Real World. Crossroad.
Serenade stood atop the eastern wall.
The southern wall was off-limits due to safety concerns, so she had stationed herself at the eastern wall's tower, the closest vantage point to the battlefield.
And in this final battle, the World Guardian Front had emerged victorious.
They had successfully repelled the invasion of the monstrous horde.
People laughed and cried, embracing each other, overjoyed to be alive, confirming each other's warmth.
However, even in the face of this joyous scene, Serenade couldn't find it in herself to feel truly happy.
'My lord…'
Ash had not yet returned.
With the winter wind blowing against her back, her blue hair tousled by the breeze, Serenade clasped her hands together in prayer.
'Please… just let him be safe…'
It was then.
Flash-!
A light suddenly flickered from the eastern plains of Crossroad. Startled, Serenade turned her gaze in that direction.
In the heart of the withered and nearly dead Everblack tree, a magic gate had formed, and soon after, the airship La Mancha appeared, forcing its way through the gate.
Ash, who had departed on that airship, must have returned—believing this, a smile unconsciously formed on Serenade's lips.
But before she could hurry down the eastern wall, a thunderous shout rang out from the airship.
"Serenade!"
It was Emperor Traha.
The Emperor, standing at the bow of the airship, recognized Serenade on the wall and roared with a voice like a lion's.
"Gather the people immediately!"
"What?"
"There was an accident during the return trip, and Ash didn't make it back!"
For a moment, Serenade couldn't comprehend what the Emperor was saying.
A sensation as if all the blood in her body had drained away overwhelmed her. But the Emperor's next words brought her back to her senses.
"He will return!"
"…!"
"If it's him, he will surely come back! That's why we must keep this passage open for as long as possible!"
As soon as La Mancha returned to the real world, it stopped operating.
With the force it had gained while bursting out of the gate, the massive airship crashed to the ground. The Emperor and five Glory Knights tumbled out of the ship, practically rolling.
"Gather the people! We have to keep the gate from closing! Hurry-!"
Though the Emperor and the Glory Knights were all battered and wounded,
They desperately hurled themselves at the gate that had already started closing, doing everything in their power to force it open.
Without even taking in the full sight, Serenade sprinted towards the southern wall.
It didn't matter if her legs broke. It didn't matter if her lungs tore apart.
Faster, even faster, faster…!
Serenade ran with everything she had, not even pausing to breathe, finally reaching the southern wall.
And in front of the people who were still crying and laughing in the joy of victory, she shouted.
"Everyone, please listen! The Crown Prince…!"
At the mention of the Crown Prince's name, the people turned around in shock. Serenade, more desperate than ever, cried out to them.
"We must save him… our lord…!"
Thud, rumble…
The world was crumbling.
"…"
Somewhere at the very bottom of the spirit realm.
Buried under pieces of wood and piles of dirt, I blinked slowly.
How far have I fallen?
…No, does it even matter how far I've fallen?
'It's over.'
I had lost the only means of escaping the spirit realm.
And now, I had fallen to this deep, dark pit.
And soon, the spirit realm would completely collapse and disappear.
'Perhaps this is the price I pay for letting my guard down at the very end, thinking all the battles were over.'
It was an unavoidable accident, but…
Maybe, if I had been more thorough, if I had focused solely on escape rather than saying goodbye to those I might never see again, it could have been prevented.
But I shared a final connection with those precious people I might never see again, and an unfortunate series of events led to this result.
'Still, if it's just my life, it's a cheap price to pay for letting my guard down.'
I protected my world, and I accomplished all of my goals.
Though it's a shame I couldn't witness the true ending with my own eyes…
Even so, even without me, my people will reach it in my stead. They'll live on, carrying my will.
'So, I can face the end with peace of mind…'
Just as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, thinking this,
"You're ruining my final moments."
"…?"
A familiar voice echoed from somewhere nearby.
When I looked over…
There, sitting side by side on the white sands, watching the spirit realm's destruction, were the Demon King, his body shattered and in ruins, and the former Goddess, now just a simple soul.
Startled, I shot up, my upper body bolting upright. What the hell!
"What are you two doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing…"
The Demon King muttered gruffly, and the Goddess covered her mouth with a laugh.
"The spirit realm is about to collapse. How did you end up falling here, Ash?"
Seeing that they were prepared to face a serene end, I let out a hollow laugh and explained honestly.
I told them that I made a mistake at the very last moment. That I had missed the only escape method, the airship.
After hearing my story, the Goddess tilted her head in confusion.
"But why are you just sitting here?"
"What? Well, you see, it's basically over…"
I laughed bitterly and put my hand to my forehead.
"I let my guard down at the end, and I missed my chance to return to the real world. In the end, it's my mistake. So…"
"Are you really going to give up everything just because you made one mistake?"
The Goddess's voice had taken on a slightly stern tone.
"Even if time is short, even if you've lost countless things precious to you, no matter how hard, how exhausting, how painful it has been."
"…"
"You haven't given up until now. That's how you got this far."
Meeting my dazed eyes, the Goddess nodded firmly.
"Your life isn't over yet. If that's the case, then you have to fight. Just like you always have."
She no longer had any divine power. But there was still an indescribable dignity about her.
With a groan, the Goddess got to her feet. The Demon King also stood, struggling with his broken body.
They both approached and extended their hands to me. I grabbed their hands, albeit a bit dazed. But I was still sitting, hesitant.
I mumbled awkwardly.
"But… there's no way… From down here, how could I ever…"
"How foolish."
The Goddess smiled brightly and nodded toward the sky.
"The kindness you've shown to others will pave your way."
"…"
"If you truly seek it with all your heart, there will always be someone around you to help. You should trust in the goodwill of others, just a little."
The Demon King spoke up next.
"As you promised, it was the best stage, the best show."
He chuckled briefly and gestured toward the sky with his chin.
"So, shouldn't you show them the best curtain call fitting for that?"
"…!"
"The applause you deserve is up there, Player. Go and revel in it…!"
Then, as if they had planned it,
Both of them pulled me up with all their might.
Neither the Goddess nor the Demon King had the strength left to send me flying into the sky. But.
They had the heart to lift me, who had fallen.
With a burst of energy, I kicked off the ground and soared into the sky, gritting my teeth.
I squeezed out the last of my dragon's power to form wings. Then, as if climbing against a waterfall, I began clawing my way up through the collapsing world.N/nêw n0vel chap/ers are published o/n n0v/e/(lb)i(n.)co/m
"An adventure isn't complete until you return home."
The Goddess's voice echoed faintly from behind.
"Finish your adventure, Ash…!"
I shot upwards.
Breaking through the crumbling debris, smashing the falling wooden fragments, and piercing through the raging torrents, I flapped my wings desperately.
But soon, I began to tire.
As the spirit realm collapsed, the magic power in the world was also fading. The dragon power I was using quickly began to lose its potency.
How far could my struggles reach before the world ended?
As I wondered this, I looked up at the sky,
"…!"
And opened my eyes wide.
Glowing comets were falling toward me.
No—those weren't comets.
They were the many racial deities.
To save me, they had all rushed down to the collapsing world below.
Though they were all destined to head to the afterlife with the spirit realm's destruction,
They had come, willing, to save me like this…
"Fly, my friend."
Each of them who spotted me reached out and grabbed my hands,
"Just once more!"
And threw me upwards.
"Just once more-!"
From hand to hand, from hand to hand…
Once more, they sent me soaring.
Leaving behind the spirit realm's collapsing ground, I continued to ascend toward the sky.
Upwards.
Upwards.
Upwards…!
This time, the previous reincarnators appeared before me, forming a circle in the sky, hand in hand, waiting for me.
One of them, a woman who reached out her hand toward me—my mother, Dustia, who gave birth to me—shouted with a radiant smile.
"When you entered this spirit realm
from the real world, you opened the gate at Everblack's trunk, didn't you?"
"…!"
"It seems the same gate was used when your airship escaped to the real world. And, right now, that gate at the tip of the trunk is still holding!"
With a sharp movement!
My mother grabbed my hand with a firm grip and grinned.
"These little hands have grown so much."
"Mother…!"
"Hurry up, the world is waiting for you!"
The reincarnators, who were holding hands in a circle, spun around and gathered their strength.
My mother tightened her grip on my arm and nodded.
"It's okay to fail. It's okay to break down. Even if you don't have the power to turn back time, you can always stand up again. So—"
With tears in her eyes, my mother smiled.
"Live on, keep going…!"
Smiling back at her, I nodded firmly.
The circle of reincarnators, which had been spinning, straightened out into a line and transferred all their strength to the end. And at the right moment, I was catapulted into the sky.
Now, I flew close to the black thorned tree that was crumbling below me. And halfway up Everblack, two men were waiting for me.
"You reckless, foolish kid…"
"How much more are you going to worry us?"
My two brothers, Lark and Fernandez, were waiting, their sword and staff embedded in Everblack.
"I'll give you my avalanche."
"And I'll give you my spark."
The two of them infused their respective weapons with swirling sword energy and flickering magic.
With a sharp movement!
I grabbed them with both hands, and at the same time,
Whack!
My two brothers smacked my back with a powerful slap.
With a jolt of pain, I soared even higher. The sword and staff in my hands unleashed sword energy and magic, propelling me further upward.
"Falling is not a disgrace for those who challenge the heavens. It's just a part of the journey."
My two brothers shouted from behind as I ascended.
"No matter how many times you fall… If you still have the courage to try again!"
Then.
You can fly again.
Holding onto their words in my heart, I shot upwards.
Now I reached the uppermost part of Everblack.
The altitude was dizzyingly high, and the air around me grew rapidly colder. The sword and staff, too, stopped emitting sword energy and magic and gradually came to a halt.
At that moment, a warm sensation enveloped me.
When I looked around, I saw four red dragons surrounding me, as if escorting me on their flight.
The massive dragons I once knew were gone, reduced to fragmented and shattered pieces.
They scattered their scales along their path like a trail of fireworks, soaring through the sky like the mothers of my heart.
"You know what we're going to say, don't you?"
The first Dusk Bringar asked playfully.
With a bright smile, I nodded and replied.
"I love you!"
A satisfied smile crossed the faces of the four dragons. I shouted once more.
"I love you with all my heart…!"
One by one, the four dragons approached and kissed my forehead.
Each time they did, warmth spread through my body, and the dying flame within my heart rekindled, blazing brightly once more.
Finally, the second Dusk Bringar transformed into a human form and left a long kiss on my forehead.
And then, she smiled serenely.
"Your tomorrow will surely be bright…!"
The Dusk Bringar drifted away.
After sending me up, the four dragons quickly disappeared from my sight.
The world's destruction, which had started from below, had now reached the sky and was closing in behind me. I gritted my teeth and accelerated.
At the very top of Everblack—
"Over here!"
The Succubus Queen was waiting.
"Salome!"
"This way, this way! Into the tree!"
Following the path Salome had secured, I entered Everblack.
Inside the tree, it had transformed into a vast cavern.
And at the far end of that cavern… was a gate, different from the ones I had seen before—a gate of alien magic was open.
It was a gate opened by dimensional translocation magic. And even as the thorned tree was crumbling, it was desperately maintaining the path to that gate.
Even though the passage between the spirit realm and reality was sealed.
With its already dead body, the tree was struggling to keep the path open to the gate that would open and close just once.
"I won't bother saying goodbye."
Before I could even say anything, Salome tied her parasol to my cape.
"Because we'll see each other again soon… Besides, a good succubus always knows when it's time to wake up from a dream."
"Salome…!"
"Don't worry about me! Now, go! Fly, handsome!"
With a flourish-!
Salome's parasol sparkled with a dazzling pink light, and I was shot forward, unable to do anything but follow.
"So many people are waiting for you… so many who wish for your happiness!"
Salome waved at me with a mischievous grin.
"So—give it your all!"
In an instant, I was far from Salome, and a blinding flash filled the area.
Thud! Rumble, rumble-!
As the spirit realm's collapse accelerated, it reached right beneath my feet.
Even though its entire body had crumbled and disintegrated down to its roots, Everblack struggled to maintain the passage until the very last moment.
I gritted my teeth and gathered every last bit of strength I had left, shooting upwards. I flew through the crumbling, narrowing passage as if climbing.
At some point, the weapons from my brothers, the warmth from the four dragons, and the parasol from Salome—all of them were destroyed and vanished.
The dragon wings, the dragon heart, and the halo of authority that floated above my head like a crown were all gone.
I was left as a mere human, breathing heavily as I clawed my way up the passage.
The gate was still far away.
I was out of breath, and my vision blurred. It was so difficult that I wanted to give up and collapse right there and die.
But it wasn't over yet.
The people who cheered for me hadn't given up on me.
So I won't give up either.
I'll fight, against this world, and against myself.
Just a little more.
Just a little more…!
Real World.
Crossroad Eastern Plains. Everblack's Trunk.
"Keep the gate open!"
"Everyone, get in there-!"
"We must hold on, no matter what!"
All the members of the World Guardian Front clung to the gate in the tree, doing everything they could to prevent it from closing.
The mages who once wielded miraculous power, the knights who cleaved mountains with their swords and blocked dragons with their shields, had all lost their strength.
Now, they were all just ordinary humans.
And all they could do was hold on to each other and endure.
They placed their hands on the closing gate, desperately trying to slow its closing. With their hands, their shoulders, their backs, their foreheads, with their whole bodies, they struggled to push the gate open.
"We have to keep the path open…!"
The magical gate continued to narrow, and the strength of ordinary humans couldn't stop its closure.
"Until he returns…!"
But because so many people gathered their will and heart and resisted desperately,
The gate closed much more slowly than it originally would have. But it was only slower; the closure itself continued.
"Hold on-!"
The people screamed in unison as they endured.
And then.
"Ah!"
A young man who once possessed far-sight shouted as he looked into the passage.
"It's the Crown Prince!"
"What?!"
When everyone looked inside, it was true.
Ash was struggling to climb the final stretch of the passage. And right behind him, a blinding flash and destruction were close on his heels.
"Your Highness!"
"This way, quickly-!"
The gate narrowed once more.
The people gritted their teeth, their grips tearing apart, but they held on. Everyone desperately shouted, as if vomiting blood.
"Just a little more…!"
Ash, spotting his people, found new strength in his eyes.
And at that moment, the passage behind and beneath him disintegrated into pure white.
Ash lost his balance and was about to collapse.
In that instant,
Snap!
A branch of the tree reached out to support him.
It was the last will of a tree that had lived only for people.
"…!"
Using that branch as a foothold, and taking the falling soil and wood fragments with his whole body, Ash kicked off into the air from the end of the passage.
But—it was far.
Despite his desperate effort to close the distance, it was far. It felt like an insurmountable chasm lay between him and the gate.
And then.
"My lord-!"
Serenade jumped into the gate herself.
"My liege-!"
Lucas followed closely behind.
"Senior!"
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness-!"
Evangeline, Damien, Junior, and everyone else…
They threw themselves into the air, simultaneously grabbing each other and reaching out to Ash.
Like a blooming flower, the hands of those ordinary people reached out to Ash, who desperately reached back…
-Clasp.
Hands that, under normal circumstances, could never reach each other across that vast chasm—
Undoubtedly, grasped each other.
"I'm sorry."
I managed to choke out in an exhausted voice.
"I'm a little late."
Now completely sealed beneath Everblack's trunk,
Covered in dirt and blood, we had all made it out of the gate safely.
As I stroked Serenade's back while she sobbed in my arms, I suddenly realized and corrected myself.
"No, it's not the time to apologize."
I looked up and scanned my surroundings.
"Thank you."
And to everyone who waited for me, who surrounded me… I beamed at them.
"I'm back."
Everyone rushed toward me at once.
Without any hesitation, they threw themselves at me. All of our hands tangled together, seeking each other's warmth, wrapping our arms around each other's shoulders and backs.
Surrounded by countless warm embraces, holding on to me as if never wanting to let go again, I felt breathless but incredibly happy.
I cried with my people.
And I laughed with my people.
Laughing and crying, we held each other for a long time.
It was a truly long adventure.
It was, indeed, a magnificent adventure.