The World After the Bad Ending - Chapter 128



Dramatic Escape

Everything before me, blurry.

A ringing echoed in my ears.

My body ached here and there.

‘Snap out of it.’

I barely managed to hammer my consciousness awake.

The instant my eyes opened, I felt a sensation of weight crushing me.

Hurriedly raising my arm, I pushed away whatever was pressing down.

Clang—

Fragmented shards of the sky tumbled down.

The sky, it was like… glass, shattered all to hell.

A shake of the head, side to side, and sight started to claw its way back.

Good thing, body’s fine.

Thanks to this steel frame of mine, most knocks barely leave a scratch.

But the others… they’re different.

I scrambled to check around.

Down below, soon enough, I spotted Grantoni, the one I’d shielded.

Quick work clearing sky-shards, hefting Grantoni onto my back.

“Sharin! Eve! Vinesha!”

I bellowed their names under the wreck of broken sky.

But none of them showed, nowhere at all.

All three are strong, that’s true.

Doesn’t sit right, the thought of them gone wrong.

Still, with the sky breaking, swept along that far… seems likely.

Kugung-

That instant, a presence, huge, felt through the cracks in the shattered sky.

Looking up, I saw it: one massive eye.

A Gwejon.

The Gwejon, soon as it locked on, shoved a hand through the split in the sky.

Kugugugugung!

Coming for Grantoni’s flesh, again, it was chasing.

No choice then, with Grantoni strapped on, I broke into a full sprint.

The Gwejon, not bothered by my speed, kept hounding.

Ended up having to lift the ring to the sky again.

Fourth time now.

Come, bringer of lightning.

Kwagagagagagak!

Lightning ripped from the heavens, hit the Gwejon’s hand square on.

The hand, white-burned, stopped, just like that.

But the Gwejon’s already taken the lightning bringer more times than one.

Kweijon wasn’t about to just extend a hand.

Dududududududududu!

Before I knew it, the sound of countless footsteps pounded behind me.

There, chasing after me, sprinting with all their might, were the spirits.

Enthralled by Kweijon’s power, they were pursuing me like madmen.

They were really coming at me, brutally.

If Eve, who’s terrified of ghosts, saw this, she’d faint from shock.

Kweijon was already a problem, but now with the ghosts piled on, it was driving me insane.

*Thunk-*

In that instant, I heard the sound of Grantoni’s teeth clenching.

Hearing that, my eyes snapped wide open.

That wasn’t a sound I made from running.

It was proof that Grantoni was wandering, lost, trying to find his way back to his body.

If he gets lost here, Grantoni will drift even further away.

I can’t let this opportunity slip away.

But without Eve’s Azure Flame, Grantoni can’t return.

It’s impossible to find your way in the vast ocean without a lighthouse.

If this keeps up, Grantoni will ultimately fail to find his way and be devoured by Kweijon in the end.

If that happens, the world is done for.

I need to find Eve immediately.

But there was no knowing how far she was swept away by the collapsing sky.

I couldn’t just abandon Grantoni when I didn’t know when I’d find her.

I bit down hard on my lip.

Then, there’s only one option left for me.

‘I’ll replace the lighthouse myself.’

The magic seal of the Fire Dragon, etched into my body, slowly began to bloom.

A scorching heat flowed from my entire body.

The magic seal of the Fire Dragon is a magic seal I mastered to suppress the remnants of the Ancient Dragon.

I had never used the magic seal of the Fire Dragon alone before.

But the magic seal of the Fire Dragon alone wouldn’t be enough to replace the lighthouse.

So, here’s one more thing I’m adding into the mix.

Synergy: Mystery and the magic engraving.

The steel body began to react with the fire dragon’s magic.

An explosive heat poured out along with it.

Scales started to sprout here and there on my face.

I focused the heat within me, so that it wouldn’t affect Grantoni’s body.

I am the lighthouse.

There was no need to spew flames outwards.

At that moment, another power began to react.

That day when I received the ancient dragon’s remnants from Nikita.

The remnants of the Flame of Fire that had settled deep inside me.

The Flame of Fire’s remnants unexpectedly created synergy with the fire dragon’s magic surging inwards.

The flame that took root inside me grew uncontrollably.

Rather, it’s a beacon.

The brighter the lighthouse, the clearer the path will be for Grantoni too.

“Grantoni!”

Engulfed in inferno, I cried out for Grantoni.

“I know that this world without Musica is worthless to you!”

Grantoni’s world ended that day when Musica and his master died.

But I didn’t want Grantoni’s life to end like this.

“Still, you have to live!”

A futile life, having lost everything.

My life can’t compare to Grantoni’s, but still, having lived, it’s better to live.

“It’s too unfair to die like this! Your master and Musica wouldn’t want you to die like this either!”

So, I wished for Grantoni to return.

If it were Musica and his master, whom he loved, they would surely say the same.

Knowing that, even the Grantoni in the game, that day he faced Musica.

Turned back of his own accord.

Grantoni’s body began to tremble even more violently.

Proof that Grantoni was coming here.

Hwa-reu-reu-reu-reuk!

Then, far off, a fierce blue flame shot skyward.

My eyes widened at the sight.

Eve.

Eve is there.

‘Is she with Vinesha?’

Couldn’t know for sure.

But if it’s Vinesha, she can definitely persuade Grantoni.

Because she is the only one who can reclaim Musica.

At that moment, Grantoni’s reaction became violent.

I sensed what this reaction was indicating.

‘She did it.’

The flames on my body burned even more intensely.

Each of our efforts converging into a single light.

A constellation of light containing everyone’s efforts began to unfold before my eyes.

Then, from somewhere, another flame, carrying a different warmth, was felt.

It was a flame so warm, it made me ache with longing.

The instant my eyes shifted in that direction.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang!

The sky I was rushing through began to collapse once more.

That damned Gwejon, he keeps collapsing the sky like it’s nothing.

I just want to stand right on top of that sky.

Whoong!

At that moment, a wind swept in.

I raised my head, and there, was a girl with navy blue hair fluttering in the wind.

Galaxies were embroidered in her eyes, shining fiercely.

The staff clutched in her fist was aimed at the crumbling sky.

Accordingly, a vast flow of magic power surged around her.

Sharin Sajaris.

She was there.

“I’m adjusted now, see?”

She declared, clothes a wreck, tangled in the crumbling sky.

“I can put out proper power.”

With that, magic erupted from Sharine’s staff.

Iridescent light, painted in five colors, bared its fangs at the heavens.

Krakakakakakakak!

The pouring radiance of light swept everything away

The sheer magnitude of light was so intense, it momentarily blinded even my hastily closed eyes.

Returning sight, I stepped forward, and saw Sharine, far off, whipped around by the raging winds.

The staff in her hand shattered, and vanished.

Along with the collapsing sky, revealing the world beyond.

A genius who appears once every thousand years.

Her magic was such, it could even reach the Monstrosity.

As expected, she was my most trusted, ultimate weapon.

That fickle one pulled off another big one today.

Sharine immediately fired magic at the vengeful spirits chasing me from behind.

Her staff was consumed each time, but Sharine poured it out without reserve.

Granthoni’s body trembled even more violently amidst the exploding streaks of light.

Almost there.

He must be lost, searching for the lighthouse along the final path.

My hand raised towards the sky.

The last step.

Come, Lightning Summoner!

A blinding white flash of lightning poured down upon me.

―――――――――――!

Granthoni was also caught in the lightning, but I hoped he’d endure it with his malice.

The lightning spread from my entire body, activating a magical engraving.

Magical Engraving – Lightning Catcher.

The inferno enveloping my body swallowed the Goddess’s lightning.

And then, the thunder seeped in, flowing through my body of steel.

A tempest of immense power roils.

My entire being is stained with the light of blue lightning.

Celestial Dragon Bloom.

The lightning that circled my form roared towards the heavens.

My voice, infused with its last dregs of strength, cried out for Grantoni.

*Thud!*

In that instant, Grantoni’s body froze, as if struck by a bolt.

Presently, his entire form creaked, and then, a breath escaped from Grantoni’s skull-head.

“Heu, heuheuheuh. Hanon.”

Soon after, Grantoni’s signature laughter echoed.

He had returned.

“For a moment there, thought you were really trying to send me off, weren’t you?”

Grantoni spoke, his body stiff from being swept up in the Lightning Caller’s storm.

“Before your spirit slipped away, you laced your body with every kind of soul-art imaginable before you left.”

That was why I could wield the Lightning Caller without hesitation.

“Heuheuhheuh, sharp as ever! Just like my soulmate!”

Somewhere along the way, I had become his soulmate.

“Grantoni, Musika…”

Upon hearing my question, Grantoni slowly raised his head.

“Vinesha-noona brought her.”

Vinesha-noona.

The way Grantoni addressed her was different than before.

Grantoni gripped the collar of my clothes tightly.

“Hanon, you helped, didn’t you?”

His clownish antics were a rebellion against a life of torment.

But now, Grantoni no longer needed them.

Because today, he had recovered everything he yearned for.

In the scenario, Grantoni was always given only two choices.

To remain with Musika within Gwejon for all eternity.

Or to let Musika go, and close the Otherworld.

Neither one of them was even close to happiness for Grantoni.

So, I changed it.

Grantoni, Vinesha, and Mushika too.

I changed the ending of Act 4, Scene 5.

Even if this world strayed from its proper course, it was alright.

I would forcefully pull it back, guide it towards the true path.

That was the vow I made the day I saved Nikita.

“Thanks.”

And my determination bore fruit.

Grantoni didn’t ask how I knew or how I could help.

He just delivered a thank you, heavy with suppressed emotion.

Grantoni’s world had changed.

The worlds of Mushika and Vinesha would change too.

A world beyond the established course.

A world unfolding after a bad ending.

I bit down hard on my lip at the lump rising in my chest.

Even if I came to no longer love this world, worn down by eroded love…

Even so, I still wanted this world to reach its happiest ending.

That alone was enough for me to move forward.

“If you’re grateful, buy me a meal next time.”

“My wallet’s gonna be emptied dry.”

Grantoni chuckled, his teeth clicking together.

“More importantly, we need to get out of here first.”

My eyes locked onto the Gwejon chasing after us.

First Grantoni, and now Mushika had been taken.

The Gwejon was now revealing its power to the fullest, without hesitation.

Its body rent the sky and descended.

“Don’t worry.”

Then, from behind me, Grantoni raised his upper body.

He stretched out his hands on either side, and the colors around Grantoni began to shift and distort.

“The reverse-side world is my playground.”

Reverse-side world, eh?

Grantoni’s unique trait began to crave power.

“Hanon Ayre!”

I saw Eve in the distance, carrying Vinesha, rushing towards us.

The surroundings grew dark.

My gaze reached the sky.

Soon after, I saw Qliphoth pushing all of its arms through the sky above.

Qliphoth had ninety-nine arms.

The arms poured out, piercing the cramped sky.

Qliphoth was taking a risk, making a move to capture us.

At that moment, rays of jet-black light splintered into countless strands, surging from the breached sky.

Destructive beams that would obliterate even the soul on contact.

The beams, shattering everything in their path, were about to hit us when Sharin stepped in front.

Sharin’s light magic, charged to maximum output, erupted and poured forth.

KWAhhh!

The explosion swept around us, staggering me.

But I pushed off the earthquake-split ground and ran like a madman.

Eve, carrying Vinesha, was beside me.

“Eve, catch!”

I tossed Grantoni towards Eve as she ran.

Grantoni flew weakly through the air, and Eve barely caught it.

In the meantime, I kicked off the ground with all my might.

The magic sigil engraved on the soles of my feet detonated at maximum output.

Magic Sigil · Great Detonation

My feet felt like they were about to be blown off, and my body shot into the sky.

Through the smoke of the exploded light magic, I saw indigo hair.

Sharin, who had blocked the destructive beams, was falling, her mana almost completely depleted.

I reached out and caught Sharin, embracing her tightly.

“My husbaaand.”

Sharin opened weary eyes, looking at me.

“Good job.”

I smiled, praising the listless Sharin.

She stared up at me blankly then, a languid smile blooming, and clung to me tightly.

“I know.”

Taking Sharin with me, I activated magical seals in rapid succession as we plummeted downwards.

In that space, the limbs of the Grotesque Being filled everything around us.

The surroundings were filled with the Grotesque Being’s hands.

The sky and the horizon, all obscured by the Grotesque Being’s hands.

No.

We’re still too far to reach Grantoni.

A little more.

I need just a little more time.

Just as I thought that.

The warm, embracing flame from before was felt once more.

Flash!

A blaze, holding within it a scarlet flash, spread across the entire reverse world in an instant.

At the same time, the Grotesque Being’s hand descending from the sky paused, just for a moment.

My eyes slowly widened.

Because I knew what that flame was.

‘Lucas.’

Is that you?

But there was no time to confirm it.

Kwaang!

The moment I plummeted down with Sharin in my arms.

“Grantoni!”

“Oh!”

Grantoni clashed the hands he had spread wide.

My gaze reached the reverse world.

Lucas’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

Just, the warmth held within the flame of tenacity, that much I clearly felt.

My lips were bitten tight.

If the day ever comes when I speak with you.

I want to say that I protected the world without regret.

Because Lucas, you were a hero to me.

Clap-

With the echoing clap of applause, the place we were in changed.

It was a forest, a little ways away from the Jerion Academy.

I and everyone else were silent, standing still in that spot.

We were all a complete mess, but one thing was certain.

“…We survived.”

With those words of mine, everyone collapsed.