There Is No World For ■■

Between Life and Death, Seti Was a Star.

Beyond the distant sensation, she was a star in the night sky, full of incomprehensible emptiness.

Suddenly, as she regained consciousness, she looked around.

Stars, like her, sparkled from various places, and lost souls flowed through the Milky Way, forming a stream.

After observing the far-off stars, Seti began to count the ones closest to her.

The stars nearest to her were five clustered together, all of them looking downward, not even sparing a glance at their surroundings.

"Is something interesting happening down there?"

Seti was about to turn her head down to follow them, when she met the gaze of a nightmare-like star, one pieced together with corpses.

It glared at her, as though it had lost something.

"What, what are you going to do about it?"

Seti reflexively narrowed her eyes, and the corpse star, looking displeased, retreated.

As the star disappeared into the empty space, a comet with a long tail poked its head out.

A comet glowing with a familiar light.

However, as soon as the comet saw her, it freaked out and began to flee. From the distance, she thought she could hear the words, "What the hell—."

"...A comet cursing? I must've misheard."

Seti stared at the retreating comet in disbelief. And it wasn’t just her who was watching its back.

A long, round body, solar panels spread like wings, and the distinctly engraved American flag.

"What should I call that? An American satellite? A reconnaissance satellite?"

Seti tilted her head, observing the satellite turning its body toward her.

Just as her image was about to enter the camera range of the satellite, a small star covered with sand suddenly intruded between Seti and the camera. It was as though it was desperately trying to shield her from the satellite.

"What's going on?" Seti was about to ask, but the sand star whispered to her first.

“Go down? Where to?”

The sand star did not respond. There was no need to.

In the next moment, Seti fell toward the ground.

****

The Control Room, Where Time Stopped in the Starry Sky,

Seti fell and... woke up dead.

It was a strange sound, but she couldn't think of a better expression.

Her body was pierced by a spear, dead on the floor, yet her consciousness was floating in the air, detached.

‘What is this?’

Seti sighed softly as she looked at her cold body.

If it were a dream, it was too vivid, and if it were a dying vision, it was too noisy.

As she pondered the cause, she suddenly realized something strange about her corpse and furrowed her brow.

Surprisingly, her body was still alive.

Well, from a medical perspective, it might as well be dead.

All her veins were twisted, her organs ruined, and her heart had completely exploded.

If she were a doctor, she would have written a death certificate without a second glance. Cause of death: multiple organ failure and excessive bleeding.

Yet, despite that, the only reason she could still be considered "alive" was because the Saint was performing a miraculous healing.

Like pouring water into a leaky barrel, squeezing all of her mana to perform the miracle.

‘...She’s something else.’

Seti bitterly smiled as she looked at the Saint’s face. The beautiful face was ruined by tear-soaked bandages and blood.

And that face wasn't so different from her sister’s.

Seeing her weeping with eyes full of tears, Seti felt a slight sense of guilt.

Of course, there was no regret. Throwing herself for the Saint was the most rational choice.

While thinking this, Seti turned her head and, upon seeing Yeomyeong’s face, slightly opened her mouth.

He didn’t scream like her sister, nor cry loudly like the Saint.

He simply closed his mouth, swallowing the rising sadness within himself.

Like wood burning in the fire, calm and self-destructive sorrow.

Seti felt both sadness and joy at once.

Seeing Yeomyeong sad made her heart ache, but knowing that she would be remembered by him as someone precious for life made her happy.

It was a filthy and gloomy joy, but she didn’t mind.

In fact, she regretted not doing something even filthier before dying.

Was time starting again? No, no. Only Yeomyeong was moving.

Seti, with a bit of hope, locked eyes with him.

But unfortunately, Yeomyeong couldn’t see her.

Instead, her eyes were seeing something she had never seen before.

Beneath his golden eyes, Yeomyeong’s thoughts, or emotions, were swirling.

It was a stunning sight. His pain and resolve sparkled like jewels, and his sorrow crashed over his body like waves.

And there were emotions or memories she didn’t know, twisting and tangling, forming a picture like a comet’s tail.

Once again, his emotions were beautiful. She thought it was fortunate to have died seeing this.

And at the end of all that beauty...

If it were some kind of epiphany, or even if janitors appeared, she wouldn’t have been this flustered.

『Be proud, the first. That is the future you changed.』

****

An Unbelievably Eerie Voice, Not of This World.

As soon as Seti flinched and turned her head, her god slowly emerged from the shadows.

『Did you enjoy watching the night sky?』

『Looks like it wasn’t very interesting. But don’t be disappointed. Something even more fun will unfold soon.』

Mignium said, stepping closer to Seti, and began emitting an enormous shadow from the palm of her hand.

Saaaa-

With an ominous sound, the spreading shadow expanded like an umbrella, covering the control room.

No, was it just spreading widely? It almost seemed like the darkness opened its mouth and swallowed the entire space.

An unreal sight that defied human understanding.

Seti found herself trembling without realizing it, and Mignium gently stroked her cheek. The darkness that touched her skin was chillingly cold.

『Don’t be afraid, this is just a bait to lure a fool who hasn’t paid the toll.』

Seti barely nodded, and silence filled the frozen time.

Then, a moment later.

Mignium turned her head and spoke.

『It’s here.』 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Following her gaze, Seti’s head moved too.

There, standing in the doorway, was Vikoff, fleeing.

A defeated loser. It was an insignificant scene, but Seti’s eyes, unseen by humans, recognized the presence behind Vikoff.

No, recognizing it was an understatement.

What she saw were a star glowing so red it seemed to burn her eyes and a red giant.

‘...What is that?’

As Seti swallowed, Vikoff’s pupils suddenly exploded.

It wasn’t a huge explosion, but the result that followed was by no means light.

!

Through the Darkness Unfurled by Mignium, a Hole Was Made.

It was nothing more than a rat hole drilled into a giant building, but a hole big enough to fit an arm through.

Upon noticing the hole, the red giant literally shoved its arm into the rat hole.

And in the next moment, the veil between reality and unreality tore as the giant’s arm intruded into the real world.

Compared to the giant’s full body, it was a tiny force, but...

Would it be the same for Yeomyeong, who was just now opening his eyes?

Seti, forgetting her fear, tightly grasped Mignium’s arm.

She thought she had to help him, to stop that arm right now.

But Mignium, a step ahead, cut off her words.

『First one, do you not trust the Chosen?』

It was a tone that was hard to tell whether it was an accusation or a joke. Seti forced her mouth open to answer.

“I trust him. More than myself, but...”

『Yet you still wish to help?』

Mignium silently smiled, and in the next moment, the red arm that had emerged from reality struck down upon Yeomyeong.

He babbled on about players and scenarios, but to Seti’s ears, it sounded like a broken radio.

However, she could clearly see the arm pressing down on Yeomyeong.

Blood splattered, and the ground cracked. Usually, she wouldn’t know, but Yeomyeong had already fought many battles. This could be dangerous.

She desperately tried to plead with Mignium once more, but...

『First one, your heart is noble, but you are wrong.』

『Didn’t the five Saints throw their bodies to save you? Then why, when it comes to saving the Chosen, do you seek my help?』

『Is the Saint more important to you than the Chosen?』

At Mignium’s accusation, Seti tried to explain.

She wasn’t saying that. She had acted like that because saving the Saint was the right thing to do.

But her mouth wouldn’t open, as if it were a closed door.

As Seti hesitated, a fist dropped above Yeomyeong’s head.

She watched Yeomyeong, his bones breaking and his body being buried in the ground, as she bit her lip.

What should she do? Should she sacrifice herself again, like when she saved the Saint?

But she was already dead, with only her spirit remaining. If life was a precious commodity, then she was already bankrupt.

What should she do...?

As her thoughts spiraled, the giant’s fists grew stronger.

Thud, thud, thud—!

With each thud, Seti felt a deep sense of helplessness. There was nothing she could do.

It was a familiar helplessness.

When Yeomyeong had gone to fight the Player alone at the academy, when Yeomyeong had fought the skeletal dragon above the city, she had felt this helplessness.

Seti lifted her head to look at Mignium.

“You’re testing me, aren’t you? Please tell me that’s it.”

Her god smiled.

『Yes. A slave who is of no use is unnecessary, and merely believing and waiting is not enough.』

A blatant Zen-like answer. The moment the words ended, Yeomyeong raised his sword to strike the fist.

[!!!]

Following that, the scream ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) of the red giant.

Normally, this would have been a moment to be sure of Yeomyeong’s victory, but Seti could see it clearly.

The enraged giant widened the hole and began pushing its shoulder and upper body into reality.

The suffering and murderous intent of those who died unjustly surged through the darkness, flooding into reality like a tide.

Yeomyeong seemed unaware of it, but Seti held her breath.

They couldn’t fight that. At least not now.

With an almost instinctive certainty, Seti forced her mouth open.

“...Mignium.”

A name Yeomyeong had once called so lightly. But for Seti, just speaking the name made her body tremble.

Mignium smiled with approval.

『Speak.』

“Give me strength.”

『No power comes without a cost. What will you offer in exchange?』

A cost? I’ve already given everything to you and your Chosen. What more do you want from me?

Then, suddenly, an epiphany passed through her mind. But she didn’t have time to process it.

Because the red giant was still pushing its head into the hole.

Seti squeezed her eyes shut and plunged her hand into the shadow gathered on the ground.

The sticky shadow climbed up her arm, and she muttered to Mignium in a frenzy.

“I’ve already given everything! So take it as you please!”

She didn’t add the words “punish me if you must!” before the darkness engulfed her.

『Take it.』

****

Seti felt the shadows around the hole where the red giant was burrowing.

Mignium’s power flowed through her veins, and the shadows moved in accordance with her words.

She could do this.

Following her certainty and will, the shadows moved.

The giant, startled by the shadows covering the hole, tried to pull back, but it was already too late.

No matter how fast the giant was, it couldn’t be faster than the shadows that filled the surrounding space.

The space closed following the shadows, and the boundary between reality and unreality was sliced away.

[Ugh!]

The giant, its left arm and half of its head severed, staggered and fell beyond the unreal.

Behind the fallen giant was a star dripping with blood, and the giant shouted loudly at it.

[?@#%&*%!!!!]

It wasn’t a language of reality. Seti couldn’t understand the words.

But she could tell the giant was demanding something, and the star had refused.

[How dare you use me...! Were you just like the five gods?!]

If that weren’t the case, the giant wouldn’t have screamed like that.

Anyway, the betrayed giant, filled with rage, vanished into the darkness beyond unreality.

Its arm still remained in reality, but Seti didn’t care.

One arm without a head, Yeomyeong would easily deal with it.

...She had stopped it.

As Seti sighed in relief, the star that had been looking between the giant’s retreating back and her left an incomprehensible word.

『⬛⬛』

Startled, Seti looked up, but the blood-stained star had already vanished.