Chapter 218: A Great Path Has No Gate (1)

Crockta traveled northward throughout the night.

And Gordon walked by his side.

"I never thought there would be something like you," Gordon said.

"I could say the same."

Gordon, the man who had told Crockta to go to the 'Temple of the Fallen God.'

Those words of his were the start of everything.

And now, as the Ashen God returned to bring about the world's end, he met him again.

Crockta got enough information about the current situation through his conversation with Gordon.

The core message was only one: kill the Ashen God or die.

But he still couldn’t fully understand the intention of the Ashen God, and Gordon was no different. Only the Ashen God herself, who had always been seeing death all around and confronting the end of the universe, would be able to empathize with her choice.

"Is Yoo Jae-Han doing well?"

"He's living a carefree life."

Gordon was one of the creators of the game 'Elder Lord' alongside Yoo Jae-Han. Except Elder Lord was not a game.

Rather, it was an ‘avatar’ that connected people on Earth to another world. What made this possible was also the power of the Ashen God.

In the past, a mysterious woman with white hair appeared in front of Yoo Jae-Han and Gordon, claiming to be a god from another world. They thought she was insane, but they could not dismiss her after seeing the power and authority she demonstrated.

They acknowledged her as a god.

Then, a new world opened up.

She promised to provide answers to the subject they were deeply engrossed in.

"Entropy reversal, that sounds complicated."

"Think of it as the lifespan of the universe. It's a far-off story, maybe even too far off, but it's something that will eventually happen. The end of the universe."

"When will that be?"

"A very distant future, practically an eternity away."

"You worried about such a thing?"

"We did. Both Yoo Jae-Han and I were geniuses. Geniuses are built a bit differently, though you might laugh if I say so myself."

Gordon smiled faintly.

"You don’t think the end will come?" He asked Crockta.

"Well, it doesn’t feel real. Something that won’t happen for another billions of years or so..."

"Look at the sky."

Crockta looked up at the sky.

It was a beautiful night sky.

The sky was a paradise of stars that couldn’t be found on Earth. Centered around the moon, stars embroidered the black curtain. The Milky Way, so vivid that it felt like you could reach out and touch it, stretched across the sky, forming a river of light.

But now he knew.

That this sky was fake.

"The real sky of Elder Lord is dark. Just the moon hanging alone, a lonely sight. Not even Earth's smog-filled sky is like that."

"......"

"A dimension nearing its end. That's what this world is."

Crossing the swamp of the Great Sea, Crockta encountered an enigmatic demon named 'Abaddon.'

His words were the same. He had said that the night sky of this world was fake and said something about ‘the Eternal Sun.’

After that, he was summoned by the Ashen God, so Crockta and his companions didn’t get to hear the full story, but the context aligned with what Gordon had said.

"In other words, the universe of this dimension has seen all its stars die out. The sun here is the last blazing warmth in a universe on the brink of its end, and this planet is the last civilization of the dimension," Gordon explained.

The last civilization to witness the end of the universe was Elder Lord.

"She intends to use every last bit of her strength to reverse the entropy. Rewind the world to its first cycle. Rather than letting it become cold forever, she's willing to destroy the existing world to return it to its very original state."

Gordon’s words were hard to believe.

Based on what he was saying, the power of the Ashen God was a power akin to creating a new world.

"When the stars cooled and the God of Stars died, she realized how it could be done. I don’t know the details, either."

"Why is the Ashen God in such a hurry, then?"

"Because if any more time passes, even she won't be able to do anything about it. Her power won’t be enough to restart the universe. That’s why this plan of hers had a slim chance of succeeding."

Gordon then looked straight at Crockta.

"But it became possible because of you."

"Because of me?" Crockta replied, puzzled.

"That’s right."

Gordon looked behind them for a moment. Behind them following was a mix of gods, orcs, and individuals from other races who had joined in haste.

An assembly gathered to stop the Ashen God even with the risk of death.

"Are there any users among them?" Gordon asked.

"It’s just us, I’m guessing."

"Technically, I'm not a user. So, it's only you."

"..."

"Getting enough achievement score within the time limit was supposed to be nearly impossible. Achievement scores, in fact, represent the interference power between dimensions."

"Interference power?"

"When users come to this world and interfere and impact it, the net that is separating the dimensions becomes looser. Think of it as poking a hole into something and shaking it to make it bigger. Small souls like humans could be crossed over through the net with her power, but the holes were too tight for the Ashen God herself to return. So, she used the game to create a space she could pass through, under the pretext of achievement scores."

He sighed.

"And that’s when you showed up. It seemed impossible, but you accomplished incredible feats. You even defeated the War God. That's how a hole large enough for the Ashen God to pass through was created."

"That's..."

"Who would've imagined? A user from another dimension defeating a whole god."

Crockta twisted his lips.

Ultimately, his diligent gameplay and efforts to save people had inadvertently aided the Ashen God.

He felt a heavy burden. Gordon was basically saying that Crockta bore the greatest responsibility for this situation, though it may have been unintentional.

"Anyway, that's just the way it is. The Ashen God, fearing the eternal end of this universe, seeks to delay that end, even if it means destroying this world. Even knowing that the universe, despite repeating its long cycle from the beginning, cannot ultimately escape its demise."

"I think I sort of get it. But why did you come here?"

"Me?"

Gordon shrugged.

"I just wanted to see it for myself."

"See what?"

"Another world. And the reversal of entropy."

Crockta looked at his face.

Somehow, it bore a resemblance to the Ashen God's expression.

"Maybe I too got overly caught up in this whole thing. Knowing that the future is predetermined, life started feeling a bit futile. So, when the Ashen God mentioned sending someone as a trial, I volunteered. I was curious. But after actually getting here..."

He pointed to his outfit.

He was dressed in attire that looked like it belonged to a coachman.

"After roaming around and not being stuck at a desk like I was back on earth, and mingling with people here and there... I somehow..."

"Somehow?"

"Think it is wrong to erase all life that breathes now, even if it’s for the future."

Crockta smiled.

He felt the same as Gordon.

Initially, Elder Lord was just a game even to Crockta. But fighting as an orc warrior and living with the people made him love this world. Since Gordon knew from the start that this world wasn't just a game, he must have felt even more deeply about it.

"You say that this was all because of me, but it’s actually because of you and Yoo Jae-Han, isn’t it?"

"If you put it like that... I have nothing more to say."

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"So, is that why you’re coming with me?"

They looked toward a white sphere floating in the sky far away. That’s where the Ashen God was, in the fallen temple of the northern god, conducting grand magic to destroy the world.

They could feel the world's magic being sucked into it.

Gordon laughed softly.

"Yes, it is."

"Alright then. As the culprits of this whole mess, let’s go sort this out."

"We probably should."

Gordon stopped walking.

Something stood in their way.

* * *

It was an indescribable form. At first glance, it appeared human, but upon a closer look, it looked more like a freaky monster, and with another look, it looked like a winged beast. It grew tall then short again, became fat, and then turned into skin and bone. The darkness continually altered its appearance, flickering before their eyes.

A familiar aura emanated from it.

It was the scent of the Ashen God.

Yet, it was more sinister and ominous, sending a chilling sensation down their spines.

A demon, the fallen race loyal to the Ashen God.

"So, this is why they’re called demons," Crockta murmured.

He had encountered a fair number of demons before. However, he had never understood why they were called demons. In fact, he felt a certain friendliness from them.

But this must be their true nature.

"You've come a long way. It couldn’t have been easy."

The demon chuckled. The laughter echoed among Crockta and the gods behind him. The sound oddly pressed down, vibrating through their bodies and shaking their ears.

"Before you go any further, I have something to say."

It was a strange sensation as if their brains were tickled through their eardrums.

"What are you trying to stop the Ashen God for?" the demon whispered.

It was a bizarre situation.

A single freaky form stood in the way of the gods and mortals marching north.

Everyone listened to his voice as if they had been enchanted.

"Why do you draw your swords against her, despite knowing her will? The world is falling. It is dying. Saints and sinners will return to the void together and time and space will revert to nothingness. War God, do you find satisfaction in the opposites made through spears and swords? In the end, there will be nothing left. Goddess of Mercy, do you love the warmth between people that warms this lonely world? There will be no warmth or people. Magic and divinity will be swallowed by darkness, and eventually, even that darkness will cease to exist. The world is slowly, but gradually and surely falling apart. There is no desire or hope for us. There is only despair, and it is a greater despair than anything you have had or will ever have. Yet, for the world, we carry this burden and walk this perilous path."

His voice was not just a language. It was becoming a concept, and it was being instilled into the minds of the listeners.

What he had with him was the Ashen God's absolute power, 'Perception Change'.

That power shook the hearts of the opponents through a mere three-inch tongue.

"The world is perishing. It is dying even now and we are all aware of this."

Some flinched.

Those unaware of the Ashen God's true intentions, especially the mortals, did so.

"We believe we will die and return to the soil. Our bodies will circulate in this world, eaten by worms, beasts, and those beasts by other beasts. That is what this world is. We thought we would become rain, ashes, and soil, returning to be a part of the world, but..."

He chuckled again.

"The end has come. Then, there will be nothing. Absolute annihilation. Eternal void. A universe forever colder and colder. That future is approaching. We want to stop it. We want to reset and continue the cycle of life in this world."

The demon took a step, then another, standing in front of Crockta and Gordon. Now, it appeared as a young man dressed in a neat suit.

"Do you love this world?" he asked them.

His gaze turned to Crockta.

"Crockta, Crockta. The Northern Conqueror. The Empire Nemesis. The hero Crockta, the one who has always stood against injustice and protected the weak, I ask you: Do you wish to destroy the world? Have you come here to kill the Mother who’s returned to this world to save it? Have you come to directly plunge the world into the abyss?"

The demon wasn't wrong.

According to Gordon, the Ashen God aims to reverse the universe heading toward destruction, offering this world as a sacrifice. In the process, life will die and disappear, but ultimately, her answer might be the correct one.

That was the fate of the universe.

Crockta asked.

"What is your name?"

"Hoho, it seems my words have piqued your interest. I am merely asking questions, and it is up to you to answer them. My name is Dantalian. A mere creature concerned sincerely about Mother and this world."

"Dantalian... That's a fine name."

"Thank you. But my name is ever-so-small compared to the great hero Crockta. Now, what do you think of my question, Crockta? I am not here to fight. If you answer, I will retreat."

He spread his arms wide.

"I assume there is a lot going on in your minds, so do take your time..."

"I will answer on behalf of everyone," Crockta cut him off.

Dantalian raised his eyebrows.

"Ah, then...What do you, Crockta, think?"

"You talk too much."

"Excuse me?"

"Remember this."

A line split the air.

Dantalian's head was severed.

"A Great Path has No Gate."

The ‘Eternal Fire’ that even extinguishes gods burned the demon’s body.

Dantalian the enchanting silver tongue was engulfed in flames with an incredulous expression, meeting his end.

Crockta, trampling on the ashes of Dantalian, roared toward the direction of the Ashen God.

"Enough with your cheap tricks————!"

His momentum made the barrier surrounding the Temple of the Fallen God waver.

Crockta planted the God Slayer into the ground and turned back.

Those enchanted by Dantalian's power were coming to their senses. Crockta looked at them with blazing eyes.

"Do not get shaken by nonsense. There is only one path for us. To kill or be killed. There is no other way out. Remember this."

Then Crockta turned his head sharply toward the Temple of the Fallen God and started walking alone.

Gordon followed him.

The gods followed, and the army also moved toward the temple.

Led by Crockta, they all embarked on the path toward the final battle.

It was a fight for the fate of the world.

There was no right path, only the victor would be deemed right.