Dead Space
The planet seemed… different.
This isn't Dragon Empire.
Tai and the Calamities surveyed the surroundings. No surprise—it was a dead star system. No life existed here.
They were still standing on the massive mountain that Krishna had teleported along with them.
Zeg crushed the mountain beneath his kick.
Everyone descended to the ground.
Tai (thinking): We should eliminate him this time for sure. He is a major nuisance.
Tai drew out his blades. His horn had already regrown.
The planet itself was abnormal—endless high mountains everywhere, and a scorching temperature of 473.16 K.
Everything here felt wrong.
Beni suddenly pointed toward a distant mountain peak.
Krishna was standing there… watching them.
Instantly, they entered combat stance.
[Tai]: What happened? Aren't you going to face us?!
He shouted.
Krishna (thinking): Their Aura… it's abnormal. They cannot defeat me, yet they may bypass my Yeta Shield Defensive Mechanism through unknown means.
[Ben]i: Star Summoning… Queen Chains.
The sky tore open, turning yellow.
Thousands of golden chains descended.
[Tai]: Colon Pump.
Tai's threat level surged instantly.
17 XIGON Scale Scorer.
The chains wrapped around Krishna and restrained him completely.
Krishna (thinking): So my assumption was correct… they can bypass the Yeta Shield. But how? That so-called "pervy king" mentioned only two known methods. This means their master understands Sorcery at a deep level…
Zeg vanished and reappeared above Krishna, delivering a crushing kick.
Krishna was sent crashing down with the chains still binding him.
The impact vaporised everything near the landing point.
[Tai]: Don't give him even a single opening! Don't let him activate anything!
Everyone attacked simultaneously.
Beni controlled the chains tightly. Urano applied star force, attempting to crush Krishna. Termin summoned violent lightning that struck down like divine judgment. Zeg redirected every shockwave back into Krishna, ensuring zero waste.
A coordinated barrage.
Then they stepped back.
Waiting.
The dust cleared.
Krishna stood there… completely unfazed.
[Krishna]: Hmmm… was that it? Already done?
Everyone froze.
[Tai]: Range Shiftling… Impact!
Tai surged forward, amplifying all previous damage into a single strike.
The chains shattered.
The recoil obliterated barriers, erased five entire mountains, and evaporated nearby water bodies.
Krishna barely shifted.
[Tai]: What the hell…? That didn't even register?!
[Krishna]: It did. It did hurt… just a scratch. My regeneration is quite fast, you see.
His voice remained calm. Almost indifferent.
[Krishna]: It has been… one minute. Slightly disappointing. I expected more from beings who can bypass Yeta Shield.
Tai jumped back.
Tai (thinking): This is insane… what kind of monster is he? Lord Kae warned me… I should have never engaged him directly…
His expression tightened.
Tai (thinking): If we don't act now… we will be erased.
Termin suddenly rushed forward.
[Termin]: Everyone! Run! I'll hold him!
[Tai]: Stop, idiot!
[Urano]: Don't act alone!!
Zeg (thinking): We've already lost…
Termin transformed into liquid form and engulfed Krishna.
He tried to consume everything.
Termin (thinking): His body… this isn't normal… he isn't even HUMAN!!
Before completion—
Termin was split into microscopic fragments… then erased entirely.
Krishna stood still, hands in pockets.
[Krishna]: That was unpleasant. Any more tricks?
[Tai]: Everyone! Combined formation!
They coated themselves in Dark Energy Reserves and charged together.
Lightning-fast exchanges followed—but Krishna evaded everything effortlessly.
The gap was absolute.
[Tai]: Activate grouped range shiftling!
They repositioned mid-air.
Zeg, Beni, Urano, and Tai formed a prism formation.
[Tai, Zeg, Beni, Urano]: Range Shiftling… Prism God.
Unlike normal spherical or circular domains, this formation twisted space itself into a structured prism.
A massive summoned entity appeared within the light.
Krishna finally showed interest.
Krishna (thinking): Analysis complete… they are backed by a higher entity. A fallen sorcerer perhaps. Someone capable of bypassing Yeta Shield… and distributing that ability.
The entity raised its blade.
A beam of concentrated light fired toward Krishna.
For five minutes, destruction continued.
When it ended—
Krishna stood there.
Burn marks on his body. Slight damage to his clothes.
A thin trail of blood on his forehead.
Zeg's eyes widened.
Zeg (thinking): This… this is real power…
Beni and Urano tensed, preparing another formation.
Tai, however, felt it.
They had already crossed the point of no return.
[Krishna]: I see… I don't need further analysis.
In an instant—
his wounds healed completely.
He appeared behind Zeg.
Zeg vanished into ash.
A beam of light pierced Beni's soul—freezing her completely.
Urano collapsed, disintegrating into particles of light.
0.1 seconds.
Everything was gone.
Only Tai remained.
[Krishna]: You… have potential for survival . Tell your master one thing.
His eyes turned colder.
[Krishna]: Do not play with Pratik's life again.
Tai's body began turning to dust.
Colon Pump deactivated. His strength fading.
Tai (thinking): So this is… peace… I wish I could see my daughter one last time…
Darkness—
Then light.
He opened his eyes.
He was unharmed.
This wasn't Dragon Empire anymore.
This was—
Monster Realm.
He heard a soft giggle.
A throne stood before him.
And on it—
Kae.
Kara stood silently behind.
Tai instantly bowed.
[Tai]: Greetings, my Lord… I thought you were in Dragon Empire.
[Kae ]: You are not entirely wrong. I am present there… and yet not.
Kae's smile remained gentle, yet immeasurably old—like time itself speaking.
[Kae]: What stands in Dragon Empire is but an echo of my will. A shadow I left behind. Even Kara there is only a reflection of what stands beside me now.
[Tai]: I… I see. I ask for—
[Kae] : No. Your apology is unnecessary.
His voice deepened slightly—ancient, heavy with time.
[Kae]: I warned you not to face Krishna. You chose otherwise. That choice cost the Calamities dearly.
A pause.
[Kae]: You still breathe… only because I had already placed a trigger of resurrection upon you. This place is your return point.
Tai lowered his head further.
[Kae]: Tell me… how do you intend to repay this outcome?
Kara's gaze sharpened silently.
[Kara]: You have already overstepped once.
Tai trembled slightly.
[Kae]: Enough.
He rose from the throne.
[Kae]: Leave. Return to your world. That is your remaining path.
Tai froze.
Tai: My Lord… I—
[Kara] : The audience has ended.
A letter appeared in Kara's hand.
[Kara]: Lord Kae leaves you this. Do not open it until eleven years have passed. Not a moment earlier.
Tai accepted it silently.
No further words were allowed.
Hours later.
At the palace gates, Tai stepped out.
A small voice ran toward him.
"Papa!"
He turned instantly.
Tsuni.
His daughter.
[Tai]: You're… better?
[Tsuni]: Yes! Lord Kae gave me medicine… I feel fine now!
Tai's eyes widened.
Life Saving Herbs…
Impossible rarity.
He gave that… for her?
Tai broke down.
[Tai]: I understand now…
[Tai] (thinking) : He didn't punish me… he freed me. He gave me my daughter back… and a life I didn't deserve.
He placed Tsuni on his shoulders and walked away.
For the first time…
peace felt real.
To be continued…
---
EXTRAS:
THE STORY OF TAI BOY,
Few decades ago, the planet Toro was attacked by an advanced alien civilization. It was far too much for the natives to resist.
When they were on the verge of defeat, a deity appeared—or perhaps it was Kae. He saved them, or rather, relocated them away from the aliens and settled them on another planet.
During that moment, one individual followed Kae. He wished to become a loyal servant of the one who saved his people. Kae refused at first, stating he never acted for the sake of receiving anything in return. But the individual continued to follow him regardless.
Eventually, Kae—slightly annoyed—accepted the request and took him in. That individual was Tai.
Tai's daughter, however, suffered from a worsening illness. He had already lost his wife to the same disease. As he followed Kae, he spent less and less time with his daughter.
He always carried that regret… but he never regretted following Kae himself.
And now, after being "terminated" by Kae, he could finally return to her.
A daughter who had already been healed.