Chapter 418:
Chapter 418:
Chapter 418:
Where did I go wrong?
[Why should I?]
I stood frozen in place in the control tower, listening to the Sun God who should be gone.
‘What are you talking about?’
If you keep fighting like this, your godhood will be destroyed.
You should run away.
But despite my thoughts.
"Kaaaaaaaah!"
"Eh, what's going on?"
"The tower is shaking…!"The Sun God on the screen began to rise, his body engulfed in ominous black smoke and so, despite the tremors that threatened to bring the control tower crashing down, I watched the new Sun God with wide-open eyes.
Next, the Sun God speaks.
"…I see. If I fight any longer, my body will be destroyed. Nay, my existence will cease."
"But why?"
"…Well, as a god. I was humiliated by my creation and you expect me to run away?"
And through his words….I realized why the Sun God, who was supposed to run away in the original, was acting like that.
The current Sun God was possessed by evil so much so that he's willing to risk his life, which he cherished so much, to destroy this world.
‘And, of course, the reason…’
"And you, the Children of the Stars."
At that moment I felt as if the Sun God on the screen turned and locked eyes with me.
"To see all my plans, all my artifacts, my daughter, my manifestation, my saint, all taken, destroyed…I can't, I can't. I cannot forgive you."
The Sun God continued and I finally realized what had happened.
‘It was me.’
…I had thwarted the Sun God's plans, taken everything he had. I had prevented him from realizing any of his plans.
Unlike the Sun God in the original, who had already accomplished his goals and escaped with no regrets.
Now, he's just like a human, with his pride wounded.
…I can see why.
So what should I do?
"……"
While I was thinking about that with a stiff face, things were moving quickly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Sun God was covered in black smoke and turned into a grayish giant godhead.
"Today, in this place… you humans. All of you."
The Sun God's declaration echoes across the world.
In response, the world began to experience strange phenomena.
"Something's wrong!!! It's raining gray all over the world… Ugh!"
-Koooooow. Koooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Suddenly, ashen-colored rain rained down from the sky.
This ominous rain began to fall on the entire planet, except for the place where the battle between the Sun God and Stardus had resumed.
Right now, even on the screens of the holographic members of my Egostream, seen through my mask.
[…What is this, Achu! What is this…? Wait, this is weird…]
On the screen, Choi Se-hee, puzzled by the gray rain after the fight.
While I'm watching them, there was a frenzy going on in the control tower.
"We're in trouble! The gray rain is causing the world to lose communications one by one!"
"…There are reports that the rain is weakening the abilities of those hit by it, melting electronics, and corroding buildings as if it were an acidic substance…"
"Communication with the heroes is mostly being cut off! What are we going to do about it…?"
Just like that, the strange rain brought chaos.
With the exception of the camera drones, which had been fortified with the most durable new materials, all other communications were disrupted.
…The confrontation between Stardus and the Sun God, meanwhile, was raging on.
"…We're in trouble!!! The tower is about to collapse from the shockwaves of the fight with the Sun God over there!"
And now, even this place is about to fall.
In the aftermath of chaos.
"…."
I stood, alone, silently, looking out the window, staring at Stardus, who must be fighting somewhere out there, in a flash of light.
After a few moments of collecting my thoughts I calmly, still looking out the window, ordered everyone for the first time since this happened.
"Everyone, run away."
"…What?"
"That's my judgment as the field commander. There's nothing more we can do here anyway, so evacuate, everyone."
"…In that case. Hey! This is an order from Egostic, everyone run!"
The person behind me shouted that loudly, and the people who had been in a state of confusion suddenly regained their senses and scrambled to prepare.
In the aftermath of the fight between the Sun God and Stardus, the walls of the tower crumbled, and the winds from above rushed in.
Most of us evacuated quickly, and the last agent, who had evacuated everyone else, grabbed a table to keep it from blowing away, and called out to me.
"Mr. Egostic! Are you not evacuating?"
"…I have a job to do. You go first."
"But… Haha, I see, wrap it up quickly and come towards the Association Center!"
With those words, the last remaining agent of the Control Tower disappeared in a teleportation device.
And with that, I was left standing alone in the crumbling tower.
I closed my eyes and thought quietly to myself.
…
This is my fault, no matter what.
My fault for believing in the original, for not realizing that the Sun God would sacrifice his own life to destroy this world.
Even though there were already precursors to the great angelic assault, I ignored them and thought it would be the same as the original.
But
"…"
Even if I had, what would have changed?
After all, the Sun God is willing to grit his teeth and destroy this world. What more could we, mere mortals, have done to prepare for it?
In the end, it was an inevitable disaster, even if we knew it.
"…."
Uh, no.
[cough…]
Kaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Out there, alone, watching Stardus fight for the fate of the world, I realized something.
The God of the Stars, the one who would protect this world with everything she had, hadn't expected the Sun God to come out like that.
Indeed. Could she have been so unprepared, trusting only Stardus?
Thrill. Thump. Thump. Pound. Pound.
Nope.
Apparently, she'd taken out one more insurance policy, just in case.
And it was.
"…me."
….
~An empty tower~
There, I stood alone and muttered.
My heart and intuition, which had begun to beat since the Sun God awakened instead of fleeing.
The power of my black star, unleashed in anticipation of the final battle….and the ominous, sticky black energy that came from the Sun God as he gave his life to draw on his power.
Through it all I learned what the power of the Black Star that I had belatedly awakened was.
"…Ha."
With that, I raised my hand….And a black, sticky light enveloped my hand.
This is the essence of divine power, the last remnants of the Star God's own power….The most powerful power that can be harnessed in exchange for life force.
Perhaps in a moment of crisis, the Star God gave me this power to use to end the Sun God.
If I use this power, I will surely die.
"…Haha."
The original me wouldn't even consider it.
Above all. I was at an age where I valued my life, and I was the furthest thing from a sacrifice.
But now.
[Ugh…!]
[Ha, ha, ha. Fuck!!! These motherfucking angels are coming. How long are they going to be here?]
[….No, what's this rain, Mr. Desik, give up and just retreat!!!]
"…."
I thought, quietly.
Okay. Well, we're all going to die if I don't do anything here anyway.
…And now, there are so many people I care about.
If I can make them all happy with my life, maybe that's the true meaning of my coming to this world.
I thought about that and then.
‘…because I decided that this life, I will live for Stardust.’
Until the end, I will protect my hero.
Just like that, the moment I made up my mind, I quickly acted
"…Are all the cameras on?"
I must put on one last show.
I did so, and began to use the power of the Black Star in both hands as a shield.
"…Kuluk."
Again, I felt my whole body twist in pain. Gradually, I began to draw out more and more of the sticky black power.
Then, silently, I waited for the perfect moment.
If my plan is correct…When the Sun God strikes. That's when I'll have the best chance of success.
[…So you're her daughter after all. Never mind. Now, return to your mother's arms].
Finally,
There was a fallen Stardus on the screen and the Sun God was about to strike at her.
"…Heh!"
I prepared myself.
I felt my whole body twist, black light spilled out, and I smiled.
I teleported in front of her and just like that, my vision changed.
The very next moment
….
"Kuluk, kuluk. Ha. Ha…"
My stomach is a little hot.
Under an orange sunset, torn by black galaxies all around, the ground crumbling, the Sun God rising in overwhelming force, surrounded by gray smoke, I entered the battle, blocking the Sun God's attacks with my entire body….with black blood dripping from the corner of my mouth.
I blocked the barrage of energy waves, surrounding myself with black power.
I turned to Stardus behind me and said, "Hello, Stardus."