A cloudless, dark red sky and a night without stars. Cities lay in ruins, reduced to rubble and engulfed in flames. An apocalyptic scene scarred the sky and earth, stretching far beyond the horizon. The night was lit by burning buildings. Above, in the sky free of clouds, the shattered image of the moon could be seen—unrecognizable and broken—while the world below was consumed in fire.
The entire planet had been destroyed by an invasion of unknown monsters, beings that had suddenly appeared years ago from another galaxy. Humanity had been wiped out.Not only Earth, but every other planet in the solar system—including the moon—had suffered from the invasion. None had been spared from these horrific creatures.
Only one person remained alive... or more accurately, barely alive.Amidst the rubble of a collapsed building, the figure of a man sat slumped against a wall. His clothes were torn and dirtied, his shoulder-length, dark brown hair was disheveled and covered in dust. His body was riddled with wounds and long, already-healed scars. Blood trickled down his forehead, and a metal pipe protruded from his stomach.
The end of his life was near. As the last living human on Earth, his death would mark the final end of mankind.
Asher had been a proud and merciless warrior. Together with his comrades, he had faced the monsters again and again. But one by one, they had all fallen in battle—until only he remained.But how had it come to this? Why did all of humanity die? Why had Earth fallen into such a miserable state?To understand that, we must look back—about twenty years into the past.
23 Years Earlier – The Year 2020
Out of nowhere, so-called "gates" had appeared all across the globe—portals that connected Earth to other worlds. They revealed to mankind the existence of terrifying, brutal monsters.These monsters flooded through the gates and began to mercilessly slaughter humans without reason.Fortunately, humanity was not entirely defenseless. Though their advanced technology, weapons, and bombs proved useless against these abominations, they were granted a gift—something that allowed them to fight back.
Mana. A unique and mysterious power that enabled humans to awaken—becoming superhuman and gaining special abilities.This divine-like power allowed them to stand on equal footing with the monsters, pushing them back and even forcing them through the gates again.
Soon, large numbers of these awakened humans—called Awakened—emerged, fighting against the monsters.Some even decided to step through the gates, invading the monsters' own worlds to eliminate them at their root.
But it was in vain.Though it seemed at first that humanity could win and close the gates forever, they ultimately failed. The monsters returned stronger than ever.The gates opened again—and this time, countless beasts poured onto Earth. They overwhelmed the Awakened and began the final extermination.
Asher had been 24 years old back then, having just graduated and become a history professor at a prestigious university in his homeland.He was a passionate reader and loved the stories humanity had created—historical accounts, fiction, and mythology alike. He found joy in all of them.
He had hoped for a quiet life as a professor, reading the works of famous authors.But that dream was shattered when the gates appeared and the Awakened rose.
Asher himself had awakened to Mana. But unlike most, he became an S-rank Awakened, one of the rarest and most powerful.His abilities far surpassed those of others—even among superhumans, he was considered a demigod.Thus, Asher joined the fight, hoping to protect peace and return to his simple life.
But things did not go as he had hoped. And now, he lay at the end.
Haah...Asher sighed as he lay among the ruins of a collapsing building, his thoughts heavy with regret. He stared up at the sky with lifeless eyes.
"Cough... So this is it? The end...?"
Exhausted and powerless, he lay there with a broken expression and shallow breath.He could only reflect on what had gone wrong—waiting for the end to come.But even if he were granted a second chance, he knew he could change nothing.So, he surrendered to despair.
"It hurts... It hurts so damn much..."
It wasn't the countless injuries from battle, the scars from the grueling fights, or even the metal pipe stuck in his gut that caused him pain.What made him weep was grief and sorrow—the despair over the fall of his world and the death of those he loved.It was the failure to save his home that tore him apart.
Eventually, his last bit of strength faded. His vision blurred, and all sensation left his body.Asher slowly closed his eyes, letting life drain from him. Full of regret and sorrow, he left the world as the very last human.
"Jean de la Bruyère once said: 'Death comes only once, but it makes itself felt in every moment of life. It is more bitter to fear it than to endure it.'"And truly, the fear of death Asher felt was more vivid and cruel than death itself.
Somewhere in the deepest void of the universe...
A place where only emptiness existed. A place with no time, no space—only the void.There, from deep slumber, a thought seemed to awaken—like a small spark in absolute darkness.Or rather, it would be more accurate to call it a consciousness than a thought.
Where am I?That was the first thought that surfaced as he awoke in the endless blackness.
His vision was filled with nothingness. Just pure darkness surrounding everything.
What happened...? Wasn't I supposed to be dead...?He tried to look around, but there was nothing. He wasn't even sure he had a body. He sensed no limbs, no head—nothing physical at all.Instead, he perceived the surroundings like a bird—with a 360-degree field of awareness.
As his mind grew clearer and fully awoke, more questions emerged.But no matter what he asked, there were no answers.
Time passed...Or perhaps not.It could have been hours, days, weeks, months—or mere seconds. Nothing changed.
His consciousness drifted in the void, and slowly, frustration and boredom crept in.He forgot his questions and sighed.
"It's so damn boring..." Asher groaned.
The questions like "What happened?", "Is this death?", and "Why is it so empty?" faded into the background.His irritation took over.
He felt like a child locked in a cage with no way to act. It was infuriating.
He felt as though decades—centuries even—had passed.Then, finally, he heard a voice.
"Welcome to your galaxy—the Galaxy of the Grey Dwarf."
The voice came from everywhere.Androgynous. Emotionless. Neither male nor female. It echoed through the void—as if it spoke directly into his mind.
W-what...?Asher would have jumped in surprise—had he a body. But he braced himself.
He looked around again. Still nothing had changed.
Was that real? Am I hallucinating now...? Have I been here so long I've gone insane...?
It wasn't impossible—despite all his battles and experience, even he had limits.
"Negative. You are not hallucinating. I simply greeted you, Creator."
The voice returned—again, robotic and distant.
Asher stayed alert—though in this formless state, it meant little.
"Who's there?" he asked, trying to sound composed, though curiosity laced his voice.
"You may call me Renas, Creator. I am your designated guide and assistant in creating your new galaxy."
Renas...? Guide...? Creator...?Asher was confused, though the words stirred possibilities in his mind.
And again, that voice—monotone, yet eerily clear.
"As the last living being in the Galaxy of the Grey Dwarf, after its destruction by the army of another god, you have been chosen as the new Creator God of this galaxy. You have been granted the role of rebuilding it from scratch, according to your will and imagination."
The voice—now nonstop—continued its endless explanation, completely ignoring Asher's confusion.