[We don't send messages to specific ent.i.ties. We just choose a Cultivation region, ask for approval, and then we receive the approval. We cannot use private messages.]

"Are public cultivators the same too?"

[Yeah. I heard they receive it in the form of a 'Quest' to choose where to cultivate.]

It was easy to understand. Big Brother had cut down all possible channels of communication, a.s.suming there were any. But that was good to know. At least Jaehwan wasn't wrong about what he did and his efforts.

There was something up there, and it was controlling Cultivation.

That alone was enough for Jaehwan to continue going up. Beastlain then asked.

[I am actually curious about what you think. Do you not have any thoughts on what Big Brother is?]

"Me?"

[Yeah. You, as an Awakener, are in a better position to find information than me. You also know stories about the Three Ancient G.o.ds…]

"I have a guess. It's just a guess though."

[Oh? Can you tell me what it…]

"It's just a guess. And in my case, what Big Brother is might not really matter."

That confused Beastlain. They had been talking about what Big Brother was all this time and he was now saying that it didn't matter.

[What? Why is that?]

"What matters now is whether I can get out of this place or not."

Beastlain understood right away. They had already been locked in this s.p.a.ce for 50 years. And this s.p.a.ce was thought to be created by Big Brother. Whatever Big Brother was, it would be useless unless they got out of this s.p.a.ce.

"We have time. I'm not worried."

Jaehwan shrugged and began to stab in the air again.

[Hey, uh, can you go a bit slower? It's making me nauseous. I've always wanted to say this…]

Jaehwan ignored it and kept on stabbing.

'Gosh. This human…'

He stabbed and stabbed again as if he would stab forever, or as if he would stab away this darkness. And the sword's mouth moved to make a cracking noise. It was as close to a laugh as he could make.

'I see. So this human will never give up.'

It was the same thing when they were in the tower. Even when everyone gave up on clearing and gave up on the presence, this human did not give up. This man stood and fought.

Was it because of that? Beastlain felt that Jaehwan would succeed again, even if the enemy wasn't a Cultivator but the ruler of the world. Maybe he too had been influenced by Jaehwan. The sword shot out dark flames as its voice declared arrogantly,

[Dammit, okay! I won't die twice anyway. Let's go!]

It was after a very long time that Beastlain regretted his thoughts. Dying twice… Beastlain did not know that there was something far more terrifying than death. The trial that was upon Jaehwan wasn't just something he could overcome with effort.

Stab and stab. Talk for a while. Stab again.

Jaehwan's stab kept on growing and the sword became sharper. They talked about a lot of things. They talked so much that their differences in race, or the hatred between a Cultivator and a Product, disappeared.

They expressed glee at simple things and argued about simple things. They withstood time. And nothing changed.

Even then, they repeated the same thing day in and day out. The days when they did not say anything increased, but they did not give up.

And like that, two hundred thousand years pa.s.sed.