The World after the Fall

Surha became dumbfounded and Chunghuh shrugged. Surha asked again, "So, where's Karavan now?"

"He went to the 2nd site. He said he needed to save his site."

"What? And you just let him go? He can be a great help to us! Ignis only has one Vicegerent…!"

"Don't worry. We promised to meet again."

Surha grabbed her forehead at Chunghuh's words.

"Do you really know what's going on here? Do you know how powerful Rupture is right now? There are 4 Lords and 3 Captains, and 2 of the 8 Gods of <Depth>… and the other Gods who might be helping…"

"I know, we're desperate."

"Then…!"

"But we are not doomed," Chunghuh smiled. "Here he comes. Ask him yourself."

And people turned to the entrance of Edmunt. Jaehwan was walking out of the palace just like how he appeared. Surha mumbled to herself.

'Dammit. So, he's the only one I can trust after all?'

Surha hesitated for a bit but spoke to Jaehwan carefully.

"Hey, what happened?"

"We fought."

"…Are you serious?"

She guessed that when she felt the world power storming from within. A fight against Anonymous? It was easy to guess the outcome for Surha, but they were teleported out of the room by Pierre as he kicked out everyone except Jaehwan from his palace.

'Fought?'

Surha checked Jaehwan's body. There was no trace of any fierce battle.

"Jaehwan, you don't seem hurt. Did you really fight?"

"We didn't fight to the end."

"Oh, I see. So?"

"It seems he will be of help."

The subject seemed to have changed, so Surha frowned. She dumbfoundedly looked at Jaehwan. She just realized something impossible had happened.

"…Wait. What do you mean? Did Anonymous say he will help us?"

"Under a certain condition."

Surha bit her lips after counting how many times she had been shocked today.

"W-what did you just do there? I was in this damn place for 3 months trying to persuade him!"

"I told you. I fought him."

"Fought him and then what? Did you win? Even if you became strong, you can't…"

Then, a boy appeared from behind Jaehwan. He smiled.

"He can't win?"

"Huh?"

Surha knew the boy right away. It was the brat that talked back to her earlier.

"Runald, were you with him?"

"Yes, Sirwen. I am not sure why, but Pierre's Setting did not work against me. Maybe it's because I am Jaehwan's Follower. So you all were outside…"

Everyone realized it from Runald's boastful words.

"Hah. It's a shame you all didn't see that. Really a shame."

Karlton jumped up to him immediately.

"Runald! Did you see him fight?!"

"What? You saw it?!"

"Kid, did you really see?!"

Sirwen and Chunghuh also joined in with their questions and Runald became really proud.

"Of course I did!"

"Okay, go on! Explain. That stuck up bastard doesn't talk much…"

Runald began to explain excitedly what he had seen. Surha then felt something.

'Wait…'

Jaehwan was looking at something beyond the region. In that sight, Surha felt as if Jaehwan had gone very far.

"Hey. Did you defeat Anonymous…"

Runald was still talking, "So, Naked Jaehwans came out, mixed themselves all over and thrust.."

"Naked Jaehwans?"

"What are you talking about, Runald?"

Chunghuh and Karlton were confused. Sirwen also spoke with excitement.

"So? So? What happened next? So what did those naked Jaehwans do? What did he thrust with?!"

"So, uh it was.."

Runald was very excited and he went over all his descriptions.

"So the clothes shot this way and that way and the Naked Jaehwans went to that naked man and…"

"A man's fight!"

Sirwen gasped in astonishment and Runald nodded proudly.

"Yeah, sort of."

"So, Pierre could only be persuaded."

"Hell yeah!"

Surha narrowed her eyes. She couldn't get half of that nonsense. Clothes flying around? Naked what?

'Did he see some illusions? He does have good imagination I guess. And what is that stupid Nightmare girl doing… saying she understood…'

Surha shook her head as she sighed and turned to Jaehwan. Jaehwan was still looking far out. Surha called out to him, "Hey. You said Anonymous will help us under a certain condition, right?"

"Yeah."

"And what is that?"

"That."

"That?"

Jaehwan pointed his finger toward a place and Surha turned to the direction.

"What do you mean that. That's… huh?"

She felt as if she had been struck down by lightning. She felt like she was shivering. It was one with the most powerful world power she had ever faced until now, world power so hostile that it seemed to have spikes protruding everywhere.

"Oh no… that's…"

Surha felt the other friends coming toward her. They too were now was looking toward the direction Surha was looking.

"So the rumor was true. Rupture really is working with them."

"…We have to run."

They knew it instinctively. The enemies that were approaching weren't beings that they could face. They were the Vicegerents of the 'Strongest God' in the Tree of Imagery.

Lords of the 12 Regions. And there was the most powerful one among them.

"Jaehwan. Even if you have become powerful, you cannot fight them now…" Chunghuh said as he saw giant world power approaching, destroying everything in its path from the far border of the outer 7th region. Jaehwan shook his head.

"No, I am not running."

"What?"

"Pierre promised to help us if I defeat them."

Jaehwan pulled out his sword. Chunghuh became silent as he looked at the lone sword that was pulled out.

'I see. So it has come down to this now.'

Everyone realized the silent determination. There was no running anymore. It was not an option. It was…

"Old man. It's time to fight now."

And at that moment, Chunghuh realized he had been waiting for these words for the last 1200 years.

'I can't call him kid anymore.'

Chunghuh felt like he was going to cry, but he held back.

"Yeah. Let's go, Jaehwan."