0.01 Second Sword Master

194

0.01 Second Swordmaster Chapter 194

Rahul, who created all things and claimed to be above everything,

That Rahul, who appeared over this empire, revealing a colossal presence,

Kukung-! Kwahkwahk-!

Was crumbling under my sword’s black blades.

“Ugh, aaah!”

“Everyone, prepare for defense!!”

As Rahul’s figure, which enveloped the vast imperial palace, split and tore apart, the wizards in the magic tower raised defensive barriers, and the knights lifted their shields.

And I thought,

‘This is strange.’

I felt something strange.

‘Could it really end like this?’

I knew that the fleeting power I possessed wielded an absurd strength.

But my opponent was Rahal.

Was it really possible for a being who was practically the final boss of this game to fall so easily?

It was right then.

Kwaaah-!!

From the crumbling form, a strong light burst forth, engulfing everything and soon halting time itself.

“······.”

Everything came to a standstill.

The knights rushing to protect me, the attendants staring blankly at Rahal’s form falling above them, and even the wizards casting spells.

All of them froze in place.

In this moment, I was the only one who could move.

No.

[So we meet like this in the end.]

There was one other person besides me.

A voice I had heard many times echoed, and a shadow of someone loomed.

I couldn’t help but be surprised when I saw that face.

“······Tercana?”

It was undoubtedly Tercana.

Aside from a slightly more dignified atmosphere and a change in hairstyle, it was clearly Tercana.

But how could this be?

He should have been dead at my hands!

“You have eyes that seem to see ghosts.”

That irritating tone and manner of speaking were similar as well.

As I narrowed my eyes and prepared to swing my sword, Tercana raised his hand.

“Ah, I did not come to fight you.”

“Surely you were killed by me.”

“I believe you are referring to Tercana. I am not Tercana.”

What?

—

Isn’t he unmistakably Terakana?

“Terakana is merely a fragment of my soul that has detached from me.”

“Then who are you?”

The man, radiating a brilliant glow, bowed politely to me.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Rahal.”

Rahal.

Could this person truly be Rahal?

And to think that Terakana was a piece of the soul that had separated from Rahal.

“To erase the name of Rahal entirely. I never expected you would summon me in this manner. You always employ methods that defy my predictions.”

“If you had just shown up from the beginning, none of this would have happened, would it?”

“Ha ha. I apologize. Because of the difficulty you initially set, I couldn’t do anything easily.”

Difficulty?

Does this guy even know about that?

What on earth is he?

“Did you create Terakana?”

“Yes. Terakana did not know where he came from. Naturally, that was to be expected. I deliberately erased his memories when I sent him into the world. And I instilled a longing for chaos within his soul to incite turmoil across this continent.”

Rahal continued speaking in a very nonchalant manner.

“He successfully carried out his mission. Of course, I did not anticipate the process or the outcome.”

There were countless things I couldn’t comprehend.

“Why on earth did you do such a thing?”

“Because that is how this world is maintained. And it is a world designed to be sustained in that manner.”

Rahal reached out his hand and displayed numerous scenes all at once.

“When you first fell into this world in Aslan’s body, what if you hadn’t defeated Yuhan with a momentary burst of strength that day? What would have become of this world? Your choice created the world as it is now, and if that choice had been wrong, an entirely different world would have unfolded. Just as you see it now.”

The scenes that swept through my mind showed how this world could meet its end.

In some scenes, Alexander became a hero and saved the world according to the traditional story, while in other endings, Karman unleashed horrific slaughter and unified the continent.

In all those varied endings, Aslan’s figure was nowhere to be found.

“To be honest, I thought you wouldn’t last long. But you overcame the crisis in an unexpected way, and in the end, you became powerful enough to slay a god.”

“You know this world isn’t real.”

“Yes. I know this world is fake. Don’t you know that too? I’ve known from the beginning that you are not the real Aslan, and I’ve been watching how you survived in this world all along.”

You’ve been watching everything.

—

—

So what exactly is Rahal doing?

Is he simply some sort of administrator embedded in this game?

“I’ve had a question while being cooped up in this world all this time.”

“······?”

“Am I the only one who has fallen into this game?”

It was something I had wondered every night as I drifted off to sleep.

Am I truly alone in this game?

Rahal wore a subtle smile.

“You have quite a sharp insight. Well, that’s how you’ve managed to survive in this hellish world.”

“Answer my question.”

“Your guess is correct. Many people, including yourself, have fallen into the game. Of course, since each of you fell into different worlds, you probably never met.”

So I wasn’t the only one sucked into the game.

Everyone who had played the special edition of this game had been drawn into it.

“Why? Who would do such a thing?”

“Well, who could it be? Do you want to know the secret?”

Rahal reached out to me.

“The time for choice has come.”

Time for choice?

“Transfer to me the power of darkness.”

As the system window had previously informed me, he demanded the power of darkness from me.

Then I would be able to resurrect all those who had been sacrificed.

But something felt off.

Didn’t he say to me?

The time for choice.

What exactly?

“Choose. Will you return to your original world, or will you stay here forever in exchange for resurrecting all those who perished?”

“······What does that mean?”

“There are only two choices you can make. Will you go back, or will you remain here forever in exchange for bringing the dead back to life?”

“!?”

I halted the hand I was extending toward Rahal.

It was at that moment.

Aslan’s figure disappeared, and I returned to my original self, my true form before entering this game.

“Gah!”

No longer did that ridiculous bravado, that obsession, or the king’s solemnity remain in my body.

Only my ordinary appearance was left.

Naturally, my voice returned to its original state.

“What, what is this?”

“I am merely restoring your true form. Now, please make your choice. Will you leave this place?”

“······.”

I stared blankly at Rahal and asked.

“What will happen to the people here if I leave?”

“Of course. If the game is over, it is only right that everyone disappears. This is not the real world; it is fake.”

Is this what the apocalypse mentioned in the system window was about?

If I choose to return, this world will vanish.

But conversely, if I decide to stay here······.

“Why do you ponder so much? Have you not wished to return to your world all this time? It is a simple matter. You know this place is fake. So, there is no need to grow attached to these fakes or feel pity for them.”

Rahal’s words are true.

They are merely fragments of data existing within the game.

Not real, but fakes.

Fakes!

That echoed in my mind.

Yet at the same time, their faces began to flash before me, one by one.

The faces of those fakes.

Thus, I must make the best choice.

“I······.”

I handed over the power of darkness to Rahal.

To make my final choice.

* * *

Kwarurrr-!!

A red thunderstorm began to rage in the sky.

“Hmm?”

“Huh?”

As the frozen time unraveled and they regained their senses, they looked around, bewildered by what had happened.

The once bright sky turned black, and the sun began to change to a shade of darkness.

All light vanished, leaving only darkness to envelop the continent.

Patter—.

Followed by drops of red, falling like a sudden downpour.

“What on earth…?”

“Is the world finally meeting its end?”

All those remaining on the surface witnessed the scene.

The black sun rising, the continent being stained in darkness, as if being pulled into an abyss.

They all must have sensed it.

That their once radiant world was facing its final moments.

“Stop it!!”

“Mobilize all magic!!”

In the Verak Empire, seeing the darkness overturn the world, they spread defensive barriers and summoned every spell they could muster.

“Everyone, raise your divine power to the maximum!”

In the temple, all the priests gathered together, shining light alongside Pope Rehena to overcome the darkness.

But,

“Ah…”

The black abyss grew larger, swallowing the sky, eager to devour all life beneath it.

No force, no magic could penetrate that abyss.

They could only surrender their bodies to this horrific disaster, the nature of which they could not comprehend.

“It’s over…”

“Ha… Ha ha.”

“To think it would end like this.”

“No! Please, save me!!”

Some screamed, others wept, some laughed maniacally, while others accepted the situation with composure.

“Oh, God.”

Thus, the world drew closer to the horror of its own destruction.

—

But,

Quack-! Quack-quack-!!

The black sky began to split apart.

“······?”

As the darkness tore open, the sun, once shrouded in black, began to glow red once more.

And the one who cleaved through that darkness was none other than a single person.

“Th-that person is!”

“Lord Aslan!?”

“It is His Majesty Aslan!”

It was none other than the hero of the continent and the emperor of the empire, Aslan.

Quack-quack-quack-quack-!!

His sword bore not a hint of hesitation or doubt.

Every movement of the blade was clear, powerful enough to slice through the darkness.

Moreover, the radiant light emanating from his sword appeared hotter and brighter than the sun itself.

“His Majesty has come to save us!!”

“Help His Majesty!!”

“Whoaahhh-!!”

Those who had been on the brink of despair, ready to give up everything as destruction loomed, looked to Aslan and shouted in unison.

They rose once more from where they had fallen, raising their hands high.

All they could do was offer their prayers to Aslan.

In this continent, there were countless gods, but now the only being they could truly call a god was one.

“His Majesty Aslan!”

“Lord Aslan!!”

It was indeed Aslan.