It had been thirty years since the world entered the Final Judgment. The apocalypse sent billions of humans to their bane, and only a handful of the proud species remained. An earth-detaching quake ripped apart continents, machineries stopped running, and infernal hazes enveloped cities. It was a nightmare. It was pandemonium.
After three decades of surviving the apocalypse, Dylan had finally confronted one of the seven rulers of hell. He had long surpassed human limits, and he had slain innumerable demons. That time, he was the sole human existing that was capable of inflicting fear to the demons. He was the strongest human, but at the same time the loneliest. Everyone he knew was long dead, and only the will to eradicate all of the demons on earth was what pushed him forward.
He went on a life-and-death duel with Emperor Nereus, eventually slaying the fifth Emperor of Hell in the process. Unfortunately, his wounds were fatal, and even with his absurd regeneration, he was unable to escape death. He closed his eyes as he awaited the soothing embrace of death, only to find out that he had travelled back in time: thirty years prior. He had travelled back to the day the apocalypse took place.
Author’s note: Hello? First of all, I would like to apologize for being unable to continue Yuan of the Black Lightning. Something happened, and I can’t find the motivation to continue the story. I’ve reflected for weeks, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I am unable to continue with the said story. Believe me, I’ve tried writing... but you can’t really write something without the ‘legendary motivation,’ right?
This is the rewrite of a certain apocalypse story that I did not upload in RRL. I’ve added some “plots,” and I’ve changed the perspective to third person. Basically, I’ve changed everything save for some key concepts.
Enough of my useless chatter, here’s the story.
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Chapter 1: Once Again
“I guess this is it?” Dylan said as he mustered his strength to stand up. His legs wobbled as he walked towards the corpse before him. His entire left arm was missing, and a large chunk of flesh was bitten off his torso. Large speckles of blood splattered on the floor as he continued walking, gait unsteady. His deep hazel eyes looked at the bestial figure before him.
“Decades... and all I was able to attain is this?” His eyes flickered of sorrow as he reminisced. The Day of Judgment was abrupt, and he was unable to protect even one of his love ones. That time, he was too aghast and stunned that he hid himself, uncaring of the cries of agony and pleas that filled the air. That time, all he thought of was himself; all he wanted was to survive. It was the most regretful day of his life. If only he had the courage back then, maybe everything would have been different?
“Decades of life and I was unable to slay all of the seven rulers of hell... pathetic.” Dylan slumped on the ground, and he sat cross-legged as he gazed at the creature before him. Three out of its four arms were missing, and half of its head was sliced off, openly revealing the innards. Its canines hanged past its chin, and its neck was covered in furs. Its torso was muscular, and a silver chain twined around its waist. It was Emperor Nereus: one of the seven rulers of hell.
Dylan’s eyes flickered like a candle in its last blaze. His skin was aged, and the numerous scars that ran across it failed to hide the wrinkle marks that bespoke of the turmoil he had experienced. Twin lines of blood flowed down his splintered lips.
You have Levelled Up!
A notification suddenly sprouted in front of him, and he smirked as he immediately dismissed the apparition. He had long attained the status of the strongest human. Still, what value did the title hold? None. All of the people he had known in life were long dead, and he had failed to count the number of years he had spent inside hell itself. After slaying the weaker demons on the surface, he delved right into the entrance of hell. For years, he struggled against innumerable foes that blocked his path. He killed and he slaughtered. He was the epitome of carnage itself. He wanted nothing but kill the instigators of the apocalypse: the seven rulers of hell.
Dylan activated the interspatial ring on his finger, and he took out a photograph. The colors were faded with age, but the beauty of the woman in the picture remained divine. She was beautiful beyond words, and her smile would make any man stutter in their speech. She was the epitome of the word goddess.
“Nestine... I’m sorry... I failed... I’m sorry... I’m sorry,” Dylan said as he tried to suppress a wallow. After her death, he vowed to eliminate all of the demons that resided in hell itself. It was an absurd vow, but he did not think that the feat was an impossible one. It was the only thing that pushed him forward.
He felt the warm rays of the sun as he continued to longingly gaze at the photograph. Everywhere around him was in utter chaos. A mountain from a distance was cleanly split in half, and the lake on his left was now devoid of water. Large craters were everywhere, shaming the moon above the surface. To his surprise, Hell itself was not simply eternal infernos. It resembled the human world, but instead of humans, demons resided.
Dylan heard footsteps, and he tilted his neck as he glanced at its source. A demon with ivory white skin, silver robe, and twin horns that circled to the back was approaching him. Its hair was night black, and its eyes were deep crimson. A grin was plastered on its face as it slowly approached the dying human.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Interesting. I have lived for millenniums, but this is the first time I’ve seen such human. A human capable of vanquishing one of the Emperors of Hell.” The figure stopped right in front of Dylan. Its eyes glimmered of interest. It slightly leaned closer. “It will be a shame if this ends like this. A shame... indeed.”
Dylan knew that he was dying. Only the absurd regeneration of his body was what enabled him to continue living. Still, everything would be over in a few more minutes, or seconds—he was not sure. He mustered his strength and asked, “Who are you?”
The white demon tilted its head to the left. It then broadly grinned, showing its sharp set of teeth. “Who am I? That’s for you to find out. Come and seek for me—and all of your desires shall be granted.”
After those words, the white apparition sunk its hands into Dylan’s chest. Large blots of blood splattered on the floor, and Dylan regurgitated as the light in his eyes vanished. His lips formed into a curl as the thought that everything was finally over crossed his mind. His journey was an arduous one. He was tired. He wanted everything to be over. He welcomed death with open arms.
***
Dylan’s eyes bolted open, and he sprung up on his bed when a loud clanking sound was heard. He was naked, and his thick brows knitted together as his eyes swivelled left and right. The place he was currently in was nostalgic. It was familiar. Another clanking sound was heard, and it was quickly followed by series of shouts.
“You womanizer! You damn excuse of a husband!” a female voice said. Another clanking sound reverberated, and was followed by the sound of porcelain breaking. “Get out! Get out!” Scurrying sounds were heard after the remark and was quickly followed by the loud banging sound of a door being shut. The sound came from the room next door.
Dylan’s eyes darted towards a wooden table on his left, and it widened when he read the words printed on the alarm clock that stood on top of it. The date and time on the digital clock’s screen filled him with disbelief. Wanting to confirm his suspicions, he immediately dived for the remote next to his bed. With anticipation, he pressed the ‘on’ button, and the flat screen television on his right flashed open with a ~shwiz sound. The image of a female reporter immediately greeted him.
“...surprisingly, the meteor made no explosion upon impact. According to reports, it landed on the ground around five o’clock this morning. A small crater was created, but aside from that, the overall damage was nil. The government ordered the YUNL to move the piece of rock that spanned thirty meters in size to the HGTD. Scientists were as....”
The female reporter continued to speak, but Dylan was unable to process her words. His mind was clouded by his thoughts. He did not wish to believe it, but it seemed that he had travelled back to the day when the apocalypse took place. He violently squeezed his cheeks, and blood began dripping down his face. It was painful. It was not a dream. It was reality.
Immediately, he went towards the restroom and stood before a mirror. Young: his face held the same youth back before the apocalypse took place. A thought flashed in his mind, and he hurriedly putted on his school uniform. Currently, he was in his third year in the university. He was supposed to be in class around noon: the same time when the apocalypse happened.
“Nestine... I need to take her out of the university. That place’s going to crumble from the quake.” Dylan glanced towards the wall, and his lips turned into a smirk as he saw the scimitar that hanged on top. Two years prior, he spent a large amount of money buying the weapon, and he was greatly reprimanded by his friends from doing so. His parents died when he was young, and he was left to fend for himself at the age of fifteen. Thankfully, he was gifted with great intellect and was able to land himself a scholarship in the university. From there, he juggled between university and being a part-time cook at a small restaurant. The payments were barely enough for him to live through every day. Still, he brought the scimitar despite the declining budget. For some reason, he felt attached to the weapon the moment he saw it. After all, he was a big fan of pirates ever since he was a child.
“Who would have thought that this would come handy?” Dylan said as he took the scimitar from the wall. It was still tucked inside the scabbard. Ever since he had bought it, he made sure to maintain its former glory. It was his only collection; it was his pride and joy.
After obtaining the scimitar, he scavenged his refrigerator for any food available. Unfortunately, all he found were three cans of tuna, and a bottle of beer. Without hesitation, he tucked everything inside his bag. He knew that once the apocalypse kicked in, food would become a luxury.
“I’ll buy more along the way. The apocalypse should happen at around noon. I still have time,” Dylan mumbled as he checked his wallet for available money. He would use all of his ‘fortune’ to buy as much goods as possible.
His mind was filled with thoughts on why he was suddenly transported back in time, but the idea that he might be able to save his love ones from bane overpowered such thoughts. He would not make the same mistake again. He would not let himself be the coward he used to be. He had attained the title of legendary before his death, and he was sure that he would be able to attain it again. With fiery eyes filled with conviction, he went out of his deteriorating apartment. His destination was the university.