"There's no end to them." Blood clung to Novak like a second skin, drying on his armor and seeping into his wounds. He wiped his cheek out of habit, but it felt pointless—he stood drenched in the aftermath of slaughter. Above, the sky bled a deep crimson. Winged horror monsters circled, blocking out the last light. They were still coming, their shrieks carried by a wind that smelled of decay. Beneath his boots lay an endless graveyard. Humans and beasts lay tangled, their eyes fixed on a world beyond their reach as their blood soaked the soil.
A bitter laugh slipped from him as he mocked his fate. He was the last of humanity, clinging to life on a battlefield that had swallowed many dreams. "I swear…" His voice was raw from days of screaming. His fingers clenched around the sword's hilt until his knuckles split. "Every last one of you will die by my hand. Even if it's the last thing I do." He closed his eyes and raised his blade, channeling as much mana as he could into the steel. A white light glowed along its edges, swelling until it burned into a brilliant light. The monsters sensed the burst of mana around Novak and reacted right away. They all flew down toward Novak. Just before they reached him, he opened his eyes and swung his blade with full force.
The world split with the force from Novak's blade. A bright light filled the air, turning the monsters into dust. Novak's attack split the sky, just as the ground had cracked open. In its place was a vast crater reaching to the horizon. The effort dropped him to his knees with pain surging through his ribs as blood filled his mouth. The attack drained his strength and dragged him closer to the abyss he'd danced around for years. But at last—he'd done it. The last of the Zodiacs was gone. He let out a soft chuckle showing his heartfelt Joy, "It's over Marvic, Ellia... "Your sacrifice meant something. After five long years of fighting, we've finally beaten the Zodiacs." Novak's smile was warm as he fulfilled his comrade's wish. But being the last survivor of humanity felt less like a victory. It showed how brutal the war with the Zodiacs had been.
As Novak celebrated his victory, the air around him shifted in an unexpected manner. It began to pull inward, creating a strong pressure that felt like it could swallow him whole. It pressed against his chest, making every breath feel borrowed. A shadow fell over him. "You really are impressive, human." A voice emerged from beyond, speaking in an eerie tone as a portal appeared in front of him.
"W-what is with this Mana...." Novak muttered while sensing an ungodly amount of Mana emanating from beyond the portal in front of him. A figure stepped out of the portal, then another. Soon, six figures stood before him. They each wore a crimson cloak that covered their entire bodies. Each of them bore a unique sigil on the collar of intricate markings.
"Hmm... I didn't expect the humans' strongest warrior was actually unable to absorb Mana." At the center was Mephiston. Novak felt the strongest pressure from him. Each of them had already surpassed human limits, but Mephiston's mana was the most powerful Novak had ever encountered. He layed frozen in place, each breath feeling heavy. Novak had fought human-shaped Zodiacs before, but never on this level "What's with this absurd amount of strength... Their Mana is so dense I can barely breathe. Are they also Zodiacs? No, that can't be right; with strength like this, they could have turned the tide of the war long ago."
"Even with a body unfit for mana," Mephiston said as he approached, "you showed strength beyond our expectations... How ironic that humanity's strongest force was nothing more than a broken toy."
Something unseen gripped Novak, dragging him forward. His feet left the ground as his body floated toward Mephiston. Resistance was pointless; the fight bled out of him the moment their power touched him.
"The master will be upset about the large amount of force we lost to a low-ranked species." Golvak one of the cloaked figures standing behind, commented in a certain voice. The other cloaked figures behind nodded in agreement with Golvak's words. "Hmmm... Then we should recruit more strength to ease the master's worries," Mephiston said, moving closer to Novak.
"Low-ranked species? Master? What are these people talking about? Are people as strong as this actually serving someone? That can't be right for years we've been told only humans and elves were the only creature that possesed high intelligence." Novak's mind scrambled as he tried to understand who this mysterious figure was.
"Given time," Mephiston continued, "you might break into the level of a Supreme." His tone softened. "So how about it human... Join us?" The words lodged in Novak's mind like a splinter. "…What?"
"It is simple," Mephiston replied. "Become my subordinate, and I will give you strength beyond your imagination."
"What is this?" A sharp, feminine voice cut through. Milena, a figure with the least amount of Mana, stepped forward, glaring at Mephiston. "That human is responsible for the destruction of half our forces, and you wish to keep him? Even you cannot expect the master to approve of this."
"You fail to see the necessity," Mephiston said, not looking at her. "We've lost more than half of our armies. Shouldn't we focus on rebuilding, not burning what remains?"
"We can find another race to rule," Milena spat. "The humans defied us every one of them deserves its fate. My disciples even died at their hands. I won't let their kind live."
As Mephiston and Milena argued about Novak's fate, he felt his fear fade. It shifted into resentment instead. What's this? They can communicate well. They understand each other. They feel emotions and adore their Master. So if that's the case, why? Why have we been fighting for so long? Why did the people I care about all die without a reason? This question lingered in his mind until he forced the words out.
"You want to make me a slave," Novak said, his voice low. The generals turned their eyes back to him. "You would begin as one," Mephiston responded. "But in time, if you prove yourself, I may take you as my disciple."Even his fellow generals stirred at that. Novak's lips curled into a humorless smile. He searched the shadowed hood for the eyes of the monster beneath. "Go to hell!" His voice hardened. "You came to our world unprovoked and sent it to ruin. " Novak shifted to the desolated land filled with corpses as far as the eye could see. "You slaughtered families. You butchered my friends. And now you want me to submit to you?" He gritted his teeth, mana pulsing in his hand again. "F**k off!!!"
A ripple passed through the air as he broke free from Mephiston's hold. "The human has made his choice," Milena said, stepping forward, but Mephiston raised a hand to stop her. "I will handle this." Novak's sword flared, the light so fierce it made the sky flinch. Pain shot through his body. His muscles tightened, and blood dripped from his eyes. He had hit his limit, but Novak pushed on. He pulled every last bit of strength he had. His body was struggling, but he didn't care. He knew this was his last chance. He was determined to make it count. Even if he had to die, he would take the masterminds behind his planet's destruction with him.
He swung his blade down with all his strength. The attack exceeded human limits. The world fractured, with reality cracking and tearing from his slash.
Mephiston laughed. "Indeed, a spectacle." He waved his hand, knitting the broken world back together.
"That's impossible!" Novak's eyes widened as the godlike figure seized the blade in his grip. The Orchalium steel blade, a legendary Forged sword—shattered like glass.
"It's a pity... But you all have to pay for the sin of your ancestors..." Mephiston spoke with regret, leaving Novak stunned. But what followed was even more shocking. Mephiston raised his hand in a smooth motion. Everything around him turned to dust, as if he had erased all traces of existence.
"What a pity," Mephiston murmured, glancing at the scar Novak's strike had left across his palm. "To comprehend Nihility in such a brief moment… given time, forget supreme—he may have reached the same level as us." he walked towards the portal still pulsing with energy as he walked past the others Milena expressed he gratitude. "Thank you for agreeing to my selfish request." Mephiston stoped, still facing forward he responded. "Don't think I changed my mind because of your interference. I simply decided it was best to break a sword before it becomes sharp enough to pose a serious threat." Milena nodded. "Ohh... And one more thing." Mephiston continued this time his voice shifted colder. "We may all be on the level of Grand supreme, but don't take my kindness for granted... I will not tolerate your outbursts once more." He glared at Milena leaving her visibly shaken. The others followed Mephiston. Milena stepped through the portal last. When she entered, it shut, leaving only a ruined planet behind.