After the boundless universe shrunk and vanished, what remained was still a vast expanse of white.
Shu was the only source of light in this pale world, floating in the sky like a gentle sun.
His radiance hadn't diminished much after the destruction of the universe. He stared into the distance, as if witnessing something…
If Shu wanted to leave now, he could take everyone with him and instantly depart from the dream.
But… not yet.
He still had one [Wish] to fulfill…
Shu let out a soft sigh, slowly descending towards the ground. At the same time, the star atop his scepter began to shimmer.
The light grew stronger and stronger, gradually enveloping Shu and everyone else in the dream.
It was a gentle, warm light, less harsh than the sun, more comforting than a lamp. It washed over them, guiding their way.
The moment Shu's feet touched the ground… a patch of light green sprouted from the pale earth. Around him, emerald grass and flower buds emerged, surrounding him.
Brilliant butterflies fluttered up from the grass, surrounding Shu, landing on his outstretched fingers.
Then came the cheerful chirping of birds. Together with the butterflies, they surrounded the star, waiting for him to take the next step.
"Shu!" Kiana's voice came from the pale world. Shu turned and saw everyone he wanted to see most right now.
Mei, supporting Kiana, smiled at him. Kiana raised a hand, waving enthusiastically. Bronya was still sandwiched between the two, looking exasperated yet happy.
On the other side, the broken Joyce was supported by Schrodinger and Darwin, staring in awe at the god-like Shu.
Nobel's eyes shone with excitement, while Picasso and the others stared in disbelief.
Sirin… She stood at the very back, a little lost, peeking at Shu through the gaps between the others.
That was the kind of person she envied the most… It's so nice…
Sirin sighed, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face.
Even if it wasn't her, it was still…
"Sirin! I caught you!!" A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Sirin, lifting her off the ground before she could react.
Sirin panicked. Kiana held her aloft, spinning her around twice before turning to face Shu.
Shu paused for a moment, then gave everyone a gentle smile. He shifted his gaze from the struggling Sirin and the unyielding Kiana, raised a hand, and released the butterfly from his finger.
The butterfly shimmered with brilliant light, scattering tiny sparks with every flap of its wings.
The sparks that fell to the ground were like seeds. Along the butterfly's path, lush flowers and grass sprouted, displaying their pure beauty.
"This is…" Everyone watched in awe as the butterfly, trailing a vibrant tail of life, flew into the distance.
"Creation…?" Joyce murmured, looking at Shu. For the first time, she understood what a true god was… both in power and in the divine aura that surrounded him…
God loves the world, so He created it for the world to love.
Shu waved his hand, scattering a shower of light. The butterflies around him, carrying "seeds," flew towards the pale land at varying speeds.
They passed by Kiana and the others, flitting through the gaps between them. Mei instinctively took a step back, watching the grass and flower buds sprout beneath her feet.
When she looked back, she was surrounded by lush greenery.
Sirin reached out, and a familiar butterfly landed on her fingertip. It was the one that had been perched on Shu's hand.
For this vast world, the butterflies were still too few. The winding green paths were like brushstrokes on a white canvas, and it was unclear how long it would take to fill the entire canvas.
So Shu took a step, stepping onto the blank canvas.
As if ink on silk, greenery spread from beneath his feet, flowing outwards like a tide, reaching the edge of the world.
The entire world was now a lush green meadow, but the pale sky still stood out starkly.
Shu raised his scepter and pointed it at the sky.
There was no burst of light, no spoken spell, but the birds that had been perched on the ground took flight, soaring into the sky.
Each bird pierced through the white clouds, revealing the azure sky hidden behind them.
Sunlight poured down. The flower buds, having received the sun's message, finally bloomed.
Colorful flowers carpeted the green grass, the monotonous green instantly transforming into a dreamy kaleidoscope of colors, even the sky taking on a vibrant hue.
Shu slowly lowered his scepter, turning it upside down and touching the ground with its tip.
A stream of water flowed from the top of the scepter, gradually widening into a river, carrying playful schools of fish as it flowed into the distance.
Trees began to grow along the riverbanks, their branches reaching across, intertwining to form bridges. Lush forests spread, and animals like rabbits and deer emerged from the woods, drinking from the river.
From plants to animals, a complete world had formed.
Shu let out a soft breath, turning to Sirin, who was staring at him from Kiana's arms. He extended a hand towards her.
Sirin froze. Kiana blinked, then put Sirin down, gently pushing her forward.
Sirin looked back at everyone. Seeing them all nod, she hesitantly walked towards Shu, whom she had been too afraid to approach.
When she was only a few steps away, Sirin lowered her head and stopped.
She didn't dare to look directly… She was afraid that this was still a dream… she…
Shu took Sirin's hand and knelt down in front of her.
"Sirin, do you want to leave here with us?" Shu asked softly. "Come back to reality with us, or stay here?"
Sirin looked up in surprise. After a moment, she pulled her hand back and lowered her head.
Shu's eyes dimmed slightly. If Sirin refused, all he could do was build a beautiful paradise for her here…
"Hug…"
Shu snapped his head up, seeing Sirin's outstretched arms and her slightly flushed cheeks.
After a moment of stunned silence, Shu also reached out, lifting Sirin into his arms. Then, he pointed his scepter in one last direction.
A tall tower rose from the ground, not the oppressive black of before, but pure white like holy light, covered in climbing flowers.
"The true Babylon… should be like this…"