Beyond the reach of anything that could be called "existence," in a state where no idea of "place" or "time" could even be formed, two figures remained. They stood not in a void, but in the absolute absence of anything that could be compared to it, a boundless absence in which the very notions of "nothing" and "something" were equally meaningless.
Here, there were no dimensions to transcend, because all dimensions, finite, infinite, and even those that stretched beyond layered infinities, had never existed. No mathematics, no logic, no metaphysics could apply. No language could touch it, for concepts themselves were already annihilated in this state. It was a domain outside all possible realities, beyond the farthest reaches of all conceivable and inconceivable hierarchies. The entire totality of existence and non-existence, from the smallest subatomic event to the highest infinite-tiered omniverse, existed only as the faintest afterthought here.
And yet, in this absence beyond all absolutes, two beings simply "were."
One was a man whose presence carried the weight of countless victories, who had broken through every chain of reality and ascended beyond all laws and dimensions known to creation. His very being stood apart from any framework of limitation, no longer bound by logic, causality, or the scaffolding of existence itself. And yet, though he had surpassed all conceivable hierarchies and defied every absolute, he remained within the reach of the one who had written such systems into being.
The other was a small girl, who seemed untouched even by the absence that swallowed everything. Her being was not merely beyond existence, but the source from which all existence and non-existence had once spilled forth, an origin so far removed that even the idea of "origin" failed to describe her.
A faint voice broke the endless silence.
"Congratulations," the girl said cheerfully, as if announcing the end of a game.
"You defeated Abyss God Ivkareth and done what Ivkareth sought across uncountable cycles. You've stepped outside the totality, not just beyond dimensions or concepts, but beyond the very framework that allows such things to exist. At least… as far as any created being can go."
!!
"You..."
" No need to be surprised, I am temporarily creating a 'language' so that we can communicate." the girl said
Reinhard's eyes, dulled with exhaustion, met hers. "If you could do all this, why didn't you stop him before?"
She tilted her head, her expression serene. "Because I am The Creator, not the hero. I enjoy watching the worlds I create, how they grow, change, and sometimes fall. So I do not interfere in their stories."
Reinhard gave a bitter laugh. "I wish I'd died before all this."
"Unfortunately," she replied, "you now exist where death itself cannot reach. Even the concept of death, and the systems that allow such a concept, have no meaning where you are. No law, no idea, no truth can touch you. Yet remember, all of that still lies within the scope of what I have written. To me, even your transcendence is but another chapter."
"Haaah…" The man sighed deeply, then looked at her with a hint of curiosity. "So, there's no reward for me, despite what I've achieved so far?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of curiosity he could barely hide.
"Of course you do," the girl said. "As your reward, I'll strip away the transcendent power you've gained so far, restoring you back to a human with all your humanity returned to you." She smiled warmly.
"Then, I'll send you to be reincarnated in one of my worlds, a world without magic, demons, or other races. Just nature and humans."
"Alright… a world like that…" The man nodded slowly. "…sounds good."
The girl smiled. "Exactly, that's what you need now. Additionally, your old world will be rebuilt, but the history and people will be different. Now, after all your tasks are complete, it's time for you to rest."
A white light emerged from the girl's palm, slowly enveloping the man's body.
" May you enjoy your freedom, Reinhard."
And in an instant, Reinhard's figure vanished, carried away toward a new life.
…
"Oh, right, I almost forgot to mention," the girl said with a playful smile.
"Your memories will be sealed, locked away where even you can't reach them, at least, not for a very long time." She tilted her head, her eyes glinting faintly.
"But who knows? Under the right circumstances, those sealed memories might return to you. And hers? I've sealed them away just as securely, though perhaps someday you'll remember each other. Consider it my special reward to you both. Hihihi~." She chuckled softly.
As She withdrew, the nothingness curled about itself like a devoted hound, each nonexistent atom aligned perfectly to Her passing design.