Those voices came from the mana screen Yuuko was monitoring.
What she was seeing was reality.
“How did it turn out like this?”
She watched the screen while partially filled with fear. The people gathered in the capital’s shelters were raising their voices as they watched Kei fight on their monitors. Even while crammed into shelters, they were all staring at the monitors because they were more concerned about the fate of the empire than their own circ.u.mstances.
“He’s fighting the Republic, so even if he’s a demon king, he’s the empire’s demon king,” said Yoshie coolly as she watched them.
“But!”
Yoshie rejected Yuuko’s shout with a shake of the head.
“This is all progressing just as that new demon king wants. If the imperial citizens obtain the Formless Power, they would use it for revenge and they might even follow Kei’s instructions.”
That frightening conjecture chilled Yuuko’s heart.
“What is he trying to do?”
“Makes you curious, doesn’t it? But if we accept his words at face value, his goal is ‘beautiful destruction’.”
Yoshie was usually perfectly calm, but her words this time brought a chill to Yuuko’s spine.
“Beautiful destruction?”
“If he truly is trying to bring about destruction, it adds substance to a question of mine,” said Yoshie plainly. “That question is whether or not death in this world is fictional.”
Her expression made it clear this held deeper meaning than her usual over-the-top phrasings.
No matter how out of the blue this topic seemed, it had to have some relation to the rest of the conversation.
“Whether or not death…is fictional?” asked Yuuko. “You mean death is a lie?”
Yoshie nodded.
“Virtual alternate dimensions exist, the Formless Power exists, and another Keena appeared from somewhere and then vanished. All of those things point to the existence of an alternate dimension we can travel to and from.”
Yuuko did not understand.
“Wh-what do you mean? Death is a lie and there’s another world? I don’t get it at all.”
After bringing a finger to her chin in thought, Yoshie restated her explanation.
“In other words, think of it as a world after death. What if heaven or h.e.l.l actually existed? You could alternatively say that our lives here are a lie. There may not be much difference between being alive and being dead. We’ve seen the ability to pa.s.s through time and we’ve seen hints that an extra-universal G.o.d exists. What if the life of this world itself is fictional? Then everything would make sense.”
“But we’re here living and suffering!”
Yuuko raised her voice and Yoshie nodded quietly.
“We each think independently, so the world does exist. Nevertheless, we can’t eliminate the possibility that all that is fictional. Not as long as we can’t accept death as death.”
“I really don’t get it. What do you mean?”
“I will explain the rest,” cut in a voice.
Yoshie and Yuuko turned around to find Etou Fujiko.
They knew she had gone elsewhere, so her return meant one thing.
“I have once more visited the demon king’s birthplace.”
It was common knowledge that Fujiko had been pursuing the information pa.s.sed down by the black magicians.
Her intention had been to a.s.sume anything was possible, but the secret the black magicians had been hiding had been so great that even she had found it difficult to believe.
That secret was the reason behind giving birth to the demon king as a weapon and a general outline of the world.
Suzuki Issei had inherited the traditions of the black magicians and he had given her a key. That key had magically transferred her to an old laboratory that appeared to be deep in a jungle. It had been immediately recognizable as predating the imperial culture. The ruins were made of old concrete and the sign on the plain, rectangular entrance had said “General Laboratory”. A person or place’s name had originally preceded those two words, but it had been sc.r.a.ped away.
—This is a laboratory, but it predates our civilization.
She had been skeptical.
The demon king’s creation had occurred in the early days of magic development, so the research would have occurred in an old facility. However, this seemed too old. Only the foundational theories could be researched in a place like this.
She had stepped inside and found the laboratory undisturbed. The PCs were neatly lined up and cardboard boxes were piled up. It appeared to have been left as it was just before someone moved out.
However, these were still ruins. The deterioration of the building and the encroachment of plants had left it filthy and on the verge of falling apart.
She had opened a nearby box and the entire cover had torn away. It had been filled with doc.u.ments. The paper had deteriorated quite a bit, so she had been hesitant to peel apart each individual page. However, she had been able to read the text on the very top page. The doc.u.ment had concerned initial magic research and had given the results of nanomachine research.
“So this is where the earliest research was performed.”
She had continued opening boxes as she continued further inside.
She had not found anything much, but she had found something else in what seemed to be the head of the laboratory’s office.
She had found a journal.
It had been a binder held between two black leather covers and it had contained a large amount of paper inside. a.s.suming it had been written by the head of the laboratory, she had guessed it contained entries for a long period of time.
But after reading through it, she had discovered its contents were not those of a journal containing daily records.
The head of the laboratory had held a certain fear and the journal contained thoughts on that subject.
As for that fear…
—The world is fictional?
This research is sure to bring happiness to the world, but that happiness will likely be built atop a certain type of fiction. No, the success of this research proves that to be the case.
Fujiko had read on and had begun sweating in fear as she started to grasp the dreadful contents.
In general, it said the following:
Many people have thought about the possibility of this world being fictional. One could be sure of their own existence, but the possibility remained that the world they saw was an illusion.
However, a clear counterargument existed to that example: the existence of others. If a person existed, they also had to accept the existence of others who think. If they accepted that the deaths of others were equal to their own death, they could conclude that no one person’s death would bring about the end of the world. In that case, the world would continue on after their own death.
But there was one way in which the world could be a falsehood that could not be proven one way or the other.
What if the entire world were someone’s dream?
To that question alone, there was no clear answer.
That worldview could be achieved by a.s.suming a G.o.d created the world or the world was a story written by someone, but the existence of that G.o.d or storyteller could not be proven from within this world.
Until now, that is.
—What is this? Although, if that is true…
Fujiko had trembled.
The world was fictional.
The research mentioned in that journal had given that answer.
As it had said, “If someone could peer into the afterlife and return from there, they could prove this world is fictional.”
That result had not brought a chill to people’s spines. Instead, any who knew the truth had been driven mad.
Peering into the afterlife and returning meant to be resurrected.
All of the religions in the past had included the concept of resurrection. That belief in resurrection may have come from mankind instinctually realizing their world was fictional.
If someone who died and returned possessed identical thoughts, it would prove an afterlife existed. And the existence of a world after death would suggest someone existed outside this world.
That someone would be a true G.o.d. They would be a G.o.d of the outside world.
If that resurrection were undoubtedly true, it would make it possible for reality to be fictional. It could be a fictional world created by the G.o.d of the outside world.
The journal had spent quite a few pages on proving the existence a world after death, but the important line was as follows:
After being sent to and from the afterlife, Specimen #1 became known as the demon king.
—Akuto-sama was also resurrected! Did the original demon king do the same?
As Fujiko recalled what Akuto had done, her trembling had intensified.
As she had continued reading the journal, the unknown lab head’s thoughts had continued in an even more frightening direction.
The demon king was a weapon and a portion of the network of systemized computer G.o.ds, but why did he gain his power?
That required thinking about the Law of Ident.i.ty.
At face value, that was the undeniable principle that you were yourself.
The fact that you were the person who was thinking your thoughts could not be shaken and that had already been touched on when it came to proving the existence of the world.
But what if the world were someone’s dream?
That answer was also simple.
The world was created by the storyteller known as the Law of Ident.i.ty.
Then what was the world? The world was fiction.
But at the same time, the world was an absolute truth from inside that fiction.
From the outside, it was fiction. From the inside, it was truth.
What if one tried viewing the world as fictional from the outside perspective?
How did the world come to be?
Rejecting all but the Law of Ident.i.ty would leave yourself facing the one Law of Ident.i.ty all alone. That would be one origin. It was possible the one having the dream lived in a world that was itself the dream of someone in another world that was again someone else’s dream, but even if that chain continued back infinitely, one specific origin could be found by facing that one Law of Ident.i.ty.
That one would be the one who had taken in all existence and all life.
That one would be too lonely to call a G.o.d.
They would be a truly solitary individual.
Then what was the world?
All the miscellaneous things added to the Law of Ident.i.ty would be the world.
Even if the world was fictional to the Law of Ident.i.ty, that fiction could be life with a will of its own. In fact, it would normally exceed the Law of Ident.i.ty’s will. And if each individual was free, someone would eventually attempt to learn the truth of the world.
In this world, that had been the systemized computer G.o.ds.
The computer G.o.ds had asked themselves a question.
They were not life forms, so if they could possess a will of their own, did that not prove that the world was fictional?
And so the computer G.o.ds had produced the demon king.
The demon king had been meant to reveal the falsehood of the world, to transcend “death”, and to bring the computer G.o.ds and mankind to the true world.
—Can this be true?
Fujiko had closed the journal and slipped it inside her clothes.
Had it been a product of madness? Had it recorded the truth? Given those two options, she had wanted to bet on the latter.
For one, she had already concluded that the computer G.o.ds believed in the Law of Ident.i.ty, so it was difficult to believe that the demon king they had created was nothing but a weapon. This had supported the idea that the ritual that would have killed Keena might have had some real effect.
What mattered even more was the part about transcending death. Akuto had proved that it was possible to be truly resurrected in a way other than simple necromancy.
—If Akuto-sama is not a mere weapon and is also a human…
That would mean the world was fictional and any human could be resurrected.
Fujiko had searched through the desk some more. A great many miscellaneous doc.u.ments had been mixed together and she had found a note with an item she recognized drawn on it.
It had shown the Jewel Branch of Hourai.
“That must mean it was developed here.”
She had flipped through more pages and found records of other items: the Stone Bowl of Buddha, the Robe of the Fire Rat, the Dragon Neck Jewel, and the Swallow Cowrie.
“They were all developed based on an old legend, weren’t they?”
She had looked through them in turn, but she had been surprised to find some she had already seen.
The Stone Bowl of Buddha and the Dragon Neck Jewel were the coffin that had resurrected Akuto and Peterhausen respectively.
“Those were made here?”
Their mysterious powers had likely been developed here and had played their intended roles.
“Then these other two…”
The Robe of the Fire Rat and the Swallow Cowrie had looked like a sheet for a parabolic antenna and a capsule to carry a human.
Fujiko had placed those notes in her clothes as well.
She had been certain that she stood the closest to the truth.
Wondering why these truths had not been pa.s.sed down, she had flipped through more notes.
If there are multiple worlds just like this one, they would attempt to contact our world as soon as they realize their world is fictional. As such, these must not be used.
“So this world really is fictional,” muttered Yoshie as she read through the journal Fujiko had given her.
“You could say we have found evidence supporting that idea,” said Fujiko with a nod.
Yoshie nodded as well.
“Looks that way. I had suspected this ever since I had some questions about this world’s s.p.a.ce development. After all, it seemed like this world had nothing beyond the solar system.”
“Come to think of it, when our world went to the moon…”
“Yes, s.p.a.ce development was banned. It was as if this world were a miniature garden. With this new information, I’m sure of it. Akuto-kun has overcome death, so if anyone can overcome death in the same way…”
Fujiko continued for Yoshie.
“This world is nothing more than someone’s dream.”
“It’s unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. But we need to a.s.sume that doubly unbelievable concept is the truth.” Yoshie gave a bitter smile. “If only humans can perceive the world, the annihilation of mankind means the end of the world. However, if a being with an ident.i.ty can be resurrected, it means this world is being controlled by someone. In other words, it’s fictional.”
After saying that, she pressed a finger against the inner corners of her eyes as if she had a headache.
“And it would mean it is perfectly possible for multiple similar worlds to exist,” added Fujiko.
“An extra-universal G.o.d. That would be why this world’s computer G.o.ds wanted to have humanity escape as data. An extra-universal G.o.d or G.o.ds will invade this world and that would mean true destruction.”
“We may be truly facing the end of the world.”
“Should we feel despair? Or not?”
“Those are not the only two options,” said Fujiko with a shake of her head.
“What are you two talking about?” asked Yuuko as she was overcome with emotion. “Explain it to me! I don’t get it at all!”
She could tell something bad was happening, but she did not understand what exactly that was.
“To put it simply, this world is fake and we are nothing more than someone’s creation,” carelessly explained Fujiko. “Also, someone who is toying with this world is coming from outside the universe to destroy the world.”
“Eh?”
Yuuko was speechless and Yoshie continued with a self-deprecating smile.
“There’s no reason to feel that much despair. We won’t die. Well, we will, but death might only mean shifting to a different world.”
“But…what else am I supposed to feel but despair?” muttered Yuuko.
“True.” Fujiko shook her head. “But then what is Kei trying to do?”
“Ma.s.s death. Annihilation. That is where true value lies,” said Kei.
“Are you insane?” shouted Brave.
“A plain of nothingness. A land of nothing but sand and rock. Nothing else could hold such beauty, don’t you agree?”
“There’s something wrong with you!”
“If there is something wrong with me, it is simply that I am different from the world.”
Kei laughed.
“That’s nonsense!”
Kei and Brave had been battling in midair for several minutes. Brave pursued while Kei fled. That process seemed as if it would repeat indefinitely.
But then Kei suddenly spoke.
“If it is possible for the dead to be resurrected, don’t you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“…!”
Brave’s hand stopped moving and he did not say anything about how ridiculous that idea was.
He had an open line to the control room Yoshie and the others were speaking in, so he had heard everything they had said.
“Then…why are you protecting the empire? If they’re going to die anyway, why not let them die now!?”
“There is a proper order to things. The users of the Formless Power must die first.”
“You mean…”
Brave trailed off.
It seemed Kei had already been aware of what Fujiko had learned.
His words now possessed some persuasive power.
If the Formless Power was a collective consciousness, then it could easily be related to the world of the afterlife. Brave no longer knew who was truly trying to save the world and who was truly trying to destroy it. Yoshie no longer did either.
“Defeating me means the true end of the world!” said Kei as a challenge.
“Tch. What am I supposed to do?”
Brave hesitated.
But then a boy’s face appeared in his mind.
“Even if that’s true, that’s a job for aniki!”
There was more than one demon king.
Brave shouted and charged forward.
This caught Kei off guard and the high-frequency blade tore through his chest. He just barely avoided a lethal blow, but the damage was clear.
“Waaah!” he shouted.
He could not heal this wound that he normally would have healed instantly and this was of course due to Brave’s mana canceler.
“s.h.i.t! s.h.i.t!”
He cursed and descended, so Brave followed.
“Set high-temperature plasma b.a.l.l.s.”
Brave spoke those words as a death sentence and spheres of explosive destruction appeared around him. A heat-resistant sheet covered him as he charged toward Kei.
“This is over!”
He approached Kei and the boy’s expression froze over.
He could not use his usual power and he did not have even a single method of evading.
“Please wait!”
In that instant, someone slipped between the two of them.
“Wha-…!?”
“…!”
Brave and Kei were both dumbfounded.
To their surprise, it was Kento who transferred in between them.
“Please stop! Please don’t defeat him now!”
“Why, Kento!?” shouted Brave.
He could not stop and a high-temperature plasma ball instantly burned away Kento’s outstretched left arm.
“Gwaaaah!”
His scream trailed down to the ocean.
“What is going on?” asked Yoshie.
“Whatever is happening, this could not get much worse,” replied Kento. “What was Kento thinking?”
But it seemed Yoshie was looking at a different mana screen than the one monitoring Brave.
“What is it?”
“A…meteor…”
She was clearly confused.
“A meteor?”
Fujiko peered at the mana screen Yoshie was watching.
She had a bad feeling about what she would find.
The screen showed a small glowing star visible in the daytime sky.
“Meteors aren’t that rare, are they?” asked Yuuko.
“This isn’t like normal ones.”
Yoshie displayed some data on the mana screen, including a diagram of the meteor’s path.
“This one came from beyond Pluto.”
“Beyond Pluto?”
“Just in case, I had this gathering data that could indicate this universe is unnatural. As I mentioned before, one of those facts is the possibility that nothing exists past Pluto in this universe. Anyway, you could say that this meteor suddenly appeared from outside the solar system. I don’t know the details, but it seems we were only just now able to detect it,” explained Yoshie. “It’s hard to believe we were simply slow to detect it. It was discovered by the wartime anti-air network. Surprisingly, that wartime anti-air network covers objects travelling toward the empire from anywhere within the solar system.”
Yoshie sounded surprised.
“It covers the entire solar system? You mean…”
Fujiko shuddered and her face clouded over.
—It’s possible someone could attack from outside the universe.
Hadn’t the journal in the laboratory mentioned that?
Yoshie nodded.
“It seems that anti-air network has existed since the very beginning of the empire. That means they were monitoring the solar system at that time. This further supports the journal from that laboratory.”
“Is that really true?”
“Anyway, the meteor is about twenty kilometers in diameter.”
“Twenty kilometers?”
“That means it’s plenty big to destroy the empire,” declared Yoshie.