The smiling face disappeared, and the perspective shifted. Where Cha Uijae’s face once was, the ceiling with sparsely placed rafters now filled the screen. A familiar voice grumbled.

―I’m not some all-powerful tool that can do anything you ask, you know. How the hell am I supposed to create something like a dungeon that stores memories…? I saved his life, and now he wants the whole damn package.

It was Hong Yeseong’s voice.

―Well, I mean, I could make it, of course!

Clatter, clatter. Something was rummaging through the surroundings. The perspective swayed and flipped along with it. Surrounding the view were mana stones of various sizes and colors. Hong Yeseong hummed a tune, mumbling to himself.

―While I’m at it, maybe I should make a recording device for myself too….

‘Wait… is this the perspective of a mana stone?’

As if answering Uijae’s question, a hand covered in tiny burn scars grabbed the view’s owner and spun it around.

―Ah, found it!

Hong Yeseong’s face, magnified through a loupe, moved closer and then farther away repeatedly. His golden eyes shimmered chaotically. He tilted his head.

―Oh ho? Look at this. Even though you’re just a mana stone, you still have some consciousness left. You’re watching me, aren’t you? Haha!

Hong Yeseong laughed brightly.

―Almost wasted a gem like this. Let’s see… a mana stone from a memory-stealing monster.

He set the stone down on a flat surface with a firm thud. Bright light flooded the entire view, like a patient lying on an operating table.

―If I think about it in reverse… that means there must be a place where the stolen memories are stored, right? And maybe even a way to return them?

Through the blinding light, Hong Yeseong’s face suddenly appeared. His golden eyes glinted.

―As expected… yes, exactly! I am a genius, aren’t I? If I tweak it just right, I can use it as a storage device.

After that, the perspective began to change wildly. Darkness. Then a fiery red as if being thrown into a fire. Amid the constant shifts, Hong Yeseong’s voice kept interjecting.

―If I melt it down and turn it into a tool, then it breaks… and if the fragments disappear… that part of the memory will be irretrievable. So, it’s better to keep the mana stone whole and use it as the core of the recording device….

―The main body that will house the core should have some degree of self-awareness, right? It should at least have a basic instinct to protect the core…. Hmm, maybe even a survival instinct. Should I add some attack functions too?

―If the body is too big, it’ll consume too much energy, so let’s keep it small. Gotta be cost-effective. And if it can fly, that would be even better… ah, I could go for some fried chicken right now.

―Even if the body changes, as long as the core remains the same, the consciousness and memory should stay intact….

Hong Yeseong’s voice gradually faded, and the screen darkened to pitch black. How much time had passed?

A light, airy voice spoke.

―…I think I did it this time. Now then… open your eyes.

The black screen slowly lifted. Blink, blink. Each time it blinked, Hong Yeseong’s grinning face appeared and disappeared.

―There we go! Success! This is the great me’s victory!

Rummaging busily around, he pulled out a small hand mirror and held it up. Reflected in the mirror was a porcelain white chicken. Its beady black eyes blinked. Beyond the mirror, Hong Yeseong grinned.

―Kkokko! Your name is Kkokko.

Kkokko tilted its head. Hong Yeseong pointed at himself with his finger.

―I’m Hong Yeseong. Your master.

―Kkoo?

―Aw, did you just answer me? Good job. Let’s see, the vocal organs seem to be working fine.

His hands carefully lifted Kkokko up. From that height, Kkokko could see Hong Yeseong and the place where he stood.

Hong Yeseong’s messy brown hair was tied up in a single knot. He looked even more gaunt than before. The workshop was in complete disarray. Outside the workshop window, white ashes swirled like a blizzard.

―Thank goodness…. I finished just in time.

He hugged Kkokko tightly against his chest.

―Kkokko.

―Kkoo-ook.

―I’m going to run away. While my friend buys me time.

―Kkoo?

―But you’re going to go to my friend. Got it? He acts like he’s fine, but he’s incredibly lonely. Stay by his side.

―Kkoo-ook.

―This is your first command. Watch everything. …And remember it all.

Hong Yeseong carefully placed Kkokko back on the desk and bent down so that their eyes were level.

―And when the time comes… return it all to my master.

Hong Yeseong stared directly into the screen. It was as if he were staring straight through Kkokko and at Uijae himself.

The pale, dried-out lips moved slightly.

Remember.

The voice rippled like a wave. A shiver ran through Uijae’s entire body. Strength flooded into his fingers. The memories embedded in his body and soul were waking up.

Uijae gasped, sucking in a deep breath. His vision spun violently….

***

Spatters of blood scattered across the white floor, ejected through gritted teeth. Uijae wiped his mouth roughly with the back of his hand. A long smear of red marked his scarred knuckles.

Still kneeling, Cha Uijae lifted his head.

Every breath brought up more blood.

The end was near.

He was certain of it. He’d been through enough battles to know. He couldn’t fight any longer with this body. He had pushed himself to the absolute limit. With his left arm gone, his body leaned slightly to the right. Blood dripped onto the pristine white floor. His vision swayed dizzily.

His left side was in tatters. Even after dousing it with a potion, the healing was painfully slow. The part of his side that had been blown away along with his arm was only just beginning to mend.

‘At least my organs weren’t torn apart.’

It had been a close call. If his reaction had been even a second slower, he wouldn’t even be standing right now. He would’ve died without ever using the watch.

And that was what truly terrified him.

To have died a pointless death, without even using the watch.

Was it arrogance? Thinking a mere human could stand against the apocalypse?

At that moment, something pressed against Uijae’s thigh. It was the ceramic chicken, cracked in multiple places. Wasn’t its name Kkokko? Hong Yeseong had forced it into his arms before leaving.

‘If he was going to give me something, he should’ve at least given me something useful. What the hell am I supposed to do with a chicken?’

It would be a lie to say he hadn’t thought that.

But strangely, that tiny porcelain chicken brought him comfort.

A sense that he wasn’t alone. A psychological anchor, a reminder that there was still something to protect.

‘Even a half-finished thing like this can still be called life….’

Uijae let out a dry, bitter laugh. Coughs mixed with the laughter, and he swallowed more blood. He pressed his palm firmly against the ceramic chicken’s head.

“Chicken. Watch closely.”

Grinding his ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) teeth, he used the broken spear shaft as leverage to stand. ‘It’ was watching him, seemingly entertained. Uijae steadied his breathing and pointed the broken spear shaft with his right hand.

At the two massive eyes.

Around the vortex, white ash swirled violently. He could feel the gaze. ‘It’ was staring directly at Cha Uijae. Uijae didn’t look away. He stared straight back. He had come too far to be afraid of apocalypse and death now.

His trembling hand steadied.

“…Have you ever failed before?”

There was no response. ‘It,’ the apocalypse, merely watched. Observing the lone human standing against the end of the world.

“I have. A lot. Probably as many times as the worlds you’ve destroyed.”

Thud. He took a step forward. On the wasteland, where ash and blood mingled, a footprint was etched.

“Even if I fail this time, it won’t make much of a difference. The world will end anyway.”

With every step, his footprints multiplied. Blood-mixed footprints that refused to be covered by the raging white ash.

“So…”

Black hair whipped through the air. The corner of his blood-stained lips curved upward.

The hero smiled. Blue light flared in his eyes.

“I’m going to run away.”

[Activating Trait: Strength Enhancement (S+)]
[Activating Unique Trait: Master’s Hands (S+)]
[Activating Unique Trait: All-Penetrating Sight (S+)]

Strength surged through his battered body. He knew it. This was his last stand. In the end, this too would be another failure. He was running away, unable to protect the world.

But humans learn from failure.

Cha Uijae had learned from countless failures.

He was certain that next time, he could do it better.

He pulled back the arm holding the spear shaft with all his might. From head to toe, he became a bowstring drawn taut, aiming at the target.

“I’m going to run away like a coward, you bastard!”

<Heart Piercing!>

Kwaaaang—!!

The broken spear shaft shot forward, embedding itself dead center in the left vortex. The rotation stopped for a brief moment. And then—

Kugugung…!!

The surroundings began to quake violently. The white ash now swirled like knives, slashing through the air. Fragments scattered around began to rise, suspended in the air.

Uijae didn’t stop. He raised his right arm high.

“Remember….”

From his wrist, a brilliant white light burst forth. Just before the light swallowed him whole, his blue eyes glowed fiercely.

“This is your first failure!”

And then—

The light consumed everything.