Arc 27: The Reverse World
Chapter 277: The Evil G.o.d, and the Coc.o.o.n
The next day, I pay a visit to Kami-sama immediately. Naturally, I’ve brought Luu’s handmade dishes along with the cake that our head chief Clair-san has made.
「I’ve definitely troubled you on that occasion…」(Touya)
「I told you already not to mind that. I only investigated a little bit and made a phone call. Well, I will accept THAT with grat.i.tude.」(Kami)
Kami-sama accepts the souvenirs and places them into a fully loaded small refrigerator similar to the one seen from the Showa Era of Modern Day j.a.pan. It might be too late to say this but, that refrigerator is probably a sacred artifact as well.
「A Different World Transition itself isn’t something that unusual, you know. In fact, there are people from other worlds who do summoning rituals as well. There are also those people who are intended to be summoned but occasionally, some are unlucky enough to lose their way in the process of being summoned due to the cracks in the s.p.a.ce-time continuum. There are even people who hold such abilities from birth.」
So the often used troupe in novels where a hero is summoned belongs to the same category as this otherworldly summons, huh? It appears that there are also those who possibly possess abilities to [Wander the worlds] like End does.
「Speaking of the world I’ve gone to this time. Do you have any idea what kind of world that place is?」(Touya)
「That one? Well, it’s one of the adjacent worlds to the one you currently reside in, if I say it in layman’s terms. Since that’s the case, it should also have a lot of aspects which resemble your world. Nevertheless, it’s not a world that has “another version of each person” despite the resemblance of that world to yours.」 (Kami)
There’s definitely some resemblance, but it’s probably in terms of the world map, the existence (probably) of magic, and how common the magic beasts in that world are. Though please spare me the thought that it’s an inverted parallel world wherein I’ve turned into a woman.
「Moreover, that world was also ruined once by a great war」(Kami)
「Eh? Was it due to the frazes?」(Touya)
「No, that wasn’t caused by them. It was just a regular world war. Their technology escalated way too much and ruined their civilization. Well, this is often the case for most worlds.」(Kami)
If I am not mistaken, even my former world has legends like the dusk of the G.o.ds (Ragnarok), and Noah’s ark. I guess worlds probably change due to this cycle of destruction and restoration.
「Is it against the rules for me to go to that world?」(Touya)
「Not really. It’s not a problem in particular. It would’ve been a problem if the crystal seed tried to get in your world, but it had already vanished. After all, it’s only one of the many worlds in existence.」(Kami)
It seems like going to that “Inverse World” is not a problem by itself, which means that the Islanders will be fine if they want to travel to another world.
「…Speaking of which, my Nee-sans have told me this, but will I be able to travel even to those worlds that are more distant than the ones I’ve been to if I can use “Different s.p.a.ce Transition”?」(Touya)
「”Different s.p.a.ce Transition”, you say… Normally, the transfer magic that you are using cannot cross the distance between two worlds. That’s due to the presence of a barrier for each of the world. However, “Different s.p.a.ce Transition” is a movement skill of the G.o.ds. It’s possible to pa.s.s through even to those barriers and travel across worlds. 」(Kami)
「Then, returning to my former world is…」(Touya)
「It’s possible. Still, you better give up on that idea. You’re an existence which has already died on that side. There’s no such thing as human resurrection in that world. However, it will likewise be impossible for someone to be revived in another world in that case though…」(Kami)
It would likely cause panic once the humans who were thought to be dead appeared once again. Returning to my former world will probably cause nothing but trouble to the inhabitants there. Perhaps it may be possible to only do as much as appearing in someone’s dream.
「Besides, you would already be one of the legitimate G.o.ds if you can already use “Different s.p.a.ce Transition”. I’ve already told you this before, but I believe that it’s better for you not to immediately join the ranks of the G.o.ds — it’ll happen no matter what even if you leave it alone. Though currently, it’s more convenient that you are in a gray area.」(Kami)
Having G.o.dly powers, yet not being restricted by the limitations of the G.o.ds. There are things in which I, who’s a half-baked G.o.d, can do because of that peculiarity. It’s exactly as what Kami-sama has said. I feel that staying in the gray area for a little while longer is better in one way or another.
If I manage to come and go to that world, the professor might do something about it. She has gone as far as using “a.n.a.lysis”, so she might even be able to build the same artifact in Brunhild if she used “Workshop”.
I ponder on these matters as I drink the tea offered by Kami-sama.
===========
「A tank of magic power for personal use, you say… Well, it’s not like I can’t make it. That’s right, I suppose I’ll make this tank while I’m building a dimensional gate. It’s basically the same thing which handles large amounts of magic power. 」(Regina)
「Say, you’ve already planned on building another dimensional gate, haven’t you?」(Touya)
「That’s a given, isn’t it? It’s annoying to borrow the invention of another person, but it may have various practical uses.」(Regina)
Apparently, it’s possible to finish another dimensional gate in three days, thanks to the technological strength of the “Workshop”. Still, it’s way too fast… Well, it’s not as if the construction of the theory and the structure was done from the ground up — it was just a building being duplicated if I am to try and describe it — so it might not be something that will consume a lot of time.
Well, I’ve already decided to entrust that matter to the professor. That said, I’m currently frowning at the report I’ve seen lying on top of the office table.
It’s a report about the appearance of a new “Soul Eater”. Strictly speaking, the report talks about the appearance of “Crystal Skeletons whose souls have been eaten”. This time, they have appeared in a port city in Reefreez.
The city is said to be a so-called commercial city where various traders come and go every day. When talking about merchants, there are both the upright ones and the not so upright ones in the fold. In the case of this city, the number of honest ones was, apparently, on the smaller side. There’s no doubt that this was a city swirling in desires since it was under the control, for better or worse, by those not so upright merchants.
I can’t indiscriminately and absolutely say that the government of Reefreez is bad. After all, it’s because of those people’s greed that became the source of energy for this country and what made it wealthy.
However, it just means that the very greed that made the country prosperous was the target at that time.
I can practically deduce that the “Soul Eater” is being drawn by the “Negative Emotions” located closest to the place it would appear from, rather than saying that it actually aims at the place where those emotions have been gathering.
That would make the place of its appearance completely random. I can only wish that any city that gets attacked by that “thing” will be able to get in contact with me before it’s ruined.
These days, there hasn’t been any grand invasion made by the frazes, making the current situation quite ominous…
As I think about that matter, I receive a call on my smartphone in my pocket. Is it Rerisha-san? Has something happened on the side of the guild?
「Yes, h.e.l.lo.」(Touya)
『Your Majesty! It’s the “Soul Eater”, it has appeared in Chanyun, a city in the southern part of Yuuron!』(Rerisha)
「What did you say?!」(Touya)
The people from the Rodomea branch had apparently encountered these apparitions after the guild a.s.sociates went to Chanyun to negotiate the establishment of the adventurers’ guild. I am not sure whether it was a good or a bad timing on their part.
In any case, I cannot let it escape. I open the map at once and confirm the position of Chanyun. Having requested for the professor to relay the news to everyone, I then transfer to the site of the former capital of Yuuron.
From the all too familiar discarded capital spreading around in mountains of rubble, I immediately soar to the sky with “Fly”, aiming at Chanyun.
I finally arrive at the skies above Chanyun after continuing to fly with all my power for about five minutes.
Apart from the streets with various conspicuous multi-storied buildings and red–tiled roofs, I turn my eyes toward the people collapsed amidst.
They died with their faces expressing anguish. A crystallization that looks like small crystals is growing all over their completely dried-up bodies.
Upon my confirmation of the dead bodies with “G.o.d Eye”, I have found out that their souls have definitely been eaten. There’s no mistake here. This is the work of the “Soul Eater”.
「Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!」
A startled-like shriek resounds from a nearby street. It’s exactly like the voice of an agonizing death.
I then run over to the source of that scream and see the figure of a huge magic beast biting at the neck of a man. Something ominous — different from divinity — is leaking from the magic beast, which somehow has the appearance of both a wolf and a lion and it possesses a fur of impure gold.
「Is that an evil G.o.d?」(Touya)
Its stature is about four meters. After noticing me, it turns its pair of glowing b.l.o.o.d.y-red eyes at me. Its fur of dark gold looks hard and projects an ominous feeling, bringing about a wicked atmosphere.
This fellow — should I call it an evil G.o.dly beast? — lets the man it is holding in its mouth fall upfront and jumps up on top of a roof. The wound on the man’s neck closes in an instant while his body dries up completely. A crystal flower then blooms from the wound.
「Looks like there is no mistake here…」(Touya)
Glaring from the rooftop above, the evil G.o.dly beast leaps toward me. I swipe at its flying torso using Brynhildr in Blade Mode, which I have taken out from [Storage], as we pa.s.s each other. A metallic-like sound reverberates.
「It’s that hard?!」(Touya)
An impact runs through my arm similar to when someone slashed at a metal object with a normal sword. As I look at my hand, I see that the blade of Brynhildr, which is supposed to be made of crystal material, has been chipped. No way?!
d.a.m.n it! I guess that means that this thing is unmistakably something that the neet G.o.d has brought out even if that G.o.d is such a neet.
「I guess there’s no need to hold back then!」(Touya)
Raising my divinity after a long while, I perform “G.o.d’s authority release”. My hair extends at once, and I’m instantly clad in divinity, emitting a platinum radiance.
「Ku-ku-ku… This divinity… The boy from that time, huh…!」
A dark golden swirl appears beside the evil G.o.dly beast, and the one was who appeared from it is a skinny, mantis-looking old man. Hmm, it’s about time, I guess.
「You sure seem to have a lot of free time, neet G.o.d.」(Touya)
「Such impudent mouth… That is just the right occasion. How about I have your soul captured you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, huh? I’m sure that your soul will make the evolution of this pet of mine go faster.」(Neet G.o.d)
「So this beast is the evil G.o.d which you have created then? It looks like you’ve even incorporated the features of the frazes…」(Touya)
If that’s the case, its hardness from before must be due to the effect of the properties of the fraze crystals. Magic is probably unusable against it as well. That guy is the definition of troublesome.
「That’s because I had the cooperation of a certain person. It’s thanks to them than an excellent evil G.o.d has been completed. Destroying this world or anything similar is a trifling matter for this guy.」(Neet G.o.d)
「… Destroying the world?」(Touya)
「The world which gets destroyed by an evil G.o.d will be separated from G.o.d’s influence. It will stop from being something that’s being managed by the World G.o.d. It’s during this time that I will ascend as the new G.o.d of this world. Kuu-kuu-kuu, isn’t that pleasant?」(Neet G.o.d)
So he’s implying that he plans to freely rule over this world after he makes Kami-sama forsake it? What an audacious thing to say…! I don’t know whether he’s just small-minded or tight sighted…
Ultimately, an evil G.o.d is something born on the ground, so the G.o.ds are tentatively prohibited from directly interfering with it. It is for that reason that heroes and saints are granted sacred treasures in order to subjugate an evil G.o.d…
Nevertheless, the world will end if the heroes will be defeated. Having been abandoned by the G.o.ds, the world would then meet its slow ruin. His plan is to become the new G.o.d in that world which will have then been cast aside… This guy is already beyond being miserable, he’s an idiot.
「I now fully understand why and how you’ve been a subordinate G.o.d for a very long time.」(Touya)
「Shut up! Saying such self-important things while you aren’t even a lower-cla.s.s G.o.d, no, not even a subordinate G.o.d! … Oh well. I will have you become food for the further evolution of this guy after I capture you, b.a.s.t.a.r.d! 」(Neet G.o.d)
Being incited by his creator, the evil G.o.dly beast opens its large mouth and spits out a powerful black lump of flames at me.
「d.a.m.n!」(Touya)
I repel the black flame bullet with my fist clad in divinity. Although the bullets aren’t hot, a considerable impact has still been transmitted into my right hand. I wonder if that would’ve broken my bones if I didn’t clad myself with divinity.
The black bullet that has been fired falls down in a place far away from the city and turns into an unbelievable burst of flames rising into the skies. This guy just vomits whatever the h.e.l.l he wants to!
「Speaking of evil G.o.ds, they eat souls and achieve their own peculiar evolutions. Well, this one was meddled with by that Yura guy. The end result has turned out to be spot on. It did manage to evolve by this much in such short time after all.」(Neet G.o.d)
Yura, you say? As I’ve thought! This neet of a G.o.d has been recently hanging out with those ruler-cla.s.ses, hasn’t he?
「Now then, it will be bad if I take too much time here since it’ll troublesome if the Sword G.o.ddess or the Love G.o.ddess manages to come here. Guess I need to deal with you quickly. 」(Neet G.o.d)
「Ha. The feeling is mutual. “Power Rise”, “Teleport”」(Touya)
Using a no-attribute magic of teleportation, I slip into the bosom of the evil G.o.dly beast and land a powerful body blow strengthened with “Power Rise” into its abdomen. The beast’s body twists into the character “へ” and is blown off while rolling.
「Gogaaaaaa?!」
The evil G.o.dly beast is sent flying into the sky and slams into one of the multi-storied buildings, getting itself pinned below the crumbled and destroyed rubble.
「Wha?!」(Neet G.o.d)
The Subordinate G.o.d is surprised and turns his attention toward the evil G.o.dly beast. Not losing this timing, I shoot both of his legs with bullets from Brynhildr clad in divinity.
「Guaa?! No-no way!? You aren’t even a lower-cla.s.s G.o.d. How can you b.a.s.t.a.r.d pa.s.s through my divinity?!」(Neet G.o.d)
「Isn’t the difference between divinities the case here? I’m tentatively a dependent of the World G.o.d-sama, you know.」(Touya)
「Tsk!」(Neet G.o.d)
The subordinate G.o.d falls down to his knees while both of his legs are gus.h.i.+ng forth something which looked like a rising golden steam.
「It can’t be! Why do you possess divinity like that while not having any position?! You should already have the rank of a senior G.o.d! 」(Neet G.o.d)
「Unlike you, I know the definition of shame.」(Touya)
Getting an important post due to the hard work of the parents isn’t something that’s rewarding. It will likely bother the other G.o.ds as well.
Now then, I wonder what should I do with this foolish G.o.d. I will end up taking away the work of Karen-nee-san and Moroha-nee-san if I dispose of him right now, won’t I? Though I think they will come soon enough after sensing his and my divinity.
Suddenly, the collapsed building explodes as if it has been waiting for this indecision of mine, and the evil G.o.dly beast jumps out from it.
It then stands in between me and the subordinate G.o.d and shoots three black flamed bullets in succession. Are you doing this again?!
It would’ve been fine to dodge it, but there might still be some people alive in this city. They will surely be caught in the explosions if I dodge the attack.
In the end, I send the bullets flying far away outside the city with my fist like I have done before. Though this time, I’ve placed ma.s.sive amounts of divinity onto my hand in order to mitigate the impact.
While pulling his legs, the subordinate G.o.d drags himself next to the evil G.o.dly beast.
「Ku-ku, I will leave everything up to this point for today. The next time we meet…」(Neet G.o.d)
Does he plan to escape before my sisters arrive here? I can’t let you do that. But before I could even step forward in order to pursue the neet G.o.d, the evil G.o.dly beast turns its head to the subordinate G.o.d.
In the next moment, the golden beast opens its bright red mouth and thrusts its fangs into the old man’s windpipe from the front with zero hesitation.
「Gaa?! Gu-gufuu…! Wh~?! Wh…y…?」(Neet G.o.d)
The subordinate G.o.d that has been bitten opens his eyes as if he couldn’t believe what’s happening to him and looks at the golden beast as it greedily devours his soul. Even I couldn’t move due to how surprising this incident is.
「I… see… that…. d.a.m.n… Yu…ra…. bas… taaaaaaaard!!!」(Neet G.o.d)
The subordinate G.o.d begins to change into black sand starting from his feet. He’s being devoured alongside with his divine power. Eventually, he seemingly exploded into scattered flashes of light and then completely vanished. Only the evil G.o.dly beast clad in a dark golden fog remains.
「Did he absorb… no, did he eat him? This subordinate G.o.d?」(Touya)
Suddenly, the evil G.o.dly beast releases an ominous divinity from its body. This divinity changes into a material similar to cotton which I have presumed that it will be drifting around the beast. However, the cotton wraps around the evil G.o.dly beast as if the beast has been captured by it. It looks as if a silkworm has just made a coc.o.o.n.
Eventually, the evil G.o.dly beast turns into a golden coc.o.o.n, raises itself about one meter above the sky, and begin to slowly flicker as if emitting its own pulse.
「Hey, what is this…?」(Touya)
It’s exactly like a coc.o.o.n. A huge, dark, golden coc.o.o.n that’s floating freely in the sky and is emitting an ominous pulsation.
Although I don’t understand what is happening, I’m certain that it‘ll be something troublesome. I better dispose of that thing immediately.
I change Brynhildr into Blade Mode, put divinity onto it, and try to cleave this coc.o.o.n in two with a single stroke.
However, the coc.o.o.n, as if saying what I did was a “waste of effort”, still drifts in the sky. I can’t kill it. There’s no response. It’s a similar situation when someone tries to cut a marshmallow using a kitchen knife underwater.
The moment I tried to invoke magic — something similar to “Ice Bind” from the restriction type of magic — to immobilize that coc.o.o.n and kill it, the golden coc.o.o.n then shakes like a heat haze, blurring its form. Its appearance is gradually becoming thinner and thinner.
「Hey, wait a minute. Is that the “Backlash”?!」(Touya)
Large existences that forcibly go to this world after destroying the world’s barrier are usually being repelled multiple times before they could establish themselves in here. Similar to an incoming wave being returned back to the sea, a forced repatriation system is in place which makes the said existences return to where they came from.
I’m generally grateful for that system which makes the ruler-cla.s.ses withdraw, but I currently feel the polar opposite from it right now.
「Oh, Coiling Ice, Freezing Curse, Ice Bind」
In extreme haste, I recite the restriction magic, but the icy bindings are unable to catch the coc.o.o.n.
That’s because the golden coc.o.o.n was made to immediately withdraw from this world.
「So it managed… to escape, huh?」(Touya)
Erasing the divinity pouring from my body, I then cancel my divinification.
As if choosing that exact moment, Karen-nee-san and Moroha-nee-san appear from the skies.
「You are late.」(Touya)
「I am sorry. We came late because Karen-nee-san was sleeping.」(Moroha)
「s.h.i.+-s.h.i.+! That’s supposed to be a secret, Moroha-chan ~nanoyo!」(Karen)
Eh? That was the reason for their tardiness?
I reproachfully gaze at Karen-nee-san who has towel-like marks on her cheeks.
Well, there’s likely nothing that my sisters could’ve done about the subordinate G.o.d getting eaten by the evil G.o.dly beast.
Thus, for now, I’ve decided to give a summarized explanation about what had transpired to my sisters.
「Though an evil G.o.d is the lowest kind of G.o.ds, he took in another G.o.d…? That sure is unheard of…」(Moroha)
「An existence from the ground taking in the power of a G.o.d is similar to Touya-kun’s case, but this one is slightly troubling ~noyo.」(Karen)
So it’s a fact that an evil G.o.d is an existence from the ground, huh? If that’s the case, it probably means that the birthplace of an evil G.o.d isn’t something similar to the Divine Realm.
At this point, it would’ve been a “checkmate” under all circ.u.mstances. There is supposedly no way for a person with the body of a human to clash against an evil G.o.d which took in even more G.o.dly powers.
If the world is to be ruined and if there‘s no person to rule over it, then that world would be abandoned just like how the subordinate G.o.d would’ve wanted to, becoming something which wouldn’t be handled by the G.o.ds. What an irony.
Then an evil G.o.d that acquired G.o.dly powers would be limited by this world and wouldn’t be interfered with anymore no matter what it would’ve done. It would be isolated along with the world, facing only a slow annihilation.
However, there’s a person living in the surface of this world who possesses the power of a G.o.d, same as they do. That person is me.
「In other words, do I have to exterminate the evil G.o.d?」(Touya)
「That’s right. I’m sorry for pus.h.i.+ng our job to you.」(Moroha)
「We will remain here same as before, providing support. Isn’t that natural ~noyo?」(Karen)
d.a.m.n, that reckless neet G.o.d. He has increased my work way too much even if I don’t really have one to begin with….! Oh well, I probably can no longer say my thoughts to him even if I want to.
「That coc.o.o.n is most likely trying to rebuild the body of the beast from the ground up. It was World G.o.d who did it in Touya-kun’s case, but no one should be half-hearted when building a body capable of withstanding G.o.dly powers.」(Moroha)
Based on its appearance, I guess that coc.o.o.n was trying to do just that. I want to strike it before the beast can be reborn as an adult chrysalis.
「For the time being, we have to do something about the people from this town who had their souls eaten.」(Touya)
「We will help ~noyo」(Karen)
「That’s right, I guess.」(Moroha)
There should still be survivors around here. They will get attacked by those guys who become resurrected as crystal skeletons (crystal zombies?) if we don’t hurry up.
This turmoil should end now that the evil G.o.d turned into a coc.o.o.n, but I don’t feel refreshed by it.
I involuntarily breathe out a sigh while thinking about my inevitable fight against that detestable evil G.o.d who will one day appear in the future.