He Was Just a Man

Sunbeams covered the entire horizon in countless spots. The invincible golden domain that once enveloped the planet was now pierced like a sieve falling apart completely.

On the battlefield, a deathly silence reigned. Only the hero's screams, a sharp pain piercing his brain, broke this quiet. No one could breathe; a painful suffocation weighed on everyone's chests. Trembling eyes stared at the scene no one wanted to believe or see.

The round figure was painfully embracing his most faithful companion. She, whom everyone accepted as the direct voice of the divine figure, who led them through the darkest years of survival, who showed a warm and fierce love for him. But... there was no more soul fluctuation or sign of life in her.

It took thirty seconds. Then, the whale slowly let her go...

Everyone watched his pain, feeling as if their own souls were shattering along with his. The whale gestured, and Ruri's body was stored in the inventory.