The World After the Fall - Chapter 116

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The World After the Fall ◈

Chapter 116: Episode 17. 500 Years of Destruction (3)

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[You have entered the ‘Metaverse Sixth Floor’.]

[The foundational Worldview of this floor is 『500 Years Ago, the Age of Great Revolution』.]

Andersen muttered in an odd voice.

[Great Revolution, my ass.]

Naturally, every tragedy turned into a story once enough time had passed. But not everyone could enjoy that story.

[Nothing changed, so what kind of Great Revolution was it?]

Soon, the Task for the Metaverse Sixth Floor appeared.

Task: Destroy ??.

Time Limit: ?? days

Reward: Seventh Floor admission ticket, 10,000 trust, and ???

“Destroy...”

[The world is already ruined. What is even left to destroy?]

Andersen grumbled as though the whole thing was absurd.

[This is the eighth floor I once challenged. All the passengers who were alive back then either died off or ran to other floors.]

Sure enough, there was not a single living soul anywhere in sight. All they could see was an ash-gray sky and thick snow steadily piling up.

Jaehwan and Runald walked across the snowfield, leaving soft tracks behind them. After some time, lights appeared in the distance as if by magic. One by one, more lights sprang up, until they were brightly illuminating the snowfield.

Soft light lined a long fence. It was a village.

Runald called out happily.

“It looks like there are people.”

“We should go take a look.”

“But the reviews earlier said not to enter villages... It should be okay, right?”

If the reviews had warned them off, there had to be a reason. Still, they could not just ignore a village that had appeared like such an obvious clue.

After pushing through the snow for a while, they reached the village entrance.

“Who goes there?”

The one guarding the entrance was a middle-aged man wearing nothing but a rough pair of leather trousers despite the dead of winter. The man’s hairy belly was fully exposed as he leveled a spear threateningly at Jaehwan.

“You bastards...”

Jaehwan slowly moved a hand toward the hilt of his sword. But the moment he gripped it, he felt something strange.

‘Andersen?’

A twisted sensation rose from the tips of his toes. Andersen’s emotions were surging into him.

“Hey.”

Before Jaehwan could say anything, World Power began flowing from his entire body. It was not Jaehwan’s own World Power. It was warm, like a grandmother telling a story to her granddaughter. It was Andersen’s.

Then the middle-aged man’s expression changed.

The man suddenly began trembling all over. Dropping the spear, the man took one step, then another, toward Jaehwan. Rough hands slowly grasped Jaehwan’s as they shook pitifully. As though unable to believe it, the man’s massive body slowly crumpled right in front of Jaehwan.

“Andersen-nim? Could it be... Andersen-nim?”

Jaehwan frowned and tried to pull his hand away, but Andersen, staring down at the man, muttered in a dazed voice.

[Hans?]

* * *

The man called Hans guided Jaehwan and Runald into the village. Lights burned here and there, but the village still felt bleak and desolate.

“This way, please.”

Just as Andersen had said, she seemed to be quite famous in this tower. The man led the Allies into his home and set out warm tea with an easy smile. It was not as good as what Vertus had served, but it still carried a kind of simple sincerity.

“It’s really good!”

“You must be Andersen-nim’s new Follower.”

Hans smiled broadly and patted Runald on the head.

“Are you Andersen-nim’s new Vicegerent?”

“No-”

“At last... you’ve returned to the tower.”

Jaehwan felt Andersen squirming, trying to come out, and let out a long sigh.

Andersen quickly spoke through Jaehwan’s mouth.

[Hans.]

“Andersen-nim.”

The moment Hans heard Andersen’s voice directly, emotion flooded the man’s face again. There was not a trace of hostility there. All Jaehwan could feel from Hans was boundless trust.

[What in the world are you doing here?]

“Pardon? I’ve simply... been living. As you can see, it’s modest, but we’ve been getting by happily enough.”

[But you...]

Andersen tried to speak several times, then hesitated.

It was as if she was afraid to confirm something by asking.

[What about the others?]

“It’s dawn, so they’ve all gone out for labor by now.”

[Who else is here?]

“There are many. They’ll all be glad to see you, Andersen-nim.”

[Who’s here?]

“Hmm, Christian, Marianne, and...”

As the names flowed from Hans’s mouth, Jaehwan felt Andersen’s vision tremble. He did not need to ask. Every one of those names meant something important to Andersen.

‘Are they your friends?’

Instead of answering Jaehwan, Andersen asked Hans another question.

[What do you mean by labor? Who’s making you work here?]

“Ah, it’s work we do of our own accord. Just the effort needed to maintain this world.”

At Hans’s utterly untroubled tone, Andersen fell silent for a moment.

That was when they sensed movement outside the door.

Hans checked the time, then rose from his seat as if the timing was perfect.

“They should be back about now.”

When they followed Hans outside, they saw crowds returning from beyond the village carrying huge loads. There were dozens of people pushing through the snowfall toward them.

Hans waved, and the villagers waved back from afar.

[What are they bringing?]

“Mineral materials left in the ruins, and the carcasses of monsters hunted nearby.”

[What for?]

“That is-”

Before Hans could answer, a Door appeared in midair some dozens of meters away. It was different from the Door Jaehwan and Runald had used to come here.

[That Door...]

Andersen recognized it immediately. It was not the Door an Attendant provided when moving from a lower floor to a higher floor.

That was a ‘Door’ that could only be purchased from the [Paid Part Shop].

“They’re Harvesters.”

As Hans spoke, two passengers emerged from the Door. At a glance, both were decked out in flashy Parts and stylish Skins.

Jaehwan recognized what they were too. Most likely, they were high-floor passengers who had come down from the residential districts above the Seventh Floor.

Then he heard low voices murmuring.

“Damn, I always feel like shit whenever I come here.”

“No choice. If we want to fill the quota, we have to sweep through this place too.”

“I heard the owner of this worksite is a total nutcase.”

“Have you ever seen one of those survivors from the ‘500 Years’ who was sane?”

The Harvesters chatted lightly among themselves, then seized an approaching villager by the scruff of the neck.

“Hey. What’s today’s haul?”

“This is all we have.”

“You messing with me?”

One Harvester kicked over the harvest basket and scowled viciously.

“What am I supposed to make with this? This isn’t even enough to make five enhancement stones.”

“Hey. Don’t touch these people. If something happens-”

“If something happens, what? That ‘madman’ isn’t even around anyway. What, you think I’m a joke?”

“Harvesters-nim! We are sorry!”

Hans had already run over and was bowing over and over as he gathered the spilled minerals back into the overturned basket.

“There just haven’t been many monsters appearing these past few days, so if you could please understand a little...”

“Then fill the gap with something else.”

“By something else, you mean...?”

The Harvester smiled and pointed at a trembling man and woman in the crowd.

“You and you. You’re coming up with us this time.”

“Hey. I told you, you’re not supposed to siphon off the ones here.”

“You damn coward. They’re just empty shells anyway. You think anyone would even notice if one or two disappeared? Hey. Get over here. Now.”

The villagers who had been singled out only stood there hesitating. The Harvester’s expression hardened, and the Harvester strode toward them. The one who stepped in front to stop that was Hans.

“Harvesters-nim. Please stop. If you keep this up, then we also-”

“You also what?”

Hans’s eyes wavered. A dangerous aura was pouring from the Harvester.

“You think I look easy because I bothered answering you nicely?”

“N-No, that isn’t-”

“You godless bastards.”

At those words, sparks flew in Hans’s eyes for the first time. The Harvester’s lips twisted with amusement at the sight of Hans’s blazing stare.

“What? You want to try me?”

The Harvester, two handspans shorter than Hans, reached out and grabbed Hans by the shoulder. A moment later, Hans’s shoulder began burning, wrapped in red energy. Hans’s face twisted in pain. But Hans neither groaned nor screamed.

“This is fun. You’re going to endure it?”

As the Harvester’s grip tightened, Hans was gradually forced lower and lower. Hans’s bloodless lips swelled as if they might burst, and the man’s whole body trembled in agony.

Then, at some point, the Harvester’s amused face froze. An unfamiliar figure was standing right behind Hans.

The Harvester frowned.

“What are you?”

The Harvester’s words did not reach the man. Right now, there was only one voice the man could hear.

[Jaehwan.]

‘Do whatever you want.’

Andersen moved through Jaehwan’s body. Moving at a speed almost too fast to see, Andersen closed the distance and grabbed the right hand that had been crushing Hans’s shoulder.

“You little-”

Startled, the Harvester flared up with World Power. But even in the face of those flames, Andersen did not suffer so much as a scratch.

Using pure strength alone, Andersen tore the Harvester’s hand away from Hans and asked,

[Are you lackeys of the Alliance?]

The Harvester did not answer, and instead swung the other fist.

「Ignition Explosion」

It was a fist clearly carrying a powerful enhancement-type Setting.

Just before the flaming fist could explode against Jaehwan’s head, Andersen spoke.

[Half comes off.]

‘No-’

Before Jaehwan could reply, his upper body was stripped bare. And exactly as much as had been stripped away, Andersen’s World Power surged.

Crack.

The Harvester, both fists now caught, stared in disbelief.

“How... Why are you taking off your clothes-”

Red energy welled up behind the Harvester, and beyond that red glow, someone’s gaze could be felt.

[Plamers, God of Fire, has sensed your presence!]

That being was likely the Harvester’s Contract God.

[Plamers, God of Fire, is glaring at you intently.]

[Plamers?]

[Plamers, God of Fire, is burning with rage!]

[Did that insignificant bastard’s retainer just lay hands on my children?]

“I’ll kill you! Mason! Get over here!”

“That’s one hell of a Vicegerent! Full power!”

Apparently both were Followers of the same god. The moment both of their World Power exploded at once, Andersen had no choice but to let go of the Harvester’s hands for an instant. Pulling back, the two Harvesters shot their hands toward the air at the same time.

“God of Fire!”

A circular formation took shape around the two Harvesters, and fiery energy surged as it began to cover the surrounding area.

It was like watching demonic fire swallow the entire vicinity. Jaehwan had certainly seen something similar before, when fighting Belkain’s Apostles on a lower floor, but this was different.

Something dangerous was about to happen.

Then a page turned inside Jaehwan’s mind.

Mulack’s memory, 『Record of the Abyss』.

「Unlike the Lords placed under ‘Big Brother,’ every god in the Abyss possesses a unique Worldview. And they have an ultimate method of battle that makes use of that Worldview-」

A small colony of flame was descending before their eyes.

「That is the manifestation of a Worldview. Sanctuary Manifestation.」

Plamers, God of Fire.

Sanctuary Manifestation.

Fiendfire Colony.

The area within roughly ten meters was completely covered in a forest of fire. Flames spread beneath their feet like grass, stinging and searing Jaehwan’s entire body.

Jaehwan realized what this ability was.

Unique World.

It was exactly the same ability as the Unique World of a third-stage Awakened One. The only difference was that this world possessed real physical force and could directly harm its target.

The men standing at the center of the colony were breathing hard, but they were already smiling as though victory was certain.

「Only within a Sanctuary does a ‘god’ finally become an omnipotent being.」

The Harvester pointed at Jaehwan.

“Die.”

The moment that declaration fell, someone stepped in front of Jaehwan.

“You can’t!”

It was Hans.

“A-Andersen-nim...”

Hans’s body began to burn. Unlike before, this was an uncontrollable blaze. The texture of the burning World Power was different.

The moment Jaehwan saw those flames, he understood as well.

This fire would not go out easily.

And then Jaehwan’s hand blocked the flames. But the fire immediately began climbing higher, burning even Jaehwan’s hand.

Andersen declared,

[Jaehwan. Take it all off.]

‘I said no-’

[And spend some trust too.]

Jaehwan felt the trust he possessed turning into white light. Andersen swallowed that light whole. In the next instant, brilliant white radiance poured from Jaehwan’s eyes.

Andersen slowly opened her mouth.

Once upon a time, long ago,

there lived a Naked God.

Along with that single line of song, green wild grass spread across the ground where Jaehwan stood.

A tiny patch of land, the only place untouched at the center of the choking blaze.

Jaehwan realized it at once. This small strip of earth was Andersen’s Sanctuary.

Andersen’s gaze turned to the Harvester. One step, then another. Andersen slowly began moving forward. The flames went out wherever her steps touched.

She hated clothes,

so she lived her whole life bare.

The Harvester kept pointing and shouting, “Die!” over and over. But the flames could not even brush Jaehwan’s skin before they guttered out.

By then, Jaehwan had already walked right up to the Harvester. In a trembling voice, the Harvester asked,

“H-How... without even manifesting...?”

[There’s no need for manifestation.]

Andersen smiled white.

[This world is already my Sanctuary.]

Jaehwan’s hand seized the Harvester’s head.

[Strip.]

The Harvester’s body was torn to pieces together with the clothes.

Jaehwan was genuinely startled by the horrific sight.

The scale was different, but it was like looking at Catastrophe of 《Chaos》.

At that moment, another page began turning inside Jaehwan’s mind.

「If there is only one thing I regret after ascending to the ‘Abyss,’ it is that I never got to meet the ‘god’ said to have inherited the Ancient God’s Setting.」

...What?

「A level 1 variable designated by the Seven Divine Thrones. One of the candidates among the high-grade gods said to be closest to the ‘Seven Divine Thrones’... the Naked God, ‘Andersen’.」

Who would have thought Mulack’s 『Record of the Abyss』 would contain an account of Andersen?

“S-Spare me... Please spare me.”

The other Harvester staggered back, muttering, and by then had already summoned a Door to flee to the upper floor.

Instead of stopping the Harvester, Andersen declared in a voice cold enough to freeze.

[Tell the Alliance. ‘Andersen’ has returned.]

The moment the Harvester vanished, the brushfire around them also went out with smoking wisps. Hans, the big man with red-rimmed eyes, was staring at Jaehwan.

Green wild grass had bloomed over the ruins. Hans glanced over that grass, then staggered forward.

“Andersen-nim.”

Clutching Jaehwan’s burn-marked hand, Hans was crying.

“You are... far too late.”

The voice came out thick, as if something were caught in the throat.

And then Jaehwan realized. These were not Andersen’s friends.

[Hans.]

Andersen’s tenth Apostle, Hans, was crying.

Then a plump man with permed hair waddled forward. Both cheeks bulged as if the man had been chewing something. Cheeks trembling, the man muttered as though unable to believe it.

“Is it really you, Andersen-nim?”

[Christian.]

Andersen’s seventh Apostle, Christian.

Behind Christian stood a red-haired woman wearing an eyepatch, both hands calmly folded together.

“You have returned, Andersen-nim.”

[Marianne.]

Andersen’s fourth Apostle, Marianne.

“You haven’t forgotten us.”

Seeing the people who had formed a circle around them before anyone noticed, Jaehwan finally understood who they all were.

They were all Andersen’s former Followers.

Followers who had waited five hundred years for their god. To anyone watching, it would have been a profoundly moving sight.

It should have been.

[There was not a single moment in all my life when I forgot any of you.]

It felt as though the balance of the world was creaking out of place.

Then memories began flowing into Jaehwan’s mind.

「“Andersen-nim. Please run. We’ll hold this place.”」

[Hans.]

「“Andersen-nim. Thank you for everything until now.”」

[Marianne.]

「“Please save me, Andersen-nim. I don’t want to die. Please. Please!”」

[Christian.]

The fury of a distant god that had endured for five hundred years spread across the white snowfield.

[Who turned all of you into Dolls?]

Everyone in this village had already died five hundred years ago.

[The Task has been updated.]

Task: Destroy the ‘world’.

Time Limit: 14 days

Reward: Seventh Floor admission ticket, 10,000 trust, and ???

Five hundred years ago, Andersen fought to protect this world.

And now, five hundred years later.

She had come as this world’s ‘destruction’.

Footnotes:

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