Chapter 25: THE WISDOM OF THE DESTROYERThe Thirteen Realms — The Truth Beyond CreationTHE RETURN
The portal disappeared behind Arashio.
For several seconds…
He simply fell.
There was no sound.
No battlefield.
No gods.
No armies.
Only darkness.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Arashio crashed into the ground.
Dust exploded around him.
His body rolled across the broken earth before finally stopping.
He slowly lifted his head.
His clothes were torn.
Blood covered his arms.
His breathing was unstable.
But the pain inside him was far greater than any physical wound.
Bibek was gone.
The Time God.
The immortal who had stood against countless enemies.
The one who had protected him.
The one who had sacrificed everything.
And now…
THE ENTIRE BEYONDVERSE HAD FORGOTTEN HIM.
His name.
His history.
His achievements.
Even the memories of those who had fought beside him.
Everything had disappeared.
Even the author could no longer remember the existence of the Time God.
Except one person.
Arashio.
He remembered.
And that memory hurt more than anything.
"Bibek..."
His voice trembled.
"You saved me."
He slowly closed his eyes.
"But why?"
A tear rolled down his cheek.
"Why did you have to disappear?"
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.
"You already know the answer."
Arashio froze.
He turned around.
An old man stood beneath a gigantic tree.
His long robe moved gently with the wind.
His expression was calm, but his eyes carried ancient wisdom.
KUZE.
"Kuze..."
Kuze slowly approached.
"You survived."
"Barely."
Kuze looked into his eyes.
"You met the Time God."
Arashio nodded.
"He died protecting me."
Silence.
Kuze lowered his head.
"I see."
Arashio clenched his fists.
"I don't understand!"
His voice suddenly became louder.
"Why didn't the Destroyer give me power?!"
Kuze remained silent.
"If the Destroyer wanted to, he could have given me unimaginable strength!"
Arashio's eyes burned.
"Then why didn't he?!"
Kuze finally spoke.
"Because you still don't understand what the Destroyer is."
Arashio frowned.
"Then tell me!"
Kuze looked toward the distant mountains.
"Destroyer Saphal..."
He paused.
"He is not simply a god."
"He isn't human."
"He isn't an animal."
"He isn't a monster."
"He isn't even something that can be placed into an ordinary category."
Arashio listened carefully.
Kuze continued.
"He is wisdom."
"He is the god of operator of creation and destruction."
"He is the one who can recreate what has been destroyed and destroy what should never have existed."
Arashio's eyes widened.
"Beyond the gods?"
Kuze nodded.
"But even that description is incomplete."
He raised his hand.
"Before creation had a name, before the first universe was imagined, before the first page of a story was written..."
Kuze looked directly into Arashio's eyes.
"THE DESTROYER WAS ALREADY THERE."
THE THIRTEEN REALMS
Kuze suddenly pointed toward the distant mountains.
"There is something else you must understand."
Arashio followed his gaze.
"Something else?"
Kuze nodded.
"There are thirteen realms."
Arashio blinked.
"Thirteen?"
"Yes. Each possesses its own laws, inhabitants, histories, and forms of existence. Some are connected. Some are separated. Some have never even encountered one another."
Kuze raised his hand.
The darkness above them began moving.
A gigantic eye appeared in the sky.
Arashio stepped backward.
"What the—?!"
Kuze looked upward.
"Those thirteen realms..."
His voice became serious.
"All exist within the left pupil of the Destroyer."
Silence.
Arashio stared at him.
"...What?"
Kuze continued.
"Not metaphorically. Every realm, every dimension, every cosmic structure we've ever encountered exists within that pupil."
Arashio couldn't speak.
Kuze slowly lowered his head.
"And that's not even the most frightening truth."
THE ONE CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING
A black flower suddenly grew from the mountain.
Its petals opened.
A tiny butterfly landed upon it.
Arashio watched it.
"Why are you showing me a flower?"
Kuze smiled faintly.
"Because that butterfly is also connected to the Destroyer."
He pointed toward the ocean of darkness.
"The water."
"The plants."
"The animals."
"The ghosts."
"Humans."
"Gods."
"Monsters."
"Every soul."
"Every entity."
His finger moved toward the distant darkness.
"Even the villains who oppose him."
Arashio frowned.
"Even his enemies?"
"Yes."
Kuze looked directly into Arashio's eyes.
"They are not outside his existence. Nothing is truly disconnected from him."
A strange wind passed through the mountain.
"Before creation had a name, before the first book was written, before an author could imagine a universe..."
Kuze paused.
"HE WAS."
Arashio's eyes narrowed.
"Are you saying the Destroyer is the author?"
Kuze shook his head.
"You could call him the author. You could say he exists beyond the author. But even those descriptions are incomplete."
He smiled.
"Perhaps the author is simply another way the Destroyer expresses himself."
Arashio looked at his hands.
"Then... what about me?"
Kuze turned toward him.
"You're his Avatar."
He placed a hand on Arashio's shoulder.
"But don't misunderstand. Being his Avatar doesn't mean you understand him."
Arashio remained silent.
Kuze continued.
"What I have explained is barely one percent of the mystery."
He looked toward the sky.
"The Destroyer's true nature is a mystery. His abilities, his existence, his origin, his limits..."
Kuze closed his eyes.
"Even those who speak of him cannot claim to understand everything."
"THE MORE YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM, THE MORE YOU REALIZE HOW LITTLE YOU KNOW."
THE DIVINE SWORD
Suddenly—
KRRRRRRRRRRRRACK!!
A gigantic golden sword appeared in the sky.
Its blade passed through the darkness without producing a sound.
Arashio recognized it immediately.
"The Divine Sword..."
Kuze nodded.
"That weapon is not an ordinary artifact."
He stared at its blade.
"It can cut existence."
"It can cut non-non-existence."
"It can cut something that has been erased, something that was never born, and even the history and name of its target."
Arashio looked shocked.
"Even if the target doesn't exist?"
"Even then."
Kuze continued.
"It doesn't recognize the authority of an author. If the author stood before its blade, the sword would not hesitate to strike."
The golden blade began glowing.
"And its power doesn't end with cutting."
Kuze raised his hand.
"Once it physically and phenomenally pierces a victim, it can establish a connection to that victim's power core."
Arashio stared.
"Their abilities?"
"Controlled or sealed by the sword itself."
"So the victim can't use their own power?"
"Correct. The sword can control the connection through which that power is accessed."
Kuze took a breath.
"And whoever possesses the Divine Sword receives thirteen different forms of immortality."
Arashio blinked.
"THIRTEEN?!"
"Yes."
Kuze looked toward the disappearing sword.
"But remember something important."
"What?"
"The sword can sever the rules governing abilities. It can cut the conditions that allow an ability to function. Even the concept of forgetting cannot easily escape its edge."
Arashio looked at the empty sky.
"Then where is it now?"
Kuze smiled faintly.
"Nobody knows."
The golden sword disappeared.
No explosion.
No sound.
No trace.
Only a single golden particle remained before vanishing.
THE TEMPLE OF THE DESTROYER
Night had fallen.
Arashio walked through an ancient forest.
Moonlight passed between the trees.
The wind carried the scent of flowers and wet earth.
After several hours…
He finally saw it.
A gigantic stone staircase.
Ancient symbols covered every step.
At the top stood an enormous temple.
Its walls were cracked.
Its pillars were covered with golden markings.
And above the entrance—
A symbol representing creation and destruction.
Arashio slowly climbed.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Finally…
He reached the entrance.
He pushed the enormous doors open.
CREAAAAAAAAAK...
Darkness filled the temple.
Arashio entered.
There were no warriors.
No gods.
No monsters.
Only a gigantic stone statue at the center.
The statue represented the Destroyer.
A peaceful expression.
One hand extended toward the world.
The other resting beside a mysterious golden flame.
Arashio approached.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then his eyes became watery.
"I'm tired..."
His voice echoed through the empty temple.
"I keep losing everyone."
"James..."
"Saku..."
"Bibek..."
He lowered his head.
"Everyone keeps telling me I'm special."
"That I'm an Avatar."
"That I'm supposed to protect people."
His hands trembled.
"But where is my power?"
He looked at the statue.
"If you're really my Destroyer..."
"Why don't you help me?"
Silence.
Arashio laughed sadly.
"Of course."
"Nothing."
He turned away.
Then—
VMMMMMMMMMMMM...
He stopped.
A golden light appeared behind him.
He slowly turned around.
The statue was glowing.
Ancient symbols on the walls began shining one after another.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The entire temple shook.
A golden flame appeared inside the statue's chest.
It didn't burn the temple.
It illuminated it.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The enormous temple doors opened.
Arashio turned.
People were standing outside.
Hundreds.
Then thousands.
Men.
Women.
Children.
Warriors.
Monster Soul users.
People from different villages.
They slowly entered.
Arashio stared.
"Who are you?"
An old woman stepped forward.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
"You saved us."
Arashio froze.
"What?"
A young boy approached.
"You stopped the Dragon Army."
Another person spoke.
"You protected our city."
Someone else shouted.
"You saved the students!"
A wounded warrior raised his hand.
"You fought when everyone else was afraid!"
Arashio stepped backward.
"But..."
"I didn't save everyone."
The crowd became quiet.
A warrior approached.
"No."
"You saved enough people for us to still be here."
One by one…
People began kneeling.
Arashio's eyes widened.
"Please..."
"Don't kneel."
But nobody stood.
They weren't kneeling because he was powerful.
They were kneeling because he had given them another tomorrow.
THE TEARS OF THE DESTROYER
The darkness suddenly changed.
A beautiful forest appeared around the temple.
Birds sang.
Flowers opened.
Small animals ran between the trees.
Arashio looked confused.
"What's happening?"
Kuze answered quietly.
"Because people misunderstand the Destroyer."
He knelt and gently touched a flower.
"They imagine a being who only destroys. But the Destroyer loves nature. He loves those who help others. He values kindness, compassion, and every good action, no matter how small."
A small injured bird fell from a branch.
Arashio immediately rushed forward.
"Hey! Are you okay?"
He carefully lifted the bird.
Kuze watched him.
Then his expression changed.
"Arashio..."
"What?"
"Look above us."
The sky became transparent.
Beyond the thirteen realms, an enormous presence appeared.
The Destroyer.
No throne.
No army.
No crown.
Just an unimaginable existence watching everything.
Then something happened.
A tiny creature in the forest cried out in pain.
The Destroyer lowered his head.
And tears fell from his eyes.
Arashio froze.
"...He's crying?"
Kuze nodded.
"Even the most powerful can feel pain when someone he loves is hurt."
The Destroyer's tears touched the forest.
Every damaged flower bloomed again.
The injured creature recovered.
And the darkness became beautiful.
Arashio stared at the enormous presence.
"He's not simply the strongest..."
Kuze smiled.
"Exactly."
Arashio held the recovered bird gently.
"He's the one who cares about everything."
Far above the thirteen realms, the Destroyer slowly closed his eyes.
A voice echoed through every living soul.
"POWER IS NOT THE REASON I EXIST."
"I EXIST BECAUSE EVERYTHING LOVES ME."
Arashio lowered his head.
For the first time, he understood something greater than power.
He understood that the Destroyer didn't need to prove his supremacy.
He didn't need to defeat anyone.
He didn't need to sit above creation and demand worship.
He simply loved everything that existed.
And somewhere beyond the story…
The Divine Sword began glowing.
THE FINAL WAR APPROACHES
Suddenly—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A gigantic horn sounded beyond the mountains.
The ground shook.
The crowd turned toward the horizon.
Dark clouds gathered.
Thousands of enemy forces appeared in the distance.
Red energy filled the sky.
Monster Souls roared.
Warriors raised their weapons.
Kuze's expression changed.
"The time has come."
Arashio slowly turned.
A warrior shouted:
"The great war is coming!"
Another raised his weapon.
"We stand with Arashio!"
Then another.
And another.
Until the entire temple echoed.
"WE STAND WITH THE AVATAR!"
Arashio looked toward the glowing statue.
For a moment, he remembered Bibek.
He remembered James.
He remembered Saku.
He remembered everyone he had lost.
Then he looked toward the people standing behind him.
His sadness didn't disappear.
But it no longer controlled him.
He clenched his fist.
"Then..."
His eyes began glowing faintly.
"If history wants a war..."
He stepped toward the temple entrance.
"...I'll give it one."
The golden flame inside the Destroyer statue suddenly expanded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Its light illuminated the entire mountain.
And far beyond the thirteen realms…
The Destroyer opened his eyes.
A quiet voice crossed existence.
"MY AVATAR..."
"KEEP YOUR HEART."
"THE REST WILL REVEAL ITSELF."
Across the horizon…
The enemy armies began marching.
THE FINAL WAR HAD BEGUN.
TO BE CONTINUED...
THIS WAS HIS 1% IDENTITY