To think the place, I decided to land was actually someone’s property. Ahh how much more careless can I be? Croxeus though to himself while following Ard to his manor. After looking around and observing he thought, this guy though, he reminds me of my brother. He is smart, handsome and successful. Like look at his house it’s so big it even has its own garden. Houses in real world are nowhere big as this.

In fact, Croxeus was right—back in the real world, houses were incredibly small. Despite a drastically reduced population, the damaged ecosystem led to the creation of self-sustaining and compact cities. In many ways, these APCs led better lives than humans did, even in terms of access to knowledge.

Knowledge in real-world was strictly controlled. People learned only the basics of everything and were pushed to choose a career path from early on. This left them with little room to explore anything beyond that single field. This is the reason why Ard seemed far sharper than Croxeus in terms of raw intellect and perceptiveness.

As Ard settled in for the night, thoughts of the impending end consumed him. To think that soon, everyone and everything around him would cease to exist. He felt an odd mix of detachment and heaviness. He lived his life with a sense of purpose. He thought he could provide some contributions in humanities journey through the universe but now all of that seemed pointless.

Materialistically, he was a detached person. He only did things with meaning behind them. He wasn’t even particularly attached to many people and wasn’t driven by strong emotions. He was a logical being. He held a sense of morality rooted in rationality rather than emotions. He acted according to what he believed was right, unconcerned with concepts such as heaven or hell. That’s why it didn’t mattered to him whether God existed or not. But they are real, and God isn’t even the right word for them, devil would be befitting.

Only one person came to mind as he pondered the world's end. Which was his old college friend, Tiya. His feelings for her weren’t exactly romantic, but they shared a strong bond which was built through navigating difficult times together in college.

It had been a while since they’d spoken, and the thought of losing that connection filled him with an unexpected loneliness. He spent all of his life working hard to achieve something meaningful rather than bonding with other. But now he felt a need to talk to someone, to form those relationships which he rendered time waste.

On impulse, he picked up his phone and sent Tiya a message, inviting her to meet at his place.

In the morning, after receiving Tiya’s confirmation, he approached Croxeus, asking if he could invite a friend over. Croxeus readily agreed, assuring Ard that he would use an illusion to blend in.

In the morning, Tiya arrived at Ard’s house, concerned by his late-night message. She thought it might be something serious, but to her surprise, Ard only wanted to catch up. Sensing something was bothering him, she decided to spend the day with him. She did notice one peculiar thing—a rather strange man whom Ard introduced as a friend. Ard treated this man with a surprising amount of respect, which struck Tiya as odd. Ard rarely treated anyone with genuine respect so this was something new.

Tiya was strikingly beautiful, with rectangular glasses, long black hair and an elegant figure. She was nearly as tall as Ard. She was a scientist like Ard, but in microbiology.

Who is this guy? she wondered, glancing at Croxeus. And why do I get the feeling he’s got Ard under some kind of hostage situation?

Meanwhile, Croxeus observed the two friends with great curiosity. In the real world, genuine relationships were rare. Most people had virtual partners or relied on simulations and devices like Glock-Glock 300 or Turbo-1000 (hold your horses, this is called dark humour). Humans didn’t feel the need to have relationships as they were satisfied both emotionally and physically.

But Croxeus (Avin) was different, he always wanted to have a real relationship with a girl but just never got a chance. Seeing Ard care for Tiya, he somehow came to the conclusion that Ard was in love with Tiya.

Seeing Ard as a younger brother—one who reminded him of his own sibling—Croxeus felt a deep need to help. He knows the world is ending, Croxeus thought, and he probably wants to spend the rest of his days with her. That’s so romantic! I just hope she doesn’t reject him! But how do I help him confess? I don’t have any experience with ladies either...

An idea hit him. I could use magic to create the perfect proposal! But then he hesitated, realizing magic might startle her, especially since Ard hadn’t told her about the world’s impending end. She’d likely wonder why he was proposing out of nowhere. Croxeus ran through the options in his mind, feeling increasingly invested.

Well, revealing my identity to one more person won’t hurt, right? Even though it’s a fake one. It’s just one more person—and for the sake of love! Anything for love, right? I’ll help him by planning the best proposal ever. Maybe I’ll make it on the moon, with a barrier for oxygen… oh, that’d be so sweet!

Ard shared almost everything with Tiya. But the weight of keeping the universe’s impending end a secret, due to the promise he’d made to Croxeus, gnawed at him. He wanted to spend rest of the time left with her, just like the old days.

As if reading his mind, Croxeus made an exaggerated expression, motioning for Ard to step outside. Once they were alone, Croxeus said, “I think I’ve taken quite a liking to your companion.”

Ard replied, “Yes, my lord. She truly is an exceptional person.”

“Then I’ve deemed her worthy to know my true identity,” Croxeus announced.

Ard’s eyes lit up with gratitude. The god had been observing his and Tiya’s conversation, perceiving Ard’s internal struggle and even chose to help by letting Tiya in on the secret. Ard nodded in respect, saying, “As you wish, my lord.”

Croxeus added, “And if you need any assistance with... whatever you’re planning, just let me know. I’d be glad to help.”

“Yes, my lord,” Ard replied, already feeling relieved.

They stepped back into the room and Tiya quickly sat down on the sofa, trying to act casual despite the fact that she was just trying to eavesdrop the conversation they were having. Ard took a deep breath, then began, “Tiya, this man isn’t my friend. He is the ruler of everything, a supreme being, a god above gods—the Almighty Croxeus Ezthen.”

Tiya raised an eyebrow, then scoffed. “I knew you were a little off, Ard, but—WHAA—” Her expression shifted to shock as the mysterious man was suddenly enveloped in a soft blue and white light, transforming into his true and regal form.

She stammered, “How did he do that? What kind of trick was that?”

Ard subtly gestured to Croxeus, signalling that Tiya might need more convincing. However, Croxeus, misinterpreting the gesture, thought Ard was signalling that he was about to propose to her!

Filled with determination, Croxeus teleported himself to the Moon. He quickly created a protective barrier with his [Celestial Barrier] magic, followed it by setting off magical fireworks in the background and filling the space with oxygen using [Ventosus].

“Where did he go?” Tiya gasped, watching as Croxeus disappeared in a flash of crimson light. Moments later, the same light appeared beneath her and Ard and they were whisked away to the Moon.

Croxeus who was now sitting confidently in the star-lit, oxygen-filled bubble, signalled to Ard. Is he going to propose now? This would be the first and the last live proposal I will ever witness. It’s so exciting.

But Ard began calming Tiya down, carefully explaining Croxeus’ true identity. Tiya who was astonished, looked around, realizing that they were indeed on the Moon. Eventually, she took a deep breath, bowed slightly and said, “I’m sorry, Man—God... Lord Croxeus. I didn’t know who you really were... or I’d never have doubted you.”

Croxeus who was eagerly awaiting Ard’s proposal, muttered, “No—no that isn’t any matter for concern.” And to his surprise, Ard asked him to teleport them back to Earth, explaining that he still had a lot of details to fill in for Tiya.

Is he going to propose her later? Croxeus wondered. After looking at her confused state he thought, yeah… she looks in no state for a proposal now. But next time, I’ll make it even better. With a new plan in mind, he decided he would consult with Ard on exactly how he wanted to propose. With a quick flourish, Croxeus used [Instant Teleportation] to return them to Earth.

*

The night was dark and silent. Inside an abandoned factory shadow sprawled across the dusty floor, stirred by faint beams of moonlight streaming through shattered skylights. On the top of an old barracks structure within the factory an elderly man was sitting, his face was hidden in darkness, but his presence resonated a commanding aura.

Below him, a young man, stripped to the waist and clad only in black and tight-fitting pants, worked diligently on his push-ups with straining muscles and sweat glistening in the moonlight.

With a low grunt, the young man completed his final push-up, catching his breath as he rose to his feet.

"And that completes your hundred push-ups for the day," the old man remarked, his tone carrying both satisfaction and a quiet expectation.

The young man, barely out of his twenties, straightened up, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I believe tonight is the night when the drug cartel and the local dealers are planning their meet at the harbor,” he announced.

The elder nodded slowly. “Yes. And you understand why stopping them is so crucial?”

“Yes, Master,” the young man replied.

The old man spoke again. “Before you go, recite the three principles – the three ultimate rules you must live by to call yourself a hero.”

Without hesitation the young man began with his steady voice, “First, never kill anyone, no matter how much they deserve it. The line that separates us from them is mercy, not vengeance. Second, protection comes before justice – a hero shields before striking. And lastly, always try to bring a lightness to the dark. No matter how serious the situation is, find the humour to ease fear and keep the people calm.”

The old man gave a curt nod. “Good. Remember those words. Now… go.”

“Yes, Master.”

Then the young man moved to a small bench lined with gear. He pulled on his dark suit, with yellow lines and stripes in it. His body was filled with scars, some were new while others were old. He secured his mask, the eyes glowing a faint amber, giving him an almost spectral appearance in the shadows. Carefully, he loaded an array of small weapons into his suit – knives, smoke pellets and a compact grappling gun.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

After his is preparations were complete, he hooked his grappling gun to his side. And with a swift and silent movement, he launched himself upward, scaling to the top of the factory in a matter of moments. The city’s distant lights flickered against the horizon as a dark playground was awaiting his arrival.

..

At the harbor many men were gathered in dark clothing, standing on guard. Black cars were parked in the middle of a deserted street. There was a large, unmarked truck behind one of them. Armed and alert men stood at intervals guarding the surrounding area.

The two groups who faced off in the middle of the street, brought their briefcases from the trunks of the cars. The leaders exchanged few nods and words, murmuring in low tones as they opened the cases to reveal stacks of cash and smaller pouches that hinted at illicit merchandise. One of the men from the truck’s side handed a set of keys to the opposing leader, who then gave the key to one of his subordinates.

But unseen in the darkness, the hero was making his move. His dark suit blended seamlessly with the inky surroundings. One by one, he approached the guards stationed around the perimeter with his swift and silent movements. With a quick flick of his wrist, he activated a small, concealed device. Which sent a jolt of electricity through a guard’s body. The man stiffened, his weapon clattering softly to the ground before he slumped unconscious. Another guard, barely aware of his colleague’s fate, was taken out by a precise strike to the base of his neck. The hero’s methods were efficient – no killing, just the quietly making them unconscious.

By the time he reached the scene of the trade, most of the deal was done. The man with the truck keys turned towards the vehicle, signalling to his men to start clearing out. Several cars had already begun to pull away.

The hero moved quickly now as the traffic was decreased now, his gaze was locked onto the truck. As everyone either moved out or immobilised he darted at the truck driver with some kind of sedative. Then he vaulted over crates and slipped around to the rear, finding the truck’s back doors unlatched. Pulling a compact canister from his suit, he prepared to slip in a small but carefully packed set of explosives – a little insurance in case the truck was indeed carrying the drugs he suspected. But as he lifted the door and peered inside, he froze.

The truck was filled not with drugs but with real people. All of them were unconscious and enslaved. This was no simple drug dealing but rather human trafficking. Before he could react, the crunch of tires on gravel echoed down the alleyway. The convoy cars had returned most likely due to lack of responses by the guards and the truck.

“Hey!” a voice shouted. The shout was followed by the metallic clack of a gun being cocked. He bolted, ducking behind a crate as gunfire erupted, bullets whizzing past him and ricocheting off metal containers. He fired back with a compact stun dart, but the cartel members were already closing in and calling for backup as they moved.

A sharp pain tore through his side as a bullet grazed him, followed by another shot on his leg. His breath hitched, but he forced himself to stay silent and try to lose them in the dark. Blood was flowing through his suit, staining the dark fabric as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

In desperation, he tried to make his way to the back of the truck once more to place a tracker on it, but it was too late. His vision was starting to get blurry, and his limbs were weakening from blood loss and exertion. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the truck’s taillights disappearing down the road carrying its cargo.

*

To think that it has been 15 days now and he still hasn’t proposed to her. Is he planning on proposing her on the last day? I even checked on the internet both of their birthdays and the loveday (substitute for this world’s valentine day) all of them are pretty faraway.

It isn’t like I am complaining about anything, I mean last couple of days have been exciting. We have visited all of the famous places in the world, tried every fun using magic. And honestly, I never had this much fun ever in real life or even virtual reality.

Now, they were sitting together in a small, lively foreign restaurant, with Tiya and Ard across from him, laughing and toasting the night away. All three of them had changed their appearance using the illusion magic as a precaution because both Tiya and Ard were famous. Croxeus, even after lowering his own resistance to alcohol, still couldn’t get as drunk as his two companions, who were locked in a boisterous drinking contest.

They left the restaurant and stumbled into the quiet and empty streets of the harbor district. It was dark outside with only the occasional murmur of water lapping against the docks to break the silence. They were halfway across the globe right now, so they were searching for a secluded spot to use teleportation.

As they wandered through the silent alleyways, the three of them noticed signs of violence. The nearby walls and containers were riddled with bullet holes along with some tire marks on the floor. While moving carefully, Ard suddenly froze as his eyes were locked on a figure slumped against a stack of crates in the shadows. He knelt down to check the man’s wrist for a pulse which turned out to be faint, but still there.

“He looks like the vigilante ‘RictRex’, the one they were talking about on the news” Tiya remarked, looking at his body and mask. She seemed to be calm and unphased by the violence in front of her.

Even though the world was about to end, they couldn’t leave him there. Helping the man was the only choice.

I think this will be the perfect opportunity for me to try to use my healing magic, thought Croxeus.

Croxeus’ hand started glowing with an emerald light as he prepared his healing magic. He crouched over the hero and as his hands hovered above RictRex’s broken form, a green aura enveloped the man. Bathing in a warm and otherworldly glow.

Slowly RictRex started to move, his breathing evened out as the cuts on his face and body began to close. The scars that crisscrossed his body which were remnants of old battles and painful nights, smoothed away as if they had never existed. His body began to feel light, and he felt an absence of pain which he had forgotten. He opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by three strangers who were watching him with intent expressions.

His eyes fell on Croxeus who was still channelling healing energy on him. Is this Magic? These people –are they like me? Are they heroes who help the world from the shadows? Master told me about few of them, are they one of them?

“Thank you for healing me. I’ve never felt this… well,” he said, marvelling at his rejuvenated body. He hesitated, as though embarrassed and then asked, “Are you people heroes like me?”

“You could say that” Ard replied.

He now pleaded them with his expression hardened with purpose, “I need your help. There’s a cartel moving innocent people – children somewhere nearby. I don’t know the exact location, but I have a few leads. We have to hurry.”

Ard, Tiya and Croxeus exchanged a look, each nodding in silent agreement. The universe’s end wasn’t an excuse to justify abandoning innocent lives.

They then began their mission teleporting to each of RictRex’s suspected locations in rapid succession. Abandoned warehouses, remote docks, even rundown coastal buildings – they searched until finally, they arrived at a location that felt… suspicious. A dark and grim warehouse surrounded by fog and lights barely flickering within. The faint sounds of movement coming from inside confirmed their suspicions.

Croxeus looked to the others, formulating a quick plan. “I’ll go in first. I’ll lure them out and give you all the time you need to get those people out safely. Just move in from behind and get everyone out. Once they’re clear, I’ll handle the rest.”

With a final nod, Croxeus slipped through the front, drawing the cartel’s attention with a loud clatter. They spotted him immediately, voices rising as they opened fire. Meanwhile, RictRex, Ard and Tiya slipped inside from the back. There they found a group of frightened captives huddled in the darkness, guarded by a handful of cartel members. RictRex knocked them out easily and as now captives were awake most of them were able to move out on their own while Tiya and Ard lead them out. RictRex stayed behind to make sure everyone moves out safely.

As everyone escaped RictRex thought of lending Croxeus hand but when he reached there all the cartels were already unconscious and tied to a pole using metallic pipe all around them. The battle ground was full of bullet holes and remnants of explosives. Many of the cartel members were severely injure but Croxeus was unfazed.

What the hell happened here. He looked at Croxeus, He did all of this?

As all of the captives had escaped Ard and Tiya called the police. Within moments, police sirens pierced the night as officers arrived to secure the scene. RictRex watched as the last of the cartel members were apprehended and people were saved.

Then he turned back to his unlikely rescuers and expressed his gratitude “Thank you, I know this is late but what may I call you guys?”

“We are called The Super Guardians” said Croxeus making up a dumb name.

“How can I reach you again, If I need your help like this?” asked the hero.

Without hesitation, Tiya handed him a small slip of paper with her number written on it.

Later, as they walked away from the docks, Ard shot Tiya a questioning look. “Why did you give him your number?” She shrugged with a small smile. “With the universe ending soon and all, I figured I’d cross off something on my to-do list. I want to try being a superhero – just once.”

Superheroes huh… They used to be pretty popular in 21st Century but then people started to feel they were cringe, so their hype died out. Cringe or not it sure feels satisfying, thought Croxeus to himself feeling satisfied from today’s adventure.

When they teleported back to Tiya’s apartment she made a suggestion that one of her coworker friend is a talented engineer so she would ask him to help her design their superhero suits. Ard cringed at the superhero idea, but he agreed as usual.

From past few days she was the one, who was coming up with the plans and Ard and Croxeus were just following them. Croxeus had no objections on the other hand.

Oddly enough, keeping Croxeus’s godly nature a secret was a priority, but dressing up as superheroes and using powers was apparently just fine.

The next week unfolded in a blur of missions with RictRex, their new ally. They saved people from different kind of dangers in shadows, careful to keep Croxeus’s powers hidden from the public.

Between missions RictRex bombarded them with questions. He even investigated about them from his master but even his master had no clue about them. They also had a new teammate, Ronny Roxxane who was the engineer friend of Tiya. He became their tech support, fixing their suits and acting as the man on the chair during their missions.

Ronny was a young man with brown hair and an average build. He was known for his quirky inventions. He had a knack for creating unusual tech for unusual purposes. He did this in hopes of inventing something groundbreaking.

Today, however, was different. It was the last day of the universe. The three of them decided to gather The Super Guardians and finally reveal the truth. When everyone assembled, a countdown appeared on Croxeus’s interface:

INTERFACE: DELETION OF SERVER STARTS IN 60 MINUTES

As there is a weird counter on the interface and I still can’t logout. I can confidently say that I am about to die over here along with these guys. At least last couple of days were fun and I didn’t die of overwork instead. Ugghhh… I wish I could talk to my brother for one last time.

As Croxeus was lost in thoughts, rest of the “Super Guardians” team was getting settled in. When everyone was settles in, Ard cleared his throat. “Listen, everyone… I know this is sudden, but we’ve called you here to explain everything about Croxeus and his powers. I know you’ve all had questions, and finally, you’ll have answers to them. To put it simply, Croxeus is a—God.”

Ronny scoffed. “You didn’t bring me here to joke, did you?”

“I’m serious. I know it sounds impossible, but it’s the truth. Croxeus really is a god, and…this universe is about to end.”

Ard went on to explain everything—their encounters, the situation with Croxeus, and the impending apocalypse. There was initial resistance especially from Ronny but as they looked into Croxeus’s eyes and saw the earnestness in Ard and Tiya, the disbelief started to fade.

Silence settled over the room. Ronny pulled out his phone to call his parents, just to hear their voices one last time. RictRex, who had distanced himself from his mother to become a hero, did the same. As for Tiya and Ard, Ard had no family and Tiya had cut ties with her family many years ago.

After everyone was done, Ard turned to Croxeus with a suggestion. “Can you teleport us to the top of a tall building? I…just want to see the world one last time.”

Is he finally going to propose to Tiya? Croxeus wondered All this time, he’s held those feelings inside, only to speak now, at the end. Soo Romantic, yet so painful.

Eagerly, Croxeus transported them all to the roof of a towering building, far from any prying eyes.

2 MINUTES LEFT

I don’t know what exactly will happen when we get deleted, but I want these 2 minutes to last as long as possible, so at least Ard has a good chance at his proposal. As he wondered this, he began to cast spells.

[Eka-Plutonium Barrier] (This was a barrier which wasn’t originally from Croxeus’ powers. This was something Avin came up with on his own. This was supposed to be most powerful barrier. Capable of protecting from any radiation, explosion even the magic of highest order).

[Time Delay]

[Indestructible Shield]

[Celestial Barrier]

Suddenly, darkness crept over the horizon, consuming buildings as it moved toward them. Everything was slowly devoured by the encroaching void.

Ard clenched his fists. “So…this is it, huh? This is as far as we go.” A strange mixture of anger and sorrow crossed his face, a hatred burning for the gods who toyed with human lives.

Ronny sighed, “Looks like it. It was…good knowing you all.”

RictRex shook his head. “If only I’d been strong enough to protect everyone…”

As the darkness drew closer, Croxeus watched Ard. Why isn’t he proposing? Is he…still nervous?

Ard on the other hand stood silently, watching the world’s impending end. A fierce resentment burnt inside him—if only there were some way to make those devils pay for the suffering they’d caused. To end this injustice, to stop them…if only there was a way.

The barrier held the darkness back, slowing its advance for a few precious seconds. They each exchanged quiet smiles, tears glistening as their final moments arrived. Then, a blinding flash of light engulfed them.

Everything went blank. But little did they knew this wasn’t the ending, but only the beginning of their journey.

…