Chapter 105: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood - Episode 105
"Why—!"
The discarded ■■■ gritted his teeth.
Blades clashed relentlessly.
He was undoubtedly fighting with everything he had.
Clang, clang, clang—!
Each time steel collided violently, the very foundations of the earth trembled uncontrollably.
High-rise buildings crumbled with thunderous roars, and explosions sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
Yet, as the battle raged on, the one accumulating deep and shallow wounds wasn't Kang-jun...
"Why the hell—!"
...but the discarded ■■■.
KAAAAAAANG—!
Their blades locked in a fierce struggle, as if engaged in a contest of raw strength.
The ground beneath their feet caved in, dust and debris floating weightlessly in the air.
"Hey, have you been skipping meals or something?"
"You bastard—!"
"Why are you so weak?"
The next moment—
BOOOOOOM—!
The discarded ■■■ lost the contest of strength and was sent tumbling across the ground.
"Swing that thing all you want."
Kang-jun, covered in dust, strode toward him as he rolled across the dirt.
"You couldn't even slice through a block of tofu."
The discarded ■■■ let out a furious scream.
"This makes no sense—!"
The sword was his very foundation.
"No matter how impressive your epithet is, when it comes to the blade, you should never have been able to defeat me—!"
Lost in a frenzy, he swung his sword wildly—
Again, and again, and again.
A blade capable of cleaving mountains, vast seas, and the heavens themselves.
It was a relentless assault, fueled by sheer malice...
And at the same time, a desperate attempt to prove his own worth.
The hunters watching the battle could only stare in stunned silence.
"Just... who is that man...?"
So Cheon-pung, who had once crossed blades with the discarded ■■■, could only gaze at Kang-jun with awe-filled eyes.
Clang, clang, clang—!
The monster that had emerged from the Gate wielded power beyond all comprehension.
Hadn't it been so overwhelming that even the combined might of every hunter from the allied nations couldn't so much as scratch it?
And yet, this young man—who looked exactly like it—had fallen from the sky and was now single-handedly pushing it into a corner.
Then, the discarded ■■■ let out a furious roar, and a violent gale erupted around them.
"I will take your epithet for myself!"
Long ago, the Creator God who had made him whispered softly, his voice echoing across the world.
『 Something feels lacking... 』
What could have been missing?
『 Too cliché... 』
What was so ordinary about him?
『 Again... 』
With those final words, he was cast into the abyss—the outer dimension of ■■, where all the world's rules and secrets slumbered.
There, for eons, he watched as the world collapsed and was rebuilt, over and over.
He witnessed everything.
He watched with bitter resentment as the one who should have been him—the true ■■■—was born.
It should have been his.
『 He was a Sword Master, unrivaled by any when it came to the blade... 』
Wasn't that a narrative grand enough to become the ■■■ of an entire world?
『 Even if given nothing but a twig, he could effortlessly cleave through all of creation. 』
How could that be called ordinary?
Ding!
As Kang-jun parried the onslaught, a system message appeared before him.
[ Core Keyword, 'Gi' (Origin), is running rampant.]
[ All conditions for activating the Hidden Piece have been met.]
《 Hidden Piece: Owner of the World's Core Keyword, 'Gi' (Origin). 》
The Creator God has determined that the world's narrative is now ready to truly begin.
You must defeat the enemy before you and claim the keyword 'Gi' (Origin).
Once all conditions are fulfilled, the world will enter a new phase!
Even as Kang-jun skimmed the message, the discarded ■■■ pressed forward like a wild beast.
"You want me to kill you?"
Kang-jun muttered under his breath, watching as his opponent swung his sword without pause.
But why?
Despite his overwhelming power, the discarded ■■■'s swordplay was...
Simple.
Monotonous.
Slash, thrust, cleave—that was all.
Powerful, yes, but...
That was it.
The moment Kang-jun realized this, an indistinct voice—whether text or sound, he couldn't tell—began to echo around him.
『 The Creator God, feeling deep dissatisfaction, discarded him before fully fleshing out the rest. 』
『 He was given the ability to wield a sword masterfully and immense power, but nothing beyond that was ever imagined... 』
『 In truth, he was never even given a proper name, a form, let alone preferences or desires... 』
Yet the blades still clashed.
Clang, clang, clang—!
The voice continued.
『 Because he was abandoned during conception, the depth of his existence was inevitably shallow. 』
『 The reason he resembled ■■■ so perfectly was because of that very flaw... 』
Then, his face began to lose shape.
『 As ■■■'s thoughts neared the truth of his nature, his original form returned. 』
He had no face.
Like a shadow given form.
『 He was the prototype of ■■■. 』
『 And at the same time, nothing more than an inferior imitation. 』
Chojigenken pierced his abdomen.
『 The reason the Creator God gave him the core keyword 'Gi' (Origin) was simply... 』
As Kang-jun pulled the blade free, instead of blood, text gushed from the wound.
『 ...to reaffirm to the Watching Eyes the true measure of ■■■'s power. 』
Kang-jun severed his arm.
『 ...and to silently declare that, with his demise, this world had finally entered the 'Gi' (Beginning). 』
Finally, Kang-jun drove his sword into the back of his neck.
"Why..."
He was a being who had endured eons for one purpose alone—to destroy ■■■ and reclaim the stolen epithet.
His movements ceased.
Tilting his head back, he gazed at the sky and spoke in a strained whisper.
"Was this... always my fate?"
The moment he had been created and then discarded, cast into the abyss of ■■, he had heard the Creator God's voice.
『 I will grant you the keyword 'Gi' (Origin). 』
『 *I will give you the name 'Discarded ■■■'.* 』
『 *Destroy ■■■ and reclaim the epithet.* 』
It had urged envy and malice.
It had called it fate.
He had merely followed it.
"I was thoroughly used."
Realizing he had been nothing more than a tool for the world's flow, the discarded ■■■ raised his head.
"■■■, look up..."
Then he added:
"And face the truth of this world..."
Kang-jun frowned.
"What are you talking about...?"
He followed his gaze upward but sensed nothing.
The discarded ■■■, still staring at the sky, coughed up blood as he continued.
"Do you not see them? The Watching Eyes?"
Still, Kang-jun felt nothing.
"You're being used too."
"Used?"
"Perhaps this entire world..."
With his last ounce of strength, he forced out the words.
"...is nothing more than entertainment for beings beyond our comprehension."
Kang-jun scoffed.
"What nonsense."
Then, he twisted the hilt of his sword.
CRUNCH.
His neck was crushed.
"You should always remember... that this world may have been artificially created for someone's amusement—"
Kang-jun replied flatly.
"You talk too much."
Then, he pulled Chojigenken free.
"I have plans tomorrow morning."
"What...?"
"I promised to take her flower-viewing."
The discarded ■■■ collapsed.
"She's looking forward to it. She'll be happy."
Kang-jun flicked the blood off his blade indifferently.
"I don't care about the rest."
He had never once pondered the nature of this world before, nor did he ever intend to.
"Whether this world was artificially made or sprouted from the earth—"
What did it matter?
"As long as she's happy, that's enough."
It was the simplest, most obvious truth.
He liked seeing her smile.
So he would protect it.
And in doing so...
He would protect this world.
Ding!
Another notification chimed.
[ You have successfully defeated the Discarded ■■■, owner of the core keyword 'Gi' (Origin)! ]
[ You have contributed the most to defeating the Discarded ■■■, owner of the core keyword 'Gi' (Origin)! ]
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[ You will be recorded as the one who defeated the Discarded ■■■! ]
[ You have become the new owner of the core keyword 'Gi' (Origin)! ]
[ All conditions for the Hidden Piece have been fulfilled! ]
Ding! Ding!
《 Hidden Piece: Owner of the World's Core Keyword, 'Gi' (Origin). 》
[ The world's narrative has now truly begun. ]
As Kang-jun silently watched the Discarded ■■■ disintegrate into polygonal fragments...
[ You have taken one step closer to the truth of this world. ]
An unfamiliar system message appeared—
And in the next instant, the scenery before him shifted.
It felt like being transported to another dimension in an instant.
A void of nothingness.
"I've been waiting."
A voice spoke softly from the darkness.
"Creator God?"
Kang-jun immediately understood—this was the being spoken of in countless myths, the one who had written his own legend.
And so...
The world's narrative reached its Origin.