Prologue

I had been an S+ Class Dimension-Traveler since the moment I’ve opened my eyes. Through countless years that is even beyond the boundaries of human time, I’ve crossed millions of world-lines and realities and finished my missions with utter perfection and resolve. I was known as one of the greatest in my field, and my achievements can topple the tallest tower with a simple shove. Systems loved doing their jobs with me, the higher-ups was waiting for me at the top, and other world-hoppers thought highly of me as their oh-so-great senior. I am at the pinnacle of triumph.

Or at least, I was… before something pulled my existence into the boundless void outside the program. It spoke no words of hostility, nor words of apology. It simply threw me towards the expanse and before I knew it, the darkness has already devoured me. I did not resist its actions, program-readers like me possessed no ability to do so. I am merely curious, since there is solely no reason for someone to hate me to the point they’ll attempt to erase my existence. Like I’ve said, we have no ability to even think of something like that.

Hmm, so I was in mere wonder. Although I’m quite surprised, my astonishment stems from the fact that the program allowed this to happen. It only means that the Haven is not as perfect as it seemed to be… but it doesn’t matter anymore, I guess.

As stated by the data, the void of expanse is no home for someone like me, and the information was rather spot-on.

Soon, I found my existence fading into nothingness and my head feels more and more detached from my thoughts. The data told me that this is the so-called unexistence that Celestial Deus are capable of utilizing, a feat they are very proud of. I don’t know what Celestial Deus are so I asked the data. It gave me an answer but I guess I have no life left enough to hear its information.

So I simply slept.

It would be nice if I can somehow remember the things that I’ve did in the past. But… all that remains was the idea that I had been an S+ Class Dimensional Traveler. Soon, even that was slowly fading within my head. Silence eats me along with the darkness. I have no eyes left to see my form now, but I’m certain that only the hints of translucent figure remains. Unexistence is never painful, so I can’t feel the madness of pain.

I always play the part of being human though, so I can still feel the sorrow of loneliness somehow. It is not much because of loneliness, but because of the process of fading. I can see nothing, I can hear nothing, I can feel nothing, and I am turning into nothing. How long has it been since I’ve entered this void?

No one answered my question, but countless presences of threat gradually materialized all around me. It’s not that my senses are returning, it’s just that the Sleeping Phantoms possessed great amount of animosity that even my numb physique could feel their arrival. I’ve heard of the phantoms a lot. They are called the beast that lurks the void of the expanse. I had been wondering why they would come now when they didn’t for the past period I had been stuck in this darkness. Of course they wouldn’t answer this question, nor would I even heard them answer.

They are eating me, I can feel it. Sleeping Phantoms have no form, and even if they do, I won’t be able to see it. So the process of getting eaten by the beasts was rather funny, tickling even since you’ll never expect where they would bite next. Everything felt so amusing that I heard myself letting out light chuckle. Again, it has nothing to do with solid senses but purely came from the intuition inside my head. I was laughing hard then, as the ghosts finished me with a bite.

Then I saw my own self.

No, not from my own eyes, but from the eyes of something that holds the entirety of the expanse with its own palm. I saw myself, and the phantoms are dancing around my fading body. It seems that they weren’t done with the feast yet, it even looks like they stopped bothering.

Did I taste that horrible?

A smile formed in my mouth. Well, if the Sleeping Phantoms won’t even eat me, then I assume I can at least enjoy the process of unexistence in peace.

Suddenly however, a voice speaks within my head. I can still think, so I’ve heard it loud and clear.

[Contacting the Epitome of the 7th Setting.]

It sounds like a voice of some little girl I knew before, and I can tell that it is some kind of system like the ones I’ve worked with before back at… where was it again? Hmm, it seems that the process of unexistence has gone to an extent where I would forgot even things like that. It doesn’t matter anymore though.

[Please state your confirmation if the procedure had been successful.]

The girlish voice stated in a somewhat sad tone. Since I have no mouth anymore, I can only speak through my head. I hope it works though.

[Present.]

I grinned. It really work! Whoa, I am really talking with someone else beside me. Although I can’t tell how long it had been, I suspected that it was long enough to make me act anxious in front of a stranger. I’m not really that shy though.

[Response has been received.]

It stated and then there was a loud ringing sound.

Ding!

Through the omniscient eyes I had been granted with, I saw that a flash of light was accompanying the sound. It abruptly end as it begun. When the light has vanished once and for all, I saw three heads before my fading body.

[Restarting the 7th Selection for the upcoming existential opposition between all participants. The Epitome of the 7th Setting has been given the rights to choose which amongst the Three Ladies of Fate should began its storytelling.]

The little girl said as I watched the three heads.

I have no idea what the hell is going on but it seems that I should choose something between these three options.

All three heads bore the age of immortal crones. Their eyes were closed but I can feel them staring at me, no, not at my fading body, but the eyes watching them from above. I tried to smile and waved at them but they gave no response. Hmm, well even if they gave me options, I’m still not sure what to pick…

[What is the difference between these three?]

I tried asking but it seems that even though I was given the rights to choose, I possessed no ability to warrant their answers, as the little girl remained quiet. Hey, that’s rather rude, isn’t it? But never mind…

One head appeared fierce and grumbling even through the countless wrinkles in her face, another was powdered and exudes an air of nobility making her looked like an aged madam, and the last one possessed plain appearance of an elder woman you might see anywhere. The intuition inside my head was telling me that this decision will decide the fate of another universe itself, so I must choose wisely.

That is what it said, and what the little girl was implying, but it all seemed ridiculous for me. Why even bother giving someone the privilege to choose what a universe’s fate will be when they won’t even bother speaking with him? In the end, it all looks like someone’s just trying to dump the responsibility to me so they can escape the burden of what the future holds.

In the end…

[I refuse to choose.]

I’m not trying to be a jerk or something but I can’t just believe that someone is as lazy as me. Reasonably speaking, I have no responsibility to entertain their actions. I’m just a floating body in the process of fading, let the phantoms eat me! It’s quite fun, you know! And so, I decided to leave this omniscient view, but…

[You have chosen the fourth head of the Fates. Please wait for the transporting procedure.]

Wait, what? No, no, no. I forced myself to smile. This little sister might be misunderstanding something about what I’ve said. It seems their system intelligence is not that high.

[You misheard me. I’ve said I refused. R, e, f, u, s, e, d. What’s with this fourth head thingy?]

The little voice seemed to be smiling now.

[You did.]

Whoa. I never thought these guys could be so snarky. I tried to speak again but the system was one step ahead of me.

[The transportation procedure has already been prepared. Please state your confirmation to enter the portal… or I’ll throw you there myself.]

Haha… A laugh of despair escaped my mouth. I don’t know why but funny things keeps coming to my way. Although my memories are constantly vanishing into nothingness, I can still recall the gist of it. I was thrown into this void. The funny meter is a total 10. I was eaten by the phantoms. The rate is higher. Finally, I was getting harassed by some stranger on the outer space. It was not funny at all, but I think it is still a solid 10. I sighed, trying to wash my emotions away like I had been doing since I lost my way.

[At least, please explain what the hell is going on here.]

I thought that the little girl wouldn’t answer but it seems that I looked really pitiful this time around.

[Since you are losing your essential value, the Great Chaos has decided to eat your Essence before it disappears. The Sleeping Phantoms came for that reason. Although my Overlord has used his authority to impede their arrival, the number of Chaos’ servants were far too countless and some slipped from my Overlord’s grasp. So he decided to send me instead, to deliver you the three heads of the Fates.]

I felt my eyes widening.

[The Great Chaos!? As in that Great Chaos?]

Whoa, am I that tasty?

[Yes. But that doesn’t matter anymore since my Overlord has decided to end its existence once and for all after this existential opposition.]

It is known even without the help of my data that the Great Chaos owns the abyss that is the outskirts of the expanse. He is the Overlord of the Sleeping Phantoms, the Eve’s Program, and countless universes whose number one can’t even fathom. So he wanted to eat me, huh? Although it sounded like a bad thing, it somehow makes me exhilarated. Happy even.

[My Overlord has gathered an entire army of Celestial Deus and Transcendents that he can call anytime at his disposal. It is said that even the Pantheon has already given their support for his revolution.]

But I am already this disfigured… I don’t know what the hell Essence or essential value is but it sounds connected to my whole well-being, right? Hmm, I can’t really see the phantom’s expression when they were eating me so I can’t tell if I tasted delicious… Should I call them or tell them to fetch me or something?

[…]

I watched the Sleeping Phantoms nearby. It seemed that they lost their ability to sense me, and is now wandering around my fading body, trying to look for their meal. Hey, hey! I’m here bastards! Fetch! Fetch!

[…]

It doesn’t seemed to work. I sighed, giving up on the idea.

[Won’t you ask what the identity of my Overlord is?]

The little voice sounded somewhat annoyed and so I flatly replied.

[Who is your master then?]

[Unfortunately, his name possessed too much power and influence that I fear we must not speak it to avoid bothering him. Ho, ho, ho…]

I knew it.

[So… what will happen next?]

I greatly lamented over the fact that I won’t be eaten by the Great Chaos but it seems there are more important things to keep in mind.

[It’s as you might have expected. You will be transported to another world.]

Hmm. So it’s like that. I actually don’t know what to feel about it but it suddenly made me remember small blurry images of my past. Although my head merely felt detachment towards these images now, something inside me grew uncomfortable.

[To be precise, you will be transported into a novel called The Master of the Eternal Sword, otherwise known as the 7th Setting.]

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

[What’s with the crappy title?]

[I have no ability to dictate my own preference but it seems it received a 4.8 star rating on its world-line, so I presumed human beings would like it.]

I’m human too, you know!

[And what would I do there?]

The little voice seemed hesitant to answer me, but eventually complied.

[You are the Epitome of the 7th Setting…]

Yes, like it explains everything.

She then hummed as if to wonder what to say next.

[It seems you can’t understand… well that is to be expected with a program-reader with questionable intelligence…]

Okay, okay, just tell me damn it! I ignored her jibe (insult) and although I felt my lips twitching, I still waited for her answer.

[An Epitome can be said to be the core of a Setting. It merely means your entire existence or Essence formed the soul of a single world. Our original objective was to capture you and monopolize your power to control the 7th Setting but the Great Chaos and other Celestial Deus are interfering too much… In the end, we decided to seal your soul inside a Fate…]

I was quietly listening to her explanation, and certain world like capture, or monopolize, and seal your soul suddenly made me funny. A silent chuckle escaped my mouth.

[… But you ended up choosing the fourth head, thus sealing your soul to a Fate we have no information of. Ah, don’t worry, it seems that my Overlord has already expected this and decided to honor your decision…]

That at least calmed me down.

[…You will enter the 7th Setting soon in the purpose to awaken your celestial authority, but to be honest, you have no obligations to do so. If you want, you can simply declared that you are the Epitome of the 7th Setting there and let other Deus steal your soul…]

A portal made of light has begun to form before my fading body. I simply stared at it as I listen to her voice.

[… That would be your decision. We, of course, expect you to try to at least survive, but seeing you right now… You don’t seem eager to live, don’t you?]

I was slightly taken aback. Was it that obvious?

Hmm…. It seems that the time I’ve spent living in billions of worlds is equivalent to the time I’ve spent inside this void. Although it remains obscure, the power of omniscient visions made me deliberately remember the past, though I doubt it’ll lasts for long. I did remembered completing the countless task as if they are the only purposes I’ve lived my lives for. But all of it was gone now. I’m not so sentimental to feel dejected over this, only empty. And I felt like the emptiness had begun even before I was thrown outside the Haven. I can’t just remember why.

The girl was still speaking.

[May I ask if there is something you might found significant enough to live for?]

I tried to think of something. But the omniscience has long gone, and the memories begun to vanish once more, so I can’t remember.

[I’m curious, I guess. It seemed that I have a life before this.]

[You mean as an S+ Class Dimensional Traveler?]

Although I possessed the vision granted by the all-seeing eye, I still felt my eyes closing as I tried to remember. I shook my head.

[No, even before that.]

I just can’t remember.

[I’m curious. Is it a life worth living for?]

I asked, mostly to myself. Amidst the void of the expanse, where my body is slowly fading into unexistence and the higher existences are stirring their conflicts, I found that there is nothing left of me. I have no reason to exist now, aside to become the Epitome of 7th Setting, a plaything to be used by gods in their games. But something inside me wanted to find one. A reason to exist. A reason of mine own.

The girl was silent and I figured it should be time to enter the portal now. But I suddenly heard her said.

[The Epilogue of the 7th Setting may answer you.]

I snapped my head aback.

[The Epilogue?]

She seemed to be smiling again as I take the bait.

[The ending of the novel. As its own Epitome, it may provide you with the truth you want to know after the Setting came to its end. But in order to do that…]

I laughed.

[… I must live long enough to see it.]

So it was like that. A light laugher continued amidst the void. In the end, I finished laughing and stared at the shining portal in front of my body. The Sleeping Phantoms were still there though, it seems they are waiting for me to materialize again. Although my fading body was clumsily floating on the darkness, the phantoms can’t still sense it even if they want to. It simply looked idiotic.

[Hey, make me enter the portal now. I’m leaving.]

Like I even had a good option to begin with. That thought passed through my head with a little bit of grudging but there is no helping it.

The little girl was actually delighted judging by the tone of her voice.

[You’ve chosen the correct path, Epitome of the 7th Setting! Let me begin the…]

But before she could finish, I hold her up.

[But as you’ve said, I should be able to live enough for the epilogue of the story. You will help me with that, won’t you?]

[…huk?]

My response seemed to have taken her pretty far aback. I was astonished and pleased at the same time.

[You… you can’t really expect us to interfere with the Setting, don’t you? My Overlord is already occupied as it is with his…]

[Then what should I do? I have no information about the story, you know? I could die at the very beginning even if I don’t try to, you know!? Will you simply let me die in hopelessness? What’s with this 1 star-rating service?]

[1 star-rating!?...]

[Or do you want me to change camp and help other dudes defeat your master?]

That was enough to make her eat the words she was about to say. Contemplating over your own option takes a lot of time, of course that doesn’t apply to me, but the little girl is staying silent still. So I watched the Sleeping Phantoms again. Now that I looked at it, they’re quite cute, aren’t they? Ghostly grey bodies that sparks like storms, vicious growling voices, and crimson glinting eyes as sharp as death… Hm, they’re totally cuter than usual.

[Fine… I may be able to help.]

I grinned at her and asked.

[How will you?]

[I won’t do something special.]

She sounded annoyed by my teasing tone, and continued.

[You are the Epitome of the 7th Setting, you know? Even if your celestial authority is sealed, your own Essence is enough to challenge a Numinous-Rank Celestial Deus. Even the three heads of Fates has accepted your decision without arguing…]

[What’s with that? You make it sound amazing though.]

[It is. With my help, tap into your Essence and tried to open the heads of the Ladies of Fate. It should be possible… use your will then to make the expanse grant you your authority. The Sleeping Phantoms will notice your presence then, and other monsters and existences will come but I will use my ability to impede them.]

That sound rather complicated.

[What should I do first again?]

[Wait…]

So I simply obeyed her like a lost puppy, and wait. Then I heard her voice, but the tone was quite different. It was the same sad tone she had used the first time she'd talked to me.

[Granting target temporary celestial circuit... Unlocking his authority... Connecting to his Essence…]

I then felt a surge of something swelling within my body. That something may be called as vigor or power, but to me, it merely vanquish the numbness that I’ve loved so much. My senses opened once more and I can feel the darkness all around me. Thankfully, it didn’t made me remember my past memories. I think I don’t want to remember it anymore.

[Now open the heads.]

Haha… I suddenly felt like a neurosurgeon or something. But I still managed to bring my hands into one of the heads, while muttering ‘please forgive me for the intrusion…’ I’ve just noticed this, but I am occupying my once fading body now. I said once because through the power of celestial circuit, the flesh and bones and nerves of my physique has already returned. Although it is quite embarrassing that the clothes were not included in the package.

Surrounding me was a great dome of light barrier preventing the phantoms from savaging my newly formed flesh. It seems the system is not joking about impeding them. Oh, well…

I dropped all thoughts inside my head as I touched first head.

Pain shot out from my arm while severe streaks of light devoured my flesh with a nasty sound. I gritted my teeth, thinking this is the reason why I loved numbness oh so much.

The little voice told me to use my will to make the expanse grant me my authority. I totally have no idea what the hell it means so I simply goes with the flow.

Strength.

A word appeared in my head.

The Third of the Fates shall grant you strength.

Intuition forced me to think of strength and of things I could with it. The system wants me to grant myself godhood but the head was biting hard as if to declare that my resolve is not strong enough. Fine then! Grant me whatever strength you have in mind! It didn’t listen. Instead, it entered my head with a force akin to an iron shattering my skull into cracks. The pain continues. I sometimes considered myself part-human, part-masochist, but I decided to stop the pretense as I grind my teeth. I can hear the masochist community laughing at me right now. Or was it just hallucination?

[You have been granted Strength in the name of Lady Aisa, Third of the Fates.]

At last. I stared at the second head. Haha, laughing in despair, I asked for the little girl’s permission.

“Should I begin the next one?”

Since I can’t see her true body, I simply asked the air. I’ve noticed that the Sleeping Phantoms had disappeared… maybe while I’m experiencing the torture? Did they returned for reinforcement?

[Y-yes…]

Okay.

I swallowed my whole throat as I slowly extend my arm to the second head. Earlier, the first head said that my resolve is not enough to grant myself this celestial authority or something. I calmly accepted her decision and assessed the situation. However, it is different now. I don’t know about anyone else, but the pain I’ve felt from the first head was too much, okay!? Too much! And so, I decided that it should be enough to harden my willpower… wouldn’t it?

That was what dancing in my head as I touched the second head.

Surprisingly, there is no pain.

Only numbness.

Too much detachment that I’ve felt like my hand was no longer there, even if it is there before my eyes. The sensation grew stronger, and wider, even reaching my head, soles, and rear. I can’t feel my body now. But a chuckle simply escaped my mouth. Guess I should try to achieve godhood this time?

Knowledge.

Like earlier, a word suddenly appeared inside my head. This time it’s knowledge.

The Second of the Fates shall grant you knowledge.

Intuition helped me again as I tapped into my own Essence. Unlike strength, knowledge is closer to the truth. I felt the desire to master it and make it mine. The numbness grew only stronger and stronger as if to test me, but I bear it all. Then it began showing my past memories. I chuckled beneath the sensation. That’s quite dirty, isn’t it? But the memory never stops coming.

So I was forced to watch the strong, vivid images of my past as a S+ Class Dimensional Traveler. My achievements, my triumph, and my great history… All of it passed through my eyes within a blink.

I was curious… would it let me see those?

No… it didn’t, alas.

I’ve already said this but I think I don’t want to remember my memories anymore. It’s not that I would feel something from it, no. I’m not that great of a man. If there is a reason why… it’s simply because the images I am seeing has no colors left to them. It’s like a mere black & white album that my vision won’t even notice anymore. I somehow felt ridiculous, seeing how distant these things have become…

[You have been granted Knowledge in the name of Lady Decima, Second of the Fates.]

I sighed as I released my hand from the second head. I can’t feel the result of my perseverance yet but I guess the laws of the expanse wouldn’t lie, would they?

[They’re here…]

The little voice warned in a grave tone. Since I don’t possess the omniscient vision that I had from earlier, I can’t see what she is talking about but I supposed it is the foes she stated as people who want to take me. I felt like a damsel in distress right now actually.

So I wasted no time and grab the last head, almost smacking at its forehead. Oops… sorry haha. I tried to apologize in my mind in case she entered it just like what the other two had done.

Power.

I was quite taken by the word that appeared in my head.

The First of the Fates shall grant you power.

Dazed, my body remained still for a moment but I’m not the guy who’ll stay dumb for long. I then closed my eyes to focus, building my resolve, preparing myself for the test of the last head. The test never came. No. It was already finished.

[You have been granted Power in the name of Lady Hera, First of the Fates.]

Those words struck me harder than what the first head did. I raised my head and marveled at for quite some time. Okay maybe I am that kind of guy. As if to prove its truth, a constricting sensation appeared in my finger.

Unlike the first and second, the last head gave her gift with an open hand. Suddenly, there was a ring of black thread strangling his finger, and at the end of its form was a loose hanging strand extending to nowhere.

[Are you done yet? If you are, then leave already!]

The little voice was getting more and more agitated so I decided to end my observation.

“Let me out now.”

The portal made of light enclosed near my figure. Before I can leave, I can feel the rumbles of reality as existences beyond the boundaries of time and space approached the barrier with insurmountable presence and hostility.

[I’m sorry for telling you this now…]

Hmm?

[… But the process of transportation… with a body like yours…]

“Just spit it out, will you?”

[… I believe it will be really painful.]

Of course I didn’t get to shout… as the light encircled around my body and incinerated my flesh.