"In our mythology, Ikaros fell to his death, marking his victory."

"But beneath the vast stars, we have not even asked the gods for a place to fall."

"Looking up to the giant gods in the sky, we are still no different from grass and trees, drilling wood to make fire, and using slash-and-burn farming to make fire."

“Even if they fly into space, humans can only look up to the gods above the stars to comfort their weak hearts.”

? : "So...are you regretting it, human?"

"You know, I regret it all the time."

? : "But you still came here, and your steps never hesitated."

"But what does that mean?"

“Sometimes, the fact that we never stop is proof that we cannot turn back.”

? : "...Then...will you still swing the sword for humans now?"

"meeting."

? : "Swing the sword at the gods, and then gain their mercy?"

"That's not pity, and I'm not alone."

“When people look up at the sky, there will always be someone trying to fly.”

"When we flew in front of the sun, the scorching heat melted our wings, so some people saw the falling stars."

"But whether it's the miracle of flying or making a wish to the falling stars, it's not something that can be accomplished by one person."

"Among all this, I have only swung the first sword at you on behalf of the people of this era. That's all."

? : "What's the meaning?"

"It's meaningless. Humans cannot restrain gods. The so-called agreement is just a joke."

"The gods do not sympathize with humans, so we must swing our swords at them."

? :“…”

? : "Now, what should I call you? Human? Outer God? Hero? The pioneer of mankind? Or..."

"Kevin."

"..."

The dark sky covered the earth. Under the sky and within the crystal wall, the floating darkness blurred the vision. But at that last moment...

The pupils projected from ancient times slowly opened.

Undoubtedly, the man's footsteps stepped into the black sand, and his slow steps left a row of neat footprints.

Just as promised on that day.

Humans will eventually come before the gods, and then they will fulfill a covenant.

"You guys finally made it here."

The young man sitting under the crystal wall raised his head and looked at the visitor.

And the conversation with this visitor just now may have given Him some expectations for humans.

“We imagined that this was all a dream.”

The glow of the flames cast down the giant blade in the man's hand, looking into the distance.

Everything he was pursuing was there.

"Now, we have put an end to this dream."

"Let it be buried in reality."

...

What is this tiny existence to the ancient gods?

Dirty outer gods? Lowly ants? Ridiculous termites?

No, neither. The gaze directed at him at this moment is the highest treatment given to a soldier.

After countless years, the separation and interweaving of countless branches, and at the end of the Age of Gods, what finally appeared before them was a human being.

He is not an outer god, not the end, and not an older god.

He is Kevin, and also the original Kaslana.

It is also the last firework of the blooming civilization of the old era.

"So, what are you going to do next? Make us a promise with that toothpick in your hand?"

If you listen carefully, it is not a command, nor a mockery, but a proof of laughter.

When you came here in human form, we already knew the hardships along the way.

That deserves our respect.

Under the gaze of the ancient god, the slightly tiny figure stopped.

Compared to the huge crystal wall covering the sky at the edge of the sky, he is as small as dust, yet as brilliant as a fleeting hope.

Flames rose from his body, but reflected in his eyes, as calm as a deep spring, was the boy who sweated on the court at the age of eighteen, the soldier who went to the battlefield for his lover, the traveler who returned home for his comrades, and the hero who fought to the end for civilization.

Step by step……

Did you see it? The man in my eyes has gone through countless years, and finally overlaps with his reflection today.

Then... let's strike the first sword of war together.

The first sword.

Since the beginning of the war, this man has never swung a sword.

Now... he has burned out this flame.

Before the gods.

"Skyfire, unsheath!"

...

[I once saw a blooming hope on the other side of darkness, which came from the end of an era.]

[It is also a tragic hymn to one person.]

In the future, the figure sitting on the throne will move the branches of the tree, and this scene will be remembered forever in his heart.

"As a human, we point our swords at God."

"what……"

“It’s really handsome.”

...

The embers of the fire scattered, and at the end of the gray fog, the vast crystal wall shattered into a crack that covered the sky.

That is the last afterglow of a person's burning, and it is the answer left after everything is burned out.

The ancient gods cast approving glances at him, their bodies as big as heaven and earth, their eyes as big as the sun and the moon, their palms stretched out from the other side of the darkness, and gently patted the man's upright shoulders like old friends.

"Well done, a beautiful sword."

They were not stingy with their praise, as they once joked:

We hate Outer Gods, but we applaud the birth of heroes.

Perhaps for them, they could have shattered the crystal wall and escaped from this cage long ago.

After all, their power is far beyond the tiny humans before them.

But they, who once fled from the war, trapped themselves in an invisible cage and closed themselves off.

Now, humans have fulfilled that promise, they stand before them, and have given Them the answers they wanted.

and so……

Swinging the sword at the gods is not to win their mercy.

"It's pretty cool. How about we try it next time?"

"Hey, hey, hey, why are you walking so fast? Are you really going to go? You'll die."

"It's up to you. Anyway, I have an appointment with my best friend, the great Lady Herrscher of Knowledge. Now I just need to go to the appointment."

"Heh, we haven't finished that fight yet, have we?"

"Don't think too much. As a system, I just went to see how my little host is doing now."

"Let's go, it's time to restart the war."

"Hey! Let me make it clear first. Everyone can say nice things, but if anyone wants to run away this time, give me a heads up first. Don't be like last time, when the others got beaten up and rolled around in the sea, but you guys ran faster than anyone else!"

Ancient figures came out from the crystal wall and passed by the man.

They uttered the same old clichés as humans, and gently placed their organs, which could perhaps be called "palms", on the men's shoulders.

This is the best confirmation, just like the human shadows they have transformed into at this moment.

They identified with him.

"Don't you plan on leaving a name? Human."

Finally... the young man who had been sitting outside the crystal wall raised his eyes and turned into the same appearance as the white-haired man.

Just like the last time He saw him in this man's eyes, the sunny boy who was sweating on the court at the age of 18.

Smiling and extending his hand.

"Heroes, there must always be an end."

"..."

"Kevin."

The embers of the flames drifted across the ash sky, merging with the world here.

Just like His crumbling body at this moment, His will is like a candle in the wind.

But even so, in the dissipating wind he still spoke calmly as before, the name that belonged to him, to the boy, to mankind.

The wind took away the last trace left by the man. They swam across the quantum sea, crossed the stars, and finally landed on the blue planet.

Bringing a grand daytime meteor.

In the end, only a sword was left, inserted diagonally into the dark earth, on which a barely perceptible but flickering flame flickered.

"Names are indeed much more pleasant to the ear than titles like Outer God."

He smiled.

He smiled casually, easily, and stretched out his hand with a smile, tightly grasping the sword.

The dancing sparks slowly rose up, penetrating the gray fog and illuminating the calm face beneath His hair.

"You see, saving one person is sometimes more difficult than saving the world."

"... "

"Right?"