Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe

Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe – 44

EP.44 The Demon King

After assisting Ubbo-Sathla in creating a new species, I returned to my own universe. Fortunately, the massive cosmic bubble that housed my universe remained intact and undisturbed.

[Hmm.]

Around me, bubbles continued to form and dissipate, constantly moving. Each of these large and small bubbles represented a universe, a space where countless materials, life forms, and energies existed according to their own unique laws. While I had only played with one universe, the sheer number of them was staggering.

Of course, not all these universes operated under entirely different laws. Many were similar, and some were even identical. Some universes were essentially the same, often referred to as “parallel worlds.”

“What if I had made a different choice?”

“What if A hadn’t died?”

These “what if” scenarios gave rise to alternate realities, parallel universes where different choices or events led to divergent outcomes. However, the universe didn’t split into new bubbles for every trivial decision made by a single insignificant life form. A significant event that could serve as a branching point for the entire universe had to occur for a new bubble to form, dividing the universe into world A, where the event happened, and world B, where it did not.

However, significant events that could serve as branching points for the entire universe occur quite frequently on a cosmic scale. Often, the moments we imagine as “what if I had done that” coincide with such events, creating branching points in the universe. Because these events are so common, it seems as though parallel universes form every time a choice is made. In reality, the universe is indifferent to the trivial decisions of insignificant beings. If no significant event occurs in the universe at that moment, no parallel universe is created.

There are, however, universes that flow along a fixed destiny without creating such branching points. This happens when external entities interfere, causing significant changes in the universe. For example, the universe where I am currently creating and interacting with the elves and Yujin. When Ubbo-Sathla created the Lubaran tribe, that universe became fixed and could no longer generate parallel universes. The interference of an external entity prevents the universe from splitting into separate bubbles.

Thus, the universe containing the Lubaran tribe exists as a singular entity. While other universes continuously generate new cosmic bubbles and infinite parallel worlds, the universe with the Lubaran tribe remains unique. With my additional creations of the elf species and the Elf God, this singularity is further reinforced.

But there is one way to create a parallel universe from this fixed one. It’s simple. Since the universe was fixed by the interference of an external entity, it can be copied through the interference of another external entity. Easy, right?

Now, you might wonder why I’m suddenly discussing this.

The reason for this curiosity? It struck me while working with Ubbo-Sathla on various projects. I began to wonder about the concept of “antagonists” created by the universe. When a destroyer with overwhelming power appears, the universe’s will creates a countermeasure. This countermeasure could be a living being, a sentient celestial body, or a form of energy.

Simply put, if an external entity’s interference creates a “Demon King,” the universe’s will creates a “Hero” to counterbalance it. I understand the principles behind this system, how antagonists are created, and even ways to circumvent it, thanks to my knowledge of the multiverse. But isn’t it fascinating to see how it would actually unfold?

I wanted to see how a hero would emerge to defeat a Demon King I created. To do this, I planned to copy my universe. You might ask, why not just try it in another universe? Well, that’s a valid point, but honestly, I’m curious. In this world with the Lubaran tribe, Yujin, elves, and all sorts of unique elements, where and how would a hero appear?

If I meddled with the original universe, I might inadvertently cause the elves’ extinction. So, this is more like a backup. No, not just a backup—it’s like creating an identical universe to run a highly realistic simulation. Even if this copied universe were to be destroyed, the original one I nurtured would remain intact.

…Does that make me sound too much like a psychopath? But for an external entity, this is quite a humane approach. Many others would simply destroy the original universe out of boredom, without bothering with copies or backups.

#

Parallel universes.

The beings living within a universe cannot fathom how absurdly common and insignificantly fleeting they are. These insignificant creatures, unable to ever fully comprehend even the single universe they inhabit, crumble away without realizing how ubiquitous their existence is. If they understood how trivial their universe is to the eternal, immortal beings outside, they would go mad. They would realize that their world and their very existence are incomprehensibly small and insignificant.

This is especially true for species like the Lubaran tribe, who pride themselves on their supposed understanding of the universe. Do they know that their universe’s fate was fixed by an unimaginably vast and overwhelming being? And that an even greater being shattered that fate and copied their world exactly?

They cannot know. They cannot even sense it. They can only continue to live, believing themselves to be the ultimate rulers and understanders of their universe, waiting for the end of days. How tragic it is to be like printer ink, easily replicated and created at will. Their destiny is to be destroyed and disappear for the sake of mere curiosity and amusement. And even that will not stir any emotion in the great beings, for they can always create more.

“…Oh.”

And so, the creatures of the replicated world were faced with the arrival of a cosmic Demon King, a destroyer of their existence.

“What is that?”

“A giant monster…?”

A writhing behemoth beyond comprehension. Its size was immeasurable, and all that could be discerned was its ability to completely obscure the star-speckled sky. Typically, a giant monster might span hundreds to thousands of kilometers. An A-rank giant monster, the size of a modest asteroid, could effortlessly obliterate a planet just by its presence.

But this entity was different. Its diameter was roughly 100,000 kilometers—a size so vast that it defied the physical limitations of solid matter, let alone a living creature. Its tentacles, each potentially hundreds of kilometers thick, coalesced into an immense monstrosity.

The first appearance of this being was on a colonial planet belonging to the Teran species, a member of the Galactic Union. Its emergence, blanketing the sky as if a sun had drawn near, left the people incapable of action. They could neither respond nor flee in terror; they were paralyzed.

All they could do was watch with a sense of futility as the colossal tentacles slowly descended upon their planet.

Why?

There was no understanding why. Why had this being appeared here, and why did such a thing exist at all? Why them?

They couldn’t ask why. Even if they did, no answer would come. That colossal being had no interest in such trivialities.

“Ah…”

“…”

An absolute judgment descended upon them. There was no escape, no way to even consider a response. The military commander overseeing the Teran species on the colonial planet was equally powerless. Battleships? Space fighters? The neutron cannon currently being developed with the help of the Lubaran tribe? What use would they be?

And yet, someone, in a desperate bid to resist the impending doom, pressed the button.

“…Damn it!!”

It was the button to fire the neutron cannon, still in its developmental and incomplete stage. Once perfected, this formidable weapon was said to be capable of erasing an entire continent from the planet’s surface.

Shiiiiing─

The energy of the neutron cannon began to charge. It mimicked the overwhelming gravity, rotation, and terrifying light and radiation emitted by a neutron star. An attack so powerful that it could pierce through and destroy any celestial body, save for a black hole.

“Oh no…”

“Gulp.”

Seeing this, the Teran command harbored a glimmer of hope. Perhaps they could defeat that impossibly gigantic monster? If not defeat, maybe they could at least drive it away? Or at the very least, inflict a minor wound?

Hope.

It was like a sweet drug. Facing the absolute sentence of death, they had been waiting in vain. But the moment even a sliver of hope appeared, people began to expect.

Wooooong─ BOOOOM!!

With a tremendous roar and searing heat, the neutron cannon fired. Due to its incomplete state, the launch platform couldn’t withstand the energy and melted into a shapeless mass. But it had fired. A super-energetic projectile flew towards the colossal mass of tentacles, the size of a star.

Fssss…

The moment it touched that enormous body, the tiny neutron cannon, no more significant than a toothpick, fizzled out and vanished. It caused no damage. In fact, it seemed the entity didn’t even notice the impact, showing no reaction at all. It didn’t even bother to block it, as if it posed no threat whatsoever.

Despair.

The hope that had swelled within them turned into disappointment in an instant. People began to realize the gravity of their situation.

They realized they could do nothing. A horrifyingly futile end awaited them.

“Ahhhh… AAAAAHHH!!!”

“Why! Why is this happening?!”

“Save us, save us, save us, save us….”

And then they understood. They should have never harbored false hope and simply waited. If they had, they might have died without ever knowing such dreadful despair. Why, why did they foolishly cling to hope?

But it was too late. In the depths of their horrifying despair, they could only wait for the colossal tentacles to descend upon them.

Crunch─

The tentacles completely enveloped the planet, and in an instant, the planet was destroyed and absorbed into the monstrous entity’s body. The screams of those dying on the planet were not even heard.