1045 Episode 64. Eternal Night (4)

Before that overwhelming violence, Cha Yerin could not even move. Only a nauseating despair dominated the battlefield. Unable to either flee or fight back, she simply watched Surya's end.

At that moment, along with a faint ray of light, Surya's incarnation body escaped the Outer God's grasp. Cha Yerin let out a sigh of relief.

"Ah—"

Fortunately, Surya was still alive. However, judging from his felt status, he seemed to find it burdensome just to maintain his incarnation body. Yet, Surya's eyes were still blazing.

As if this fight was not over yet.

The moment the Interstellar Predator's head tilted, Cha Yerin heard a sound echoing from incredibly far away.

The sound of a giant wheel moving. The sound of an engine expanding and contracting its iron-like lungs. The sound of iron wheels scraping the darkness, chewing up and swallowing the rails entirely. Cha Yerin knew what that sound was.

And the only star in this world capable of moving that train right now was here. Along with a horn, the front of the train began to appear beyond the distant sky. It was Surya's star relic.

His super-large train, capable of interstellar travel, was running while shaking the atmosphere. Cha Yerin clenched both fists. There was a possibility. With the story harbored in that train, and that massive collision energy, they might be able to defeat this damn Outer God.

And at the next moment, the Outer God raised a hand.

It was impossible to know what had occurred. All Cha Yerin saw was simply the Outer God's palm. The chills rising on her spine, and only the records of the recorder proved the causality of that event.

The train's horn was no longer heard. Cha Yerin sat down like someone who had lost even their last hope. Beyond the distant sky, she saw the shattered fragments of Surya's train falling like meteors. The Outer God laughed.

Surya let out a bizarre scream.

Even though the train was destroyed, Surya did not give up. The train was still responding to his story. He raised his story and summoned the train fragments that responded to him. The broken train fragments flew at a fierce speed like meteors and pierced the Outer God's main body.

Peogeogeogeok!

Hit by the train fragments imbued with a powerful story, the Outer God stumbled.

Peogeok! Peogeogeogeok!

Each and every one was a fragment containing massive story energy. A strike containing everything of Surya's, which no monster could possibly withstand. Nevertheless, the Outer God did not fall.

Soon, when all the flying fragments had disappeared, the Interstellar Predator spoke.

It pulled out the train fragments lodged in its body and munched on them. As if it wouldn't even hurt no matter how many times it was hit by this kind of attack.

Surya let out a hollow laugh. Now, the story flowing from his entire body was growing weaker and weaker. If it still didn't work after doing all this, there was nothing more he could do.

If he died here—and if this fortress collapsed because of that—the era of stars and humans was now over.

Ragnarok would end in the victory of 'disaster', and destruction would eventually blanket the entirety of <Star Stream>.

Even so, there was nothing more he could do now.

Despite that solemn testament, the sky was still dark. No one cheered for his story, nor did anyone grieve for his ■■. Looking at the terrifyingly quiet sky of <Star Stream>, Surya smiled bitterly. Who would believe it now? That there was once an era when that sky was dazzlingly bright.

Before long, having lost interest, the Outer God's giant finger moved slowly toward Surya.

Looking at the dark shadow of the Outer God blanketing him, Surya, strangely enough, recalled a story told to him by an unfamiliar incarnation.

The squinty-eyed incarnation, who carried around many unique stories, had told him his story.

What on earth was that story back then?

Surya, who drove the Sun Chariot by offering all of his stories. The 'last engineer' who was running for something, for some mission.

Between the stories flowing by like a dream, the Outer God's giant finger moved. The massive finger of the disaster gathering its thumb and middle finger as if catching a bug. Soon, a gale blew, and the giant middle finger flew toward him.

Tung.

At first, he thought it was the sound of his body breaking like a bug. However, even as time passed, Surya could not feel any pain. Blinking his eyes with a lightly flickering spark, he saw a dazzling story wrapping around his entire body.

Surya was shocked. There was no way. Because, except for him, there were no proper stars left in <Vedas>. The powerful Myth-grade constellations had all disappeared, and that arrogant Indra and the great Lokapalas had all died. Then who on earth had moved this story?

Turning his head, a constellation surrounded by flames just as hot was standing while supporting him.

He was a member of the great <Lokapala>, the 'Flame of Purification' Agni. The one who had been temporarily sent out of the 'main battlefield' due to his injuries had rejoined the battlefield.

Agni's incarnation body was still in a vulnerable state. A state that felt like it would easily collapse even under a slight impact.

It was not a fight where the outcome would change just because a single Agni came. Honestly, let alone Agni, even if Mithra of his prime, the 'Master of December 25th'—a Myth-grade constellation of <Vedas>—returned, it was uncertain whether that monster could be defeated.

However, Agni shook his head.

Surya could not understand Agni's words. Perhaps his companion had been away from the battlefield for too long and his head had gone a bit strange. No matter who came, there was no way to block that monster. Even if a Myth-grade constellation came—

A constellation more amazing than a Myth-grade constellation. Surya could not fathom who on earth that was referring to. Only his senses were telling him.

Since when was it? The train's horn, which had definitely disappeared, was heard once again. Surya slowly raised his head. Then, he saw something flying toward this side from beyond that sky.

Surya looked up at that scenery as if in a dream. The Outer God also let out a strange cry, perhaps having felt something.

It was an incomprehensible, impossible miracle.

Clearly, his train was destroyed. Yet, his destroyed train was running while neatly restored. Moreover, the front of the train had changed to a much more modern appearance than before.

The southern direction of the sky brightened faintly. Startled, Surya raised his head and muttered.

The Mass Production Maker. He knew his reputation well from hearing it. If it were that constellation, it was not strange that he had restored the train with his power in this instant. However, why did he, famous for rarely stepping forward, suddenly appear on this battlefield?

Subsequently, the north of the sky flashed, and a thunder-like True Voice was heard.

Surya knew who the owner of the voice was. He was definitely the naked ape of the heavenly realm, the 'Monkey King'. Subsequently, the west of the sky also brightened.

The Abyssal Black Flame Dragon. With even the proud ancient evil dragon appearing, Surya felt as if he had no idea what was what. That evil dragon was definitely supposed to be staying in the 'hole' in despair over the frustration of the 'Great War of Saints and Demons'...

Finally, the eastern direction of the sky brightened.

The strongest archangel that <Eden> was proud of. Receiving her gentle starlight, Surya opened his mouth with a blank face.

It was true that every single one of them was an amazing constellation. However, they were by no means stars that had reached the 'Myth-grade'. Though they might serve as a straw to grasp in this situation, even if they came, they could not repel the 'Interstellar Predator'.

Simultaneously with Agni's response, the Outer God raised one hand. His right hand targeted the train running from the distant sky.

Along with a horrific laugh, a storm-like status of chaos poured toward the train once again. Surya bit his lip tightly. Earlier, his train was shattered into pieces by that attack. No matter how outstanding a constellation the 'Mass Production Maker' was, a way to withstand that attack was...

What was going on? Despite the Outer God's attack, the train was running perfectly fine. Without a single delay, like a train running right on schedule. At the train's nonchalant horn, the Outer God raised both hands this time.

A vast status of chaos surged from both of the Outer God's hands. A story of chaos that was more than enough to turn the sky into a pitch-black sea. Despite that overwhelming story majesty that completely changed the local weather, the train was running even more vigorously, opposing the story.

At that unbelievable sight, Surya muttered while stumbling.

Looking closely, there was a story wrapping around the train. A story he was seeing for the first time—no, perhaps it was a story he had seen once.

At that moment, Surya thought of the scenery of the story he had peeked at long ago. The train led by the last engineer, running toward the end of the world.

The Outer God urgently howled and drew out all of its strength. However, the train had already reached right in front of it. Belatedly realizing something, the Outer God screamed and backed away.

As if belatedly realizing who the existence riding that train was.

With a roaring sound, the train collided with the Outer God's massive body. A vast aftershock arose, and story fragments bounced in all directions. Surya and Agni deployed defensive walls with all their might to block the aftershock. When the aftershock subsided to some extent, Surya urgently approached the collision point. In the place where the aftershock had cleared lay the fallen massive body of the Outer God. And his train—having precisely penetrated the center of the Outer God and torn it to pieces, had arrived on the ground.

"No, how can you drive that way!"

A voice heard from somewhere. The first to react was Cha Yerin. Standing up amidst the dust, Cha Yerin stumbled and ran toward the train.

At that moment, Cha Yerin thought of her brother. She had not properly seen her brother's end. Instead, she had heard the story. That her brother had found out about the 'conclusion' of this entire world at the last moment. And that 'Snow White' seemed to be surprised after hearing the conclusion he had found out.

Cha Yerin did not know what conclusion her brother had found out. However, at least now, she felt she knew what the first scene of the conclusion her brother had seen at the end was.

Her brother, who had read the same story almost a hundred times or more. The first scenery imagined by him, who had lived in this world to see the end of his favorite story.

The protagonist of the story her brother had waited for was standing there, his white coat fluttering.

As many as eight years had passed. It was a face she had not seen for a long time. Nevertheless, the moment she saw his face, Cha Yerin had no choice but to recognize who he was.

"I am sorry for being late, Yerin-ssi."

Because Cha Yerin could recognize his face even when her eyes were blind. The face she had imagined countless times in the pitch-black darkness. The protagonist, who finally revealed his face on top of the train where starlight that cleared the darkness was pouring down, spoke.

"It won't be late anymore."

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< Episode 64. Eternal Night (4) > End