Discord: sdsc.gg/reapercomics
◈ I'm an Infinite Regressor, But I've Got Stories to Tell
The Mastermind X
"Listen closely, sunbae. The strategy I'm about to propose is going to be extrely tricky to pull off," Infinite Void said.
After the fall of the Mastermind and the destruction of the Laptop of the Infinite taga, it seed that control of this Divine Realm had completely shifted to Infinite Void. The scenery changing at a re snap of Infinite Void fingers was evidence enough.
I looked around. "This place..."
"This is a classroom in Baekhwa Girls' High. In a sense, it's my hotown. After all, it's where my ego, Cheon Yo-hwa, was born out of the Outer God called Infinite Void."
The folds of a brain transford into the creaky wooden floorboards of the classroom, while tentacles morphed into desks and chairs.
Screeeech.
Infinite Void pulled over a chair and slid into the seat.
"First, let ask. How were you planning to hunt down the Mastermind?"
"The Mastermind thrives in spaces beyond human perception—a seed that can only flourish amidst the fog of war," I explained reluctantly as I took a seat across from it. Infinite Void bead with an unsettling grin.
Could I trust the sa entity who had just tried to trap in a normal ending?
Remaining vigilant, I replied, "If humanity were to save the world, the Mastermind would naturally be eradicated. From the Korean Peninsula to Asia, and eventually across all continents, it would be inevitable."
"Exactly."
Infinite Void stirred the air with a lazy wave. A piece of chalk flew up, floating in midair in front of the classroom blackboard, and began writing. The white letters forming on the board read:
[Strategy A: Natural Extermination]
* Gradually expand the Regressor's range of activity.
* Eventually, the Mastermind will lose all "Fog of War," rendering it unable of manipulating causality in reality.
Scritch, screeeech. Scritch.
The chalk scraped across the board with a piercing squeakiness as it wrote.
"A textbook example of a strategy. If carried to its logical conclusion, the Regressor always wins. But there's a problem. You know it too, right?"
I nodded. "Yes... The Mastermind isn't foolish enough to let it happen."
Just as Busan served as humanity's final line of defense, the Ural and Himalayan mountain ranges were the Mastermind's equivalent Maginot Line.[1] The mont that line was crossed, the Mastermind manipulated causality to trigger a "World Destruction Scenario."
"How did you intend to resolve that issue?" Infinite Void pressed.
"Because of that problem, I abandoned Strategy A. But once I arrived here in the Divine Realm, a new potential breakthrough beca clear to ."
"A new breakthrough?"
I shared the final plan I had in mind. "It's simple. Extract versions of '' from other universe simulations and place them here as sentinels."
"Oh?" Infinite Void raised an eyebrow. "You an to use simulations of yourself as allies?"
"That's right. As long as their settings remain unaltered, they'll think and act like Undertakers. This way, the Mastermind won't be able to manipulate simulations at will, and my avatars will ticulously monitor our real world."
"Like the Saintess?"
"Exactly. Like the Saintess."
"That's interesting. Clever, just like you, sunbae."
The chalk moved again, tapping away.
[Strategy B: Sentinels]
* Create Undertaker clones from simulated universes and appoint them as sentinels in the Divine Realm.
* The clones will continuously observe Universe 107 (our real world).
* With these clones monitoring the entire planet, the "Fog of War" won't occur, and thus, the Mastermind loses the opportunity to manipulate causality.
Crack!
The chalk snapped in half.
"Not bad. Not bad at all. A decent strategy."
It was a strange feeling, being evaluated and praised by an Outer God about a plan to defeat another of its kind. Who would have thought I'd see such a day?
Infinite Void leaned on the desk, resting its chin on one hand. Its crimson eyes stared up at intently. "But the weaknesses of this strategy are also glaring, aren't they?"
"......"
"In the end, even the Undertaker clones are entities born from the Mastermind's simulations. It's akin to entrusting surveillance of the Mastermind to itself. Eventually, they'll betray you."
"Yes... I knew that. My plan was to return to the Divine Realm periodically at the end of each cycle to check on their status."
"No, there's a deeper issue, sunbae." Infinite Void grinned. "By choosing Strategy B, you're effectively acknowledging, ‘This world is a simulated universe.’ The only difference is that your clones, disguised as you, beco the ruler of the Divine Realm."
"......"
"At first, the clones would act just like you. But as ink spreads across paper, they'd eventually beco gods in disguise. The Mastermind could then impersonate your clones, much like how Outer Gods operate."
In other words, it was an inherently flawed strategy. Even I understood that Strategy B was rely a stopgap. But was there truly a cleaner solution?
"I also considered traveling across simulated universes to gather information on all Anomalies..."
"No good. The mont you use simulated universes, you place yourself under the Mastermind's authority. Be cautious. Your goal is to live in the one and only real world."
"Hmm." I furrowed my brow. "Infinite Void, the way you're speaking now... it almost sounds as if you're suggesting that the real solution is to uproot both the Mastermind and the Divine Realm itself."
"Exactly!"
"That's impossible..."
It wasn't feasible to eradicate Outer Gods. Looking back on my journey thus far made that abundantly clear.
Infinite Void, sealed within Cheon Yo-hwa's body. The Night Goddess Nut, frozen eternally by the Saintess using Ti Stop. The Admin of the Infinite taga sealed within Oh Dok-seo's story.
Not once had an Outer God ever been completely annihilated. And the reason was simple.
"You aren't living creatures..."
They were collections of concepts, conceptual viruses. They were corrupted, distorted intelligences—phenona. As such, they lacked what one could strictly call "life" and, consequently, the concept of "death."
"...so how would we eliminate you?" I concluded.
"......"
sdsc.gg/reapercomics
Wind blew through the classroom window, causing the white curtains fluttered in the midday breeze. Infinite Void closed its eyes as if savoring the contours of the wind.
That distinctly human gesture left montarily frozen.
Suddenly, they asked, "Isn't it strange?"
"What is?"
"Every Outer God has what you've nad a Miko —an Apostle. Well, every Anomaly in an Outer God's domain serves as a kind of Miko. But among them, there's always one individual who stands out the most, whom we call a Miko."
"......"
"So why is it that the Mastermind has no Miko?"
The absence of a Miko. I'd considered that question before myself.
"Isn't Mo Gwang-seo, the False Christ, essentially the Mastermind's terminal? That cult leader was the first to inform of 'paving the way.’"
"Perhaps. But my instinct tells things aren’t quite that straightforward."
"Your instinct?"
"You could call it the intuition of an Outer God. sunbae, I believe the Mastermind has been choosing a different Miko for each cycle."
I frowned at its suggestion. "Are you saying that my comrades who fell victim to Mastermind Syndro were actually the Mikos?"
"Probably."
The breeze from the window stilled. Only then did Infinite Void open its eyes.
"A Miko is ultimately a pathway or terminal for an Outer God to interfere with reality. They are the Outer God's closest proxy."
Thus, a Miko was simultaneously the Outer God's sword that cleaved the world and the spear that pierced the Outer God itself. The mont a Miko defined themselves, that identity beca both the source of their Anomaly's power and its weakness.
"It's a fascinating move. The Mastermind doesn't designate its Miko as Seo Gyu or Dang Seo-rin—specific individuals' nas serving as coordinates. Instead, it defines its Miko as the 'last surviving human.' In so ways, that's a stronger anchor than a na, because it guarantees their ergence."
Infinite Void added with a smirk, "It's clever, don't you think? Fitting for their identity. After all, both the Savior and the False Savior appear at the very end of the world."[2]
"I see."
That explained it. Sotis it was Seo Gyu. Other tis it was Dang Seo-rin. At others, it was Yu Ji-won. The Mastermind's Miko had always appeared and delivered the sa declaration to : “This is all going according to my plan.” And now―
"But, sunbae." Infinite Void's crimson gaze softened, oddly gentle. "In this cycle, who do you think is the Miko of the Mastermind?"
My eyes widened in shock.
Startled, I leaped out of my chair and slamd my hands on the desk. The chair skidded backward with a loud screech.
"No way! Are you saying you're the Miko?"
"Correct." Infinite Void gazed up at . "Isn't it obvious? I'm the one who survived alongside you until the very end of the world. And it was who the Mastermind sought to descend upon at the last mont."
"No, but... can an Outer God beco the Miko of another Outer God?"
"Surprising, isn't it?" A sly grin spread across Infinite Void's face. "Call it a kind of bug. You sealed in human form, and I adapted to that humanity so thoroughly that even the Mastermind mistook for one."
"......"
"That's how I was able to open the pathway freely. For a Miko to enter their shrine is only natural, after all."
The revelation left stunned, yet in hindsight, the clues had been there all along.
"Even though we invaded the Mastermind's domain, it didn't actively try to destroy us... I assud it was because you overpowered it."
"Well, that's part of it. But mainly, it's because I'm treated as the Mastermind's Miko. Think about it—what god would kill their most devout priest with their own hands?"
"Does that an the reason you could manipulate this space so freely was―"
"Exactly. Because I held the authority to do so."
A chill ran down my spine.
'Ah. So that's how it was!'
The nape of my neck prickled with unease.
I swallowed hard before forcing the words out. "That's why Infinite taga proposed an alliance the mont it saw you."
Infinite Void's silent smile confird it.
Yes. Back then, Infinite taga had proposed a brazen alliance right in front of .
The two Outer Gods exchanged these words:
[AOIM – Even in this sealed form, it is the first ti I have encountered an Outer God so directly. Infinite Void. I propose an alliance.]
"Huh? ?"
[AOIM – Correct. We are entities sealed and altered by the tyrant known as the Undertaker. If we collaborate, based on mutual understanding, we may regain our forr authority.]
Why had Infinite taga proposed an alliance under my watchful eye? Out of idiocy? Arrogance? Or as a joke?
No. The answer was simple.
It did so because it was confident it could defeat .
Had Infinite Void accepted its hand, they could have crushed the Regressor, no matter who was watching.
"Infinite taga must have..."
I chose my next words carefully.
I had to. Because if my hypothesis was correct, the being before was both Infinite Void and simultaneously the Mastermind.
"...imdiately realized that you could partially wield the Mastermind's powers. That's why it suggested betraying ."
"Correct."
Infinite Void confird it without hesitation. The chill at the base of my neck intensified.
"But you rejected the alliance. To Infinite taga, that must have been bewildering. Why hesitate when it was a golden opportunity to escape the Regressor's grasp?"
"Indeed. It did wonder that."
"So, when you tried to lure into the normal ending, Infinite taga must have thought, 'Ah, this is it.' It believed you had been waiting for the decisive mont to tempt ."
"Pfft. Isn't that hilarious?" Infinite Void covered its mouth, snickering. "Acting all self-assured, it unleashed its full power at the most critical juncture, shouting, 'Now's the ti!' What a miscalculation. A true embarrassnt. That Miko and its Outer God were a perfect pair, weren't they?"
"......"
"Well, if you had chosen the normal ending, I would've gone along with it, just as it hoped."
After its laughter subsided, the atmosphere in the empty classroom shifted.
Infinite Void sighed, then gazed at .
"It's amusing, isn't it? You humans always call an Outer God, and yet the Outer Gods mistake for a human being."
Footnotes:
[1] The Maginot Line was an impenetrable fortification built by France along its border with Germany during World War II. Although expensive, it was incredibly effective in deterring invasions. However, other countries adjacent to France protested the wall being built on their own borders, which was eventually used by the Germans to invade. As a result, ntion of the wall eventually beca a taphor for expensive efforts that offer a false sense of security.
[2] Another reference to Revelations from the Bible.
Reviews
All reviews (0)