Time slowed down, and Jaehwan heard his clothes shouting from within.

‘No! Too dangerous!’

‘There are too many!’

‘What are you thinking!’

And through those negative shoutings, Jaehwan shook his head.

‘No, it’s possible. Trust me.’

And the voice of the clothes that agreed spoke.

‘Yes.’

‘it should work’.

‘Of course, it will work.’

‘I trust me.’

And from that, something was born. With a storm of world power, all those Geromes were thrown back. Gerome opened his eyes in shock as he rolled on the ground.

What was that? What was going on? Jaehwan’s world power that was merely a million or 2 million, was multiplying. 3… 4… 5 million…

It was increasing endlessly. Since when he did he have such power? He only had one Follower. Then Gerome noticed the spinning Ouroboros in Jaehwan’s eyes.

…Wait.

Jaehwan said, “Gerome. You are right. Maybe I will be the only one living in this world.”

6… 7… 8 million.

“But it doesn’t matter.”

Gerome backed away and realized all of his copies were pale from the fear. He rubbed his eyes. There was no way this could be true. He was the strongest Lord of all. He then saw clearly — thousands of Jaehwan standing behind Jaehwan.

That… that was the world in itself alone.

The thousands of Jaehwans brandished their swords. Over 10 million world power had finished reloading.

Go.

The wave of the Fall swept across Gerome. Everything turned dark.