The monstrous roar echoed across the ruined city, its terrifying force shaking the ground beneath their feet as dust and debris trembled with lingering vibrations.
Alex stood still as the sound slowly faded into the distance, his expression calm yet heavy, as if processing something far deeper than what others could perceive.
Inside his mind, he spoke quietly, his thoughts clear and controlled despite the chaos surrounding them.
'Hey System… did you finish analyzing Earth?'
The familiar mechanical voice answered immediately, its tone neutral and precise, cutting cleanly through the silence within his consciousness.
[Yes, Master. Analysis complete.]
[After thorough observation, the entire planet appears to have been thrown into chaos. Multiple spatial fluctuations have been detected across the globe.]
[Before the human defense forces could properly react, the creatures known as "Axomers" from Planet Avory invaded.]
[Their numbers were overwhelming. Most military units were wiped out instantly before they could even activate their weapons.]
[Some high-ranking officials are still alive, but they lack the military strength necessary to stop the current disaster.]
The System paused briefly before continuing, as if calculating the weight of its next words carefully.
[If I may speak freely, Master…]
[With your current strength, you lack the power required to save Earth and its residents.]
Alex listened silently, his gaze steady as every word was absorbed and processed with unusual clarity.
He didn't interrupt.
Every statement from the System was broken down and analyzed instantly, his thoughts moving faster than before, almost like multiple layers working together simultaneously.
Surprisingly, he didn't react emotionally like before, his expression remaining calm in a way that felt unfamiliar even to himself.
His thoughts were calm… almost too calm.
Perhaps the integration of the Omni Physique had changed something deep within him, altering not just his body, but his emotional responses as well.
Or maybe killing that creature earlier had forced his mind to mature faster than it naturally should have.
Whatever the reason—
His thinking had become clearer.
More logical.
More detached.
'Honestly…' Alex thought quietly, his inner voice carrying a subtle bitterness he didn't bother to hide from himself.
'I don't really feel attached to humanity.'
A bitter thought crossed his mind, one that lingered longer than expected as old memories faintly surfaced and faded again.
His father had been human.
And after what the System had revealed earlier, Alex was now certain of something that had once been only a vague suspicion.
His mother…
…wasn't human either.
These thoughts passed through his mind in mere seconds, processed with an efficiency that felt almost unnatural.
His mind worked like multiple processes running simultaneously, analyzing, deciding, and discarding unnecessary emotions in real time.
Then his attention shifted toward the three people beside him, bringing him back to the present moment.
His friends.
He had saved them.
For now, at least—
They were safe.
'I might have a way to keep them alive…'
But before making a decision, he chose to confirm one final thing, a faint hope still lingering somewhere deep within him.
Even if he had little attachment to humanity…
Earth was still the planet his mother once called home.
'System…' he asked quietly within his mind, his tone carrying a subtle weight.
'Is there really no way to save Earth?'
For the first time, the System's mechanical voice paused noticeably, the silence stretching longer than usual.
[...]
[I'm sorry, Master.]
[There is no viable solution.]
[If you possessed greater strength, I could suggest several possible strategies.]
[However, even with your current power, eliminating all Axomers currently roaming the planet is impossible.]
Alex clicked his tongue in frustration, the sound sharp and brief in the otherwise quiet surroundings.
"Tch…"
"So in the end, it all comes down to strength, huh?"
"Damn it…"
His sudden frustration caught the attention of the others, breaking the quiet tension that had settled among them.
Liam frowned slightly, concern appearing in his eyes as he stepped forward just a little.
"Are you okay, Alex?"
Julie and Lucy exchanged a glance before looking at him, their expressions clearly worried.
"Yeah… you look upset."
Alex raised his eyebrows slightly, realizing his emotions had slipped through more than he intended.
'Oops…'
'I shouldn't be talking about this in front of them.'
He quickly forced a small smile onto his face, masking his thoughts behind a calm and reassuring expression.
"Don't worry, guys. I'm fine."
Their worried expressions didn't disappear, their trust in him clear, but so was their concern.
Alex sighed softly, knowing he couldn't completely brush it off so easily.
"Seriously, I'm okay."
He paused briefly, his expression shifting slightly as he prepared to say something more important.
"Actually… I have some bad news."
"And some good news."
The three of them frowned in confusion, the contrast between those words clashing heavily with their current situation.
In a world like this…
What kind of good news could possibly exist?
They exchanged glances briefly before turning their attention back toward Alex, waiting for him to explain.
Alex spoke with a solemn expression, his tone serious and grounded.
"The truth is… these creatures have spread all over the world."
"They attacked suddenly and wiped out most of the world's defense forces before anyone could react."
"We simply don't have the manpower left to stop this disaster."
"...That's the bad news."
Silence fell immediately, heavy and suffocating as the meaning of his words sank deeply into their minds.
Then slowly—
Their eyes widened.
Their bodies trembled.
They collapsed to the ground.
Tears began falling from their eyes, the emotional weight finally breaking through their fragile composure.
Lucy spoke first, her voice shaking uncontrollably.
"I-If that's true…"
"Then… our parents…"
Julie finished the sentence weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"They might already be dead…"
All three of them started crying quietly, their pain raw and unfiltered as the reality settled in.
Alex watched them silently, his expression softening as he understood exactly what they were feeling.
He knew that pain.
More than anyone.
He slowly walked toward them, his steps gentle as he approached their broken state.
He didn't stop their tears.
Sometimes—
People needed to let the pain out.
After a moment, he crouched down and pulled all three of them into a hug, holding them firmly but gently.
Tears gathered in his own eyes as memories surfaced, refusing to stay buried.
"I know…"
"I know how it feels to lose your parents."
"It still hurts every time I think about mine."
His voice trembled slightly, the emotion slipping through despite his attempt to stay composed.
"But… this isn't the place or the time to break down."
"We need to survive."
"We need to get out of this situation first."
The three of them slowly wiped their tears, their breathing uneven but gradually stabilizing as his words grounded them.
They looked at each other briefly, silently sharing their pain before turning back toward Alex again.
Liam asked quietly,
"Then… what do we do?"
Alex wiped his own eyes, regaining his composure as he prepared to give them a direction forward.
"That's where the good news comes in."
He looked at them seriously.
"I know a place where we can start a new life."
He hesitated slightly before asking, knowing how unbelievable his next words would sound.
"I know this might sound crazy… but do you trust me?"
The three of them looked at each other.
Not even a second passed before they answered.
"We trust you."
Their smiles were small—
But genuine.
"You saved us, Alex."
"You can take care of us."
Alex froze for a moment, something inside him reacting unexpectedly to those simple words.
A strange warmth spread through his chest, unfamiliar yet comforting at the same time.
His heart started beating faster.
Goosebumps ran across his skin.
Those simple words…
Felt incredibly precious.
He slowly touched his chest, as if trying to understand the feeling before letting it pass.
Then he stepped back.
"I can transport us to another planet."
"A planet where humans live."
"A place where we can start over."
The three friends blinked in confusion, their minds struggling to process what he had just said.
"What…?"
They asked at the same time.
"What did you just say?"
Alex repeated calmly, his tone steady and unwavering.
"I can take us to a planet called Avory."
"It's the same planet those creatures came from."
"But don't worry."
"Humans live there too."
While speaking, he quietly asked the System within his mind, confirming what he already suspected.
'System… I can actually do that, right?'
The System responded instantly.
[Yes, Master.]
[You can first send them into the Pocket Dimension.]
[Then transport them to Planet Avory.]
[And yes… humans do live there.]
[Though I'm curious how you already knew that.]
Alex smirked slightly, a faint hint of humor appearing despite everything happening around him.
'Looks like all those late-night webnovel readings finally paid off.'
'At least I can save my friends…'
Even so, a small feeling of guilt remained buried deep inside him, refusing to completely disappear.
He couldn't save Earth.
Not yet.
'Then I'll just have to become stronger…'
'Strong enough to never face this situation again.'
Alex looked back at his friends, his expression firm as he continued explaining.
"The planet Avory is different from Earth."
"Humans there are physically stronger."
"They fight these creatures bare-handed… just like I did."
None of them interrupted him, their attention fully focused on his words despite the shock.
"So I'm going to take you there."
"We'll start a new life."
"From zero."
He looked at their faces carefully, reading every reaction as they processed his words.
They looked shocked.
Confused.
Curious.
And slightly suspicious.
Alex raised his hands quickly.
"Before you ask—no."
"I'm not from that planet."
"And no, I didn't cause this disaster."
"If you want, you can ask me anything."
The three of them narrowed their eyes briefly.
Then suddenly—
They laughed.
"Hahaha!"
Liam wiped his tears while laughing, the tension finally breaking apart.
"You really are Alex!"
Julie nodded, smiling through her tears.
"You still panic and explain things awkwardly just like in college!"
Lucy smiled warmly, her trust clear.
"Yeah… we believe you."
"So take us with you."
Liam stretched slightly, trying to lighten the mood further.
"I still haven't gotten married."
"My parents kept nagging me every day to marry a beautiful woman."
"I refuse to die before fulfilling their last wish."
Julie and Lucy burst into laughter, the heavy atmosphere finally lifting just a little.
Lucy nodded firmly.
"Yeah… let's go."
"Take us there, Alex."
Alex stepped forward.
"So… are you ready?"
"Ready to start a completely new life?"
"A life where we know no one…"
"And have to learn everything from scratch?"
They nodded together, their expressions now filled with determination.
"Yes."
"We're ready."
Alex smiled.
Then he spoke inside his mind.
'Okay System… do your thing.'
[Omni Travel Activated.]
[Destination: Planet Avory via Pocket Dimension.]
Lucy, Liam, and Julie vanished first, disappearing instantly as if erased from the world.
In a single moment—
Alex was left alone.
Silence filled the ruined land, stretching endlessly across the broken remains of what was once a thriving world.
The distant fires of destroyed cities burned across the horizon, thick black smoke rising slowly into the darkening sky.
The once familiar world had become completely unrecognizable.
Alex slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the land one final time.
Broken buildings.
Collapsed roads.
And in the distance—
The echoes of monstrous roars.
He clenched his fists slightly, emotion quietly building beneath his calm exterior.
For a moment—
He said nothing.
Then he whispered softly.
"Thank you… Earth."
His voice was quiet, almost carried away by the wind.
"Thank you for protecting me…"
"My friends…"
"And my mom…"
His chest tightened slightly, memories surfacing briefly before fading again.
"But right now…"
"I'm too weak."
A bitter smile appeared on his face, one filled with both acceptance and frustration.
"But one day…"
His eyes sharpened, a faint but unbreakable determination burning within them.
"I will come back."
"And when I do…"
"I won't be this weak anymore."
The wind blew softly across the empty land, carrying ash and dust through the silent ruins.
His body slowly began dissolving into countless particles of light, fading from existence piece by piece.
Before completely disappearing, Alex spoke one final time.
"I promise…"
"I will restore this world."
And then—
His figure vanished completely.
Leaving the broken Earth behind.