A gentle breeze passed by the lush farmland. Zyrus’s vision was filled with swaying golden wheat and a soothing blue sky. It was a scene anyone would be mesmerized by.

‘Shi kun didn’t know how right he was,’

The more beautiful it looked, the more fucked up it’ll be later on. Zyrus had no choice but to be a bystander in this scene. What surprised him was the fact that despite being a scarecrow he could feel the wind and smell the earth.

“Didn’t expect you to come as well.”

Indeed, unlike when he saw the past of Camazotz as a film, he was now merged with Pugalo’s body and mind. There was a big difference between witnessing a dead person’s past versus watching their life unfold alongside them.

Zyrus didn’t rush Pugalo and let it enjoy the peaceful memories. How long did it last? The sun went up and down and seasons passed by. The farm changed alongside the weather, as if it was becoming more and more alive.

“No, it is becoming alive!”

“Yes…and No.”

Zyrus knew what happened after one died in the sanctuary, but Pugalo was obviously talking about something different. This was the question humans pondered upon since the moment they gained awareness.

There were many ideologies–and Zyrus used to believe in the scientific concept of life. But now, things were different. He was sure that one didn’t simply cease to exist after their death.

“The ability to think, feel, and express oneself?”

“Not sure. As far as I know, it’s a natural phenomenon that occurs via evolution.”

“Mhm,” Zyrus nodded his straw-stuffed neck at Pugalo, not that either of them were ‘real’ in this landscape.

“I see…” Zyrus already guessed what Pugalo was going for. He too had similar thoughts back on earth, it’s just that he didn’t believe them to be the whole truth.

Zyrus didn’t interrupt Pugalo and listened to it talk about the world’s will and cycle of reincarnation. Understanding different perspectives was crucial in developing any theory.

Zyrus guessed a lot from Pugalo’s thoughts. What would happen if the mountain or a lake which had yet to gain sentience is changed? The answer was clear. It also explained why there weren’t any sentient inanimate objects on earth despite its long history.

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Pugalo waved his hands and the seasons changed faster and faster. The farm stretched as far as Zyrus’s eyes could see. He felt the different grains and fruits growing and withering away, and each time, the farm became more and more alive. Just how many people did it feed? This farm was the lifeblood of millions of lives.

This place was different from any he had seen thus far. This was a world on a higher level of existence. Each fruit that grew on this farm was enough to satiate a dragon for a whole year. The humanoids living here had long lives and low reproduction rates.

The fact that this farm was feeding millions was a testament to its importance. Years and decades passed by until one day–the tide changed.

There was neither an alien invasion nor any war or natural disaster.

What brought the farmlands destruction was an ore that was discovered beneath a well. At first, it was nothing more than a momentary interest in the people's boring yet peaceful lives.

That was until they discovered the real use of the ore–it could enhance their level of existence. The entire world went into a frenzy after the discovery. Who didn’t want to become more powerful and live longer? As for the food, there were other less fertile areas that'd provide enough food.

The land that had fed them for countless eras was ravaged to find more ores. Not one person felt sentimental towards it. Who would feel bad for digging the ground?

But, as always, there was an exception. It too was ignored thrown into trash by the people.

“How did you keep your sanity?” Zyrus asked Pugalo who was watching on with emotionless eyes. The scarecrow was thrown into a pile of garbage alongside the fledgling plants and soft soil.

They were not needed anymore. They were a hindrance in the mining process.

Thus, they were discarded.

This was a normal process no matter how one looked at it. Zyrus wouldn’t have thought much of it either if he hadn’t heard Pugalo’s previous words.

Zyrus listened to Pugalo’s voice filled with grief and hatred. The whole picture was already clear in his mind.

“…”

“Not at all.”

Perhaps a bystander would think so, but not him. Zyrus knew better than anyone what the scarecrow felt that day.

Imagine this– a being living a quiet life alongside their companion without bothering anyone. They even fed others for countless years. But one day, the same people came with their sharp weapons and killed them. They killed its pregnant companion and dug out the hearts of their unborn children, right in front of its eyes.

The scenes changed along with Pugalo’s raging emotions. The sentient core that was about to take shape was destroyed, the will of the land was shattered, and the one who was guarding them was decaying beneath a pile of filth.

But not all of their essence was lost. Day by day the scarecrow evolved by merging with the broken fragments. The fertile soil became its flesh and the tender plants became its veins.

Even though its insides were filled with life and a boundless power…its heart remained hollow. It was given the name Pugalo by the people, and except for that name, nothing remained of that civilization.

Zyrus watched the enormous scarecrow bring down the world's annihilation. No one had noticed how it all began or how it ended. The fertile lands were desertified, the ocean overthrew the rivers and drowned countless cities, the clouds scattered and the whole atmosphere was broken down.

Even though there were countless people who were above lv 200 by the sanctuary’s standards, there was no food or water. They could survive with just the world’s energy, but that too was limited.

For the first time, the world was engulfed in war and famine. Millions died each day, and before long, they didn’t even know what they were fighting for. The unified civilization was shattered, and the divided ones fought to regain their sovereignty.

Decades and centuries passed by as the population dwindled with each war. The weight of grudge and hatred had pressed down the seed of evolution. Even if a group desired peace or found a solution, Pugalo would destroy them without anyone’s notice.

It was strong. Strong enough to destroy the world in a single day.

And yet, it waited. Just like it was waiting for the birth of the land spirits, it now waited for the world to end.

It wasn’t long before Pugalo didn’t even have to lift its hand. People fought, fought, and fought. They destroyed and looted what others had, and soon enough, everyone forgot how to create something.

It was the first time Zyrus was seeing a civilization regress in such a way. Pugalo’s words were still ringing in his eyes.

“Indeed…it’s a fate worse than death.”

An entire thriving civilization was destroyed from its roots. The once intelligent and proud beings were reduced to mere animals by a single scarecrow. Their wills were eroded generation after generation until not a single sentient creature was left.

Everything vanished in his vision except a single spot. It was a tiny sapling growing on a deserted city.

After the apocalypse that lasted for millennias, a new era began.

That was the last scene Pugalo saw before leaving the planet.