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Rumble!
The dimensions trembled.
“Sung-Jun. Didn’t that happen five days ago? The cycle’s getting shorter and shorter.”
It had been five years since Seo Jun-Sik and the Star Destruction Stage Seo Jun-Ho met in the dimensional gap.
Seo Jun-Sik had gotten so close to the Star Destruction Stage Seo Jun-Ho that he started calling him Sung-Jun[1] at some point.
However, the two hadn’t really grown that close despite the many years they had spent together.
“Don’t get distracted. Focus on the training. Your goal today is to reach three hundred and fifty-eight percent.”
“Sigh. That’s a lot.”
Seo Jun-Sik had gotten significantly stronger over the past five years, and it was all because he didn’t need to sleep or eat.
Seo Jun-Ho said coldly, “Absorb.”
Seo Jun-Sik closed his eyes and focused. The magic in the air was instantly absorbed by Seo Jun-Sik using the Black Moon Heart Method.
“Protect.”
In the blink of an eye, dozens of layers of shields enveloped Seo Jun-Sik’s magic circuit.
However, the heat was so strong that it was overpowering the layers of shields laced in Frost.
“Cool it down…”
Seo Jun-Sik could still remember how he thought that learning the Star Destruction Stage Seo Jun-Ho’s techniques was impossible.
However, Seo Jun-Sik’s mind started changing over the years, and he could now use Wheel of Time (S) as naturally as breathing.
“Phew…”
The soaring temperature cooled down.
Seo Jun-Sik looked down at his own hand and clenched his fists.
“Hm, this is nice.”
Seo Jun-Sik was confident that he would be able to beat his Original at this rate.
“All right. Raise your sword.”
Seo Jun-Sik raised his sword and looked at the man standing in front of him.
“Here I come.”
Seo Jun-Sik and Seo Jun-Ho abruptly moved.
Rumble!
The rumbling of the dimensions belatedly reached their ears.
“Hmph!”
Seo Jun-Sik’s sword drew a splendid arc as it aimed for Seo Jun-Ho’s vitals.
Clang!
Seo Jun-Ho calmly parried Seo Jun-Sik’s powerful blow.
‘His movements are always too simple.’
Seo Jun-Ho seemed like he had an obsessive-compulsive disorder when it came to making concise and linear movements.
“Hmm. That’s weird. Is that some kind of an epiphany as well? Will my Original move just like you once he reaches the Star Destruction Stage?” asked Seo Jun-Sik.
“...” Seo Jun-Ho lowered his sword and muttered, “Not exactly. But…”
“But…?”
“Nevermind. You don’t need to know that for now.”
“Oh, come on. You’re always like this…”
Seo Jun-Ho had often acted like he would tell Seo Jun-Sik something, but he would shut his mouth in the end.
Seo Jun-Sik shook his head and puffed his chest out.
“Don’t you think I’ve improved a lot compared to the first time we met?”
“I guess so. You’re not bad.”
“You’re doing that thing again. Can’t you just give me a compliment? You remind me of my Original whenever you do that.”
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“...We’re the same person…”
“Oh, you’re right.”
Seo Jun-Sik smiled like a fool and put away his sword.
“If I train for five more years, will I reach the Star Destruction Stage as well?”
“I think so.” Seo Jun-Ho nodded.
‘Not bad. If he reaches the Star Destruction Stage…’
If Seo Jun-Sik reached the Star Destruction Stage, the Seo Jun-Ho from another world in the past would definitely become stronger beyond imagination.
“Hm. Hey, Sung-Jun. I’m a clone, so will my Original be capable of using Overclocking at five hundred and twelve percent output once I go back to him?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not? I can only use seventy percent of my Original’s ability, you know…”
“You’ll find out upon your return.”
“...Wow. You’re so cold. I’ll catch a cold at this rate!” Seo Jun-Sik grumbled. “I’m getting sick of hearing the words; you’ll find out when you go back; you’ll understand what I’m talking about in the future; everything will make sense once you’ve arrived at the upper Floors. I’m getting tired of hearing those…”
“I keep on saying those because they’re true.”
“Sure, I bet they’re true.”
“...”
Smack!
Seo Jun-Sik stopped talking after being smacked in the mouth.
***
Time passed, and Seo Jun-Ho was particularly gung ho about Seo Jun-Sik’s training today. Seo Jun-Sik also set a new record of three hundred and sixty-five percent Overclocking output.
“Keep going! Just a bit more! One more percent!”
“Argh”
Seo Jun-Sik collapsed to the ground and gasped for air.
“Huff, huff. Hey, why are you pushing me so hard today?” he asked.
“...”
Seo Jun-Ho didn’t answer.
However, Seo Jun-Sik could see that Seo Jun-Ho was tenser than usual.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Listen carefully. I’m going to tell you some information about the future.”
“What? Seriously?” Seo Jun-Sik was surprised. ‘What’s up with the sudden change of heart? I’ve been whining to him for so long, but this is the first time that he’s willing to tell me something about the future…’
Seo Jun-Ho nodded and started speaking.
Seo Jun-Sik’s eyes widened.
“Wait, are you serious…?”
“Yes, I’m serious. It’s essential information because you can’t return to the past anymore.”
Seo Jun-Ho gave Seo Jun-Sik information that would be helpful to Seo Jun-Sik and his Original rather than information about the upper Floors and the Floor Masters of those Floors.
“It will definitely be helpful. We would have been in big trouble if you hadn’t told me.”
“I don’t think revealing that information to you will have much of a side effect.”
“I suppose not.” Seo Jun-Sik nodded and smiled awkwardly. “Haha, but… why does it feel like we’re about to bid farewell and part ways?”
“...” Seo Jun-Ho remained silent.
Seo Jun-Sik’s eyes trembled. Seo Jun-Ho would have told him to stop talking nonsense and raise his sword, but Seo Jun-Ho wasn’t saying anything.
“No, wait. Seriously? But it’s too sudden!”
“We’ve spent such a long time together that I’m starting to feel grateful to God.”
Rumble!
The dimension above them trembled.
The trembling was much more powerful than usual.
“No way. Is that…”
“It’s here...”
The monster that had been parasitizing the dimensional gap and devouring every life that was unfortunate enough to wander into the gap finally arrived.
Seo Jun-Ho took a stance with his sword.
“It’s time to keep my promise.”
Seo Jun-Ho had promised that he would return Seo Jun-Sik to the world where he had come from as long as he was diligent in his training.
“No, wait! I’m so confused. I’m not prepared—-”
Crackle!
A shiver ran down Seo Jun-Sik’s spine as the dimension above them shattered.
Seo Jun-Sik slowly raised his stiff head and looked up.
‘That’s… the predator?’
The so-called monster—the predator—resembled a worm. Eggs were embedded in its lengthy body with seemingly no end, and hundreds of sharp teeth were densely packed in its mouth.
“...”
The monster had a fragment of a dimension in its mouth.
“Roarrrrrrr!”
Pop! Pop!
The monster roared, and the eggs embedded in its body burst out, sending hundreds of baby worms plummeting toward Seo Jun-Ho and Seo Jun-Sik.
“Black Moon.”
Seo Jun-Ho’s broken sword split the dimension in half, and Prince Digor’s back could be seen beyond the split dimension.
Seo Jun-Sik stared at Seo Jun-Ho with trembling eyes.
“...Hey. Come with me,” he said and held out his hand to Seo Jun-Ho.
“You don’t have to stay and die here, right? Come with me!”
“It’s a persistent monster, and it will track its marked prey until it kills them.”
Seo Jun-Ho had done everything he could to escape the predator.
He had tried to shake it off by running toward the farthest end of the dimensional gap.
“The dimension where your world is located will be attacked by the predator if I were to come with you. It’ll definitely pierce through the dimension of your world. It’s that strong…”
“That’s just…” Seo Jun-Sik’s eyes glimmered in a complicated light. He didn’t expect that he would be forced to part ways with Seo Jun-Ho like this. Of course, they would eventually have to part ways, but he didn’t expect that it would be this early.
“...” Seo Jun-Sik wanted to have more conversations with Seo Jun-Ho to tell him many encouraging words. He wanted to see the dreary guy smile at least once.
“It was a pleasure to meet you… Seo Jun-Sik.”
Seo Jun-Ho’s words surprisingly contained much more emotions than he was capable of feeling, and it was perhaps because his clone was destroyed by the Floor Master of the 9th Floor.
“The three of you will definitely make it—I’m sure of it. You won’t have to wander in the void like me.”
‘My faith was shaken, and I eventually lost it, but I’m sure that you won’t...’
Thud!
There was a dull noise as Seo Jun-Ho ruthlessly slammed his palm into Seo Jun-Sik’s chest, and Seo Jun-Sik immediately felt that he was being absorbed by the dimension behind him.
“Go.”
“Wait…!”
The Star Destruction Stage Seo Jun-Ho revealed a bitter but relieved smile on his thin face.
“I must admit… you were a pretty good student.”
“Roaaaarrrr!”
Thud!
The last scene that Seo Jun-Sik saw before the dimension swallowed him was Seo Jun-Ho being surrounded by the predator and its babies.
***
Seo Jun-Ho looked up.
He wanted to see the sky, but only the void was above him.
“...” Seo Jun-Ho found it surprising that he still had some feelings left in him. He was convinced that he had long abandoned his feelings.
‘What a shame.’
He still had more to teach Seo Jun-Sik, and he still had to tell the latter more information about the future because the latter was about to embark on a path that was literally hell.
“Well… I wish you the best of luck.”
Seo Jun-Ho gripped the broken sword tightly. His original plan was to end his own life without any regrets after sending Seo Jun-Sik back to his world.
‘But the predator saw Jun-Sik…’
If the predator was still hungry even after eating Seo Jun-Ho, it might track Seo Jun-Sik down and ruin the dimension of his world.
“I can’t let that happen.”
Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes flashed coldly as he swung his sword, sending a disdainful curtain of darkness and wave of ice soaring toward the predator.
“Roaaar!”
The predator possessed an infinite number of babies, and they charged at Seo Jun-Ho.
However, the Star Destruction Stage Seo Jun-Ho was capable of destroying a star, and he squeezed all of his magic to form an impregnable wall.
“None of you shall get past me.”
Seo Jun-Ho conducted a massacre, but the number of enemies seemed endless to the point that he was starting to get tired of cutting, freezing, and slicing the enemies. He was covered in the green fluids of the worms, and he was starting to slow down.
‘I think I’ve slowed down because I only have one arm.’
“Haha.” Seo Jun-Ho chuckled hollowly as he cut down another enemy, and a mountain of worm corpses was beneath his feet. However, the predator simply had too many babies.
“...”
Seo Jun-Ho couldn’t help but wonder if Seo Jun-Sik managed to return to his own world.
He wondered if Seo Jun-Sik had finally met his Original and if he was already talking to the Seo Jun-Ho of that world about what he had gone through. He was also curious about the Frost Queen’s reaction to what happened after her departure.
‘No, I don’t think so. I don’t think Jun-Sik and my past self will tell Frost about that.’
Seo Jun-Sik and Seo Jun-Ho were kind people who would never allow the Frost Queen to suffer under the weight of such news.
‘If Frost had been by my side… if she hadn’t decided to leave me… I wonder if I could have had a different future… Perhaps I wouldn’t have drifted like a ghost ship.’
“I don’t know.”
Right now, only one thought was going through Seo Jun-Ho’s head.
‘I want to see Frost one last time.’
Slash!
“...!”
Seo Jun-Ho tore apart the hundreds of worms on his right flank, but the predator that had been quietly biding its time finally made a move and rushed toward Seo Jun-Ho’s left torso with its mouth open.
Seo Jun-Ho instinctively tried to raise his left hand to block the incoming attack.
“Oh,” he muttered blankly and belatedly realized that he had lost his left arm long ago.
Chomp!
***
[You have acquired a new skill: Cloning (EX).]
“What?”
Seo Jun-Ho was currently cutting down the Overminds, but he stopped and frowned at the system prompt. He was sure that Cloning (S) had disappeared from his skill list, but it actually reappeared and became Cloning (EX).
“...” Seo Jun-Ho was perplexed, but his expression changed when his heart was suddenly struck by a dull pain.
The sense of loss remained for quite a while.
1. Star Destruction Stage is read as ‘Sung Myeol’ in Korean; therefore Sung-Jun is the abbreviation for Star Destruction Stage Jun-Ho ☜