[ TWATF 2 ]

Chapter 246: Ouroboros (2)

Surha did not lose her strong will even when she became old.

The people who remembered the Tree of Imagery, people who remembered Jaehwan, disappeared one by one, just like that. And then came the people after Jaehwan's time.

40 years. 50 years.

Time passed quickly.

Now, there weren't many left who remembered the Tree of Imagery or the System. They did not know that there were times when people could use the status window, inventory, and show their strength through the level, status, and stages of Adaptation. Moreover, they also did not know that there was a man who fought against the world.

Karlton once said this:

-It's strange, isn't it? Kids these days don't know about the Master.

-We remember him. That's all that matters.

-Yes. It's okay, yet.

-You... your wings look weaker.

-...

Sirwen's raised her eyebrow.

-Aren't you half Angel? You shouldn't be weak already.

-I am half, yes. I'm old if you consider the fact that I'm half-human.

The two became silent for a while.

-Aren't you lonely?

-Shut up. Why would I?

-But you will be.

-...

-I really hope you will not become lonely.

Karlton looked up to the sky as he spoke.

-I am afraid this isn't the last.

And it was a month later that Sirwen heard about Karlton's death.

70 years passed.

Sirwen was still waiting for someone. There was no need to explain who she was waiting for. She looked everywhere for any trace of Jaehwan.

'There is no way he would disappear like this. He has to be out there somewhere.'

'Even if he's not in this world, he has to be alive.'

And the number of people on her 'expedition' team kept on decreasing. Mino, Claire... people who volunteered to search for Jaehwan disappeared from the member list one by one, from accidents or of old age.

'I wish they were here at least.'

Sirwen thought about the people who disappeared during the 'Silvery 7 days' that came after the destruction of the Tree of Imagery.

Yoonhwan and Seoyul.

They were the only people who disappeared after the Fall of the old world. It was strange to consider it a coincidence and Sirwen thought maybe there was a connection to their disappearance and Jaehwan.

"Captain! There's something here!"

When they were searching through the northern lands where the Tree of Imagery's trunk was rumored to be, they found dark and long objects there.

"T-this..."

Sirwen, who was a Nightmare, realized what they were the moment she laid her eyes upon them.

"These are the Roots."

"...Roots? You mean the Roots of the Tree of Imagery?"

"Yeah."

"But how... don't the Roots grow in the direction of the [Remote Region]?"

Sirwen narrowed her eyes at the man.

"Hey, where do you think the [Remote Region] is located?"

"Isn't it under us? I mean, that's where Roots grow right?"

"Under? No. The universe isn't that simple."

"Huh? What do you mean? What is..."

But he couldn't hear Sirwen's answer. Sirwen froze in place as the man looked back.

"Captain?"

Sirwen's hands were shaking. Step by step, she walked over to the corner of the giant root and found something stuck in there.

'I searched for so long.'

She held back the tears and caressed the object that was stuck there. It was a sword that had been destroyed. It was the sword that the loneliest man in the world, the most stubborn man in the world, once used.

It was Jaehwan's broken sword.