Chapter 39 – The Final Countdown
The world was quiet—eerily so.
Not the kind of silence that follows battle or rain, but the deep stillness of something that knows it's about to end.
The timer at the corner of my vision blinked steadily:
YGGDRASIL SERVER UPDATE: 23 HOURS 12 MINUTES REMAINING.
I had been watching it for days now.
Each second that passed felt like a heartbeat, one that carried the rhythm of a dying god.
For the past month, not a single member of Three Burning Eyes had logged in.
Their icons on the guild roster glowed dim red, all labeled the same way:
[Last Login: >30 Days Ago]
Even the subchannels were silent.
No new messages. No pings. No notifications.
Just me, and HIME.
---
She walked beside me in her automaton form—a humanoid figure of silver-white alloy, with delicate engravings that shimmered faintly under Helheim's dim light. The dark world of death was colder than ever, a realm of black ice and spectral winds.
Her red eyes pulsed softly as she followed, cloak fluttering in the bitter wind.
> "Ren-sama," she said, her tone as composed as ever, "no new data transmissions have been detected across the guild network. Shall I deactivate external monitoring systems?"
I shook my head. "Not yet. Keep them on. Just in case someone decides to log in at the last minute."
> "Affirmative. However, statistical probability of member return has dropped to 0.006 percent."
I chuckled. "Still a chance, huh?"
> "Technically, yes."
I smirked and glanced at her. "You always were an optimist."
> "I am a product of your parameters, Ren-sama," she replied simply. "If I am optimistic, it is because you once coded me to be."
Her words hung in the cold air, warm in a way no flame could replicate.
---
We walked through Helheim's frozen plains, the black snow crunching under our feet.
The world had become empty—no pop monsters, no other players, just the sound of our steps echoing against the void.
Even the great Abyssal Gate, the first layer of Aeternum Sanctum, shimmered faintly in the distance behind us, its portals dimming with each passing hour as system activity wound down.
I found myself talking more than usual.
Maybe it was to fill the silence.
Maybe it was just to remember what it felt like to have company.
"You know, HIME… this place used to terrify me."
> "Helheim?"
"Yeah. Back when I was twelve, when Yggdrasil first launched, this was the world I avoided the most. Too dark, too empty, too… final."
> "And yet, it is where you chose to spend your last day," she said gently.
"Maybe that's fitting," I said, smiling faintly. "It's the end, after all."
We stopped near a cliff overlooking the dark valley where shadowed glaciers met blackened ruins. The sky above Helheim was split by faint auroras—lines of digital light still trying to render despite the failing servers.
> "This world has maintained integrity longer than projected," HIME said, observing the landscape. "Even with minimal player input, system stability remains above eighty-seven percent."
"That's because the devs built it with love," I said. "Not just for money or fame, but because they cared about what they made."
> "Do you believe that applies to you as well?" she asked.
I blinked. "Me?"
> "You once said you created this guild because you wanted to see how far curiosity could go. Eleven years later, have you reached your limit?"
I let the wind fill the silence for a while before answering.
"I think curiosity doesn't end, HIME. It just changes shape."
> "So your curiosity will persist, even without this world?"
"Yeah," I said softly. "Just… maybe somewhere else."
---
We continued walking.
Every so often, I'd spot remnants of my old adventures—collapsed dungeons, frozen fields where I'd once fought raids, and scattered artifacts half-buried in ice. They felt like ghost memories—half real, half dream.
Then, as we rounded a ridge, the landscape shifted.
A vast crater spread below, glowing faintly with blue fire.
In the distance stood a structure I hadn't planned to see again:
The Great Tomb of Nazarick.
Even from afar, its silhouette was unmistakable—towering spires, the faint shimmer of defensive barriers, and the solemn mausoleum gates that guarded its entrance.
I froze for a moment, breath catching in my chest.
> "Ren-sama?"
I smiled faintly. "It's been a while since I came here."
> "Do you wish to proceed?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Just to the entrance."
---
It took us nearly twenty minutes to descend the frozen slope.
No defenses activated. No NPCs appeared. The air was unnaturally calm—as if the great guild that once resided here had long since gone to sleep.
When I reached the edge of the mausoleum, I stopped.
The gate was open slightly, revealing the vast stone chamber within.
Rows upon rows of ornate tombs stretched into the shadows, their names carved in ancient runes.
But there were no statues.
No guardians.
No lights.
Just silence.
I stepped forward, just close enough to feel the weight of it—the presence of something grand, something built with pride and love, now reduced to quiet memory.
"I guess this is what remains," I said quietly.
> "Do you regret not joining them when you had the chance?" HIME asked.
I shook my head. "No. Touch Me and his friends built something they believed in. I built something different. But both were meant to last. And maybe… that's enough."
The wind howled through the mausoleum's hollow entrance.
I turned away, the crimson glow of my aura reflecting faintly off the icy stone.
> "Ren-sama," HIME said softly, "server shutdown is imminent. Timer indicates less than one minute remains."
"Then let's wait here," I said, lowering myself to sit on a nearby step. "It's quiet. Peaceful."
She nodded and sat beside me, her cloak fluttering lightly in the cold air.
The countdown appeared in the corner of my display:
[00:00:59]
I smiled, leaning back against the icy stone.
"You know, HIME… when I first started playing this game, I didn't think I'd last more than a month."
> "You lasted eleven years."
"Yeah. Guess I got attached."
> "I am glad you did."
Her voice softened, and I could swear—for a second—it sounded almost human.
The timer kept ticking.
[00:00:32]
"Any last systems to shut down?" I asked.
> "All archives secured. All NPCs in standby. Guild Base integrity preserved. Awaiting your final command."
"Then…" I paused, smiling faintly. "Let's just enjoy the view."
> "Affirmative."
The world shimmered faintly around us.
Particles of data began to rise like fireflies, lifting from the ground and drifting into the dark sky.
[00:00:10]
"Thank you, HIME," I whispered.
> "Always, Ren-sama."
[00:00:05]
The wind carried the last of Helheim's light into the void.
I closed my eyes.
"Goodbye, Yggdrasil," I said softly. "See you on the other side."
[00:00:01]
The world froze.
Every color faded to white.
Then—
[00:00:00]
And just like that, the world of Yggdrasil ended.
---
End of Chapter 39 – The Final Countdown