"W-Where are we?!"
I crashed onto the ground—no, this wasn't ground. The surface beneath me was moist, pulsating, like living flesh.
I immediately yanked my hand back, disgust crawling up my skin. My breath hitched, my heart pounded wildly, almost bursting from my chest.
"You don't need to panic," the figure said in a flat voice. "This is just a copy world I made, right inside a dimension of my own creation. So, time on your planet is still frozen."
"Just a copy?!" I shrieked, my voice cracking. "What the hell is this? What do you mean by 'Cosmic Servant'?! Why did you bring me here?!"
The two orbs of light on its face blinked slowly. "I am a Cosmic Servant. Hailing from..." It paused. "It's difficult for me to explain it now; you are not ready for this. The gist of what you need to know is that I am a Cosmic Servant from another Universe far different from your home universe."
It stopped, then fell silent for a long time. It seemed as if it wanted to discuss something deeper, but it was forcing itself not to.
It then opened its mouth, though I felt it wasn't about what it had been holding back earlier, "A Cosmic Servant... an 'Authority' bestowed upon individuals chosen by 'The Cosmic Balance', the entity that upholds the law of universal equilibrium."
"Because, where there is chaos, there must be hope. And we Cosmic Servant are tasked with that, for every civilization must have its protectors, and I am one of the chosen. But as you can see, one of the planets I guarded..."
The Servant raised its hand, pointing towards the sky full of tentacles and terrifying eyes that kept watching us.
Its voice trembled; even without a facial expression, I could feel the despair in its words.
"The planet I have guarded all this time... has fallen." It stared at the sky. "Above us... there are many more planets and stars being devoured by 'them'."
"What... what caused this? And who are 'they'?"
Its white orbs stared at me. "These creatures... are 'The Devourers'. Dimensional predators. They invade worlds, consume all living things, and turn them into part of themselves. I have fought them for thousands of years, but they are too powerful. Even with my current strength, I cannot stop them."
"Why didn't you ask other Cosmic Servant for help?" I asked.
The Servant fell silent for a moment, its white light orbs blinking slowly, as if considering its answer.
"Because... there are almost none left in my Universe."
Its voice was low, almost a whisper.
"The Cosmic Servants hava fallen one by one. The Devourers aren't just attacking the Galaxy I reside in. They devour entire galaxies, entire universe, entire dimensions. Their existence isn't bound by space and time; they exist whenever and wherever a civilization is. They are an unstoppable plague. I am one of the few still standing, and even I..."
It looked at its own hand—or at least, the shape resembling a hand—which was beginning to turn transparent, like a fading shadow.
"...I am almost spent. My power is eroding. My civilization could not be saved. But..."
It turned towards me, and for the first time, there was something resembling emotion in its voice.
"...there is still hope for your galaxy, for your universe."
I was stunned.
"Your universe—your civilization. It will soon be the next target. The Devourers will inevitably begin searching for prey. They will come, and if no one stops them, your civilization will end just like this."
I shuddered.
"But... why me? I'm nobody. My life is so pathetic I couldn't even break free from the chains of my own regrets!"
"Because you are a candidate."
"A candidate? A candidate for what?!"
"A candidate to become a Cosmic Servant."
The air around me felt heavier. I tried to digest its words, but it felt like my brain was refusing to comprehend.
"You're joking."
"No."
"Look at me!" I spread my arms, showing my tattered body, my ruined face, the blood still dripping from my head. "I'm not a hero. I'm not a good person. I'm just a thirty-nine-year-old societal failure who chose suicide because I couldn't bear the suffering anymore!"
"That is precisely why you are suitable."
I fell silent.
The Attendant approached, its smoky form moving slowly.
"The Cosmic Servant are not chosen because they are perfect. They are chosen because they understand suffering. Because they know the value of something almost lost. You have suffered, Varro Lazas. You know what it feels like to lose everything. That is what makes you strong."
I wanted to argue, but its words struck deep.
"And you were supposed to die today," it continued. "But I stopped time. Giving you a choice."
"A choice?"
"Yes. You can return to your world, let time resume its flow, and die meaninglessly. Or..."
"...you can accept this power. Become a Cosmic Servant. And try to save lives, and your universe, before The Devourers consume everything."
This is insane.
This is impossible.
But...
.
.
.
[20 Years Ago]
My little sister, Lira, laughed cheerfully while holding a wildflower she had just picked. "Varro, look! Isn't it pretty?"
I smiled, ruffling her hair. "Yes, very pretty. Just like you."
She blushed, then suddenly burst into a fit of coughing. Blood stained her hand.
"Lira?!"
But she just gave a weak smile. "I... I'm okay, really."
But I knew.
I had no money for her medicine. No money for a doctor.
And three days later, she died in my arms. When she was only fifteen years old...
.
.
.
[Now]
If... if there was a chance to change something.
If there was a chance to prevent suffering like that from happening again... I would prevent it, so no child would have to feel pain, so they could live in harmony.
Civilization needs healing, its hope needs guarding, and happiness needs to be preserved.
I let out a sigh. "If I accept this... what do I have to do?"
"Naturally, 'defeat' The Devourers."
"And if I fail?"
"You already know the answer."
It pointed to the sky full of tentacles.
I clenched my teeth.
"Fine. I accept your offer."
The Servant nodded, as if it already knew I would say that.
Then, a swirling vortex, shimmering like the stars in the night sky, appeared beside us.
"W-What is that?"
"That is... the Gate, a 'Manifestation' of The Cosmic Balance, Aqunotya. It seems The Cosmic Balance has approved my 'request'."
The vortex of light continued to expand, emitting a radiance like collapsing stars at its core. I felt a strange pull, as if my entire being was being ripped from the reality I knew.
"Do not resist," the Attendant whispered. "Let it take you to Its realm."
I closed my eyes, feeling the sensation of my body unraveling and reassembling in an instant. When I opened my eyes again, we were no longer in that world of terrifying flesh and tentacles. We were now floating in the midst of infinite space—a void of pure black, adorned with millions of shimmering points of light.
Before us, something indescribable with words emerged.
Its form shifted, sometimes like a cluster of galaxies, sometimes like a giant humanoid figure, sometimes like a series of unreadable mathematical symbols. Its voice resonated throughout the space, not through the air, but directly penetrating my consciousness.
"Varro Lazas."
I trembled. This... this was like the "voice of the universe" itself.
.....