“Your appearance is a ss.”
The Edel I saw after a long ti looked quite different from the one in my mory. For a mont, I even mistook her for soone else… no, another god. The hair that once shone brightly with divine power had lost its luster, and her once-sparkling eyes were now clouded with darkness.
“Haha. Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? Aren’t we both in the sa boat here?”
“Well…”
…That’s true. As Edel pointed out, my condition wasn’t great either, making it hardly appropriate for to criticize her appearance. In this state, it was like a dog covered in chaff scolding a dog covered in dung. So, I changed the topic.
“…Where is this place?”
I rember performing the Ascension Ritual, but when I closed my eyes and opened them again, I found myself in this strange place.
The sky, tinged with blue, was filled with countless star-like objects, and the river seed to flow with a fragnt of the sky itself, like a sea of stars. Edel looked at with a baffled expression.
“That’s what you ask, not right when you wake up, but now?”
“They say it’s never too late to ask.”
“That’s just being late.”
“But the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was you, Edel.”
If she didn’t like it, she shouldn’t have been in front of . Anyone else would have reacted the sa way I did.
“If you were an ordinary person, you wouldn’t pick a fight with soone as soon as you woke up.”
Edel sighed and turned away. A shooting star trailed a long tail as it fell behind her back.
“You weren’t expecting to say sothing like, ‘This is the world inside your mind,’ were you?”
“Of course not.”
My inner world could never be this peaceful, nor this beautiful. Not that I believed in the concept of an inner world, anyway.
“Well, how should I put it? The place where souls cycle? The origin of the world? My ho? Whatever it is, it’s not a place that exists physically.”
“…You say it doesn’t exist physically?”
“That’s right. Normally, it would be impossible for us to have a conversation like this.”
“I don’t understand. If this place doesn’t exist physically, then how can I be here? But I’m standing right here.”
“That’s why I said it’s usually impossible.”
Edel pointed at with her finger.
“If you still had a physical body, you wouldn’t have been able to co here.”
“What?”
“Surely, you don’t think that’s your body, do you?”
“If this isn’t my body, then what is it?”
I pinched my arm, which lacked any visible muscles, and felt the sensation of pinching as well as the softness of my skin. …I hated to admit it, but the short stature, the stubby limbs, everything matched my mory. After confirming my pink hair swaying near my waist, I looked back at Edel. She, struggling to hold back her laughter, finally burst out when our eyes t.
“Pffft! That’s your basis for judgnt?”
“Don’t laugh.”
“Sorry, sorry. It was just too cute, I couldn’t help myself.”
Edel wiped away the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.
“Let clarify, since you seem confused. The only part of you here is your soul. Your physical body is still playing around in the lower world. That was the plan from the beginning, wasn’t it?”
“…Ah.”
Right, that’s what it was. Hearing Edel’s words brought back my hazy mories.
“Shift the burden of the Ascension Ritual entirely onto the soul….”
“Your body isn’t strong enough to withstand all the Magi in Laxia.”
It’s true that my body, which had reached the level of a master, was tougher than most. But it wasn’t nearly strong enough to endure such a massive amount of Magi.
“Despite my soul being tempered as it crossed dinsions, its durability has beco absurdly high.”
So, the plan was to shift the burden of the Ascension Ritual onto the soul, aiming for a rise in rank, and Edel would handle any remaining Magi that couldn’t be processed… That was the plan. It was even anticipated that my soul might get ejected from my body like this. And now, I finally understood why Edel ended up looking like that.
“Honestly, I was a bit worried, but you did better than I expected.”
“…Did it work?”
If things had gone according to plan, my rank or whatever should have risen, but I didn’t feel anything noticeable. Unlike when I reached the master level and felt like I had the world in my hands. As I clenched and unclenched my fist, trying to gauge my strength, Edel nodded.
“Yes. It’s not the best outco, but it’s a satisfactory one. I twisted the flow of mana that gathers in Laxia to direct it towards myself and even improved the constitution of the Demonic Race. Now, they won’t be persecuted because of the Magi like before.”
“If only you’d done that earlier, how nice it would have been.”
“If the Dinsional Creatures hadn’t invaded, none of this would have been necessary. This thod is also more dangerous. If I’m not careful, I could lose my status as a deity and fall.”
“Isn’t that still a risk now?”
“It’s different. Now, even if I fall, there’s a higher being to manage things in my place. Anyway, co over here, will you?”
Edel gestured for to co closer. As I approached, she drew out divine power and traced a circle. The glowing light disappeared, leaving behind a circular mirror. What it reflected was , yet not .
Seeing the girl facing off against dozens, maybe hundreds, of people, I imdiately understood what Edel was trying to show and spoke irritably.
“Is this little act necessary?”
“An act, you say? I’m doing my best in my own way—to make sure your body doesn’t harm others. Wouldn’t it be sad if I let it run wild and it ended up hurting your loved ones?”
“…”
“The best outco would have been for you to withstand the full burden of the Ascension Ritual, but you couldn’t do that, right? So, the next best option is all we have.”
“Tsk.”
I understood, but that didn’t an I had to like seeing myself dancing in the mirror. I clicked my tongue in frustration.
Why is it attacking so inefficiently?
What’s with that ridiculous swordplay?
Unable to bear it, I jabbed Edel in the side.
“If you’re going to control my body, at least do it properly.”
“…I’m not the one controlling it, you know? Even if I could, I wouldn’t. A god shouldn’t indulge in massacres, right?”
“It’s fine if it’s the Imperial Army.”
“No, it’s not. If you want that so much, why don’t you do it yourself?”
“…Hmph.”
If I could, I would have done it already. She’s only saying that because she knows I can’t.
Not fun at all.
“Your fun isn’t the point.”
Edel, who had been crouching and staring into the mirror, straightened up. Her gaze, looking down at , no longer held the playful glint it had just monts ago.
“It’s about ti you made a decision, don’t you think?”
“…”
“I can’t say I’ve given you plenty of ti, but now is the mont to choose. Each option has its pros and cons, and there will be regrets no matter what you choose.”
It wasn’t a sudden statent… after all, Edel had warned that such an outco would await if things went according to plan.
“Now then, what will you choose?”
To remain in this world and wield unchecked power. Or to cross over to the other side.
“Make your choice.”
I looked into the mirror. The ‘’ inside the mirror was still clashing swords with the Imperial Army. Occasionally, familiar faces appeared, and seeing the red wounds scattered across their bodies, it was clear they had co prepared for the worst.
‘…Looking back.’
From the mont I first ca to my senses until now, I’ve lived a life far from smooth.
The girl in the mirror dances.
A black sword extends, slicing through the shoulder of a knight charging at her. Though no sound reaches , it’s easy to imagine his mouth wide open, screaming in pain.
It’s a sight I’ve seen countless tis… I am familiar with the sll of death, mingled with fear and blood, and the expressions twisted with hatred. Even during my few happy monts, there was always a sword in my hand, so I could never call my life smooth.
‘But—’
Even in such a life, there were things worth rembering. Those mories allowed to endure this long. But the strongest pillar that supported is now gone. I thought I had nothing left… So why am I still hesitating?
“…”
As I hesitated, a few more wounds appeared on the girl’s body. A ball of fire descended from above, colliding with Magi and scattering embers everywhere. Suddenly, I felt as if I had t the girl’s gaze. The mont I read the emotion in those deeply twisted eyes, I spoke as if possessed.
“…I am.”
***
“…Disgustingly strong.”
Spit.
The fourth sword of the Imperial Army. Robert spat, and the blackened blood splattered onto the ground. Without even a mont to grimace, he launched himself forward.
Clang!
The girl had drawn close, her black sword aid at his throat. A large fireball suddenly flew toward the girl. Her pink eyes glanced at it, and the weight pressing down on Robert vanished in an instant.
Boom!
With a loud explosion, the cloud of dust that briefly filled the air settled, and the girl had already retreated far back. Catching his breath, Robert bowed his head.
“Thank you for saving .”
“It’s only natural for comrades to look out for each other. Don’t let your guard down; we don’t know when another attack might co.”
“Yes.”
Responding to the Sage’s words, Robert tightened his grip on his sword, keeping his eyes on the girl.
The girl with striking pink hair was soone he knew well. The enemy of the Empire, the Red Reaper, the Death Bird, the Calamity… Despite her seemingly gentle appearance, she bore a slew of fearso titles.
The reason the Empire couldn’t easily crush Grasis, a nation much smaller in comparison, was largely due to her.
To subdue her, the Empire would have had to invest considerable resources, but Grasis wasn’t worth that much to them. On the other hand, leaving her unchecked ant that she would decimate their troops every ti she appeared on the battlefield.
She was a troubleso opponent, no matter how they approached her.
“That she’s without reason is a relief. It would be terrifying if she wielded such power with a sound mind.”
Even without any advanced techniques, she overwheld with sheer strength. One could only imagine what she would be like if she wielded skill.
“If she had reason, we wouldn’t even be in this situation.”
“That’s true.”
Taking advantage of the brief respite as the girl retreated, Robert quickly assessed the battlefield. The girl who threatened the Ardina Continent. More than half of the knights they brought to subdue her had already fallen.
The remaining knights were also injured, far from being in any proper condition.
“Wow, damn… How is this even possible?”
“What are you going to do if it doesn’t make sense? If you have ti to talk, hurry up and fight!”
Even as Robert assessed the battlefield, the Apostles charged at the girl. Their effort was comndable, but their attacks didn’t make much difference in the grand sche of the battle.
“Aaargh!”
Most of them couldn’t even reach her, let alone last a single exchange before they died. They were useless.
Making a cold assessnt, Robert muttered quietly.
“Sir Redin.”
“Why are you calling ?”
A nonchalant voice responded.
“How many more shots can you fire?”
“I can shoot as many arrows as I want. The problem is that damn Magi makes them miss.”
Redin, the Empire’s Fifth Bow, grumbled as he approached Robert, his mana-infused arrow nocked.
“I’ll create an opening. Can you deliver your strongest shot?”
“Hah! You usually dismiss as just an archer, so what’s with the change of heart? Did you have a change of mind?”
“Can you do it or not?”
“There it is, no change at all.”
Creaaak!
Redin drew his bowstring taut. The bow’s fra bent, making a strained sound as if it might snap at any mont.
“Is that even a question? Of course, I can. No, I’d rather be asking you. Please, make an opening.”
Robert smirked slightly. Despite his laid-back attitude, Redin was soone with pride in his skills. Among the injuries on the girl, none were from Redin’s arrows. He hadn’t managed a single effective strike so far, and it had clearly wounded his pride.
“What about the Seventh Sword?”
“You an that guy? Didn’t you see him? He got ahead of himself, took a hit, and collapsed.”
“Hah.”
It was true that his skills were lacking, but he wasn’t an easy opponent either. Despite having three of the Empire’s swords and a Sage, they were struggling to maintain even footing, and were slowly being pushed back. The overwhelming power of the girl sent a shiver through Robert.
“This might just be where I et my end.”
“Oh, so does that an I get to be the Fourth Bow now?”
“…”
Robert didn’t respond. It wasn’t worth replying, especially since the girl had just cut down several Apostles and turned her gaze to him. What could she possibly resent so much to look at him with such eyes? As he looked into the girl’s hate-filled eyes, Robert gathered his gray mana. His silhouette stretched long.
Swish!
Robert’s sword, appearing before the girl, traced a lower trajectory than usual. Aid at the level of her head, the blade would have struck near the abdon if his opponent were a grown man. Without a hint of surprise at the sudden attack, the girl’s black sword blocked his strike.
Clang!
Instead of the sharp sound of blades clashing, a grating noise, as if sothing was being scraped away, echoed through the air. Robert had already anticipated his attack being blocked, so he imdiately followed up with his next move.
Ssshh—
Keeping his blade locked with hers, Robert’s sword slid smoothly, as if gliding against the dark blade.
The tip of the sword reached the girl’s pale neck.
If he thrust the sword in now, her life would end, spraying crimson blood.
“Tch.”
But Robert had no choice but to pull back his sword.
He had noticed the Magi creeping up from where their blades were locked together.
If sacrificing himself could bring peace to the Empire, he would gladly do so. But the Magi that clamped onto Robert’s sword wouldn’t allow any harm to its master’s body.
Fwoosh!
The mont he withdrew his blade, the Magi, in the form of a spike, shot out.
The gleaming Magi aid precisely at his neck.
Was it intentional, or just a coincidence?
Either way, it was dangerous, and Robert had to deflect it with his mana-infused left hand.
“…It stings.”
His left hand throbbed as if he’d just blocked a heavy chunk of tal.
He had boasted about creating an opening, but such an opportunity was hard to find.
Yet, if he allowed himself even a mont of frustration, a spike of Magi would undoubtedly pierce his heart.
Instead of sighing, Robert stomped the ground with force.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave laden with mana rippled through the ground.
The Magi swirling beneath his feet faltered under the pressure.
However, the girl remained undeterred.
As Robert twisted his head to evade the incoming strike from her black blade, a mory flashed through his mind.
‘If you seek to take a life, you must be willing to risk your own.’
Words from his master when Robert had just started on the path of the sword.
It was obvious advice, but one he had forgotten sowhere along the way.
After reaching a certain level, those who could threaten his life beca few.
He could take lives without having to risk his own.
Why had those long-forgotten words resurfaced now?
“…Are you telling to risk my life?”
Are you rebuking , asking why I hesitate when I claid I would sacrifice myself for peace?
No one had actually said this to Robert, yet he let out a hollow laugh.
“Very well. I’ll wager my life.”
As the saying goes, sotis the soft can overco the strong—
But against overwhelming power, such a saying becos aningless.
So, if he planned to oppose that imnse strength with technique, he would need to match it with a certain level of power.
At least enough to clash swords.
“Hmph…!”
Robert gathered his mana.
‘If I keep gathering mana like this, I’ll die.’
Instincts scread at him to stop, but he ignored them.
A vast amount of mana began to converge on his sword.
Finally, even the mana that was barely sustaining his life was drawn into his blade, and Robert let out a twisted smile.
Beyond his unusually clear vision, he saw the girl’s face tense with anxiety.
“This is the last sword strike from the Fourth Sword. Please, accept it.”
With those words, Robert swung his sword—
─────!
The sky turned gray.
And then—
A streak of light tore through the faded world.
—
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