70. The Beginning

70. The Beginning70. The Beginning

Surprisingly, the bright yellow chick transformed into a phoenix.

At first, I looked at it with doubtful eyes, but in the end, my doubt turned to certainty.

You may not believe it, but I can still see the chick's appearance.

"Have you been well all this time?"

"Peep!"

"Peep! Peep!"

I still can't get used to hearing chick sounds coming from a phoenix form.

"But why are you here?"

"Peep!"

It says it's been waiting all this time to repay the kindness I showed it.

Its heart is so precious that I couldn't help but give it a magic stone.

"Here, eat one each!"

After devouring my magic stone in one bite, it told me to call anytime if I needed help, then flew away beyond the distant sky.

To think such things happen in this world.

"Indeed, no one knows what the future holds. Who would have thought a chick would become a phoenix?"

"Kyuung."

Well, who would have thought our Yong-yong would become a dragon either.

My goodness. Come to think of it, am I actually someone with a golden touch?

To raise everything I nurture so well like this.

"From now on, will you call me Golden Touch?"

"Kyuung."

Our Yong-yong coldly tells me to stop talking nonsense and hurry to meet the World Tree.

How cruel! Can't you play along at times like this?

When I look at him with sorrowful eyes, he finally notices my gaze and snuggles tightly into my arms.

No matter what anyone says, Yong-yong is on my side.

"Kyuuung."

"It's mealtime!? You just ate!"

He looks at me with sorrowful eyes, asking if I won't feed him even after making him work overtime.

"Th-that look won't work on me!"

"Kyuuung."

When he says pitifully, *'What's the point of living anymore,'* I couldn't help but give in.

I take out a magic stone from my subspace and hand it over, which he swallows in one bite while saying:

"Kyuung."

"You say it's a bit salty today...?"

"Kyuuung."

Our Yong-yong laughing and saying it was a joke.

Is it a big problem if I find even this side of him lovable?

As we chat, we arrive in front of the World Tree, and I hear a voice.

[Traveler. It's been a while.]

"It has been a while! Have you been well?"

[I've been well. How is my other self doing?]

"Of course! It recently moved and says it's very happy with the new place!"

Starting with greetings, we chat about various things before I ask about something important.

About the Beginning.

[The Beginning is called the start and end of the star.]

And it says that end is approaching.

"Wait a moment. When you say the end is approaching, do you mean..."

[The end of days is coming. That's what the Beginning wants. It's tired.]

The Beginning, which has lived for too long, wants the end of the story.

The ending.

Then why did it create Arcana Online?

[It planned for the end of the world through travelers from another world, but that backfired spectacularly. Due to the being that integrated the celestial realm, demon realm, and monsters.]

It says it planned for the end of the world under the guise of quests for travelers, but that backfired spectacularly.

But wait, isn't that talking about me...?

Is it good that I prevented the destruction?

[So it came up with another method. It predicted that merging two worlds into one would lead to destruction. It calculated that humans fight for their own interests, and if other races joined in, destruction would come faster, but this too backfired spectacularly.]

Is that because of me too?

[So the Beginning planned another method.]

That is, to use Ernia, known as the Dragon King.

There aren't many beings with enough power to hunt all of their own kind alone.

What if it shared its power with such a being to destroy the world?

In other words, it plans to use her as a pawn.

"That won't do. My friend would be sad."

Moreover, I still have many things I want to do.

I want to go on a drive with Yong-yong, eat lots of delicious food together, and go on trips together.

To do that, I need to stop this.

Now then, how should I act from here on?

The scenario quests have quieted down, and there are no signs of anything happening.

Then a thought suddenly crosses my mind.

Couldn't I just meet the Beginning and persuade it?

"Where should I go to meet it?"

[It's not a being you can meet just because you want to. When the time comes, the Beginning will call.]

There's no way to meet it until it calls.

Then I should prepare in the meantime.

"By the way, where can I meet the Night Clan?"

[I know about that. Go to the northern end of the Arcana continent.]

What was at the northern end again?

I think hard, but I only remember there being a barren hill.

The Night Clan lives there? Then Nia must be there too?

I need the help of Nia, the former judge.

I thank it and give it a magic stone as a gift, and something unexpected happens.

Light bursts forth and the already enormous World Tree grows even larger.

Not only I, but also Mellin unni beside me, are startled by this sight.

The light that had been bursting forth for a while subsides after growing to a size similar to the World Tree in China.

[Thank you. I'll repay this kindness later.]

"It's okay. Then I'll be taking my leave!"

After saying goodbye to the World Tree and Mellin unni, I open a gate and head north.

To the place where my friend Nia is.

*

*

*

A land of death where not even a blade of grass can survive.

In a place where only the remnants of civilization remain, the flame of life was dying out.

The beings once called the Night Clan, who struck fear into travelers, were now facing a single person.

They swung their giant scythes, but it was useless.

The scythes were destroyed in one blow and their necks were grabbed in an instant.

"Kuhek!"

"I'll give you one last chance. Come back."

As the slender neck was squeezed, breathing became difficult.

Soon, I too will return to the embrace of the clan.

But I can't betray my friend.

"J-just kill me."

"If that's your wish."

With those words, they turned to dust and disappeared.

In the moment of finding peace after a long time.

It felt like being sucked into a black abyss.

A space where nothing exists.

Is it all over now?

Just as I was about to close my eyes, I hear a voice.

A voice calling me.

It's my friend Yuna.

*

*

*

"Was this place always like this?"

"Kyuuung."

The northern land where only the energy of death can be felt.

It's my first visit, but as I wonder if it was always like this, I feel an enormous energy.

Something is clashing.

"Let's hurry and check it out!"

"Kyuung!"

As I head towards the place where I feel the energy with Yong-yong, a shocking scene unfolds.

Dragon King Ernia is grabbing my friend Nia's neck.

Along with that, Nia turns to dust and disappears.

While I'm frozen in shock, Dragon King Ernia turns to look at me.

"It's been a while, child."

"Why...? No, why are you here!? Ara is worried about you!"

"It's alright. I'll return to nothingness anyway."

She speaks as if it's nothing, but her eyes are full of sadness.

Is she not doing this of her own will?

I don't know.

More importantly, I need to use it quickly.

"Divine Dragon's Revival!"

[Divine Dragon's Revival: Revives the life of summons.] S~eaʀᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

With my words, an enormous light spreads out and one by one, they reveal themselves.

I'm glad I gave magic stones to all members of the Night Clan, and they all look around with confused expressions, not understanding what's happening, before making eye contact with me.

Among them, Nia at the very front holds a giant scythe and blocks in front of me as if to protect me.

"Are you okay!? Are you hurt anywhere!?"

"Let's save the greetings for later."

All the Night Clan members position themselves in front of me and guard against Dragon King Ernia.

"Hmm, even if I kill them again, they'll just come back to life, so should I kill our precious child first?"

My whole body breaks out in goosebumps.

Not because of Dragon King Ernia, but because of Yong-yong in my arms.

[You dare to spout nonsense just because you have a mouth.]

With those words, an enormous lightning bolt strikes.

Dozens, hundreds, thousands of lightning bolts strike exactly where the Dragon King is, leaving not even a trace behind.

Then I hear a voice from somewhere.

"It's difficult now because the dragon is protecting you. Let's meet again later, my child."

The presence completely disappears.

From start to finish, I don't understand what's going on and my head hurts.

It's clearly Dragon King Ernia.

But something is different. As I'm feeling confused by something indescribably different, a gentle touch envelops me.

"You won't be able to understand right now. Don't worry about it. She's like that because she was manipulated by the Beginning."

I look at Nia and ask for a detailed explanation, and she nods.

With a bitter expression.