The World after the Fall

If Mulack was right, Jaehwan had been trapped inside that place for 10 billion years. But 3751 had ‘Transcended’ in just 100 million years and had the power to get out of the ‘Fall of time’. If so, then why did Jaehwan’s spirit have to be trapped in that place for 10 billion years?

[Because- I can get out of that place anytime I want.]

‘So, you could’ve escaped anytime?’

[It’s not an escape. Nothing can trap me.]

Jaehwan couldn’t understand the meaning behind his words.

[Escape doesn’t exist in my case.]

Jaehwan finally understood what he meant after 3751 showed him a part of the memory. There was no ‘escape’ because he was not trapped. A ‘Transcended’ one was never locked in a place and never bound anywhere.

[I think the other 15 probably have the same idea. You won’t understand, but that’s what Transcendence is. I didn’t find a reason to get out of that darkness.]

Didn’t find a reason to get out from it? Why was he locked up in that place for 10 billion years? Why did these ones…

‘Then why did we come out now?’

[I don’t know. It’s not me who dragged you out from it. It’s probably one of the other 15.]

And at that moment, the space ripped apart and powerful explosion of space blew up in front of Jaehwan. He felt his body being pushed away in the opposite direction as he withstood the explosion. He spat out silver blood. 3751 cursed.

[Dammit, f*ck! That fool is crazy!]

Mulack’s attack was the space itself concentrated into a bomb. The distorted and concentrated space came down on Jaehwan and exploded, and the damage directly hit the right hand.

[That bastard’s cheap! HEY! Why don’t you fight with stabs! Let’s fight fair and square!]

And it seemed like Mulack could also hear the voice. The answer came through the distorted space.

[…Cheap? So, you are still bound by mediocre language even after Transcendence! You sure are not worthy of becoming Big Brother!]

[Big Brother MY ASS!]

[Your language is not worthy also!]

With the help of 3751, Jaehwan stabbed away at the countless concentrations of space flying in. But the number was growing too large for a simple stab to handle. Just like how he stabbed to overcome the time, the opponent was throwing spaces to overpower the time.

The line of victory would be drawn based on the time difference that the Transcended withstood. They barely got through the time, but they were being bound by time again.

Jaehwan asked,

‘Stab doesn’t work well in this situation. Did you not practice slash?’

[Damn, boy! You greedy assh*le. I only know how to stab!]

‘What about others? Aren’t there 15 more? There has to be one who slashed for millions of years.’

[…Uh, yeah. But I wouldn’t count on him if I were you.]

And they couldn’t speak anymore as countless explosions blasted upon them. Pressure distorted Jaehwan’s sense of time and the explosions kept on cranking up the damage inside.

[….HAHAHA! You are doing pretty well, but is that all? It sure is entertaining!]

Jaehwan bit his lips. Big Brother was surely a powerful foe. He still didn’t have enough power.

[I see that you invested 100 million years into Transcendence! But that’s not enough!]

100 million years worth of stabs wasn’t enough to fight Mulack. Then what did he need to defeat that monster? Jaehwan felt the 3751’s diminishing.

[Hey- dammit. …We’re gonna all die here! Can anyone help out?!]

3751 shouted and stabbed away angrily with no gratitude whatsoever. But the situation didn’t get any better. And when all hope seemed to be lost…

[Kek. How about you beg for help? C’mon. Beg.]

It was someone else other than 3751. 3751 shouted,

[Dammit, where have you been?! What’s your name, assh*le?! 9974? 11753?]

[Kek, you still got your tongue. So, are you gonna beg or not?]

[To hell with you! I won’t beg!]

[Well, then you can die.]

A shout of annoyance could be heard in the air.

[GGGGGRRRRAAARGH! DAMMIT! You bastard… you’ll die too if I die! Did you forget that this spirit is the only ‘bind’ we couldn’t ‘Transcend’ from?]

[Of course I know. And I know that I Transcended from the fear of death.]

[AAAAAARGH MOTHER F*CKER!!!!!]

[So, it seems you haven’t Transcended from your ‘fear’? HAHAHAHA!]

Jaehwan thought that a man who stabbed for 100 million years was going to lose the argument.

[….HEY! Original one! How about you beg him? Ask him to help!]

Jaehwan did not answer and the cackle came through again.

[I guess you forgot, 3751. If you are the ‘Jaehwan who stabs best’, then the original one is the ‘Jaehwan who is the most proud.’ He’d rather die than beg. He begs to no one.]

[…]

They saw concentrated spaces being thrown in their direction again. The number of spaces was exceeding the number that could be wiped away with a few stabs. But 3751 kept on stabbing without giving up. It was when there was no other way to get out of this bombardment of spaces when 3751 spoke up.

[Hah… F*CK! HELP! No. PLEASE HELP ME! SAVE ME!]

And with that, Jaehwan’s left hand began to shine. Something was taking control of it. Jaehwan did not hesitate and quickly approved it.

[Kek. You should’ve said that earlier.]

In his left hand, the Void Sword that had crashed was regenerating. The Void Sword that quickly found back its shape then increased its length so much that it was hard to see the end. Then the left hand moved.

It wasn’t just an ordinary swing. It was an infinite line that was impossible to distinguish the beginning and the end. It was a skill that slashed the entire history of the beginning and end of the universe.

All spaces that were being thrown at Jaehwan disappeared as if they didn’t exist from the start.

The voice spoke as they saw the spaces perishing.

[Kek. What do you think of my power, you stab maniac?]

[Wait… 8741! It was you!]

With the cackle, Jaehwan was able to read the memory of the voice.

His name was 8741. It was the Jaehwan who had ‘slashed’ for 320 million years.