Noah stood with her back to the black sun.
The Nameless One’s body began to tremble violently at the sight of her.
The black sun. It was the symbol of the Nameless One, and all they had ever raised was merely to obscure the sun’s light in a desire to mock Lilith.
They tried to completely deny that sun, but could not. The power left behind by Lilith was an insurmountable wall.
Even after finishing their complete mythology, that sun could not be denied. Therefore, they were forced to either use or mimic the power Lilith had left behind.
But now.
Now, the black sun hovering before them was not something raised to mock.
They realized that everything about them had been denied in an instant.
The sun. Everything about Lilith.
That tiny human had surpassed them.
The very existence meant to devour gods could not overcome something so tiny.
How on earth had the human surpassed them?
They wanted to ask.
They wanted to vocalize their doubts.
They wanted to hear the answer.
But it was impossible.
They knew that, even if they asked, no answer would return.
Their body, soaked in fear, despair, and dread, could not utter a word.
A faint sigh could be heard.
That breath dispersed, and the Great Sword was raised up.
[Um, wait… hold on…]
From the strange substance that made up the Nameless One’s form, an arm sprouted. Noah’s face scrunched up at the grotesque and unsettling sight.
Cursing inwardly, they changed the arm’s shape. They transformed their body into Rubia’s appearance.
That was the worst mistake.
“Don’t.”
A quiet whisper.
At the same time, their body shattered into pieces.
They didn’t swing the Great Sword. They didn’t even move. It wasn’t that they couldn’t see; Noah didn’t move. Yet, despite that, the Nameless One’s body split apart.
They couldn’t even scream. All means of making sound had been obliterated.
Thus, the Nameless One, left with only a head, desperately flailed and licked the pool of divine power that had pooled on the ground. However, what remained was Noah’s divine power. They felt a pain so overwhelming it felt like they might lose consciousness, yet somehow managed to absorb it.
That was the body they barely formed.
A body that was only a grotesque bug.
While it was insignificant and trivial for a body, it was the best they could achieve right now.
[Um, please, Noah, listen to me…]
Noah narrowed her eyes.
Immediately, the tone and voice changed.
They bowed their head and curled their body.
[Please, listen to me…]
It was a posture that seemed to abandon all pride.
It was humiliating. Self-loathing enveloped them completely.
Their teeth ground together, but they concealed it and continued speaking.
[No matter what else, if I’m gone, this world will be truly endangered…]
It wasn’t an excuse to buy time.
It was a plea for survival.
In this moment, where everything was denied, the Nameless One could do nothing.
Even if Noah agreed to spare them, they would have to endure eons longer than all their years just to regain their strength.
Still, the Nameless One wanted to live.
They couldn’t tell if it was instinct, desire, or emotion, but they wanted to live.
[A world without a god… is merely good prey for the divine beings of another dimension, Outsiders… just as I… did…]
It wasn’t a lie.
Truly, a world without gods becomes dangerous.
It would be reduced to a world like a sandcastle before a wave.
Of course, the human before them.
Noah had obtained divinity. This meant she met the conditions to become a god.
But a human is a human.
Not something that has existed as a god since the beginning, but a new existence.
Something that other gods would look down on, easily poke at, and view as good prey.
So.
[I’ll… help you. If you can’t trust me… I’ll hand over all my dignity… Please…]
Without finishing the words, they lifted their head slightly to glance at Noah.
Her expression was calm. It was unreadable.
And that made them all the more scared.
Those red eyes reminiscent of an abyss.
Eyes that seemed oblivious to the ground.
In that suffocating abyss, the Nameless One quickly bowed their head.
[Please, I beg of you…]
After a long moment.
Noah finally spoke.
“…Uh.”
The Nameless One jolted, their body trembling as they listened closely.
The sound that reached them was.
Scritch—
The sound of something being cut.
The sound of the Nameless One’s body being sliced apart.
The sound of their existence being obliterated.
Past, future, and everything built up until now shattered into pieces.
And then.
“Rubia has awakened.”
Her words, seemingly without a care for the Nameless One, meant nothing.
Upon hearing that, the Nameless One raised their head.
With a rapidly dissolving body, they looked ahead.
There stood Noah, turning her back with a smile.
Only the mocking black sun shimmered ominously behind her.
*
I said I would definitely kill it, so I still have no idea why I’m letting it explain itself.
The reason I stood still while it spoke was that I thought Rubia’s consciousness would soon return.
Once she awakened, I was worried about what to say, not whether to spare it or listen to it.
Anyway.
Having confirmed its demise, I turned away without hesitation. It wasn’t worth seeing.
From the beginning, it was never my opponent.
What I truly had to face was ‘myself’ and another individual.
No one else mattered.
I was a bit angry at the actions that could have harmed Rubia during the encounter, but the moment she awoke, the moment I heard her soft breath, the sound of her stirring.
Everything melted away like snow.
Splosh—
Once my feet hit the ground, I hid my body from Rubia’s gaze, which was scanning the surroundings.
I wrapped the dark energy around myself like a curtain, looking down below.
…It’s a mess.
My clothes are tattered, and the wounds are severe.
Especially my right arm. It’s in such bad shape, after being shoved into the mouth of the Nameless One, that I was starting to think it might fall off.
Blood dripped continuously.
What do I do…? Rubia will be really worried if she sees me.
Moreover, this place now looks extremely ominous, with its dark red divine realm.
The black sun floating in the sky.
No matter how I look at it, it seems like the thought of winning a battle is far outmatched by the sense that the world has ended.
Of course, it was all my doing.
But… I don’t know how to erase it.
Even if I could erase it, if my divine realm disappears along with the Nameless One’s divine realm, I wouldn’t know what might emerge.
I can’t get rid of it.
I wish I could do something about that black sun.
I only obscured the sun’s light because the Nameless One seemed like it was up to something foul… so why did it turn into a black sun?
And why isn’t it disappearing?
I wanted to greet Rubia in a bright place, welcoming her with warm sunlight.
…It’s all ruined.
Besides, if Rubia, who knows nothing about this situation, were to see this place, she would be shocked.
So, I need to hurry and reassure her… but I look like this… ugh…
For now… let’s stop the bleeding first.
I put down the sword in my hand and pressed my palm against the wound.
It hurt enough to make me scream, but I bit down and swallowed the pain.
One by one, I forced my wounds to close, rubbing the blood on my hands onto the ground.
Staring at my reflection in the puddle of blood, I softened the tight muscles of my face.
I relaxed my tightly closed lips and puffed air into my cheeks, loosening them.
Now, I was somewhat ready to go.
So… should I close my eyes and surprise her? Or should I walk in with my eyes open from the start?
What could possibly surprise Rubia more?
While I was contemplating this.
“…Noah?”
Rubia called my name and began to rise, looking straight at the direction where I stood.
She looked like she could collapse at any moment, swaying precariously.
Seeing that, I instinctively dashed towards Rubia.
“Ah, ugh… ah…”
My heart started to pound thump-thump like crazy.
It wasn’t from running or exhaustion.
Everything had come to an end.
All the battles ended.
While unresolved issues remained.
But for now, right now.
Rubia no longer needed to die.
Rubia didn’t have to sacrifice herself.
Rubia wouldn’t cry.
Rubia could smile.
Rubia could greet tomorrow.
Rubia could, Rubia could, Rubia could, Rubia could.
Rubia could be happy.
I saved Rubia.
I,
I,
I saved Rubia.
With that thought, that outcome, that feeling.
My heart, my mind, my body burned with excitement.
I struggled to breathe.
My vision fogged over.
I wanted to call out Rubia’s name, but the breath that had filled my throat, the emotions that choked me, prevented the words from escaping.
The forced wounds I had closed burst open.
Drops of blood that left my traces splattered everywhere.
Even so, I kept running.
“No, ah…”
Rubia walked towards me.
She ran, swaying but refusing to stop.
She wasn’t scared in this place.
She wasn’t surprised. She wasn’t worried.
Did she know this was my creation?
Did she realize that the ominous hues surrounding us originated from me?
I hoped so.
No, she would.
Rubia would know.
Because she is Rubia.
My beloved Rubia.
The Rubia who loves me.
That thought, that truth, made the corners of my mouth lift.
I didn’t even need to loosen my stiff face.
Simply seeing Rubia’s face, thinking of her smile, recalling her warmth, her scent.
It would come naturally.
It would make me smile spontaneously.
“Rub… ia… Rubia, Rubia!”
I shouted desperately for her name.
I didn’t stop my feet.
Rubia stood still.
She waited for me.
Her arms were open, ready to embrace me.
Would she be able to accept me even when she’s so weak?
If I threw my body onto her, could she withstand it?
I didn’t know. I wasn’t sure… but it seemed like I would be happy even if I fell, wrapped in her arms, rolling on the ground.
Still, I had to make sure to protect Rubia from pain the moment I fell.
Four steps.
I saw Rubia’s face clearly.
She was crying, her lips quivering, tightly shut, twitching, calling my name.
Three steps.
Her scent brushed against my nose.
Mixed with the stink of blood, but still a heavenly aroma.
My face contorted. It twisted hideously.
I didn’t care. No matter how I looked, Rubia would love me. So I ran, tears streaming down my face and snot dripping.
Two steps.
Rubia smiled. Brightly.
Her laughter illuminated this dark void, an area where not even a ray of light penetrated, shining only for me.
It was directed solely at me.
One step.
Holding onto that last step, I—
Thud!
“Ugh…!”
I collapsed, not into Rubia’s arms, but onto the bare ground.
