Scale of Desperation (1)
Omega 666.
"Save yourself."
Gephin murmured softly as he watched the black rain fall from the sky.
Erasure code.
It was the last measure Anke Ra chose after failing the second reset.
"Sojeonghwa."
The black rain melted everything it touched, erasing the landscape below.
"Aren't you going to step in this time?" Argones, leaning against the cave wall where Gephin hid, asked.
"Or are you unable to?" Gephin—who until now had been treated almost as if he didn't exist despite sharing the same space—spoke for the first time.
"I thought the world itself might react?"
Argones shrugged.
"As you can see… with everything on the horizon melting away, I could guess what state she would be in."
"This place isn't safe either. There's nowhere to run. All life on the surface will be extinguished. Do you feel any responsibility?"
The Gaia had exploded their population to reinforce the Ultima system.
"It was too much. Even Anke Ra was overloaded. But look. This is the result."
Sojeonghwa.
"Anke Ra chose to accept the rupture and reduce the population. Ultima will weaken, and you won't be able to win."
"Isn't that strange?"
Gephin gave a bitter smile.
"In the days before the Gaia were mentally perfected, many things happened. They killed kin, discriminated against the weak. We called those acts evil." Even the Gaia, who built an integrated mental system, had periods of conflict.
"But Anke Ra defined the entire Gaia as evil. He meant that leaving the photon plane is a greater evil than murder or any other crime."
"Our mission is the perfection of the system," Argones said. "Murder and deviation from the photon plane are not different in the grand scheme—they both destabilize the world. Of course, leaving the photon plane is far more dangerous."
"Right."
God might have to be indifferent.
"If a god had a heart, this world would be pure hell."
"Accept it. The heart is an uncontrollable signal. That's why the otherworld exists."
The system stabilizes by purifying powerful emotions that flow into hell.
"Time is the same. Without 0.666 seconds of each second, the photon signal won't stabilize. Absolute time breaks down depending on the relativity perceived by each individual."
"Yeah. Everything comes down to the heart." Because of that—
"I don't like this world. It's too cold."
"I can guess how much the planet will hurt, but what about you? The feeling of all life disappearing."
All matter flowed away, and a vast, black river ran across the world.
"It's not sad."
Argones looked up at the sky.
"This is what you caused. Anke Ra tried to grant immortality through the Void system."
"Immortality."
Some of Argones's creations lacked a lifespan, but it wasn't true immortality.
"Removing the concept of lifespan is easy—you, for example. But death ends it. Even if you lived a hundred million years, the moment you die every process is instantaneous. True immortality transcends the cycle of life and death."
If it were the Void system, it might be possible.
"It's not too late. Give up your resistance and obey Anke Ra's will. Enter the next world."
If the Gaia block the Void, all higher universes will eventually be annihilated.
"Dream," Gephin said. "In that dream you dream again. If you endlessly dream like that you may never wake... but on the other hand—"
Argones countered, "The first world still has time flowing. When the sun rises and fatigue ebbs, you'll eventually wake from the sleep."
"But you never truly wake. The subject's consciousness keeps sinking deeper into the dream."
A colossal contradiction made of time and mind.
"Think carefully, Gephin. This world began from a single, unique, irreversible illusion. If you stop the Void, everything will disappear. Nothing will remain again. Do you not understand how terrifying that is?"
Even an Infinite Mage would feel a chill imagining a state of true nothingness.
"…I have a favor."
Argones had no desire to help, but Gephin's request intrigued him.
"What is it?"
"Save them."
Argones couldn't find words to reply.
"Of course I'll fight. But you don't want the world to end like this either, do you?"
"So? What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Just two people…"
Gephin raised his index and middle fingers.
"Let just two people avoid Sojeonghwa. No matter how much you hate them, you made them, didn't you?"
"There is no way to avoid it. Anke Ra's erasure code will not stop until all life is gone."
"Why are you like this, playing fair? You know how many species you've created. Surely we're not the only ones in this universe?"
"The universe isn't vast. It's trapped by the speed-of-light barrier because of the photon signal. The number of beings is far smaller than you think."
"Still… I've heard there are some others?"
Hit in his weak spot, Argones finally spoke.
"Terapos."
"Oh? A race similar to us?"
"Different. The Gaia pushed the heart to its limits. The dragons reached the pinnacle of information. If quantum code and photon code are at the extremes, Terapos sit in the middle."
"Hmm, in the middle."
Something that can hold both mind and information?
"Sound."
That was the answer.
"Yes. Terapos are a race that elevated waves to the extreme. Technologically they surpass the Gaia. They can transmit information beyond the speed-of-light barrier."
That meant interstellar travel was possible.
"Impressive."
"An extraordinary people. More stable than you, reverent and strict."
Argones's emotion came through as sound.
"Yes, sorry for acting up. Anyway, will you convey my intentions to Terapos?"
Back to the point.
"Why should I? It's not that I dislike you. It's the link. There are reasons so many races are linked to the Idea, but in my judgment you are a failure. You reduce the stability of the world."
Gephin proposed, "Fine. Then let's do it this way. If two Gaia open a new world, Terapos will judge it. If the new humanity also descends into chaos, they may destroy it."
Argones propped his chin on his hand.
"Be precise. Does your scope include deviation from the photon plane? No one should access the world's secrets."
"Of course. Even if we lose, I want the survivors to live on. Even if it's an eternal dream."
Tsk tsk tsk.
Argones clicked his tongue and fell into thought. His body gradually began to seep into the ground.
"Select two."
His voice echoed through the cave he'd vacated.
"I will send an Ark."
The holy place of God: Arabot.
Its spire piercing the sky was the only place on the planet where the Ark did not descend.
"The war is over."
From the Angel's Room, Ikael watched the flow of the black river outside the window.
"They will fight."
When she turned, Satiel was already at her side.
"Still clinging to your stubbornness? The Gaia will be annihilated. The Ultima system will vanish."
"If that's truly the case, we'll lose our chance to access the world's secrets."
Ikael pressed her lips together.
Though the gruelling fight with the Gaia was over, a hollow feeling remained in her chest.
"Why side with humans?"
Ikael asked.
"The world's secrets? Even without them, if you win nothing else matters. Is that really your only reason?"
"Of course not."
Satiel smiled, seeing a hexagonal light unfold beyond the horizon.
"There's exactly one more reason."
"Ugh, damn."
Gaia huddled under the hexagonal light Gephin had spread, panting.
"Is everyone all right?"
Patran, the Gaia representative, bared his teeth.
"Gephin."
He who had freed himself from the concept of lifespan and traced the Gaia's endless history.
"You must not interfere. Whatever happens, you must protect the Ultima system."
"Then everyone will die."
Even Gephin could do nothing against a force melting the entire planet.
"Is there any way?"
"One. No, maybe half a way. But first there's something that must be done before putting it into practice."
"Something to be done?"
Gephin mentioned the Ark.
"Choose two people?"
"Yes. Even if Sojeonghwa is stopped, ninety percent of the Gaia will vanish. But you'll fight to the end, won't you?"
Patran nodded.
"No matter who wins, humanity must be preserved. In that sense, we decided to send two."
They were linked to Ultima, so no complicated council procedure was needed.
"They should be the two you love most."
As if on cue, everyone glanced at one couple.
"Um…"
A frail-looking man and a woman with large, innocent eyes stepped forward.
Watching those about to embark on a long journey, Gephin gave a soft smile.
"What are your names?"
"Huh? Ah—yes. I'm Adam."
Gephin nodded and looked to the side.
"Lilith."
Adam and Lilith.
Names destined to become the new humanity on the planet they would reach.
"Good. You'll hear the details on the Ark. From now on you'll live endlessly like I do. Trust and love one another in any situation. Never cross the forbidden line. Chaos will come to the world."
The two nodded as if making a vow.
"Yes. Don't worry. I love Adam, and I'm determined to spend my life with him."
At the moment Lilith's eyes shone with resolve—
That woman—
Shirone, who had been receiving the Omega records, felt his heart drop.
Though her face was entirely different, the light in her eyes bore a striking resemblance to someone he knew now.
'Woorin?'
It was the look of Mitochondria Eve.
"Yes. Remember always: good and evil are defined by you. Never lose Ultima."
As Gephin delivered his final admonition, a massive disc-shaped craft cut through the clouds.
"The Ark."
It belonged to the race that would judge humanity going forward.
"Go. I will send you."
Patran asked, "What will you do? The Administrator has power enough to cause a rupture. Hexa can't stop it."
"Not until you know what it is."
"Then?"
"I'll swallow it."
Smiling at the black rain that erased everything, Gephin flew toward it.
The moment Hexa's shield touched the rainfall, it shattered, and his body dove into the black clouds.
"Save yourself?"
Teeth gritted against the burning pain, Gephin snarled, "Don't be ridiculous."
Miracle Stream.
With an explosion, a great hole of light opened and began sucking in the surrounding clouds.
"Arghhh!"
Anke Ra's fury—an emotion that would not be sated even by destroying the whole world—struck Gephin.