Dancing on the golden ashes

"Is that all you've got?" I taunted, my voice dripping with mockery. "Come on, you can do better. Weren't you supposed to be a powerful and almighty ruler? Show me everything you've got. You have four more attacks."

I flashed her a mocking smile, savoring the tension in the air. Around me, I could see the others' jaws drop in disbelief. They had been so sure of themselves, believing they were invincible in this world. But they had forgotten one crucial truth: there's always someone stronger.

And me? I never forgot that fact. I knew there were those out there more powerful than me, but these people? They were weak, pitifully so. They were nothing compared to me. Just garbage I had to clean up.

I didn't know where this overwhelming arrogance was coming from, but it felt... right, in this moment. They were targeting my friends. They had destroyed the empire I had worked so hard to stabilize. And now, they thought they could step all over me?

No... Not today.

Everyone in this world would learn to fear me.

A sharp glint flashed in my eyes, the fire of resolve burning brighter within me. I wasn't going to let any of them escape. Not even one insect would be able to run away.

I could see the expression on Lorena's face, and I loved it. Her eyes were wide with fury, filled with so much rage it looked like she was about to lose her mind. She stared at me like she wanted to rip me to pieces, but the harsh reality of the situation hit her hard. She realized, far too late, that she didn't have the power to do so.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Lorena screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice shrill and filled with frantic desperation. With every scream, she threw herself into the fight, pushing her body to the limit. One attack after another, each one strong enough to shatter mountains and part seas, came crashing toward me.

But I didn't flinch. I didn't even move.

Her attacks felt like nothing more than a tickle. No matter what she cast, no matter how much power she poured into each blow, it was as if the universe itself bent to my will, and her efforts were meaningless.

I simply brushed them off, watching her struggle in vain.

"Are you done?" I asked coolly, my voice dripping with disdain.

With ease, I caught her blade between my two fingers, feeling her struggle to pull it free. She was fighting with everything she had, but it was laughable. I gave her a wild, mocking smile.

Before she could react, my tail shot out, crashing into her face with the force of a wrecking ball, sending her tumbling down the mountain. The ground shattered beneath the impact, dust and debris flying into the air.

In a blur, I was on her again, my body moving with an effortless grace that left no time for her to recover. In an instant, I had her by the throat, lifting her into the sky.

She thrashed in my grip, struggling to escape, but it was all in vain.
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"So," I said, my voice icy, "your time is up. Did you have fun? Where did all that arrogance go?"

I slapped her across the face, the impact jolting her out of her disoriented state.

"Just... kill... me..." she whimpered, blood spilling from her mouth. Her teeth were shattered, her jaw caved in from the force. The sight should have been unsettling, but I felt nothing. That sensation—compassion, empathy—had long since faded.

To me, killing was like second nature now. It no longer stirred a single shred of guilt. Was I always like this? I wondered, my mind wandering. A psychopath that hadn't yet awakened? Or did this world shape me into this monster?

I wasn't sure. Perhaps it was a bit of both. Or maybe I had just adapted to the world where the strong eat the weak. After all, when you have the power, you can do whatever you want without consequences.

Even in my old world, the superpower countries had done whatever they wished, bullying the weaker nations. That was the way of life—the unspoken rule. And there was nothing anyone could do to change it. We either adapted, or we went against those who were stronger.

But in this world... I was the strongest.

And unless the Creator himself showed up... Who could stop me?

I didn't need to wait long for an answer.

A rift opened in the sky, splitting it wide, and a blinding white light poured through it. A figure descended, draped in all white, his long hair cascading down like snow, gleaming with an almost ethereal glow. I knew him. I knew him far too well. He was the source of all my suffering, the one who had tormented me, who had turned my world upside down.

A sharp, bitter flash of happiness lit up Lorena's eyes when she saw him. Does she think she's saved? I felt the surge of hatred rise within me. Without a second thought, I tightened my grip around her throat. The pressure was unbearable, but at her level, it wouldn't kill her. I didn't need to kill her—no, I had a better fate for her. With a swift motion, I ripped her soul out, consuming it in one swift, brutal action.

"Hello, Jeong Suhan..." I said, my voice icy, each word laced with venom.

He smiled back at me, a small, almost knowing grin. Our battle is not over yet, I thought, a strange mix of anticipation and dread stirring within me. He had come, knocking on my door, willingly.

But then something jolted me, a sudden realization that struck deep into my core. My eyes widened in disbelief. How is that possible? How is he alive?

My mind screamed in panic, but before I could process the thought, another figure stepped from behind him.

Nam Ji-ho...

Lightning crackled around him, arcing wildly through the air, like an uncontrollable storm.

"Hello, Lee Gaon," he greeted me indifferently, his voice cold, as if we were meeting on casual terms. "So we meet again."

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and the full weight of the situation sank in. This... I realized with growing horror that it had to be the Creator's doing.