Despite the sudden, suffocating pressure that triggered widespread panic, countless powerful Lights in Eldoria rose into the sky when they saw the sky cracking like glass.
The entire planet was in chaos—not just Eldoria, but every single planet across the universe was facing the same turmoil.
Yet, before anyone could grasp the reason behind the sudden anomaly of the cracking sky, a familiar female voice—unheard for a thousand years—echoed across the entire universe, cold, detached, and eerily calm.
"Congratulations."
It cooed, sounding almost mockingly.
"Your universe has given birth to its first Divine Being—albeit a pitifully weak one."
The voice grew softer—almost sincere—carrying a tone that radiated satisfaction.
Yet, its next words sent chills down the spine of every person who heard them.
"As a result, the long-standing beginner’s grace period granted to you has officially ended. The shield protecting this universe from chaos will now be lifted. The rules of the Battle Royale have also been adjusted accordingly. Your systems will provide the updated details. So, welcome..."
It paused—then its voice thundered.
"...to the true war of the Divine."
Just as the voice finished speaking, the entire universe trembled slightly, sending waves of terror through every living being. Screams echoed across every planet.
Then, before their very eyes, every single floating Crystal—regardless of size—that had helped them grow stronger and adapt to fighting various monsters by teleporting the Awakened to resource-rich realms and dimensions began to vanish into the void.
The scene was so overwhelming, so sudden, that no one could even react.
Then, finally, the pressure that had been pressing down on the universe vanished, leaving behind dread and confusion.
Skyler snapped out of his daze as the pressure faded, his body trembling.
"No way. No way. No way!"
He whispered frantically under his breath, as if trying to convince himself he had just imagined everything. But when that failed, Skyler he bolted from the arena complex.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
Several Lights and professors noticed and tried to stop him, but he was too fast—and they were too busy calming the crowd.
Ultimately, only a few people in the crowd managed to follow after him. The first was Riruru, who had been watching him closely. Then came Charles and Isaac, who rushed after Riruru when she suddenly took off.
Then came Zack, who had been frozen in shock, staring up at the fractured sky. And finally, Yuris Yu—who had kept his eyes on Skyler ever since he was thrown out of the golden arena. The panicked crowd around him didn’t matter—really, that was for the adults to deal with. He couldn’t care less.
Unfortunately, after weaving through the crowd, Skyler suddenly vanished into thin air, bringing their chase to an abrupt halt.
Riruru let out a frustrated sound. Charles quickly picked her up and let out a sigh.
"Where were you going? What if you got lost in the crowd? Skyler’s gonna kill me."
Isaac nodded in agreement.
But they understood where she had been headed when they saw Yuris Yu and Zack nearby, both staring into empty space.
She had been following Skyler—who had disappeared using one of his space skills.
Isaac’s brows drew together in concern.
"Where could he have gone? The whole situation..."
He looked up at the broken sky, which had started to repair itself, his eyes narrowing.
"...is spiraling out of control. I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but I am certain whatever it is—it’s definitely not good."
Charles placed Riruru onto his shoulder.
"He will be back. Riruru’s with us. Let’s get out of here and head to my room. We can wait for him there until things calm down."
Zack watched them leave. Frustrated, he turned and kicked an empty chair nearby—only for a jolt of pain to shoot up his leg. His head was pounding, and now this!
"Damn it!! The protagonist and his friends are all just weaklings—not even 15-star yet—and the grace period that should’ve lasted until Max became a Divine Being is already over!? Just who became a Divine Being?!"
He ran his fingers through his hair.
"Now that the protective shield is gone, the first wave of chaos will hit in a month—ten years earlier than it was supposed to in the story! And I know it’s all because of Skyler! Fuck, fuck! The whole story’s gone off the rails! How am I supposed to survive this?"
He bent down, rubbing his temples.
"I don’t want this world to be enslaved so soon! I’m not ready to face the chaos yet! I’ll be dead before I can even lift a finger!"
A familiar screen lit up in front of him.
#Keeper of Time: That’s not your purpose. Your only job is to stop Max from using the Wheel of Time again. Once that’s done, your part in this story ends. Don’t get attached—this isn’t your story, and you’re not its hero.
Zack stared at the screen for a long time, everything fading into the background—the noise, the movement, the crowd. He slowly parted his lips, a sardonic smile forming.
"What comes after that?"
#Keeper of Time: Huh?
"I said—what happens after I’ve completed my job? Then what? What do I get in return? You never laid that part out from the start."
There was a long silence.
Then, finally, a response appeared.
#Keeper of Time: I will make sure you are granted a better life once all of this is over. Or, if you would prefer, I can send you back to your world—to the time you were born—so you can relive it and achieve everything you have ever wanted. I am a higher being, one above many—you can trust my word.
Zack let out a dry, bitter chuckle.
"That’s rich. I don’t remember asking for any of that. If I recall correctly, I told you—send me back to my world if you wouldn’t let me do things my way. But honestly, I’m already dead in my world. There’s no one waiting for me there. Not a single soul."
He rose to his feet, casually brushing off dust from his attire, his eyes fixed on the glowing screen with an unreadable gaze.
"So tell me—why would I care about the ’better life’ you promised? From the very beginning, I only agreed because I didn’t want to disappear. I wasn’t seeking joy. I wasn’t chasing power. I just... wanted to breathe a little longer, so my existence wouldn’t vanish like it never mattered."
His voice lowered, his eyes filled with something even colder than anger.
"You say I am not the hero of this story. Fine. I admit it. But that also means you don’t get to write my ending for me."
#Keeper of Time: What...? What do you mean? What are you trying to say? You know you can just tell me—what do you want in return after all this?
Zack just shrugged his shoulders.
"Who knows? Just tell me where Skyler is, Master. Don’t waste your precious divinity trying to understand my thoughts or read my future—you’ve already wasted enough."
***
A/N: Hello, my dear readers! I’m really sorry for going MIA!! I had exams last Monday and Wednesday. I planned to return on Thursday, but something unexpected came up.
Don’t worry—I’m doing fine now!
I’ve rested and recharged!
Thank you so much for being here, for your patience, and for worrying about me. Your support means the world. I missed you all! ♡
Let’s enjoy the story together again~ ^^