The World after the Fall

It was a breathtaking fight to behold. Karlton couldn't find a better word to describe it as he watched the scene unfolding in front of him. However, as Karlton watched on, he realized even that wasn't enough to describe the fight.

'I am not sure if any word is sufficient to describe that…'

He couldn't take his eyes off the fight between the human and the Gigantes. A single aftershock from one of those exchanges was powerful enough to kill Karlton instantly. It was dangerous for Karlton to stay so close to him, but he just couldn't leave like that.

[Fall]

The dark wave of the Fall poured out from Jaehwan's sword and…

[Sea of Blood, Mountain of Corpses]

A dark red wave exploded out from Myad's Gigantes. The two waves clashed against each other, exploding as it struck. The air exploded and the landscape was left with craters all around. Among those craters, the biggest one was the one from Jaehwan's stabs against Myad. Within the hole, an amplified voice came out.

-Splendid.

"…"

-If I knew you were going to get this strong, I would have changed my plans to focus on recruiting you.

Machina, which was buried in the ground from Jaehwan's attack, pulled itself up again. Its movement to brush the dirt off its body resembled the actions of a human.

-I know it's pointless to ask you this again right now…

"Then don't ask."

-But I still have to ask you this.

"….."

-Jaehwan. You can still join Rupture and start a new world.

And in the next moment, Myad began to cackle at his own words.

-Hah, it feels like I've become some evil villain. This is what the bad guys usually say at the end.

"Maybe it's because you are in those shoes right now."

-Haha. Am I?

Myad burst into laughter. A metal giant laughing hard with a hand on its stomach looked very friendly. Jaehwan thought maybe Myad was putting that into consideration. That's why his metal armor looked so friendly. Myad van Deklan, as Jaehwan knew him, was such a man.

"In my old world, there is a word to describe those who are like you. A dreamer."

-Dreamer? Hmm. Is that a compliment?

"You could take it that way," Jaehwan answered coldly.

-Hah, but isn't it ironic? To hear that from you? From you whose unique world is similar to mine?

Machina straightened itself from laughter. Its head with two large horns then looked up into the sky. A metal giant looking up to the sky? Jaehwan thought it was too dramatic.

-You have been misled, Jaehwan. You must know that much if you are an Awakener. Your resistance has no effect on the start of the new world.

Maybe it was because Gigantes had no physical eyes, but the Machina looking up into the sky with its giant sword planted in the ground made it look like a warrior who had finished their task after many trials and hardships. Jaehwan smiled bitterly.

'How touching.'

-Look up to the sky. The sky no longer bears the arrogant being that used to look down upon us. The old world is now finished. It's the era of a new world. The age of Gods or Lords is over. It's happening. Soon, everything will change.

It was a voice that trembled with excitement. It was the voice of a revolutionary on the brink of success. Once would cry with tears of joy if they also walked the path of such a grand vision like Myad. It wasn't just because of the content. The voice, how it was spoken, and how it was portrayed — everything about Myad made him the person he was. He was the one who led Rupture all this time, and Jaehwan realized it. This was what made everything possible.

Just a little more. Just a bit more and…

The voice was tempting to anyone who listened to it, especially for anyone who exhibited hatred against this world. Jaehwan narrowed his eyes.

'Little more?'

Jaehwan was from the world where the danger of 'a little more' was widely known.

Just a little more.

This 'little' sometimes was an amount that had no end. No new world was coming. The world that was to come was forever in its slumber. People dreamed of a reality 'little' after. And a few of the people who stood above all the others in their dreams controlled the 'present'. That was also the System.

"Myad, stop the act now."

-Act? What do you mean?

"Big Brother is not dead. Are you going to lie to me also?"

-Big Brother is dead.

"No, he's not. I can see it."

Jaehwan looked up to the skies as he spoke. It was still there with the horrible bloodshot eyes with crows flying around it — the giant eye that was always looking down at Jaehwan. Ever since Jaehwan found the eye, Big Brother never disappeared from his world. Even after Myad dropped the star from the skies, it was still there. Myad laughed.

-Oh, is it? Then let me rephrase it. Big Brother perished from all worlds, except yours.

"…"

-Or if you don't like that, how about if I rephrase it this way? There was no such thing as 'Big Brother' from the beginning.

Jaehwan then spoke in disbelief, "…Do you really mean what you're saying?"

-Yes, I mean it.

Jaehwan was even disappointed by the word.

"You know that I can see Big Brother."

-Of course, you probably see Big Brother. But even if you can see it, is it 'proof' that Big Brother exists? Can you be certain that the eye you see is actually Big Brother?

"…Let's cut the nonsense."

-Nonsense? No. It's a logical conclusion. The unique world is a world full of 'theories'. It's a fictional world where nothing about it can be considered as 'reality', even today.

Jaehwan became silent. Talking about philosophies or beliefs like this wasn't what Jaehwan liked to do in between fights. But he couldn't stop. Was it because he felt compelled to defeat Myad logically? Or was it because he wanted to defend the lives of people Myad killed with his blasphemies? Jaehwan couldn't figure out his intentions.

"Okay. Let's say what you said is true. But your words contain contradictions."

-And that is?

"If the Big Brother I see is fake, then why did you spread words about Big Brother all this time? You even went so far as to make all of <Depth> witness you taking down Big Brother. If Big Brother did not exist, then why did you have to do that? What for?"

Myad became silent. It wasn't silence due to him being lost for words. It was more like the silence was there to add suspense to answer the question he had been waiting for.

-Sometimes, the things that do not exist have more power.

"What?"