Chapter 7 End Of The World

"I don't really have a reason to trust you. You don't seem to be taking any of this seriously," I said as I rose up past the third story, but I could already see a lot of smoke.

[You are right; I am not taking this seriously. Why? Because if you die, this world is destroyed, and we move on to the next one where the chips aren't all stacked on one number. You.]

I finally rose up past my apartment, and I couldn't believe my eyes. The city I grew up in looked like a warzone with destroyed buildings everywhere and smoke coming from places all over.

"What is going on?!" I yelled.

[This is the result of one person. Kratos. So far, 36% of humans have already been killed in the world while you have been sleeping. That is on you, but those are just numbers, right?]

Ice started to run in my veins as sweat covered my body even with the cold wind blowing around me.

[Hard to stomach, but it is the truth! Your world has a big target on its back because of enslaving technologies. Don't worry; you are the last one left that has a big target; the rest are lower civilizations. They won't be as fun as you, but it is what it is.]

"How can I stop this?" I asked quietly.

[Hmm? Are you looking to save the world? I mean, if you are dead set on it, I can help, but you didn't even get any from that girl last night! I thought I told you not to behave?]

"Listen, pervert, I will jump through hoops, whatever it takes, but we need to get some people I care about in a safe place before I start taking on the world. People are going to die, but I am only one person, but I need time to figure out how to get stronger," I said as I looked over the city that was basically in flames.

This happened because I didn't listen, and it was worse all over the world. Overnight, millions of people had died, but I didn't have super speed or the ability to fly.

[Now that's what I like to hear! I might just be interested in helping you after all!]

"Can you start by turning the power back on?" I asked, and mentally asked the tree to crush Kratos.

The tree did as I asked, and I sensed the man's body being crushed, but I felt no pity.

[Nice one! Now let me give you a rundown of what has happened! First power stations go and communications, then all power and batteries. You can see that no cars are moving right now, right? This is not going to change; the others are blocking it. Next, your guns and standard weapons will do nothing against Villains, so all army folk are screwed, and the world has no way to fight back.]

"So, they are just going to keep going till the whole world burns?" I asked, ordering the tree to bring me back to the ground.

[Not that fast, most will settle down after the hostile people are taken down. Then they will start forcing the remaining ones to start mining the ores we need by hand. Then they will force them to build us new ships.]

"How long will that take?" I asked as I was lowered down.

[One hundred years most likely, but it goes by fast if you die, for me at least.]

"So I have time then, right?" I asked.

[You have as long as I am entertained! If you start to bore me, I will just tell everyone where you are! Sooner or later, more Villians will show up, so you had better start working on collecting these humans that you want to keep safe, along with a place to store them.]

"They are not things."

[Call them what you want! You have three days before I set another villain on course to find you. In that time, I will be helpful, to a degree, but I need to see progress! Your power is called Evergrowth, which means that you grow stronger from fighting, even if you lose. You also have the ability to tap into the planet's life force, so if you want power, you better learn to use it!]

I finally reached the ground, and the basket retracted from around me as I considered how to move forward. This lunatic was ready to feed me to the Villains if I didn't make a solid effort and keep him entertained, whatever that meant.

"Okay, so what can fix my place with my powers?" I asked as I looked up at the hole in my apartment building.

I didn't want to turn around and look at the body of Kartos, but something made me turn to look. I don't know if it was the idiot or me inside of me, but what I saw confused me.

The body was twisted and broken but made out of solid metal.

"What does this mean?" I asked.

[They aren't human anymore. That is the shell the Villains leave after death. As for your apartment, I think you can ask Mr. Tree about that!]

"Ask the tree?" I asked, and the tree beside me leaned forward and back in a nodding gesture.

I got the feeling the tree wanted me to come closer, so I did what it asked and placed a hand on it. My mind started to feel like it was expanding as I started to feel the roots of the tree connect to all the trees in the area.

The trees that I touched cheered as my consciousness streamed by them, and suddenly I could feel that they wanted to help me. The trees started to rip up roots, growing feet as they started to walk towards my apartment.

As each reached the side of the building, the trees started to rapidly grow up the sides of the building. Slowly the apartment block was covered by trees, roots, and vines, but it was growing past the top, where my new home would be.

Changes were happening inside, but suddenly a familiar voice called down from the hole in the wall that was now almost covered up.

"Are you okay?! What is going on?!" Amy asked frantically.

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"I will be right up, don't worry," I said with a smile, even though the world was ending.