Everyone is Young Except for Me

My mind was confused. The hair was a bit longer but this was obviously me as a young man. I was so shocked that I didn’t know what to think while Prometheus opened his mouth, [Looking again, you look really similar.]

Similar? It wasn’t just at the level of similarity. It was correct to say this person was me.

“It isn’t like that. That is definitely me in my youth.”

[What...?]

Prometheus’s eyes widened. It was a fact he was unaware of. It was natural since this was me in my 20s and I was now in my 60s.

[Alexus looks like you as a young man? Are you sure?]

“I wasn’t before but after seeing it now, yes.”

In fact, this wasn’t the important thing. Why did Alexus look like me as a young man? This was important.

[That doesn’t make sense. Alexus lived 500 years ago. He was a human Gaia was interested in but he was just an ordinary cook. Old man, you’re on a different dimension. It is only recently that those with the curse of immortality have appeared.]

“I also know that but...”

Why? I kept my gaze on Alexus.

[Let’s watch a bit more.]

“Yes.”

Alexus received Gaia’s revelation that he should benefit humans. He was traveling around the world when he happened to find a mother and daughter who starved to death. He vowed to make a world where everyone had enough to eat. It was an ideal story but it was a difficult road.

[From that time onward, he started cooking for the hungry people. However, the food supplies were running out. Thus, he found a way to hunt by himself. This was the first Sun Flying Kick Technique.]

This was in the diary. The contents of the diary instantly flashed through my head.

[There was just one problem.]

The surrounding landscape collapsed and switched to something else. Prometheus said, [I was caught stealing the primordial fire and was bound to a rocky mountain by Jupiter, sentenced to have my liver eaten. In the process, my brother was also punished.]

“What was Gaia doing? She could’ve saved you.”

Prometheus shook his head. [I don’t know why but Gaia once again went to sleep. I was forced to watch Alexus helplessly while receiving the liver punishment. In fact, I couldn’t watch him often because of the pain.]

“So what happened to Alexus?”

[As you know, Alexus wasn’t punished. Rather, Jupiter was interested in him.]

“He was interested?”

[Jupiter had been concerned about the disaster that would occur when humans used the mighty fire meant for the gods. However, Alexus used it for cooking without using it to harm anyone. Astonished by this unthinkable occurrence, Jupiter instructed Alexus to make dishes for him.]

The ensuing screen showed Alexus making the dishes. I asked Prometheus, “What dish did he cook?”

[Grass porridge eaten by the people.]

“What...?”

[The thing he made was the grass porridge eaten by ordinary people. Jupiter was furious and wanted to punish him but ended up laughing from Alexus’ subsequent words.]

-Almighty Jupiter. Right now, humans are starving because they can’t eat this grass. Please give me a punishment and look after humans.

...It was amazing. He dared to feed a god grass porridge and say something like that. He truly sacrificed himself for humans. It was just like Gaia’s revelation.

[Jupiter forgave Alexus. He allowed Alexus to cook using the primordial fire and his clouds. Alexus travelled the world, gathering Jupiter’s scattered power and growing as a true Weather Chef. As you know, he later became a king.]

I nodded slightly.

[However, you don’t know the story behind it. The important thing is what I will say now so listen carefully.]

I was a bit nervous when I saw his frown. The place below me had been transformed into a peaceful world where a kingdom was established.

[One day, Jupiter came. The 12 Zodiacs were escorting him. He said he would make Alexus a new constellation and put him above the 12 Zodiacs.]

I seemed to have seen this in the diary. “Are you referring to the Dipper?”

[That’s right. Unsurprisingly, the 12 Zodiacs weren’t happy. They didn’t want a trivial chef to rise to a higher position than their constellations. They told Jupiter to test Alexus. After careful consideration, Jupiter made one suggestion.]

“What was it...?”

[The Tree of Good and Evil.]

“...?”

I was feeling bewildered when Prometheus explained, [Jupiter ordered that only the ‘good’ fruits should be plucked from the Tree of Good and Evil, not the ‘evil’ fruit. Under the supervision of the 12 Zodiacs, only one could be picked every day.]

The ensuing screen showed a huge tree. The tree shone with numerous white lights and a single great darkness. Alexus visited the tree once a day to pick a fruit.

[Some constellations tempted Alexus to take the evil fruit but he overcame it. He was able to pick all 88 good fruits. Alexus was qualified to become the 13th sign and rested well. He was looking forward to becoming a sign the next day. However, there was a problem.]

“Damn, what happened next?”

[Pluto’s rebellion.]

“What? Pluto...?”

[Yes. He is one of the three gods and the one in charge of the afterlife. Pluto succeeded in persuading seven of the 12 Zodiacs. He approached the Tree of Good and Evil, stole the evil fruit, and laid the blame on Alexus. The misunderstood Jupiter attacked Alexus. However, Aiolos was hit instead.]

“...I see. That’s why Aiolos died.”

[That’s right. Aiolos died because of this.]

For a moment, Aiolos’s face came to my mind. I shook off the memory and focused on what was happening beneath me. Suddenly, the world was dying.

[Pluto’s stolen evil spread death, sickness, harm, jealousy, hatred, etc, to the world. Upon learning of this, Jupiter called on the gods to catch the rebellious seven constellations and Pluto. Alexus also gathered humans and raised an army. That’s how another great war happened. I call it Ragnarok.]

There were constant screams below their feet. The gods, humans, dragons, orcs, dwarves, and elves allied to fight the army of death led by Pluto but were pushed back. Why?

[The evil fruit dyed the world with death. In this world of death, Pluto had infinite power. No matter how hard Jupiter fought, he couldn’t stop Pluto who had endless power. Then miraculously, Gaia appeared.]

Gaia suddenly appeared and subdued Pluto. His face couldn’t be seen but Pluto’s panicked expression seemed to come to life.

[Alexus managed to inflict a fatal injury on Pluto. It was possible because he had the power of a god. Unfortunately, he couldn’t kill Pluto. Eventually, Pluto fled to the Underworld. He ran away and scattered the pieces of his evil power all over the world. At the same time, he cursed Alexus with death.]

I saw Alexus in pain from the curse. He eventually died. I felt bad when I saw myself as a young man die.

“...I don’t feel so good.”

[...Gaia was the same. She deeply regretted Alexus’ death. She put a taboo on the gods so that this would never happen again. It was an arrangement for humans. However, Gaia didn’t have time. She told me that she had managed to come by squeezing out the last of her strength.]

“What happened to her after that?”

[She left a prophecy.]

“A prophecy?”

[One day, a person selected by seven stars will appear. She left a brilliant promise to help him. Gaia made Star Fruits from the 88 good fruits and called the scattered fragments of evil ‘Pandora.’]

“What...?”

I suddenly got goosebumps. The Star Fruits’ identity were the 88 good fruit. Wait, then the evil..?

“No way, the Bead Fragment Dyed in Darkness?”

[That’s right. That is a piece of evil. They are the fragments of Pandora.]

Unbelievable. It was a huge reversal. Who would’ve known that these bead fragments were such great objects?

[Gaia scattered the Star Fruit into the world and neutralized the evil pieces. Then she told the constellations that we should gather the pieces of Pandora together with the ‘immortal humans who will someday appear.’] 

“I was chosen...?”

[Yes.]

I was going crazy. Suddenly, I felt a tremendous burden on my shoulder. No matter how hard, how could there suddenly be something like this? This was so unfair. “Why me?”

[That’s what I don’t know. Everything is Gaia’s will. We just did our best to keep the brilliant promise. This lasted for 500 years.]

Damn. I seemed to be caught up in something big. “What if I don’t want to?”

[Then the world where you live will be in danger.]

“What...?”

It seemed I didn’t have any other choice. Shit...

“What are you then? You are a god, not a constellation. How did you get inside the Star Fruit and meet me? In addition, why are you talking about this now?”

[It was the last of Gaia’s strength. She made a final Star Fruit. Originally, she wanted to seal all the apostles, including me and my brother, into it, but there wasn’t time. In the end, I was the only one sealed. Then she told me...]

“What did she say?”

[Watch him and talk to him if you think he is qualified.]

“What if I wasn’t qualified...?”

[This could also be called destiny.]

The surrounding scene returned to a familiar house. My expression was stupefied due to the huge story.

[Was it too sudden?]

“Your words..”

[It can’t be helped. This is my mission. It is your fate. Now it seems that time is running out. If you stay in here for too long then your mind will collapse. In any case, I have decided to acknowledge you.]

He snapped his fingers again and the world swirled.

[Old man, you are no longer the selected one. Now you have to choose. I hope you’ll make the best choice. Everything will change once you wake up. Don’t be surprised.]

The scene collapsed and Prometheus’ words were faintly heard. I opened my eyes with a cloudy feeling. Suddenly, it was a bright morning.