The World After the Fall

Manticore Fortress was destroyed, leaving hundreds of Half Dead Men crying in shock at the loss they faced. But Sirwen felt nothing. She had already seen it too many times. She hadn't lived as long as the [Masters], but she recently was getting sick of living.

'Maybe I'm going through another suicidal season.'

[Nightmares] had a period of time called 'suicidal season'. It was when [Nightmares] became indifferent to everything in the world and were tempted to kill themselves to find a way out of the dullness.

However, [Nightmare] Sirwen, who had lived for two thousand years, had found something that was not dull.

Someone with enough power to destroy a fortress. She had faced many Awakeners and was even chased by them a few times, yet she had never seen such an attack with a [Stab] powerful enough to distort a world.

'…He cracked the 'Adapter World' just by using physical means. How solid is his unique world?'

Sirwen knew there were more powerful attacks that could do much more damage. The Lords over the 10th stage, or 4th step Awakeners could easily cause more destruction, but even they could not destroy a world.

Destroying it was different from just opening up a unique world. It was not vulnerable enough to be destroyed by someone's will or imagination. If one part went missing, it would be replaced with another. It was like nature or the cosmos. It wasn't something that could be fought against by a single being.

That was the 'Adapter World', or the System.

However, that man made a crack in it. Or maybe it was good to even call it a 'Way.' Sirwen felt a surge of excitement as soon as she saw it. The smell coming from the man was also familiar. He had the smell of a [Nightmare] whom she admired and was jealous of at the same time.

"…What are you?" she asked. She was flushed, and her body heated up. It was a typical trait that [Nightmares] had when they became curious.

"And what are you?"

"…Huh?" Sirwen was shocked. "You don't know me?"

"No."

Sirwen asked again, angrily, "You don't read the [Hot Ten of This Week] or [Top of the Top]?"

Jaehwan was confused as Sirwen became even angrier.

"Don't you have holograms at home?"

Sirwen couldn't believe it. Be it Adapters, Awakeners, or Lords, everyone in the [Great Lands] knew her. She was, after all, one of the most well-known [Nightmares] among the 500 [High Artisans] or [Nightmares] who often appeared on mass media, and was always the one who ranked the first in popularity polls in [Little Brother]. She was Sirwen Armelt, the Alluring Fire.

Chunghuh coughed and spoke.

"Kid, she's a [Nightmare]."

"…[Nightmare]?"

"Yeah. A famous one."

Jaehwan turned. She was nothing like the 'demon-like' figure that Jaehwan had imagined. And a black tank top and short pants? Those were clothing that he saw back on Earth during the summer. If it wasn't for the horns, he would have believed that she was a human.

"And you knew?"

"…Of course, I do."

Chunghuh spoke as he glanced at Sirwen's slender body.

"…Every man in [Chaos] knows her."

Sirwen suddenly became serious.

"Hey, old man. Thank you for introducing me, but you should watch your mouth if you want to live long."

She was fuming. "All [Nightmares] are different races. You should know that if you lived that long."

Sometimes [Nightmares] did not like being called a 'nightmare' just because they were not really a 'nightmare.' [Nightmare] was just represented the combined race of very rare races with certain similar characteristics.

"My name is Sirwen Armelt. I'm not just a [Nightmare]."

Chunghuh frowned. "All [Nightmares] are like that. They look okay outside, but they're all stuck up."

"…"

"But it's my first time seeing her in person. I guess it's true that she looks different from videos."

Jaehwan then looked at Sirwen.

'[Nightmare]…'

He did hear that Golden Sky had a [Nightmare] with them. Then he remembered he had been looking for a [Nightmare] before he became the Master of Gorgon. He needed to ask a few things. He wanted to ask how to get to the [Depth], or about the [First Nightmare] that was at the top of Tree of Imagery, but he didn't have the time right now.

"I see. It would be great if you would move out of the way now," Jaehwan commented. Sirwen flinched as it was the first time she had been treated this way and she bit her lip.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Because I was asked to stop you."

"Me?"

"Well, the one who asked is probably on the verge of dying."

Sirwen spoke as she glanced over at the fortress. Jaehwan readied his sword.

"Then I have no choice."

"…Wait!"