After the worldwide blackout, war struck. For some reason, even without electricity and such, the nuclear weapons of the superpowers are still working properly. Without exception, every bomb and secret mass destruction weapons that the countries kept hidden all launched at the same time. Booms and mushroom clouds covered half of the world. The resulting chaos and plague that followed wiped the rest out.

It was like if this was a game to kill all human...no, living beings on Earth, we'd hear a game-like congratulatory song shouting out Victory!! or The End!!

It didn't take long, the earthquake wiped out a quarter of the population. Although it's lethal, countries have long set up countermeasures against natural disasters. Given enough time, they could recover. However, three days after the earthquake, nuclear bombs once again ravaged the ground, wiping out half of the population. The thing that really decimated all life on Earth is the resulting plague and radiation. Humans died in droves. And after a month, the most resilient of all species on Earth finally collapsed.

Viewing this from afar, the originally blue planet became dark and gray. No one would have thought that a month ago, this was a planet teeming with life, not a dead planet just seconds away from collapsing.

But a tiny portion of that world retained its color. A dome-like transparent barrier became visible since the smoke and dust from the outside outlined it. Inside that barrier are lush green grass and a tall tree. There was also a breathtaking mansion in blue, red, black and white.

Where was I in all this? Of course, inside the mansion.

Why? Because I didn't know that the barrier I set up was a time barrier!

It means one day inside is a month outside! Gaaah! I'm a failure. I should just die.

Everyone and everything I liked in this world is gone, just like that.

Can you imagine the feeling of being left behind by time? It's agonizing. But how would you feel when you woke up to the apocalypse and realize you're the only one left?

The first time I realized what I did, I ran to Aunt Veda's room. There, she lay heavily sleeping. No matter what I did, she wouldn't wake up. At that time, I cried and shouted until I can't speak. It was only when I calmed down did I realize that the time barrier used a huge amount of mana. The mana is so rich inside that an ordinary person with little to no mana would be in a comatose state. I crawled towards her and pressed my ear to her chest.

Badump! Badump! Badump!

I collapsed in relief. She's alive. The moment I wanted to dispel the barrier, I froze. Once I did that, the poisonous air from outside would enter in an instant. Aunt Veda would die before she woke up.

I stayed in that frozen posture for a long time before I retracted my hand. Slowly, as if unwilling to disturb her sleep, I inched backward and left her room. Leaning against the door, I slipped downwards.

I had no more tears to spill. No matter what I do, I can't bring anyone back nor can I turn back time. The consequences would be too dire in this already dying world. I tried to feel mana outside the barrier but there was nothing. Even in this mana limited world, every living being has a small amount of mana inside them. The fact that I felt no mana everywhere means one thing. There was no living thing anywhere near the mansion.

As we were born, we innately have mana. And as we die, we bring that mana back to Earth where it belongs. This is the cycle. Even when I take in mana, I can give it back by using magic. 

Bringing the dead back to life is essentially pouring magic into a body to retain their consciousness. It isn't rebirth since you're merely extending the expiration date of a dead body. And even then, it requires huge amounts of mana. Mana that this dying world can't provide.

I blankly stared ahead as the faces of everyone I know flashed before my eyes. Their smiling faces, their angry expressions, their sad and emotional ones. I knew them all.

I remembered that I offered them sanctuary in the mansion but they refused. They said that they wanted to be with their family, so I waved them goodbye.

This mansion is full of the memories of my family.

Family. I bounced that word in my mind. The only family I had right now is Aunt Veda. Tier is also out there somewhere. And right now, my family is in danger.

Am I being punished for my selfish wish? Even though I knew it's just my delusions, I can't help the self-blame. I heard a light snore behind the door and something lit up within me.

After the sadness and despair, anger and determination coursed through my veins.

How dare they! I won't give up! Aunt Veda is here and I'll protect my home!

Along with my emotions, magic surged within me. As if the wandering mana outside found solace in this desolate world, it reached out to me and embraced my whole being.

I breathed out and suited up. I got on my favorite red and black dress, along with a red cape, complete with black boots. I went outside and confronted the dark world. I formed a barrier around myself, then concentrated my mind. I faced the mansion covered with the barrier. I then made a gesture as if cradling it in my palms.

Light surrounded the mansion and became smaller and smaller until it could fit in my palms. The dark world surged in but was stopped by my barrier. In between the swirling ball of light in my hands, I can see glimpses of the mansion.

[Sweet dreams Aunt Veda. I promise that the next time you open your eyes, all this will just be a dream.]

Muttering that promise, I put the mansion in a special bag that Tier gave me for my 18th birthday. It's apparently a magic bag but since I don't have enough mana, I can't use it willfully. Just storing the mansion took up half of my mana.

As I stood there and breathed in, stray manas once again converged and filled me up. With blazing eyes, I lightly floated from the ground. I didn't need to guess where that scumbag is. I can tell since all the mana is being sucked in one direction.

Who the hell do you think you're messing with? I'll get my revenge, whoever you are!