The sky did not move.
Time froze.
And within the nothingness that embraced the world—Lucian opened his eyes.
He stood in the midst of absolute void.
No shadow.
No reflection.
Only himself... and the System, hissing in silence.
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[System: Absolute Domination Stable]
[Erasure Side Effect: Soul Residue 0.03% Detected]
[Emotional Sync: -2%]
[User Status: Semi-Conscious Awareness]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
Yet Lucian’s steps halted.
He felt... something not born of domination.
Not the system.
Not logic.
But—an echo.
That voice...
“Lucian… if one day you hear a voice in the dark—
perhaps it’s not the system. But the part of you...
that never got to say goodbye.”
Null.
His voice still lingered in a place that should have been erased.
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[WARNING: Unremoved Emotional Memory Fragment Detected]
[Data: Null / Former Soul / Original Fraction]
[Status: Minor Distortion Increasing – 0.04%]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
Lucian frowned.
“System… why are you trembling?”
But he knew...
That wasn’t his voice.
It came from within—and from beyond.
Two directions, two worlds... one fracture.
---
In the ruins of the outer world...
People began to forget what daylight was.
Children lost their names on birth certificates.
And in the sky—the stars formed question marks.
In a burning cathedral,
An old priest drew a halo with his own blood—
“Something was erased... but I don’t know what.”
---
Back within the borderless void...
Lucian stepped forward.
One step—and reality pulsed.
Two steps—and an entity emerged.
A little girl.
Hair of silver.
Eyes of blood-red.
---
“I was looking for you…”
“But now I forget... who I am.”
Lucian remained silent.
The System screamed—its digital voice fracturing:
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[WARNING: Deep-Class Soul Anomaly Detected]
[Detection: Name – “Lucille”]
[Relation: Connected to Lucian’s Pre-Awakening Soul Record]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
“Lucille...” Lucian whispered.
“That name... should have been erased.”
And for the first time since he conquered the world—
He felt fear.
Not of the girl.
But of himself—for still being able to remember.
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[System: Emergency Intervention Initiated]
[Status: Beginning Emotional Severance]
[Objective: Delete Fragment “Lucille”]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
But Lucian refused.
“No.”
“Absolute power does not require memory.”
“But maybe... I am not seeking to be absolute anymore.”
---
The System froze.
Its codes faltered.
And in the void—Null’s voice returned:
“See? Even emptiness needs an echo.”
“You’re not done, Lucian. Because the real you hasn’t returned yet.”
---
Reality began to shiver.
Across the globe, clocks stopped at exactly 00:00.
Human shadows returned—but no longer followed their bodies.
And in the sky, a voice was heard:
“The system has wavered.
The world shall choose again... who deserves to be called real.”
---
Lucian stood still.
His body trembled not out of weakness—
But because he realized:
He had become a god...
But lost himself as a man.
---
And for the first time,
The System spoke—not as a tool, but as a being:
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[SYSTEM: QUERY]
[“Lucian... if I am no longer you—do you still want me to remain?”]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
Lucian closed his eyes.
The little girl reached out her hand—
“You can only hear me...
if there’s still something you want to keep.”
---
But before he could answer—
His shadow… moved on its own.
It stared at him.
It smiled.
“Lucian... it’s time you face who truly sits on that throne.”
---
TO BE CONTINUED...