One year later.
The Outer Gods War had entered a lull.
The moment Sung Suho joined the front lines, the balance of power collapsed in an instant. Not only because of Sung Suho's own power being thrown into the war, but more importantly, because the revived World Tree had begun to bear fruit again.
The soldiers of the Rulers, the angels of the sky newly born from the fruits of the World Tree, were immediately deployed into the war. And surprisingly, they all became loyal soldiers who served and followed the Shadow of the World Tree, that is, Sung Suho.
Thus, Sung Suho came to exist as a powerful 'variable' in the war, in a completely different sense from how his father, Sung Jinwoo, had fended off all the Outer Gods with overwhelming power.
As the situation turned, the Outer Gods could no longer be one-sided invaders. They now had to fear the 'hunters' coming to take their heads. Starting with Suho feeling one Outer God, the number of dying Outer Gods gradually increased, and the number of masterless dimensions increased accordingly.
At that moment, the Outer Gods' attention naturally dispersed. There was no longer any reason to risk their necks for the single planet of Earth, which was defended by two abysses. Then, the Outer Gods who had been fiercely competing over Earth scattered, beginning to compete over the other masterless dimensions as well.
Thanks to that, Earth naturally regained its peace. Of course, it was not a perfect peace. Gates, large and small, still frequently opened in various places around the Earth. The dimensional walls had become fragile due to the ongoing Outer Gods War elsewhere.
However, humanity was no longer a victim that had to powerlessly endure foreign invasion. When a Gate occurred, Hunters from all over the world moved organically to fend off the magical beasts. And, in fact, the opposite often happened.
Ting!
"Huh?"
"A new quest is up!"
At those words, all the pedestrians on the street habitually checked the smartwatches on their wrists. The game capsule from Ajin Soft, was now an essential item for all of humanity. A global message was sent to all users by Ahjin Soft through that system.
[Emergency Quest: Rescue the refugees of the 'Shattered Sky' dimension.]
[Sudden Quest: Eliminate the source of contamination in the 'Floating Sea of Corpses' dimension.]
"Wow, awesome! Two at the same time?"
"The max number of participants is huge too!"
"I'm joining this time for sure!"
To humanity, the 'Tower of Trials' was no longer a virtual reality game. The fragments of dimensions shattered by the aftermath of the Outer Gods War. The Numerous Void Insects would track the dimensional coordinates of those places. And it had become a pioneering base for a new era, to eliminate or collect various problem factors that arose in those dimensions.
Thus, when the black pyramid, the Tower of Trials, was safely constructed on a dimensional fragment drifting aimlessly through space, a so-called 'alien dungeon,' humanity would then cross over to the alien dimension through the Tower of Trials, riding their game avatars. And to carry out their respective quests, they would adapt to the environment there, raise their levels, and handle various problems. As vast as the universe, the content of the quests was different and varied each time.
Sometimes it was 'invasion' or 'conquest.' At other times, it was 'exchange' or 'gathering.'
The direction of the quests was usually determined by 'which Monarch assigned the quest.'
The 'Monarch of Conquest' naturally wanted the complete conquest of that dimension.
The 'Monarch of Trials' wanted humanity to grow through that quest.
And the 'Monarch of Gluttony' wanted them to gather the nutrients left in that alien dungeon. Dealing with the monsters that interfered with the gathering was an added bonus.
And the alien minerals and monster corpses obtained in this way helped to make human civilization more prosperous than ever before. Crisis became opportunity. The Outer Gods War… On the outskirts of the battlefield of the gods far from where the conflict which might never end raged, humanity was opening a new era.
And in a quiet corner of that peaceful Earth. In a deep underground bunker, unknown to anyone. Two of the strongest beings who had once commanded the universe were still engaged in a fierce, close battle.
The name of one was the King of the Dead, the Shadow Monarch 'Sung Jinwoo.' The other was the King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction 'Antares.' Well, to be precise, it was Antares, incarnated in the body of Ragnar. And then. What was bound to happen, happened.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap—!
"Kuaak! You bastard! How dirty, hitting my main base!"
"Kuhaha! War is deception, you novice! Your pathetic scouting was already in the palm of my hand!"
The sound of keyboards and mice being struck shook the inside of the bunker, which was filled with the heat of war, like the roar of a battlefield.
This underground bunker was specially made because of Ragnar's ever-growing size, though he was currently shrunken by magic. The 'Dragon's Lair'.
At the end of this giant bunker, two identical computers were installed side by side. The bright light of their monitors illuminated the bloodshot faces of the two great beings. They were currently, within the monitors, waging a fierce space war for the sake of their respective races.
[Nuclear launch detected.]
Boom!
"You crazy son of a bitch!"
A curse naturally flew from Sung Jinwoo's mouth. At the horrific sight of a nuclear missile flying towards his main base, his face turned pale.
"Kuhahaha! Behold! This is true destruction!"
Antares laughed triumphantly, slapping a dirty keyboard using his tail. His hand movements were beyond what could be described as godly. Numerous units moved in perfect order according to his will, ravaging Sung Jinwoo's last line of defense. Indeed, it was the insight and command worthy of the commander-in-chief of all Monarchs who had ruled the battlefields for long ages.
Srrk—
Just then, Cha Hae-In approached their side without a sound, carrying a tray. Cha Hae-In, the National-Level Hunter that Korea prided itself on, didn't even bat an eye at the deadly aura of these two men. Instead, her expression was utterly calm and gentle. But the fruit knife in her hand was a different story.
Skill: 'Sword of Light'.
Shu-sha-sha-sha-shak!
The fruit knife in Cha Hae-In's hand whipped around at an invisible speed.
Whir-cha-cha-cha-chak.
Thus, upon the tray she brought, apple slices, their peels instantly removed, were neatly arranged in a cute and pretty rabbit shape. The peeled apple skins drew an elegant trajectory, falling like autumn leaves onto another plate.
"Doesn't your throat hurt from all that shouting? Have some fruit while you play."
Cha Hae-In said in a gentle and soft tone, placing a plate of neatly cut apples next to the two men.
"Uh, uh. Thanks. I'll eat it…"
Sung Jinwoo barely managed to answer. But his gaze was still fixed on the monitor. Whether to type GG (Good Game), or to make a last desperate struggle. His eyes, in agonizing contemplation, wavered with worry. But the match was already decided. It was irreversible.
"Kuhaha! I won! I finally won! I'll accept a rematch if you wish, loser!"
"Kuk…!"
Antares, savoring his victory, shouted 'one more round!'
At that sight, seeing Sung Jinwoo's genuinely provoked expression, Cha Hae-In let out a soft sigh and shook her head.
Truly… a bunch of men who are usually so cool and reliable, but risk their lives when their competitive spirit is on the line. This underground bunker was specially made so their noise wouldn't be a nuisance to the surroundings. But when they got truly immersed, the entire structure would often shake, just like now. Because of the auras they unconsciously emitted when concentrating on the game, this bunker, layered with powerful magic, would scream for its life.
She couldn't just tell them to go play quietly in the shadow world either. Something about online games not working there… Of course, it wasn't entirely impossible. If they mobilized the Demonic spirits's magic, they could probably pierce a very small dimensional hole and get an internet connection. But the timing was bad. In a situation where the dimensional walls were unstable due to the Outer God War, they couldn't enlarge a rift just for a game, due to their great and noble will.
'And so, this bunker was built in the basement of our house…'
'Hah.'
Cha Hae-In just laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation. To think there's a Dragon's Lair in our basement. And the lair of the King of Dragons, at that. It sounded like the title of a web novel, but what could she do, it was reality. Still, it wasn't so bad.
Smirk.
'My husband doesn't have any friends anyway, so it's a good thing.'
So what if they growled at each other whenever their eyes met? That there was at least one 'bad friend' who could 'dare' to be so imperious towards the Shadow Monarch who had saved the world… Cha Hae-In was simply pleased. Because out there, no matter where they went, people would be so terrified just by seeing her husband's face that they would be busy praising him. In many ways, it had become extremely difficult for Sung Jinwoo to make friends who could treat him normally.
"Alright, that's the end."
"What?! You loser, have you lost even the courage to have a rematch?"
When Sung Jinwoo suddenly let go of his mouse, Antares shot up and rebuked him. But Sung Jinwoo got up from his seat without any lingering attachment.
"No, that's really the end. Let's stop here for today."
Sung Jinwoo took a bite of the apple his wife had cut for him and actually turned off the computer's power. A crisp sound, and sweet juice filled his mouth.
"Don't tell me you're running away like this, Shadow Monarch!"
"Let's play next time. It's our wedding anniversary today."
"…?!"
At Sung Jinwoo's calm statement, Antares was shocked.
"Wedding… anniversary?"
A word so completely foreign, it never once entered into the mind of Antares, who had known only destruction and ruin his entire life. Antares's tail, which had been raised high in the joy of victory, drooped.
"Y-you would stop this sacred war for such a trivial reason?"
"Uh, of course. See you later, then."
Sung Jinwoo wrapped an arm around Cha Hae-In's shoulder and left the bunker. Antares's furious shouts came from behind him, but he paid them no mind. Because the smile of Cha Hae-In, grinning sweetly in his arms right now, was much scarier.
"Oh my, you remembered?"
"…Hey, of course I did."
For some reason, the apple crunching in his mouth suddenly tasted bitter. Of course, it probably wasn't a poisoned apple. …Though it did seem like his wife had gotten much closer to Arsha lately.
The two walked the streets, holding hands intimately for the first time in many years. Warm sunlight shone down from a clear sky, and the faces of the people were filled with peaceful smiles.
"It really has been a long time. A date like this."
"It has."
Cha Hae-In gently leaned her head on her husband's shoulder. Sung Jinwoo silently held his wife's hand even tighter.
"…"
"…"
There are moments when words are not needed. It had been truly long. The last wedding anniversary they remembered… was the day the 'Outer Gods War' had begun in earnest. Back when Suho was still in high school. From that day on, Sung Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In had been unintentionally separated from each other. For several years.
During that time apart, the reason Sung Jinwoo could endure the arduous and long war alone in that distant outer universe, the reason Cha Hae-In could steadfastly endure those long years in the cold and difficult dimension of the Snow Folk, was to regain this ordinary and precious time.
And though several years had passed, their wish was finally granted.
"…I'm happy."
"Oh my, I was about to say that first."
The two looked into each other's eyes and smiled gently.
It was right then…
Sung Jinwoo's steps came to an abrupt halt. His brow furrowed slightly.
'Hm.'
A very unpleasant and alien energy. It seemed a new uninvited guest had arrived on the peaceful Earth after a very long time. If it were an ordinary Gate, he would have left it to the Hunters, but this ominous energy… was beyond their level. They were guests who had come by forcibly twisting the 'law' he had created to thoroughly protect the Earth from the aftermath of the Outer God War.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me it's another one?"
Cha Hae-In sensed the situation from Sung Jinwoo's expression. Looking at his wife's face, Sung Jinwoo let out a deep sigh and spoke softly.
"I'll be right back."
Just as Sung Jinwoo was about to open a shadow…
"Dad, I'll go."
Suddenly, Sung Suho's face popped out from Sung Jinwoo's shadow. Like Sung Jinwoo, Suho had also just noticed the suspicious presence that had arrived from an alien world.
"Uagh."
Thus, Sung Suho, having crawled out of Sung Jinwoo's shadow, stood up. And looking back at his parents who were in the middle of a sweet date, he grinned and said.
"Enjoy your date comfortably, just for today. It's your wedding anniversary after all… after so long."
"…!"
"I can take care of small fry like that."
An unwavering confidence was imbued in Suho's words. Sung Jinwoo silently looked into his son's eyes for a moment. He was certainly in his growth period. Suho had, at some point, grown to be the same height as him. And in those deep, black eyes, an abyss that resembled his own and a unwavering light that resembled his wife's were simultaneously contained.
"Thanks, son."
Sung Jinwoo smirked and nodded. Yes. It would be alright to leave this much to his son.
"Be careful."
"Yes. I'll be back."
And the moment he turned around, the heartwarming smile on Suho's face instantly vanished. In its place remained the cool and composed eyes of a Monarch.
"Now then, shall we go? I don't know who the bastards were who dared to ruin my parents' wedding anniversary, but…"
Shwaaaak—
A pure white shadow unfurled from behind him.
"…they will all die by my hand."
Flash!
He soared high into the sky. To judge the uninvited guests who had invaded Earth.
Sung Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In silently watched their son's retreating figure as he shot away at the speed of light. Though a new threat had come to Earth, there was no anxiety in their expressions. Instead, a most peaceful and reassuring smile was on their lips.
"Well then, shall we continue our date? We'll leave world peace to our son."
[Kieek! Then thy humble servant, Beru, shall be thy guide!]
[Master. I have prepared all the hottest date spots these days.]
[No, I…!]
"All of you, get back in."
The soldiers who had popped out with high spirits at the opportunity, returned to the shadow at Sung Jinwoo's single word. Leaving behind only a single note on which Igris had diligently planned a date course for this day.
Surprisingly, none of them worried about Sung Suho, who had left alone. It was natural. To them, Suho was no longer the Young Master who needed to be cared for.
Realizing that fact anew, Beru's gaze suddenly turned to the trajectory of Suho, who had flown away, splitting the pure white cumulus clouds in half. Beru muttered, a most gratified smile on his face.
[You have worked hard, Young Master.]
At those words, a smile also appeared on Sung Jinwoo's lips.
'Yes, our son…'
Guardian of the World Tree, Monarch of Transcendence. Sung Suho.
You have worked hard until now. And…
'Thank you. For growing up so strong and reliable.'
Thus, the myth of a new era was beginning…
(Solo Leveling: Ragnarok - Fin.)