Chapter 297: #A Happy Ending? (2)

I’d seen this coming for a while now. The information I’d obtained when I used Clear Eyes of God on the Despair Dragon a few days ago was enough to fill a thick book. However, only one line got stuck in my mind:

[Special note: ...Separated from Despair’s soul.]

Certainly, I did feel that I was fighting a monster driven by sheer bloodlust. Unlike God of Destroyer I’d felt in my previous life and seen through False Creation, the Despair Dragon didn’t exude a hint of malevolence, or the same contempt it had when sending me back in time multiple times. In short, the dragon we killed that day was merely a shell.

“I’m happy to see how much you’ve grown, Mr. Yu.”

Yes, very much unlike the woman standing before me.

“Seeing you break free from the endless loop and grow like this... it feels like watching my own child all grown up...”

She caressed her pregnant belly. Despite appearing as an ordinary, harmless human, she was undoubtedly the essence of Despair Dragon, the source of all tragedy, and the incarnation of the mad God of Destroyer.

Everyone thought that chapter was closed—except for me. The ambush of God of Destroyer’s fragments had stopped after the defeat of the Despair Dragon. Besides, except for a few I deliberately left behind to connect us with select worlds, all dungeons and gates had vanished from the face of the Earth.

Earth had regained its peace, and I’d love to keep it that way. Hence why I held this fansign. If I couldn’t find her with my search efforts, I’d just lure her to me.

“Should I call you mother, then?”

She smiled lightly. “Aren't you scared of me?”

Well, obviously? Recalling my pathetic end at the hands of that hideous caterpillar, dizziness and bile rushed up my esophagus. Who wouldn’t be scared of death? Moreover, she was the one who let me experience death over eons. Something moved creepily in her pregnant belly, seemingly about to burst forth.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Hey, hey. Calm down. Mummy is talking right now.” Despair patted her belly softly as if soothing it, and the movement under her skin stopped.

She was conceiving God of Creator’s rendition. The same apocalyptic monster that had destroyed me, every single human, and the Earth in my past life.

I could’ve easily killed her right then and there, since I couldn’t sense any divine power from her. But hadn’t I tried the same strategy before? Not even her death could stop that monster’s birth.

“My true form? Or should I say, parts of me? After getting sliced into pieces by All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, they’d lost all logic, turning into monsters. They’re all ecstatic to learn of your existence. We continued destroying worlds endlessly for hundreds of millions of years, and finally saw the possibility of God of Creator’s resurrection thanks to you. The fact that I’m here talking to you is a reward for that.”

Hearing the word reward, I tried my luck. “In that case, won't you let us off?”

“

Hoho,

no can do. In fact, you’re first on our list. By devouring you, we’re basically getting four Top-tier gods at once.” With her red tongue, she licked her lips like a starving beast.

She was right. I was no longer useful to her after witnessing the possibility of God of Creator’s resurrection. At best, I was now their prey.

“So what exactly am I?”

“You’re a human with the potential to become a god, and also one that almost transcended causality by becoming a god. You also hold the hope for completing God of Creator’s resurrection.”

Coming from her, that sounded quite impressive. In reality, I was being treated like a pig in a slaughterhouse, fattened up to be eaten. The thing in her belly wriggled violently again.

“How about calling your other alter egos? It’ll be tough for you to handle my child alone once it's born.”

“They’re busy.”

Yi-Shin was occupied with the Hunter Wars, while Sam-Shin was in panic mode and on standby with Seong-Yeon in another world just in case something happened. With Sa-Shin returned to me, I now wielded the powers of the benevolent god and the God of Creation.

I was in my true state. Unlike Yi-Shin and Sam-Shin, who only came into being after gaining the powers of the malevolent god and God of Destroyer, Sa-Shin had always been with me from the very beginning. The draft manuscript we’d written together was laid out in front of me. It was written in the crooked handwriting of a young boy, and the content and narrative structure were so unrefined, it was almost painful to read.

Even I wasn’t sure what hit my editor-in-charge to accept such a manuscript from a young boy back then. At the same time, it marked the beginning of my journey as a writer—and perhaps the beginning of everything.

I recalled the time I wrote this as a child. The memories were faint, as if covered by a fog.

~

Clutching a pencil with my tiny hand, I filled the blank paper.

I was an orphan, and my remaining family was my older sister. Unlike other kids who played with toys or with friends, I was completely immersed in writing.

Whenever I wrote, I felt like a god of sorts. The sight of a world I dreamed of being created from the pencil lead was a wonder in itself. Sometimes, the characters I created moved freely, beyond my control. I was ecstatic rather than disappointed. I felt like the false beings I’d created were given real life. I was so absorbed in the joy of creation that I locked myself in a small room and wrote until I was completely exhausted. Naturally, it took a toll on my health.

“How long are you going to keep this up?! You’re going to kill yourself at this rate! Please stop, Il-Shin!” My older sister, who was in high school, cried as she tried to stop me. She even resorted to corporal punishment, but I just wouldn’t listen.

Writing was all I had left. Moreover, I strongly believed that dying while writing was the best happiness I wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world. My editor-in-charge, whom I met back then, said I was a prodigy, but in reality, I was closer to a madman. My turning point came after Seong-Yeon was born.

“Il-Shin, this is your niece. Do you want to hold her?”

At first, I was annoyed. It felt like another obstacle had been added to my creative process. However, when I held that tiny, fragile life in my arms, it felt as if a ray of light had shone into the world I’d created for myself. She looked so fragile, I feared I’d break her with even the gentlest touch.

At times, humans would face the universe—with the mysterious and awe-inspiring “universe” being another human like them.

The overwhelming wonder, beyond the tiny world I’d created with my pencil, moved in my arms. Ever since then, I changed from a god in the corner of my room, to an ordinary human being.

My editor-in-charge seemed disappointed by my change. After all, I no longer had the madness from my childhood, which he called talent. Nevertheless, I could finally see the true world beyond myself.

And now...

~

“...Mr. Yu.”

I snapped back to reality when Despair called my name.

“You’re lost in thoughts even though I’m here? How brave, or have you given up? I personally prefer it if you struggle more.”

Struggle, huh?

I pondered over her words, then finally came up with a response. “How many worlds have you destroyed so far?”

She tilted her head.

“

Hmm.

Do you recall how many meals you’ve eaten so far? I’m not really sure, but I think I’ve destroyed half the worlds created by God of Creator. Once my child devours you today, the pace would only accelerate.”

She continued caressing her pregnant belly lovingly, which bore the giant of apocalypse.

“My child will be born soon. Are you sure you don’t want to summon your alter egos? You struggled so much against Despair Dragon—which was only a part of me—and yet you want to face my child alone?”

Sss—

Her blood-red, eerie eyes stared back at me.

“Don’t get your hopes up. There won’t be another chance. After you left the Tower of Gods, the cycle of endlessly being reborn as an ant in Antrinia was finally broken.”

I know. I know that there’s no next time for me.

The world of Soul Mecha Lacenza and Eight suddenly came to mind. It was like a game, created with the concepts of 0 and 1. Not just Eight’s world, many worlds I had experienced in the Tower of Gods were considered bizarre. Perhaps, they were the marvelous creations of my origin, God of Creator. Like a student being imparted wisdom by their teacher, I learned much from him.

“

Haa...

Mr. Yu.”

She let out a sigh, then snapped her fingers. Did she think I was giving up because I didn’t say anything?

Riiiip!

Like cracks forming on an eggshell, the sky began splitting apart.

Ruuuumble!

Through the crack, a gigantic eye spanning several kilometers peered down on Earth. The sight felt eerily familiar. Before I knew it, her pregnant belly had returned to normal.

So, it was finally born.

Despair declared, “The true ending... at last!”

The monster raised its absurdly massive finger, swinging it at Earth without hesitation.

Craaaaack!

The people on Earth who were going about their peaceful daily lives, the Hunters waiting for their turns at the Hunter War... Every single human being was crushed to death like insects. All except for me.

She bid me farewell. “

Hihi

. Goodbye then, Mr. Yu. It was fun while it lasted.”

-

Kikiki!

The monster giggled like a child and swung its fingers down once more.

Craaaaack!

The sound of bones and flesh shattering echoed chillingly.

-

Gaaaaaah!

Black blood poured down like torrential rain, and a horrific scream tore through the air. However, instead of me, it was the monster’s finger that was crushed.

“H-how?”

For the first time, a look of confusion appeared on her face.

Sss—

Then, the corpses of billions who had just been brutally crushed turned into black characters and vanished. Yes. This wasn’t the real Earth, but a fake one that I had meticulously created based on the manuscript of

On Hiatus: God’s Personal Reason

, which I had written when I was a child, along with the events I had experienced as an adult.

“False Creation.”

Spinning the golden-nibbed pen in my hand, I said to Despair, “Since you came all this way, shall I sign the book for you, Miss?”

I sincerely hope you enjoy my final piece of work.