Nikolai sat still in his seat, turning a cube in his hands.
The cube turned with a click, and after a short while, it returned to its original form.
-Thud.
Nikolai threw the cube as if he had lost interest.
In place of the discarded cube, various other types of cubes were piled up.
"This is truly boring."
The n in black coats standing by next to Nikolai silently listened to his words.
"Everything in the world is structured regularly like this. At first glance, it seems chaotic and disorderly, but when you look at it carefully and in depth, there exists order."
Just like the cube he just solved.
At first glance, the various colors on the six sides are all mixed up, but as you turn and piece it together, it eventually returns to its complete form.
Nikolai thought this was the essence of the world.
A world of perfect order, where chaos doesn't exist.
"I wonder. If this world is a precisely constructed device made by soone, if it's a stage operating normally with good and evil created according to calculation, then who am I?"
No one answered Nikolai's question.
Nikolai didn't expect an answer anyway, so he continued his monologue.
"Are my actions, intentionally trying to break this stage chanism, also the intention of the stage manager? Is even my questioning now a thought injected by soone? If so, am I evil?"
Questions breed doubt.
Doubt breeds anxiety.
But Nikolai had no intention of living with anxiety for the rest of his life.
Having co this far, he felt he needed to check for himself to be satisfied.
"Viktor Dreadful. Did you feel this way too?"
Nikolai let out a low laugh, recalling a conversation he once had with Viktor.
-Oh ho ho. Did Nikolai also have similar thoughts to mine?
Viktor's answer to Nikolai's remark, thinking that Viktor might have understood him, was unexpected.
-I've noticed it too. And so has Zero Order.
-So it was true after all.
-So what does Nikolai want to do?
-Proof. I want to confirm whether I truly exist as myself.
-Oh ho ho. Confirming your own existence. Not a bad goal.
-What about you? Seeing you conduct such experints, are you also thinking of breaking free from this frawork?
-? From a broader perspective, that's not incorrect.
Viktor muttered like that while staring at the experint subject contained in a huge test tube.
-I simply dislike it.
-Dislike?
-Why do people have two arms and five fingers?
-That's because that's what humans are.
-Exactly! That's what humans are. Because that's how they were designed. Why do beastfolk have animal ears, and why do elves have long lifespans and pointed ears? Dwarves are short, and the sa goes for various beasts and insects. I simply cannot understand it. So I ca to a conclusion.
-What conclusion did you reach?
-That the sense of whoever created this stage is so absurdly terrible!
Viktor laughed loudly, holding his stomach as if he thought he had said sothing amusing even to himself.
-I truly don't feel even the slightest bit of artistry in it. What is this supposed to be? It's like taking sothing soone else created and using it without any creativity. I don't like that behavior.
-So that's why you create these things?
-These are works of art. To the creator of this stage, if that's God, I'm saying this: Look at my artistry, isn't it superior compared to your ager creation? Yes, I'm pursuing more diverse and splendid art!
Viktor's maniacal laughter while saying all this might be because he considered Nikolai as a similar type.
Nikolai felt considerable displeasure at being considered similar by such a person, but sowhere in his heart, he also acknowledged it.
-Oh ho ho. So let's both do our best. for art, and Nikolai for self-realization.
That was the key reason why he ended up joining hands with Viktor.
"Zero Order said he knew all of this."
It wouldn't be strange even if he did know.
If there was one regrettable point, it was why he hadn't given Nikolai a hint about such facts.
"Although it's important to realize it on my own, perhaps I don't have that much trust from him."
Who monopolizes Zero Order's trust?
Franz and Cetadel, who could be considered his two arms?
No.
The one who truly has Zero Order's trust was First Order John Doe, that guy.
That's why he sent Verom with a leash based on a deal, but John Doe instead claid victory against Verom.
"Yes. This is the final trial given to . A fate's howork given to soone who has discovered the essence of this world."
If that was the case, he decided to willingly accept it.
Nikolai examined the information coming in real-ti.
John Doe was currently approaching where he was.
By his side was Whiron, a Lexer-class mage, and Gabriel Cosmo, the ti mage.
"The news from the New Magic Tower isn't very good either."
Rotheron, whom he had intended to hold for a few days, had instead crushed the Inspection Squad and left the tower.
Moreover, he had even thrown away his trademark iron mask.
"One special class mage, three 6th tier mages, and one master of the Black Magic school."
At least the master of the Ancient Curse school doesn't seem to be coming, but it's not a pleasant situation to send forces that way either because they are guarding the hostage girl.
"Interesting. To face head-on on this island."
Nikolai watched Rudger's image appearing on various screens and smiled viciously.
"Fine. As a giant, I'll accept a dwarf's challenge."
John Doe, I will kill you here and receive Zero Order's favor.
And from him, I will hear the truth of this world and be reborn as a higher being.
"Now, can you fight and win against this entire island?"
Of course, he wouldn't fight fair and square.
He would just do his best in his own way, working behind the scenes to manipulate and control others.
Rudger and Whiron kept walking and simultaneously stopped.
The number of people walking around had decreased to the point where not even one was visible.
"Has it finally begun?"
"Seems like they're planning to start with a bang."
But the hostility felt from all around was impossible to ignore.
The fact that they had driven away all the people living nearby and simultaneously set up a net to surround them was evidence that the opponent's scale was that massive.
"Is it starting already?"
Gabriel asked.
"From now on, you must protect your own body. Neither I nor Lord Whiron will have the capacity to help you."
Gabriel nodded with a tense face and disappeared from his spot.
Left alone, Rudger and Whiron each drew up their magical power.
"Haha! Let's warm up a bit!"
Whiron grinned and unleashed his fierce aura.
The enemies in ambush reacted almost like having a seizure to the massive magical power surging around him.
"They've noticed us!"
"Attack all at once!"
Those who stepped forward were rcenaries, bounty hunters, and cri organizations commonly found in the back alleys of the city.
"If we kill those two, we'll get money in the billions!"
"Just have to kill them sohow!"
Nikolai had placed a bounty on the heads of Rudger, Whiron, and Gabriel.
The amount was enough for several people to live luxuriously for a lifeti if they killed just one of them.
That was why everyone in the city who wanted money was moving to target Rudger, Whiron, and Gabriel.
It didn't matter where they were.
Nikolai was tracking Rudger's whereabouts through all kinds of devices and providing their location in real-ti.
Bounty hunters were swarming from all directions.
Seeing them, Whiron rushed forward recklessly.
"Uwahahaha!"
The number of enemies filling the street at the mont exceeded three digits.
And that number was still increasing in real-ti.
But Whiron neither took fright nor slowed down his charge.
Rather, he pumped his muscles and accelerated.
Seeing this, the bounty hunters were conversely bewildered by Whiron's appearance.
"Uh, uhh?"
"Why isn't he stopping?"
"Don't be scared, you idiots! It's just one guy anyway! Just crush him!"
Those with steel prosthetic arms stood at the front.
Using the strength of their chanical arms, they easily lifted heavy objects and built a large wall in front.
A huge steel plate automatically unfolded to complete the barricade.
A steel wall strong enough to block even several artillery shells, impenetrable with ordinary firepower.
Additionally, sharp spikes protruded from the top of the wall to prevent reckless approaches.
The bounty hunters smiled, thinking Whiron would self-destruct by crashing into the barricade.
Until his shoulder dented and then broke through the wall.
-Bang!
Whiron not only pushed through the steel wall with his bare body but also punched a large hole right through it.
The bounty hunters, who had been triumphant behind it, were caught in Whiron's body slam.
chanically made prosthetic arms and legs shattered and scattered in all directions, and human bodies tumbled through the streets like autumn leaves.
Whiron was like a tank.
No, he was more like sothing that could smash through a tank if he collided with one.
The bounty hunters were shocked at the sight and shouted.
"This is crazy! It's just one person!"
"How is this possible? And he's supposed to be a mage!"
Does it make sense for a mage to break through a steel wall with his bare body and push through all the people behind it?
As the undeniable reality unfolded before their eyes, the bounty hunters lost their fighting spirit.
But so who were blinded by money still didn't give up.
"Hmm?"
Whiron, who had been running without stopping, looked down at the weight applied to his ankle.
Zzzzing.
A thick, large steel wire was gripping his ankle.
"Got it! His speed has slowed down!"
"Even an elephant can't escape this wire when tied!"
"Don't use just one! Use everything you've got!"
It was surprising that the steel wire, which even an elephant couldn't escape from when tied, had only managed to slow down his movent.
But this side had many resources and numbers.
If one doesn't work, use two, and if two don't work, use more than ten.
The bounty hunters fired all their restraining wires at Whiron.
As Whiron continued to move forward, wires started wrapping around various parts of his body like a fish getting entangled in a net.
By the ti Whiron stopped walking, he was tied by wires extending from all directions.
He looked like a beetle caught in a spider web.
Success. Hope filled the faces of the bounty hunters. And so did their desire for money.
"Be thorough! That's not enough!"
"Use other things too!"
So veterans gave instructions without letting their guard down.
Thin discs flew and fell near Whiron's feet.
Magic stones were embedded in the discs, and when they emitted light, they created a strong magnetic field that pulled and tightened the wires attached to Whiron's body.
These weren't tools for hunting animals but specially made tools to subdue large cryptids or knights.
With countless restraints pouring from all directions, Whiron couldn't move an inch.
Only then did the bounty hunters relax their tension and watch Whiron.
Just as they were about to think this was enough, Whiron's voice, trapped inside the cocoon of wires, echoed around.
"Still not enough."
Everyone was surprised at those words.
Not enough? Is that sothing soone who can't move at all should say?
"What, he's still okay?"
"Don't be scared! He can't move! It's just bluster trying to shake us up!"
Soone shouted like that, but Whiron chuckled.
"Bluster? Is it really? Well, it's been rare for my body to feel this heavy, so it's a fresh feeling. But it's still not enough to stimulate my muscles."
As if to prove those words weren't lies, the wires restraining Whiron's body stretched taut and then began to break one by one.
When the wires, which had been stretched long and contained intense tension, broke, they contracted like rubber bands and flew towards the bounty hunters.
"Dodge!"
"Duck!"
-Bang! Boom!
The thick wires spun and destroyed nearby buildings and roads.
People caught in them were flung away, and the surroundings beca chaotic.
"H-he deflected steel wires with his bare body?"
Whiron, freed from the steel cocoon, was in a posing stance with his muscles tensed.
His upper body was missing, as if he had undressed at so point.
"Hmm. It seems like I've had a decent al, but it's still not enough."
Whiron's fierce face turned towards the bounty hunters.
"Bring more things to stimulate my muscles!"
At the sight of Whiron charging with excitent and shouting, the bounty hunters' faces turned pale.
"R-run away!"
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