A world without gods or mana. How have you lived in such an accursed world?
『Excerpt from the UN morial Museum Collection – Records of the First Contact with Beings Beyond the Dinsional Portal』
* * *
Jang Man, the elderly man well-known among smugglers in Incheon, entered his bar with a sullen look on his face.
He didn’t expect much when he saw the broken window, but the bar's condition turned out to be worse than he had anticipated.
The floor was pitted in places, and all the tables and chairs were smashed. Shards of glass from broken bulbs, windows, and bottles littered the floor.
At least the counter is still standing; that's a relief.
Grabbing so cleaning tools and a burlap sack, Jang Man entered the bar with a sigh.
The cleaning process dragged on slowly, taking quite so ti.
With the stubbornness of an old man, Jang Man worked with his hands busily, but he was unable to see an end in sight. Way too many things were broken.
The old man struggled with the cleaning for quite a while before Dung Beetle finally returned to the bar.
His soot-covered clothes made it look like he had co from a mine.
"Ah, you’re safe, Sir. I was worried that they might have followed you."
"What’s there to worry about? It's not like it’s difficult to escape."
Jang Man waved his hand dismissively. Well, he wasn't wrong since every smuggler had at least one escape route prepared.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, but I did have a rather strange experience…"
"Really? You can tell about it later. Now, let's clean this place first."
Jang Man handed the cleaning tools to Dung Beetle, who accepted them without a complaint and started cleaning.
As the forr janitor and now Superhuman, took over the cleaning, the amount of trash began to decrease noticeably.
And it didn’t take long for the bar to start regaining its shape.
Luckily, Jang Man managed to find an unbroken liquor bottle, which he picked up, as he sat on a burlap sack full of trash.
"So, what happened?"
Dung Beetle gave Jang Man a brief explanation about what happened after he fled.
He spoke about Freya Cahn joining the fight, releasing the Blue Rats, hitting him with her swordsmanship in the na of teaching, and giving him a dagger.
Jang Man, who had been sipping his drink, perked up at the ntion of the dagger.
"Freya Cahn gave you a dagger imbued with martial arts? Are you serious?"
"Should I show you?"
Dung Beetle nonchalantly took the dagger from his pocket. A beautiful, shining blue blade, with glittering letters engraved on it, was revealed.
"Oh…."
Jang Man imdiately stood up and began to inspect the dagger. His eyes glead like those of a child looking at a toy.
"I can tell just by looking at it. This is genuine—an authentic Arcane Relic from beyond the dinsional portal, not so crude counterfeit made on Earth."
"…Arcane Relic?"
"Why? Have you never heard of it?"
Dung Beetle nodded. Arcane Relic? He had never heard of such a term, neither in the textbooks for his GED1 nor on TV.
"…Well, that's possible. It's not a term you'd encounter in your regular education."
Jang Man took another sip of his drink before continuing.
"Arcane Relic... it’s a popular term that refers to items created by Superhumans or Mages beyond the dinsional portal to pass down skills and teachings to future generations."
"Skills?"
"Imbuing mana in the relic activates the magic recorded in it, allowing you to see the creator's mories. Sotis it plays like a video, other tis it feels like you're dreaming... that's what they say."
"...It's more impressive than I thought."
"Yes, it's an extraordinary and very precious item."
"Is it precious even by your standards, Sir?"
“Of course it’s precious. It’s not sothing an ordinary person like can even use, right? And because of that, it’s only traded among Superhumans, so even the most seasoned smugglers might only see a couple in their lifeti.”
Dung Beetle took another look at the strange letters engraved on the blade.
If it could be used just by infusing mana, then was it really necessary to find a translator to decipher the letters?
As he was thinking about this and gradually began to summon his mana, Jang Man looked at him and said.
"I’m saying this, just in case—But don't even think about infusing mana here."
"..."
"...You were about to, weren't you?"
Dung Beetle responded with an awkward smile. Jang Man massaged his forehead and shook his head.
"Follow . I have a suitable place."
Holding the dagger, Dung Beetle followed Jang Man, who led the way. Jang Man left through the back door of the bar and headed deep into the back alley.
Passing through an alley filled with the sll of the sea, they arrived at a dead end that had more trash than people. Jang Man then stopped, looked at the ground for a mont before bending down and lifting a manhole cover.
Squeak.
The cover, which was lifted rather easily for a manhole, was actually an iron door in disguise.
Instead of asking why sothing like that was in the alley, Dung Beetle simply followed Jang Man down through the iron door.
Beneath the iron door was a long concrete corridor. Seeing only a minimal amount of dust, it seed like it wasn't an ordinary sewer.
"What is this place...?"
"A path leading to an underground bunker."
"A bunker? Did you build it, Sir?"
"Even if I have that much money to burn, do you really think that I'd build sothing like this? This was built by the U.S. military during their trusteeship period. It's a place that even the Korean governnt doesn't know about."
As Jang Man and Dung Beetle walked down the corridor using a phone light as torches, they passed through the narrow corridor until an iron door appeared.
It was as thick as a bank vault door, and Jang Man, looking familiar with the place, opened it with ease.
Creaaak.
And beyond the door was sothing akin to a treasure trove.
There were enormous safes, stacks of cash, and gold bars piled in disarray inside the large bunker.
"...You were wealthier than I imagined, Sir."
When Dung Beetle comnted briefly, Jang Man snorted.
"Even if you combined everything in this vault, it wouldn't match the value of the dagger in your hands."
"..."
As Dung Beetle was left speechless, Jang Man handed him a phone.
"You can use the Arcane Relic here without worries. No one will chase after you if sothing goes wrong. I'll leave the phone, so contact if you need anything."
Jang Man patted Dung Beetle's shoulder. It was the rough kindness of a smuggler who had never shown anyone his affection.
Faced with this unfamiliar kindness, Dung Beetle bowed his head low.
"…Thank you, Sir."
* * *
Left alone, Dung Beetle positioned himself at the center of the bunker and pulled out the blue dagger.
An Arcane Relic…
A dagger that was more valuable than all the gold in this safe.
He didn’t believe that Freya Cahn had given it to him out of pure goodwill. No matter how great of a Superhuman she was, at the end of the day, she was still affiliated with the Australian governnt.
She must have clearly given him the dagger with so sort of understanding of mutual benefit.
However, no matter what her intentions were, it was still a favor.
I’ll have to repay this soday.
Dung Beetle thought about the various favors he had received: Mr. Jang Man, Freya Cahn, and Seti.
If he survived after his revenge was complete… he would return the favor.
With that resolve, Dung Beetle infused mana into the dagger.
And the next mont… the bunker vanished from sight.
When he blinked and looked around, he found himself standing in a vast prairie.
There was a night sky he had never seen before in place of the bunker ceiling, and the ground with the safe and cash was now covered in unknown grass.
An illusion?
Dung Beetle narrowed his eyes and drew up more mana.
All his senses felt normal, but the prairie seed both unfamiliar and oddly familiar at the sa ti.
It felt like... when he was in Mignium’s dream.
A dream.
...A dream of another being, not mine.
The mont he realized that a light, yet sweet voice spoke from above.
- You’ve already gained self-consciousness? That’s quick. Almost too quick.
Dung Beetle looked up to locate the source of the voice.
The voice literally belonged to a cot—A cot streaking across the night sky with its white and blue tails.
Dung Beetle wasn’t sure if this was the right way to put it, but he locked eyes with the Cot.
- I was expecting a successor to co, but instead, a monster has arrived.
The Cot grumbled as if dissatisfied.
After a mont’s hesitation, Dung Beetle asked in his usual calm voice.
“…What is a successor?”
- A successor is soone who will inherit my freedom. It ans soone who will wield the Star’s Sword to break free from all constraints. It seems like that child did not tell you anything.
“Freya Cahn only told to learn swordsmanship.”
- Yes, that child was never good with words. Or perhaps she thought there was no need for an explanation.
The Cot sighed and spun across the night sky. The star's tail traced a winding line, as if expressing its annoyance.
- Tch, it seems like that child wanted to make a connection with you, but you’ve already made a pact with sothing else. Unfortunately, I cannot give the Star’s Sword to one who is not a succes—
The Cot, who was speaking in an irritated tone, suddenly stopped. It felt as if its mouth had been stuffed in the middle of the night sky.
- What... what is this...?
It seed like the Cot was trying to say sothing, but then clamped its mouth shut as if it was being choked.
After a brief silence that felt oddly unsettling, the Cot finally spoke up again.
- What... what the hell are you?
“Sir Cot?”
- How... this, contract, ack, ack!
The shadows in the night sky stirred, and the Cot’s body shook up and down.
The night sky, full of starlight, was filled with bewildernt, confusion, and fear.
It was a beautiful yet absurd scene, but fortunately, it didn’t last for long.
As the night sky seed to swallow the Cot’s light, the Cot finally yielded.
- Stop, stop! I-I’ll do as you say!
Hearing the Cot sound frightful, Dung Beetle turned away from the Cot.
The shadow tornting the Cot at the mont was probably… a being he knew well.
- Ugh, ugh... I’ll give it directly, stop... please just stop.
And with those words, the Cot emitted a blinding, intense light, unlike anything he had seen before.
Flash!
Dung Beetle closed his eyes instinctively. And when he opened them again, the Cot was no longer in sight.
Instead, a child made of light lay collapsed next to him.
As Dung Beetle squinted, the child staggered and got up.
This child is…
The mont he saw the face made of light, he knew it right away. This child was the sa cot he had just spoken with.
- You, you... you wanted swordsmanship, right? I’ll give it to you. I’ll give you as much as you want. So... heub!
The Cot couldn’t continue speaking. The next mont, the Cot began to vomit sothing.
- Blehh!
Starlight poured from the Cot’s mouth. It was a sight that made one frown instinctively, but Dung Beetle approached it without showing any reaction and began patting its back.
It was a habit from his days as a janitor; after all, if a drunk custor was left to vomit all by themselves, who knew when it would end.
After he patted its back for a while, the Cot finally stopped vomiting.
- Sigh... th-thank you.
The Cot took a deep breath and looked at Dung Beetle, who was patting its back.
Although it was difficult to read the expression made of light, it seed to be trembling with emotion.
- I-I’ll give you my sword... the Cot Sword.
“...Didn’t you just say that only a successor could receive it?”
- I... I can’t give you the power of the stars. But giving you the true intention of swordsmanship is not that difficult. Do you understand?
Regardless of whether he understood or not, Dung Beetle simply nodded.
He could have asked for more details, but seeing the Cot’s tearful face, he couldn’t bring himself to ask further.
- As the light overflows, it does not discriminate between left and right.
The Cot said this and tightly clenched its fist. After a while, when the Cot opened its palm again, a small orb was revealed.
- This orb is the true intention of the Cot Sword. I don’t know how long it will take you to comprehend it all... but with your talent, it shouldn’t take a year.
Dung Beetle carefully reached out to receive the orb. Or rather, he tried to.
The Cot stopped just before it could hand over the orb. When Dung Beetle stared at its face in curiosity, the Cot’s hand trembled as it spoke.
- Uh, well… Kid, please promise one thing.
“A promise? What kind of promise?”
- When you et Freya Cahn, be sure to return the dagger. I-I’m begging you.
Hearing the desperation in the Cot’s voice, Dung Beetle couldn’t bring himself to refuse it.
“...Yes, I promise.”
- Th-Thank you. Uh… Please… keep the promise...
Only then did the Cot transfer the light to him. The mont Dung Beetle grasped the light orb, the dream surrounding him vanished.
Syaaaaahhh—
Returning to reality felt more disorienting when compared to entering the dream.
His skin tingled as his sense of touch returned, and a faint ringing signaled the return of his hearing.
The next sense to awaken was his sense of sll. And amidst the dusty scent of the bunker, he detected the sharp scent of red pepper and the rich aroma of MSG...?
...Is that the sll of noodles?
Dung Beetle frowned unconsciously. And the next mont, his vision returned.
After blinking a few tis to clear his blurry sight, he saw a familiar face.
A strikingly beautiful face with distinct facial features, black hair tied up loosely, and sparkling blue eyes.
Hong Seti—The familiar figure was sitting on a mat on the bunker floor, cooking noodles over a portable gas stove.
“...Am I still dreaming?”
Their eyes t the mont Dung Beetle spoke.
Just as she was about to take a bite, Seti froze, holding the lid of the pot filled with noodles.
In the brief silence which stretched into awkwardness.
“Um...”
As one of Dung Beetle’s eyebrows arched, Seti spoke.
“...Would you like to join in eating /genesisforsaken
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