"Master, I am back."
Seo-yeon's voice echoed through the quiet room.
In front of her stood a towering man, his enormous frame illuminated by the warm glow of the forge. His right hand held a hammer, striking the heated metal before him with steady, practiced movements, while his left hand held a cigarette between his fingers. He didn't even turn around when he heard Seo-yeon's voice.
"Welcome back."
His voice was deep, calm, and steady. There was an undeniable weight to it, yet strangely, it carried a gentleness that made his words feel reassuring rather than intimidating.
"How was the ceremony?"
He continued hammering the metal as though nothing in the world could disturb his concentration.
Seo-yeon stepped closer.
"Everything you said happened there. There were so many players, and all of them looked under twenty. Then these gigantic eyes appeared in the sky, and that hottie was there, competing for second place."
She paused, remembering the chaos of the ceremony, and her expression became slightly amused.
"Do you know that he and the first ranker burned the carpet they were supposed to walk on? They are such troublemakers."
The hammer stopped.
Only for a moment.
The towering man lowered it slightly before asking the question that seemed to matter far more to him than anything else Seo-yeon had said.
"How is he?"
There was something different in his voice this time.
"Is he doing well?"
A small, warm smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
Seo-yeon noticed it but didn't comment.
"He looked fine to me. I also handed him the items you told me to give him without getting caught."
She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.
"But... I think Top One and Three saw me."
The man resumed his work.
"I see."
Seo-yeon hesitated for a moment before curiosity finally overcame her.
"But, Master... what does Xlxoyit Zoxxcrw mean?"
The hammer stopped again.
"And why didn't you tell me anything about this?"
This time, the silence that followed was different.
The man remained completely still.
The cigarette between his fingers continued to burn quietly as his eyes remained fixed upon the piece of metal in front of him.
Then, without turning around, he asked,
"Where did you hear those words?"
Seo-yeon blinked.
"Top One wished for it. He wished that everyone gains Xlxoyit Zoxxcrw."
She continued quickly, unaware of how much the atmosphere had changed.
"And that hottie also did something unexpected. He almost choked the life out of Moon. Was he supposed to do that?"
Her voice became more uncertain.
"What did you write in that letter that made him that angry? And Top One... I think he knows something."
"Seo-yeon."
Her name was spoken softly.
Yet the moment she heard it, her entire body trembled.
She slowly raised her head.
The towering man had finally turned around.
Those calm eyes were gone.
In their place were a pair of dark, dreadful eyes that stared directly into hers.
Seo-yeon's throat tightened.
The man took one slow breath before speaking.
"Tell everyone to prepare."
His voice remained deep and controlled, but there was no room for argument.
"We are going to Bangladesh."
"Right now."
Seo-yeon's eyes widened.
"O... okay!"
She hurriedly turned around and ran out of the room.
The door closed behind her.
Silence returned.
The towering man remained where he was, staring toward the closed door for several seconds.
Then his expression changed.
The gentleness disappeared completely.
His hand slowly tightened around the hammer.
"Tomorrow is that wicked day..."
His gaze lowered.
A faint, almost bitter smile appeared on his face.
"And you wished for this, you little brat."
---
And while someone, somewhere, prepared for the day that was to come, three others had already returned to the world where that day would unfold.
Three pillars of light descended from the sky.
Within each pillar, a human figure slowly pixelated into existence.
As the light faded, Tanvir looked down at his own hand, watching the last traces of pixels disappear from his fingers. He then raised his head and looked around at the familiar surroundings.
"We're back at our college."
He barely had time to finish the sentence.
Two sickening blows landed almost immediately.
Sohag and Tanvir both grabbed their heads and shouted.
"Why did you hit me?!"
Shivaay glared at them.
"You're lucky I didn't kill you. Seriously! How the fuck did you believe Adi and doubt me? And you also tore my shirt. Now am I supposed to go around without a shirt?"
"We're sorry!" Sohag quickly said.
"We'll beat the shit out of Adi next time we see him. Happy now? And, for your shirt..."
While,tanvir looked around before spotting a worn-out, dirty piece of cloth lying on the ground. He picked it up and offered it to Shivaay.
"Here."
Shivaay stared at the rag, then slowly looked back at Tanvir.
"Do you think I'm a beggar?"
Tanvir nodded.
"Actually, yes."
"You shitty little bastard!"
"At least this can cover your body."
"I don't need it."
A white shirt suddenly pixelated into existence in Shivaay's hands.
Tanvir stared at it.
"You already duplicated a System-provided shirt and still dared to make a fuss about it."
A taunting smirk appeared on Shivaay's face as he poked Tanvir on the head.
"Did you already forget? I am always prepared."
"This piece of shit."
Sohag immediately stepped between them before things could get any worse.
"Stop this bullshit and tell me where we're supposed to go. This place is completely empty."
Instead of answering, Shivaay grabbed Sohag's head and turned it toward the south, pointing at a particular wall.
Sohag followed his finger.
Something was written there.
His expression changed the moment he recognized the handwriting.
"This... this is Farjana's handwriting."
"Congratulations,you figured it out. Took you long enough."
"Shut it. Let me read what my babu wrote for me."
Sohag stepped closer and read the message.
Dear Sohag, I hope you're well. If you have returned, then come to Jamuna. I miss you so much, babu.
His eyes slowly became watery.
"I miss you too, babu."
Shivaay rolled his eyes in disgust.
"This niba-nibe..."
Tanvir, however, seemed to find something else worth mentioning.
"Now I get it. Why does she always get bad scores in writing letters?"
"Shut up, Tanvir! And why are you saying this? You and I are on the same page."
"Oh, really? And how is that?"
Sohag's face suddenly became mischievous.
"Miss Mira, what are you doing here?"
Shivaay froze.
His heartbeat immediately rose as he desperately looked around the empty surroundings.
Sohag grinned.
"See? Her name is enough. I can hear your heartbeat from here. After rejecting so many girls, Pretty Boy has finally fallen in love."
Tanvir joined in.
"Remember how he was looking at her? We called his name so many times, but he didn't even care to look at us. He's already at this stage. What will happen to him in the future?"
"Let me tell you what will happen."
Sohag cleared his throat and imitated Shivaay's voice.
"Mira."
Tanvir immediately imitated Mira's voice.
"Shivaay."
"Mira."
"Shivaay."
Shivaay's face became redder with every exchange.
"If you say that one more time, I will kill you in your sleep."
Sohag leaned toward Tanvir and whispered,
"Let's stop here. This psycho could actually kill us. I mean, just look at him."
Tanvir glanced at Shivaay before whispering back,
"Yeah, it's enough for now. Sweet desserts feel sweeter when they're finished in small bites."
"Okay, okay. We'll stop. Lead the way."
Shivaay turned around and began walking.
Only after he had gone a few steps ahead did Sohag lean toward Tanvir again.
"Tanvir, I'm so happy. This bastard has finally fallen in love."
Tanvir smiled.
"Finally, we can eat at his marriage."
---
The three of them had barely taken a few steps when Shivaay suddenly stopped.
"Hey, bastards! Wanna go for a ride?"
Sohag and Tanvir looked ahead.
There, standing among the abandoned buildings, was a motorcycle showroom.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Their eyes widened with surprise before both of them broke into excited grins.
"Oh, yeah."
"Wait here. I'll get it."
"Choose a good one."
Shivaay gave them a thumbs-up before casually walking toward the showroom.
Sohag watched him disappear inside.
"Do you think he'll choose a good one?"
Tanvir shrugged.
"Let's see."
They didn't have to wait long.
Within a minute, the sound of an engine echoed from inside the showroom. A moment later, Shivaay emerged riding a sleek black Royal Enfield.
Sohag and Tanvir's eyes practically sparkled.
The moment the bike stopped in front of them, they rushed over and rubbed their cheeks against the fuel tank in admiration.
"I will never doubt your taste ever again."
Shivaay chuckled and tossed a pair of helmets toward them. He then put on his own helmet before slipping on a pair of gloves.
Tanvir and Sohag quickly put on their helmets and climbed onto the motorcycle, Tanvir sitting in the middle and Sohag at the back.
Shivaay rested his hands on the handlebars.
"Feel the engine."
He twisted the throttle.
The engine roared.
The sound echoed throughout the deserted area, vibrating through the surrounding buildings. At first, Tanvir and Sohag were thrilled. Their fear was replaced by excitement as they felt the powerful machine beneath them.
But that excitement didn't last very long.
From the distance came movement.
Then another.
And another.
Zombies began emerging from the surrounding streets, drawn toward the loud engine. Within moments, the three of them were completely surrounded.
Sohag's excitement disappeared instantly.
"Stop it! You're going to attract all the zombies!"
Shivaay tightened his grip on the handlebars and looked straight ahead.
Hundreds of rotten faces stared back at them.
Yet there wasn't even a trace of fear in his posture.
Instead, a strange confidence appeared in his voice.
"Nothing in this world can touch you when I am around."
He leaned slightly forward.
"Now spread your wings. We're going to fly."
"Wait—"
Shivaay twisted the throttle.
The motorcycle accelerated forward at full speed.
Tanvir and Sohag immediately shut their eyes.
"Damn you, cringe lunatic!"
"Farjana babu... I'm sorry I couldn't make it."
They braced themselves for the inevitable collision.
But it never came.
Instead, they felt something completely different.
A comforting wind brushed against their bodies.
Tanvir slowly opened one eye.
Then the other.
Sohag did the same.
Their expressions changed instantly.
They weren't surrounded by zombies anymore.
They were in midair.
For a brief second, the motorcycle seemed to hang above the ground before suddenly appearing several meters ahead.
A moment later, the tires touched the road again.
Tanvir and Sohag stared at each other.
Then they looked at Shivaay.
They finally understood.
He had used teleportation.
The two boys, who had been screaming at him only moments ago, were now enjoying the ride again as though nothing had happened.
Sohag leaned forward slightly, excitement returning to his voice.
"If we keep going at this speed, we'll reach Jamuna in no time!"
Shivaay didn't answer.
He simply continued riding.
And as they drew closer to their destination, the scenery around them slowly changed.
At first, they saw zombies.
Then they saw more varieties of them.
Some were fragile and barely able to walk. Others were astonishingly muscular, their bodies swollen with unnatural strength. Some looked almost completely human, with only subtle signs revealing what they had become.
But zombies weren't the only things roaming the world anymore.
Goblins wandered through the streets.
Skeletons marched without flesh.
Orcs moved among the ruins.
And even trees walked.
Tanvir and Sohag stared silently at the world around them.
They weren't shocked because there were so many monsters.
They were shocked because of what those monsters represented.
The world they had known was disappearing.
And it was happening far faster than either of them had imagined
At least, their bike finally came to a stop.
Standing in front of them was a gigantic tree, nearly fifty meters tall, its enormous branches stretching across the sky and its roots spreading over the ground like the tentacles of some ancient creature.
Unlike the other moving trees they had encountered, this one remained completely still.
It didn't need to move.
Its countless roots were enough.
Whenever another organism wandered too close, one of those roots would suddenly lash out, grab the unfortunate creature, and drag it toward the massive trunk. Whatever it caught was slowly decomposed until nothing remained.
The sight alone was enough to make even Shivaay pause.
The three exchanged glances.
They had no intention of creating unnecessary trouble with something like that.
"Let's avoid it," Sohag suggested.
Shivaay nodded and turned the handlebars.
They were just about to leave when—
"Help me! Help me, humans!"
The desperate cry suddenly reached their ears.
All three froze.
They turned toward the sound.
After looking around carefully, they finally spotted the source.
A monkey was trapped several meters away, tightly wrapped in one of the giant tree's roots. It struggled desperately, trying to free itself as the root slowly tightened around its body.
Sohag stared.
His mouth hung open.
"Is that a talking monkey?"
The creature immediately stopped struggling.
Its face twisted with fury.
"Don't you dare call me a monkey! My name is Romeo!"
For a moment, silence fell.
Tanvir blinked.
Sohag blinked.
Shivaay stared at the creature.
Then a smile slowly appeared on his lips.
"Romeo, huh?"
There was something about the way Shivaay said the name that made Sohag immediately uneasy.
Before either of them could ask what he was thinking, Shivaay twisted the throttle.
The engine roared.
This time, it was louder than before.
"Wait, what are you—?!"
The motorcycle shot forward.
The sudden acceleration jolted Tanvir and Sohag backward.
"SHIVAAY!"
The giant tree reacted instantly.
Its enormous roots tore themselves from the ground, rising like gigantic serpents before crashing toward them from every direction.
But Shivaay didn't slow down.
He accelerated.
The first root came straight at them.
Instead of avoiding it, Shivaay suddenly turned the handlebars and drove directly onto it.
The front tire climbed the thick root.
For a moment, the motorcycle rode along its surface, tilted at an impossible angle, before Shivaay launched it from the root and landed on another one.
Tanvir's eyes widened.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Another root swept across their path.
Shivaay leaned the motorcycle sideways and let the tire skim along its surface. Sparks flew as the metal scraped against the bark, but Shivaay used the root like a ramp, launching the bike over another attacking branch.
Sohag clung tightly to Tanvir.
"THIS ISN'T A RESCUE! THIS IS SUICIDE!"
Shivaay didn't even look back.
His eyes remained locked on Romeo.
More roots erupted beneath them.
One came from the left.
Another from the right.
Three more descended from above.
Shivaay weaved between them, but whenever a root blocked his path, he didn't simply dodge it.
He drove over it.
The motorcycle bounced from one enormous root to another, climbing, dropping, twisting, and accelerating through the giant tree's furious assault.
For a brief moment, it almost looked as though Shivaay had turned the tree's own roots into a road.
Tanvir's stomach lurched every time the bike left one root and landed on another.
"SHIVAAY, YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US!"
"Not today."
His answer was remarkably calm.
Then they were close.
Very close.
Romeo looked up.
And his expression changed.
Shivaay was coming directly toward him.
But he wasn't the only thing approaching.
Fifteen...
Twenty...
Perhaps even more enormous roots were already hovering above Romeo.
They had stopped moving.
They were waiting.
Waiting for the perfect moment to crush everything beneath them.
Romeo's eyes widened.
Shivaay stretched one hand toward him.
"Romeo!"
The monkey stared at the approaching hand.
Then at the massive roots above him.
There was no time left.
Romeo grabbed Shivaay's hand without hesitation.
Shivaay immediately pulled him toward himself, wrapping one arm around the monkey and pressing him tightly against his chest, shielding his entire body.
Tanvir and Sohag barely had time to react.
The roots descended.
A devastating impact shook the area.
The enormous roots slammed into the ground with enough force to shatter the road beneath them.
For a moment, everything disappeared beneath the massive tangle of roots.
Then—
Nothing.
The tree remained still.
Its roots slowly lifted.
But there was no sign of the four of them.
Far beyond the giant tree's range, space suddenly distorted.
Shivaay, Tanvir, Sohag, and Romeo reappeared.
They were alive.
But the motorcycle had not escaped unharmed.
The instant they materialized, the tires hit the rooftop of a five-story building.
The motorcycle skidded violently.
One tire slid toward the left.
Then the other toward the right.
The damaged frame twisted beneath them, struggling to withstand the force.
"Hold on!"
Shivaay fought with the handlebars, trying to regain control.
The bike continued sliding across the rooftop.
Tanvir grabbed Shivaay's shoulder.
Sohag grabbed Tanvir.
Romeo desperately clung to Shivaay.
The motorcycle finally reached the edge of the rooftop.
Shivaay immediately forced the handlebars in the opposite direction.
The tires screeched across the concrete.
For one terrifying second, it looked as though they were going to fly straight over the edge.
Then—
The motorcycle slammed sideways into the rooftop's barrier wall.
The impact finally destroyed what remained of the bike.
The front wheel twisted.
The frame bent.
Pieces of metal scattered across the rooftop.
The motorcycle came to a dead stop.
Silence followed.
Shivaay remained seated for a moment, staring at the ruined machine.
Tanvir slowly lifted his head.
Sohag did the same.
Romeo cautiously peeked over Shivaay's arm.
Nobody said a word.
Then Sohag looked at the wreckage.
He sighed.
"...The bike."
Shivaay stared at it.
His expression was unusually serious.
"...It served us well."
Tanvir looked at him in disbelief.
"You killed it!"
Shivaay slowly turned his head toward him.
"It died a hero."
Sohag covered his face with one hand.
"It's a motorcycle, you idiot."
Shivaay ignored him.
His attention shifted toward Romeo.
The monkey was still standing safely against his chest.
Shivaay looked at him for a moment before a faint smile returned to his face.
"Well, Romeo."
The monkey looked up.
Shivaay tilted his head.
"You owe me....
*Really, Author? This is your grand plan for introducing me to the readers? Give me princess treatment and make me indebted to some fantasy character?*
*I hate you. Truly, I do.*
*For those of you still scratching your heads—hello. My name is Romeo, and yes, I'm talking to you.*
*Author 5256 decided that I should give you all an extraordinary experience. And why, you ask? Because this lazy, good-for-nothing bum apparently wondered, "What would happen if I creat a talking Majestic Being capable of breaking the fourth wall?"*
*And, well... now you know the rest.*
*Lastly, let's establish a few ground rules. Unlike the Author, I only have two.*
*First rule: NEVER, EVER CALL ME A MONKEY.*
*Second rule: ALWAYS FOLLOW THE FIRST RULE.*
*That's all, folks. Follow these two simple rules, and perhaps I'll consider being your best pal.*
*Break them, however...*
*Well, I'll make certain you regret it.*
*How?You'll find out soon enough.*
*And with that, we conclude today's chapter.*
*Now, go on. Be useful for once and wish my creator a happy birthday.*
*He'll probably appreciate it.*
*I certainly won't.*