In a blink of a second, Govid’s body flew and struck the ground heavily. From the impact, Govind could barely move. He probably broke a bone or a two. Holding the extreme pain, he grabbed onto his rib cage and sufferingly stood back up. Axion quickly ran towards Govind and helped him walk. When they both stared at the foggy asteroid, a man surrounded by letters marched towards them. Govind and Axion both knew who the man was. He was once their enemy, friend, co-worker, and rivals. He also was once part of the town just like Duk. But for an unknown circumstance, he faced death and came back as a catastrophe.
The black feather that reached from his back protected him like a wing shield. He had a black hat on which reminded them of a crow. The book in his hand made him look like a noble man. He rolled his hand and smiled slightly. Then he jumped into the air and spread his black feathered wings. He truly looked glorious and holy. If Axion and Govind didn’t know who he was, they would’ve misjudged him as an angel. Govind drank a healing potion that was in his pocket and prepared to attack. When Govind and the man were ready to fight, the man attacked Govind first with the same lightning. But this time, Govind absorbed the attack into his hammer. He spinned his entire body and swung his hammer towards the man. When the hammer was directed towards the man, the lightning attack he shot towards Govind flew back to the man.
“You definitely got stronger, Govind.” The man spoke to Govind. He was harmed but recovered quickly. The ripped ring repaired itself by creating new feathers.
“You too, Zoiph. How did you get new powers? And how did you come back?” Govind questioned and interrogated Zoiph.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m here to end our unfinished business.” Zoiph replied by pulling out his sword. It was the exact same sword he used when he was still a human and when he was once part of the town.
“Our fight ended a long time ago. What else do you want from me and this town?” Govind questioned with anger and unaccountability.
Govind and Zoiph were rivals for a long time. During the first [Frost] war, just like how Loyd opposed Crimson, Zoiph and Govind fought against each other. Even after the war, Govind became the supreme justice of the town and Zoiph was a famous lawyer. They had arguments frequently for political and justice issues. Lastly, during the [Deconstructed] war, they took different sides and fought against each other once again. The problem is that in every battle that Zoiph and Govind went against each other, Govind won. When Zoiph couldn’t hold his temper and challenged Govind, he absolutely got destroyed. But now, just by becoming a catastrophe, Zoiph single handedly overpowered Govind. This shows how strong the power of the catastrophe is.
“I don’t want anything from this town, nor do I have any feelings or reluctance for it. But I wish to battle you once again, and win this time. My victory will be recorded across worlds and dimensions.” Zoiph shouted towards Govind. He was like a warlord who’s sole goal was to fight and fight. “If you don’t fight me, I will burn this town to hell fire!”
Govind didn’t have much choice here. He had to fight against Zoiph which might result in him losing and maybe even killing but he had to; or the entire town would be destroyed. Zoiph is the strongest catastrophe that Govind fought. The one’s he killed in the past are nothing like him. Govind started doubting himself now. He thinks even with the achievement, [Defeater of a Catastrophe], he can’t beat Zoiph. Achievements make the most effect if the situation the person got the achievement is replayed. If the person or the environment is completely different to the moment where the player got the achievement, it won’t be effective. Sweats started swelling down his face. The fear of death was slowly choking him. Is this just a placebo effect or is he actually scared?
“I will not hesitate to kill you. You are still a catastrophe. You are a threat that could destroy this world.” Govind held on to his hammer as hard as he could. He charged all the mana he could use in order to kill Zoiph with a single strike. “God I hate that kid more than Duk.” Govind spitted out. He then jumped as high as he could, once again. The reason why he continuously tried to get high ground is because his weapon had a special ability. The hammer that he could easily grab with one hand is actually very heavy and depending how much of a distance he dropped from the sky, it does more damage. When Govind tried to land his hammer right on Zoiph’s head, the golden letters that were surrounding him and his book united together and created a word.
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「As Govind struck his hammer down to his enemy’s head, he felt extreme pain.」
Right when the letters created a word, the words created a sentence, Govind felt pain coming from his chest. He couldn’t breathe. He grabbed on to chest and fell on the ground. The drop was about 30 feet high. Right when he dropped, he felt his spine and back bone shattering into pieces. When he heavily got up on his knee, he saw a sentence that took him down right in front of him. He thought to himself what this sentence meant. A single sentence that could kill him? How can words strike him down mid air?
“I won Govind. There is no point of resisting.” Zoiph slowly walked towards Govind. This is the first time Zoiph ever looked down at Govind. This meant his first victory. As Govind struggled to get up, he asked Zoiph a question. “Just… Just how? How can words strike me down like that? This didn’t even happen. You can just make anything happen by desiring it? How can you have such power?” As if Zoiph was mocking him, he laughed slightly and replied. “I guess you never really read books before? You don’t know how strong words are, especially if they are representing history.” As Govind looked at Zoiph’s ridicule, he tried to figure out what the hell he was talking about. Then he remembered Loyd’s saying. He once said that everything that happens in this world is recorded by words and sentences by somebody. He has no idea who is doing it but someone is recording their achievements and their journey. Maybe that’s what Zoiph is talking about. The sentence that struck him down is probably a sentence written by somebody else who saw this happen. But how did a sentence like that even form? Every word written is a recording of a specific event, which means something that didn’t happen can’t be written.
Whatever it is, whether it’s an event or an accident, history will always repeat itself. Because Zoiph showed him a sentence of him being struck down in the middle of the air, the same thing happened because the situation was similar. Anything can be replayed and repeated, especially if the condition of the event is the same as the original one. Here are the things that he analyzed about Zoiph so far. First, he has the ability to cast a spell where he will summon words that will replay a certain event. Second, all the sentences he creates have to be the recordings that the mysterious guy Loyd once talked about. But there were still mysteries surrounding Zoiph’s presence itself.
“Wow it’s a miracle that you even survived that fall!” Zoiph seemed surprised that Govind could still move. Knowing that Zoiph is going to give a fatal strike on him, Govind decided to ask him one last question. “How… How did you become this strong? How did you ever come back alive? We all saw you die! In that battle of the district, you-...” Govind was cut off when he noticed the death stare coming from Zoiph. His eyes turned blood red and it signifies his anger towards Govind. He wasn’t happy that he finally defeated Govind but rather unsatisfied.
Zoiph sighed and answered Govind's stupid question. “Well, I did die. But instead of my soul going to heaven or the prison of the underworld, my soul traveled to this weird empty void. In that world, there was nothing but chaos and fear. Then, a tentacle from nowhere catched me and made me suffer for hundreds of years. And out of nowhere, I became a catastrophe and earned these crazy powers. After that, I can’t answer you because I don’t really know anything.”
Govind looked absolutely shocked. He didn’t think that a story where a man died and came back as a super strong catastrophe could be summarized like that. He thought there would be more details and stories to it but he guessed not.
Looking at Govind’s dumbfounded and shocked face, Zoiph sighed once more and decided to tell him a little more. He just decided to think that this was his last mercy before he died. “Have you ever heard of the [Outer Gods]?” Zoiph questioned Govind. “Well they basically gave me their powers and opened a gate to this word. So technically, I’m not really alive since I’m just in this world as a catastrophe.” This didn’t really help Govind solve any of Zoiph’s riddles but it gave him more hints for sure. The [Outer Gods] are gods from a horror mythology. Although many gods from different mythologies exist in this world, they were never found. But for the first time ever, they were mentioned. Govind was excited to get hints about the new gods but he was also scared. He really wished that they didn’t exist because the [Outer Gods] represent fear and horror itself.
Wait. If the guardian and the source of the catastrophes are the [Outer Gods], that means that the catastrophe Loyd and Crimson is fighting could mean that they also might be fighting against someone as strong as Zoiph. And if one of the [Outer Gods] decide to descend into this world and kill both of them, they are all doomed.
“Well I guess this is the end. Good bye, Govind.” Zoiph started to charge his mana. When more and more words formed around him, he finally casted a sentence.
「The Greatest Judge in history, who would’ve became a God, was killed here.」