Epilogue (Vol 3/End)

In front of me was something strange. It was a woman of an inexplicable beauty.

Her white skin reminded me of a waterfall reflecting the sunlight. But those clear eyes were so dark it felt like I was staring into an abyss.

My body trembled like an animal's young in front of a predator.

I feel weak. I feel helpless.

I feel like she will devour me at any moment.

But more than that, I can feel my vitality leaving my body and a strong sense of abandonment creeping into my guts.

I feel like a person about to commit suicide. This is despair.

The woman in front of me has such a sinister aura that I have no choice but to cry.

I realized that I was being very negative. This had never happened to me before.

I shook my head and hit myself. I looked at her and the feeling of despair was still there.

Who is she?

"I told you. I am called the Storyteller."

It seemed she could read my thoughts.

"Of course, I can. Everything you think enters my head as if it were a monologue in a novel."

She really scares me. The things she says are terrifying. But I can't stand still.

She did something and now everything around me, especially the goddess Amylene, was frozen in some sort of black and white filter.

"It's not a filter. I simply stopped time."

"You stopped time?" I said, unable to believe it.

No matter how ridiculous it sounds. Not even a god could do that.

"Of course, I can do it. But I didn't stop time in this world. I stopped the time of life itself in this universe. Everything around you abruptly stopped because of me, as I wanted to talk to you, Vandelion."

"No, I should refer to you by that name you don't remember: Rengokouji Yuuichiro."

"...!"

I remembered at that moment. My Japanese name that I abandoned a long time ago. She knows it as if it were written in a notebook.

"I know everything about you. I know the first time you went to a concert of your favorite idol. I know the first time you cried for being rejected by the girl you liked and the exact time and day. I know the reason why your parents died in that car accident. I know your entire life."

My mouth trembled, I wanted to respond. But the things she said were so terrifying that not even a professional stalker could scare like she does.

"It's a bit cruel to call me a stalker. By the way, I'm not a woman, I just take the form in which you can best appreciate my appearance."

"Appreciate? Why do you speak in the plural as if there were someone else?"

"That's simple."

Suddenly the sky darkened, and hundreds of thousands of eyes of different sizes opened.

"I can see everything. And I've decided that your life is part of my entertainment. I am someone who has lived so many years that not even all the fingers in the world would be enough to tell you my age. In fact, I myself have forgotten what my appearance was like. But I decided to take a cute appearance for our viewers."

"See, Vandelion."

She slowly approached my position. I wanted to move, but it was useless.

"I select beings, worlds, galaxies, universes, random people, and observe how their lives will be. You noticed sometimes that I was watching you, some of your friends too. But they are not the protagonists of this story. You are. I watched everything you did, your victories and defeats."

"And you know what?"

Her cheerful smile turned to one of unimaginable disgust for the bitterness it showed.

"You disgust me. Your life of befriending everything that moved, I hated it. It's repulsive. You are boring. You didn't let anyone die, everyone is alive. When a viewer follows a story, they expect both joys and tragedies, laughter and cries of pain. But you avoided all that, turning my experience into something boring and that makes me very angry. Couldn't you let any of those girls die?"

"That's why I got bored and decided to give you your farewell gift."

"My farewell gift?"

She stretched out her hand and then uttered terrifying words.

"I came personally to put an end to this absurd story. I will erase everything. This whole world will be nothing more than space dust."

"What? That's im—"

I couldn't move my mouth after seeing her smile.

That cheek-to-cheek smile was more terrifying than one might expect. Literally, she was smiling to a degree where her smile kept extending on her face.

Her white eyes turned completely black. It was something terrifying. I wanted to empty my bladder from the fear I felt. I had never felt fear like this before.

A small firefly passed in front of me, it was golden like the sun. Nothing was supposed to move, but when I turned my head, I understood what she meant.

Mylene was turning into small fragments of light to the point that her body was disintegrating. Not just her, the plants, the trees, the birds in the sky.

The city, even the clouds were turning into yellow particles.

"What's happening?"

"I told you. I'm erasing everything. Since I got bored, there's no point in continuing to watch this. Oh, I forgot. You will die too, or rather, you will be erased. Don't worry. Being erased doesn't mean dying, it just means your existence will cease to exist."

Little by little, the landscape around me darkened as if it were a black background.

"Stop."

I shouted, but my voice was so weak that even I couldn't understand myself.

"Please."

I begged, throwing myself to the ground with tears running down my cheeks.

"Stop. For whatever you care about, stop. Stop doing this."

She looked at me the same way you would look at trash. I was insignificant to her.

"If an insect begged you not to step on it. Would you?"

"Is that how you see us?"

"No. You are less than shoe trash. You are more insignificant than a microbe. You are just a flame that we primordial gods use as a game. My friends are different from me. They seek to torture humans, and I seek to have fun with them. But you didn't do that. I gave you signs to change the course of your life. But you wanted this boring life. Tell me. Do you feel happy? By choosing this path of cowardice, everything will be erased, even your existence."

She sighed in disappointment.

"I suppose I will have to start a new search for an interesting target. Maybe I will manipulate their life so that only misfortunes happen and then tell them through a minor god that their life can improve if they commit child homicides?"

"Sounds very interesting. It could even be a manga."

After hearing everything she said, I could only feel disgust and rage.

What do you think human life is?

No. What do you think life itself is?

Why the hell do you play with people's lives for your entertainment?

Are you some damn CEO of a black company who enjoys seeing their workers suffer?

The hatred grew in my body. Little by little I stood up and grabbed my sword. The fear was still inside me. But I wasn't going to let her get away with it.

"Hey, whatever your name is."

"What do you want?"

Almost everything was covered by a black background. My legs trembled, but I hit each one and got into a running position.

"At this moment, stop."

"Sorry?"

"I said. Stop it noooooooooooooooooooooooow!"

Using all the strength in my legs, I ran at great speed towards the woman in front of me. Nothing mattered to me but defeating her.

"I won't let you get away with it!"

Her hand reached out to me.

"You are also dust, don't think you're something great."

I could feel myself getting lighter, I glanced briefly and saw how my body was slowly disappearing. But even so.

"At least I will give you a hit!"

I was getting closer, but also disappearing.

"Do you really want to do something useless like that? What do you gain now that it's all over?"

I shouted from the bottom of my being.

"I am a hero! I will protect everyone! The people I love! The people who appreciate me!"

"That human feeling is ephemeral. They will all be dust sooner or later."

"They should be grateful that their useless lives serve for something."

My sword was getting closer, I could no longer feel my lower part, but I didn't care.

"The lives of all living beings are not for anyone's amusement!"

"No one deserves to suffer so some psychopathic sicko can enjoy their tragedies."

"Even if I'm erased. I will make sure that stupid smile of yours…"

My hands disappeared, so I threw my sword at her face.

My vision was fading. But my exalted voice released its last breath.

"Will be erased so you can't laugh anymore!"

That was my last sound.

I could no longer hear anything, my vision went dark, and I couldn't see if my sword even grazed her cheek.

My consciousness was fading.

This is goodbye to everyone.

I'm sorry...

◇

"Tch. You win, I lost."

Was what I suddenly heard while opening my eyes.

I looked around. It was exactly the same gray background as before.

But there is no black background, although Mylene is still frozen.

In front of me was the mysterious woman who was supposed to have erased my existence and now she was looking at me, annoyed.

"It's really annoying. It's been thousands of years since another human defeated me."

"Gugugugu. It's despicable that you actually won despite having the slightest hope of winning."

"Not even in the worst generic novels does that kind of victory happen."

"..."

I didn't understand what was happening.

"I don't understand what's happening."

"I was supposed to be erased and everything is still the same."

The mysterious girl approached and grabbed my cheek.

Her hand was icy cold.

"Are you deaf?"

"You win. I won't erase your world."

"Huh?"

I was truly speechless.

But I still had to ask.

"Why won't you?"

She glared at me angrily, pouting as she spoke.

"Are you stupid?"

"I gave you a hopeful situation."

"I told you everything you know would be destroyed, that everything you did would be in vain."

"Everything you achieved was worthless in the end."

"It was only natural for you to cry and beg for mercy, at least for your life."

"What did you do?"

I asked, thoroughly confused by her words. Finally, she clarified what she had done.

"I returned everything to you."

"I wanted you to fall into despair so that your last moments would be the perfect closure to your story."

"But you were an idiot who held onto hope until the last minute."

"That angered me because I couldn't make you feel miserable. So, it's my defeat."

She turned halfway and walked toward an opening portal.

"This is goodbye, Vandelion, Yuuichiro."

"You amused me as you made me angry too."

"In the end, you managed to get your deepest wish. Despair couldn't devour that happiness you refused to lose."

"So, you're leaving. Aren't you?"

I was very uncertain about her words. But she could read minds, so that meant one thing.

"Yes. It's farewell."

"Don't worry, everything will return to normal when I'm gone, the monsters will disappear too."

One of her feet entered the portal, then her body was gradually engulfed by emptiness, leaving only her hand visible.

"Strive to have a happy life. You don't deserve it, but you've earned it."

I never knew who or what she was.

But before the portal closed, I did the only thing that came to mind.

"Thank you for coming. Please don't come back."

The portal closed and I heard a faint laugh.

"Hehehe. Let's hope it stays that way."

After her voice disappeared, the gray surroundings gradually cleared to the point where sound and wind returned.

Mylene, who had been motionless, began moving again.

"An existence known as the Ancient God..."

"Eh? Darling?"

"Where are you?"

I approached her and hugged her from behind.

"It's okay now. It's over."

"Yes. No! This is important."

"What you wanted to tell me, it's over. She's gone."

"Gone? Why are you talking like you met someone?"

"It's hard to explain, but everything's fine."

I took her hand and moved it to my cheek.

"Everything that happened is over. There's nothing to worry about."

"What matters is that we must live our lives together."

"... Are you sure it's all over?"

She looked at me doubtfully.

I wouldn't think so either, but her words were clear.

I didn't deserve my happiness, but I achieved it.

Which means I won this happiness.

"I am. It was something I couldn't understand, and I don't want to know either. I only care that it's over."

In the distance, I could see Alice and the others running towards us.

I looked at my goddess and smiled.

"We need to introduce you to the others."

"Alright. I want to meet the women you've accepted into your harem."

We walked towards them, but not before stopping for a moment and looking at the sky.

(I hope it's really over.)

◇

Once again, I find myself looking at the sky.

Ten years have passed since that day.

The day I met the Storyteller.

Now I am the father of several boys and girls.

I am the king of this country and representative of others.

I was in my office helping my wives with paperwork.

I took a break to look at the sky.

Why do I look at the sky?

Because I want to be prepared.

For the day she returns.

That day, I will be ready to face her and defeat her this time.

I have been training and gained new skills.

I will protect everyone and not allow despair to consume me again.

"Daddy, there you are."

"Mommy says it's time to eat."

My daughters, Lucia, Stephanie and Fabiola, entered my office.

"Oh, I see. Alright."

"Let's go eat."

I took my little daughters' hands and headed to the dining room, but not before sending one last look at the sky.

(Whether you're there or not, I'll never let my guard down.)

(After all, I am a hero.)

(And not just any hero.)

I am a Black Hero, one who accomplishes deeds that are neither ethical nor normal.

◇◇◇

"Oh~, so you never let your guard down for any reason."

"Hehehe, you're very serious, Vandelion."

In the vast and dark cosmos, illuminated by stars, a silhouette lay on an invisible ground as if she were a schoolgirl checking her smartphone.

She was an entity with no pronounceable name.

A name that would never be spoken by any living being.

But she called herself the Storyteller.

A screen showed Lion dining with his family, and she watched them as if watching a television program.

"I guess we can't keep having fun anymore. I really hoped you'd let your guard down."

"But ten years. Wow, for me it was just a second."

"I don't care. I suppose it's time to close our cycle and start a new one..."

She suddenly fell silent.

Behind her, a portal opened, and someone stepped out of it.

"It's rude to enter someone's house without permission."

She didn't need to turn to see who it was; she already knew who her guest was.

"No place is your home, spawn."

His appearance was that of a man in his twenties, wearing Greek robes and holding a long sword of light in his right hand. His eyes were golden, and his long white hair reached the ground.

"You're very cruel."

She mockingly called him by his name.

"Zelzeus-chan."

The man called himself Zelzeus. He had become a high-level God.

"May I know what you're doing here?"

"I don't have to answer that. But it's obvious what I'm doing here."

He raised his sword as high as he could and quickly brought it down.

"I came to kill the false god of this universe."

The sword stopped in the air by a mysterious phantom force. The Storyteller remained silent for a moment.

"So it's true you plan to end all the gods that exist."

"That will cause the universe to collapse as such."

"I don't care. My mission is to end you all. Even if thousands of worlds must perish."

The sword continued its path to try to cut her. For them, it was a simple movement. But for the universe, it wasn't. The planets shook, causing various earthquakes. The seas generated towering tsunamis, and storms covered the skies.

The Storyteller affectionately spoke to Zelzeus.

"Ignore this world for now. They have earned their peace."

"I don't care; all worlds will be destroyed anyway."

"Come on, for old times' sake."

"Just because I was your jester and you gave me the key to become a god doesn't mean I'll be one."

Then Zelzeus did something he should never have done.

"I don't care about your power."

He pronounced her real name.

"Even if a formless spawn like you says it, I'm not afraid of you, Azat—"

Then Zelzeus' arm was erased along with the stars behind him.

"Don't you dare say that name with your filthy mouth!"

"You're not a God like me! You're just a piece of flesh that became a star in the sky!"

"Do you know how many eons I've been existing?"

The Storyteller turned around; her face had disappeared. Instead of a face, there was a threshold showing an abyss of loneliness and death. Multiple tentacles surfaced unwillingly.

Zelzeus didn't flinch and quickly regenerated his arm and sword.

"I don't care. But I understand you're angry."

"At this moment, I can't kill you, so I'll leave this universe for another time."

A portal opened beside him.

"I'll see you when I've finished off your god friends."

The Storyteller's face returned to normal.

Before he crossed the portal, she said to him.

"Zelzeus-chan."

"What is it?"

He looked at the false woman smiling as if she were his friend.

"I don't know why, but I feel the next universe you'll go to will be very special."

"Can I give you some advice?"

"Go ahead. If it helps me kill you faster."

What she told him was something that would carry weight in the future of his existence.

"How about creating a clone of yourself?"

"I couldn't tell you the reason; let's just say. Wouldn't it make time more interesting while you destroy the universes?"

"I think it's a great idea."

Zelzeus scornfully said.

"It's a terrible idea."

Before entering, he glimpsed a bright constellation in the distance. That constellation was called Leo, the Lion. He entered the portal and disappeared.

The Storyteller remained alone and then sighed.

"I don't like stressing out; it's bad for my skin."

"Now..."

She turned around, seeming to be staring intently at someone.

"I wonder what kind of new story I should follow."

"Maybe I should use yours. Don't you think?"

With that beautiful and sinister smile, she showed.

The Heroic Adventure of the Black Hero is what Vandelion's epic will be called in his book.

The end of one story comes, and the birth of another begins.

The End.

_________________

The final fanservice belongs to our two goddesses.

https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/6856279

https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/7330860