"How many worlds has it been?"
"Hmm, let me check… 999 worlds. We fixed 999 worlds because of him. This is the last one."
Seven individuals sat around a circular table in a room where countless universes and galaxies shone brightly, both inside and outside, floating in the air like oxygen.
They were ancient. Some had white hair, some did not. Old as bone, older than any universe. They wore different kinds of clothing. Some wore armor, some wore plain fabric, and some did not bother at all.
To describe them as old would be an understatement. Strange? Perhaps.
The concepts of gender and time did not exist for them. They simply sat there, as if they had been doing so since the birth of nothingness.
The first to speak was someone… something clad in golden armor. Scriptures that could not be read, not even by them, were engraved into the unknown material.
The second being wore nothing but a white dress. Simple. Far too simple.
Energy capable of destroying universes cloaked each of them. Under their gaze, no creature could survive.
As the voice of the second being echoed, the circular table conjured a world. A boundless planet formed, continent after continent, country after country, but to them, it was merely a speck of dust.
And yet, this speck of dust had proved troublesome enough to draw their attention.
"The 1000th world… but all for naught. All will come to an end. All will face the same outcome. All will return… to nothingness…"
As the being spoke, the boundless planet began to shake. Dozens of continents became seven, and thousands of countries were reduced to only a few hundred. Abominable creatures dwindled into nothing, and humans who had once soared through the sky and crossed the universe were grounded, forced to walk once more.
The planet shrank, and the diminished world was wracked by explosions.
The crack of gunfire, the sound of screams, the endless noise of politics, and above all, the deafening roar of nuclear bombs dropping, the world experienced it all. Just as the other nine hundred and ninety-nine had.
Toxic water. Toxic air. Toxic atmosphere.
The wind caressed death.
Light saved nothing.
And the dirt gave no life.
Soon, the once-giant world became nothing more than a dead rock in the endless universe.
As the seven beings watched yet another natural outcome, the table churned, and everything returned to normal.
"Let us rest. It has been some time since we last slept," one of them said.
The others nodded.
But one voiced concern.
"He is still out there somewhere. Waiting. This will not be his last," said one unclad being, their cold voice resonating through the space.
Each of them was cloaked in divine light. Even those who wore no garments were covered by it, though they hardly cared.
"We know. But he is a defect from nothingness. A defect that will return to nothingness. It is only a matter of time, and time is in our hands."
"The Defect is extremely weak. This thousandth world is the Defect's last. If it is still out there, then it is only waiting to become one with nothingness."
"We do not have to worry. Everything is set. Every action is predetermined. We are flowing as one… to none."
"To none."
Their voices, ancient and divine, resonated as one.
To none.
Silence fell.
Then, one by one, they closed their eyes. The entire space turned to stone, as if the whole universe were nothing but a sculpture.
They began to sleep.
For hundreds of billions of years.
…
…
"Gas prices have started to rise. It will not be long before other products and services follow… It is not a very good situation for us. We can see the problem, and as your teacher, I want to know your thoughts and what your solutions would be. Do not worry, as long as it is not ridiculous, I will accept your answers… Okay! Let us start with…"
The homeroom teacher of 12th Grade B Section looked over his students, the light from the window reflecting off his glasses.
His students did not dare look him in the eye. Most were preoccupied with their own business, some blatantly taking out their phones to watch reels. Others slept as peacefully as they could.
Fortunately, there was always someone he could rely on for participation.
However, no matter how he scanned the classroom, he could not find that person.
"Wait… everyone! Have you seen Ren? I swear he was here just a few minutes ago."
No one answered, leaving the teacher frustrated. But before he could scold them, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.
With a loud bang, the door flew open.
"M-Mr. Rowan! R-Ren! He's on the rooftop… I-I think he's going to jump!"
The female student shouted. The classroom fell silent for a split second before erupting into an uproar.
This snapped the rest of 12th Grade B Section awake. Soon, joined by students from other sections and grades, they rushed onto the school rooftop.
Rowan took a tentative step forward, the fierce wind whipping his hair and clothes.
Standing on the parapet, Ren kept his back to them.
Wearing his school uniform loosely, with black hair waving in the gale, Ren looked out over the horizon, the distant city, and the streets far below.
"Ren! Whatever you're thinking, don't do it! Life is too precious for you to end it! Think about the people around you! Your friends! Your family!" Rowan shouted, his voice trembling.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. The students and other teachers were equally on edge. None of them knew what to do.
Meanwhile, Ren calmly surveyed the scenery before him. But behind his placid facade, a storm of alien emotions raged.
I'm… a human? This place… This world… this is not the thousandth… the new world?
He glanced at the street and saw the rushing vehicles.
It has begun… this world is already on its way to nothingness.
A frown creased his face.
Voices of concern drifted up from behind him, but he ignored them. Instead, he looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes.
They are asleep…
Usually, the moment he regained consciousness, those seven would immediately try to erase him. But right now, the whole world was quiet. There was no sudden cosmic pressure, no rupture tearing through the sky.
Ren, or whatever this human's name was, quickly understood his situation.
He had suddenly awakened inside the classroom. Confused at first, he grasped enough of his surroundings to head to the rooftop and think more clearly. Now, feeling the wind and sorting through memories that belonged to a mere human, he finally understood his predicament.
He had become human.
He was no longer a cosmic entity that designed power systems, nor the being that seeded cultivation, mana, magic, and countless other systems across worlds.
He, the once-great creator, was now trapped in mortal flesh.
Powerless.
Weak.
Ren shook his head.
As he watched the streets below, he began forming a plan.
A plan to start another mess.
However, the strange, rhythmic pounding of a heartbeat, the wind brushing against his skin, and the confusing words of the humans shouting behind him made it difficult to form a perfect strategy.
The human memories in his brain were still assimilating.
Why? Why are they so noisy? Are humans always this loud? Especially that one…
Ren turned to look at the human with round glasses standing at the front of the crowd.
Mr. Rowan? Was that this human's name?
"Okay, good! Slowly get down, okay, Ren? We can talk this out, just you and me!" Rowan's eyes lit up the moment he saw Ren finally looking at them. "Don't try to kill yourself. We can work things out! Just slowly step down."
Kill myself?
Although Ren was adapting to his current situation quickly, he was utterly confused as to why this human thought he was trying to end his own life.
"Human, I am not going to kill myself," Ren said before stepping back down from the parapet onto the rooftop.
The motion caused his eyes to widen slightly. This was his first time truly feeling the pull of gravity in this form. His legs wobbled for a moment, but he managed to steady himself.
"Human Rowan, lead me to this world's master."
Ren walked over and stopped directly in front of his teacher, leaving the man speechless.
"W-What are you talking about? 'Human Rowan'? I'm your homeroom teacher!" Rowan's face turned red with a mix of relief and sudden anger. "Follow me to the principal's office! Aside from pulling a terrifying stunt like that, disrespecting your teacher is punishable!"
"Everyone, disperse!"