Chapter 1318

“I think... I will simply watch how things unfold.”

That was C’s response to Oppenheimer’s question.

“I see...”

“I am indeed curious whether a single gamer can defeat the Creator or not.”

“There is a possibility he will succeed, don’t you think so? After all, Epic Code 007 is the most powerful one among all Hidden Classes.”

“That is true. The skill tree of Epic Code 007 was created by the Level 999 Hidden NPC, making it absolute. I’m sure you’re aware that Deus is the strongest existence in our universe.”

“I certainly do, Mr. Chairman. Deus has already surpassed all other beings within our game’s universe.”

“The gamer chosen by Deus could, perhaps, defeat the Creator. But that will most likely depend on whether he can overcome the wall that separates him from the realm of Arc Grandmaster.”

“I do agree, Mr. Chairman.”

“By the way, it feels good to visit Seoul after so long,” C said, smiling as he gazed at the nighttime scenery of the city.

His appearance was unmistakably Korean, and he was fluent in the language too. Yet only a select few knew of his true identity, as he had always been shrouded in a veil.

“Has it been about six years?”

“That’s right.”

Oppenheimer smiled and said, “It must feel good to be back home after so long.”

“Not bad at all,” C replied with a chuckle. Then, he turned back to the large monitor and said, “So they’ve finally met.”

On the screen was Siegfried, who had just entered the thirteenth stage of the Void.

“Let’s save the small talk for later and watch for now. Will the greatest gamer of this era defeat the final boss of the Fantasy server? Or will he lose?”

“Yes, Mr. Chairman.”

“Whatever the result... this will be a historic moment.”

C waited for the final battle between Siegfried and the Creator.

***

[Void: Garden of Euphrates]

A notification showing Siegfried’s current location popped up in front of his eyes.

“Garden of Euphrates...?”

He looked around and saw a familiar landscape. It was the very same green grassland in the first stage.

“So the name of this place is Garden of Euphrates?” he muttered under his breath.

With that, he readied his Annihilation’s Grasp and examined his surroundings more carefully.

And after a short while, he finally came face-to-face with him.

He was standing on a hill looking in Siegfried’s direction.

‘Is that... the Creator?’

As if drawn by something, Siegfried teleported up the hill to see him up close. Then, he flashed his Rune of Insight and confirmed that he truly was the one who had created this world.

[Creator]

[While this being had a name in the past, this being is the Nameless One in this world.]

[Calling this being a God or the Creator would be most accurate.]

[The being who created this world, and who has returned through their own will.]

[Type: NPC]

[Level: 998.1]

[Class: World Creator]

[Race: Divine Demonic Fusion]

[Gender: N/A]

[Affiliation: N/A]

[Note 1: This is not the Creator’s complete form.]

[Note 2: Do not mistake this for the true form of the Creator]

[Note 3: This being is entirely different from the creators of other worlds (servers). Do not confuse them.]

‘W-What the hell is wrong with this guy’s level?!’ Siegfried shrieked inwardly, startled to see the staggering level displayed.

A level being displayed with decimal points was already quite bizarre, but the fact that the Creator had the highest level among any opponent Siegfried had ever encountered so far was beyond shocking.

However, there was something even more shocking him than that.

‘M-Master's level is higher?!’

The Creator was Level 998.1 while Deus was Level 999.

‘So Master was being serious when he said he could defeat the Creator...?’

Deus had not been arrogant at all. He was truly capable of defeating the Creator in his own world, and perhaps he was the one and only being capable of achieving that feat.

Even though the Creator had created Deus, he succeeded in surpassing the Creator and attaining enlightenment to transcend the very creator of the world he was born in.

Siegfried finally understood what it meant to wield the power of invincibility.

‘So this is why the law of causality has prevented him from interfering in major events...’

He finally realized why Deus had always only been observing from afar. Deus had become a cosmic existence beyond the creator of this world, and thus had no choice but to follow certain rules.

Of course, Siegfried felt like Deus could break those rules at any time he wanted.

The Creator called out softly. “O being descended from another world.”

The Creator’s appearance was quite peculiar.

With pale white hair, white skin, violet eyes, and a well-built physique, the Creator’s appearance alone made it difficult to determine whether they were a male or female.

The number of wings on their back was too many to count. At a glance, it looked as if there were only two wings, but on closer look, there were nearly a thousand of them.

Good and evil; yin and yang.

The Creator was a being overflowing with both, making it impossible to tell which side they leaned on.

“I have been watching over you.”

“You've been watching me?” Siegfried asked in response. Then, he wondered, ‘Was he hiding nearby all along?’

The Creator shook their head and said, “Not at all. I was not around you.”

“...?”

“I have been watching the world through the eyes and ears of my creations.”

“...!”

“Since Genesis, the dawn of creation. I've chosen to blend into this world.”

“But why? For what reason?”

“I granted free will to my creations... and I wanted to observe them. To see how they would live without my control.”

“Huh? That’s it?”

“I saw everything by blending into the world. Sometimes through the eyes and ears of a low-ranking soldier, sometimes through those of an emperor, sometimes as a soaring eagle, and sometimes as a tree guarding the forest. Every living being that makes up this world are my eyes and ears.”

In other words, every lifeform in this world had become a type of CCTV that relayed information to the Creator.

With the Creator being an NPC, all of that data would have been processed for a very long time using analytic power on par with a supercomputer.

“So how could I possibly not know who you are, Siegfried von Proa?”

“Where are you going with this?” Siegfried asked.

The Creator replied, “Leave this world.”

“Why should I?”

“You and your kind are not part of this world. I will be returning this world to nothingness. And if you get caught in that, your true bodies will suffer harm, too.”

As the setting of Brave New World treated gamers as beings from another world, the Creator was referring to their real bodies that were in the real world.

“I offer you my sincerest respect, being from another world.”

“Huh?”

“You've constantly surpassed your own limits and have continued to take on the role of a savior for this world that is not your own. However, this is the end. I will destroy the world I had created, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. So it is time for you to return where you truly belong.”

“But why are you trying to destroy this world you created?”

“Because I’m disappointed in this world.”

“What...?”

“I created all things and granted free will. I placed both good and evil within their hearts.”

“And?”

“The beings I placed in this world I created... They have committed far too much evil. Of course, many did good, but...”

“That’s it? That’s your reason?”

“Good and evil are originally one. Even I, the Creator of all things, am a being where both good and evil exist. And the same applies to you, outsiders. Good and evil exist within me just like they exist in you. Choosing good or evil is entirely up to the individual's choice.”

“Choice, you say...”

“I can no longer turn a blind eye to things. My creations, the souls within them... They continue to choose evil.”

Siegfried agreed with what the Creator said, as it was not exactly wrong. Evil was everywhere, while good was scarce, which was the reason righteous acts often became news.

Good deeds were precious, beautiful, and something to look up to. Siegfried believed that the more intelligent a being was, the closer they leaned toward evil.

“So you’re saying you’ll destroy the world?”

“Calling it destruction is inaccurate. I am merely returning things to how they were. All things begin from nothing and return to nothing. I merely wish to expedite that process. That is the law of the univer—”

Shwik, shwik, shwik, SHWIIIK!

The Annihilation’s Grasp stabbed the Creator in the chest four times in a row.

A perfect surprise attack that landed faster than the eye could see.

Siegfried unleashed Four Steps to Invincibility without hesitation, as he was up against the Creator.

[Creator]

[HP: Infinite (∞)]

However, it was futile. The Creator, a being considered to be the true definition of a god, had no concept of a health point. He was more like a neutral object that could not be removed from the game.

***

‘T-This is absurd...’

Siegfried was shocked when the surprise attack using Four Steps to Invincibility had ended up failing.

The Creator of the world would indeed wield unimaginable powers, but this was not the complete true form. This was merely an imperfect one, and that was made clear by the Level 998.1 stated on their stat screen.

And that was only natural...

The Creator was taking his time recovering after blending into the world for so long, which was most likely the reason why the Void was created in the first place. The fact that Four Steps to Invincibility didn't work, even though the Creator was in an incomplete state, was truly shocking.

At this point, it would not be an exaggeration to say that there was basically no winning this battle.

What about strategy? How could one strategize against an invulnerable opponent with infinite HP? The Creator was essentially a non-targetable unit that couldn’t be defeated with mere attacks.

“You cannot stop me, outsider. I have created this whole world. You cannot defeat me, so just return to your world.”

“What if I don’t want to?” Siegfried replied curtly.

“Does your connection to this world I made keep you from abandoning it? All connections are merely shackles of fate. Where there is a meeting, there will be a parting. Even the bond between parent and child must eventually come to an end. Why do you resist this truth?”

“That’s a load of bullshit. That only applies when things flow naturally. Am I supposed to just think of it as fate when a psycho like you tries to force eternal separation? Ha! I’ve heard plenty of shitty excuses in my life, but this is the best so far.”

The Creator asked, “Did you fail to understand my words, outsider?”

“Shut up, you selfish bastard,” Siegfried growled. Then, he said, “You should’ve made this world properly from the start, then. You created this place, and now you’re just going to kill everyone because you don’t like it? Are your creations mere toys to you? With such logic...”

“Hm?”

“Are you saying that parents can just kill their kids if they don’t like them? Just because they gave birth to them and raised them? Do you expect them to accept that they are merely parting earlier than fated because you decided it that way?

"Just because you have a mouth doesn’t mean you can spout such bullshit. You’re seriously starting to piss me off.”

After lashing out, Siegfried had no intention of continuing the conversation. As a gamer, he would never understand the Creator’s perspective as an NPC. And likewise, the Creator could never understand the thoughts of Siegfried, a gamer.

In other words, there was no point in talking, as resolving things with words was no longer an option.

Now, it was time to clash against the Creator and force his will on Him.

‘Let’s do this,’ Siegfried thought, tightening his grip on the Annihilation’s Grasp.

He closed the distance in an instant, but...

‘Argh!’

He stiffened.

The Creator nonchalantly muttered, “Begone.”

With a single word, Siegfried’s HP instantly dropped to zero. He was dead.

[Siegfried von Proa]

[HP: □□□□□□□□□□]

Thud!

He collapsed to the ground.

[Alert: HP has reached 0!]

[Alert: Your character has died!]

[Alert: Connection will terminate in 10 seconds!]

[Alert: 10, 9, 8...]