The Demise of the Space Colony

"Inspector... is it."

I glared at Wonrang, who was left with only his upper body, confirming the nameplate.

"Why didst thou stand idle? Nay, thou even took part in the villainy."

"......"

Wonrang spoke with a bitter smile.

"I kept the villain close to minimize the sacrifices. I thought it the best way."

"And this is the result?"

Wonrang fell silent at my sarcasm.

"Flee, my lord. This place is already done for."

"The threat is ended. The apocalypse is no more."

I nodded toward Chaoryeong's corpse, and Wonrang shook his head.

"The apocalypse is only beginning. Tens of millions—no, hundreds of millions of abyssal entities will swarm soon."

"Then we stop them before they spread."

"No, it's already spread throughout the colony. It's a planetary weapon that can crumble nations in hours."

"...Fast."

Wonrang handed me the badge he held.

"Why this?"

"If you go to the capital later, please explain the situation."

"Why should I?"

Wonrang smiled faintly.

"The Empire will reward you handsomely."

"...Very well, then."

"Still, it's fortunate a guide has come. We've averted the worst."

"...Hmph."

I furrowed my brow at Wonrang's words, as if he knew my identity. Just then, the guide mission alert popped up again.

'Prevent the demise? According to the inspector, it's already over.'

"No way to neutralize the Janggil?"

I tapped the ground with my staff, and Janggil trembled.

Shasha wrinkled her nose at Janggil's words.

"The only way is killing? Worst case, worst case scenario."

I touched Shasha's spread Electric Field and looked at Mus.

"Thou shalt not leave here. If thou transform, it'll be worse than those two earlier."

"Yes! I-I won't go out, absolutely!"

I clicked my tongue, sensing the surging ether. Faint footsteps. Those inhuman, thudding steps relentlessly shook the ground. Surely the colony's humans had become abyssal entities rampaging.

"So no way to reverse it, no way to stop it..."

Even if I swept them away, would that prevent the end? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠With a heavy heart, I lifted Janggil.

The inspector gazed at me darkly and left his final words.

"Save humanity from this hell."

"Humanity in hell, eh..."

I closed the inspector's eyes as he lay on the floor and stood again.

"Aye, if even a few survive, that would be good. I shall gladly be their guide."

In the distance, buildings collapsed, and massive explosions bloomed.

"I-It looks done for, Inspector...?"

Mus trembled, his chubby cheeks quivering like pudding. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Fear not. My specialty is fighting great armies."

"Pardon?"

I smiled faintly and gathered ether.

"Shasha, come hither."

"Yeah!"

As Shasha ran over, I placed my hands on her and Mus's heads.

Black sea and starlight power dwelled in the two men.

"Find the living. Before they are swept by the waves."

"Okay."

Unlike Shasha who vanished, Mus just stared blankly at me.

"Th-this is a temple blessing...? No, more than that.... I feel like a new species..."

"What art thou doing? Find survivors before I purify this place."

Mus gasped at my words.

"C-could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you be... a g-goddess? I-I should have realized earlier!"

I frowned at Mus's sparkling eyes of admiration.

"Stop thy dramatics and go! Find the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠living."

"Ah! Yes!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Mus's hefty body bounded away like a tank.

Soon after Mus vanished into the building forest, a massive horde of abyssal entities poured between them.

Facing the raging human wave like furious waves, I summoned one spell.

Shooooaaa—

Black waves crashed upon the space colony. Giant waves that could swallow small buildings. The abyssal horde charging at me vanished into the black waves.

Kwaaaang—

Exploding starlight echoed through the colony. The city's brilliant lights went out, replaced by gentle starlight.

"Perhaps I should have spared Chaoryeong..."

Too many died because of one foolish leader. Over the massive waves of sorrow, sparkling regrets like starlight washed away. The grand society built by worlds sank into black waters.

Peeeing—Pung—

Red signal flares rose from nearby building rooftops. Shasha's doing? Mus's? Or Chiwu's, gathering people to high ground? I couldn't tell, but a faint smile crossed my lips at the sign of survivors.

I chuckled at the window.

"Reward's a spaceship. Would look cool floating in the night sky."

Though it'd be an empty ghost ship. Another sight for Byeolbada City.

In Yu Eunha's personal foundation world, there was a city built by wanderers.

The small city of Byeolbada with 3,200 souls.

"But."

Yupri shook the mayor's shoulder in anger.

"Immigrants at 6,000? What nonsense is this, Mayor?!"

"......"

"And what?! A 10km-long spaceship? Insane!"

Yupri pointed at the spaceship filling the night sky.

"What do we do with that! It blocks the whole sky!"

"Raise it higher."

Mus scratched his head awkwardly at my words.

"Not enough fuel."

"Indeed."

The man bound in ropes writhed. Tao, commander of spaceship Nis and colony captain.

"Even so, ropes? How long must I stay tied?"

I shrugged at the man's large gray beard.

"I didn't order thee bound."

"Is that so.... Soon as we arrived, these black-eyed aliens did this."

Nikola shouted from afar.

"Hey! Not black eyes! It's the blessing only Peter king's bloodline has! Not aliens, we're Arcrans!"

"Oh, Arcrans. Immortal warriors from myths?"

Nikola flinched at Tao's words.

"Ahem, yes, immortal warriors. This old man's knowledgeable."

Pleased, Nikola approached and untied Tao's ropes.

The moment free, Tao aimed his gun at me.

"Whoa! You bastard!"

As Nikola panicked, Tao chuckled and lowered the gun.

"Thy minions have many gaps."

"Yeah? Fight and see if there are many or few!"

Tao blocked Nikola's punch with his right hand. Motor whirring meant implants.

Tao parried repeated punches.

"Alexandr blabs thy master's deeds, Nikola acts without orders."

Tao pointed at the bound crew.

"Guide, thou art too kind to thy subordinates. Lacking discipline."

I read his intent and chuckled.

"Impressive salesmanship, Captain."

Tao nodded, so I gestured Nikola back.

"Mayor! Listening to this old geezer?"

"Not wrong. I never said to tie them."

I continued, glaring at Shasha.

"And blabbing my deeds and identity."

"N-no! Not blabbing! I was explaining how kind the mayor is to persuade them!"

I could picture it. To build trust, he spilled my exploits and details.

"Shasha, thou needest better ways to handle rhetoric."

Guardian of kin or whatever, still just a 15-year-old brat.

I extended my hand to Tao.

"In any case, welcome survivors from hell. People of Nis."

"The Empire might pursue."

"Ah, that's fine."

I showed the inspector badge.

"Empire inspector.... The rumors were true..."

"Aye, we'll persuade them somehow. No worries."

I sighed at the massive spaceship.

"But to remove the shadow over the city, we must do something with it."

Yupri approached Tao at my words.

"If it runs on refined ether, we could lift it far away."

Tao shrugged.

"Can, but strains the ship. It's near end of life anyway."

Tao glanced between us.

"Why not dismantle for city building? Seems you're scraping by with stone and wood huts."

"Ah, that works. We're short on materials anyway."

They finished talking and looked at me. I nodded at the city-sized ship in the sky.

"Do as thou wilt.... Pity the spaceship, though."

"If you want a ship, there's usable ones in the hangar. This is colony-class."

"Oh."

"Ah, then we could salvage the engines for that."

"Slamming colony engines into one ship..."

Yupri said disbelievingly, and Tao laughed heartily.

"Speed would be insane."

I smiled brightly.

"Is it? No regrets then. Dismantle it."

Leaving the foundation, I faced another bombshell.

"Wow."

I looked up at the skyscraper piercing the heavens.

"My magic tower? Haven't named it yet."

Monica rested her chest on my head and grumbled.

"Yeah~ Little one. Now Master wants release from paperwork~"

"...You worked hard."

Hajieun nearby collapsed.

"Ehehe, f-free at last."

Her messy hair and grime reeked.

"...Just two weeks, and you've changed so much."

"Two weeks is enough to change a person."

"Freedom.... Now just focus on streaming. Life of endless broadcasts. Thanks for the enlightenment."

She bowed deeply, so I patted her head.

"Aye, good work. Whatever thou wantest, I'll grant..."

As I finished, Hajieun's eyes sparkled and she grabbed my wrist.