Esper Harem in the Apocalypse - Chapter 994: Fifty One Thousand Years Later

For over 50,000 years, the universe should have met its inevitable end, a prophecy decreed by the mother universe herself. Yet, it remained intact, its order untouched by the chaotic demise it was meant to face. The girl, a silent observer under the Life Tree, found herself baffled by this daily incongruity. She didn’t display emotions; instead, she harbored an insatiable curiosity, pondering why reality had not succumbed like the other two realities.

The kid, always by her side, found immense pleasure in this mystery. He never missed an opportunity to share his thoughts, raising questions, and spinning theories to entertain and engage the girl. His remarks were designed to amuse her and perhaps to reveal some hidden truth behind the universe’s unexpected persistence.

“Why do you think it’s still here after all this time?” the kid inquired, leaning against the sturdy trunk of the Life Tree.

The girl simply shook her head. “I have no idea,” she replied in her usual calm tone. “I can’t make sense of it.”

The kid chuckled, as if finding enjoyment in the girl’s befuddlement. “I suppose the mother universe didn’t think this through. Or perhaps, Rudy had other plans.”

The girl considered his words and contemplated the possibility. “Watch your mouth. Don’t talk about mother like that.”

“I am telling the truth. You, me, the Overlord, the elder Lord, and the Lords… we all are just pawns. Perhaps, Rudy was tired of being a pawn and decided to take things in his own hands,” the kid shrugged. “It’s as if Rudy gave a huge middle finger to mother and rebelled against her.”

“…”

“The Rebellious Overlord.”

Another year passed, adding to the vast expanse of time that had stretched into millennia. Still, nothing had changed, and the universe continued to defy its prophesied demise. The girl, seated beneath the Life Tree, found herself pondering a question that had persisted through endless ages: how long would it take for reality to finally crumble into oblivion?

The kid, a constant presence at her side, observed her contemplation with a sly smile. “You know,” he began, “there’s something interesting about that Life Tree.” His finger gestured toward the ancient yet vibrant tree with an intricate pattern of blooming flowers.

The girl’s gaze followed his lead to the Life Tree, an eternal sentinel that mirrored the state of reality itself. She remembered the days, over 50,000 years ago, when it had started to wither and decay, mirroring the prophecy that the universe was nearing its end.

“But look at it now,” the kid continued, his voice tinged with amusement. “Over the span of 50,000 years, it’s fully bloomed once more, as beautiful as ever.”

The girl contemplated the significance of this observation. The Life Tree’s flourishing state, in defiance of its previous decay, was an unmistakable sign that the universe was in no hurry to meet its end. In a way, the tree became the embodiment of the universe’s unexpected resilience. She couldn’t help but wonder how much more time would pass before the inevitable end of all reality, even in the course of eons.

In the timeless realm, where the colorless existence carried on, the girl’s voice held a serene, matter-of-fact tone. “It doesn’t matter how long it takes. One day, this reality will come to an end, and a new one will begin. Time, as you know it, is irrelevant here. Those fifty-one thousand years were but a fleeting moment, like the blink of an eye to me.”

The kid, standing beside her, raised an eyebrow as he listened to her assertion. “It’s an interesting perspective,” he admitted, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. “But you know, even in a place where time itself has no bearing, I’ve waited alongside you for those 51,000 years, and it didn’t feel like a mere 5 seconds to me.”

He walked to the edge of the realm, his gaze fixed on the universe beyond. “We aren’t comparing time; we’re living in it,” he explained. “To me, each passing moment carried a weight, a significance, no matter how distorted it may be here.”

The girl turned her attention back to him, her expression unchanged. “But you see, I’ve been doing this since I was created, so the concept of time is like a fleeting thought, a non-existent factor that holds no relevance for me.”

The kid simply chuckled at her timeless wisdom and turned his gaze back to the endless expanse before them.

As the girl and the kid conversed in the colorless realm, the kid revealed a piece of information that intrigued the girl.

“It was all part of Rudy’s grand plan,” he said, his voice filled with an eerie calmness. “I learned about it when I extracted his memories.”

The girl leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. “What plan?” she asked, eager to know the details.

A smile formed on the kid’s translucent visage as he began to reveal the intricate details. “Rudy’s plan wasn’t to destroy the reality with a mere snap. He aimed for something greater – to give every living being a chance to survive, to create a new world order. And you know what?” The kid’s eyes glittered. “He succeeded. Fifty-one thousand years have passed, and this reality is still going strong.”

The girl frowned, “Then why hasn’t the reality ended?”

The kid continued, “The thing is, unless this reality is destroyed, the new one won’t begin. And if a new reality hasn’t been created, Rudy’s reincarnation can’t happen. We’re essentially stuck in a phase with no ending.”

The girl thought for a moment before suggesting, “Why don’t I just skip a million years with a snap and keep skipping time until the reality is destroyed?”

The kid gently shook his head, the wisps of his form swaying with the motion. “The reality won’t destroy itself. Even if millions of years pass, this reality will persist, defying its own annihilation. Rudy’s plan was to let it evolve, to continue, not to end it prematurely. We are in a cycle without an ending unless something changes.”

The girl regarded the kid with a mixture of uncertainty and expectation. “You’re not going to suggest what I think you’re going to suggest, are you?” she inquired.

A faint chuckle escaped the kid’s spectral form, a gentle breeze of laughter within the colorless realm. He shrugged his ephemeral shoulders and replied, “Reset.”