In the Name of God - vanish into fiction

The flow of time in the world I lived in and in the game was quite different.

Every time I connected, a long time had already passed, so both the child and I felt regret over it.

Until I die.

Even while knowing that moment would not be that far away, I made a promise to the boy.

I thought that if those words could lessen his anxiety even a little, that alone was enough.

‘And perhaps the child will reach the end of his life before I do.’

Because time flowed faster in the game world, it was possible that the day he and I died could be almost the same. That is only if the boy and his world endured well through the days moving toward destruction until then.

“Thanks to my Master’s power I live in a good house and eat well, but this is not enough. I want to become strong enough to fight any monster that comes.”

Even while living comfortably with nothing lacking, the young apostle endlessly sought to survive.

He wanted to become strong enough that no one could kill him.

“Master. I finally advanced to a Grade 7 Awakener. I did well, right. Please praise me quickly.”

The young apostle who received the blessing of the god grew strong as quickly as his body grew.

I watched his growth and achievements without noticing time passing, and every day I felt proud and pleased.

“This time I became the raid leader for the defense operation in Disaster Zone 19. I will surely live up to Master’s expectations.”

His affection and loyalty toward me also grew in a special way.

“I will do whatever you command. I can become the hero you mentioned. So please come visit me more often. I am satisfied as long as the Master is by my side.”

I also felt that it was enough as long as my beloved young apostle stayed with me.

My apostle was no longer a mere emotionless character in the game. He was practically my final family.

But the monsters rushed in as if trying to swallow the apostle before he could grow enough.

If I left things as they were, it really felt like this world would be destroyed in an instant as scheduled.

‘No. Not yet.’

Among the powers I possessed as god, there was nothing that could directly harm the horde of monsters.

I only had powers meant to protect or support the apostle.

Just wait a little longer.

My apostle is still growing.

I did not care what the price was.

My final family, the young apostle, needed time to finish growing. I wanted him to gain a powerful strength that no monster could swallow and that he could use to trample over them.

Only then would he be able to survive to the end in that hellish world.

A life that would not last long anyway.

I cut my lifespan, and cut it again, and cut it again, and turned half of the game world into a safe zone, including the area where my apostle lived.

The monsters who could not pierce the blessing only wandered around the edges. The people who had trembled in fear shed tears of relief inside the safe zone while praising the god. But to me, my apostle’s moved smile felt far more precious than their praise or their tears.

“Cough, cough”

Looking down at a world divided between humans and monsters, I spat out a lump of bright red blood.

I could feel that I did not have much time left. The number that had been constantly shown in my vision had become a single digit.

Even so, I did not stop.