Prologue

Bodies fell to the ground one after the other.

The order of this world, once like a perfectly balanced scale, had crumbled in an instant. With that, the fleeting peace was shattered and replaced by a hellish landscape, mocking what once was. Not even the strongest warriors of the era—the last bastion of hope for humanity—could thwart this disaster’s ominous march.

A furious blizzard was whipped up to paint the world white, only to be melted away by an all-devouring flame.

A powerful breath was unleashed to topple even mountains, only to be swatted away as if it were no more than a passing breeze.

A mighty swing of the swordmaster’s blade was determined to cut through the world itself, only to be stopped by two fingers.

How could this have all been the work of just a single person? Alas, one young man alone had ravaged their world to no end, as if even humanity’s united front was no threat to him.

“The end is nigh.”

In one fell swoop, the white witch fell to the ground, the giant dragon sank to the sea, and the black knight was flung into the distance.

“Yours...as well as this world’s.”

Golden light pierced the earth, shaking the continent to its core. The dome-shaped blast kept expanding until it eventually swallowed the entire country—or rather, the battlefield the country had been reduced to—leaving not even a speck of dust in its wake.

Finally, after the light subsided, two figures remained within the flattened world.

The first, a young man in mystical armor who had borne the brunt of the attack, collapsed lifelessly to the ground. The second, a young man with lucent silver hair, coldly gazed as the other fell. Only a single fleeting emotion could be found in the second man’s eyes: a glint of respect.

“I must say, I quite enjoyed this little sideshow, brave warriors,” the silver-haired young man said with a small curve of his lips. He slowly turned around—healing a single cut on his cheek as he did—then swept his gaze across the surrounding area.

Rows of mountains were blanketed in clashing flames and frost.

“As the Continent’s Strongest, you were the only hindrance to my grand ambition—humanity’s last hope, if you will. Alas, you have all fallen by my hand. Surely even simpletons can realize that all that awaits them now is despair.”

An enormous crater stood where a small nation once prospered.

“Faced with despair, the measly masses predictably cling to the gods. Such delusional fools have no place in the world I shall create. My ideal world cannot be molded if rabble unable to stand on their own two feet continue to exist. Hence, I shall now begin the selection...”

Space was rent asunder, gravity fluctuated erratically, and crevices crawled over the scorched earth. Battle scars littered the land as a gruesome testament to the chaos that had taken place.

Now, standing alone in this devastated world, the young man quietly muttered under his breath, “But it seems you too have come to stand in my way...Roland.”

Before the name fully left the young man’s lips, an arrow of light had already appeared behind him, like a hunter closing in on its prey. Its speed defied the bounds of human logic—

“Pathetic.”

—but so did the young man’s. In the blink of an eye, a wall of fire and lightning manifested behind the young man in sublime golden splendor and collided with the arrow of light. The ensuing explosion not only mowed down the surroundings, but also caused the young man’s hair and clothes to flutter wildly.

“You made me use both magic and divine power. I hope you are well aware of how much of a nuisance you truly are... Hmm, Roland?”

The young man slowly turned around, revealing a faint smile as he locked eyes with a black-haired boy. For a split second, the young man’s lips twitched as if to curl upward—but not a moment later, all the emotion vanished from his face.

“That bizarre, outlandish energy encasing you... It appears you’ve reached new heights.” The young man studied the boy with narrowed eyes until he finally gave a nod. “I see now... Yes, I finally understand,” he said, a hint of ire in his voice. “It seems I cannot permit you to live.”

The air trembled around him, like a manifestation of his growing fury.

“I despise your principles, but your abilities are worthy of praise. Hence, I had considered sparing your life...but I’ve changed my mind. I shall erase you here and now.”

“There you go again, monologuing and deciding things all on your own,” the boy said mockingly. “You’re chattier than you look, yet you’re never up for an actual conversation.”

“Unfortunately, I have nothing to say to the likes of you.”

“Oh yeah?”

For the briefest of moments, their gazes clashed in the air.

“I shall eliminate you and put an end to this world,” declared the young man.

“As long as that ‘world’ includes all of our everyday lives, you’ll have to get through me first,” replied the boy.

Thus began a battle where the fate of this world hung in the balance.

The black-haired boy whipped out a kick, only to be met with the silver-haired young man’s parry. The young man swung his hand like a blade, which was in turn deflected by the boy. Sometimes they dashed across the earth, other times they leaped to the skies. Their battle was so intense, so ferocious, that none would dare to cut in. Regardless, any who could have matched their prowess had long been incapacitated.

“Persistent lad...”

One sought to end the world. The other sought to protect it.

The clashing of these two opposing forces sent a shock wave of ruin over their surroundings.

“Time to end this.” The boy stomped the ground, making the very earth cry out and tremble.

His aim was to disrupt the young man’s footing and to throw him off-balance, but alas, it was for naught. The earth might tremble and the world might cry, but the young man remained unmoved. Disdain marred his features, as if he could see through all of the boy’s little tricks.

“Hmph... Impatient, are we?”

The young man’s mockery was punctuated by a crash of lightning. A furious flash enveloped both figures and split the very earth beneath them, but it seemed only the boy was scathed. He staggered briefly, glaring at the young man through gritted teeth.

“So you endured. But, no matter.”

The thunderous roar was merely the signal that their battle had only just begun. In succession, the young man slammed his knee into the boy’s abdomen, briefly lifted him into the air, and as he reached for the boy’s face—he was abruptly interrupted by the boy’s fist.

Clicking his tongue, the young man evaded with a mere tilt of his head, but the boy stayed on the offensive and swung his fist as a backhanded blow. The young man defended with his right arm, but the boy instantly flipped his fist around and seized it in a vice grip. Then, in one swift motion, the boy threw his foe to the ground.

“A futile attempt.”

Alas, it mattered not to the young man; the boy’s attacks dealt no damage. With a swing of his leg, he launched the boy into the air and rose to his feet. With a cold gaze, he muttered, “This farce has become a bore. Now, die.”

Fire, water, lightning, air, and earth—the young man unleashed magical attacks of five different attributes on the boy. The consequent blast alone was enough to reduce the distant mountains to dust, and to rapidly warp the weather. A deadly force capable of wiping out an entire nation rained down on the lone boy. Despair loomed and death was imminent—

“You finally let your guard down.”

—but this was the opening the boy had been waiting for all along. A black weapon manifested in his hand, from which he summoned a torrent of light arrows. They tore through the barrage of magic and rushed toward the young man like a stampede.

“Interesting...” Though he witnessed the boy tear down his attack, the young man wore a ferocious smile and roared out, “Show me more, boy!” His magical energy howled alongside him, bursting forth like a raging storm. Even as the arrows of light pierced his body and wounded his flesh, he simply continued his charge forward with an exhilarated grin.

In contrast, the boy was even-keeled as he wielded every skill he had up his sleeves.

These two powerhouses clashed. Their battle knew no limits, for they excelled in combat of every type and scenario. They wrung out every last drop they had and put everything on the line to ensure their foe fell once and for all.

Ultimately, at the intense battle’s climax—

“Checkmate, Roland.”

—the scales of victory shone with a silver luster.

Silence reigned. The world stilled.

Finally, the young man grasped the boy’s neck and...

§

What is happiness?

If asked this question, a single answer would come to mind: “To live in peace and quiet. To indulge in indolence by lazing around and watching anime.” Or more simply put: “My current lifestyle.”

This couch is so cozy. I just want to sink into it and never, ever get up... Now this is true happiness.

The price I’d paid for this couch resurfaced in my mind, bringing a cynical smile to my face. For a second, I foresaw a future of living off of roadside weeds, but I banished the thought. Surely, I still had enough to buy some bread crust, at the very least. No, scratch that—I might even be able to afford chicken breast as long as it’s half off!

With half a mind already calculating future expenses, I fixed my gaze on the TV before me—or, more accurately, on the anime I was currently watching.

[How laughable. Most humans are mere unsightly fools. That ilk clings to vestiges of the gods and knows naught but to indulge in indolence. Such riffraff are unnecessary in this world... Stagnation breeds misfortune, but under my rule, that shall never be so. Should my words fail to reach them, then they are no more than mindless droves.]

For a second there, it seemed like the anime character just condemned my definition of happiness, but I went ahead and banished that thought as well. You see, I was quite familiar with this character. So, I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that he would have praised my life of indolence to the high skies. Why, if only I could stand right behind him, arms crossed, and nodding along to each word he said. So no, he was not condemning my definition of happiness, thank you very much.

[Now, you have fallen by my hand. At last, this world shall truly meet its end.]

After a ferocious battle, the silver-haired young man viciously grabbed the black-haired boy by the neck.

At last, part one’s climax... I only decided to do a rewatch since part three is halfway done, but I knew it—this part is still my favorite.

The three-part anime currently playing on my TV was Ragnarök: Twilight of the Gods. Its plot was pretty straightforward: Faced with a prophecy foreseeing the end of the world, the protagonist set out with his companions to stop it from coming to pass. At the beginning, the root cause of the prophesied end was unknown, so they ventured out to search for probable suspects while sending criminals packing along the way.

In particular, part one’s primary focus was the protagonist’s conflict with the criminal organization known as Regr. This organization’s goal was to collect all the “divine power” scattered across the land, and they didn’t so much as hesitate to destroy entire countries for that cause. Some of the continent’s top forces comprised Regr: the best assassin, the strongest mercenary, and the former apprentice of the greatest witch. And that was without mentioning the others who could single-handedly eradicate small nations. Long story short, they were an insanely overpowered group—perhaps even powerful enough to, say, bring about the end of the world. Naturally, the protagonist identified them as a threat and chose to butt heads with them.

Now, this whole organization was actually led by a single person: the final boss of part one and the young man currently wreaking havoc on my TV screen—Zil. Though Zil was human, he had not only transcended human limits, but he also possessed talent beyond compare. Don’t let his youthful appearance fool you—he was actually well over a hundred years old. Clearly no ordinary human, right? Oh, and his personality? Just what you’d expect of a final boss: haughty, arrogant, and imposing. He believed without a shadow of doubt that he was the strongest person alive. His ultimate goal was to rule over the world. And, like any good villain, he disposed of everything he no longer had a use for along the way.

“Gods? The world has no need for rulers who exist solely in make-believe—they only make the people weak. I shall purge these worthless ideals and become the true ruler.”

Zil’s immense power was unlike any other, and he was proactive to boot. His first order of business was to take over his home country. He carried this out by eliminating the nation’s upper echelon from the shadows, killing the king with his own hands, and then proceeding to rule under the guise of said king. From there, he slowly but surely implemented various reforms, each carefully pushed out at generational turning points. Restructuring the educational system, improving the law, steering changes in the citizens’ values, organizing personnel—Zil did anything and everything he needed to build his ideal nation.

Decades passed before Zil finally dropped his disguise and officially took over as the new ruler, but even then he never actually revealed his face to the masses. Never one to place his trust in others, Zil went on to manage the nation for over two hundred years all by himself. That being said, he probably had people to carry out the menial tasks. You know, stuff like cleaning the castle, constructing towns, relaying orders—the works.

Come to think of it, the story didn’t really go into detail about Zil’s country or his reforms. Still, the mere fact that he was able to manage an entire country by himself proved without a doubt that he was a capable ruler. Though to him, it was probably little more than some experiment. After all, how could he shape the world into his ideal if he couldn’t even do it to a single country?

Anyway, once things were smooth sailing in his country, Zil’s next order of business was to launch an investigation into the continent’s past—and it was that inciting incident that led to him discovering the existence of “divine power,” a form of immense energy scattered all over the world. After Zil came across a cluster of divine power in his own country and subsequently absorbed it, he realized that gods had once existed in this world. However, that revelation’s importance to him paled in comparison to the power itself—or, to be specific, its usefulness in his quest to rule the world.

“Yes... This can indeed prove quite useful.”

Thus, Zil set his sights on gathering more of this newfound ancient power. From criminals and vagabonds, to assassins and mercenaries, Zil recruited many capable hands—or forced them into submission—and granted them a portion of his divine power. Then, he dispatched them across the land to gather the rest for him.

These strengthened subordinates were Regr, the main villains of part one who repeatedly clashed with the protagonist’s party. In this way, each step of the protagonist’s journey threw wedge after wedge into Zil’s plans. Growing irate, Zil finally decided to take matters into his own hands, leading to the climax currently playing out on my TV screen.

Man, Zil was seriously so strong at this point...

He wasn’t the final boss for nothing. Frankly, Zil was on an entirely different level. He possessed immeasurable talent, wielded divine power, and had even received a unique ability at birth. At the time of airing, fans had often asked, “Who needs other villains when Zil’s right there?”

Roland—the protagonist of the anime—couldn’t even beat him in the end.

Zil was an absolute monster—a paragon of every talent known to humankind. He eliminated every last one of the protagonist’s allies and wiped entire nations off the map. The protagonist went through an awakening, but still he fell short of besting him. While in the presence of Zil, all was hopeless.

[The Continent’s Strongest have fallen, and you—the bane of my plans—shall finally meet your end. You showed greater promise than the mindless masses...but I simply cannot let you live a moment longer. Die, wanderer. Here and now.]

I gazed at the TV screen, watching as Zil had grabbed the protagonist by his neck and announced his impending death. His figure exuded power and confidence—he was the very embodiment of a final boss.

And yet...

His disappointing end—his relegation to mere fodder—had already been set in stone long ago. From the moment Zil undid the seal to the first cluster of divine power and absorbed it into his body, the world had begun to undergo a change—a transfiguration—that sent him down this cruel, inevitable path.

You see, it was a sly trap set by the gods over a millennia ago, and Zil had ended up dancing brilliantly in the palm of their hand. Before the gods, even a superhuman was no more than a pitiable clown.

But to Zil at the time, that monstrosity had truly appeared out of nowhere.

Here it is... The ending sequence of part one.

§

“What is that...?”

The young man’s eyes grew wide at the sudden appearance of that thing. The boy, still seized by the neck, shared a similar reaction. Both of their gazes were drawn to it, freezing them in place.

The young man quivered as a bead of sweat trailed down his temple.

Suddenly, shock washed over his features.

“What...is this sensation? Fear...?” The young man’s tongue curled incredulously around the word, as if the mere notion was unthinkable. Instantly, the unfamiliar emotion was expelled as a surge of rage took its place. “I will deal with you later,” he hissed, throwing the boy aside.

The young man kicked the ground and leaped into the air. Magical energy and divine power surged through his body, culminating in an immense force with enough power to bring about the eradication of all of humanity.

“This abomination dares to—!”

Then, out of nowhere, the young man’s body erupted into a fountain of blood. His charge screeched to a halt, and he crumpled to the ground.

“Gack...!”

In mere moments, that thing devoured the young man.

Grotesque sounds filled the air: the crushing of bones, the tearing of flesh, the splattering of blood all over the ground—yet not a single scream could be heard.

A bizarre silence enveloped the devastated scenery...

§

I-I can’t watch... I almost want to pretend this horrid death never happened.

My expression scrunched up as the ending theme started playing on my TV. This was how part one came to a close, marking the beginning of part two—or as the fans knew it, the onset of power creep.

Sic transit gloria mundi, I thought in grief. Part two onward saw the emergence of factions like the Church and the Underwater City. On one hand, it expanded the world-building. On the other, it exacerbated the power creep. Zil had been untouchable all throughout part one, but starting from part two, the world became a literal hell on earth filled with characters just as if not stronger than him.

Fans were faced with the crushing revelation that Zil wasn’t as special as he’d seemed. Some tried to cling to hope by saying, “Well, uh, Zil still had his unique ability...right?” Alas, reality was cruel. Later on, it was revealed that every god possessed that same ability by default. And, as if that weren’t enough, it turned out that Zil only had that ability in the first place because the gods had planted it in him. Everything that made Zil special had gone up in smoke. You could have stuck a fork in all the Zil fans back then because they were absolutely done.

And I was one of them, I lamented with a sigh as the post-credits scene began to play. Come to think of it, this is where the last episode... Huh? I feel like my consciousness is...slipping...

Chapter 1: I Nodded Off, Then Became Fodder

I was currently seated on a very comfortable chair—no, it was not my tragically expensive couch. I was currently wearing some very comfortable clothes—no, they were not my well-worn pajamas. I was currently in the presence of a floating cup of tea—no, it was clearly not my favorite carbonated drink.

Q. What is wrong with this situation?

A. Everything.

“What in the world...?”

This was weird... This was very, very weird. I should have been in my room rewatching part one of an anime I was following to refresh my memory since part three was finishing up. I should have also been sitting on an incredibly cozy yet tragically expensive couch while enjoying a can of soda. In fact, I even remembered having put on my pajamas on the off chance I ended up nodding off at some point.

Well, lo and behold, I had in fact nodded off...and now, I had just woken up. Nothing weird there—happens to the best of us. A very normal, everyday occurrence.

So...what exactly am I looking at right now?

First things first—this place was a hundred percent not my room. Not a familiar sight in the slightest. My first thought was that maybe I’d been kidnapped, but in what world would kidnappers plop their target into a fancy room without any restraints?

“Calm down, me... Hydrate first, think later,” I mumbled while reaching out for the cup of tea beside me. I was hoping a quick sip would calm my nerves...but my hand immediately froze mid-reach.

Hang on a second. How is this cup floating?

I glared daggers at the mysterious floating beverage. It didn’t seem like there were any tricks at play—no wires, no invisible platform, no nothing. The cup was just floating there...menacingly.

Wait, wait, wait. What the heck? What’s going on?!

Panicking, I swept my gaze across the room. There was row after row of bookshelves jam-packed with books, none of which were my favorite manga or light novels. I seemed to be smack-dab in a regal, imposing study; my prized otaku collection was nowhere to be found.

Also, what language is that? It was neither Japanese nor English. From what I could tell, those probably weren’t Greek letters either... I’d never seen that language before. And yet...

“I can...read it?”

I blinked. Yep, I was definitely reading it. My mind processed all the unfamiliar characters without a hitch.

Well, at least the words are making sense—because nothing else is!

Assaulted by a sudden wave of unease, I reached up to scratch my head, but the sight of my bangs caused me to pause. Just to be clear, I was Japanese with ordinary black hair...yet the bangs in my periphery were now a lustrous silver color.

Oh, for the love of... Sure, just add another anomaly to the list, why don’t you? How in the world does someone wake up with a completely different hair color anyway? Have I...gone gray? After a nap? Rapid aging—is that it?!

Contrary to my chaotic thoughts, I was utterly speechless on the outside. For starters, I definitely wanted to have a look in a mirror—and the moment that thought formed in my mind, I found myself snapping my fingers.

A mirror appeared out of thin air.

You know what? I’m not even gonna question it anymore.

Look, after the floating cup, a mirror appearing at the snap of a finger had to be within the realm of possibility, right? It made perfect sense to me, so I dropped the thought entirely and directed my attention forward.

What I saw in the mirror made me freeze in shock.

Staring back at me was not my own face. It was the face of Zil, the final boss of part one from that anime I liked.

“Huh...?”

How could this be? A mirror should show my own reflection, but this wasn’t me. I tried tilting the mirror, turning my face, testing out all sorts of angles, but no dice—it was all Zil and no me.

Silver hair that glistened with a sublime luster and eyes a striking shade between purple and blue—all in all, Zil was a frighteningly handsome man. Sure, he looked as cold as ice with his unbreakable poker face, but that only enhanced the divine air he naturally exuded.

Basically, what I was getting at was that Zil was a stud. A hunk, a looker, a lady-killer—you name it. Unfortunately, my face wasn’t so out of this world. I had already thought so while watching the anime, but Zil’s looks were really the stuff of dreams... No doubt about it, this face would definitely be popular with the ladies.

All right, that’s enough. I mentally smacked myself over the head to keep my mind from continuing further down that weird tangent. Now wasn’t the time to think about how popular I’d be with these looks, or whether I should conduct a social experiment to see just how much stuff someone handsome could get away with, or how feasible it would be now to re-create a dating sim in real life. Banish all that nonsense, brain!

The real question was this: How did I end up here?

I nodded off, then woke up as an anime character—not exactly your everyday turn of events, was it? Naturally, I wanted to uncover the cause...

But how the hell would I know?!

All of this happened out of the blue. What was there to even deduce? I could rack my brain all I wanted, the answer wasn’t going to just pop into my head. I doubted there was anyone in the world who, when suddenly transformed into a 2D character, would think, “Ah, yes, I know exactly why this happened!” No amount of thinking would produce a definite answer. That left one conclusion: Dwelling any further on the cause was a pure waste of time.

So instead, my mind wandered to thoughts of Zil himself—the anime character whose appearance I now donned.

Zil, Zil, Zil...

If I were to define Zil in a single word, it would be “fodder.” As the final boss of Ragnarök: Twilight of the Gods part one, Zil was a man of unparalleled strength. He took on powerhouses like the world’s strongest mage and Humanity’s Strongest at the same time, yet defeated them with energy and poise to spare. Zil reigned supreme all throughout part one, but his end was tragically anticlimactic: He was killed in an instant by the final boss of part two. Basically, he was used as a stepping stone to flaunt the next villain’s might. From then on, the fans only knew him as “fodder.”

He was sacrificed for the power creep, a common phenomenon in long-running anime... I should’ve seen it coming, but that was still so cruel.

To put Zil’s personality in simple terms, he was both proud and arrogant. But he was more than that. He was also the head of a criminal organization, the king of a country, and a superhuman with monstrous talent in every imaginable facet. All that made him the perfect character to kill off in order to prop up the next big baddie. On internet forums, Zil had even been nicknamed the “world’s strongest fodder.”

What a way to go for the final boss of part one...

Well, at present, I had become that fodder of a character. What a ridiculous thing to say, but sadly there was no other way to put it. After all, Zil was staring right back at me in the mirror.

Seriously, how did this happen? Let me think this through once more... Maybe watching TV wasn’t the last thing I was doing. Yeah, maybe—just maybe—somebody was up to no good and plotted to get me hit by a truck!

I took a deep breath. Think—what was I last doing before waking up here? That could be the clue I need to make sense of this situation. I dove deeper, and deeper, and deeper into my memories, until finally...

“Nope, I got nothing,” I concluded plainly. “I was watching Ragnarök: Twilight of the Gods, then fell asleep. And that was that.”

Watching that anime was genuinely the last thing I remembered. So, I was still no closer to figuring out what could have brought me here. Ugh, at least if I got hit by a truck this would all make sense... Or would it...?

Anyway... “That Time I Got Reincarnated as the Final Boss,” huh? Would that work as a title? A dry chuckle spilled from my lips—

Yeah right! I’m not laughing, damn it!

In a fit of frustration, I smashed my fist against a bookshelf.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the room. The resulting shock wave washed over the surrounding area, blasting books into scraps and sending rubble ricocheting everywhere.

Huh...?

With creaky movements, I turned my head to my outstretched fist, only to find a wide and gaping hole in the wall—it looked like a truck had crashed right into it. Oh, the bookshelf? There was absolutely no trace of it left.

I couldn’t help but be in wordless disbelief as I stared at the destruction. W-Wait, I swear I didn’t mean to... P-Please don’t sue me for damages...

Alas, beg as I might, what’s done was done—this room was already beyond repair. My punch must have been too much for the bookshelf alone as the rest of the force hurled through the wall behind it. Hang on, I think I see another hole in the wall across the hallway. Did I shoot a laser beam out of my fist or something?

An awkward silence filled the miserable room. I sat stock-still as I visibly cringed at the mess I had created. Let me make this clear: I was an ordinary person, and this power was clearly not mine. I hadn’t even punched that hard... How did I cause this much damage?

Gosh. With these fists of steel, I could try and become a world champ in boxing... And what, end up in jail for murder?! I gave myself another mental smack over the head before the shock could steer my mind toward yet another weird tangent.

Suddenly, I had an epiphany.

Wait, I get it now—this is a dream! Of course! I must be dreaming, no doubt about it!

The absurdity of this situation finally snapped me back to my senses. I mean, really, becoming an anime character out of nowhere? How was that even possible? And it certainly would explain smashing through what looked to be a concrete wall with a single punch.

Hah... I was being stupid. What’s the point of stressing out? This is all just some crazy dream. Actually, how in the world did I not put this together from the get-go? Silly me.

“Hmph...”

With that, my next order of business was obvious—I proceeded to punch myself as hard as I could.

The study was reduced to rubble.

The moment my fist made contact with my face, a shock wave had engulfed the room and leveled the entire study. Actually, it wasn’t just the study. The other rooms—well, I assumed they were rooms—were also no more than indistinguishable piles of debris now.

The only saving grace was that I hadn’t managed to bring the entire building down. I could just barely make out an untouched wall in the distance. Still, that didn’t change the fact that I’d just created a very sad, desolate sight with my very own hands.

“Oh, I recognize that wall... Could this be Zil’s castle, the same one where he made his first appearance in the anime? Wow, it’s like visiting a real-life anime location... Ha ha ha...”

My dry laughter didn’t last long. The next thing I knew, I was cradling my head in dismay.

The slight sting on my cheek told me that this was indeed reality. And yes, I said that right—it was a slight sting. The very punch that was responsible for all of this destruction had been like no more than a prick to me. I was even starting to wonder if the pain was all in my head. What kind of monstrous body is this? I didn’t even get a nosebleed...

I shook my head. No, forget it. Right now, the last thing I care about is how this body works. What I need to know is why I’ve become Zil.

Had I taken over his body? Had only my soul transferred to another world like in one of those isekai works? Was this the beginning of a new web novel? Another possibility was that I’d been reincarnated as Zil and only now awakened to the memories of my past life. There were as many isekai tropes as there were stars in the sky, so it was nigh impossible for me to narrow it down to just one.

In the case that I’d reincarnated as Zil and belatedly awakened to my past memories, that would mean I’d died in my sleep that day I was watching TV. Falling asleep, never to wake again... The thought alone scared me so far out of my wits that I almost didn’t want to ever fall asleep again for the rest of my life.

“Ugh. What am I even doing wrecking my home base?” I breathed a forlorn sigh as I gazed at what was now a sorry excuse for a castle. In isekai works, it was vital to have a base of operations, and here I was thrashing mine with my own hands. I’m such an idiot... How am I even gonna clean up this mess?

No sooner had that thought come to mind than I found myself chanting a spell that popped into my head. Suddenly, the mountain of rubble began to move like it was a video on rewind, leisurely floating back to where it’d been blasted from. In no time at all, the study returned to its earlier state as if nothing had ever happened.

“Restoration...? What a useful ability.”

The logic behind it was lost on me. Did time rewind? Did space itself revert to a past state? Or did it re-create the room based on my memories? Regardless of the mechanism behind it, this ability was very handy. Naturally, it came at a cost as I felt it consuming some power within me, most likely magical energy. I could imagine it was a rather costly spell, but the amount seemed negligible to this superhuman body.

“To think a guy with such amazing abilities was reduced to mere fodder. What a pitiful...character...?” I trailed off, freezing in place as a sudden realization dawned on me.

Am I...going to die?

I broke out into a cold sweat. Zil was fodder, and I was now Zil. Therefore, I was now fodder...right? Since Zil met a swift end at the hands of part two’s final boss—the Evil God—then was that not the very fate awaiting me now?

Silence reigned over the pristine study.

Seated in my chair, I turned to the ceiling with but one thought on my mind: Somebody save me.

But the moment that thought took form, I scoffed. “Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.”

What good would it do to act like a damsel in distress? Crying about it was pointless; nobody was going to swoop in to save me. Zil was a handsome man, not some cute little girl; a king, not some princess in a tower; a charismatic villain, not some tragic heroine.

Things might’ve been different had I been reincarnated as a female lead. But now that I was the final boss, I could only have trust in me, myself, and I. What kind of villain asked for salvation? If the demon lord were on his knees begging for mercy, would the hero spare him? No, he’d just lop his head right off.

Fine then... Fortunately for me, Zil’s transcendent talent already has the seal of approval from the anime’s screenwriter. So, how shall I best make use of this?

As I stared at the ceiling, various thoughts formed and converged in my mind—the final bosses of parts two and three, the forces and factions that emerged after part one, and the power creep that made them all so absurdly strong.

My eyes blazed with a fiery resolve.

“I’ll show all of you what this final boss is made of.”

Chapter 2: Commotion at the Restaurant

The establishment fell deathly silent the moment I stepped inside.

Is somebody ’bout to pick a fight with me ’cause I’m new ’round these parts? I wondered briefly before quickly scrapping the thought. Clearly, I was the bully here. Everyone else just stared at me, their faces all pale, their legs all trembling.

I wordlessly took a seat, causing the staff to flinch.

A moment later, a frightened server approached me. She looked like one of those village girls who’d been offered up as a sacrifice to an evil dragon. Her blatant fear left a bad taste in my mouth, but I kept my discomfort under wraps and curtly pointed at one item on the menu.

“Bring me this,” I demanded.

“R-Right away, sir! (So please don’t kill us!)”

I watched her scurry back to the kitchen. Without missing a beat, several others came to fill her spot.

“We are at your service, sir! (So please don’t kill us!)”

“Would you like our finest wine? O-On the house, of course! (So please don’t kill us!)”

“We’ve prepared some entertainment for you! (So please don’t kill us!)”

How strange. Was I hearing things? They weren’t saying it outright, but I could’ve sworn I could hear them beg for their lives...

Resisting the urge to shut my eyes in dismay, I wondered to myself: How did this happen?

To find the answer, I would have to go back a bit in time—to the events that led me to take up Zil’s mantle.

§

“I’ll show all of you what this final boss is made of.”

Zil might have been a casualty of power creep, but he was still part one’s final boss. Even the protagonist never beat him. If I just played my cards right, then I still had a winning chance against the final bosses of parts two and three. All I had to do was defeat them and come out on top...

Yeah, right. Easier said than done.

Might I introduce you to “power creep”? It was a prevalent phenomenon—a rule, practically—in combat-heavy series that dictated that the later in the story an enemy appeared, the stronger they likely were. Ragnarök: Twilight of the Gods was no exception. There was a notable power difference between the characters introduced in parts one and two.

Regardless, Zil is strong. He wasn’t a final boss for nothing. It’s just...

My attempts at self-encouragement fell flat. Having watched the anime, I knew that this situation was no different from being thrust into a video game on hard mode. Zil was unparalleled among humans, but the gods were simply on another level. Ranking highly consistently on those power scaling discussion threads—even up until recently—didn’t mean squat when he couldn’t lay a finger on the entities that ranked even higher than him.

The more I thought about it, the more hopeless I felt. I almost wanted to run away from it all. But what good would that do?

No, wait—maybe I’m onto something. Let’s think this through: What would happen if I ran away?

I had to calm down, think, and visualize all the possibilities. Panicking would be my true game over. The situation was near hopeless and my extraordinary abilities as a final boss meant little if I was power-crept by everything else around me...but that wasn’t cause for panic just yet. If anything, now was the time to maintain my composure. Panic would just constrict my view and obscure my mind from potential paths to survival.

I closed my eyes and sank into my thoughts.

Zil’s cause of death was the Evil God... Okay, no need to panic. After all, what did it matter if I couldn’t overpower that thing? I wouldn’t have to fight it if I kept it from appearing in the first place. As long as I changed part one’s ending, then I should be able to survive... Probably.

Basically, I had to avoid combat as much as possible—a terribly passive approach, considering my whole “I’ll show you what I’m made of” line, but I wasn’t going to put the cart before the horse. My goal was to survive—simple as that.

All right, moving on...

My mind swiftly began to collate all information I could recall regarding Ragnarök: Twilight of the Gods. This was an easy task, given I’d been rewatching it mere moments ago.

For starters, I was currently inside a castle...which meant that Zil was already king. This fact alone immediately crossed out my preferred route to survival that first came to mind: living out my life as an ordinary civilian. After all, there were paths available to commonfolk that weren’t to a final boss.

Ah, well... No use crying over spilled milk. Time to get productive. Frankly, it was a painful blow to have the “ordinary civilian” route off the board, but fret not—there was still much room for recovery.

I continued digging through my memories.

Clearly, Zil had already ticked off “take over the country” from his to-do list. Then, the next significant event in the timeline should be his discovery and absorption of the divine power sleeping within this land. If my memory served me right, this happened a while after state affairs settled down.

The moment Zil absorbed divine power, the world started to undergo a transfiguration—allowing the Evil God to descend upon this land. But how about we try flipping that statement on its head? The world would not change and the Evil God would not appear as long as Zil never absorbed divine power.

Long story short, it all came down to one thing: Had Zil already absorbed divine power?

If he hadn’t, then the transfiguration hadn’t started. So if I were to just keep it that way, then neither the Evil God nor the gods would descend upon this land. And if none of that happened, then Zil wouldn’t die! Bravo!

In my previous world, there existed many fix-it fanfics for Zil, some of which described AUs—alternate universes—in which Zil never absorbed divine power and simply lived his life in peace. My goal now was to re-create those fanfics. It’s time for Zil’s slow life in the countryside! Just you watch—I’m gonna use my modern-day knowledge to become the best farmer in the world!

Nodding smugly in my mind, I directed my consciousness inward...and immediately detected a notable energy pulsating within me.

Well, I’ll be. If that isn’t divine power, then I don’t know what is!

I held my head in dismay. There went my ticket to freedom. Preventing the world’s transfiguration and eliminating the very possibility of the Evil God’s advent was the most clear-cut way I could have lowered Zil’s death flag. But with that plan up in smoke, I doubted there was an easier escape route.

“Damn it...”

At the rate things were going, I was headed straight for my death—as fodder for the Evil God, no less.

No way. Absolutely not! I don’t want to die! Especially if it’s just so the Evil God can show off!

What had I ever done to deserve this? All I did was nod off while watching TV. Why did I now have to face certain and inescapable death? Was this a sign telling me to resign myself to my fate as fodder? To just let myself be used as a tool for the gods, only to be discarded once they were done with me? What was I supposed to say? “Oh well, guess I’ll just die now”? No way. I couldn’t accept this—I wouldn’t!

So... What should I do?

The answer was simple. In fact, it was my only remaining option:

“Looks like I have to break canon.”

Before me was a thorny road. Like I’d said earlier, Zil ranked high in power scaling discussion threads even with part three airing. He wasn’t part one’s final boss for nothing. Besides the gods and their related factions, Zil was undeniably the best of the best.

Alas, the gap between him and those standing at the top was far too great. Zil was the strongest by human standards, but not in the eyes of the gods. Power that took humans immense talent and effort to obtain was simply innate to the gods.

But still...I have to do this.

At its baseline, this body was insanely powerful. And that was without mentioning that Zil possessed the same ability as the gods, even if it was intentionally planted in him. Add his divine power into the equation, and who was to say that he’d be entirely powerless against them?

“Besides, I have knowledge.”

Unfortunately, the anime was still airing so I had no clue about the ending, but that didn’t change the fact that I possessed top-class information about this world. I wasn’t exactly omniscient, since the anime didn’t get down to the nitty-gritty and all. But when it came to certain topics, I could very well know just as much as the gods themselves. Utilizing a meta perspective was also an option available to me.

With Zil’s transcendent abilities and my canon knowledge, I had a nonzero chance at overthrowing the gods. While they were taking their sweet time up in the celestial realm, I would be down here getting my cards in order to send them to their graves.

Incidentally, a theory had been floating around that the reason Zil had been insta-killed by the Evil God was a matter of compatibility due to a certain past event. I’d have to look for an opportunity to confirm that theory myself. If it proved true, my chances of survival would go up significantly.

Whatever the case, I first needed to figure out when in the timeline we currently were. I was particularly interested in the status of Zil’s subordinate organization—Regr. If we were at a point in time after the anime started, then they would have already been dispatched to various nations across the land. If this was before the anime started, I’d like to know how many of them Zil had recruited so far. Either way, I needed to meet them at least once.

But I can’t let them find out about me...

The members of Regr acknowledged Zil’s superior strength, but that didn’t mean they were loyal to him. Near the end of part one, Zil told his subordinates something along the lines of, “Damn, you guys are a buncha small fry. I’m gonna get rid of y’all now, okay?” That really riled them up, so they rebelled against him.

This might be a good time to reiterate that Regr was the main villain of part one. Zil had bestowed upon its members incredibly powerful abilities known as Favors. They became quite the headache for the protagonist and his party. And still, Zil entered the scene by kicking them all to the curb. It went without saying just how big of an impact that had left on viewers...but none of that mattered at the moment.

No, what mattered to me was the very fact that Zil’s subordinates had rebelled against him. This event alone pointed to the fact that Regr was not unconditionally loyal to Zil. Simply put, their obedience didn’t mean betrayal was off the table.

Well, that won’t do at all, I thought begrudgingly. Maybe Zil could swat them away like flies, but me? I didn’t know the first thing when it came to wielding this body’s crazy abilities. Not to mention I only knew what Zil was capable of to the extent that he’d shown on-screen.

Besides, this wasn’t a simple matter of knowing what he could do. Imagine this: You’re playing a video game for the first time, and you’re using the strongest character on the roster. Would you be able to secure victory against a veteran player who knew the ins and outs of the game? I doubt anyone could give a confident answer—unless the answer was a no, of course. Well, this was my current predicament.

The moment the members of Regr discovered that I was a fake—or at the very least, realized that I was actually a weakling—they might just decide to get rid of me for good.

Regr was a group of highly skilled combatants who had been granted fragments of divine power. They were among if not the top of each of their respective fields. For example, the assassin was likely a cut above Zil when it came to assassination. Sure, if we duked it out I would have an advantage thanks to Zil being innately overpowered. But the assassin would still have more experience. How could I assure victory against him and the rest of the group? All in all, I could probably brute force my way through to some extent, but there was no harm in playing it safe and avoiding battle entirely.

My secret had to stay hidden, even if it meant going a little overboard with the intimidation tactics. I had to fake it till I made it all the way to the top of the food chain—to make everyone believe that I was their ruler, their absolute and unbeatable king.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself for what was to come—for the thorny and arduous path that awaited me. And signaling the start of my valiant fight for survival...was an obnoxious growl from my stomach.

My shoulders slumped glumly. “I’m starving...”

It was time to look for some food.

Hunger now gnawing at my stomach, I left the study and walked through the castle halls. Naturally, I was looking for something to eat.

Zil never entrusted state affairs to others, but the general consensus among fans was that he at least had servants to do menial tasks for him...

By principle, Zil didn’t trust others. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that he was just so capable that he consequently demanded much more of his pawns as well. His own excellence birthed his high standards, which further led to the formation of the fearsome organization known as Regr—the source of much dismay among the continent’s people in part one.

Still, high standards or not, there was no way Zil went grocery shopping or whipped up his own meals. I mean, who ever heard of a final boss making a home-cooked meal? Talk about being out of character, huh? Well, maybe if the final boss turned out to be a coy character to subvert expectations... Unfortunately, Zil didn’t really fit into that trope, so I couldn’t imagine him cooking his own food... Wait. Unless he preferred the taste of his own cooking, then perhaps...?

Forget it. My point was that Zil must have at least some servants around to handle the bulk of his domestic chores for him, and I needed to learn their schedules sooner or later if I wanted to avoid any tragic accidents. The thought of them on cleaning duty and stumbling across me doing my business on the toilet was a nightmare I did not want to live through.

That being said, what kind of final boss roamed around his own castle looking for his servants? Imagine I did that now, then later on the protagonist came along. While I tried my hardest to act cool in front of him, he might just shoot me a weird look and mumble, “But that guy got lost in his own house the other day...”

Only one thing to do. Guess I’m eating out.

But here came another problem: Which way led to this castle’s exit? I had been walking and thinking for so long that it had become very clear just how crazy big this place was.

I quietly sighed. The possibility that Zil’s castle was an inescapable labyrinthine dungeon crept into my mind. Overcome by a sudden wave of anxiety, I slowly yet bravely set forth in search of the hypothetical front door.

Good news: While huge, the castle’s layout was simple. So I managed to find my way out. With the labyrinth theory safely debunked, I boldly walked out and made my way through the unnecessarily huge castle grounds.

Absolutely no one spotted around the castle, and the town is a ways away... Guess Zil kept his distance from the masses.

I was willing to bet that not a single soul knew that Zil was the king of this nation. You might be wondering how he managed the state like that... Well, I wish I knew. He probably had his own means of internal governance. Whatever it was, it ran like a well-oiled machine. I’d have to check it out sometime.

But first things first, it’s time to eat.

Just about any restaurant worked for me. I had no idea how currency worked in this world, but I had made sure to bring a decent number of gold coins from the castle. As long as I avoided waltzing right into a high-end establishment, I should be fine.

§

I strolled through the streets while gathering all the gazes around me. I’d found it strange at first, until I remembered that Zil was an absolute looker. Then everything started to click. So, I brushed it off and instead set my sights on finding a suitable place to eat.

This’ll do, I decided as I entered a restaurant without much thought.

The staff were leisurely chatting among themselves—and then fell deathly silent the moment they saw me. Immediately, their faces paled as they hurriedly straightened their postures. They looked like they’d seen a ghost.

Huh? What’s with that reaction?

For starters, there was no chance that they knew Zil’s true identity. Zil ruled this country from the shadows. He might have gone out a few times, but never as the king. Whatever made them react this way, it was not the presence of their ruler.

So, what else could it be? Well, Zil ruled this small nation under a system of absolute monarchy. I’d have to check if there were any wealthy individuals of note—like millionaires or billionaires—but there should be no aristocracy in place. Based on this information and their reactions, I could only hypothesize that these people were simply unaccustomed to seeing or serving rich people.

Eh, whatever, I thought as I breezily took my seat.

The staff all flinched, but one of them bravely stepped forward and took my order.

“R-Right away, sir!” The girl bowed deeply then fled to the kitchen. She had hasty yet silent footsteps. That kind of nimbleness left me both impressed and exasperated.

I rested my chin on the back of my hand and hummed. I’d ordered the simplest dish I could find, but as a conservative guess I figured it would be a thirty-minute wait. Actually, it seemed like I had missed the rush hour—seeing as there was nobody else around—so maybe I was looking at an hour-long wait at worst. That was fine by me; I had a lot on my mind anyway.

But before I could dive back into my thoughts, the restaurant staff approached me one after another and began offering me things left and right—bringing us all the way back to the present.

Seriously, what’s going on?

The employees were approaching me unprompted, yet their faces were painted with fear and their every move screamed desperation. You’d think they were cursed to die the moment they stopped sucking up to me. It was obvious they were giving it their all—but I still had to hold back a wince.

With Zil’s razor-sharp focus, I could simply filter them out and dive into my thoughts anyway, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. As if they weren’t pitiful enough, am I really just going to sit here and ignore them too? I came here to eat, not to torture the poor staff.

But placating them was out of the question if I wanted to keep up my act as Zil. Someday, I would have to reveal myself as the king of this nation. When that time came, I couldn’t have someone running around saying, “But that guy was really nice to me before! He must be a tsundere!” or something like that.

Oh, I know! I should tell them I wasn’t interested and shoo them away! That way, I could get them out of my sight while staying in character, and they could scurry on back to their work. And everybody lived happily ever after. The end! A perfect plan, if I do say so myself.

But I need to be careful with my words... Zil’s dignity is on the line. I took a moment to steel myself, getting ready to emulate Zil’s speech and tone of voice, before finally opening my mouth.

“Cease your unnecessary actions and return to your posts. Those with idle hands can simply take a reprieve. Anything more is a nuisance to me.”

In short, I told them to “knock it off and get lost.” Now that I’d given them an out, the staff would surely be happy to oblige—

“Huh?”

Or not. They were stock-still and agape.

My eyes narrowed. “Any objections?”

“N-No, not at all!”

“Then leave. Act within the means of your responsibilities.”

I wasn’t the type to blow my top the moment I spotted a delivery person drinking some soda while on break. I’d tried to convey this as best as I could while staying in character, but they didn’t look like they were moving anytime soon. I shot them another dubious glare.

“S-So...” a young male staff member sputtered. “Do we not need to alleviate your boredom? O-Or serve you with entertainment?!”

“No... I have no use for it.”

“A-And you won’t punish us?!”

“Of course not. Focus on your tasks. You all are restaurant staff, not jesters, no?”

I mentally scoffed at his ridiculous questions, but quickly took it back. Perhaps it was a boon to have learned at this early stage that something in this nation made these people think and act this way. Was there a spoiled young nobleman or an abusive villainess around these parts? They’d have to just be “wannabes” though, seeing how this country had no real aristocracy in place.

Whatever the case might be, I needed to first send this poor staff on their way.

“I do not desire such inanity of you. Keep this in mind henceforth.”

The original Zil was an evil villain, but there was a certain logic to his wickedness. Naturally, I needed to emulate this part of his character too. Slaughter my foes and dismiss the rest—this mindset would be vital in my struggle for survival. After all, what would be gained making enemies all willy-nilly?

All right. They should leave me alone now. With all that finally out of the way, I dove right back into my thoughts and—

“Your meal is ready, sir!”

“Hmm... Very well.”

My, what impeccably fast service. Five stars.

The girl who’d scurried away earlier looked a lot more at ease now. Well, somebody was quick to change their tune, I thought dryly.

I decided to set my thoughts aside for now and to partake in my meal. Naturally, I refrained from giving thanks for the food despite my Japanese instincts telling me otherwise. You wouldn’t catch a final boss sending his regards to the chef, would you?

Mm-hmm... Delicious. I hit the jackpot with this place. Feeling a little smug, I reached out to take a second bite...until out of the corner of my eye I saw the smiley staff member. Well... This shouldn’t break Zil’s character, right?

“Hmph... Not bad. Continue your efforts.”

“Thank you very much!”

I was a little wary at first since this was the food of another world, but it tasted great. Based on looks alone, it reminded me of local cuisine you’d see abroad, but the flavor still suited my Japanese palate... Or was it because this body was used to this food?

Eh, whatever. Either way, the food was delicious. I’d love to have some seconds. Actually, it might not be a bad idea to check out other restaurants to familiarize myself with—

“Pardon us.”

“Good day!”

Suddenly, two voices—belonging to a man and a woman—rang through the air. More customers? Just as I was about to brush them off and go back to my thoughts, I noticed the staff freeze up and the tension in the air returned.

Seems like there’s some history here... Wait, I get it now. It didn’t take me long to figure it out. These newcomers had to be the reason the restaurant staff had been so fearful of me earlier.

“Come now, where’s our entertainment?” crooned the woman. “Is it not your job to deliver pleasant service as we await our meals? Chop-chop.”

“Maybe we should have them bark like dogs,” the man suggested.

“That seems far too on the nose, no? How dull. We must put their creativity to the test. Let them rack their silly little heads for how to best brighten our moods!”

Whoa, talk about horrible customers. They couldn’t act more like thugs if they tried. They’re even dishing out such hackneyed lines... Yeesh.

But how was this my problem? Zil was a final boss, not the protagonist. I couldn’t just intervene, act all indignant, and tell them off for being rude. The last thing I wanted was to pick fights left and right, but that didn’t mean I had to put on a cape and become everyone’s hero either.

But...

But this restaurant served me a really delicious meal. It was the first act of goodwill I received in this world.

...

......

.........

This country belonged to Zil, as did every restaurant in his territory. This establishment in particular paid me tribute in the form of this meal, fulfilling their duty as my loyal subjects.

Then, would it not be in my right to take this brazen act against my subjects as disrespect toward myself? Were these not two imbeciles who dared to mock Zil?

That justification...is pretty weak. Especially for Zil.

However, while I was going back and forth in my head, their conversation continued—

“S-Sir, ma’am, please... We have another customer right now, so—”

“Ha! You think that guy is of greater importance than us?”

—and took a very pleasant turn.

That man... He just called Zil “that guy.” It was a cheap taunt, an ignorant remark, a thoughtless insult—but it was still proof of the fact that he looked down on Zil.

That was all I needed.

“N-No, that’s not...”

“Oh my. I do hope you’ve prepared your will, then.”

Zil wasn’t one to ignore mockery toward himself. Hence, I now had every reason—of my own making, of course—to eliminate these scoundrels.

After all, what was I if not an evil, selfish villain?

§

Oh no, it’s these guys again. That collective thought was shared among the entire restaurant staff the moment they heard those voices. Why must people become so arrogant at the first taste of wealth? They felt so miserable that their minds frequently spiraled toward topics much more serious and philosophical.

“V-Very well, then...”

“Allow us to entertain you...”

The service industry was all about providing customers with the best possible experience, but none of them could have imagined that this would entail anything beyond cooking and waiting on tables. But so be it—this wasn’t the first time this had happened. As long as they kept their heads down and did as they were told, then time would pass in a blur—

“Insolent fools.”

But this time around, things were different.

With a gasp, they swiveled their heads to the man who had just spoken—it was the first-time customer. His high-quality garments, his stunning looks, and—above all—his way of carrying himself spoke volumes of his affluent background. The staff had fully expected him to be the usual nasty customer, only to be proven wrong.

“Who permitted you to speak?”

The unusual customer set down his utensils and pierced the nouveau riche duo with an icy glare. With that alone, the pair burst into a cold sweat and staggered backward. The atmosphere in the restaurant shifted instantly.

“P-Permitted us, you say?” squeaked the man. “Wh-Who do you think you are?”

“Oh...? To think someone in this nation dares to use such a tone with me...” The young man chuckled darkly.

“Wh-What’s so funny...?”

The young man’s lips nearly twitched into a smirk, but his expression immediately faded back into his usual poker face. His frosty glare ensnared the duo in place.

The woman visibly trembled. “Wh-What business do you have with—”

“Silence,” the young man growled. “My appetite is ruined.”

“I-In that case, allow me to introduce you to a better— Eek!”

An intense pressure suddenly filled the air around the young man. The nouveau riche duo could do no more than yelp before falling to their knees.

“Listen well. I won’t bother repeating myself.” The young man looked down on them, slowly enunciating each word as he said, “You impudent wretches disgust me.”

The man and woman stared wide-eyed and agape as they quivered uncontrollably, while the young man simply looked down on them with a chilling glare. Every observer knew without question which side had dominion in this conflict.

“You stand in my presence, yet dare act as though this establishment is of your possession. Then you must be insulting me, hmm?”

“A-Ah... No, w-we...”

“You sinned the moment you had the gall to loiter in my sight like flies. Ah, but you see, I am charitable. That is but a slight offense to me.”

“W-We thank—”

“But this,” the young man growled, “is another matter entirely.”

“Eek!”

“Know your place, vermin. You stain my sight with your lowly display. This establishment is now under my jurisdiction. Henceforth, your brazen deeds here will not go unpunished.”

It was only when the young man set down his payment on the table and stood from his seat that the staff realized he had already finished his meal. Their eyes shot wide open when they saw the number of coins he had left behind.

“Th-This is too much, sir! We can’t—”

“Hmph... Take it for the trouble. This is but a paltry sum to me. You would do well to use this payment wisely. Ah, and one more thing. Hold your heads high. Weaklings who submit to exploitation have no value in my eyes.”

Without allowing anyone else to get a word in, the young man—that imposing and absolute presence—exited their establishment. The staff raced out of the door and hurriedly bowed their heads.

“Thank you very much!!!”

It wasn’t long—right after returning indoors, in fact—until they would realize that the actions of this imposing young man had saved every soul in the restaurant that day.

§

With food consumed and my hunger satiated, I could finally proceed to my next order of business.

“Now then, my dear subordinates... It’s finally time to meet you all.”

Regr, the main villains of Ragnarök: Twilight of the Gods part one—deciding my future plans hinged on meeting them face-to-face.

Interlude: Commotion Aftermath

“That man was incredible...”

“He sure was. You know, maybe we were letting our customers trample over us too much.”

“You’re right. We’re better than this! We can do it!”

“Oh, but... What should we do about those two?”

“Ah, right... Hmm...”

“How about we ban them...?”

“Sounds good to me. Let’s escort them out.”

Looking incredibly refreshed, the male staff member gave his female coworker and manager a nod, then opened the door—

“That was...amazing...”

“I can’t stop shaking...”

“That piercing glare... S-So exhilarating...!”

“Aah... Aah...!”

—and immediately shut it again.

“Guys, I... I wish I could unsee what I just saw.”

“Uh... Your eyes must be playing tricks on you.”

“B-But—”

“Wow! Did you see that, manager? That was incredible!”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“I mean, didn’t those nouveau riche look really happy?”

“H-Happy...?”

“I suppose...they were?”

“They were! They looked super happy! We’re happy because that man saved us, and they’re happy that he scolded them! So in the end, he made even the bad guys happy. That man is absolutely incredible!”

“Oh... I guess that’s true.”

“Well, when you put it like that... It is terribly impressive.”

“Just who in the world is he...?”

Chapter 3: Versus the Continent’s Best Assassin

Upon receiving a sudden summons from his superior Zil, the man named Kieran briskly walked through the castle halls. His impassive expression betrayed none of the confusion in his mind.

Why have I been called...?

Kieran was a skilled assassin. He once had killed a certain nation’s crown prince, taken the life of the prince’s escort knight, and incapacitated the court mage who came to investigate the intrusion. Of course, against that nation’s strongest force—the Knight Captain—he had had no choice but to go on the defensive before ultimately fleeing. But it was an undeniable fact that Kieran was among the elites of the continent.

After a few twists and turns, he was taken in by Zil, the king of this nation—if he recalled correctly, it was called Babel—and was told to do as he pleased until the time came. Zil had even promised not to interfere in his business, so Kieran had been spending his days recuperating from his injuries.

Yet Zil had suddenly called for him today—a most curious development, to say the least.

I’ve already acclimated to the “Favor” he bestowed upon me. The plan was that when the time came I would be dispatched to that country, so why...?

With furrowed brows, Kieran decided to stay on high alert.

Not only was he grateful and indebted to Zil, but that man was one of the few to earn Kieran’s acknowledgment. That was reason enough for Kieran to work under him and heed his orders. That being said, he couldn’t deny just how mysterious Zil was. The mere fact that he could dole out such an extraordinary ability was enough to warrant caution.

Here I am.

Finally, Kieran arrived in front of the specified room. He breathed a small sigh and reached for the doorknob—then stopped.

Hmm...?

Something was amiss. It felt as though his own body refused to move forward. Alarm bells were ringing incessantly in his head, screaming at him not to go inside. Was there danger up ahead? But all that awaited him was a meeting with Zil.

Should I retreat?

The possibility of a trap flitted through Kieran’s mind for but a second before he dismissed the thought. If Zil had wanted to bring him harm, he had had plenty of chances to do so. In fact, their first encounter had been a golden opportunity—Kieran had been incredibly vulnerable back then.

If he happens to be the type of man that derives joy from battle, then perhaps... But either way, I doubt he would target me.

Kieran recalled how Zil had spoken when recruiting him. Based on experience, he deemed it unlikely to have been a lie. With the information he had at present—including what he could surmise of Zil’s values—Kieran determined that there was an extremely low chance that Zil sought to harm him here.

And yet, the alarm bells wouldn’t stop ringing.

Kieran thought for a brief moment before sneaking a dagger into his sleeve as a precaution. After all, having a weapon prepared beforehand—in other words, shortening the time it took to make the first move—could spell the difference between victory and defeat. Kieran’s skills as an assassin allowed him to easily overcome the gap in strength when facing the most experienced warriors, but those of a similar might were a different story. This was a reality Kieran knew very well.

I do hope I’m just overthinking things.

Perhaps he was simply worrying over nothing. Perhaps a third party was lying in wait for an ambush. Or perhaps Zil intended to fight him after all. Carefully storing all these possibilities in the back of his mind, Kieran finally opened the door—

Wha...?!

—and there, he learned the meaning of despair.

A deathly chill coiled around his very soul—or was it simply that the air itself had turned as frigid as a blizzard? An unimaginable pressure bore down on the entire room, instantly throwing Kieran’s mind into chaos.

What is this?! What is this?! What is this?!

A massive weight exceptionally heavier than the rage he’d felt from the Knight Captain crushed him underfoot. This could mean only one thing: In this very room was a monster much more fearsome than the Continent’s Strongest.

It took Kieran everything he had to resist the near-tangible force, but even then the violent pounding of his heart did not stop. He was trembling in fear... No, that wasn’t right. To him, it looked as if the world was shaking.

“A-Ah...” As he became drenched in cold sweat, Kieran mustered what little control he had left over his body to direct his gaze forward.

“So you’ve come, Kieran.”

Though he heard a familiar voice, he saw something unlike anything he’d ever witnessed before.

“S-Sir...Zil? Wh-Why do you look—”

“Like what...?”

“—like that... Hngh?!”

The dark mumble was followed by a sudden and oppressive increase in pressure.

“A comment on my appearance... Tell me, is there a discrepancy between how you remember me and how I appear now? Hmm? Go on, answer. I permit you to open your mouth. Now speak.”

“Th-There iz no d-dizgrepanzy!” Kieran desperately choked out. “I g-gannot—hurk?! I gannot z-zee—haah—y-you ad all...!”

Indeed, Kieran could not see Zil. Where Zil likely sat, all Kieran could see was a bleak and murky aura—an abyss of never-ending darkness. That space, which shunned all rays of light, would surely drag all who laid eyes upon it to the depths of despair.

I am staring death in the eye, Kieran thought distantly as raw and unbridled fear shook his very core.

That abyss must have been a mirage formed by the immense aura radiating from Zil. Kieran’s experience as an assassin and his very instincts as a human were all screaming at him. This was death incarnate, a ruler who held all life within the palm of his hand...as well as the right to take it all away.

Kieran was the best assassin in the world, strong enough to hold his ground against the Knight Captain, and as such, it couldn’t have been clearer to him that Zil was on another level entirely. To say that he had surpassed human limits would be an understatement. No, this man before him now was something bigger, something greater...something much more unique.

He had no doubt that Zil could take a life with a mere gaze. Kieran might have been the continent’s best assassin, but this man stood atop a greater summit. He was the grim reaper—a monster who embodied death itself, more than Kieran himself could ever hope to.

H-How could...this be...?

Shivers racked his entire body. At last, realization dawned upon Kieran and his eyes were opened to the truth.

All along, I... I had the honor of serving such a profound being, and yet I never noticed... I even dared to be so wary of him! H-How disrespectful of me...!

Kieran’s wide and bloodshot eyes were ensnared by the endless abyss. His body wouldn’t stop trembling—for he was assaulted by a wave of inexplicable joy.

As it turned out, Kieran had been born in an extremely religious nation. Growing up, he was surrounded by fanatics who blindly worshipped a god they had never seen and spent their days carrying out meaningless rituals.

Young Kieran saw that and declared, “God doesn’t even exist! I don’t wanna be like you lousy grown-ups!” It went without saying that the boy was then ostracized by his peers. To make matters worse, he had been eschewed as a dull and talentless child due to his refusal to participate in their rituals. Naturally, this only emboldened Kieran further to not believe in their god. The only thing that was cultivated in him was a growing hatred for his homeland and its beliefs.

Eventually, he fled his country and became an assassin. The reason? To dare this so-called god to reveal themself and deliver judgment upon his sinful life. Or perhaps it was the spite within Kieran that spurred him on to execute justice in place of this imaginary power. At this point, Kieran’s motivations were hazy recollections—that was just how long he had spent deriding God’s existence.

But God did exist. Why, Kieran was looking right at him.

His overwhelming power said it all. Undoubtedly, Zil could make quick work of the Knight Captain with a simple flick of a finger. How else was Kieran supposed to refer to this transcendent being if not as God?

The fools of his homeland had once tried to execute Kieran for heresy, but behold—God had bestowed his Favor upon Kieran, not them. His chest swelled with emotion.

God... God looked upon me... He acknowledged me, not those fools!

To Kieran, who housed a deep hatred for his homeland—along with a slight sense of inferiority—there was no realization more exhilarating than this. With God watching over him, he felt as if his life thus far had been affirmed.

Sir Zil... No! Lord Zil, my God! I-I was a fool...!

Kieran’s heart was filled with regret and repentance. Although his hatred toward his homeland still stood, he also loathed himself for neglecting his worship and faith until now. God had graciously cast his gaze upon Kieran, yet Kieran had not offered a single prayer in return. Those fools from his home country were horrible for worshipping a false god, but Kieran was worse. His past lifestyle was so sinful, so treacherous, that he wanted to rip out his own throat this very second.

Alas, it would be the height of folly for Kieran to end his own life when God had more in store for him. Thus, all Kieran could do was pray. He prayed, humbly and sincerely, as he offered his repentance to his one true God—Zil.

And then...a miracle happened.

G-Goodness...!

The endless abyss faded away, slowly revealing Zil’s true figure. He was seated upon a lavish chair while looking down on Kieran with an impassive gaze. God’s sudden appearance stunned Kieran momentarily, but soon it all made sense.

M-My faith was acknowledged...!

The crushing pressure earlier must have been a divine punishment. God had imposed his Authority upon the fool who dared not swear fealty to his Lord. And there was no better proof than the fact the darkness cleared the moment Kieran swore his allegiance!

Tears began to stream down Kieran’s face.

Aah... He has accepted my faith... What a benevolent God. I am so blessed to have the honor of serving him!

At that moment, Kieran was overcome with happiness over his fortune—as well as shame over his past actions.

Just what in the world...have I been doing with my life? Acclimating to my new power? Was I actually content with just that? Just spending my days so indolently?! How detestable! No, how shameful of me!

Kieran was filled with yet another urge to end his own life, but God had not sanctioned it. Everything he did, everything he was, he would now dedicate to his God. Thus, it was unacceptable for him to end himself without the word of his Lord.

Lord Zil... You did all this to bring me to my senses...

Kieran gazed upon Zil’s face with a look of pure and unbridled bliss.

§

Zil had two immediate goals: to check whether the members of Regr could see through his mask, and to decide his future plans. For this, he decided to call Kieran, the member who seemed the most normal out of the lot.

Regr was composed of a battle junkie, a mad scientist, a magic manic, and a siscon-brocon sibling duo... A few others made up the mid-ranks, but anyway, Kieran’s probably the most normal of the bunch.

Why is the assassin the most normal one...? Zil wondered in dismay but swiftly abandoned the thought. All that mattered was that he could hold a decent conversation with the man.

Fortunately, Kieran happened to be one of the first members of Regr. That meant if the original Zil had already begun gathering forces, then Kieran should have been among them—and indeed he was. And he was quick to respond to Zil’s summons.

All righty then. First impressions are everything. If Kieran feels like something is off from the get-go, then everything I do and say later on will only breed further suspicion. I can’t expose myself as trying to act like Zil—I need to be Zil.

Kieran knew the original Zil, and he was probably sharp thanks to his skills as an assassin. One thing was for sure—Zil couldn’t afford to slack off on the act around him. He spent the time waiting for the assassin’s arrival to devise a plan of action.

Just like the rest of Zil’s talents, his acting chops are top class. But the one wielding that talent right now is me, your average Joe. I can’t let my guard down. The moment I make a single misstep in playing Zil is the moment I’ll have the misfortune of utilizing the rest of Zil’s talents.

Finally, after racking his brain over and over, he came to a decision—

Well, guess I can just give off a super imposing presence and things’ll work out. Right...?

—a frighteningly absurd decision to simply exercise his full authority and power over his subordinate.

Visualize and emulate Zil’s character while drawing out an even stronger air of dignity. I’m dealing with an assassin here. Lowering my guard for even a second could earn me his dagger in my throat. My image should be so imposing, so fearsome, that nobody would ever think of opposing me. And last but not least—act high and mighty, as a final boss should.

As he pieced together the image in his head, Zil slowly took a seat on his throne. His figure was reminiscent of a demon lord awaiting the hero’s party.

Finally, the time came.

“So you’ve come, Kieran.”

Zil spoke in a low and solemn voice. Of course, he didn’t forget to raise his chin to look down on the faintly trembling man, while circulating the magical energy and divine power in his body. To top it all off, he even subtly contracted his muscles. Through all this—his speech, mannerisms, and nuanced movements—he was able to don quite the overwhelming aura.

Well? How’s that? I’m not just some average Joe anymore, huh?

Certain of his victory, Zil thought to speak once more—until he realized that something was wrong with the man before him.

Hang on. Why’s he shaking so much? Er... Did I go overboard?

No way am I letting my guard down when he could betray me at the drop of a hat...but maybe I am pushing it a little. I don’t want to wear him down mentally for no good reason. I’m not out here trying to be that one jerk of a boss... I’d rather we have an amicable relationship.

Not to mention that moving forward, he would have to maintain whatever image he established here, and “excessively oppressive” was not quite how he envisioned Zil’s character. More than anything, he simply felt bad for bullying Kieran after calling him all this way.

Zil reached a swift decision. He eased up on the pressure—

“S-Sir...Zil? Wh-Why do you look—”

—until he heard something that he absolutely couldn’t ignore.

“Like what...? (Is there something off about how I look?!)”

The outcome of Kieran’s remark was disastrous. The pressure briefly abated before bearing down on him with an even more brutal force.

Could he tell something was amiss? Was it my mannerisms? My expressions?! I can’t believe I was so careless...!

Anxiety festered within Zil, which he unknowingly overcompensated for by making his voice deeper and unleashing more pressure. And because this was a subconscious act, the pressure surging from him fluctuated between being vulnerable and indomitable. By pure accident, Zil was skillfully creating a far more destructive, undulating aura.

Naturally, the pressure assaulting Kieran’s body was beyond imagination, as was the burden it placed on his mind. As he was now, Kieran was far from stable. Frankly, he had fallen into a state of panic.

“A comment on my appearance... Tell me, is there a discrepancy between how you remember me and how I appear now? Hmm? Go on, answer. I permit you to open your mouth. Now speak.”

In this moment, Zil was the very embodiment of workplace harassment. By using his position of power to push around his poor subordinate the moment things didn’t go his way, Zil had become—as he had put it—that one jerk of a boss. And the worst part? He was completely oblivious to his own cruelty—just the type of guy you didn’t want in your workplace.

“Th-There iz no d-dizgrepanzy! I g-gannot—hurk?! I gannot z-zee—haah—y-you ad all...!”

Kieran was gasping for breath, but who could blame him? The surge of pressure Zil had unleashed was enough to kill an ordinary person on the spot and send even the most well-trained soldiers into cardiac arrest. Kieran had been subjected to it without warning, and yet he still managed to remain conscious. If anything, he deserved all the praise in the world.

Sadly, Zil offered him no such thing. His mind had fixated on one thing and one thing only: the fact that Kieran said there was no discrepancy.

Oh, what? No discrepancy? So my cover wasn’t blown... Whew. But why did he say he couldn’t see me? With a quiet sigh, Zil finally withdrew his pressure. Anyway, why is Kieran shaking so—

Instantly, Zil’s mind screeched to a halt as he struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.

A stream of tears.

A passionate gaze.

A look of pure and unbridled bliss.

There was no mistaking it—a pervert had appeared before him.

Zil was utterly at a loss for words. How was he to react to this situation? Perhaps a truly extraordinary superhuman like the original Zil would have been undaunted, but he was just a truly ordinary person. When faced with a pervert, he could do naught but what any good citizen would do—dial the police.

Alas, this was just the beginning of Zil’s nightmare.

“M-My faith was acknowledged...!”

Huh? What the... Is this Kieran’s voice?

Out of the blue, Kieran’s voice resounded inside his head. The sheer delight contained within those words threw Zil further into confusion—but that wasn’t the end of it.

“What a benevolent God. I am so blessed to have the honor of serving him! I am overcome with happiness over my fortune...as well as shame over my past actions!”

Let it be known that Zil was cringing on the inside. He was cringing with every fiber of his being. What is he, some kind of fanatic? I’m scared...

“Aah... He has accepted my faith...”

Whoa there, buddy. Cool your jets. I don’t recall accepting anybody’s faith! Wait, what is even happening? Nobody told me that Zil could read minds...

In an impressive show of willpower, Zil refrained from voicing his true thoughts. After all, his image hung in the balance. He couldn’t afford to waste all of his efforts thus far. Making full use of his facial muscles, Zil froze his poker face in place, ensuring that none of the raging confusion inside him was ever known to the world.

Alas, Kieran’s fanatical ramblings were as overflowing as his faith. It felt like if he kept going he just might ascend to another plane of existence. Foreseeing the threat this posed to his sanity, Zil soon dismissed the assassin.

“What am I even supposed to do here...?”

In the end, he sat helplessly upon his throne with a hollow and lifeless gaze.

This phenomenon was akin to the suspension bridge effect.

Under Zil’s immense pressure, Kieran had been robbed of his capacity for rational thought and was subjected to the most violent palpitations he had ever experienced in his life. These two factors, along with Kieran’s own life experiences, splendidly triggered a chemical reaction that led to the birth of a fanatic.

Long story short, it was as if Zil had performed a kabedon on Kieran. If Zil ever found out, he would no doubt fall to his knees in despair.

Oh well. At least I’ve gained a loyal subordinate, Zil thought with a dry laugh as he took a sip of his tea.

He was still blissfully unaware that this was only the beginning of a series of events that would cause him stomachaches galore.

§

Two weeks had passed since I first awoke in this world and met Kieran.

“Lord Zil, I have prepared your clothes.”

“Lord Zil, your meal is ready.”

“Lord Zil, forgive me for disturbing your slumber. It is time to wake up.”

“Lord Zil, I’ve discovered some ruffians attempting to trespass into the country. How shall I proceed?”

“Lord Zil.”

“Lord Zil.”

“Lord Zil.”

Who are you and what have you done with Kieran?!

My vision was flooded with Kieran’s bright smile while my ears were assaulted by an unceasing chorus of “Lord Zil.” Don’t let my poker face fool you—I was full-on grimacing on the inside.

This is weird. The Kieran I know is much different.

In the anime, Kieran was the type of character who impassively went about his duties. He could always be counted on to get a job done while being calm, cool, and collected. Pair this with his good looks, and you could bet he’d garnered an impressive fan base among viewers. The original Zil was also quite favorable toward Kieran, though of course this wasn’t to be confused with the fondness the viewers had.

And because of that...I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs:

Who are you and what have you done with Kieran?!

Let me put it like this: The man smiling from ear to ear right in front of me was not the character I’d seen in the anime. The Kieran I knew kept things strictly professional with Zil.

So, who the heck is this supposed to be? Why is he smiling at me like that?! A-And why does he look so jolly and perky?!

Seriously, he was so out of character that I wondered for a second if he was actually an OC. By the way, OC stood for “original character.” This was a term in fandom culture that referred to a character of a fan’s own creation. In Japanese fandoms, fanfic authors liked to write their OCs into stories as reincarnators—sometimes possessing existing characters—with canon knowledge and overpowered god-given abilities. Man, I’d hate to be one of the canon characters. Imagine how ridiculous it would all look from their perspective.

In any case, let me save you some time and get right to the point: This guy was a hundred percent Kieran. How was I so sure? Because I could apparently read his mind. With this strange ability, I was able to confirm that he was indeed the real Kieran.

Honestly, if it were up to me, I would’ve steered clear of his perverted mind...but I had to admit, this was a really handy ability. At least I no longer had to worry about being stabbed in the back.

Besides, if I couldn’t read his mind, I probably would’ve suspected that he was gay... I recalled the morning I had opened my eyes to a close-up of Kieran’s dazzling smile. That was the day I nearly dropped my act just to let out the shrillest shriek of my life.

I took a gamble and glanced over—Kieran was still staring at me like the happiest man in the world.

I resisted the urge to sigh. Of all the things that could’ve happened, I never would’ve expected such a...horrendous break in character. Great. Now I’m really dreading to meet the rest of Regr. What would I do if the others turned out to be weirdos like Kieran? My poor heart couldn’t take any more.

But...I can’t put this off forever.

Regr was the greatest pawn at my disposal. They were the strongest characters—at least within part one—and an extremely valuable fighting force. Would I dare to waste such a useful asset? Not a chance. I was going to put every tool I had to use.

In the anime, Zil dispatched the members of Regr to various nations to acquire their divine power. Soon after, he successfully collected nearly all of them, save for those belonging to the major powers. That was when the Regr Arc was set into motion... But I still wasn’t sure how much time we had till then. There was so little to work with given the vagueness of the timeline around this part of the story. Had it been a school life anime, I could have used events like the culture festival or Sports Day as references.

All I knew so far was that sitting around and letting things run their course was tantamount to setting myself up for a one-way trip to Fodderland.

Now, what can I do to avoid that fate?

Obviously there was training—I’d already been working on that. That strength I had shown when blasting that poor bookshelf and wall to smithereens? I’d finally gotten a handle on that and a better understanding of this body’s capabilities in general. Initially, progress had been slow because I was so worried about accidentally wiping my country off the map while doing a single test run spell, but it was all good now.

Still, this wasn’t enough. With this type of training, I would only be on the same growth path as the original Zil, and that wouldn’t put me at ease for my inevitable battle against the gods. I needed to stimulate my development with a different approach—one that would’ve been unthinkable for the original Zil, but was an option for me.

And the key to that was in the one aspect that set us apart: knowledge.

The Underwater City...is definitely off the table. That place is way too dangerous for me right now. Calling it “hard mode” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Even the original Zil wouldn’t have made it out of there alive. Besides, it’s also...

The gears in my head started to turn.

The original Zil’s lack of knowledge left him powerless when faced with his fate. But I possessed a ton of information that he never even got his hands on.

Then there was only one thing to do: use that knowledge to the fullest.

Since the gods cursed me to death in the past, I would fight back with knowledge of the future.

With this, my course of action was finally decided.

It’s about time I contact the pioneers of power creep—the Church.

There was no time like the present. I began my preparations to depart posthaste.

Chapter 4: To a New Faction

The Church was a faction that emerged center stage in part two of the anime, and frankly it was hard to call them one of the good guys.

The prophecy was no mystery to the Church. Unlike the protagonist and the rest of the continent, the Church knew that neither Zil nor Regr would bring about the end of the world. They were even privy to the reasons behind the world’s transfiguration. Hypothetically speaking, they could have easily killed Zil when he was young, prevented the transfiguration, and protected the peace of this world—but they didn’t do that. They knew what was coming, but they took no action whatsoever.

Why, you ask? Because they only had a singular goal: for the gods to descend upon this land. To them, this preceded everything.

The fate of the world was set in stone the moment Zil unsealed and absorbed divine power, heralding the mortal world’s sublimation into a higher plane of existence. In time, the end of the world would bring about its transformation into a celestial realm upon which the gods could descend. Hence, Regr’s rampage across the continent meant little to the Church, for the advent of the gods would rectify everything and bring salvation to all.

However, even the Church’s top brass hadn’t expected the birth of the Evil God. A quasi-god like Zil was hardly worth their attention, but that thing—despite its abominable nature—was an actual god. Could the world safely transform into a celestial realm while housing such an anomaly? What if the Evil God sabotaged the world’s transfiguration? Then the gods would never be able to descend upon the land. To the Church, that outcome was more frightening than death itself.

Thus, despite remaining hidden in a separate dimension throughout the entirety of part one, this faction finally stepped out of the shadows to eliminate the root of their concerns. Thanks to them, power creep was introduced into the story, and Regr-tier characters popped up left and right.

Now then, you might be wondering: Why was I trying to reach out to the Church? The answer to that was the techniques in their possession and their role in the story.

Skills and knowledge from the age of myths that had been lost to humanity were safely under lock and key within the Church. I also couldn’t emphasize enough that they were a faction capable of opposing the Evil God. Recruiting them as my subordinates wasn’t very feasible, but an alliance at least would be great.

They also got bonus points for their indifference toward humanity’s fate, as proven by the fact that they didn’t budge an inch throughout the events of part one. To them, the means were negligible as long as the end was everlasting peace under the gods. Basically, saints and criminals in the outside world were no different in their eyes.

Anyway, despite everything I’ve said, it shouldn’t even have been possible to ally with the Church to begin with. They only believed in the gods—nothing more, nothing less. How do you even get to the negotiating table with a faction like that? But my only choices now were to either sit back and die as fodder, or to get out there and take the risk regardless. The decision was obvious.

Besides, I wasn’t planning on just charging in like a headless chicken. Make no mistake, I held in my hands one possible ticket to victory.

Here it is.

Approximately five hours had passed since my departure. Having arrived at my destination, I slowed my steps to a halt and swept my gaze over the empty space—emphasis on the empty part. I stood upon a barren wasteland with no capacity for human life or vegetation. No nation had bothered to claim ownership of this useless land, and so it remained uninhabited to this day.

“Hey, so...”

For that reason, it was understandable why stopping here would cause my travel companion to be perplexed.

“I knew something was off the moment I realized where we were headed... You sure this is the place? There’s a whole lot of nothing out here.”

“Silence, Hector! You unfaithful swine... Lord Zil’s grand intentions will forever be lost on you, along with his vision for the world. You had best keep your mouth shut and just follow along.”

“Hah. How about you shut your mouth, ya damn pest? Since when have you been the boss of me?”

I should’ve just left them behind... I turned my gaze to the sky in lament. Alas, the clear blue expanse offered me no comfort. Wondering how I ended up in this situation, I thought back to before my departure—to the events that had led up to this very moment.

My original plan had been to go to the Church by myself. But as the king of this nation, it was only right for me to inform my direct subordinates—Regr—of my departure beforehand.

That was when a certain young man had taken interest in the mysterious new faction that I was heading out to meet. With blond hair, brown eyes, and markings around his eyes, Hector the battle junkie was the strongest member of Regr in hand-to-hand combat. I’d told him that I wasn’t going there to fight, but his curiosity had already been piqued.

Well, I’m dealing with the guy who left his country in search of stronger opponents, I’d told myself with an inward sigh. Anyway, I’d approved on the condition that he was not to act without orders.

So at that point, I had been getting ready to depart with Hector—until Kieran had spoken up.

“A moment, Lord Zil. I would like to accompany you as well.”

It had been quite the tough choice.

Should we end up exchanging blows with the Church, Hector could make it out in one piece as long as he wasn’t pitted against their strongest forces. But as for Kieran... Well, given the nature of his Favor, I couldn’t quite say the same for him.

That said, this guy’s faith was off the charts. There was no telling what he would do if I turned him down. After all, there was nothing more frightening than deranged love warping into intense hatred. In the end, I was still just an ordinary guy on the inside; out of fear, I’d consented to Kieran’s request.

But I’d regretted it almost immediately.

“You lack faith.”

That was the first thing Kieran had said the moment he’d faced Hector.

“Hah...?”

Naturally, Hector had been confused. He’d turned to me with a questioning gaze, but sadly I was none the wiser. “The heck are you on about?” had been the best I could think of saying to Kieran in that moment, but I wasn’t hankering to find out how he would respond to that.

Thus, I’d opted for my next best option: saying nothing. Basically, I’d run away from the problem entirely.

“Behold—Lord Zil is also lamenting your lack of faith.”

“I dunno... Looks to me like boss just chose to keep quiet ’cause he also has no idea what you’re saying.”

Hector couldn’t have been more on the money. Before I knew it, I’d given him a nod. Alas, Kieran’s eyes were clouded by his faith.

“Behold—Lord Zil is agreeing with me.”

“Uh, no... He was clearly agreeing with me.”

“Silence, Hector! Who do you think you are? Hmm? You dare to fathom Lord Zil’s profound thoughts and put words into his mouth? Tsk... How presumptuous.”

“You do realize that I could say the same about you, right...?”

“Silence, Hector! I offered Lord Zil my faith, and Lord Zil accepted my faith in turn. Unlike you, I have been blessed with the honor of speaking in his place.”

“Then how do you explain him looking at you without a clue about what you’re talking about?”

“Silence, Hector! You dare to fathom Lord Zil’s profound thoughts? Cease your blasphemy at once.”

“Is that your catchphrase or something? Got anything else?”

This went on and on for the entirety of our trip.

Besides his craving for battle, Hector was typically a very sensible person. He wasn’t even the type to jump his colleagues just because they were being rude. But everybody had their limit. Even I felt like Kieran was being a bit much, so it went without saying how Hector felt on the receiving end of it all.

“What ‘faith’ are you even rambling about? Weren’t you an atheist?”

“Such nonsense. We are in the presence of God—our master, Lord Zil! And when God reveals himself to you, what else is there to do but pray and worship?”

“Ugh... You’re absolutely nuts.”

“No, you are nuts, Hector. Why, I would love to correct your vile ways right this instant.”

“Hah, get a load of this guy! Fine by me. I’ll kill you myself when we get back! Boss looks like he’s just about had it with you anyway!”

“Hmph. The blade of a nonbeliever could never claim my life.”

Suffice it to say, they were not getting along very well. Any longer and they might literally be at each other’s throats.

Oh, for crying out loud...

So, I took it upon myself to activate my unique ability and unleash the divine power contained within my body. The surge of energy did more than just draw the attention of both Kieran and Hector—it sank the earth around me and shook the air. Off in the distance, a flock of birds took to the skies in a flurry.

That should do it.

The tense air brewing around the two was rapidly washed away by the mystical aura flowing from me. Kieran and Hector might have been among the continent’s elites, but Zil was undoubtedly the strongest at this point in time. Neither of them could afford to look away when faced with the torrent that was his power.

As expected, Hector turned to me with wide and stunned eyes, while Kieran—

“Ooh! My God...!”

—was on the cusp of transforming into a pervert, so I ignored him with all my might. Instead, I proceeded to the next part of the process.

The Church had hidden itself away in a different dimension with the use of mythical arts. These arts have been lost to time, so naturally nobody had the means to sabotage the Church’s method of isolation and contact them.

But this body is special.

Zil’s unique ability—although hardly “unique” in the eyes of the gods given they all possessed it—was still a full-fledged Authority wielded by the gods. Meanwhile, Zil’s divine power—although a mere fraction of the gods’ strength—was still energy wielded by the gods.

My unique ability doesn’t give me enough presence, and my divine power doesn’t give me enough status. But what if I activate both at once? I should be able to force their invisible boundary into reality.

Mythical arts were without a doubt a cut above modern-day techniques. They were founded on entirely different principles, so interference was impossible. But my divine power was energy from the age of myths, so who was to say that it couldn’t somehow influence the Church’s arts? There had to be a proper method to gain access, so this was basically me prying their door open.

Here it comes!

A warped line cut through space. This was the boundary between reality and the Church’s alternate dimension—the entrance to their base. It also seemed to be visible to Kieran and Hector given their change in demeanor as they braced themselves.

As long as I can drag them out, then this mission’s as good as done.

I took a step toward the boundary and felt my body sink into the alternate space.

Now then, Church... Let’s see what you’re made of, shall we?

§

I’m in an entirely different world.

That was my first thought upon entering the alternate dimension. Words failed me, but I could just feel the difference. My body was light, my mind clear, my breathing easy, and my strength invigorated. Perhaps they were physical changes brought about by this environment? Whatever the case, I was in tip-top shape. This was the best I’d ever felt, be it in this world or the last.

Hmm...

My gut was telling me that this place was starkly similar to the celestial realm. After all, this physically human body housed extraordinary divine power and an Authority much like the gods’. It stood to reason that my capabilities would be enhanced within a space meant for the gods. In fact, “enhanced” might not even be the right term. This could very well have been this body’s intended state. All of that to say, this place made me stronger than the original Zil was at this point in time, at least in terms of raw power.

Hah, so that’s how it is...

Now it made sense to me why the world had to undergo a transfiguration first. It wasn’t that the gods wouldn’t descend upon the land otherwise—they simply couldn’t. Compared to this environment, the outside human world must seem terribly filthy and horribly polluted. It wasn’t exactly the most tempting place for a god to migrate to—barring eccentrics maybe, though I doubted there were any among their ranks. Naturally, they had no choice but to wait for a stage worthy of their advent.

Was this good news? Basically, this meant that I could prepare all the countermeasures I wanted down there and they couldn’t do anything about it... No, hang on. Did the environment render their advent utterly impossible or just sorely difficult? Various possibilities flitted through my mind, but in the end—considering the gods didn’t show themselves even with the Evil God’s appearance—I concluded that it was most likely the former.

Aha... I see, I see... I chuckled darkly in my mind.

A picture truly was worth a thousand words. In the anime, the Church turned a blind eye to Regr’s rampage throughout the continent, only jumping into action to subjugate the Evil God. Well, I would have done the same in their shoes. The Evil God was truly a god unlike any other. It was a frightful anomaly. How could you trust the world to change in the right direction with such an abomination on the loose? To the Church, its threat lay not in its power and might, but in the fact that it was an irregularity—and now, I finally understood why.

“The heck...? My body kinda feels lighter,” Hector mumbled.

Kieran remained silent, eyes narrowed as he seemingly noticed the shift as well.

It seemed this environment provided them with positive effects as well. That must have been thanks to their Favors. Although not to the same extent as mine, their presences felt somewhat bolder than before. It’s really just a slight improvement, though... I guess it still raises their chances of survival in the worst-case scenario.

Regardless, this place was stunning. Perhaps calling it a lush, verdant paradise was the most apt description. Soft grass blanketed the earth, and a glistening river rushed past us. Without a single cloud in the sky, the sunlight freely kissed our faces.

But these aren’t the main attraction.

With narrowed eyes, I turned my gaze frontward. There, looming tall and proud, was an enormous structure. It was much bigger than my castle—it had to be, for it to function as its own country.

“Whoa, what is that? It’s huge,” Hector marveled.

Beside him, Kieran observed the structure with a sharp gaze.

“That is our goal. Or rather, what lies within,” I told him. “I suppose you could say we’ve reached the starting line.”

“So, you’re sayin’ there are some strong fighters in there?”

“Our objective here isn’t combat,” I reminded Hector. “However, you are not mistaken.” There were some strong fighters in there. In fact, they were stronger than Hector. Though I kept that detail to myself.

Instead, I took a step forward—but before my foot could even touch the ground, the sound of clashing metal rang in my ears.

“Lord Zil, please step back.”

“Hah! Getting straight to the point, are we?!”

It all happened in an instant. Kieran and Hector, who were behind me just a moment ago, were now shielding me from two attackers up front. Kieran had repelled one’s rapier with his dagger, while Hector had blocked the other’s blow with his fist.

The speed at which they all moved surpassed the limitations of an ordinary person’s naked eye. But luckily for me, Zil was far from ordinary. With these eyes, I was able to keep up without a hitch.

How bizarre... Only one second passed, but I could clearly see all their movements.

In my past life—I still didn’t know if I could even call it that, but anyway—there was no way I could have followed all of this. Maybe then I would’ve been able to put on a clueless look and say, “Huh? Did you do something just nooow?” like some obnoxiously cocky upstart. But entering battle would do away with that, so I swiftly dropped that pointless train of thought.

This is my first time seeing others in combat... I’ve been a bit worried about having to fight in the future, but it looks like I should be fine with an ambush like this, I thought while holding back a sigh of relief. Thank goodness for the absurd strength of a final boss!

“You dare direct your blade at Lord Zil?” Kieran growled, a chilling bloodlust coiling around his words. “For that sin, even the punishment of death is far too merciful.”

“Heh... Not too shabby. But since you’re welcoming us, you gotta be the small fry ’round here, right? Then that means...” Hector’s mouth stretched into a wide, exhilarated grin. “Hah! What the hell? Just what kinda monsters are waiting in there? Ha ha! I bet even that so-called strongest nation has got nothing on this place!”

Kieran and Hector were both riled up and ready for battle. In response, a dangerous air began to brew around the two attackers. The already tense situation was mere seconds from boiling over. If I let them be, Kieran and Hector would no doubt charge at the attackers—but that wouldn’t do at all.

Besides, I’d already finished assessing the full strength of both Kieran and Hector, as well as how they compared to Zil—a task which was much safer than I had expected, might I add. Can cross that off my checklist, I thought contentedly.

“Restrain yourselves,” I ordered them all, injecting a little divine power into my voice. “We did not come here to wage war.”

Kieran instantly leaped backward and put away his dagger. A beat later, Hector also withdrew his fists.

“You two as well,” I said to the attackers. “We entered unlawfully, yes, but you must know full well that this was the only means by which we could approach you. As I said, waging war is not our intention—I believe we have made this clear, for these two best you in strength... Surely you are not so foolish as to require further explanation?”

I didn’t apologize. That would cause them to look down on me, and I couldn’t have that. Besides, I wasn’t even lying—brute force was the only way into this place. I was basically telling them, “I know we trespassed, but hey—we didn’t kill you, so we’re all good and you can trust us, right?” What am I, a mafia boss? Oh, wait... I guess I kinda am. Whatever the case, this really was as far as I could concede to them.

“You...”

“Stop, Ike. This isn’t our decision to make.”

The other attacker begrudgingly shut his mouth.

“It’s true that force is the only means of entry available to those without our ancient arts. However, I’d like you to understand that anything else is beyond our authority to decide. May we contact our superiors?”

“You may. To begin with, I did not come here to converse with the likes of peons.”

The two attackers then moved some distance away and began muttering under their breaths. My eyes remained trained on them as I smiled inwardly.

So far, so good. I did go into this hoping that they wouldn’t try to take us out from the get-go...but thankfully, things still turned out fine.

At the end of the day, those two were no more than grunts, the weakest among the Church’s forces. In the anime, they would’ve been simply background characters. But make no mistake, they were capable of going toe-to-toe with the likes of Kieran and Hector—each of whom could single-handedly destroy a small nation. In other words, these supposed grunts were on par with the very organization that made waves against the continent’s major powers in the anime.

That was the Church for you. They were the terrifying organization that introduced power creep into the series. A new faction, a ton of forces, and a heaping crap ton of power... Seriously, what better recipe for power creep could you ever ask for?

Just the thought of it is pissing me off... Ugh, whatever. Our next step is to enter negotiations and...

Even with everything seemingly smooth sailing so far, I wasn’t going to let my guard down. I took this chance to go over how I should proceed from now—

“Lord Zil?!”

“Tch!”

A speartip was pointed at my neck.

“You saw me,” mumbled my attacker. “You followed my speed and my spear’s trajectory...yet you did nothing. Hmm... At the very least, it seems your kinetic vision and fortitude are beyond that of ordinary folk.”

A speartip was pointed at my neck—and nothing more. The person wielding it had stopped at the very last second. I observed this newcomer with narrowed eyes.

“I see... You are strong. A human body that somehow rivals the flesh of a god’s descendant, such as myself... Must be your compatibility with divine power. You even possess the wisdom to comprehend the essence of divine power. It is clear to me now how you managed to cross the boundary without our ancient arts.”

I knew her. Yes, I knew this girl very well.

“Pardon me. It appears I was presumptuous in my assessment of you.” The silver-haired girl withdrew her spear. Her platinum armor glistened under the light as her clear blue eyes brazenly met my gaze. “I am Sophia. By orders from above, I shall be your escort.”

This girl not only hailed from the frightening organization that was the Church, but she was also one of their strongest combatants—a Seraph. Standing before me now was a mighty existence that could go step for step with the anime’s accelerating power creep.

§

The Seraphs acted as both the Church’s ultimate weapons and their strongest forces. Every member had inherited the blood of the gods and was equipped with an extraordinarily powerful weapon known as a divine relic. As if that weren’t enough, they also wielded ancient magic. Need I say more to get across that they were far stronger than Regr, the main villains of part one?

Now, what would happen if Sophia suddenly felt like ending us now? For starters, Kieran would die before he could even activate his Favor. Hector—given the nature of his Favor—wouldn’t die as quickly, but it would only be delaying the inevitable. The gap between them was just that wide.

In their defense, Kieran and Hector were by no means weak. The girl before us was just that much stronger—simple as that. All in all, this was a horrible matchup.

But let’s set all that aside for now. My current major dilemma was how to lead this situation toward a peaceful resolution while staying in character. After all, Zil was proud and arrogant. Would he benevolently dismiss having a speartip pointed at his throat? Obviously not.

Kieran and Hector knew what Zil was like, and the Church probably had a general idea too. Breaking character in front of them was out of the question, lest I allow any of them to think that I’d lost my nerves. I had to put up my walls and fill in whatever gaps I could. Most importantly, I had to keep my fear inside and my poker face outside. This approach would pave the way to my goal.

“Insolent woman. You dared to point your spear at me? For this transgression, even your life is too cheap a price...”

I rambled. My speech was so lengthy, my wording so oblique. I could’ve just said something along the lines of, “Hey, watch where you’re pointing that thing! Die!” and called it a day.

But I was actually doing this for two very good reasons.

The first was that speaking like this was just Zil’s style... Okay, maybe the original Zil was a bit more succinct, but it was more or less the same—this wasn’t so out of character. Besides, don’t I sound smarter when I use such highfalutin speech? Or...does thinking that way make me dumb? Surely not...

Anyway, the second reason was that it was actually a wonderful way to buy time to think. To survive in this world, I couldn’t just charge in half-cocked. Well, with Zil’s abilities, I could try playing the heavy-handed villain who went about his business by crushing nations whenever he didn’t get his way. Though I believe I’ve made myself clear as to why a plan like that wouldn’t work beyond part one of the anime.

Proceeding cautiously was in my best interest, and speaking lengthily bought me the time I needed to think things through. Fortunately, with Zil’s superior brainpower, thinking while speaking was a walk in the park. Not to mention the gears in his mind turned exceptionally fast, granting me a much broader perspective than I was originally capable of. Pair that up with my canon knowledge, and you had yourself an unbeatable combo! Well, having plain old me at the helm is still a severe debuff, though.

Anyway, I’d been rambling on for a while now, but basically what I was getting at was...

“Insolent woman. You dared to point your spear at me? (Why did Sophia just attack me out of nowhere? She seemed quite cautious. Not to mention she stopped before her spear touched me. I felt no bloodlust in her thrust... Was it just for show? Was she testing me? Is the Church’s top brass the type to do this? Sophia is the most mild-mannered among the Seraphs. The fact that they dispatched her means they’re not trying to get rid of us from the get-go. So there must be room for discussion and...)”

As you can see, in the time it took to say those few words, I’d been racking my brain like there was no tomorrow.

Sophia slowly bowed. “I apologize for my actions. However, I—”

“Hmph. Do not take me for a fool, woman. Do you think the motives behind your actions were lost on me?”

That was close—way too close for comfort, actually—but I’d managed to figure her out just in the nick of time. Now, I could just let her explain herself, but exposing her would make me look a lot more impressive.

Of course, there was no way I could show my face if I guessed wrong, but this was where Zil’s exemplary skills came into play. By reading the movement of Sophia’s lips, predicting her next words, and cross-referencing that with my own deductions, I was able to check my answer before anything of the sort even left her mouth.

Basically, I was cheating!

And what did I find out by cheating? That my deduction...wasn’t wrong! Uh, probably. Surely. Hopefully. Darn, I should’ve let her get another word in... Bah, whatever.

“The motive...?” Hector furrowed his brows, perplexed.

Meanwhile, Kieran’s murderous glare didn’t let Sophia out of his sight. I took a quick peek into his thoughts...

Uh-oh. That’s not good.

“Correct,” I quickly replied before the assassin could act out and mess things up for me.

Kieran’s Favor, when used against unsuspecting or first-time opponents, held the potential to kill even gods. Normally, it’d be nigh impossible for him to launch a surprise attack on a Seraph, but right now Sophia’s focus on me replaced her poise for battle. He could very well manage to kill her...and consequently declare war on the Church in the worst way possible. I had to avoid that at all costs.

I continued, “You wanted to gauge my strength...while also ascertaining whether we truly held no malice against those two peons.”

“Pardon me, Lord Zil...” Kieran hesitantly spoke up. “Have we not proven that already by sheathing our weapons against those weaklings?”

Kieran had a point. Those two had attacked us, yet we didn’t meet them head-on. Instead, we took the initiative to put our weapons away. Normally, this should have been enough proof that we came in peace.

“You speak the truth, Kieran.”

“Then—”

“Indeed... As you said, they are weaklings.”

To Zil, killing those grunts would’ve been like stepping on ants, so letting them go would’ve been inconsequential even if he had come here to wage a war. Hence, the fact we hadn’t harmed them did little in the way of proving that we came here in peace. Essentially, Zil could have allowed them to live either due to a simple whim or because they were that insignificant in the big picture.

“As such, the Church sent forth one of their strongest warriors to test me—to raise a weapon against me without a hint of malevolence.”

Had I failed to keep up with Sophia’s speed, then all was well—that would have told the Church that suppressing me by force was on the table. But if I could keep up, then they would want to know how I would react to an attack lacking ill intent.

“Will I meet a benign blade with ruthless violence? Am I a mindless beast, or a being of reason? These are the questions to which you seek answers, yes? With but a single swing of your spear, you dared to test me.”

A visible attack without the slightest ounce of malice was hardly an offense—it was a joke, like a pet’s playbiting or a child’s roughhousing. The only way I would’ve met such a tame move with violence would have been if I was looking for a fight—at least, that was the criteria by which the Church was hoping to assess me. But at the end of the day, a spear was a weapon, and a weapon could cause harm. They couldn’t blame me if I’d launched a counterattack purely by reflex, and they probably would’ve deemed me a nonhostile even then...

Ugh, what is this—a church or a casino? Give me a break.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to deduce the Church’s intentions if it weren’t for my canon knowledge. What would Zil’s out-of-this-world smarts do without information to work with and ideas to jump off of? Imagine being given an exemplary database but having no idea how to use the search feature or what keywords to even start with. All in all, I still had to rely on my own abilities as a jumping-off point for my analyses.

Because of this, I was most wary of things I had zero information on, like the aforementioned OCs for example. You could say that I myself was a precedent to my worst enemy.

“Hmph. What a devious ploy... Devious, yet very effective. Alas...” I paused for emphasis, then finished with a cold voice, “Your clever little schemes are mere rubbish against me.” This would serve as a warning to cut the crap and quit the tests, as well as a show that I wasn’t all brawn and no brains. Of course, on the inside, I was already on my knees begging them to spare me like the weakling that I actually was.

“Such acumen... Impressive,” Sophia acknowledged with a soft smile. “But was it truly wise to show your hand like this? Since you saw through our intentions, you could have simply acted with inaction. Then, once again, we would lack proof of your true stance.”

“Cease your drivel. Definite proof is nothing more than a fairy tale—you know that full well. They say to let sleeping dogs lie, yet you insist on prodding me with these tricks, hmm? I am merciful, so consider this a warning: Do not disappoint me any further.” I huffed and added, “You see, the sin of testing me is not one I tend to overlook.”

As I spoke, I unleashed my divine power—much more than I’d mixed into my words earlier—cascading the surroundings with immense pressure. The two grunts fell to their knees, while Hector faintly trembled as sweat formed on his brow. As for Kieran... Ugh, checking was a big mistake. What the heck? Why are you taking your clothes off?! Where are you going?!

“But I will pardon your transgression, for today we trespass upon your land,” I continued, forcing my thoughts away from Kieran and withdrawing my divine power. “Moreover, watching how the weak brandish their wisdom like a blade has been rather amusing.” All in all, I issued a warning, showed off my strength, and made it clear that I held no ill will but wouldn’t hesitate to retaliate if they tried pushing me around.

“Very well,” Sophia said with a calm smile. “My superiors have heard you loud and clear. I’m certain they will no longer attempt any form of deception.”

Seeing her so unfazed before my divine power made it even more painfully clear just how much stronger the Seraphs were than Regr. The consequence of power creep was shoving itself in my face. It was all the more reason I needed to do something about this as soon as possible.

Most impressive of all was the fact that Sophia hadn’t even batted an eye at that pervert off to the side. Those nerves of steel, that mental fortitude... I truly had to learn her ways posthaste.

Okay, I take it back. That’s not really a priority.

In any case, “My superiors have heard you loud and clear,” huh? So the Church’s top brass was monitoring our conversation... No surprises there. This meant two things: Sophia hadn’t been my only “examiner,” and her approval was representative of the Church’s. Thus, I could safely assume that we’d cleared this stage and were now headed straight for the negotiating table.

“Now, allow me to escort you inside. Once there, I will inquire about your business with us.” Sophia spun on her heel and began walking toward the Church’s base.

As I gazed at her back, another possibility came to me: What if the other Seraphs were waiting inside to ambush and ultimately eliminate us in one fell swoop? But that was far too convoluted. If they had wanted to take us out, they could have done so already.

I’d told Sophia that there was no such thing as definite proof. Well, that went both ways. This was a great risk I just had to take—if I didn’t want to die a meaningless death in the future, that is. And more than anything, Zil held absolute and unwavering confidence in himself. He would never falter here.

Signaling Kieran and Hector with a quick glance, I took a step forward and boldly followed Sophia into the Church.

§

Let’s rewind a bit to sometime before our trip to the Church.

I was seated in my study, arms folded as I pondered a certain issue I had to tackle before making contact with this new faction.

I need to get a better understanding of my own strength.

If worse came to worst and I had to fight the Church, the last thing I wanted was to lose control of my own power and self-destruct. Freezing up mid-battle was also a no-no. To avoid that fate and to grasp my fighting capabilities, I needed a sparring partner—preferably one of equal strength, but no one fit the bill among my troops at the moment. Actually, scratch that—you wouldn’t find anyone on equal footing with Zil in the entire continent.

Four nations—known as the four major powers—existed in this world, each harboring a powerhouse of exceptional strength:

The Frost Witch.

The Knight Captain.

The Dragon Emperor.

And last but certainly not the least, Humanity’s Strongest.

These four were collectively known as the Continent’s Strongest. It was no exaggeration to say they held true power and authority over the world. Yet none of them—not even Humanity’s Strongest, who was affiliated with the so-called strongest nation on the continent—stood any chance against Zil.

Well, since I just wanted to get a read on my combat ability, I could make do with someone weaker as well. In fact, Regr was already filled with some of the continent’s elites, so I could simply call on them to serve as sparring partners and... No, forget it. I wouldn’t want to accidentally kill my own subordinates.

Then perhaps I should set my sights on other nations... But potentially drawing attention to myself could hinder my future efforts to collect divine power and consequently obstruct me from reaching Zil’s full potential... Would I be strong enough to take on the gods like that? Nuh-uh. Not a chance. The original Zil had already absorbed all the divine power in the land by the end of part one, and even he would have been no match for the gods. I would have to do the same and a whole lot more if I wanted to stand any chance against them.

Thus, I had to act prudently.

Should I just test my strength on some magical beasts? I could leave the country for the wilderness in the middle of nowhere so I’d be free to hunt to my heart’s content. But that was a gamble as I might have an encounter with adventurers. Or, if I was particularly unlucky, the likes of the Knight Captain or the Dragon Emperor. That sounded like more trouble than it was worth...

Wait... Magical beasts? That’s right—I have just the guy!

A certain man came to mind—one of my subordinates and a member of Regr. He was a little tricky to deal with, but I’d already confirmed that he abided by the hierarchy between us.

Then it was time to put him to good use.

§

“Why have you called me here, Sir Zil?”

Standing before Zil was a purple-haired young man wearing a pair of round, rimless glasses and a long white coat. His name was Theodore. As anyone would assume from his appearance, combat ability was not his specialty. In fact, the researcher was easily the weakest member of Regr from a physical perspective.

Despite that, he stood before Zil utterly undaunted. Beneath a veneer of politeness, his gaze was bold and his speech curt.

Kieran would have been enraged at the sight, but Zil simply brushed it off and replied, “I wish to test your Favor. Come, let’s engage in combat without restraint. Attack me with the intent to kill.” He turned his back to Theodore and began widening the distance between himself and the man.

Behind his glasses, Theodore’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. He wants to test my Favor? After all this time?

Theodore was an outstanding researcher. He had even tampered with his own body to slow his aging. However, his exceptional genius and steely guts had landed him in prison for being a potential threat. To Zil, however, none of that mattered. Theodore’s remarkable intelligence made him a valuable asset—nothing more, nothing less. Thus, he’d dragged the researcher out of prison and bestowed upon him a Favor.

He seemed not at all interested in my Favor back then. I thought he recruited me solely for my research skills...

Whatever the case, Theodore didn’t mind a little test. If anything, he was pleased by this unexpected opportunity to experiment with his own ability. In fact, this venture is already worthwhile to learn that such a wide space exists under the castle. I’ll have to conduct some experiments here next time.

With those thoughts out of the way, Theodore slowly activated his Favor. An eerie purple magic circle manifested in the air before him, from which countless snakes emerged and charged toward Zil like a creeping torrent.

Heaven’s Mischief—Hvedrungr.

This was Theodore’s Favor. Once conditions were fulfilled, it could be used to summon, subordinate, and replicate all kinds of magical and divine beasts. Theodore frequently dissected his summoned beasts for his unending experiments, making his Favor one of great value as it saved him the hassle of going out to search for new test subjects.

The snakes he had just summoned were originally no more than magical snakes with fairly powerful venom. Now, however, their fangs contained Theodore’s own concoction—a deadly man-made venom unlike any natural toxin. In essence, the researcher had an entire army of lethally modified beasts at his disposal.

They loomed like a tidal wave, draping a shadow of death over their foes. Even the most robust soldiers could do naught but wait in despair before that sight. However, Zil just stood still without showing any signs of resistance.

“Magical beasts, hmm? Then this will suffice.”

Zil didn’t resist—because he didn’t need to. That became clear to Theodore the moment he witnessed his deluge of snakes split apart right before crashing into the silver-haired man. Their unnatural movements made the researcher’s eyes widen.

What just happened? Did he set up a magical barrier? No, my glasses would’ve detected that... Did he use his divine power? But he didn’t burst with that peculiar energy like usual...

The unknown phenomenon sent the gears in Theodore’s head turning at full speed.

He gave me this Favor, so it stands to reason that he can use a similar—no, a much stronger ability. Can he repel all substances and phenomena? That can’t be, otherwise it would have been accompanied by a shift in both oxygen levels and gravity. Besides, his statement “for magical beasts, this will suffice” must indicate other solutions.

Zil held out his hand and muttered something. Instantly, flames crawled along the ground and incinerated the army of snakes to absolute nothingness.

Theodore huffed. “I should’ve expected no less. But how’s this?” The moment the flames dispersed, he took the opportunity to summon two large boars at either side of Zil. They were a far cry from the snakes, for they were divine beasts endowed with the power of his Favor.

Theodore warily narrowed his eyes. Not even the armor worn by the company captains in that kingdom’s Order of Knights could withstand a blow from these boars, but...

The boars unleashed a ferocious cry as they swung their hooves down toward Zil. Such tremendous force was enough crush most armor and magical barriers in this world—

“Sir Zil... Are you really human...?”

—but it wasn’t enough to even put a dent in Zil. Far from it, as the silver-haired man stopped the boars’ attempted trampling with a single hand for each of them. The ground beneath his feet had collapsed into a knee-deep crater, but Zil’s stone-faced expression contrasted with the divine beasts’ pained wails.

Casting them no more than a sideward glance, Zil slowly opened his mouth. “It seems you’ve already deduced how to bypass Asgard... Clever. Yes, very clever indeed,” he muttered, clenching his fists and crushing the divine beasts’ hooves.

Blood rained down, but by then Zil had already ascended into the air.

My device can measure even ten times the speed of sound, yet it failed to detect his movements... No signs of magical energy either, so this isn’t even his physical enhancement. Purely raw physical power... Guess even the heavens play favorites.

In the blink of an eye, the divine beasts were flattened to the ground. From Zil’s current pose, Theodore could surmise that he had punched the beasts from midair. That single move’s speed and power had somehow escaped Theodore’s detection.

“Even the likes of the Knight Captain and the Frost Witch could put down these beasts,” Zil remarked with a cold and disinterested gaze. “Theodore, is this truly the extent of your Favor? Hmm? Drawing out a few measly attacks from the Continent’s Strongest... Do you believe this pitiful endeavor can satiate me?”

Zil spoke as if he were a tier above the Continent’s Strongest, but that came as no surprise to Theodore. After all, Zil had given Theodore the abnormal ability to summon a near-infinite number of lesser magical and divine beasts. It wasn’t difficult to surmise that Zil was just as if not stronger than the era’s most extraordinary geniuses.

Hah... I see how it is.

Theodore’s glasses glinted, hiding his piercing gaze. Suddenly, an enormous wolf illuminated by a sublime splendor manifested behind him.

Zil’s eyes narrowed. “That’s...”

Theodore stuck his hands into his coat pockets and gave a dour chuckle. “Oh, it’s nothing special—just another divine beast. Though it’s more on the...fictitious side than the last two. A beast that no longer exists in the present, and possibly never existed in the ancient past. I’ve merely re-created it through extensive trial and error,” he explained with a shrug. “By my speculation, this specimen is likely much smaller than the real deal. At this size, it must be no more than a pup, but even then it’s weaker than the original. Let’s call it a work in progress.”

This was Theodore’s trump card. He was typically against revealing unfinished products, but today was an exception.

Today, he unleashed this monster into the world.

It was no more than a shadow of that legend, an incomplete beast unworthy of the gods’ eyes—but even so, Theodore had re-created a fragment of the ancient myths with mortal hands. This earth-shattering feat would have sent the Church into a frenzy, but today it was quietly unveiled within this small corner of the world.

Suddenly, the divine wolf unleashed a tremendous roar.

The air shook and crevices slithered along the ground. Theodore and the interior structure remained safe thanks to Zil’s magical barriers, but space itself seemingly cried out in agony, unable to contain the violent surge of power.

And then—the divine wolf and Zil clashed.

A shock wave trampled over their surroundings and sent Theodore flying. The barrier negated any pain or injury, but that was the last thing on his mind. His gaze instantly whipped back to the source of the explosion—the eye of the storm ravaging this underground space—yet all he could see were the subsequent blasts.

My goodness...

Lightning crackled and flames roared. A dome-shaped blast expanded, shattering the earth and scattering debris. Theodore’s glasses even got a reading of an anomaly from a portion of the room, likely the result of chaotic energy.

This must be what the ancient myths looked like...

Theodore couldn’t help but wonder: What if this space hadn’t been contained with magic? What if they’d done this outside? Would this spectacular event not have carved itself into the annals of history? The sight of his measuring device malfunctioning and breaking under the pressure seemed to give Theodore his answer.

Although he’d never used this divine wolf in battle, he estimated it to be much stronger than the rumored Knight Captain and even the Frost Witch who was said to wield a forbidden art. Unleashing this beast into the world would have undoubtedly reshaped the entire continent.

Aah...

And yet, in this moment, Theodore felt so vexingly empty.

Within this chaotic space, he caught a glimpse of Zil’s expression for just the briefest of instants. Faced with this legendary beast, this earth-rending clash, and this unimaginable power—the king remained entirely unperturbed.

What felt like hours passed by in mere seconds.

Eventually, the divine wolf was immobilized, and finally Zil began a spell incantation.

It was magic the likes of which only the most prodigious mages could ever dream of wielding, of which only a notable few had ever grasped in human history. Something so extraordinary, yet here Zil was promptly preparing it like some everyday occurrence. It’s not like he’s dedicated his life and soul to the art of magic, Theodore thought with an airy, stupefied laugh. His talent was exceptional—transcendent, even. Heights that humanity collectively struggled to reach while Zil firmly stood on that plateau as if it were his birthright.

At last, the spell was cast.

All sound dissolved into a static ring in the wake of the explosion, and the world was painted white.

The light gradually subsided, revealing Zil standing alone and the divine wolf long vanquished from the world. The divine beast had fallen, and Zil stood victorious—and completely unscathed to boot. Though Zil’s top had disintegrated to nothing, his flesh was hardly marred. In other words, Theodore had failed to draw out even half of this man’s strength—likely far less.

Theodore’s wide eyes were pinned on that unbelievable sight. Slowly, a certain thought took form in his mind.

I knew it was incomplete. I knew, but still I thought I’d finally managed to re-create even just a small part of ancient times... But Sir Zil, it seems you stand even further out of reach.

The researcher’s glasses glinted eerily as his lips curled into a smile.

That body of yours... How very curious. Consider my interest piqued.

§

Holy smokes... Theodore, you never told me you had that bad boy up your sleeve...

That beast was most likely an incomplete version of Fenrir, the god-slaying wolf that frequently appeared in action-fantasy media. Not only was it a frighteningly powerful beast, but its fangs were also especially effective against the gods. Naturally, they posed a threat to Zil as well, and so he was sweating bullets—on the inside, at least.

I was head and shoulders above it in terms of raw power, but it inherently countered divine power and kept dishing out punishment... What a hassle.

But more so than fear, Zil’s mind had fixated on one striking realization: That beast, once completed, could very well serve as a trump card against the gods.

Zil solemnly closed his eyes.

Good luck, Theodore. Like, seriously. Good luck.

That day, Theodore’s research lab saw an unprecedented budget increase.

§

“Now, may I ask what business you have with us today?”

Sophia had brought us to a lounge. At present, I was seated on a long couch, both Kieran and Hector were standing behind me, and Sophia was seated across the table from me. With two grown men looking down on her and part one’s final boss staring her dead in the eye, you’d have thought she would feel at least a little intimidated, but the girl looked as calm as ever.

That’s a Seraph for you...

A cup of tea was set on the table between us. From it, steam rose leisurely into the air, carrying a scent that was... Um... Oh. That...smelled really nice, actually.

Urgh... Why do I feel like I’ve lost already?

Zil’s usual tea back in the castle was without a doubt a luxury I could have only dreamed of getting my hands on back in my old world, yet it seemed the Church’s tea was still a cut above. Could ancient arts somehow produce higher quality tea? Power creep was already bad enough, but if it also affected the tea... Curses!

Anyway, I shook off that weird train of thought and replied, “Then I won’t waste time on idle chatter. What brings me here today are your heavenly arrays.”

My first and foremost reason for this visit was to learn about magic from ancient times.

Ancient magic was wielded through special techniques known as heavenly arrays. These arrays didn’t respond to ordinary magical energy. Instead, they could only be activated with divine power. The gods’ descendants could wield them too, as the blood in their veins converted their body’s energy into something exceedingly similar to divine power.

Only one heavenly array remained in the modern world. It could be found in the Magic Republic where it was sealed—along with its grimoire—as a forbidden art. However, there was no shortage of those within the Republic who sought to master the art of magic. Completely sealing away such an invaluable grimoire was an open invitation to bring about the wrath of the populace. Thus, only those educated in the ways of supreme magic—the most difficult type of magic in existence—were granted access.

Alas, every challenger was inevitably left crippled, leaving the executives of the Republic with the dreadful realization that learning the forbidden art wasn’t the root of their problem. In fact, that was the very reason the Magic Republic was always one step behind in terms of military prowess. Though wielding supreme magic was a grand and historical achievement, every single prodigy born from their soil would, without fail, run off to read the grimoire and become permanently disabled. It was a truly lamentable state of affairs, but perhaps it was an unavoidable one. After all, reaching the pinnacle of magic meant having a deranged, hell-bent devotion to begin with—it only made sense for them to crave even greater heights thereafter.

Regardless, who could blame the Republic’s executives for losing their minds over this? They probably wanted to mobilize their nation’s talents as military forces more than anything, but the mages themselves weren’t interested in the slightest. Forcing them was out of the question too. Think of the mages of the Republic as sentient nuclear missiles. Well, you wouldn’t want to poke and prod a nuclear missile only to piss it off so much it comes flying at you saying, “Ya want some a’ this,” right?

Worse yet, most mages capable of expert magic dedicated their lives to training in hopes of attaining supreme magic and the forbidden art. As a result, only the lesser talents—those capable of advanced magic and below—remained to make up the combat forces, placing the Magic Republic a step behind the other major powers in the world.

In the end, its place among the major powers was kept secure all thanks to the exception that was the Frost Witch. If I had to guess, she probably had a smidgen of divine blood running through her veins. It had never been confirmed, but what other explanation could there be for her being able to survive reading that grimoire?

By the way, after the Frost Witch managed to learn the forbidden art, some underqualified mages had forced their way to the grimoire and—you guessed it—became crippled. Oh, those poor souls.

Anyway, that was enough of that tangent. My point was that ancient arts were a lost craft in the present day, and even the sole exception was far too powerful for human hands.

Now, you might be wondering: Why did such a dangerous art exist in the first place? Well, in ancient times, energy akin to divine power had been mixed into the atmosphere in minuscule quantities. Because of this, humans of that time had absorbed divine power with every breath they took, granting them the ability to wield ancient magic. In fact, in that era ancient magic had been the mainstream—rather, the only form of magic they had. Magic of the modern day was only born from the end of ancient times and the disappearance of divine power in the air—

I digress, again.

This was all to say, Zil wasn’t all that different from ancient humans due to his capability to wield divine power. Therefore, heavenly arrays and ancient magic shouldn’t necessarily be out of my reach.

Come to think of it, the ancient times must’ve been a really frightening era. Back then, the world was filled with the gods’ descendants like the Seraphs and humans who’d absorbed divine power like Zil. Now I could see why the gods might descend upon the land today and think, “Wow, these folks are useless. Do we really need ’em?” Of course, that didn’t change the fact that I was going to try my darndest to put the gods in the ground before they could do the same to me.

In any case, despite all my rambling, my main point was plain and simple: Ancient magic was hella strong and I really wanted to learn it. What was impossible with plain old magic was possible with ancient magic, after all. Of particular note was the fact that it functioned on divine power, an asset of mine that I needed to utilize to the fullest for my plot to defeat the gods.

Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting Sophia to just nod and accept with no problem. I had an ace up my sleeve.

“Our heavenly arrays... In other words, you wish to learn about our ancient magic.” Oblivious to all the thoughts swirling in my head, Sophia placed her finger on her chin in thought. “On behalf of the Church, I must confess that you have piqued our interest.”

I’d piqued their interest, hmm? Now, that didn’t sound very Church-like, did it? After all, typically all they cared about were the gods. Besides, they were privy to the full picture of this world. They should have known that Zil was no more than a tool to set the stage.

So, why exactly were they “interested” in me?

“Our paths never should have crossed,” Sophia continued. “As you know, this space is set upon a different dimension. Ancient magic is long lost to the people of your world. Detecting our land, much less breaching it, should have been outside your available means. Despite that, you entered here with full intent.” Sophia’s clear eyes glinted sharply. “That should have been impossible...that is, unless you’ve undergone a change.”

The room was subjugated by silence.

She spoke as if she had seen through Zil completely—and to that, I resisted the urge to smirk.

All according to plan.

As Sophia said, the people of the continent should have known nothing about the Church. No records of them were left in history, and they were completely isolated from the world of today.

Of course, some people still worshipped the gods. Some examples include the nation from which Kieran hailed as well as Zil’s country before he took over. Besides that, items associated with the gods were still left in the continent. As I’d explained earlier, the Frost Witch was a wielder of ancient magic, and Humanity’s Strongest was also equipped with a divine relic.

But the Church held no connection to any of them whatsoever. In fact, the Church scorned these people for their ignorance of the gods’ true intentions. Not a single trace of the Church’s existence remained in the world, so there should’ve been no way for anyone to learn about them.

So it went without saying how abnormal—and how special—I appeared to them now. Although I could imagine opinions were greatly divided, the Church’s top brass must have come upon several hypotheses:

Could the man named Zil be a new god?

Could a god have descended upon his mortal flesh?

Could he be connected to the gods in some way?

The first must have been rejected as blasphemy, but the last two were definitely worth consideration. After all, the trigger for the world’s transfiguration was terribly conditional. Remember, Zil had to unseal and absorb divine power to set things in motion—but how could the gods have been so sure that he would do just that? Wouldn’t it make perfect sense for them to have installed some sort of safety measure—such as possessing his body to do the dirty work themselves? Besides, it wasn’t a stretch to imagine a god borrowing a human’s body given they presently couldn’t descend upon the land in their own forms, right?

With this possibility in mind, surely these devout believers couldn’t afford to simply turn me away. To them, the gods came before all else. And through my hypothesized connection with them, certain accommodations with the utmost courtesy should be extended to me as well.

I thought I was going to have to nudge them to that conclusion, but that’s just what I expect from the Church—deducing things all on their own. This is perfect. It saves me a lot of trouble.

I leisurely took a sip of my tea as Sophia continued speaking.

“Hence, we have collectively concluded...that you must be a fellow believer!”

How in the world did you come to that conclusion?!

“Unlike the people of the world today, divine power has blessed you with its touch, awakening you to true faith. As a result, you came here seeking out your brethren. Am I wrong?”

Sophia’s lips curled into a smug smirk. I had to admit she looked rather cute, but more importantly, I wanted to ask the Church: Did you guys leave your brains in bed this morning?

“Indeed, faith in the gods is the only immutable truth in this world, and you arrived upon it despite your poor environment and lack of knowledge... Truly commendable.”

Sophia’s eyes were filled with tender compassion. I was overcome with the sudden urge to poke them.

“Goodness...”

“To think he housed such strong faith...”

The two grunts standing behind Sophia stared at me with both surprise and respect. Don’t worry, guys. I’m just as shocked as you are.

“Boss... You’re a fanatic...?”

Hector... What kind of face are you making right now? Hector, please... You aren’t lumping me in with Kieran, right? Right?!

“We would never withhold knowledge from a fellow believer. Brother Zil, I believe that one day you may even join us Seraphs in...”

Damn it, what can I even do here?

Frankly, playing the role of a fanatic was fine by me as a means to an end to get my hands on ancient magic, but that would put a wedge in my plans to live as Zil moving forward.

Wait, did she just refer to me by name? Already? Gosh, you’re gonna make me blush... Ack, no! That’s not important right now!

I had to banish all thoughts as ■■■■■. Only Zil was needed here.

What should I do? How could I fix this? Declaring myself as a god was a no-go. That was no better than waging war on the Church. I needed them to come to that conclusion by themselves.

But before I could rack my brain any further—

“I have heard enough.”

—a wrathful voice growled behind me.

“What are...?” Sophia’s dubious gaze was directed over my shoulder, then immediately dropped to my feet.

There Kieran knelt, his head bowed to me.

I looked down at the man with narrowed eyes. “Kieran...”

“Lord Zil, I’m afraid I can bear this no longer.” He cast Sophia a sideward glare. “Woman... You said your name is Sophia, yes? The disrespect you have shown my master ends now.”

Sophia hummed. “You must be Zil’s subordinate. Do you not have faith?”

“Faith, you say? Of course I have faith.”

“Then—”

“Yes, I have faith...in my one true God. Behold, the God of this world—Lord Zil!”

“We shall now commence the Inquisition.”

“Objection. Lord Zil is God. How are you all so blind to this truth?”

“I understand that our brethren and fellow believer appears divine in the eyes of a heathen. But you see, Brother Zil’s subordinate, we cannot take your blasphemous crimes lightly.”

“Uh, boss? I think Kieran’s a goner.”

How did this happen?!

§

So, my subordinate had declared that I was God before the Church and was swiftly dragged to an Inquisition.

I don’t even know what to say anymore...

Sure, my goal was for the Church to make a connection between me and the gods—I even had something up my sleeve to that end—but there was no way I could’ve anticipated all of this. By no means had I come here to shout, “I am God!” in their faces. I might as well have just declared war on them from the get-go. No, what I had wanted was for them to do the work to reach that conclusion all on their own.

It was naturally less vexing to realize your mistake on your own than to have someone else point it out. Such was human nature. For example, imagine someone was losing their mind because their PC just wouldn’t start. Ask them, “Is it plugged in?” and they might just blow their top. But if you read them out the steps from the manual—starting from taking the PC out of the box—they would eventually realize “Oh, it wasn’t plugged in,” then go about the rest of their day in peace.

Such scenarios I’d heard about all the time in my previous world, and I was just trying to re-create one here to my benefit. Really, that was all I was trying to do. After all, who in their right mind would pick a fight with the Church? There was no contesting how disastrous that would turn out.

I am so done for if I end up as collateral damage in their anger against Kieran...

While I was mentally cradling my head in dismay, the root of all my stress had his head held high before the members of the Church. Not only that, he went on to declare yet again, “Lord Zil is God. That is the truth of this world.”

Was this what they meant by the saying “ignorance is bliss”? But that couldn’t be—Kieran was no idiot. Sure, the gap between his strength and the Seraphs was probably far too vast for Kieran to properly gauge, but he should have been able to tell that they were much stronger than him.

Then that begged the question: Where did all this bravado come from?

The voice I heard in Kieran’s mind was quick to offer me an answer: “Bestowed upon me is a precious opportunity to preach Lord Zil’s truth. This is the Lord’s mandate, my God-given duty! Isn’t that right, Lord Zil?!”

I never gave you that duty, you nitwit! I screamed internally. I take it back—that was hardly an answer. Now I’m even more confused.

Meanwhile, one of the Church’s bishops spoke up. “You are called Kieran, yes? I’m sure Brother Zil is undoubtedly lamenting that the subordinate with whom he shared his power turned out to be so foolish.”

And I never said anything about becoming your “brother” either!

Why? Just why was everyone around me so delusional? And how in the world could they be so proud of their delusions? None of them were making any sense. Had they no shame?!

“How many times must you address Lord Zil so disrespectfully?” Kieran scoffed. “For those who pride themselves as devout believers, you lot are no better than the fools from my home country.”

The bishop bristled in anger. “You dare compare us to your—”

“Restrain yourselves, both of you.” Booming across the room was the voice of the elderly pope, the highest authority figure of the Church. “Such a display while in the presence of our brethren, who went against all odds to meet us, is unbecoming. Keep in mind that unlike Zil, the humans outside do not share our values. Not to mention that this man is his subordinate... Due process must be followed.”

By chastising both sides, he made an appeal of neutrality, but that last bit also made it clear the pope was dead set on executing Kieran.

I had to deny this whole “brethren” nonsense, but that would only add fuel to the fire right now... If worse came to worst, we could end up in an all-out war with the Church. And there wasn’t a chance in hell that we could win against all the Seraphs.

The only saving grace was that these proceedings gave me a bit more time to think things through and find a way to break out of this conundrum.

“Lord Zil has entrusted upon me the honor of proving his existence as God, and for that he is even tolerating them as they smear his name... I must live up to his expectations!”

What expectations? What are you even saying? Seriously, will you just shut your mouth for a second and let me concentrate? Oh, wait... His mouth is shut. I’m just reading his mind. Ugh...

Kieran’s heart was burning with an inexplicable sense of duty. Since I was reading his mind, it was painfully clear to me that he meant every word. Well, at least he had cooked up his own reason as to why I wasn’t speaking up. I guessed this was better than him growing suspicious of me for my silence.

In any case, I might just have to consider cutting off Kieran and Hector. As the saying goes: Dead men tell no tales. I could embrace the role of a devout believer, get what I came for, and kill Kieran and Hector the moment we stepped out. Basically, I’d purge all evidence of my shameful display, and then—

No, that’s a bad idea. I can’t get rid of such useful subordinates with my own hands. That’ll just be as an absolute last resort—nothing more.

Besides, I had a feeling that losing Hector here would spell trouble for my sanity down the line. In fact, my gut was screaming that he was more than just a useful subordinate. He might very well be my lifeline moving forward.

“Why can you not understand?” Kieran continued, his eyes ablaze. “Behold, Lord Zil’s sublime form! That brilliant, silky hair... That sharp, dignified gaze... That perfect body which no garments could dare to conceal! And the power contained within his every word and—”

“This may sound strange coming from me, but you should probably shut up,” snapped the pope. In a twist from earlier, his words now came genuinely from the bottom of his heart. The look in the pope’s eyes made it apparent that he had Kieran pegged as a weirdo, and his message to that weirdo was clear as day: Don’t embarrass yourself any more than you already have.

I couldn’t agree more. Kieran should really just shut up already. In this moment alone, the pope and I were truly brethren.

“Seraph Sophia,” called the pope. “You said that this man made these blasphemous claims unprompted. Is this correct?”

“Indeed. Even before that, during our initial meeting, he began undressing in the middle of our conversation... I’d suspected his mind wasn’t sound, but to think it was this bad...” Sophia stared at Kieran in disgusted disbelief.

Wow, Kieran. You managed to make a Seraph cringe. That’s quite the achievement. Never in my life have I been this glad not to accomplish something myself.

On the side of the accused were me, Kieran, and Hector. On the side of the Church were the three Seraphs including Sophia, the four bishops who served as the Church’s top brass and brains, and the pope as the highest authority figure. The bishops had all insisted on executing Kieran on the spot, while the pope—though just as eager to execute him—held firm that due process must be followed. As for the Seraphs, Sophia seemed to be of the same opinion as the pope, whereas the other two...

“Well, the people outside have their own rules, don’t they? Besides, it sounds like that guy was acting weird from the start. What if he’s just been so panicked this entire time that he hasn’t been able to think straight? Isn’t it our job, as followers of the gods, to show him some compassion? All the more if he is our brethren’s servant.”

As one of the more open-minded members of the Church, Seraph Joseph possessed values strikingly similar to those of the continent’s people.

As a matter of fact, he wouldn’t be the first. Seraphs didn’t always see perfectly eye to eye with the Church. As the inheritors of divine blood and beings closer to gods than humans, Seraphs tended to be unusual individuals with a mix of the Church’s values and their own.

It might seem strange that the Church placed them in their upper ranks, but make no mistake, Seraphs saw the gods as absolute all the same. So don’t let his easygoing attitude fool you. If the gods gave the order, Joseph would gladly kill his neighbor while smiling from ear to ear.

“No... This is...the Church... We must follow...the Church’s rules... Kill him...now.”

The last of the Seraphs—a hooded young man whose mouth was covered with a mask—glared at Kieran with silent, festering bloodlust. Despite his quiet speech, Daniel was the most radical member of the Church. Hence, I was especially wary of him at present.

“But aren’t they still our guests? Their values are also vastly different from ours,” Joseph reiterated. “The situation is far from normal. I think we can afford a bit of leniency, no?”

Daniel simply responded with a huff. “Their circumstances...are not worth consideration... To begin with...they entered unlawfully... Zil is an exception...because he’s one of us...but the other two...must be erased... It’s for the best... No need to wait...for the pope’s orders... I will...kill them.”

Daniel took a step forward. Things were clearly getting dicey. I’d been observing their exchange with narrowed eyes, but I couldn’t afford to stay silent any longer.

However, Sophia beat me to the punch. “Halt, Daniel. We are currently holding an Inquisition—a hearing. Executing him must wait until after the verdict is decided. Moreover, we have no cause to execute the other one,” she said with a glare. “Though pardoning the man named Kieran is inconceivable, I have sworn against any further acts of deception. Should you seek to harm them outside of due process, then I shall stand in your way and protect them.”

“Do you...hear yourself? At the very least...the first one’s execution...is all but decided... Or are you also...going against...the will of the gods? So arrogant... So presumptuous.”

“Oh? Then allow me to ask you in turn: Who gave you the right to speak for the gods? The gods’ will is theirs alone to speak on. Raising your voice on their behalf out of turn is the height of insolence, no? Nobody here is a god—not you, nor I. Yet you seem to perceive yourself as a god... Should we perhaps hold an Inquisition for you as well, hmm?”

Immense pressure suddenly burst forth from both Seraphs.

This marked my first time being subjected to the divine auras of others. I held back a grimace as I deployed a magical barrier to shield Hector and Kieran.

Even with Zil’s monstrous magical energy, my barrier is barely holding on... I didn’t use a chant and had to put it up immediately, but still—are these guys out of their minds? Why are they busting out all this divine aura over an argument?

All this clashing energy could probably rattle an entire city to the point of shutting down, but this space was calm, cool, and collected. Should I praise the Church for how sturdy they’d made this alternate dimension? Or should I roll my eyes because they were acting like a bunch of immature kids? Choices, choices... Wow, I just can’t decide!

“Oh...? It looks like their auras hardly fazed you, Zil,” Joseph mused.

“Would a mountain waver before a passing breeze?”

“A passing breeze, hmm?” The man’s lips curled into a mysterious smile.

I watched him with growing vigilance. Zil during the final battle was about on par with each of the Seraphs. On the other hand, I currently was no match for any of them despite the boost this space granted me... Er, I think. I had no clue how omnipotent Zil felt at the end of part one, so I couldn’t really say for certain.

In any case, meeting the Seraphs in person made it painfully clear that I had no chance of beating them as I was now. With Zil’s keen eye for strength, this hopeless gap only became even more obvious. Zil never lost to the protagonist till the very end, yet part two introduced several characters who equaled Zil in strength—and they weren’t even final bosses.

Curse you, power creep! You and your vicious ways!

Meanwhile, Sophia and Daniel’s argument continued.

“From the moment...a heathen of false faith...set foot onto this sacred land...he deserved...a thousand deaths...”

“What are you—”

“Pope...”

The pope hummed. “What is it?”

“I ask for permission...to use that...”

My eyes narrowed. “That”? What’s “that”? It didn’t ring any bells. Surely it was no good, whatever it was.

Sophia responded to Daniel’s statement with another burst of divine aura. “You seek to use that on outsiders? It sounds to me like you simply want Zil’s subordinates dead unconditionally!”

“Laughable...”

“What?”

“If that man speaks the truth...then he will not die...”

“But that’s—”

“We stand here...before the gods... All who dare spout lies...must die...no?”

Sophia clamped her mouth shut.

“Sophia...I take it...you have no objections...”

The girl slowly withdrew her divine aura. “I do not,” she conceded.

Finally, Daniel also backed off.

All was inconsequential before the gods. Such was the Church’s infallible principle. It was no wonder Sophia decided now to stand down. She could do no more than cast me a sideward glance before glumly averting her gaze.

I had been starting to consider using her to blitz my way through, but as I’d thought, that plan was a no-go. Sophia’s sense of duty was strong, but not quite strong enough to overturn the Church’s core principle. This isolated environment had ingrained their ideology into her—naturally, it was hard to shake, regardless of how close she was to the gods compared to most.

More importantly, I’m wary of “that.”

Daniel said that “all who dare spout lies must die.” Did they have some sort of lie detector? Was he planning on executing Kieran if it determined he was lying?

Sensing my brewing curiosity, Joseph smiled and explained, “It’s an ancient spell that detects one’s faith in the gods. The Church was originally founded to solidify the people’s faith, so the gods crafted this spell to use on those seeking to join the Church. Though, we haven’t used it a single time since isolating ourselves from the world.”

Aha, I see... All this time I’ve had my eye on using ancient magic for combat, but apparently there are some rather mundane applications as well. That’s something to keep in mind... Hang on, I can’t just dismiss it so quickly. It’s useful for detecting traitors and spies, right? Actually, it would be super useful against us... Uh-oh.

Kieran’s faith in me was the real deal, but I certainly wasn’t. Had I been an actual god, then his faith in me would equate to faith in the gods, but sadly that wasn’t the case. So, if they used that spell on Kieran, he would be deemed faithless and therefore a liar deserving of execution. This was probably Daniel’s line of reasoning.

“By the way,” Joseph added breezily, “the spell also comes with a spectacular feature of instantly killing those deemed faithless. Though it can’t be used without the target’s consent.”

What in the holy mother of overpowered spells is that?! So all they had to do was ramble off a bunch of lies, trick someone into consenting, and then kill them?! It was practically a nonbeliever killing machine!

Wait. Didn’t he say they hadn’t used it since they came here? That was over a thousand years ago, right? Then it should take some time to prepare. In the meantime, I had to think of how to break through this crisis—

“I will start...now...”

—but reality was far too cruel. In no time at all, a golden magic circle manifested before Daniel’s hand and at Kieran’s feet.

What?! He activated it already?!

Naturally, the faithless Kieran was—

—against all odds and expectations, not executed by the spell.

A deathly silence fell over the room.

Daniel stared at Kieran with stunned disbelief, while Kieran looked down on him in pure and utter disgust.

The power balance had shifted...in Kieran’s favor...?

“This...can’t be...”

“You should have used that from the beginning. Hmph... Fools of the Church. I am thoroughly disappointed by you so-called harborers of true faith. You failed to realize that standing right before your eyes is God.”

Wait... Wait, wait, wait. What in the world is happening?

“Impossible... Only those with faith in the gods...should be able to survive this spell...not nonbelievers...”

“Do you still not understand? It’s like I’ve been saying from the start: Lord Zil has descended upon this world. He is God.”

Five pairs of wide, bloodshot eyes—belonging to the bishops and the pope—instantly whirled toward me. I recognized that look in their eyes—I’d seen it countless times from Kieran.

A strong urge came over me to make a run for it.

“G-God...?”

Who are you calling— Wait! Calm down, me! I know they’re all giving you the same look as that pervert, but don’t forget why you came here! Somehow—I had no idea how, but somehow—the situation had been rectified and we were now back on track.

Then there was only one right answer here!

“Hmph... It appears you’ve finally collected your wits,” I told the pope. “Indeed, I am a new god, borrowing mortal flesh to descend upon the land. As you know, the world of today is inhospitable to the divine.”

“Oh...! No ordinary person should know about that... There’s no mistaking it!”

“G-God...!”

“H-How could we have been so rude...?!”

“You are pardoned, for this was all merely a test.”

I wore a solemn smile as I spouted one barefaced lie after the next, even going so far as to bust out information that only the Church should’ve known to help reinforce my facade. My canon knowledge saves the day again!

And get this: By forgiving them, not only did I come across as a magnanimous god who was beyond mortal pettiness, but I also brought a quick end to this discussion. After all, the longer we dwelled on this topic, the greater the risk I would be exposed as a fake. My number one priority now was to swiftly end things in my favor. Everything else could wait.

I continued, “Long ago, before departing the land, the gods implemented a certain measure on the world. You know this, yes?”

“Indeed. It is said that the gods ensured that one human would awaken to an Authority.”

That human was Zil, and the Authority he had awakened to was called □□□□□—Asgard. Said unique ability—the Authority which all gods inherently possessed—allowed him to reign supreme throughout part one. It was that absolute power that defined the difference between gods and humans.

“Correct. But tell me, pope, what would this accomplish if it never occurs to this human to use his Authority?” I watched with narrowed eyes as the pope gasped. “A cat raised among dogs may lose its feline ways and act like some mongrel. Similarly, a human may awaken to an Authority, but live a life of mundanity like that of a powerless mortal. But the seal must be undone... It is for this reason that I have descended upon the land.”

Yeah, right. Zil was using his Authority just fine... He really is something else.

But under most circumstances, the scenario I’d just described made a lot more sense. In fact, I heard several exclamations of agreement and awe around the room. From “That is true!” to “Of course!” and even “Such wisdom!”

I mentally scoffed. I knew it... They’re pushovers.

The Church placed the gods above all else, making them terribly difficult to deal with—that is, unless they mistook you for one. Then they transformed into the most pliant bunch there was.

Of course, the question still remained as to why that ancient spell had identified me as a god to begin with... If I had to guess, it must have responded to my divine power.

Divine power was a form of immense energy found in this world—a pure essence born of the gods’ powers. It was no exaggeration to say that the gods themselves were divine power. Gods were beings that wielded divine power, therefore beings that wielded divine power were gods. Semantics aside, this was probably why I’d managed to fit the bill. So, hypothetically speaking, worshippers of the Seraphs might also escape that spell unscathed just like Kieran had.

Long story short, this was a loophole. The Church must’ve missed this because they hadn’t used the spell in so long.

Well, well, well... How careless of them, I thought cynically. If it were me, I would’ve checked the spell’s features and parameters before using it. Perhaps this was what they got for living in their own little world all this time. Their carelessness spared us though, so maybe I should’ve been thanking them instead.

Hah... Would you look at that, Kieran? You’re not entirely useless after all.

For the first time, I saw Kieran in a different light. I’d thought all that fanatic was good for was supplying me with endless headaches, but he really saved me this time around. Of course, I couldn’t commend him out loud. But in my mind, I was singing his praises—

“What are you fools waiting for? Worship Lord Zil right this instant.”

—until Kieran suddenly threw off his clothes.

My mind nearly blanked out from the shock.

“Heed my words: True faith is exposing all of who you are to God. Your vilest sins, your darkest secrets—everything. But how can you expose your innermost self...when your exterior remains concealed?”

What the hell are you even saying?!

“Why are newborns blessed with God’s love? It is because they greet the world free and unclothed!”

His inner and outer voices are perfectly in sync! H-He’s being completely serious!

I was utterly and helplessly at a loss for words. Through sheer willpower alone, I managed to keep my poker face steady, but let it be known that I was screaming on the inside.

Hector shot both me and Kieran looks of disbelief. “Seriously, boss...?”

Genuine fear washed over me. N-No, Hector, you’ve got it all wrong! I’m not like Kieran! Please, you gotta believe me...!

“M-My goodness...”

I heard the pope’s shaky whisper. He must have been terribly enraged by Kieran’s nonsense—

“Y-You’re right... It all makes perfect sense...”

HOW?!

“Aah...”

“C-Concealing ourselves from the gods...”

“W-We would never...”

The bishops all turned as white as a sheet. Hello? Earth to the Church? Does anybody have a brain today?!

“Must atone...with my...life...”

Stop that! I didn’t come here for a Seraph elimination speedrun!

“I-I dared to point my spear at a god...”

And you, over there! Why are you trying to break your spear? Isn’t that a divine relic? What could possibly be more disrespectful than— Aaand she passed out.

“Brothers and sisters, we must now offer up our faith and worship! Strip yourselves of all your clothing and—”

CUT IT OUT!!!

§

I nearly lost my mind.

Aah, so this is where it all ends, I thought as I felt my soul leave my body.

I had been teetering on the edge, ready to throw in the towel, until a certain sight snapped me back to my senses—Kieran grabbing his underwear, mere seconds from exposing his best bud to the world.

Mustering what little sanity I had left, I struck Kieran with the elementary spell Shock and told him, “Disgusting. Spare my eyes from that.” For Kieran, this would suffice. This fanatic of mine wouldn’t disobey such clear-cut orders.

To the pope and bishops who were about to undress, I said, “Cease at once. I do not acknowledge that form of worship.” And to the Seraphs, “Return to your senses. Are you not the inheritors of divine blood?”

Somehow, saying all that was enough to quell the chaos. Such impeccable work, if I do say so myself. Good job, me. Bravo!

“Boss...!”

I felt Hector’s gaze of respect on my back. That alone filled my chest with another burst of pride.

The best subordinates were the ones who could boost their superior’s mental well-being by offering the right words at the right time. In this regard, Hector was clearly a cut above the rest. I knew I could count on you, Hector! You’re the best subordinate ever! Truly, he deserved worthy remuneration for his exemplary work. Would five quadrillion yen per annum suffice?

“Lord Zil.”

My gaze slid to Kieran. He was on the ground, knee bent and head bowed.

“I thank you for your guidance. (So I must strip after I grow more as a person!)”

How does this guy’s brain even work...?

I’ve never been more confused in my life. How? Just how was he so...optimistic? How the heck did he interpret what I’d said as permission to let his best bud loose after some character development? Wouldn’t any normal person take that as a hint to never expose themselves like that for the rest of their life? That must have been some acrobatic jump to reach that conclusion.

A sense of foreboding came over me. Could it be that Kieran was already beyond my control...?

“To conceal oneself from God is the height of disrespect. Yet, Lord Zil stopped me... So he does not seek to know my all just yet. This means he has not yet acknowledged my—”

In the interest of my withering sanity, I smoothly averted my gaze. Now, you might think that I was just running away from the problem...and you would be right. That was exactly what I was doing.

Well... Honestly, as long as the underwear stayed on, it was all good. Especially if it was just Kieran and nobody else. Maybe, just maybe, I could forcefully establish his character as “an eccentric man who wears swimwear as casual wear.” Given his good looks, I supposed that wouldn’t paint too bad a picture.

Just as I was trying to strike a compromise with myself, the Church members knelt and spoke in unison. “As you command.”

Uh...

“We were stopped before we could undress, whereas Sir Kieran was stopped only before he removed his underwear. So, he has been acknowledged as our superior in that regard...”

Yeah, a superior headache!

“It appears our faith is still lacking... We must strive to be as worthy as Sir Kieran someday!”

Much to my mental detriment, Kieran and the members of the Church were a match made in hell.

Seriously, just why and how did their minds jump to all these convoluted conclusions? Were they one of those types? You know, those creeps who misconstrued all forms of rejection and carried on with their flirting, then later on wondered why nobody even liked them?

What kind of analogy is that? I deadpanned to myself.

Now, I would’ve loved to reject this “faith” of theirs, but what if they turned on me by saying, “A god who rejects our faith is no god of ours!” or something like that? Sure, that was a terribly selfish and shallow way of looking at it, but I wouldn’t put it past them. These crazy cultists had been a horrendously unpredictable mess from the start. With things already settling down in my favor, there was no need to shake the hornet’s nest or fix what wasn’t broken. Antagonizing the Church was the last thing I wanted.

Fortunately, I’d succeeded in shutting down their attempt to worship me via stripping. All was well as long as their clothes stayed on...hopefully.

Now, as for the elephant in the room...

It wasn’t just Kieran anymore—I could also read the minds of the pope, bishops, and Seraphs as long as they were in my field of vision. What did each of them have in common? They all worshipped me.

Was this one of Zil’s abilities? Did it go undiscovered in canon because the original Zil was never revered in such a manner? Well, yeah... Zil never would’ve had this sort of relationship with Kieran or the Church.

If this ability was indeed Zil’s, then a new possibility emerged—this body had capabilities outside of my knowledge. Which meant Zil still had much more room for growth. Of course, I welcomed this revelation with open arms. The more weapons I had to raise against the gods, the better.

“The Inquisition is over,” I declared. Was this for me to decide? Probably not. But nobody objected—I was a god, after all.

Now there’s something I never thought I’d say...

I continued, “As I’ve said, I seek your heavenly arrays. This mortal flesh would provide a rare opportunity for a god to employ human arts, would it not?” I curled my lips into a faint smirk. “Now, where can I peruse the relevant information?”

Let me just say this: I was done with this place. The moment I got what I came for, you could bet I was gonna make a break for the exit. Who in their right mind would want to hang around this den of perverts anyway? One Kieran was more than enough. But an entire army of him? No thanks. I wasn’t hankering to die of stress. Heck, once I got my hands on their heavenly arrays, they could all just blow up the moment we left for all I cared.

Okay, that might be a bit much. After all, who would take down the Evil God in their place?

Ugh. What do I even do with these guys?

The Church had turned out to be a bigger pushover than I’d expected. Naturally, the idea of using them as my pawns came to mind. Though now on the cusp of becoming a cult of strippers, the Church was first and foremost an exceptional organization with great numbers and the superior brains and brawn to back it up. With them under my command, collecting all the divine power scattered across the continent should be a walk in the park. After all, even the major powers of the continent would be no more than stepping stones under the Church’s foot if need be. Then I’d be able to put all my focus into my training while waiting for them to offer me all the divine power on a silver platter. Easy, right?

Hah. Who am I fooling?

It mustn’t be forgotten that the Church had only submitted to me because they’d mistaken me as a god. I was free to use them until the Evil God appeared, but the moment the real gods descended upon the land? My cover would be blown and the Church would change their tune. Then it’d just be me and my poor power-crept Regr versus the gods and the enraged Seraphs. That would be quite the handicap match, right? No amount of training on my end would put us on par with those monstrous forces. Basically, it was a one-way trip to Fodderland all over again. I could actually see things turning out worse for me than they had for Zil in the anime.

I needed pawns who could stand against the gods. Bonus points if they canonically withstood the tides of power creep, like the Frost Witch, for example. Thus, collecting divine power by forceful means was out of the question, as this would put me on everybody’s hit list and eliminate any chance I had at gathering allies. Though, regardless of my method, it was currently impossible for me to subordinate any of the Continent’s Strongest anyway.

All in all, my overall plan remained the same: get stronger and strengthen Regr.

Of course, if Theodore suddenly became super overpowered and could cook up hundreds of full-fledged Fenrirs overnight, then the rest of them really only needed enough muscle to throw tomatoes from the back. But let’s be real here—that wasn’t gonna happen.

Anyway, to get back on track, my point was that I didn’t need the Church when their betrayal was all but inevitable. And I most certainly didn’t want to develop any sort of attachment to them that would hamper me once it was time for us to go our separate ways. As early as now, I had to maintain a proper distance.

Of course, they wouldn’t have the same problem with me. They were willing to turn on their closest friends so long as the gods willed it. That was just how they were—that was why they were the Church.

Basically, this was a me problem. Right now, I could cut them off without a second thought, but could I say the same in the future? Especially after we fought side by side all the way to my potential survival against the Evil God? I wished I could give a resounding yes, but I really couldn’t.

Well, based on the anime, Sophia might be willing to side with me... But with all the divergences from canon, it’s hard to say for certain.

In the anime, Sophia had ultimately chosen to stand against the gods. However, that only happened after she—through her interactions with the protagonist and his companions throughout part two—opened her eyes to the gaping chasm between her ideals and reality.

It was really too bad I couldn’t use the Church as my pawns. I’d use them for all they were worth now—to gain information on their heavenly arrays—then sever ties with them completely moving forward.

Sophia knelt at my feet and said, “If you would allow me.”

The other two Seraphs pierced her back with razor-sharp death glares, but she remained utterly unfazed.

Damn, this girl is tough.

“Tsk. I am most worthy of that role. Who does this girl think she is?”

Kieran, you can’t even use ancient magic...

“It was I who inquired about your business with us,” Sophia continued. “As such, it would be my honor to fulfill my duty until the very end.”

Then, I heard her think, “God has graciously forgiven my blasphemous transgression... I swear upon my name to offer him my all.”

Hmm... Well, Sophia was right. She was our escort for this visit. Besides, both her inner thoughts and outward personality were much milder compared to the rest. She was a nice and easy choice here.

“Very well. I grant you the honor of bestowing me with knowledge.”

“As you command!”

Well, she sure sounded happy. Actually, she looked really happy too. I was starting to feel more at ease already. Not to mention she was a great fighter to boot... Seriously, I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d consider joining my side.

Nah... No way that’ll happen.

§

What were heavenly arrays?

To the ordinary human, they were free tickets to life as a cripple. Quick and effective too—a brief skim was all it took to forfeit the rest of your life. Just look at the Magic Republic. The top two things that country produced to no end were crazy mages and cripples—in that order, sadly.

In the eyes of most, only lunatics would try to learn the forbidden art. And since that was exactly what I was doing with the Church’s heavenly arrays... Well, it went without saying how I would appear to the uninformed observer. After all, I’d charged headfirst into an insanely powerful organization’s HQ, negotiated with fanatics who wouldn’t hesitate to kill for the gods, and gone the extra mile to convince them of my divinity...all to get my hands on that ticket to a crippled life.

Wow. When I put it that way, I do sound crazy. Am I...just another lunatic?

No, no, that couldn’t be. Unlike them, I had canon knowledge on my side and a good chance of actually learning heavenly arrays. I wasn’t like those crazy mages... Absolutely not.

In any case, a good chance was still far from a guarantee. Zil never wielded heavenly arrays in the anime, so I—being the ordinary person that I was on the inside—was obviously a little worried.

“That concludes my explanation.”

“Hmm... I see.”

So, you could imagine my relief when I absorbed the knowledge without issue.

I’d thought the only defining difference between heavenly arrays and magic was their energy sources, but it turned out I was quite mistaken. Heavenly arrays were inscribed directly into one’s body. Injecting these arrays with divine power meant one could activate the spell without so much as a chant.

So, ancient magic is chantless by default... How convenient. It must have been inspired by runes.

Basically, ancient magic required no preparatory steps. No chants, no rituals, no nothing. Since the array was inscribed into your flesh beforehand, you just needed to load it up with some divine power and it was all good to go. What a wonderful art.

Though, the inscription process seems quite tedious.

At one point, Sophia had offered to remove her armor so I could observe as she manifested her heavenly arrays. Of course, I’d swiftly turned her down with the coldest poker face I could muster amid my rattled thoughts. Staying in character sure is tough...

I should probably train up my mental fortitude and poker face to remain strong even when confronted with Sophia’s naked body, but who could have foreseen such a thing? Not me, that was for sure. Naturally, I had to stop her before things got to that point.

No, I was not regretting my choice. Absolutely not.

I’ve gotten off track. Back to the topic at hand...

Having the array inscribed into the body granted ancient magic one particular advantage: It could remain active as long as divine power was coursing through it. Now, keeping it on 24-7 would be kinda overkill—you’d naturally run out of divine power sooner or later. But keeping it on for the duration of a battle? Now that worked—really well, might I add. I mean, imagine fighting a literal walking calamity.

Ancient magic... Scary stuff.

Passive activation was typically limited to unique abilities. In modern-day magic, only flight spells could mimic this quality. But when it came to ancient magic, every spell was functionally a unique ability. Today, only a handful of geniuses could endow their magical energy with elemental attributes and maybe even encase themselves in it. But in the distant past, anyone could do that with ancient magic. They’d needed divine power, of course, but that was a box all ancient humans had checked off. All this to say that the greatest geniuses of this era were just barely on the level of the average Joes of ancient times.

Such a frightening era...

In fact, didn’t it sound too frightening? If everyone back then had truly been that powerful, how had the world and human civilization avoided imploding in all this time? Besides, the Seraphs never used their heavenly arrays to that insane degree in the anime.

Could there be...a restriction?

Aha! Of course! Learning all the heavenly arrays would make you incredibly strong, but there must have been some sort of hard limit in place.

Naturally, I couldn’t just leave this theory to fester. I sought answers right away.

“Sophia. Are you capable of wielding every array?”

“I am afraid not. In fact, none of the Seraphs are. We can only wield arrays we are compatible with...” Her voice gradually grew quieter as she looked at me like an abandoned pup.

A wave of guilt and an urge to apologize assaulted me simultaneously, but all I could say was, “Very well. Fret not, I asked simply to sate my curiosity.” Then, I proceeded to ask, “How then is compatibility determined?”

There was no way they inscribed and tested every single array one at a time...right? Just how long would I have to stay in this den of fanatics then? The mere thought nearly made me shudder.

“To test compatibility, we typically inscribe an elementary array from each category, then inject them with divine power,” Sophia explained.

Fair enough, I thought with an outward nod. Basically, whichever array responded indicated compatibility with that category. For example, if the elementary fire-attribute array activated, then that meant you were compatible with fire-attribute spells in general.

“Shall I inscribe the arrays for you...?” Sophia offered with a hesitant, questioning gaze, to which I readily assented.

I couldn’t afford to mess up right from the get-go, lest I risk ruining my foundation for later growth. Training in the fundamentals before proceeding to practical application was a common approach in many fields. Only once a solid foundation was established could you try putting your own twist on things and developing your unique strengths. For this first stage, where I currently was, it was a safe bet to leave things in the hands of a professional.

With that in mind, I threw off my top, exposing Zil’s naturally muscular and impeccably trained build.

Sophia blinked, then nodded very slowly. “Then, if you will excuse me...”

She approached me...then stopped moving entirely. Her beautiful silver hair filled my vision and a pleasant scent tickled my nose, yet still she showed no signs of making a move. She was just... Uh, she...

Crap, I can’t think straight!

As the pressure and nerves caused my IQ to plummet, I suddenly heard Sophia’s thoughts.

“H-How terribly thoughtless of me... To inscribe the arrays, I would need to touch his flesh... How could I touch such a divine body? S-Such blasphemy! I could never... But he has already accepted my offer, and he must know that would entail me touching his body, so would it not be more blasphemous to question his judgment? Perhaps I must atone with my life after all...”

When did this turn into a Seraph elimination speedrun again?!

Her frightening thoughts blew away all the nerves rattling my mind. By closing my eyes and removing her from my sight, I somehow regained a thread of sanity, which I desperately grasped onto as I finally opened my mouth. “Sophia. I grant you the honor of touching my flesh.”

“Ah... U-Understood! I shall inscribe the arrays right away.”

The next moment, I felt Sophia’s finger on my skin.

Whoa, when did she take her glove off? Oh... Her finger’s cold, but that feels kind of ni— Stop, stop, stop! Argh, maybe I shouldn’t have closed my eyes... It’s really not helping!

This situation demanded borrowing the wisdom of humans past. I’d heard that when desperate times called for desperate measures, there was only one thing to do: count prime numbers! Surely prime numbers would ease my mind back to a state of tranquility. There was no time to waste—I had to get counting!

Wait... What are the prime numbers again? Oh crap, I totally forgot... Zil’s exceptional brain is completely wasted on me...

Alas, I had committed a grave mistake. Counting prime numbers would have worked had I started before Sophia touched me. But now... Now, I was utterly helpless. At the end of the day, even with Zil’s extraordinary body, I was just a painfully ordinary guy on the inside.

No... Not yet...!

But I couldn’t give up already. I’d sworn to defeat the gods and to oppose my fate as fodder. This was not where I would bend the knee!

With quiet determination, I dug deep to harness all of my focus and clarity. My state of mind now was much sharper than when I’d clashed with Theodore’s Fenrir. Thus, I successfully restored my composure, reviewed the concept of prime numbers, and somehow ended up solving Fermat’s last theorem too.

Whew... I did it.

And just in time too—Sophia finally finished her work. I was now pretty confident I could give her a thorough lecture on Fermat’s last theorem. But what kind of weirdo would bust out a random mathematics lesson here? Naturally, I kept it to myself.

Instead, I told her, “Well done, Sophia. I commend you for fulfilling your duty.”

Sophia beamed. “It was my honor!”

Her bright expression made me certain that I’d gotten past the worst of it. A sense of achievement swelled in my chest, fueling me with the confidence to push onward.

Thus, I declared, “I shall begin.”

My divine power flowed into the newly inscribed arrays—

“Uh?”

—activating every single one and reducing the room to smithereens.

Dear diary,

Today, I turned Sophia’s ancient magic lesson into an open-air classroom.

Okay, seriously though. God or not, this totally warranted an apology, right? With that in mind, I turned to Sophia and said, “You must pardon me. It appears my own power is beyond my purview.”

Yeaaah... That was no apology. I was just being as haughty as ever. But bound within the confines of Zil’s character, this was the best “apology” I could offer. Since I couldn’t verbally express more, the least I could do was restore the room to its previous state like I had done back at my castle.

But before I could get right to it, Sophia replied, “Not at all! Please, you need not apologize! In fact, we deserve a thousand deaths for our failure to set up a sufficient barrier...!”

She actually meant every word. Why, she even looked ready to get down on her knees right then and there. The thought of the Church committing mass suicide because I’d blown up one of their rooms scared the bejabbers out of me, so I swiftly redirected the conversation by saying we would continue outside.

Hence, Sophia and I now stood outdoors to prevent a repeat of the earlier tragedy.

Hmm... So, I’m compatible with every array?

According to Sophia, this was unprecedented, even for the gods who once walked this land. Thanks to this, her faith in me had naturally skyrocketed.

“I believe a visual demonstration is most effective,” Sophia continued. “If you would please overlook my inept display, I shall now activate the arrays I specialize in...”

With half a mind I listened to and internalized Sophia’s lecture, and with the other half I sank into my own thoughts.

For starters, my compatibility with all heavenly arrays was good news. This meant, in terms of versatility, I possessed the potential to surpass not only the Seraphs but even the gods. Naturally, this didn’t translate to overall superiority over the gods. I mean, heavenly arrays weren’t even their go-to weapons. Regardless, this was hardly a bad thing for me, not in the slightest.

Then, all’s well that ends well, right?

Wrong.

There was more to ponder, such as why I was even compatible with all of them in the first place.

Was it really a simple matter of each individual—each body—having different strengths and weaknesses? Zil’s body was as ordinary as the rest... Okay, I guess he did have an Authority and his aging did stop after absorbing divine power, but my point was that his body was still human. How could it have better compatibility than the gods’ descendants themselves? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Hmm...

Actually, I had an idea. I’d once mentioned that there was a certain theory as to why Zil died so easily to the Evil God. Well, this theory largely hinged on speculations regarding his divine power.

Notice how they were called “gods” with an “s.” Evidently, there were a bunch of them. So, riddle me this: Which god had Zil’s divine power originated from?

The answer was all of them.

To be precise, Zil had absorbed what was essentially an amalgamation of every god’s power. Housed in this body now was the circulated and blended power of the chief god, god of war, goddess of beauty, god of victory, god of deceit, and so on and so forth. Hence, fans had speculated and debated the possibility of some impurities...but that was a theory for another time.

The gods also had varying compatibility... Heavenly arrays function on divine power... Divine power can only be absorbed with an Authority...

Aha... So that’s it.

As the pieces fell into place, I finally found my answer: The determining factor in compatibility wasn’t the wielder’s body, but rather the god their divine power corresponded to. This meant that each heavenly array corresponded to a specific god. As a basic example, lightning-attribute heavenly arrays corresponded to the god of lightning.

Now, Seraphs were the inheritors of divine blood—the descendants of bloodlines made between a god and a human. And since each child was born to just two parents, the very first child of the lineage would have only had one god’s blood running through their veins. Thus, their divine power’s attribute—and consequently, the heavenly arrays they could wield—was limited to just that one. Down the line, the Seraphs’ compatibility was then determined by which gods’ blood they had inherited.

As a bit of a tangent, this hypothesis would also explain how ancient humans could take in divine power from the atmosphere, while modern humans couldn’t absorb the clusters of divine power sealed across the continent. The latter was an amalgamation of multiple gods’ powers—a product made for a specific purpose, so to speak.

Wait... But wouldn’t the atmosphere back during ancient times have had a mixture of all kinds of divine power? Even if they didn’t meld into one amalgamation, couldn’t the ancient humans have just taken in the divine power corresponding to each array? Then they’d have been able to wield every type... Hmm... Could it be that ancient humans could also only take in divine power that they were compatible with? For example, perhaps someone could take in the god of lightning’s power but not the god of fertility’s?

Forget it. I should stop here. Whatever I theorized now was purely speculation. I wasn’t the screenwriter, after all.

What mattered to me was the high likelihood that the divine power circulating within me was a special product containing every god’s power. Only this—and the hypothesis I’d established—could explain how I could use all arrays. This also further lent credibility to that theory I’d mentioned regarding Zil’s death.

It’s still a very big “maybe,” but this trip was totally worth risking my life for.

I suppressed a smile. Not only had I gotten stronger, but I’d also gained valuable information that could help ensure my future survival. In fact, only the gods should have been privy to this intel. I pretty much cheated my way to the answer all thanks to my canon knowledge.

Now, all the Church knew was that I was a special individual who could wield all heavenly arrays—a feat unheard of even from the gods of the past. With this, their faith in me would grow ever stronger and my facade of divinity would become nigh impenetrable.

Zil’s smarts and my canon knowledge... What a killer combo.

“—do it like so. Hence, circulating divine power to perfectly slot into each array is an exceedingly vital, high-level technique. Was my explanation sufficient?”

“Quite. All is clear now. I suppose it is time for a test.”

Naturally, I’d also been paying attention to Sophia’s lecture this entire time. Ah, multitasking. What a wonderful skill. Back in my old world, just a bit of background music was enough to throw me off while studying for exams. Now, juggling two complex tasks at once was no problem at all.

From there, it was a pattern of activating each array and having Sophia inscribe a new one for me. There were quite a number of them, and each one called for their own intricate adjustments, so it was a tedious process—but it was incredibly productive, and I was gradually getting much stronger.

This fact alone filled me with a great sense of satisfaction.

§

Sophia was an outstanding talent.

She had inherited the blood of the gods, wielded her power to its fullest, and showed exceptional skill in both close-quarters combat and ancient magic. With her noble heart, virtuous ideals, and unshakable faith, she had far and away stood out from the pack among her peers—earning her a spot among the Seraphs.

“Following that, you must do this, and then...”

To her, there was no greater blessing than being permitted the honor of guiding a god.

“Hmm. I understand.”

As she watched the god acquire one array after the next, her mood continued to brighten. But aside from joy, she felt something else—awe.

The god had descended upon mortal flesh. His body was bereft of divine blood and originally housed no more than pure magical energy, with which wielding heavenly arrays was outright impossible. He might have acquired divine power later on, but Sophia—having been born with divine blood and a natural ability to wield divine power—couldn’t even fathom the difficulty of familiarizing oneself with a form of energy not innate to one’s own body.

In her eyes, the god was truly extraordinary. He proved compatible with every array, swiftly comprehended the workings of ancient magic, and further refined his understanding through incremental experimentation. Simply put, he was an astoundingly fast learner.

And as it turned out, his mortal flesh actually gave him a certain advantage over those of divine blood. The Seraphs housed a natural blend of magical energy and divine power, whereas the god could utilize his divine power in its purest form. Because of this, the activation speed and raw power of his heavenly arrays in contrast to theirs was incomparable. If he somehow managed to absorb all the divine power scattered across the continent, then the god could surely regain strength comparable to his peak—even in his current body.

Not to mention, when she’d first met the god and assessed his strength—though her ignorant past behavior now mortified her to no end—she’d realized that the human body upon which he’d descended was beyond exceptional. Transcendent strength and monstrous talent had coalesced into what she could only describe as the very embodiment of perfection. Frankly, he seemed more like a child of the gods than Sophia herself. The word “omnipotent” had naturally come to mind.

As presumptuous as it might have been, Sophia was of the mind that even without the god’s advent, the owner of that body would have eventually grown to be just as if not stronger than the Seraphs.

All of this left Sophia in awe. But at the same time, a certain fear found its way encroaching on her mind—that the god’s tremendous presence would wake the monster slumbering within the Church.

That monster was the last of the Seraphs, having been given that rank simply due to it being the highest available position under the pope. The Church could do no more than chain her to that title, for that monster—their only and greatest heretic—was simply far too powerful for their hands.

Only once had the pope shown her to Sophia. All Sophia could recall thinking back then was how the girl’s very existence seemed beyond human comprehension. With that said, the girl was no god. And so, she could only be a Seraph—even if she lacked the merit for such a station.

Sophia prayed, dearly and sincerely, that the girl would not wake.

§

“Something feels...familiar.”

Underneath the Church was an abyss untrodden by most. There, a young girl slowly turned her gaze upward.

“What is this? I’ve never felt this way before, yet it’s so...nostalgic?”

Delicate golden hair draped over sickly pale skin. The girl looked like a fleeting spirit, wholly out of place in the world of the living. Her thin lips curled into a crescent as her giggles chimed through the air.

“Aah, I wonder... I wonder, I wonder,” mused the girl as she slowly raised her hand. “Shall I go seek the answer, then?”

However, before she could do anything of the sort, three figures suddenly appeared before her.

“Just as I thought, she is awake,” said the pope with a dark gaze.

“So she is... Good grief. I was hoping you were mistaken,” Joseph muttered.

Daniel glowered. “She dares not heed...the will of the gods... Must eliminate...”

The belligerent gazes of the pope and two Seraphs pierced the girl as she turned her attention to them. “Oh my. This presence... Are you a new pope? What number pope are you?”

“There’s no need for you to know,” the pope answered coldly. “We may never meet again beyond today.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. The first pope I met was always so happy to see me.”

“It was he who established the ban on sealing you completely...”

“Mm-hmm. He adored me so much that he simply couldn’t allow it. What did he say again? Ah, yes... He said I could become a legal loli.”

“A ‘legal loli’...? What nonsense are you spouting? I’ve been told that it was prohibited because you are a special individual favored by the gods...”

“Oh, you know how it goes. As time passes, humans are quite fond of embellishing details. Why, didn’t the exact same thing happen...to those gods you so dearly worship? Ah... Such pitiful children you are.”

Piercing bloodlust and divine aura burst from the two Seraphs. Any normal person would have instantly died before such a surge of pressure, but the girl simply brushed it off with a laugh.

“Oh? Impressive. It seems this generation’s Seraphs are a cut above.”

“Watch your tongue, little missy,” Joseph hissed. “Either you’re a god or you’re not. And you? It doesn’t matter that you’re an atavist—you’re still no god. The second pope’s orders are the only reason you’ve yet to be punished for your heresy.”

“Hmm... Truth be told, I didn’t really like that guy. He was a... What was it again? Right—a lolicon. Mm-hmm.”

The pope grimaced. “‘Lolicon’? Once again with your absurd verbiage...”

“I cannot listen...any longer...” Daniel growled. “Pope... Let’s do it...”

“Hmph... Indeed. Let us put her into another deep slumber, shall we?”

Layers of magic circles manifested at their feet. The brilliance of the illumination only intensified as a field of immense pressure bore over the girl’s body, as if seeking to crush her into the ground.

“And, lastly...”

The next moment, the girl’s body seemingly transformed into a work of elaborate glass art, as if the very space in which she existed had been converted into another plane.

“Never done that before... Yeesh, that’s insane,” Joseph marveled. “If I was ever sealed this way, I don’t think even freedom would be able to bring back my sense of self.”

“This is a more potent version of the boundary that parts the Church from the world,” explained the pope. “We’ve essentially split her body and mind into separate subdimensions. Though I loath to perform such a seal on a girl who is young in both mind and body—”

“Cheeky brat. Who are you calling young?”

The pope’s and Seraphs’ eyes flew wide as a voice rang through the air.

“You seem to misunderstand... Or perhaps, has it been the Church misunderstanding all this time? Did you truly believe that your little ‘seal’ was effective on me? I’ve been down here just napping away for you fools. Oh, how the mighty have fallen...”

The pope paled. “I-Impossible...”

“Your predecessors once asked me, ‘What are you?’ And they once answered themselves, ‘An exceedingly godlike atavist who has received the favor of the divine.’ Some sought to worship me as a new god, while others desired to take my head for heresy—but not one contested that I was special. Have you forgotten already?”

Joseph clicked his tongue. “You...!”

“I am blind, and you have sight. Yet in this room, it is not I who is blind to the truth. Ironic, no?”

Daniel scowled. “Must...eliminate...”

“Hush, now. I have business aboveground. I feel something familiar...something warm. I’ve never quite felt this way before... Is there a god up there? Divine blood runs thick in my veins... So, to me, a god is like—”

The pope swung his arm.

Joseph activated his divine relic.

Daniel summoned a powerful magic circle at his feet.

When raised against a single person, their attacks were quite excessive. Used altogether, they could easily destroy an entire country.

Alas, the girl’s might was far greater than all of them combined.

“And here I was, kind enough to warn that you were no match for me... Gosh, why won’t you just run, I wonder?”

§

The pope and two Seraphs were buried into the ground.

Though they were not reflected in her eyes, the girl turned to them with a disinterested gaze and drawled out, “All of you are such headaches. This is why I chose to sleep until now.” Then, she turned her face away from them.

Something inside the girl was urging her to go aboveground, telling her that there she would find what she’d been yearning for all along. Glee bubbled up from within her along with a chiming giggle.

This girl had never appeared in the anime that Zil always referenced. In other words, she was an unknown variable. However, her existence alone had been briefly alluded to. She was said to have been defeated and, for good measure, put out of commission by two offended gods.

What this meant was simple: Against two enraged gods, this girl had managed to escape alive.

“This feeling... My divine blood is telling me something...”

§

Hours had passed since we started, and boy was I pooped.

“Well? Do you finally understand Lord Zil’s magnificence?”

“Of course... By the way, Sir Kieran, what brings you here?”

“I’m monitoring to ensure you don’t act insolently toward Lord Zil.”

“What...? Are you accusing me of false faith?”

“No. Your faith in Lord Zil... I suppose it’s worth a passing grade. At the very least, you are better than Hector. However, I cannot deny the possibility of you harboring inappropriate thoughts while inscribing the arrays onto Lord Zil’s flesh.”

“Wha—?! You dare mock my faith?!”

“Hmph... I shall not permit any deplorable gaze upon my God.”

“You...!”

Ah... Learning heavenly arrays was exhausting, but nothing compared to the toll Kieran put on me mentally...

“May I provide you with a refreshment, Lord Zil?”

“Hmm... Very well.”

Okay, I had to admit that he was pretty helpful. Impressively attentive, even. But at best all he was doing was relieving just a smidgen of the headache he’d caused me.

“O god,” Sophia called. “I’m truly astonished by how swiftly you absorbed this knowledge.”

Kieran huffed. “But of course. How dare you use your paltry standards to measure Lord Zil’s brilliance?”

“I wasn’t speaking to you.”

Breezily ignoring the two, I accepted Kieran’s drink and took a sip. Hmm... Is this holy water? This should speed up my divine power’s recovery.

My thoughts turned leisurely during this brief respite—until suddenly, a familiar, almost nostalgic sensation took root within my chest.

Huh...? Something was off. The sensation was rooted in me, but not in me. My eyebrows twitched. Just what...?

Without warning, Sophia leaped in front of me. “Please stand back!”

The source of her agitation did not hesitate to present itself in the form of the shudder that threatened to rack my body and the alarm bells that rang incessantly in my mind.

Before our very eyes, a tremendous explosion shattered the earth with enough force to send my hair fluttering wildly. It hadn’t come out of nowhere. With Zil’s superhuman kinetic vision, I’d seen someone come crashing down from the sky.

“Oh my...”

The dust gradually cleared, revealing a young girl with lightless blue eyes and sickly pale skin. An unmistakable aura of absolute power encased her, making it abundantly clear that she was hardly as frail as she seemed.

What in the world is that...?

“The Seraphs of this generation are rather...promising.”

The Seraphs—the Church’s strongest forces—were nothing compared to her. Though the Seraphs were also clad in a divine, inhuman aura, this girl in front of me... There was just something fundamentally different about her.

“Hmm...” The girl’s lips curled into a smile. “You have quite the potential, but it seems your skill at present is lacking compared to the other two.”

Sophia’s expression warped bitterly. Sweat formed on her temples, and her platinum armor quietly clattered over her trembling limbs.

“Oh, well. I’m not here for you...but you already know that, yes? After all, what I seek is right beside you. I can’t see, but I can feel. And...yes. It’s right there.”

Sophia huffed. “I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about, Gracie.”

“Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve last been called by my name. You’re showing more promise by the second... It’s a shame I don’t have time for you right now.”

“High praise from such a dangerous individual—”

Instantly, Sophia transformed into a flash of light.

“—I’m honored.”

Her speed exceeded the bounds of human logic. Even Kieran, who was among the continent’s elites, couldn’t possibly follow her movements. In a mere fraction of the time it took to blink, Sophia had appeared right in front of the girl named Gracie, her spear glinting sharply under the light.

And then, Sophia was sent flying.

No—Sophia had thrown herself back to dodge an incoming attack.

“My. Very sharp,” crooned Gracie.

Lithe as a cat, Sophia flipped through the air before finally landing right in front of me. A groan spilled from her lips as she staggered briefly.

“I knew you had potential.” Gracie giggled. Upon tracing her curled lips with her right index finger, her tongue was not far behind as it slid along the same path. “With just the right catalyst, you could blossom into a very fascinating talent one day...”

Sophia watched her with a strained gaze. Thoughts of protecting me swirled in her mind. Alas, the gap between them was far too wide. I promptly abandoned any lingering notions I had of defeating Gracie in a direct confrontation.

With Zil’s eyes, I’d seen the blow that had come narrowly close to hitting Sophia. And it looked similar—frighteningly similar—to the gods’ attacks in the anime. Was this girl only capable of mimicry? Or had she simply felt no need for more? From what I could sense, the latter was far more likely. Then regardless of whether she had an Authority, this girl could very well rival the gods in both power and skill.

In other words, she could easily kill me.

Given her firm faith in me, Sophia probably couldn’t imagine me losing to Gracie had I been in my “original” divine form. But this mortal human body wasn’t even a match for the Seraphs. Naturally, dying by Gracie’s hand was well within the realm of possibility. And Sophia wasn’t wrong to think that way, since I was actually just an ordinary human with a fragment of divine power. In a clash between me and Gracie, it certainly wasn’t Gracie who would wind up dead.

Hmm...

I’d already learned a good handful of the Church’s heavenly arrays. Of course, I would’ve loved to learn them all, but there was no point in getting greedy if it would send me straight to my grave. I must never forget my first and foremost goal—survival. Besides, I’d never seen this girl in the anime. I couldn’t afford to act carelessly against an unknown variable.

An incredibly strong yet unknown character... Could she have been an OC—also known as my worst enemy? Bah, forget it. Speculating will get me nowhere. I had no way of knowing for sure, unless of course she came out and declared, “I am an overpowered OC!” Regardless, the fact of the matter was plain and simple: She was far stronger than me.

Then my next course of action was clear: ditch Sophia, grab Kieran and Hector, and make a run for it.

But...it’s not really Zil’s style to turn tail at the first sign of trouble, is it?

This might not have been the time to worry about staying in character, but here’s the thing: For “Zil,” to flee was to die. Besides, what if doing so raised the suspicions of the Church, including Sophia, enough to turn on me? Even though that outcome was highly doubtful to come to fruition, the slight possibility remaining meant I had to avoid it at all costs. After all, what was the point of all this if I still ended up dead?

In that case, my next best option was to talk my way out of this predicament. However, the chances of that succeeding had turned slim the moment Sophia attacked Gracie... Actually, scratch that. That probably never would’ve worked since I knew absolutely nothing about Gracie. Had she been a character in the anime, I could’ve talked my way to a peaceful resolution while maintaining Zil’s character.

As some say, there is more to might than just power. Against the gods, going head-to-head was unavoidable—not that I was planning to avoid it—but words alone sufficed for dealing with anyone else. Not like that made things easier for me, of course. Be it a debate or a fistfight, all was lost the moment I put on an unsightly display.

In any case, none of that would work on this girl. Her principles, her strength, her mentality, her background, her values—I knew none of it. What was I supposed to do? Announce myself as a god since she was with the Church and hope that would fix things? Yeah... No thanks. If that would’ve worked, then Sophia would’ve already chastised her for acting out in the presence of a god. Seeing how the first thing Sophia did was attack, the “god” pass meant nothing to Gracie.

What should I do?

The gears in my head were turning at full speed. Giving up just because Gracie wasn’t in the anime was out of the question. Frankly, that was just escapism. Even without canon knowledge, I could still glean things about her through her facial expressions, vocal tone, word choices, conversational flow, mood shifts, relationships, habits—basically all the little things. I had to piece together Gracie’s character from scratch based solely on her conversation with Sophia.

All was lost the moment I gave up—so it was the one thing I couldn’t do.

From here on out, I have to find the best path to survival!

That girl had probably come here for me. What for? Given the somewhat battle-hungry temperament that she was giving off, Gracie was most likely here to fight me.

She also said that she couldn’t see. Did that mean she was blind? But she could sense my presence... Perhaps she estimated my combat ability and identified me as her target from the purity of my divine power alone. After all, Sophia was much stronger than me, yet all this girl had to say was how much “promise” she had. It sounded to me like her standard for judging the strength of others was defined by purity of divine power.

Damn it. If she’s looking for a fight, then I don’t have much wiggle room... How do I resolve this peacefully?

It also bothered me that the pope and other Seraphs were still nowhere to be found... Wait. Gracie mentioned “the other two” earlier... Was she talking about the other Seraphs? Had she already beaten them? She wanted to fight me even if it meant getting through them first? Did she see that much worth in me?

Hmm... Should I use my new heavenly arrays to launch a surprise attack?

According to Sophia, my heavenly arrays had more raw power than those of the Seraphs, so they shouldn’t be entirely useless. But would a surprise attack even work on this girl? She was clearly in a different league. If I could brute force my way through, then cool. But otherwise, it was clearly a bad move. She’d take it as a challenge and initiate a fight straightaway.

Besides, Sophia probably wasn’t as strong as she had been during her first appearance in the anime. Could I really trust her assessment of my strength? Was it possible that my heavenly arrays were only on par with the anime Sophia’s?

Amid the storm brewing in my mind, I suddenly heard Sophia’s voice—her quiet and resolute thoughts.

“God... You must run.”

Before her silent plea, I...

“I’ll hold my ground against her. I swear it. So, please...”

I...

“Prepare yourself.”

Once again, Sophia transformed into a flash of light.

In response, the girl simply smiled and muttered, “Well, this works too,” as she unleashed a mere fragment of her power.

The world trembled in her wake. Following a loud explosion, Sophia yelped in pain as she flew through the air.

“I suppose we can have some playtime. This’ll give me a chance to flaunt my strength a bit, don’t you think?” The girl’s lightless gaze flickered toward me for the briefest of moments before snapping back to Sophia. She watched with a calm smile as Sophia fixed her stance in midair.

Had she determined that because I was a “god” that I eclipsed her own power? Was she showing off her strength in order to stoke my interest and prove that she was worthy of battling me?

Hah. Well, too bad for her, I was no battle junkie. Perhaps she could’ve spurred the actual Zil into battle, but me? Not a chance. I was dead set on steering clear of direct confrontations—while still maintaining Zil’s dignity, of course.

My gaze fell on Sophia’s bitter expression. Her fierce determination to protect me permeated her every thought, as if there were not a single other thing at present that mattered.

My goal is...survival.

In a nonsensical twist, I’d found myself in another world with no true allies and certain death awaiting me. It really couldn’t get any worse than this. The path to survival was a narrow and treacherous one. Even a single mistake could be dire.

Think. Rack your brain. Turn those gears. I have to—

“I must protect him...even if it costs me my life...!”

I... I have to...

“Huh...?”

Sophia was wide-eyed all the way until I gently set her back down on the ground. My gaze did a slow sweep across my surroundings—until I sensed incoming danger not a moment too soon.

“A delayed attack, hmm?”

The deliberately impassive tone in my voice was drowned out by a tremendous explosion. The girl’s attack had clashed with my instantaneous defenses—a dome of fire and water—failing to reach me by a mere hair’s breadth. However, the subsequent blast had snuck through and subjected my body to its intensity.

Evidently, my defensive domes—both formed with supreme magic—were just barely able to withstand her blows. They weren’t as sturdy as they could’ve been, given I’d had no more than a split second to put them up, but the same went for the girl’s attack. In fact, her attack must have been even more weakened than my barrier as it was entirely lacking in genuine intent.

I suppressed the urge to grimace. My mask as Zil—his air of confidence and insouciance—remained plastered on my face.

“G-God...?”

I smiled inwardly at Sophia—though outwardly, my poker face remained steady—as I healed her with magic. “That was certainly quite the show.”

The girl giggled. “Was it to your liking?”

I wasn’t talking to you, little missy, I deadpanned in my mind.

Anyway, I stepped in front of Sophia, both hands in my pockets as I leisurely faced the girl. “Your actions have provided my mind with clarity. Allow me to return the favor. Behold the might of a ruler...and the majesty of a god.” I uttered a single word in my mind, activating my unique ability and causing the world around me to shift.

“A-Are you...?” Sophia stared at me in shock, whereas the girl just giggled pleasantly.

I curled my lips cynically. “Must I put it into words for you? Hmph... It appears you are quite the handful.”

Honestly, I was hoping she would pick up on what I was putting down. I had an image to maintain and all. But so be it. There were ways to spell it out without tarnishing Zil’s dignity. Besides, Sophia needed the explicit confirmation. After all, she probably wanted her suspicions to be wrong.

“Very well. You have proven your worth. Hence, I shall spare my words for you. Glory in my acknowledgment, for it is a feat worth vaunting till the end of your days.”

The path to survival was a narrow and treacherous one. Even a single mistake could be dire. So, I’d thought it through, racked my brain, turned my gears—and ultimately, I’d decided to fight the girl with Sophia by my side.

I wasn’t doing this because I’d grown fond of her. Teaming up just had the highest chances of survival.

This also wasn’t because her devotion moved me. Abandoning her when she’d done nothing wrong just...didn’t feel like the kind of thing Zil would do.

And...I definitely wasn’t happy that she was trying to protect me. All of this was just to satisfy my ego. Nothing more.

“This mortal flesh is weak, and my strength is a far cry from my days as a god. It is no wonder that I now stand inferior to you. But know this—I am not one to abandon my own.”

I heard Sophia draw in a sharp breath behind me.

Besides, this is still a rational choice. Even if I succeeded in fleeing while staying in character, who was to say this girl wouldn’t just chase me all the way outside? Between teaming up with Sophia now or facing the girl on my own later, even an idiot would know which gave me a higher chance of winning. Taking her down now was my best path to survival.

Not only that, but this girl can serve as a good test for me. Someday, I’ll have to fight the Evil God and the gods. This isn’t the time to be getting cold feet...

Okay, fine. Go ahead and call me out for what I was doing—just acting tough. The fact of the matter was that the original Zil’s strength at the end of part one completely dwarfed where I was now. That was to say I was in no position to be “testing my strength” against this girl. But I had resolved to overthrow the gods one day. If I chose to turn my back and take the easy way out, how could I possibly face all the challenges that yet lay ahead?

For the first time, I slowly lowered my poker face and raised a bold, reassuring smile.

Laugh all you want. Call me out for acting tough. If this feigned bravery pushed me forward anyway, then it was as good as true courage in my eyes.

Sophia’s expression was bursting with energy. Her trembling was no more as she firmly gripped her spear with a bright and invigorated smile. “As you say...Lord Zil!”

In this moment, our hearts were one. Heck, I could even read Sophia’s mind. We should make a pretty good pair, all things considered.

The girl gave me a blissful stare. “Aah... Wonderful...”

I had no idea what I’d said that made her so ecstatic, but now wasn’t the time for my mind to be all over the place—I needed to focus on coming up with a battle strat. Fortunately, with me and Sophia working together, we had plenty more options at our disposal. I was feeling a bit more optimistic about this already. With a clear mind and sharp senses, I was elevated to peak condition—the best I’d ever felt since coming to this world.

“Now...”

By putting my calm heart and heightened senses to work, I was finally afforded the opportunity to give my surroundings some more attention—and it was then that I realized that something was terribly amiss.

Hmm...? Wait a second... Kieran hasn’t said a single word this entire time.

As my number one fanatic, he should have been the first one to jump into action with this threat popping up. I imagined he would have wasted no time dishing out an insta-kill move on the girl using his Favor. Now, whether it would’ve worked was a different story, but the very fact that he hadn’t tried anything was not like him at all.

What in the world...?

A very bizarre sense of discomfort clawed at me. Slowly, I turned my gaze to Kieran...and found him staring dubiously at Sophia.

“What are you doing?”

“Please stay back. Lord Zil and I will—”

“Stay back? Why?”

“‘Why’? Can you not see the girl in front of us?”

“Of course I can see the very lovely young lady standing right there.”

Sophia squinted. “Then—”

“Ah, by the way, Lord Zil...” Kieran turned to me. “Could she be your daughter, perchance?”

Huh?

“Huh?” Sophia blurted out.

“I wasn’t asking you,” Kieran hissed.

“No, uh... Wait... What?”

“Hmph... Is this how all Seraphs are? A club of simpleminded fools? How disappointing.” Kieran shook his head with a look of utter exasperation.

It...clearly isn’t the time for this. What’s he even going on about? Huh? Wh-What is he seeing that we aren’t?!

“The divinity emanating from that young lady is strikingly similar to Lord Zil’s,” Kieran explained. “Moreover, through the faith I hold in Lord Zil, it is clear as day to me that her aura is brimming with...familial fondness!”

“Uh... What...?”

“Why, she couldn’t have made it more obvious. Even amid an onslaught of her bloodlust, that endearing affection wouldn’t be lost on me. Yet it appears the eyes of a Seraph like you are mere decoration. That young lady is clearly related to Lord Zil. Is that the case, Lord Zil?”

Don’t ask me! I’m totally lost here!

Sure, Zil might have relatives, but they couldn’t possibly be from the Church. The Church had been isolated from the outside for ages. How could he be related to this girl in any way? If you traced their lineages far back enough, you might have been able to find a common ancestor. But by that logic, you might as well say all of humanity was related to Zil.

Or what, was Kieran trying to say that we children of Mother Earth were all one big happy family? Cut the crap! There’s no way in hell that this girl is Zil’s daughter!

I almost wanted to ask Kieran if his eyes were up to snuff. This girl was obviously raring for a fight. A single slipup here could cost us our lives. This wasn’t the time to be spouting nonsense, and yet...

Damn it... I didn’t know Kieran was this far gone.

Having said my piece to Kieran—in my head, of course—I then realized that, for some strange reason, the girl hadn’t used our conversation as an opportunity to lunge at me.

“So...”

And when she spoke, there wasn’t the slightest hint of hostility in her voice. Sophia looked at the girl with confusion written all over her face, as did I—on the inside, of course.

What... What is happening? She still isn’t ready to fight even after Sophia attacked her first...?

“Could you be...my grandfather? I-I’d love to know...”

Sophia and I fell speechless.

Could I be your WHAT?!

“Hmm... Considering your outward appearances, I believe Lord Zil is best suited to be called your elder brother.”

“D-Do you really think so? Mm-hmm... All right then, um...”

“My name is Kieran. As Lord Zil’s servant, I have been blessed with the task of preaching his magnificence.”

“Kieran, hmm? I’ll remember it.” The girl nodded slowly, looking very much like a descendant of the divine.

Kieran got down on one knee and reverently bowed his head. “I am unworthy.”

I have to be having a fever dream, right? There’s no other explanation...

“Wh-What is the meaning of this, Sir Kieran?” Sophia asked.

“Do you still fail to understand? As I’ve already said, Lady Gracie is Lord Zil’s younger sister!”

You lunatic! Not a single word out of your mouth has made sense for a good while now!

“Also...” Kieran turned to Sophia with a glare. “Why are you holding your spear?”

“B-Because we were just about to fight Gracie! We were on the cusp of re-creating the bouts of ancient legends! L-Lord Zil and I... Our hearts were one! It was clear as day, was it not?! I felt like... I felt like my strength had been bolstered threefold!”

“Tsk... Vulgar woman. As I suspected, your mind is clouded with impurity.”

“V-Vulgar...?!”

“It appears your mind has filtered this scene to feed your delusions. But know this: You’ve misunderstood everything. The failure is on you for misunderstanding the true meaning behind Lord Zil’s words.” Kieran huffed in exasperation. “So, you believe Lord Zil has been speaking to you? I suppose I can sympathize. As presumptuous as it may be, who wouldn’t dream of being addressed so kindly by Lord Zil?”

“Wh-What are you...?”

“Do you still not understand? Lord Zil hasn’t been speaking to you. His words were meant solely for the audience of his dearest sister!”

What the heck? No they weren’t...

“The humbleness with which Lord Zil spoke of his current mortal body was to dispel his sister’s doubts—to assure her that he is indeed her forefather.”

This guy completely lost me, and I doubted he was making a lick of sense to that Gracie girl either. I slowly opened my mouth to refute his nonsense—

“Correct. I haven’t the faintest idea why my dearest brother has taken on the form of a human. But it is as Kieran said—his clarification dispelled all my concerns.”

How is he correct?!

“Lord Zil also said that he was not one to abandon his own,” Kieran continued. “Milady must have been sealed by the fools of the Church, who feared her tremendous power. However, Lord Zil would never fear his kin. Thus, he spoke those words to reassure her—to express that he would accept her.”

“I was touched... You see, I’ve never been accepted before...”

I repeat: How is he correct?!

Also, what seal? How did he even come to the conclusion there even was one? And how in the world was he getting everything right?! I sought to make sense of this by reading his mind, but all I could pick up was Kieran’s inexplicable confidence in his deductions.

Hang on a second... No way. He’s doing the exact same thing he did during the Inquisition. Back then, Kieran had held firm onto his belief that I was God, and everything else just followed. This time, he had unwavering confidence in his belief that Zil and this girl were related...and filled in the blanks to bridge things to that conclusion...

“Surely even a dunce like you understands now, yes? You are no more than a clown, reveling in your own delusions. This is a stage for the reunion of Lord Zil and his dearest sister. You are no more than a supporting role, a decorative prop—a roadside pebble. No, even an actual roadside pebble bests you in a contest of faith, for at least the insentient object keeps to its place in the background. But look at you—a mere backdrop, daring to move center stage. It is the height of arrogance! If you recognize the sin you have committed, lower your weapon at once. How dare you point it in the direction of milady? You are permitted to bow your head before them as a form of worship, that is all. Tch... Look at what you’ve done. You have dragged me down with your foolishness as I too should be disappearing into the background. Do you understand the magnitude of the disrespect we are currently showing? Do you? Hmm? Go on, prove that you’ve reflected—get on your knees. Who do you think you are?”

Slowly, ever so slowly, Sophia turned to me with the eyes of a kicked puppy.

Okay.

All right.

I think I get what’s going on here.

Basically, Kieran sensed a connection between me and Gracie, and had thus determined that Gracie was somehow divine in nature. From that conclusion, he filled in the blanks moving backward, and coincidentally his deductions were spot-on from Gracie’s perspective. So from their point of view, Sophia was the odd man out.

Hmm... The power circulating through that girl’s body did have stark similarities to the divine power Zil had absorbed. Was it the purity? In any case, the resemblance was there. So misinterpreting that as a connection was understandable. Then, could it be that she wanted to show me her strength not to stoke my interest...but to show off? It would be like a child craving their parent’s attention.

All right, fine. I admit it—Kieran’s interpretation was correct for Gracie.

But not for me.

From my perspective, Kieran was dead wrong and Sophia was right on the money. Gracie being my little sister was an absurd notion to begin with. As Sophia said, we had undoubtedly formed an unshakable bond. In that moment, we were neither god nor Seraph—but rather two allies who stood before a formidable foe.

Naturally, I had to take Sophia’s side and defend her honor. Brimming with indignation, I slowly opened my mouth—

“My, what a relief. Dearest brother, had your words been meant for this girl all this time, this reunion of ours would have devolved into a rather nasty sibling quarrel.”

“Hmph... Cease your drivel. I would never fail to recognize my kin.”

Yeah right! Brothers always take their sister’s side!

Sophia looked like she’d been struck by lightning. “Th-That can’t be...”

“See? Tsk, tsk. Foolish girl, your faith is...”

Okay, listen. Listen. Hear me out, okay? I was not betraying Sophia. Think about it: If Gracie ran wild, everyone here would die—Sophia included, obviously. How could I write her death sentence so soon after swearing to take her side? Basically, I lied...to save her!

Aah, I’m such a noble spirit! Surely my virtuous sacrifice will be extolled for generations to come!

That “nasty sibling quarrel” would have been bad news for everybody here. All that mattered was that everyone got out of this safe and sound, truth be damned. If spouting a little white lie meant saving all of our necks, then so be it—that was a sin I would gladly bear for us all. Oh, what a compassionate soul I was.

And with that, all’s well that ends well. Why, I couldn’t have pictured a more fitting conclusion, if I do say so myself. And we all lived happily ever after! The end—

“Goodbye, world...”

My hand darted out at the speed of light, grabbing the spear of the teary-eyed Sophia before it got any closer to her neck.

Later on, Hector came along and gave Kieran a well-deserved ass-whooping.

§

“See, dearest brother? That’s my Authority. Impressive, isn’t it?”

“Indeed...”

The pure and innocent smile on the young girl’s face grew ever brighter at my response. She beamed with childlike wonder and her voice took on a giddy tone—it all painted quite the adorable picture. So much so that behind us, Kieran was overcome with emotion as he whispered, “What a beautiful sight... Such wonderful familial love...”

And sure, he wasn’t entirely wrong. Like, what could be more wholesome than a brother and sister spending some quality time together outdoors? The thing was, well... Off in the distance, just barely within visible range, was a storm of seemingly world-ending calamities. Not exactly the most wholesome scene anymore, was it?

“They say this weapon was once used by a god. Are you familiar with it?”

“Yes... The god of thunder and lightning. I know him well.” And that wasn’t a lie thanks to my anime knowledge. I’d even watched him slam his lightning-clad hammer down on the continent.

“Oh... Yes, I suppose you do... Hmm, would it look grander if I swung it a bit closer?”

I desperately resisted the urge to wince. After all, Zil’s image was at stake here.

Her Authority allows her to re-create any legend or myth she knows...? Um, hello? Isn’t that, like, cheating? This girl could totally go head-to-head with a god, right? Heck, she might be the one making heads roll!

The girl currently seated on my lap was named Gracie. For some reason, she had inherited divine blood so strongly that—at least in terms of power—she was just shy of being a god herself. Due to the pure divine power circulating within my body, she mistook me for a relative—an ancestor of hers, basically. And upon Kieran’s suggestion, she had taken to referring to me as her older brother.

“It wasn’t always like this. In fact, I’ve used both my heavenly arrays and Authority to put my own twist on it.”

“Hmm...”

After I’d succeeded in tethering Sophia to the world of the living, she explained to Gracie that I’d descended into a human body due to the current state of the world. Naturally, that only further solidified Gracie’s misunderstanding.

Anyway, thanks to Sophia—and Kieran’s inexplicable deduction—I’d managed to piece together the full picture. Basically, my body housed the divine power of every god, including Gracie’s ancestor. And since Gracie distinguished people not by sight but with her sixth sense, she had detected my presence and sought me out with ease. As for the rest, Kieran had already explained it.

Needless to say, however, I was by no means a god. Even if I were, hypothetically speaking, the divine power within this body was acquired. As such, there were certainly no grounds to prove my relation to her.

But I had no intention of correcting her for one reason—her usefulness.

After all, this girl had absolutely none of the Church’s deranged faith for the gods. Come the gods’ advent, she might take my side so long as she’d grown attached to me by then. It was certainly a goal worth working toward. Learning the truth now might send her into a fit of rage, but far off into the future? Who knows? At some point, this misunderstanding would be whittled down to no more than the “beginning” of our relationship.

For example, imagine two classmates grew close due to their shared hobby, but later on they developed new interests. However, the time they spent together made them fond of each other’s company, allowing them to still remain good friends thereafter. Such a relationship was the kind I planned to build with this girl.

Wow. I suddenly feel like a criminal.

Let me be crystal clear here: My goal was to grow her attachment to me so that if the day came when I told her, “Actually, I’m not a god,” followed by, “But I think of you as family! I love you!” she would then respond with, “Oh, that’s crazy! But anyway, I love you too, dearest brother!” and all would be well.

Okay, now I just feel like disgusting garbage...

Anyway, I was not doing this out of a desire to be her brother. Not at all.

Gracie must’ve remained sealed all throughout the anime... That would explain her absence.

She was too close to the gods to feel any reverence for them, just a sense of familiarity. But she was also too far from being an actual god herself, making her an anomaly in the eyes of the Church. Had her divine blood been a bit weaker, she could have become just another Seraph. Had it been just a bit stronger, she might have even been worshipped as a true child of the gods.

In a way, Gracie was a lot like me, but she had been met with a much crueler fate. Instead of being mistaken for a god and worshipped, she had been identified as a threat and locked away.

“Dearest brother, could you show me your power as well?”

“Hmph, very well. Watch closely... Ah, I stand corrected. This power cannot be observed by one’s eyes. As such, pay close attention and feel it.”

My very existence shifted as I activated Asgard. With that, I also unleashed my divine power. Outwardly, nothing had changed, but Gracie should have been able to feel the shift in my divinity. My divine aura flooded the vicinity through the pure torrent of my power.

“Ohh... Ohhh...! OHHHHH!!! Y-Yes! YEEEEES! This is... This is God’s... G-God’s...!”

...

......

I heard nothing. I saw nothing. I neither heard a fanatical scream nor saw a man wet his pants before passing out.

“That divine power... How beautiful,” Gracie marveled, a soft smile on her lips. “You’re truly different from the rest of us. Our divine power somehow feels...murky.”

Hmm... I suppose that would be an apt description. It seemed there was truth in regards to my ancient magic surpassing that of the Seraphs’ due to the purity of my divine power.

“I’d love to see your heavenly arrays too. Feel them, rather. May I?”

“Very well. I have no reason to decline a request from my sister.”

My earlier words slowly replayed in my head: Gracie was a lot like me, but she had been met with a much crueler fate. Instead of being mistaken for a god and worshipped, she had been identified as a threat and locked away...

...

Well...

The original Zil was by no means a kind and gentle soul, but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to provide this girl with some of the warmth she’d been deprived of till now... Why not, right?

§

The days passed, and our stay at the Church ended up being much longer than I’d expected. Two weeks, to be precise. And boy were these the roughest two weeks of my life.

Why, you ask?

Kieran.

“Milady, allow me to express my faith— Hector? What are you doing? A...bad influence? How dare you say my very existence is a bad influence— Ah! Stop! Unhand me! Wh-Why, you... Just because you’re a tad stronger...! Back off, you brute! Hectooor!”

“Wh-Why... Why is milady growing fond of Hector, and not me?! I know harboring such desires is presumptuous, but even so... B-Besides, won’t the frequent company of such a crude man hinder her education...? But I must respect her wishes...”

“How strange... Why do I sense that Lord Zil has also developed quite the fondness for Hector...? Even more so than me? No, no, that cannot be... Hector hasn’t even stripped yet.”

“Lord Zil, I have finished training the grunts. Now, all it would take is a mere word from you and they will gladly claim their own lives. You may test it on this fellow right here. See? He’s quite happy to have received my recommendation. Oh, you may test it on me as well, of course.”

“Lord Zil, I believe the pope’s voluminous beard obscures his faith. After all, the mouth is the front door of the human body. Only those housing impure intent would dare to conceal it. Though he has yet to be permitted to strip his garments, what of his beard? If you so wish, we could even arrange a permanent hair removal...”

Just...what in the world was up with this guy?

Oh, that last bit? Well, that beard was practically the pope’s signature look, so obviously I turned him down. Then, the pope took it as a rejection of his faith and proceeded to bawl his eyes out.

Anyway...

At first, I’d dreaded that hanging around a flock of fanatics would do a number on my sanity, but all things considered, the members of the Church were tame compared to the force of nature that was Kieran. Unfortunately, this meant that my stress levels wouldn’t catch a break even after leaving the Church... Well, I suppose the Church and their efforts at “becoming as worthy as Sir Kieran” had contributed a bit to my stress... Either way, it didn’t change the fact that I was at my wit’s end.

Just then, Hector came over with Gracie riding on his shoulders. “We heading out soon, boss?”

Aah, Hector. My most exceptional and outstanding subordinate. He must have sensed my inner turmoil and came to check on me. Such steadfast devotion... I was on the verge of being moved to tears.

“With all of the Church’s heavenly arrays within my grasp, it’s about time we take our leave. It appears some have been lost to time, but that is no more than a trifling matter.”

Yeah, right. I was actually suuuper bitter about it. Of course, Zil wouldn’t be caught dead stomping his feet and throwing a tantrum, so I feigned indifference.

My initial assumption was that the Church had stored every single heavenly array save for the Magic Republic’s forbidden art, but sadly I had been proven wrong. Not even the Church had managed to perfectly preserve everything. Regardless, overall, I was content with the huge haul I’d gotten out of this trip.

As I was busy reflecting on our time here, Hector and Gracie conversed.

“Some were lost, huh? They must’ve been pretty old.”

“I’ve heard that they were lost during the disputes following the gods’ departure and the Church’s isolation. Some might have also been destroyed by previous popes. Did you know? This Church has a habit of sometimes producing the strangest popes. In fact, the second pope erased an array that could accelerate a young girl’s growth. He called it ‘utterly useless.’”

“That...‘second pope’ guy you sometimes mention... Was he a pervert or something?”

“Indeed. He was a pervert.”

“A bona fide pervert...”

“A pervert. A creep. A hentai.”

“Wow... Huh? That last one sounded kinda weird...”

In any case, Hector was amazing. On top of having the overpowered ability to nullify peer pressure—which allowed him to be his usual self around me even among this sea of lunatics—he had also been a huge help toward my newest goal of winning over Gracie. If she grew attached to both of us, then the chances of her taking our side in the future increased drastically.

And he didn’t have explicit orders. This was all his own doing... Such brilliant work. Truly, he was the best subordinate I could have ever asked for. The others could really learn a thing or two from him.

Oh, are they done talking already?

Gracie hopped down from Hector’s shoulders and looked up at us with a small, petulant pout on her lips. “Dearest brother, Hector... Are you leaving so soon? I’ll miss you both...”

...

......

“Fret not,” I told her. “I have already linked us through a pathway. With it, we may communicate whenever we wish. I shall also make arrangements for you to live in my domain.”

The girl brightened up instantly. “O-Okay!”

“Yeah, just take it easy,” Hector added. “With boss as the king and all, you’re gonna be our li’l princess. You’ll be right at home with us.”

“I’ll look forward to it... Oh, and Hector?” Gracie smiled. “You must get stronger. I’ve already sowed a seed. Making sure it blooms is up to you.”

“Heh... What a scary li’l princess.”

All it took was a few words from us and Gracie perked up in a flash. Jeez... And she was still none the wiser that her piece of trash “brother” was fully planning on using her... Really, this girl was just...

Ahem... Anyway, once we made it back to our country, I had to get the place ready for her as soon as possible. I’d have to order some new furnishings—only ones of the highest quality, of course. The outside world was a difficult place for Gracie to live in, so I also needed to concoct a new spell to keep her room filled with divine power. The funds would have to come out of our national budget... About twenty percent of this month’s revenue would probably suffice. I could log them under...expenses for national defense. Yeah, that’d do.

“Hectooor! You... Youuu...! You dare carry milady on your shoulders?! S-Such... Such... Aaargh! D-Death! I sentence you to a thousand deaths! Milady hasn’t even granted me the honor of holding her hand, yet here you are...! Oh, such arrogance! Such... Such conceit! Hectooor!”

I smoothly averted my gaze from Kieran.

Hector... I have very high hopes for you...

Also, what did Gracie mean by a “seed”? Was that foreshadowing for Hector to get some sorta power-up? Wait... Was he really going to get stronger? Would he eventually be able to withstand the tides of power creep and fight alongside me? That...sounded really nice, actually.

“Lord Zil’s country...”

Sophia’s wisp of a voice reached my ears from where she stood a short distance away. Fortunately, I didn’t fit the bill of the dense, hard-of-hearing protagonist trope you’d find in every other anime. I heard her crystal clear and knew exactly what she meant: Sophia wanted to join us on our trip back to Babel.

Ever since our “clash” with Gracie, Sophia and I had gotten rather close. The unshakable bond we’d formed in that time of crisis hadn’t just vanished into thin air.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t keen on welcoming a potential enemy into my home base. We might have formed an alliance against Gracie, but this was a separate matter entirely. I had to admit that I’d come to trust Sophia quite a bit and had grown rather fond of her, but I hadn’t reached the point where I would gladly jump through hoops just to keep her by my side.

She has been taking very good care of me though...

I recalled my past few days here. Sophia brought me my meals and spent every waking moment teaching me heavenly arrays. She was an incredibly kind and indulgent teacher, so much so that as time passed, I felt myself growing in a...less than favorable direction.

“Impressive work, Lord Zil.”

“Exactly. Perfectly done. Goodness... Such intricate control. I am at a loss for words.”

“Lord Zil, failure would never cloud your worth. Failure is simply a sign of room for growth. Is that not a wonderful thing?”

I thought I’d become omnipotent. For a second, I’d even entertained the foolish thought that I was an overpowered protagonist this whole time. What type of witchcraft had she cast on me?

Fine, I gotta admit—I’d love to have her by my side. I cast a furtive glance on the girl. Her inner thoughts slowly seeped into my mind, and as I listened...I eventually found myself letting out a quiet huff.

“Sophia. I am not so conceited as to claim mastery of the heavenly arrays so soon. This duty I’ve bestowed upon you—surely you are not one to abandon it. Yes?”

Sophia whipped her head up in surprise, her face gleaming with a radiant smile just a beat later. It looked like she’d received my message loud and clear.

I guess Sophia is the most likely among the Seraphs to take my side when the time comes...

As it turned out, these past few days had also taught me to trust others. Even Hector and Kieran were no longer mere pawns in my eyes. Would this play in my favor or work against it? We’d have to wait and see to find out.

But...I did feel kinda better doing things this way.

“Hector, Kieran... Let us depart.”

With one last imposing look at the members of the Church kneeling behind me, I took my two subordinates and returned to the outside world.

§

All three of us paused the moment we stepped back outside.

“Mm...”

“My body feels heavy...”

As expected, the outside world debuffed this body. This had been my norm up until just two weeks ago, but it felt so uncomfortable now that I’d gotten a taste of life in the Church. I guess that was just human nature. Get a nibble of luxury, and you lose your appetite for anything else.

Hmm... And on top of the debuff, there’s still the issue of having to reacclimate.

Though, Zil was still the strongest being on this continent. Overconfidence was a big no-no, but so was stressing out over nothing. I didn’t want unproductive anxiety constricting my perspective on things.

All right. Time to head back.

[Oh, I finally got through. Sir Zil? Can you hear me?]

Before I could make a move, however, Theodore contacted me telepathically.

[I can hear you. What is this about, Theodore? Is there a problem?]

[Oh, we’ve got a problem, all right. Honestly, this situation is a bit much for me.] Before I could respond, Theodore continued, [Long story short, a magical beast is attacking our country. I could get rid of it with my divine wolf, but then I’d end up wiping our country off the map as well. And neither of us wants that, now do we? So, could you hurry back here, please?]

Chapter 5: The Vassals of the Overlord

It should have been just another day.

The man was an ordinary citizen of an ordinary small nation. Compared to the major powers of the world, his country was hardly worth mentioning.

It didn’t excel in magic.

It didn’t raise an incredibly cohesive Order of Knights.

It didn’t rear dragons.

And it most certainly didn’t pride itself as the continent’s strongest nation.

If the man had to name something special about the place he called home, it was the fact that none of the citizens had ever seen the king—not the man himself during his one trip to the capital, nor any of the capital’s residents from what he’d gathered.

But that hardly mattered to the man’s day-to-day life. The man could drift from one uneventful day to the next just fine without knowing the king’s face. He had a job, a wife, and a child. His life was ordinary by every measure. Throughout his youth, he relished hearing tales of ancient heroes, but now he wouldn’t even dare to volunteer as a soldier.

Thus, the man had planned to spend this day as mundanely as any other. His ordinary days always came and went like a passing breeze—naturally and inconspicuously.

But today, hell came and shattered that normalcy right before his eyes.

“All civilians, evacuate! Leave your belongings! Nothing’s more important than your life!”

“What the hell are these magical beasts?!”

“Calm down! I’ve never seen any like these before, but they’re magical beasts all the same! Lop their heads off, pierce their hearts, and they’re as good as dead!”

“B-But they’re so damn tough! Are they made of metal or something?!”

“What kinda metal would snap a spear in— Argh!”

“Tsk! Damned beasts!”

“H-Hey, wait!”

“Don’t charge in alone! Fight in squads of three or more!”

“Where the hell did this horde of beasts even come from?! Only a handful have slipped into the city, but it looks like there are over twenty more outside the bulwark...”

“Are we being invaded by a foreign nation? Maybe these beasts are just the vanguard...”

“Unless you want your throats ripped out—less talking, more fighting! Protect the citizens!”

Soldiers were desperately fending off a horde of purplish doglike beasts. Alas, their enemies were fierce and persistent. Soldiers stepped forth to shield the citizens, only to soon be injured. Their comrades stepped forth to cover for them, only to become wounded as well. Smoke climbed toward the sky as houses erupted into flames, transforming their ordinary everyday life into an extraordinarily frightening hellscape.

A wave of fear washed over the man. He immediately turned to run—until he spotted a little girl trapped under the rubble.

He had to get away.

Nothing was more important than his own life.

He was worried about his wife and child.

There was no time to spare for a girl he didn’t even know.

That storm of thoughts shook the man’s rattled mind as he hit the ground running—

“Hang on! I’m coming to get you out!”

—toward the trapped little girl.

Fortunately, by mustering every drop of strength he had, he managed to move the rubble. The man hoisted the girl onto his back, then whipped his head around—and it was there that his life flashed before his eyes.

“Heaven’s Flesh—Megingjörd.”

But he didn’t die. His death had been averted by a young man’s explosive fist.

The magical beast’s head burst into chunks. Watching it perish so quickly made it hard to fathom how the squads of soldiers had failed to even scratch them up until now.

“Good on you for protecting the girl. You’re strong—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

The young man’s words resonated in the man’s heart.

“Leave the rest to me.” The young man wore an exhilarated grin as he declared to all, “I am Hector! One of Regr and a direct subordinate of Zil, the king of this nation! Brave warriors, you did well to hold your ground! Your efforts have saved our country! And now...I’m gonna send every last one of these mutts flying!!!”

Fists clenched and eyes blazing, the young man named Hector boldly faced the horde of magical beasts.

That day, the man witnessed a miracle.

§

“Good grief. Must that brute howl like a beast every time he fights? Hmph... So be it. As long as he eliminates our foes and spreads Lord Zil’s glory.”

Kieran stood before the frightened citizens to his rear as a horde of magical beasts loomed ahead. His cold gaze captured every beast in sight as he activated the Favor that had been bestowed upon him by God.

“Heaven’s Order—Glitnir.”

Eyes shining, he slowly opened his mouth to speak.

“Prohibition: Intent to attack people. Penalty: Death.”

Instantly, death came to every magical beast in Kieran’s sight.

The citizens were dumbfounded as the devastated landscape was overcome with silence. That overwhelming horde, their impending doom, and this hopeless crisis—this man had overturned it all with merely a few words.

“Behold the Favor bestowed upon me by Lord Zil, our king and God,” declared the man as he turned to the citizens. “And rejoice, for God has blessed us all. Now, show your reverence in worship. Perhaps, one day, Lord Zil shall bestow his favor upon all of you as—”

Suddenly, the ground behind him swelled. A magical beast burst forth, its gaping maw and deadly fangs lunging straight for Kieran’s head.

“Insufferable scum.”

Without sparing the beast a glance, Kieran simply reached his right hand over his shoulder and muzzled the beast’s jaw. As much as the beast desperately flailed in an attempt to escape Kieran’s grasp, the man’s iron grip didn’t budge in the slightest. The sound of the beast’s creaking jawbone rang eerily in the air.

“Wretched mutt... You irk me.”

Slowly, Kieran tugged the beast’s head into view and met its gaze. A hint of fear was born in the unintelligent beast’s eyes.

“Did you think a mere beast burrowing underground would be sufficient for a successful ambush against me? This country belongs to Lord Zil. Hence, within this domain, nothing escapes my perception. A bluff? A delusion? No, this is simply an objective fact. Behold the boon of true faith!”

Through his sincere faith, Kieran’s sixth sense exceeded the bounds of human logic while he was within Zil’s territory. Even as he spoke, Kieran could sense the movements within an anthill five meters away. Of course, his senses weren’t so sharp as to span all reaches of the nation’s territory, but at least within this small town, he had zero blind spots.

“You dared to trespass and ravage Lord Zil’s territory as you pleased... Aah, how infuriating. You dare... You dare...!” A deranged light took to Kieran’s eyes. “The punishment for this folly...is death.”

Instantly, the beast’s jaw was crushed under Kieran’s grip and its heart was pierced by Kieran’s hidden dagger. The magical beast went limp. Kieran tossed it aside like trash, then wiped the blood from his blade.

“It seems he’s finished as well,” Kieran muttered to himself.

Kieran made his way to Hector, who had just sent the last of the magical beasts flying.

“With all of the magical beasts in town eliminated, I shall proceed to handle the rest Theodore is currently holding off outside. Several uses of my Favor should be enough to clear out that horde of unintelligent beasts. You stand by here for good measure.”

“Gotcha. Between the two of us, you are better suited for that job. A lot faster too.”

Kieran squinted. “I see you’re rather sensible on the battlefield, mercenary.”

“Can it, assassin.”

“Oh? So you are not ignorant to who I am, Thousand-Killer Hector? From our nicknames alone, you’d be hard-pressed to surmise which of us is harboring more bloodlust.”

Hector shrugged. “I didn’t know your face, but after I met you in person, it just clicked. I am a former mercenary, after all. Besides, sounds like you know ’bout me too.”

“In underground society, your name was listed among the wanted figures. Though that was a long time ago now.”

“Oh yeah? You never dropped by to kill me though.”

“You simply did not qualify as a target.”

“Hmm... Anyway, an underground wanted list, huh? You had quite the reach, huh? So, with that wealth of experience, what’s your read on this situation?”

“I sense a hidden motive,” Kieran answered curtly before dashing off toward the bulwark.

Hector watched until Kieran fully disappeared from view. After letting out a low sigh, he turned to the citizens and put on a smile. “There, all done. He’ll deal with the beasts outside, and I’ll hang around here just in case any slip through. You guys can rest easy now.”

Thus, the unfathomable might and power of the group called Regr brought a surprisingly swift end to the magical beast invasion. However, the civilians could fathom just one thing: They had just witnessed a miracle.

§

[Long story short, a magical beast is attacking our country. I could get rid of it with my divine wolf, but then I’d end up wiping our country off the map as well. And neither of us wants that, now do we? So, could you hurry back here, please?]

My eyes narrowed at Theodore’s bombshell of a report.

Magical beast attacks weren’t exactly unheard of per se, but they were very much uncommon. In most cases, beasts were exterminated before they even reached human civilization. The major powers and decently powerful nations did so with their armies, whereas the much smaller nations relied on adventurers. To liken it to modern-day Japan, imagine a stray mountain bear being hunted down before it could reach a human city.

Incidentally, Babel—though still a small nation—fell into the “decently powerful” category. We regularly dispatched our own forces to exterminate magical beasts. Not to mention we even had a surveillance network for good measure—which I had entrusted to Theodore for the time being—though it fortunately saw little use. See, it was a rarity for powerful magical beasts to appear in our vicinity. The armies of the major powers typically dealt with them before they got to Babel, usually only leaving us with the small fry.

So, what in the world is going on here? How are we now under attack, and by such a high-level threat, no less?

Were you saying that a beast this powerful just so happened to spawn near our territory...and charged straight at our citizens before Theodore could even spot it? Like that made any sense!

Had it come here from somewhere else then? But that was also pretty hard to imagine. A beast this dangerous should’ve had the major powers and adventurers jumping into action before it got to us.

But, fine. Let’s say that it somehow managed to sneak through without anyone noticing. There was still a more fundamental issue here: How could this beast be too much for Theodore to handle?

[Are you saying this unknown beast is superior to your modified subjects? I was certain most magical beasts were within your capability without the need to resort to your wolf.]

Theodore was the weakest of Regr, but when you added his Favor into the equation? Watch out, because this guy was something else. With a near-endless supply of magical and divine beasts, Theodore was practically a one-man army. Not to mention that he’d modified each one himself, making them all absurdly strong.

If he couldn’t put a lid on this situation, then the next best thing would be a major power’s best warriors. Basically, this meant that this calamity was on par with a Regr-level invasion from the anime.

[Unfortunately so. My divine boar is enough to suppress most magical beasts in this world. But it seems our luck has run out. This invader of ours is a bit of an exception.]

I narrowed my eyes, silently urging him on.

[We’ve got an army on our hands,] Theodore continued. [Of all the things, an army of over three thousand magical beasts is attacking. I can fend off most of them from the bulwark, but around thirty of them managed to slip through. With my Favor, I can produce a near-infinite number of lesser magical and divine beasts, but the stronger specimens are a different story. I can’t handle that many.]

We were facing an army of magical beasts. From the sound of things, each one was exceptionally strong on an individual level too. [So we are faced with numerous invaders, and each magical beast is a threat in its own right. Is that correct?] I confirmed.

[Exactly. I doubt the ordinary soldier stands a chance against even a single one. They lack both the skill and equipment.]

An army, hmm? An army of magical beasts... That was all the more reason they should’ve been spotted by the major powers or adventurers before getting here. How could it be that an entire army of magical beasts was invading us from not that far away? Unless they were multiplying at an absurd rate...

Oh.

[I see now... Very well. I shall send Kieran and Hector over. Ah, and Theodore?]

[What is it?]

[You reported that a magical beast is attacking our country, yes? Not an army of magical beasts, but just one.] I coldly narrowed my eyes. [You are to share your information quickly and concisely. This is an order. Should you refuse...the first life I shall claim today will be yours.]

Theodore briefly paused before letting out a sigh. [Good grief. Sir Zil, it’s scary how quick on the uptake you are. Honestly, I find this beast rather fascinating. You see, it...]

After getting all the intel I needed from Theodore, I sent Kieran and Hector to defend the country. Kieran got down on one knee and bowed his head, whereas Hector simply nodded, before they both disappeared from my sight.

Considering the distance, it was hard to tell if they would make it in time... Either way, I had no choice but to leave the fate of the country in their hands.

My job was to sever the root of this invasion.

§

Beast after beast fell from its womb. Each offspring was fully grown from birth, and all of them would run off in the same direction as if in a trance. And then, it would birth more. And more. And more. Over and over, like its sole purpose was to give life to these magical beasts and send them to invade. The speed in which it reproduced was abnormal, and its actions monotonous.

“Disgusting...”

I glared at that monstrosity from above, levitating with a flight spell.

The magical beast, dull purple in color, spanned thirty meters wide. It had the face of a bird, a neck as long as a giraffe’s, and the body of a...lion? It was a chimera, basically.

Not a single soul was around. Had passersby been eaten by this thing, or had nobody found it until now? Were the surrounding nations still preparing to subjugate it, or were there forces lurking in the shadows beyond my sphere of detection?

Whatever the case, one thing was for certain: This abomination could not be left to its own devices any longer.

There was no telling how long it had been here. Was it even possible for such an abnormal creature to just spawn out of nowhere? Even in the anime, the only thing remotely similar was the Evil God that killed...Zil...

Uh...

Wait... Wait, wait, wait, wait. Calm down. Deep breaths. Count prime numbers... No, that won’t work. How about I solve the Riemann hypothesis instead? Ack, this isn’t the time for that!

I had to keep a cool head and focus. That thing down below was much weaker than me—than Regr, in fact. If any of them were here in my place, they could have gotten rid of it. There was nothing about it to fear.

Whew... Okay.

What did we know about this thing so far? One, it was birthing a crap ton of magical beasts at breakneck pace. Two, each of its offspring was too strong for the ordinary soldier. This made it a bigger threat than its actual combat ability would indicate, but that was all. It was still far and away weaker than the Evil God.

“Hmph... Pathetic.”

Now, how should I defeat this thing?

If I was going to dive into this headfirst, then a heavenly array or supreme spell would be the way to go. That’d for sure make quick work of it. The problem was that these options were way too flashy. The use of supreme magic could be easily detected by the surrounding nations. And the same was probably true of the powerhouses in each nation when it came to the use of heavenly arrays. Some arrays were less conspicuous, but this wasn’t just about the looks—ancient magic was an unnatural power in this world. The Frost Witch, at the very least, would surely catch on to it.

The full extent of Zil’s powers must not emerge center stage just yet. Why? Because, as I must’ve already made clear by now, the world at present wasn’t ready for a player as powerful as Zil just yet. Currently, there was a cold war between the major powers, with each of their powerhouses maintaining the tenuous balance between them. Now, if a much stronger, unaffiliated individual were to pop out of nowhere and disrupt that balance, how would the nations of the continent react?

It could go one of two ways. Either they’d all desperately try to recruit me or they’d form a temporary alliance against the new threat. The former was one thing, but the latter? Who knew how that would turn out? Even the original Zil had treaded carefully because of this possibility. Though, he probably would’ve won against them anyway...

Whatever the case, I had to keep in mind that my goal wasn’t to prove that I was the strongest in the world. No, my endgame was to bring down the gods and defy my fate of dying as fodder. For that, I needed three things first and foremost:

First, to collect all the divine power scattered across the land.

Second, to become stronger than the original Zil.

Third, to gather forces capable of opposing the Evil God and the gods.

And these were just my top priorities. I still had a mountain of other things to do. There just wasn’t any way I could afford to make such a careless decision and reveal myself to the whole world.

Hmm...

Though, I did have to consider: Exterminating a high-level beast like this boosted my chances of being viewed as a hero rather than a threat... And that actually wasn’t much of an issue for me. But with no witnesses around, everyone else was none the wiser to this beast’s existence. All they’d know later on was that I’d unleashed a supreme spell, and they’d paint me as some madman who ravaged a remote region with the strongest type of magic there was.

In my previous world’s terms, it was like hearing someone say, “I’ve got this nuclear missile. So what the heck—I’ll give it a whirl and launch it ’round there!” Naturally, that person would be designated a threat. Actually, that would be a slap on the wrist. I could easily imagine every country busting out their latest weapons to wipe that lunatic off the face of planet Earth.

Best not to bust out my nuclear weapon—I mean, supreme spell.

The only time I could actually go all out was at the endgame once I’d completed all my preparations, or when my life was at stake otherwise. Though, I supposed I could make an exception should a situation come up where showing off Zil’s full power could be beneficial. For example, busting out supreme magic during a worldwide catastrophe would net me praise as a hero and more allies—a beyond valid reason to use supreme magic.

So, my actual best course of action here would’ve been to wait for witnesses to come along, obliterate the beast with a supreme spell, and make everyone hail me as their lord and savior...

But this darn thing’s invading my country.

I sighed. Had it been invading anywhere else, I could’ve waited before gallantly swooping in to subjugate it just in the nick of time. A fashionably late entrance, just like any other superhero. But I certainly didn’t want to sacrifice my citizens during such a minor stage, not even if it would ultimately contribute toward my fight against the gods. Besides, what if those restaurant workers and their families got hurt because of this? I wouldn’t want that.

In conclusion, I needed this magical beast gone pronto.

“Now...”

The magical beast turned its face to me just as I uttered that word, but the first move was still mine to make.

“Burn to ashes.”

I unleashed an advanced fire-attribute spell without so much as a chant. Normally, I would’ve stuffed it full of magical energy, but not today—Zil’s full power caused too much collateral damage. Sure, we were in an uninhabited valley, but there was no need to give the mapmakers extra work, was there?

The vortex of flames swallowed the magical beast and instantaneously drowned the surrounding earth in a sea of fire. In that torrent of flames, the army birthed from the magical beast was incinerated in no time.

“Oh...?”

But the beast itself was still standing. At most, it looked like I had only charred its exterior. As it turned out, an ordinary advanced spell wasn’t enough to get the job done. In game terms, this was the type of enemy that annoyed you to no end.

“—! ——!”

The beast unleashed an unintelligible scream. That shriek caused the air to shake and space itself to tremble. The vast clear skies were now smeared with dark clouds, filling with energy until lightning began to snap and crackle.

“Hmph.”

A bolt of lightning struck down toward me.

With my Authority, I don’t even need to dodge...but combat experience is quite hard to come by. Let me give it a go.

And so, I evaded the incoming bolt. And the next one. And the next one. And so on and so forth. Bolts, each as strong as an advanced spell, rained down endlessly from the dark clouds. By ordinary standards, this was an unbelievable threat.

But Zil was anything but ordinary, so it hardly amounted to much.

“I’ve grown tired of this farce.”

With a dark mutter, I began to emit magical energy from my body. Normally, this would achieve no more than physical enhancement. But when you emitted massive amounts—enough to power an expert spell—it produced more tangible effects.

My magical energy expanded into a dome-shaped sphere. It repelled the incoming lightning strikes, blasted away the dark clouds, and even crushed the magical beast under me. Screaming and flailing, the beast opened its mouth as if to spew something out, but ultimately failed to do so under the sheer force of my magical energy.

I called this handy-dandy technique “brute force.” Sure, it sounded dumb, but hey—what worked worked. This was Zil’s whole thing. Was it some sort of crime to make the most out of this overpowered body?

My lips curled into a sneer. “Insolent beast. I’d intended to cease your existence in a single strike, but you had the gall to not succumb before my advanced spell... Very well. I shall grant you a taste of my expert magic.”

A pitch black inferno ran along the earth, circling the beast.

“Carry this honor with you to the underworld... Niger Flamma.”

The magical beast was incinerated till nothing was left.

Soon, I descended to the ground and extinguished the black flames with a swipe of my right hand. My sharp gaze was pinned on the now-empty space.

A magical beast that can withstand advanced magic...

Knowing the power creep that awaited this series, that seemed about right to me. But it wasn’t always a good idea to look at this world through that lens. The fact of the matter was that an ordinary mage—meaning, one not from the Magic Republic—could typically only wield magic ranging from beginner to intermediate. Advanced spells were prodigy territory. It went without saying what a great threat this beast was.

It could birth armies of magical beasts far stronger than the ordinary soldier, utilize lightning attacks on par with advanced magic, and withstand the force of advanced spells. It was possible that it simply harbored the concept of magic repulsion, but that would only make its existence even more of an anomaly. Not to mention its bizarre appearance and aura... You couldn’t convince me that it had just spawned here naturally. Just what hole had this monstrosity crawled out of?

“Aah. What a waste of a perfectly good ritual.”

A husky voice suddenly cut through my thoughts. With narrowed eyes, I turned to face the source.

“Aah. But what a surprise. Never thought I’d cross paths with an expert magic practitioner around here. The Magic Republic is a mere stone’s throw away, so I was even extra careful to make sure the beasts didn’t pay them a visit instead... But to think the Republic’s executives dispatched their forces out here... Hmm. I suppose I miscalculated.”

Standing there was a woman with short hair and striking features...speaking with the voice of an old man...and clad in a dark purple kimono. A terribly dissonant being.

“Aah. Two weeks ago, the Evangelist informed us that our world had connected to a separate domain. Without a doubt, it was an omen of the Overlord’s advent! I acted swiftly, modifying this magical beast to provide sacrifices... But, oh, how could this be? What a tragedy! Why? Why did you eliminate this beast? How dare you interfere with this sacred ritual? How dare you obstruct my offerings to the Overlord?”

“Overlord”...? What in the world is... Wait, I remember now. It’s those guys!

The Vassals of the Overlord were a strange faction that made a brief appearance in part two. Mistaking the Evil God for their Overlord, they emerged from the shadows to offer the entire world as a sacrifice. And then, well... The Church along with the Seraphs absolutely obliterated them without breaking a sweat. Basically, they were fodder for the Church.

Their battle was a clash of fanatics with neither side giving a hoot about what the other had to say. If I remembered right, the scene left viewers cringing at the sheer lunacy on display, but now here I was surrounded by my own sea of lunatics. Could you blame me for forgetting about those other crazies for a second?

In any case, the Vassals of the Overlord really were a rather mysterious bunch. Their so-called Top Vassals made an appearance, only to be eradicated by Sophia soon after. That Evangelist of theirs never even showed up. To top it all off, that Overlord they kept harping on about was never mentioned anywhere else.

Seriously, what was up with these guys?

Their first appearance had prompted lots of discussion. “If there are gods, then why not an Overlord?” “But the series is based on Norse mythology!” “Given the title, could it be that those who survive Ragnarök will be declared their Overlord?” “But remember, we’ve never gotten official confirmation that this is based on Norse mythology.” “Have you seen who the screenwriter is? You might be putting more thought into it than them.” “True. They even called it the ‘Church’ instead of the ‘Temple.’” All this discussion, only for Sophia to mop them up in under three minutes the very next episode.

But credit where credit was due: They had sorcery, an art that only they could wield, and their Top Vassals could even survive getting stabbed in the heart. All in all, they were a fairly powerful faction.

“Hmph. So that magical beast was your doing. For saving me the trouble of seeking you out, your reward is death—here and now.”

“Aah. So you think being able to cast expert magic is enough for you to defeat me? You may be stronger in terms of raw power...but you mustn’t judge us Vassals of the Overlord by human standards.” The Vassal grinned viciously. “Hex: Rakshasa Transformation!”

Instantly, the world was painted a crimson red. Darkness writhed over the ground beneath my feet.

Well, that’s definitely ominous. I wasted no time leaping away—

“What...?”

—but found that my body was frozen in place. The darkness crawled up my legs and finally reached my chest, seeking to crush something within me...

“Aah! Aah! You fool! I planted this here long before your arrival! This whole area is my domain! Not only was that beast under my control, this hex is now also strengthened—making my sorcery nigh irresistible! Soon, you will lose your sense of self, reincarnate as a rakshasa, and become my loyal puppet! Not even a pierced heart and torn limbs will keep you from obeying my whims! Aah! How wonderful, to have earned such a powerful puppet to—”

“Pathetic.”

“—huh?”

My canon knowledge granted me an abundance of information. In certain topics, you could even say that I knew more than the gods themselves.

“Sorcery? Hex? Rakshasa Transformation? Don’t make me laugh... Such grandiose names for such a hollow display. Your worthless parlor trick bores me.”

Sure, it was a bizarre technique.

Sure, it was a deadly first move.

Sure, it was a ruthless attack.

But it wouldn’t work on me.

Though unknown to the world, this sorcery was just another entry in my database of canon knowledge. What would catch anybody else off guard, I already knew how to counter.

“Shall we put an end to this farce?”

My entire expression oozed with exasperation as I uttered a chant in my mind.

Asgard.

An unplaceable sensation encased me, shifting my very existence. It was the feeling of my Authority taking effect. Asgard expelled the invading darkness and swiftly returned color to the world.

I took slow and deliberate steps toward the...woman? I supposed that was how I could refer to this bizarre creature now. Anyway, the hex she was so proud of just got tossed aside like some afterthought. Now, how would she react?

“I-Impossible... This cannot be. H-How... Just how...?!”

There was your answer. She lost her composure and panicked like a fool. From here, she was practically an open book.

“N-No... Unacceptable! Hex: Rakshasa Transformation!!!”

The woman cast the same hex. This brought the return of a bloody hue over the world and darkness crawling along the land, ensnaring me like prey and seeking to destroy my very being.

“The same trick? How terribly dull. I thought clowns were fond of flashy performances.”

Her hex was no more effective than the first time, especially now with my Authority activated. With an icy smile, I slowly walked—step by step—toward the terrified imbecile.

Zil’s Authority, otherwise known as □□□□□—Asgard, was the ultimate nullifier to any and all attacks.

The exceptions were attacks imbued with god-related powers, such as heavenly arrays, divine relics, Favors, and, naturally, anything the gods themselves dished out. Besides all of those, however, I was essentially impervious to everything. Even when it came to the exceptions, they were still significantly weakened under the effects of this Authority, depending on my opponent’s divinity. Other exceptions existed, but we could save them for another time.

This Authority was Zil’s unique ability that allowed him to reign supreme all throughout part one of the anime. And might I remind you that this was all on top of his already monstrous talent and transcendent abilities. It was no wonder viewers often thought, Who needs other villains when Zil’s right there? Of course, this Authority couldn’t stay activated 24-7, 365 days a year, so in a war of attrition his Authority would eventually be dispelled. That being said, where in the world would you find someone capable of waging a war of attrition against Zil?

In any case, this Authority was special only within part one. By part two, it had devolved into a pretty common ability and lost the overpowered flair it originally had. Not to mention that it hardly worked against my number one enemies—the gods themselves. Becoming overly reliant on this Authority would only spell my doom.

“H-Hex: Dance of Chaos!”

Ah, one more thing: This Authority was kinda overkill when up against this woman’s sorcery. Divine power alone would’ve gotten the job done, as proved by the Seraphs in the anime.

“A dance, so soon after my comment about flashy performances? It appears you have quite the sense of humor.” With a small blast of divine power, I casually swatted the whip of darkness right back at the woman.

She tumbled back and finally sank to the ground. “A-Aah... It can’t be... This power is unbound by the rules of this world... A human couldn’t possibly...”

The outcome was clear as day, and the woman no longer had any tricks up her sleeve. All that was left was for me to kill her and put an end to this whole debacle.

“Humorous as you may be, your attack on my nation cannot be disregarded as a mere laughing matter,” I muttered darkly, mustering the magical energy within my body. “You called yourself a Vassal of the Overlord, yes? Rejoice, measly cretin, for I shall send you to hell my—”

The woman suddenly gasped. “Wait... C-Could it be? Are you our Over—”

“Silence.” With a burst of divine aura, I forced the woman’s mouth shut. “Me, worshipped as the Overlord by the likes of you clowns? You dare suggest that I hold the shallow allegiance of you ignoble vermin? It seems you derive pleasure from mocking me... Why else would you spout such laughable delusions?”

The woman’s mouth wordlessly opened and closed. Under the weight of my divine power, her face turned white as a sheet.

“You forfeited your life the moment you had the audacity to bare your fangs against my nation, but it seems...” I trailed off into a fit of ominous chuckles as I brought my right hand up to cover my face.

Ahh...

Since I’d awoken in this world, many had come to worship me. Kieran was the first, soon followed by the Church. Crazy fanatics, every last one of them. At this point, I thought a few more wouldn’t hurt...so it surprised me as to how appalled I was by this fool’s words.

The more pawns I had, the better.

Taming them could prove useful.

I wasn’t in any position to be picky.

Even as those voices of rationality resounded in my head, my answer was already decided.

So be it. I was now Zil, the very man who sought to rule the world for his own ambition. Was this not how I should be? Besides, at this point...what harm was there in another selfish choice?

“Hah... Filthy vermin. Take your repugnant gaze off of me.”

Niger Flamma.

Pitch-black hellfire once again razed the ground, roaring angrily as if it were the very embodiment of all my pent-up stress. With a cold and heartless gaze, I incinerated the woman and reduced her to absolute nothingness.

“So, the Vassals of the Overlord decided to show their face, hmm?”

I’d unleashed that expert spell in a fit of rage, but admittedly that might’ve been a bit overkill for that woman. Though their so-called Top Vassals were pretty much a mystery, this faction was hardly a match for Regr—at least in terms of raw strength. I had to admit—especially now that I’d gotten a taste of it myself—that their sorcery was exceedingly abnormal and tricky to deal with. The Church beating them so handily must have mostly been due to the poor matchup.

Ugh... What a pain. This faction popped up before their original entrance—heck, even before the start of the anime!

And speaking of the anime... The gods weren’t my only problem. An individual capable of awakening to absurd power at any place and any point in time was waiting in the wings—the anime protagonist. Now, when would be the best time to turn my attention to him?

“Wonderful... Oh, that was spectacular.”

A chiming voice cut through my thoughts. Ice crawled over the ground—freezing my black flames along with the earth—before shattering into countless fragments. Wintry fractals fluttered down the air, painting the world in a silvery gleam.

Slowly, I turned my gaze upward.

“Bravo, bravo! What a show... That magical energy was so beautiful, so clear! Oh, even the lack of chant didn’t make your expert spell any less refined. You even poured in the perfect amount of magical energy!”

Floating in the air was a teenage girl with aqua blue hair and amber eyes, a conical hat, and a light blue coat to cover her sleeveless dress.

“To inject the bare minimum amount of magical energy into a spell is actually quite the feat. Generally, overfilling isn’t recommended ’cause you run the risk of losing control and misfiring. But that’s missing the forest for the trees! In actuality, injecting only the necessary amount is just impossible. All the more without a chant, since it’s typically easier to slip up and add more magical energy.”

Unbothered by my lack of a response, the girl continued rambling.

“And the sheer volume of your magical energy? Yeesh! Talk about off the charts. You might even have my master beat there. How are you not imploding from it all? I don’t sense any attempts to alleviate the pressure by passively discharging it... Does that mean on top of the crazy amount of magical energy, you have a sturdy enough body to withstand it all...? Oh, I feel like I’ve just witnessed the peak of humankind! You’re... You’re an existence born to master this art, perhaps even fated to become the king of magic! Wonderful! Oh, how wonderful...!”

The girl’s euphoric state heightened by the second. Out of nowhere, a violent weight pressed down on our surroundings—it was born of the girl’s magical energy.

The average human would have fallen to their knees and started trembling uncontrollably, but I was unmoved, looking no worse for wear.

“Nice...!” The girl’s lips curled into a wider smile. “What about supreme magic? Can’t use any? It makes no sense to settle for expert magic. Unless...you just chose not to? Were you worried about collateral damage? No, that can’t be... Shouldn’t an uninhabited valley be the perfect place to unleash supreme magic? I mean, my master makes weekly trips to the continent’s outskirts to fire off supreme magic, just for the heck of it.”

This girl essentially just said, “My master launches a nuclear missile every week, ’cause why not, right?” I was genuinely starting to question her sanity as I held back a wince.

“With such talent, supreme fire magic should’ve been well within your reach... Oh, of course! Smaller nations might not have supreme grimoires for every attribute... Wait, do they even have supreme grimoires? If... If you learn supreme magic... Aah! J-Just imagining it is making me...!”

At times, she held her chin and muttered under her breath. At others, she writhed in the air with pure ecstasy. I mentally dialed the police.

Once her fit of lunacy passed, the girl finally withdrew her magical energy and opened her pink lips. “Nice to meet you. I’m the Frost Witch’s number one apprentice. Care to discuss the wonders of supreme magic? It’ll only take a moment. Something’s telling me that you’ve got great potential. How ’bout giving it a try? Trust me, it’s a great stress reliever!”

With a terribly shady grin, the girl made me a sudden offer after briefly introducing herself. But you see, there was no need for introductions.

“Just look at you, casting such a stable expert spell despite your absurd amount of magical energy. With my master’s guidance, you’ll be wielding supreme magic in no time at all. Come, take my hand! Let’s carve your name into the annals of history!”

This girl was the number one apprentice of the world’s strongest mage...as well as a member of Regr in part one of the anime.

§

Two men eradicated the invading army of magical beasts. They introduced themselves as Regr, direct subordinates of the king. According to them, they had been dispatched by the king to protect the people as soon as he’d discovered the invaders.

The people rejoiced in their king’s command.

This frontier land was a ways from the king’s residence. Though their nation was small, the distance between this town and the capital was certainly nothing to scoff at. Despite this, Regr had arrived to save them right around the commencement of the invasion. This was irrefutable proof that their king cared for them.

Someone cheered, “Our king is watching over us!”

Moreover, the king’s confidants possessed unbelievable power. The one named Kieran had defeated the beasts with merely a gaze and a few words, while the one named Hector had moved faster than the naked eye could catch.

Today, the king’s orders and Regr’s might have birthed a miracle. The residents of this town watched, their gazes filled with deep respect, as the two members of Regr conversed in the distance.

“Welp, guess it’s time for the cleanup. Extinguish fires, remove rubble... Ah, crap. We gotta round up the wounded first.”

“Oh...? You seem rather accustomed to this work.”

“For what it’s worth, a good chunk of my life was spent as a mercenary after leaving my country. Also, you’re helping out too, Kieran. Got it?”

“Of course. For Lord Zil’s country, I shall spare no effort. Watch as I swiftly remove all this rubble myself.”

“Hah. With those twigs you call arms? I’d love to see you try.”

“Silence, Hector! This measly chunk of rock is nothing to...t-to me...!”

“What did I tell ya? Scram. I’ve got it.”

“Hrgh... S-Silence, Hector...”

The residents couldn’t quite make out their words, but no doubt they were speaking of noble and lofty matters. This sight filled the people with the drive to aid their restoration efforts—without interrupting their conversation, of course. Fortunately, the invasion hadn’t taken any lives. This was enough cause for celebration, for the town itself could always be rebuilt.

Suddenly, the two men looked up.

“The heck?”

“This is...”

A strange energy encased their town. Rubble began to float, flames disappeared, and wounds were healed. Ruined houses and roads returned to their previous unmarred states, as if time itself rewound. Soon, it was like an invasion had never taken place. Before their eyes now was their town exactly as they remembered it in their everyday lives.

Someone cheered, “It’s a miracle!”

The elderly were moved to tears, and the children frolicked and whooped. Friends held hands and jumped for joy, while couples embraced in relief. Before the fantastical sight, the townspeople were stunned and overcome with emotion—until the revived town’s sense of bliss was suddenly intruded upon by Kieran’s booming voice.

“A-Aah... Aah! Ahhh!!! M-My God! My God, Lord Zil! Haah, haah! S-Such grace... Such benevolence... Ahhh! L-Lord Zil’s power! His might! His essence! I-It bathes my body...a-and this land...!”

Just as the man’s fanatical cries eventually died down...he threw off his clothes. Half of the witnesses were startled, while the remaining half were already too stunned by previous events to even react.

The man, now clad in no more than his underwear, approached the crowd and solemnly declared, “Behold the salvation of Lord Zil, our king and God.”

God—such a distant and fantastical concept. Who would heed this man’s words, when such an omnipotent being was nowhere to be seen? Who would believe him, when miracles and blessings were mere fantasies?

But these people had already witnessed a miracle. Every soul here had been blessed by their king’s protection—no, by their God’s benevolence. Thus, not a single voice of protest emerged from the crowd. Though the people had never seen the face of their king, their hearts blazed with loyalty for him.

“The time has come to worship Lord Zil. All of you, remove your garments. Lord Zil will surely embrace the faith of his citizens.”

The man told them to undress, and everyone nodded in agreement. After all, wouldn’t worshipping while clothed be the height of irreverence?

In a distant land, it was said that there was no greater disrespect than serving guests while masked, for it showed an intent to conceal yourself. The same logic had to apply to worshipping their king while clothed. Worse yet, clothes obscured most of a body’s flesh, as opposed to a mask that merely concealed part of the face. These garments were sacrilegious to the holy rite of worship. To express their faith, it was only just and proper to strip first.

“Ah, but it is too early for us to remove our underwear. We must pray and worship every day until God acknowledges our faith.”

The man warned them against removing their underwear, and everyone nodded in agreement. After all, wouldn’t it be unacceptable to expose everything at this early juncture?

In a distant land, it was frowned upon for couples to engage in sacred acts before marriage. The same logic had to apply to the rite of worship, for this too was a sacred act. Hastily exposing what lay beneath their underwear so soon after awakening to their faith was sacrilegious.

This man bestowed upon them this revelation of knowledge and guided their understanding of faith. Truly, he must be God’s apostle. As the people’s faith in their king and God deepened, so did their respect for Kieran.

“Hmm...” Kieran nodded in satisfaction as he watched the people wordlessly strip to their underwear. “Let us begin. Fret not, for this is a simple ritual. Kneel down, expose everything within, and offer up your faith. That is all.”

When Kieran got to his knees, the people followed. And together, they all prayed.

How liberating, everyone thought as their hearts became one.

Never had they known that worshipping their God would feel so invigorating. Their respect for Kieran deepened further for awakening them to this truth. They all quietly swore to honor him by erecting a bronze statue in the center of town using his likeness.

From here on, the people would gather three times a day to perform this ritual Kieran had taught them. It was only right to offer all praise and worship to their wondrous and miraculous king.

Incidentally, after that, their town was somehow blessed with many children. Recent years had seen their town suffer from an aging population, but the ritual seemingly put that problem to rest. This land of theirs was truly blessed by the king.

Henceforth, the people’s faith in their God knew no bounds.

Nearly a hundred people had stripped to their underwear as they knelt and cried out in worship. Some even had flushed cheeks and ragged breath.

This town acted as the country’s entry point—the first stop for travelers and the like coming to visit the land. What would they think upon witnessing this sight? Hector decided that he would’ve turned on his heels and carried on with this day without a second thought.

At the same time, he wondered what Zil would have done had he seen this for himself...and all Hector could do was shut his eyes in dismay.

Hector was certain there were only two normal people in this country: himself and Zil. He absolutely refused to think that they were the weird ones here.

After gazing at this absurd sight for just a while longer, Hector finally turned to the sky with but one thought on his mind.

Boss... Save me...

Alas, the clear blue skies offered him no repose.

§

The whole magical beast debacle finally came to a close.

After talking with the Frost Witch’s apprentice, I returned to my castle, where I cast two spells on the town that had become the battle’s front line. One was the spell I’d used after accidentally blowing up my castle and the Church, while the other was a healing spell. Naturally, however, that healing couldn’t do much for any fatalities.

Anyway, that got all the restoration work done in one fell swoop. This might have seemed like a bit much, but the citizens could come in handy down the line. There was no harm in taking good care of them while I could.

“Kieran, Hector.” I looked at the two who finally returned. “Have any issues arisen worthy of reporting?”

“Nothing of the sort, Lord Zil!” Kieran exclaimed, full of confidence.

In contrast, Hector winced as he muttered, “Uh... I guess not...?”

Hmm... Sounds like something is up.

“Were there any casualties?” I asked.

Kieran wouldn’t lie to me. However, something might’ve happened that Kieran simply didn’t consider an issue. After all, he used to be an assassin. One or two lives being lost surely meant little to someone like him. Well, Hector probably wasn’t much better as a former mercenary, but the anime had shown that he wasn’t one to involve innocent civilians.

Contrary to my suspicions, however, Hector swiftly answered, “No, uh... No one died.”

No one died, huh? Well, I had to guess there was nothing worth stressing over. Otherwise, Kieran wouldn’t have responded so confidently, nor would Hector keep quiet about it.

Then, all’s well that ends well. Good, very good!

Also, for some reason, I felt like I’d gotten a bit stronger. Only a bit, but it was still a noticeable improvement. Could it be because I’d finally acclimated to this body? That could have explained it, though I wasn’t entirely sure.

Anyway, going back to the Vassals of the Overlord...

If they popped up during the events of part one, what would happen? That woman I fought had mentioned the Evangelist... Did the Evangelist actually exist? How strong could they be?

I wouldn’t have anything to worry about if I just dragged the Church and the Seraphs into this, but wouldn’t they be kinda overpowered for part one? Fortunately, Regr could resist the Vassals’ sorcery since they’d been bestowed with divine power in the form of their Favors.

For now, I suppose I could just think of the Vassals as a bunch of monsters for EXP farming...or something like that. Dwelling on them any longer would be pointless given I knew nothing about their motives.

All in all...

This was just the beginning. I’d only just reached the starting line. It’d take more than heavenly arrays to defeat the gods. They were just as if not stronger than Gracie, and there were a bunch of them to boot. My circumstances sounded as hopeless as ever, and I was still far from reaching my goal. Meeting Gracie only further reaffirmed this belief.

But the fact that I’m lacking...means I’ve got a lot of room for growth.

Call it a hackneyed line all you want—it was the truth. Slumbering in this land were many powers Zil had yet to acquire. There were the ones I knew about thanks to my canon knowledge, but also possibly others which the anime had failed to mention. Just like Gracie, there might be other “weapons” somewhere out there I could wield against the gods.

Keep moving.

Think hard.

Use everything.

Watch carefully.

Get stronger.

And then, finally...

Defy fate...and survive.

Who was I? Just a puny human too stubborn to roll over and die as fodder. So much so that I was willing to do anything, even break canon, to accomplish my goal.

This was my story—my fight for survival.

Chapter 6: Welcome to the Magic Republic of Magia

A day had passed since the magical beast attack. Apparently, that had been enough time for the reputation of Regr to reach the capital. Now, people uttered their name in reverence and hailed them as the bringers of miracles.

How did I know this? Because Kieran had come to my room first thing in the morning, gotten down on one knee, and reported so to me. This guy might have more than a few screws loose, but when it came to me, he never lied. I had enough trust in him not to bother reading his mind anymore.

Now, I was seated at the head of a ridiculously long dining table—the kind that often popped up in anime—where my breakfast, personally prepared by Kieran, was laid out for me.

Thank you for the food. I mentally put my hands together, abiding by my Japanese manners—at least in spirit.

The anime never showed Zil eating on-screen, but it didn’t take explicit proof to surmise that he wasn’t in the habit of offering thanks for his meals. Naturally, I had to emulate that. After all, Zil was a final boss—a man who sought to destroy then reshape the world under his rule. Did expressing gratitude for meals sound like Zil’s style? Obviously not. Well, maybe if they’d wanted to give him a bit of gap moe... Okay, never mind. That was a ridiculous idea.

Woe is me, the guy possessing an anime character’s body... So much to think about to keep up this act.

My true self might just slip out the moment I let my guard down. And if that happened—if people became suspicious of “Zil”—all would come crumbling down. I had to stay sharp and focused at all times, so that none would ever discover “me” hidden away inside.

Anyway...

The food looked as delicious as ever. My meals came in many varieties, but they typically consisted of bread, a meat dish, salad, an egg dish, soup, tea, and dessert. To be honest, I was actually loving this.

Wow, the bacon is like a slice of heaven... Oh, and this salad dressing’s new. This...corn soup? Whatever it is, it goes perfectly with this crispy bread... I had to suppress a sigh. Even with all the headaches Kieran gives me, he’s still so darn capable. Tsk, if only he weren’t a fanatic... If only he wasn’t a fanatic...!

The first time I had seen him cooking, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I’d gone to the kitchen since I was feeling hungry, figured I’d grab a quick snack from the refrigerator or something, only to find a pitch-black figure moving smoothly and skillfully as he whipped up a meal.

According to the Zil-Exclusive Chef Kieran, his specialty was “anything Lord Zil desires.” On a bit of a mischievous whim, I’d told him that I desired sushi.

He’d nodded.

I’d waited.

He’d served me sushi.

It had been delicious.

I’m in another world...right?

Anyway, though I sincerely wished Kieran would just stick to the kitchen, it was time to steer my thoughts elsewhere.

The girl that had shown up after I incinerated that Vassal of the Overlord had introduced herself as the Frost Witch’s apprentice. However, thanks to my canon knowledge, I knew her as Stella—the genius mage of Regr and one of the main villains of part one.

Finding and recruiting the remaining members of Regr was one of the many problems I’d been racking my brain over recently. Honestly, I hadn’t been betting on a coincidental meeting, but here we were.

Now, how shall I bring her over to my side?

As anyone could surmise, Stella—being the Frost Witch’s apprentice—was from the Magic Republic. Yes, that Magic Republic, the nation full of lunatics—Stella included. Recruiting her would be tantamount to asking another Kieran to join my cause.

“Are you crazy?!”

“Do you want to die of stress?!”

“Somebody call Hector!”

“Why are you trying to recruit another lunatic?!”

Several voices of reason cried out in my head, but I ignored them all. Make no mistake, I wouldn’t recruit her if she provided nothing of value. Yes, that girl would likely lead to many future stomachaches. For that reason alone, I had half a mind to avoid her for all eternity. But as vexing as it was to admit, she was an incredibly capable individual, so much so that I was willing to bear with the stomachaches if need be.

“A refill for your tea, Lord Zil?”

“Very well.”

Now, what made that girl so capable? First and foremost, she was one of the very few wielders of ice magic. Actually, I wasn’t doing Stella justice. That attribute was so rare that I was willing to gamble that the only two wielders of it were her and her master. Not even Zil knew any ice magic—as far as I could tell, anyway—nor could I find any relevant information in his study.

There’s probably some reason for it... I suppose I can try asking her next time.

In any case, not only could Stella wield such a rare attribute, but she was also still only a teenager with tons of room for growth. Perhaps, with the right catalyst, Stella could awaken to power so she could weather the tides of power creep—just as her master had in the anime.

But ice magic was no more than a bonus for me. My real reason for wanting Stella was the Favor she would awaken—her power to manipulate time. Such an ability was always given the overpowered treatment in fantasy works, and I most certainly wanted it at my disposal.

“A slice of cake for you, Lord Zil?”

“Very well.”

That being said, Stella’s Favor wasn’t that overpowered. She couldn’t do anything crazy like freeze time for the entire world. At best, her Favor could manipulate her own time. It was basically good for boosting her speed, undoing severed limbs—the works. By the way, she could only rewind time up to three days max.

Now, since her power only benefited herself, she shouldn’t have been all that necessary to me. But the thing about Stella—the absolute madlad—was that she could modify her Favor with magic, allowing her to extend its benefits to other people. You know that trope in manga where the ultimate ice technique was freezing time itself? Yeah, Stella could basically do that with her Favor.

So, what did I want from her? It was simple, really—I wanted her support during my battle against the gods. It remained to be seen how effective Favors were against those guys, but in a cutthroat clash, every second counts. Even if Stella could only freeze time for a split second against the gods, that was more than worth working toward. And if it turned out Favors didn’t work on the gods... Well, I’d cross that bridge when I got there. The point of all my efforts now was to gather every card within my reach.

It was simply my style to make every possible preparation before facing a challenge. I was the type to grind like crazy to boost my level before taking on the floor boss in an RPG. Wasn’t it only right to expend every effort when your life was on the line? So long as the chances weren’t zero, it was always worth a shot.

Anyway, now that I was set on recruiting her, my problem was how. After all, it wasn’t like I could just go out and buy myself one Stella from the morning market.

At present, Stella was the Frost Witch’s apprentice and a citizen of the Magic Republic. I had to proceed cautiously while recruiting her, lest I escalate this into a diplomatic issue.

Recruiting personnel was all about choosing the right bait—in other words, offering something the other person desired. And you couldn’t do that without first understanding their values and mindset. How did one go about doing that? Well, such precious intel wouldn’t get handed to you on a silver platter. You had to go out there and fetch it yourself—send a spy to observe the target, interview their colleagues and acquaintances—then analyze the data yourself. Only then could you start formulating an actual recruitment plan.

But I can skip all that ’cause I’ve already got the intel I need!

I smirked smugly in my mind.

My canon knowledge granted me massive advantages in this world, such as all the personal deets on the anime’s characters. Whatever had been shown about Stella in the anime was stored in my mental database. My plan for the Church—to gain the upper hand by making them associate me with the gods—had also been born of my canon knowledge. Now, it was time to cook up a strategy for winning over Stella.

That being said, dealing with Stella was going to be way harder than the Church ordeal. The Church abided by an absolute code that it was the gods’ way or the highway, so I’d finalized my plan for them rather quickly.

Stella, on the other hand... Based on the anime, her mental state was far more complex than the Church.

There were hints that Stella had volunteered to invade her home country for their divine power. She also took on an exceedingly belligerent attitude toward the Frost Witch, wearing a crazed smile as she unleashed one deadly spell after the next. From that alone, it was easy to assume that Stella had been acting out of a deep-seated hatred for the Magic Republic or the Frost Witch, but I wasn’t keen on concluding that so soon.

“I knew it... Master, you’re really...incredible.”

Those were Stella’s last words in the anime, spoken from her heart in her final moments. From them, I could glean more than just pure hatred. This meant that Stella didn’t simply hate the Frost Witch, yet she still went there and tried to kill her anyway.

Killing someone you hated sounded simple enough. But killing someone you liked? What a mess of emotions that had to be. As for Stella though, what she felt toward the Frost Witch was neither entirely positive nor negative—it was both. So, what could it be?

Jealously, perhaps?

This was speculation at best, but I had a feeling I wasn’t too far off. What if her admiration had given way to a sense of inferiority? Eventually festering into jealousy, and finally warped into bloodlust... An awfully clichéd development, but that was how fantasy works tended to go. Even from a meta perspective, this hypothesis seemed credible.

But somehow...I’m not entirely convinced.

Maybe I would’ve been satisfied with that just a day ago, but after meeting Stella in person, she really didn’t strike me as the type to go mad with envy. Zil’s absurd amount of magical energy hadn’t made her jealous. Quite the opposite, in fact. She seemed to like me a lot more.

Of course, my point still stood that admiration could eventually warp into jealousy, but that didn’t sit right with my personal impression of Stella. And this impression—this gut feeling after meeting her face-to-face—wasn’t to be dismissed so easily. Especially considering it was born from Zil’s incredibly sharp senses.

So, what else is there?

Hmm... Could it be that the Frost Witch had disappointed her somehow? Had Stella been disillusioned by something her master had done?

“A second serving of cake for you, Lord Zil?”

“Very well.”

Disillusionment that birthed malice... Yes, it was possible.

But for now, I’d like to think of a plan based solely on Stella’s character from the anime. Coming up with a plan B—taking the disillusionment theory into account—was naturally still on the agenda, though.

Respect. Admiration. Jealousy. Ambition.

Stella’s complex emotions toward the Frost Witch.

Her unique values as a mage of the Republic.

Assuming that all these factors got tangled, turned into a convoluted mess, and exploded—resulting in Stella leaving her home and joining Regr... I gradually pieced together a recruitment plan for Stella.

...jealousy...then...so it must be...and I should...

The gears in my head turned restlessly. I searched for the right words, emotions, expressions, materials, and personnel needed to make this work. I thought of what benefits to offer her and when would be the perfect timing to initiate my efforts. And so on and so forth.

There was no room for wishful thinking that Stella would simply fall into my lap as she had in canon, especially now that we’d run into each other. Besides, the original Zil must have also gone out of his way to recruit her. After all, there was no way an outsider like Stella would have come across Regr before their continent-wide invasion.

Naturally, I couldn’t afford to let this chance slip by—and I’d already put my plan in motion during our first encounter. After Stella had invited me to study under the Frost Witch, we’d agreed to meet again so I could give her my answer.

Besides, this was also a rare chance to lawfully enter the Magic Republic. In my eyes, Stella wasn’t all the Magic Republic had going for it. They also had their forbidden art—in other words, a heavenly array. No way in hell was I skipping out on acquiring one that was just outside my reach.

All in all, my objectives were Stella and the heavenly array. And the first step toward that was to observe Stella in person to get a better idea about the deviation between my canon knowledge and her current state.

Then, by the end of all this...she’ll be right in the palm of my hand. My lips naturally curled into a sinister smile, and I didn’t fight it. I have to use every tool at my disposal. In order to oppose the gods and defy fate, that is the least I can do.

All the pieces were falling into place.

Good, good! Killing two birds with one stone... This is perfect. I lifted my teacup to my lips, then paused. Come to think of it, aren’t we almost out of tea leaves? Hmm... That won’t do. I should send Hector to buy some more as soon as—

“Lord Zil, I’ve replenished our stock of tea leaves,” Kieran said as he held up a jar of my favorite tea leaves. He was beaming like a child waiting to be praised.

What the heck? When did he...? I stared at him blankly, containing my internal shock.

Uh, anyway... I really hoped that I could get my hands on the divine power sleeping within the Magic Republic as well.

§

“I shall now depart for the Magic Republic. In the meantime... Kieran, Hector. I leave the country in your hands.”

My gaze fell on the two men at the foot of the dais. Kieran was down on one knee, while Hector stood as comfortably as ever. Their personalities were as clear as day.

“The Magic Republic...” Kieran hummed. “Understood. In your absence, Lord Zil, I shall manage this country with the utmost devotion.”

“Hey, I’m in charge too,” Hector said. “Those ears of yours broken or what?”

“Silence, Hector! It seems Lord Zil’s show of compassion has been lost on you. He simply included you because he is a benevolent God, lest you wallow in self-pity from being forgotten. Do you truly think yourself worthy of the honorable task of managing Lord Zil’s nation? Who do you think you are? Hmm?”

“Why don’t you shut your mouth before I shut it for you?”

Amazing. I was already having second thoughts. My confidence in my decision withered by the second as I watched the belligerent air brewing between these two.

Come to think of it, I’m actually kinda scared to leave Kieran here...

Keeping him by my side meant stomachaches galore, but not being able to keep an eye on him was terrifying in its own right. What if I left him in charge, went about my business, and came back to a country of nudists? That trauma would stay with me forever.

Part of me said, “Pfft, no way. That won’t happen.”

Another part of me screamed, “But it’s Kieran!”

Had I not stepped in, even the Church would have transformed into a cult of strippers, worshipping me while exposing everything—faith and birthday suit alike. Perhaps leaving Kieran behind wasn’t such a good idea after all... Besides, I’d feel bad leaving Hector on babysitting duty...

After racking my brain over and over, I finally came to a painstaking decision. “I rescind my previous order. Kieran, you shall accompany me.”

“As you command!”

In the end, I decided bringing Kieran along was for the best. A ticking time bomb was best kept within arm’s reach—it was just easier to defuse that way.

“Oh, Hector. To be unable to serve by Lord Zil’s side... How pitiful. Ah, truly, I pity you.”

“Weren’t you just talking about how ‘honorable’ it is to manage the country?”

“Silence, Hector! The change in Lord Zil’s decision indicates a change in his priorities. Therefore, it was not a contradiction on my part, nor a misconception in the slightest.”

“Whoa. So you’re just never wrong?”

Okay. You two are actually good pals, right?

Anyway, it might sound crazy to leave the entire country in Hector’s hands, but in actuality not everything would be up to him. For starters, I’d assigned Theodore as his assistant, and all I was leaving them were the tasks that needed active hands. Plus, orders would still ultimately be run through me, even as I went about my work in the Magic Republic. I was really working myself to the bone, huh? But with this body, it was actually manageable.

Hmm... Is there anything I need to let Hector know before leaving? Let’s see...

“By the way, Lord Zil...” Kieran suddenly wore an oddly satisfied smile. “Due to the recent magical beast attack, the citizens of the frontier region now harbor unshakable faith in you.”

I blinked slowly, my superhuman brain failing to process Kieran’s nonsense. After a long pause, I finally settled on replying, “I see.”

Well, after I had saved them from a life-threatening crisis, it was no wonder they adored me. That had been very much intentional on my part. Why else would I have telepathically ordered Kieran and Hector to introduce themselves as the king’s direct subordinates?

But...what did Kieran just say? “Unshakable faith”...? Wait, don’t tell me... Did they skip the adoration stage and jump right to actually worshipping me?

Uh-oh... I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

“As such, I believe we must solidify the faith of the capital’s people as well,” Kieran boldly continued. “Lord Zil, I humbly suggest that you reveal your sublime form to the masses. The moment they lay eyes upon you, all of them will surely kneel in reverence.”

Okay, setting aside all this nonsense about “faith,” I had to admit that it was important to gain the obedience of this nation’s people. Total control over my entire country would open a lot more doors and give me plenty of autonomy down the line. After all, there was strength in numbers. There were just some things you couldn’t do alone. All in all, more subordinates meant more strategies up my sleeve.

Hmm... All right. No time to waste. I should get it out of the way while I can.

“Very well,” I told Kieran. “I shall handle this matter before our departure for the Magic Republic. Gather the people.”

“Right away!”

Now then, my time was limited. How could I speedrun placing these people under my absolute rule? Well, the fastest way was to make them submit with fear. Weaponizing Zil’s charisma was another option, but I wasn’t hankering to create more fanatics. I supposed overwhelming them with my presence should do the trick—just enough so it wouldn’t kill them, of course.

This country was already mine anyway. It’d be a walk in the park.

So, I oppressed the masses with my aura, and for some reason that converted my entire population into a massive cult.

Wh-Why...? I was trying to induce terror, not produce fanatics!

Nothing was making any sense. I’d still attained my goal of placing them under my absolute rule, so I supposed all’s well that ends well... Still, my head was spinning. How did this even happen?

Okay... Calm down. I know the perfect way to handle this: Forget it ever happened and head straight for the Magic Republic. Yep.

Desperately averting my eyes from reality, I took Kieran and went to meet up with Stella.

§

The Magic Republic was one of the world’s four major powers. As its name suggested, it was a cut above the rest of the continent when it came to magical arts. Magic was deeply intertwined in the lives of its people, so much so that they had numerous schools and research facilities dedicated to learning and exploring the subject, sometimes even inventing new spells.

With a population wholly apathetic to things outside the realm of magic, the Republic reflected bizarrely in the eyes of other nations. Suffice it to say, diplomacy wasn’t a strong suit of the Republic. Their neighbors kept them at an arm’s length, simply watching as the Republic developed on its own unique and isolated course.

Though if I had to guess, the Republic’s neighbors probably wanted to be more than just an arm’s length from the country of lunatics who permanently crippled themselves in pursuit of the forbidden art. It didn’t help that the Republic showed no signs of discarding that grimoire anytime soon. In fact, it seemed like they didn’t even consider that option. Who wouldn’t want to keep their distance from those freaks?

In the Republic, everyone’s heads were filled with magic, magic, and more magic. Oh, and did I forget to mention magic? The executives wanted to become a military state by utilizing their people’s immense power, but the mages couldn’t care less. They’d much rather advance in their studies than spend time on the battlefield.

Now, you might be wondering why the executives—also natives of this magic-crazed country—even fostered such ambition at all. Well, the long and short of it was that they were the materialistic minority. See, most mages couldn’t even be bothered to manage their state. Wealth and power were unnecessary in the pursuit of magic, so a position of authority was no more than baggage to them. Thus, these seats were left to the talentless minority—those who sought wealth and power over research. To satisfy their greed, they took up posts as the Republic’s executives...only to live day by day miserably clutching stomach medicine.

It only got worse from here. In an effort to save the younger generations from suffering the same fate, the executives continued to cultivate their interest in magic. As a result, more and more magic manics were born, and the executives could only watch on teary-eyed. This rinsed and repeated into a cycle of never-ending suffering.

What a bunch of weirdos...

Anyway, long story short, the last place I wanted to go was the frightening lunacy that was the Magic Republic. But here I was, making my way there... Anything to survive, I suppose.

“Hm hmm, hm hm hmm!”

A pleasant hum came from the girl flying beside me. Her pale skin and petite limbs peeked from beneath her clothes, her figure so charming that it surely attracted the gazes of many men—

“An insane talent just waiting to blossom and the continent’s greatest mage... Oh, to bathe in such exquisite magical energy... How lucky am I? Geh heh heh heh...!”

I take it back. There was nothing charming here, just a bizarre creature whose beauty unfortunately warped into a disgusting expression. This girl was the number one apprentice of the world’s strongest mage, as well as one of my objectives for this trip—Stella.

“Gosh, I’m over the moon. I can’t wait till you learn supreme magic!” she crowed. “Gotta admit, I was surprised you brought a plus-one along. Uh... Maybe it’s just me, but is this guy staring daggers at me or what? Ha ha, it’s like he wants to kill me or something! You good, pal? I’m not gonna die, am I?”

If looks could kill, then Stella would’ve died twice over by now. The murderer? Kieran, of course. He looked like he was going to maul her any second because of how casual she was being around me. Let me take a quick peek into his thoughts... Yep. Totally itching to kill her.

“Welp. We’re all the way up here, and I’m carrying you. So if I let go, the only one dying here is you!” Stella snickered.

“Silence, brat!” Kieran hissed. “How dare you take such a casual tone with Lord Zil? Unforgivable. You must consecrate your measly life to worshipping Lord Zil, our one true God.”

“Concentrate my life...?” Stella cocked her head. “Also, do you need to have your head checked? God doesn’t exist, silly.”

“You...”

Disrespecting and rejecting God? Talk about tap dancing on the fanatic land mines of Kieran and the Church. Kieran’s bloodcurdling malice skyrocketed in an instant.

I hurriedly cut in. “Restrain yourself, Kieran. Her words do not bother me.”

The man withdrew after a pause. “As you wish.”

“Funny guy,” Stella mused as she gave Kieran a little shake.

“Do not drop me,” Kieran snapped, though his words were no longer laced with bloodlust.

“Aw, come on. I’m not that much of a klutz.”

Considering he had been ready to kill her just moments ago, she was being awfully carefree. Well, I suppose that was Stella for you—easygoing as always.

As you might’ve already guessed from our conversation, we were currently flying through the sky. Apparently, due to the terrain, this was the fastest way to the Magic Republic. And since Kieran couldn’t use flight magic, Stella had to carry him. A petite girl carrying a man dressed from head to toe in black... What a surreal sight.

Hmm... Maybe bringing Kieran along was a bad idea after all...

His earlier belligerence revived my internal conflict. This happy-go-lucky girl didn’t seem to mind much, and my concerns about leaving him behind still stood...but keeping his unhinged faith in check was quite the challenge. Well, Kieran could still restrain himself as long as the bare minimum line wasn’t crossed, so I guess it wasn’t a huge problem so far... Hmm, or was it?

Ah, by the way, the word Kieran used earlier was “consecrate,” not “concentrate.” Simply put, it meant “to devote” or “to dedicate.”

“Supreme fire magic... Oh, I can’t wait!” Stella giggled. “Everytime I watch my master use supreme magic, it just feels so...different, you know? At least when compared to the lower tiers of magic. Like it’s...almost on a higher plane. Ah, emphasis on ‘almost.’ It doesn’t feel like it’s actually on that higher plane quite yet, and I’m not talking raw power. No, it’s something more...fundamental. In that sense, the forbidden art might fit the bill. Is it possible the forbidden art requires the practitioner to also be on that higher plane? Is that why everyone else becomes crippled just by reading the grimoire? Hmm... Master won’t show me her forbidden art, so I’m just spitballing here...”

What the heck? She pretty much nailed it...

Stella had actually grazed the truth using no more than what meager information she had on hand. That was...genuinely impressive. In the anime, she’d come across as a “levelheaded yet silly girl,” but it turned out that her acumen was pretty sharp too. That acumen probably only applied to magic, but it was a valuable skill nonetheless. This was a nice discovery.

“Man, I wanna use supreme magic too... And the forbidden art! Can’t forget that. Master can use both... Gosh, she’s amazing.” Stella sighed.

To master supreme magic was to carve your name into the annals of history, yet the Frost Witch had gone above and beyond by acquiring the forbidden art as well. She was an unparalleled monster standing at the peak of the magic world. Stella, being under the tutelage of someone like that, definitely felt more than just pure admiration. Whether that entailed jealousy had yet to be seen, but so far it didn’t seem like my initial analysis was too far off.

Observing the girl with a sideward glance, I swiftly updated my mental database’s entry on Stella. I’d set my sights on Stella solely for her abilities, but her capabilities as a researcher were also worth looking into. She’d be like Theodore, just for the field of magic. Not to mention that her personality—namely, her guts to brush off Kieran’s madness—got a big thumbs-up from me. Given her good looks, she could even take up diplomatic duties and help foster our relations with other—

“Hmm? Are you staring, Little Zil? Something on your mind?”

“You must be imagining things.”

By the way, Stella calling me “little” wasn’t some insult or joke. I literally looked like a young boy.

Before leaving, I’d indirectly suggested that it might be better for me to assume a child’s appearance. After all, a grown man from a foreign nation seeking the Frost Witch’s tutelage might draw suspicion.

At first, Stella had been rather hesitant.

“Uh, are you gonna use some type of illusion spell? That won’t really work on people of the Republic...”

Then, her jaw dropped the moment she watched me take a pill and physically shrink. According to Theodore, the pill didn’t exactly restore youth, but it practically produced the same result.

“Restoring youth... W-Wow. Even my master can’t do that... She’s become unaging, but this is just...” Stella had commented.

Damn, Theodore’s really something else...

For those interested, I specifically looked like a third grader—your average, everyday little boy.

“Oh, how time flies. Look at that—we’re already here!” After an approximately three-hour flight, Stella finally slowed to a halt. “Welcome to the Magic Republic of Magia. I’ve got high hopes for you, Little Zil!”

My gaze fell to the vast scenery below—the Magic Republic of Magia, one of the four major powers and the home of the world’s strongest witch. With countless thoughts swirling in my head, my sharp and narrowed eyes took in this new land.

§

Meanwhile, in the Church...

“My dearest brother has taken the form of a small child for his trip to the Magic Republic... Why, he looks as young as me.”

“L-Lord Zil...as young as you?! Wh-What does he look like, Gracie?!”

“I must say, he looked quite cute. Though, like always, his expression gave away nothing... Hmm? Why, is your curiosity piqued, Sophia? If I link you to the pathway, you could see for yourself.”

“R-Really...?”

“I could...but I won’t.”

“Oh...”

“Pope, isn’t the Magic Republic full of lunatics? I’m worried about the god... Shouldn’t we dedicate all our forces to monitoring them?”

“No... The god’s actions...are never mistaken... To monitor is to doubt... A grave transgression... Only Lady Gracie, his sister...is specially permitted...to track his movements...”

“But Daniel, this is the Magic Republic we’re talking about. There’s no telling what they’ll do to the god.”

“You dare...distrust the god...? Our concerns...matter not... It’s simple... He leads...and we follow...”

“As the servants of the god, is it not expected of us to prepare the path he is to tread?”

“Enough. Joseph, Daniel, I have heard you both loud and clear. You two have nothing but the god’s best interest in your hearts. Hmm... Personally, I share Daniel’s view. The god may be using his human body as an opportunity to investigate the Magic Republic. We must make only the bare minimum preparations while remaining on standby.”

“Investigating...the Republic?”

“Indeed. Legends tell of gods oftentimes disguising themselves in order to mingle among humans. No doubt our god is similarly partaking in that practice...in order to determine whether the Magic Republic must be eradicated.”

“I see...”

“Ah. I suppose we should get ready in case he wants them gone, huh?”

“Goodness... Why are they all so extreme?”

“Hmph...”

“And this one’s still sulking... Aah, I miss my dearest brother and Hector already.”

§

The moment we arrived at the Magic Republic, Stella gradually descended from the sky and chirped, “For starters, let’s take it easy. I’ll show you ’round the capital!”

As I followed after her, however, a certain thought came to me: Given that Stella was the apprentice of the Republic’s most famous mage, wouldn’t we draw a lot of attention by walking around?

In a nation of magic manics, there had to be no end to those seeking to study under or collaborate with the Frost Witch, and I could imagine many attempted this through her apprentice. If a flock of mages came about, we’d have a hard time getting around. My usual form would’ve been fine in such a scenario, but as a child I could easily get swept up in the crowd. Now, child or not, Zil’s body knocking them back would be like swatting flies...but that wouldn’t be smart, now would it?

Much to my surprise though, Stella actually came prepared. She took out a fish head mask and plopped it over her head.

A questionable choice... Why a mask instead of illusory magic? Talk about a basic approach... Oh, right. We’re in the Magic Republic.

Here, any random kid you picked off the street was likely to wield intermediate magic, a skill that’d make you a valuable fighting force anywhere else. Walk a bit farther and you’d spot an old man running a food stall... Oh, whaddya know? He could use advanced spells. In this kind of place, basic illusory magic was as good as useless.

Honestly, within the bounds of part one, this country was pretty insane. I recalled a tragic incident from the past: A foreign mage had attempted to infiltrate the Republic, only to be discovered by an old lady running a candy shop. “Darned whippersnapper! Ye’r not Takashi!” she’d exclaimed, incensed, as she fired off an expert spell and killed the poor fellow.

Who the heck is Takashi? I deadpanned in my head.

Anyway... An old lady from the candy shop pulling out expert magic? Talk about terrifying. Sure, this had to be a bit of an extreme case even for the Magic Republic, but my point still stood. In a place where a single citizen could have the power to eradicate small nations, the Magic Republic wouldn’t break a sweat emerging victorious in war if its people actually put in the effort. There was a reason foreign criminal organizations hardly bothered the Republic compared to other nations on the continent.

Magic was even a part of their compulsory education here. They weren’t trained in combat, but even ordinary civilians could bust out elementary spells for a meaningless squabble. Crazy stuff.

Finally, I landed back on the ground alongside Stella and Kieran. I’d never flown over such a great distance before this. It almost felt like ages since my feet last touched the ground.

I need to get the hang of this...

This body was capable of many things, and I needed to get used to every single one. After all, humans weren’t a flexible bunch. It was hard to whip out a move without practicing it first. For example, if I put all my eggs in the Authority basket, I would be in for a rude awakening when I faced someone it didn’t work on. In fact, this was one of the reasons the original Zil had been insta-killed by the Evil God. Dodging was still a precious skill worth training.

That being said, I’d be more than glad to use my Authority whenever it benefited me—like to make my enemies feel helpless or to build up my imposing facade. Against the named characters of part one, it was still a worthwhile tool.

“All righty then,” said Stella. “Off we go now, Little Zil and Kieran!”

I huffed. “Very well. You may lead the way.”

“Wow, so pompous!” Stella cackled.

You’re laughing at me? Really? Between the two of us, you’re obviously the bigger joke, I thought dryly as I observed the strange creature who had the head of a fish and the body of a slender young woman. Plus, she was wearing a stylish outfit to boot. That terrifying mismatch was something else. What the heck was I even looking at?

Wait... Wait a second. Does our group look like...?

Stella was wearing a fish head to hide her identity.

I had transformed into a little boy to prevent suspicion.

Kieran was dressed in black from head to toe as always.

Uh-oh...

A fish head with the body of a slender young woman, a handsome third-grade boy, and a grown man dressed in all black... What were we if not a bizarre band of weirdos? Were we really about to go sightseeing in the capital like this? It was like we had stepped out of some kind of strange, avant-garde painting...

...

......

Was I... Was I really about to walk the streets of the Republic as a part of this eccentric ensemble...? Maybe if we were at a university festival, we wouldn’t look out of place... Well, we’d probably get laughed at for being a funny bunch... Or maybe not...? Uh...

No, wait! Remember—we’re in the Magic Republic!

Clarity returned to my distant gaze as I slowly composed myself. Any other nation might write us off as weirdos, but not the Republic. After all, this place was already crawling with lunatics. To a population who made it their life’s mission to read a grimoire that permanently crippled them, what was a gathering of some strangely dressed individuals?

This is fine, I told myself as I walked to the capital with Stella and Kieran.

“Who are they...?”

“Huh...? They’re... Um...”

“Whoa... What a bunch of weirdos...”

“Is that...a fish? Are they crazy?”

“Did those two kidnap that child?”

“I think the fish is a teenager too...”

“Mama, they look funny!”

“Shh! Don’t stare!”

“Are they performers? That fish...looks terribly realistic...”

“Creepy...”

Okay. Oookay. I see how it is.

All the onlookers were cringing and taking a few steps back. From the looks on their faces, you’d have thought they were the most normal and sensible people in the world. Just where did they get the gall to act like they weren’t just as weird as we looked? Make it make sense!

Wait... What does Kieran think about all this?

Kieran also had a few screws loose, but only when it came to me. Surely he would find this whole situation strange, right? I furtively snuck a glance his way to read his thoughts.

“The masses are keeping their distance... Lord Zil’s magnificence must have struck a chord with them. It appears they have potential.”

Never mind. His logic was making its usual acrobatic jumps through hoops.

“I sense a budding faith in the citizens of—”

I smoothly averted my gaze. Only then did I notice that Stella had disappeared. A quick sweep of my surroundings resulted in my eyes catching a coat-wearing fish making a beeline for a roadside stall.

“W-Welcome...”

“Hey, mister. One candied infernomato, please!”

“O-Okay, okay! I got it! Please, stop leaning so close! D-Don’t curse me!” cried the pale-faced stall owner.

The guy had all my sympathies, seriously. That walking fish certainly looked like it was carrying around a curse or two. But listen...was that thing he was selling really any better? A “candied infernomato”? Really? What kind of name was he giving those poor sweets?

“Little Zil, Kieran, here you go. These are only made here in the Republic, so they’re the perfect welcome souvenir!”

I’d have been flabbergasted if this thing was sold anywhere else.

“Now then, it’s time for a stroll. Wanna check out some magical items? We’ve got a ton of stuff that’s only sold locally. You can window-shop for ages here!”

I considered Stella’s offer for a brief moment, then nodded. The chances of finding something to fend off power creep were slim to none. But perhaps I could hand a few to Theodore so he could work his magic and modify them to get a huge power-up or something. Besides, what reason did I have to turn her down? This was a good chance to win some brownie points.

With our plans decided and Stella as our guide, we went around to check out the various magical items on offer in the Republic.

§

I sat on a bench and turned to the sky.

Man, I’m beat...

This girl had more than enough energy for all three of us. How could she check out all these shops without missing a beat? And didn’t she live here? Why was she acting like a tourist?

“Lord Zil, allow me to purchase you a drink,” said Kieran as he bowed his head. “What would you like?”

“Hmm... Anything cold will suffice.”

“Right away!”

As I watched Kieran disappear around the corner, my mind proceeded to sort out my observations on Stella for the day. Needless to say, not much vital intel had come about during this little sightseeing trip. The only thing I learned was that outside of magic, she was an ordinary girl, all things considered. Wait... Maybe that counts as vital intel?

“Excuse me...”

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice drew my gaze back down from the sky.

Standing before me was a girl I could liken to a small animal. She appeared to be in her mid-teens, and was decent looks-wise... That was it, really. Nothing else really stood out. Her talent was also pretty mediocre. By my assessment, if she somehow spent every waking moment training, she could maybe wield an expert spell toward the very end of her life.

Not from the anime, nor significantly strong... She was practically a background character. Though, after encountering an exception like Gracie, I couldn’t help but be wary around unfamiliar faces. What if this girl was concealing her true power? But I severely doubted she warranted too much caution. Besides, I’d be jumping at shadows if I started suspecting everyone of being an overpowered OC.

Anyway, what business does she have with me? Right now, I’m just an ordinary little boy. She shouldn’t have any reason to approach me.

“You see, I’ve heard that a young boy from out of town was being dragged around by two suspicious individuals...”

Okay, I stand corrected. She has every reason to approach me.

Come to think of it, our little sightseeing stroll must have appeared rather...criminal from a bystander’s perspective. With the two freaks gone, it was no wonder she had seized the opportunity to approach the lone “victim” in the group.

“You have the wrong person,” I told her curtly.

“Huh? B-But you match the description...”

“I said, you have the wrong person.”

“I’ve never seen you around town either...”

“I don’t keep the company of any suspicious individuals. Therefore, you have the wrong person,” I insisted for the third time.

This smelled like trouble, so I feigned total ignorance hoping to shoo her away, but this girl was being rather persistent.

Holding back a sigh, I decided to add, “So before meeting or seeing someone with your own eyes, you’re satisfied labeling them as ‘suspicious,’ hmm? How would you feel if the same were done to you?”

“I-I’m sorry...”

“Where is your proof that these individuals are suspicious?”

“D-Doesn’t a fish mask warrant suspicion...?”

“A fish mask being worthy of suspicion? How preposterous. Fish masks are a common sight in this city, no?”

“Urgh... N-Now that you mention it, I might’ve seen a few fish masks around...”

Like hell you have! Why are you caving?! Show some backbone!

Ugh, whatever. I wanted this girl gone anyway. Now that she was losing steam, I proceeded to deal the finishing blow. “Begone. Just this once, I shall pardon your transgression of speaking to me without—”

“Whew! Sorry for the wait, Little Zil!”

Alas. That muffled, altered voice behind me belonged to none other than the suspicious individual, Stella. With this, she had rendered my feigned ignorance completely for naught. Mentally clicking my tongue, I slowly turned around—

“See, I bought you this magical snake as another keepsake, but it went absolutely bonkers! A few stabs with this kitchen knife shut it up, but one of the employees got all scared and ended up giving me a refund... Crazy, huh?”

—only to find a bloodied fish-headed monster speaking in human tongue.

I fell speechless, whereas the girl behind me let out a yelp.

The monster slowly and ominously approached. The kitchen knife in its right hand was dripping with blood, while the gigantic snake in its left hand littered the ground with blood as it was dragged. Such a ghastly monster could be a blight on the human mind—a horrifying being nearly reminiscent of the Vassal of the Overlord’s modified magical beasts. Without a doubt, this creature was a threat to all of humanity.

“Huh? What’s the matter, Little Zil? I heard a girl’s voice... Oho? Were you hitting on...someone...” The monster froze the moment it laid eyes on the girl behind me. “Mm-hmm... Guess I’m intruding. I’ll leave you to it. See ya!”

Suddenly, the monster disappeared.

“Huh?” the girl squeaked. “Th-The monster... It’s gone...”

The truth was that “monster” just ran away so quickly that this girl couldn’t see it, but there was no need to correct her.

[Little Zil, I’m gonna head straight to my master’s place,] Stella told me telepathically. [Let’s meet up there. I’ll give you directions. Ask away if you need a hand!]

Apparently, the Frost Witch’s residence wasn’t too far from here. I was pretty sure I could get there on my own. But first things first, I had to get this strange girl off my case.

“Hmph... I have matters to attend to. Farewell, lass.”

“Huh? Oh, uh... Okay.”

Well, that was easy. She let me go, just like that. Seriously, what did she even want? Also, what was Stella’s deal? She just ran off out of the blue... Did something happen?

With these questions swirling in my mind, I went off in search of Kieran so we could finally head to the Frost Witch’s residence together.

§

The Frost Witch’s mansion looked like a typical witch’s abode.

It was located away from the city deep within the forest, where the sun’s rays struggled to breach the thick canopy. The building itself appeared rather old—a perfect fit for the dim and gloomy ambience. If you told me I’d gotten dropped into a horror game, I would’ve believed you.

Wait... Could we actually be in a horror game? Is an invincible enemy lurking inside? Can an action-fantasy character even damage a horror game boss...? My thoughts strayed wildly before the mansion’s ominous aura. Zil’s country, the Church... All the places I’ve been to are usually relatively bright. I might need to muster some courage here...

The standoff with Gracie had also been nerve-racking, but this felt different. Still, I couldn’t just turn tail because of a creepy looking mansion. That wasn’t like Zil in the slightest. If there was a time to have cold feet, it would be when the Evil God and the gods popped up.

Steeling myself, I walked past the gate, boldly stood in front of the door, and...

“Kieran... I grant you the right to open this door for me.”

“As you wish. I shall fulfill this honorable duty to the best of my abilities.”

You see, a realization had come upon me: When one was of a higher station, shouldn’t menial tasks be left to one’s servants and subordinates? I mean, think about it. Every bigwig had their routine duties handled by secretaries, butlers, maids, and whatnots accompanying them.

Then, wouldn’t it be in character for Zil to task Kieran with opening the door? In fact, wasn’t this more in character than opening the door himself? This was totally Zil’s style. No doubt about it.

This wasn’t about me being too scared to open the door myself or anything. No, this was all to keep up my act as Zil. I hadn’t done anything strange. And I definitely wasn’t scared. Nope, not at all.

“I shall now open the door,” Kieran said, bowing primly as he stepped up front.

I quietly took five steps back. After all, the farther back I stood, the more I played into looking like a bigwig. It was as simple as that. Not a single ulterior motive here. No sirree.

Kieran’s hand grasped the doorknob.

Calculations rapidly flitted through my mind, revealing that my current position was slightly concerning. Hence, I took another step back.

Kieran slowly pushed the door open—

“Boo! I’m a woman who crawled out of an old painting! I’m gonna eat you! Dieee!”

As expected, a monster popped out in typical horror game jump scare fashion. Whew... Good thing I stepped back—

“‘Die’...? Insolent brat... You will pay for your treachery.” Kieran’s hand shot out too fast for the ordinary naked eye, poised like a deadly blade as it closed in on its target—Stella.

Oh, crap... Kieran took Stella’s little joke as an affront to Zil, so he was dead set on killing her this time. With that speed and at this range, Stella could react to the attack but not block it. Guess I should— Oh... Never mind. Guess there’s no need to step in.

Kieran’s hand had stopped just a hair’s breadth before reaching Stella—not by his own will, but because it was literally frozen in place. A wall of ice had emerged from the floor and sealed his arm at the elbow.

The assassin’s attempts to pry his limb free were in vain. That sturdy and solid wall of ice didn’t waver. “You brat...” When he turned a glare on Stella, he found that she was just as shocked as he was. “No, this is...”

Kieran slowly redirected his sharp gaze to the actual caster of the spell: the girl now quietly standing right beside him.

“Please refrain from causing a ruckus,” she said, her voice light and aloof. Kieran’s growing malice pierced right through her, but she remained utterly unperturbed. “I apologize for my foolish apprentice. So please, let’s avoid bloodshed.”

Snow-white hair draped over pale skin. The girl’s quiet voice vanished like a wisp in the wind, uttered with an eerily blank expression. She stood no taller than an elementary schooler, but she undoubtedly reached great heights as the world’s strongest mage—the one and only Frost Witch.

§

A reticent girl suddenly appeared before us, levitating off the ground. Her defining characteristics were her short stature, snow-white hair, and blue eyes. She was dressed in a conservative outfit with a striking ribbon at her neck, and a wide-rimmed hat very reminiscent of a witch’s on her head.

Here she is...

This was the Frost Witch, one of the Continent’s Strongest. Though she was no match for Zil, she wasn’t some pushover. She possessed not only over five times the magical energy of any other supreme mage in history but also the skill and talent to wield such power without breaking a sweat. Not to mention that she’d even acquired the forbidden art. No fool in this world would dare challenge her to... Ah, never mind. Stella was right there.

Anyway, now that I was seeing her in the flesh, one thing was for certain: She was strong. Not quite on the level of the Seraphs, but her current standing in the world was no fluke. In the anime, she’d been among those who earned the ever-arrogant Zil’s acknowledgment. Specifically, he’d told them, “This apex where we reside is awfully crowded. You approve of this world as it is, whereas I reject it... Shall we duel, then? Stop me if you can.” It mustn’t go without saying that she could even keep up with power creep after her awakening.

Yeesh. On the off chance she suddenly awakens here, I’m totally screwed... Gotta stay on my toes.

“The Frost Witch...”

Kieran’s dark mutter drew me out of my thoughts. He seemed to have finally realized who was standing beside him.

“They do call me that,” answered the Frost Witch.

The assassin observed her with narrowed eyes. “Your apology is unnecessary. I am simply punishing that girl for the disrespect she has shown Lord Zil. Though this was the swiftest course of action, if you dislike bloodshed, then I am amenable to other means as well.”

“I...do not recommend fighting my apprentice.”

“Are you saying I am inferior to this little girl?”

“No. You’re probably stronger than Stella. At this range, you could deliver a killing blow before she could cast a single spell.”

“Then...”

“But...I do not recommend fighting her.”

“Tch... Enough of this nonsense. Release me at once, and I will show this girl—” Kieran whipped his head back to Stella—then instantly turned as stiff as a statue.

At the end of his gaze was a girl—correction, a pervert—straddling the wall of ice. “M-Master’s magic up close...! Geh heh...heh heh...!” That creep giggled as she repeatedly licked and nuzzled the block of ice.

Kieran took a step back, though it created little actual distance with his arm firmly sealed in place. Meanwhile, the Frost Witch remained as impassive as ever. But underneath the icy surface of her poker face, I could sense growing exhaustion... Uh, or maybe it was just me. I couldn’t really tell.

“Kieran! S-Swap places with me, please! Let me feel my master’s magic! I wanna be frozen too! What’s it like?! Tell me, tell me! Aah, I’m so jealous!!!”

Kieran’s foot made yet another desperate attempt to retreat. Alas, that was as far as he could go. In all my time since coming to this world, I’d never seen him so frightened. His inner thoughts weren’t much calmer.

“Wh-What is wrong with this girl?! She’s crazy! Absolutely insane! Wh-Why is she so...unhinged?! And what is she even saying?! How does her brain work?!”

Pot, meet kettle, I swiftly deadpanned in my head.

“Curses... I must distance myself from her right away, lest her lunacy infect me! Lord Zil would be terribly disappointed if I became as crazy as this girl... That must be avoided at all costs...!”

A bit late for that, don’t you think...?

I resisted the urge to hold my head. First the citizens of the Republic, and now Kieran... Just where did all these nutjobs get the gall to cringe at others?

Oh, Hector... I miss you already. You are the true answer to world peace...

That aside, I was actually impressed that Stella had managed to rattle Kieran this badly. In the anime, he’d always been calm, cool, and collected. Now, he’d somehow warped into a crazed fanatic, but his unwavering faith rendered him more steadfast than ever before. Yet here he was, baffled beyond words. In my eyes, this made Stella deserving of having her name carved into the annals of history.

Come to think of it, could Stella be my Kieran-repellent? Around the eccentric girl, this fanatic of mine would hardly have the headspace to run wild himself. Besides, Stella’s own fits of lunacy were triggered not by me, but by the Frost Witch...

Hah... It’s perfect! Add that to the reasons to recruit her. The stakes were rising, but so were the benefits!

“Frost Witch, do something about this girl,” Kieran growled. “Such a filthy being mustn’t be permitted to exist in Lord Zil’s vicinity.”

“It’s impossible,” replied the Frost Witch. “Everything I do makes her happy. Once, I froze her entire body from the neck down, but she just started drooling with a rather obscene expression on her face.”

Kieran paled. “So she’s...unbeatable...?”

“Unfortunately...”

“Oh...”

“Mm-hmm...” The Frost Witch turned to me and tilted her head. “Who...?”

“Wait... Frost Witch, do you not know of Lord Zil?”

“I do not.”

Kieran bristled.

I quickly cut in to placate him. “Restrain yourself, Kieran. I’ve come here seeking her guidance. For that, a slight of this caliber can be pardoned.”

“As you command.” Kieran swiftly withdrew, instead focusing all his energy on averting his gaze from Stella—to little effect it seemed, as his legs trembled and beads of sweat dotted his temples.

Need a hand? Welp, too bad! Have a taste of your own medicine, creep!

Anyway, moving on...

At first glance, the Frost Witch might seem difficult to deal with, but in truth her personality was rather simple—she was basically like one of those “expressionless female leads” that were popular in various media for a while. For someone like her, being a straight shooter was the way to go.

With all that in mind, I boldly spoke up. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Frost Witch.”

“Mm-hmm. Likewise.”

“I am Zil.”

“My name is Chloe.”

“By that lass’s recommendation, I’ve come to seek the Frost Witch’s tutelage in—”

“Stella is probably older than you.”

“By that...woman’s recommendation, I’ve come to seek the Frost Wi—”

“My name is Chloe.”

“To seek...Chloe’s...”

“Okay.”

Crap, she’s throwing me off rhythm here... Can you even call this a conversation?

Wasn’t the Frost Witch—er, Chloe—a more reticent character in the anime? Was she always this...assertive? Maybe she was actually an airhead... Nah, there was no way. Chloe showed up a lot even after part one, but she never struck me as an airhead. She typically let the other person finish talking before saying her piece. Sometimes, she didn’t even bother to speak up at all.

Okay, so... What’s up with her now? Why’s she so eager to cut in? Strange... Very strange. She’s being way too forward.

Before I could wrap my head around this bizarre phenomenon, the floating Chloe wordlessly approached until she was looming over me. Her stunning blue eyes seemed to bore right into my soul, while her expression was as frosty and unreadable as ever.

Wh-What’s going on...? Don’t tell me... Has she seen through my disgui—

“Cute.”

What.

Kieran bristled. “Frost Witch, how dare you call Lord Zil—”

“It’s a simple fact. I will raise this boy. You may leave.”

“Why, you...!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll expel Stella.”

“Wha— Master?!”

Kieran squinted. “In that case, I’ll consider it...”

“Why does that make it okay for you?!” Stella wailed.

As I was a spectator to this bizarre scene, I rapidly analyzed the Frost Witch’s speech and attitude. With Zil’s unparalleled intelligence and my knowledge on the subculture of anime and manga, no human was beyond understanding.

In no time at all, I deduced the exact reason for the Frost Witch’s behavior...

She was...a shotacon?!

Hit the brakes! Hit the goddamn brakes! Chloe? A shotacon? Since when?! Damn it... Why in the world did I take that stupid pill? Uncovering the Frost Witch’s preferences was not on my bingo card for this trip. What should I do...?

But just as I was about to go into a panic, a thought came to me.

Wait... Doesn’t this work in my favor?

If this hypothesis proved true, then I had better chances of convincing Chloe in this form—be it to take me in as an apprentice, grant me access to the forbidden art, or even allow me to rightfully acquire this country’s divine power down the line. In the worst-case scenario, I might have to swallow my pride and play to her tastes... But if that was what it took to gather more cards against the gods, then that stain on my record was worth it...probably.

This had caught me by surprise, but all was well as long as everything worked out in my favor. Think of it this way: Things would’ve taken a turn for the worse if she hated little boys with every fiber of her being. But it turned out she liked them, so what was the issue? Besides, she didn’t seem to have any perverse tendencies like Kieran and Stella. In other words, she wasn’t bad for my sanity.

Rapidly adjusting my future plans, I wore a smile faint enough not to break Zil’s character and said, “I look forward to your guidance, my mentor.”

“Of course. You’ll be wielding supreme magic in no time,” Chloe said. “But before that... My helper isn’t around to make dinner today, and neither Stella nor I can cook. What about you, Zil? Or your companion? Do either of you...know how to prepare food?”

§

The girl dashed through the forest.

She was the helper of a certain respectable woman. Today, she’d told her employer that she couldn’t make dinner as she was under the weather. But the girl quickly remembered that her employer would rather spend her time studying magic than preparing her own meal. Thus, the girl found herself desperately racing toward the mansion.

No, no, no...!

The girl valued her beloved employer’s well-being over her own. It all started from the shocking revelation that had shaken this country many centuries ago.

“I have made a frightening discovery. Heed my words! If we mages devote ourselves to research without eating or sleeping...we will die!”

It was said that when Great Sage Hazah Scruluse unveiled this staggering truth to the masses, the Magic Republic fell into chaos. Many wept before their tragic fate, their minds so frenzied that they nearly bombarded their neighbors with magic. But soon, the world was saved by Great Sage Hazah Scruluse’s subsequent revelation.

“But I have also discovered the solution. Heed my words! If we mages devote ourselves to research while regularly eating and sleeping...we will not die!”

The people had praised his transcendent genius. Not only had he discovered the root of the issue that had plagued mages since time immemorial, but he had even uncovered its solution. By this profound feat, Great Sage Hazah Scruluse carved his name into this nation’s history.

Incidentally, when they tried to share this groundbreaking discovery with other countries, all they were met with was, “Do you think we’re some kind of joke?!” Ah, what fools they were to make light of this precious information that could save the lives of countless mages. The girl too pitied their folly.

I need to hurry!

Fortunately, a bit of medicine and rest did the trick. She was feeling much better already. Still, deep down, she cursed that crazy fish-headed monster for causing her so much agony in the first place.

After a mad dash through the forest, the girl finally spotted the familiar mansion. She threw the gate open, made a beeline for the door, and zoomed straight through the main hall.

“Madam Chloe, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed the moment she burst into the dining room. “I’ll prepare dinner right a—”

All that welcomed her was a very much unexpected sight, freezing the girl in place.

“Wooow! Kieran, your cooking is delish! Emily’s food is great too, but yours just feels, mm-hmm...so gourmet!”

“Gluttonous lass! This food was for Lord Zil! Just how much do you plan to stuff down your gullet? Also, be quiet at the dining table, unless you want me to shut your mouth for all eternity...!”

On one side of the table, a man in black was yelling at a blue-haired girl.

“Stop that. I am capable of feeding myself.”

“An apprentice must learn many things from their master, including how to eat.”

On the other side, a small girl in a witch’s hat was trying to spoon-feed a boy.

“I am already well-versed in the art of eating by my—”

“Frost Witch! How dare you?! Only I have the sworn duty of spoon-feeding Lord Zil!”

“There exists no such sworn duty,” said the boy.

“As his master, I am more worthy for this task than you.”

“Nor does there exist such criteria,” said the boy.

“Such gall for a nonbeliever...!”

“Faith has no play in this,” said the boy.

“Exactly. Only a teacher’s love.”

“Nor does a teacher’s love,” said the boy.

“Faith!”

“A teacher’s love!”

“Do either of you have any intention of listening to me?”

Amid the chaos, the blue-haired girl turned to the newcomer and beamed. “Oh, Emily! You’re here! Come in, come in!”

“Uh... O-Okay...”

Just one step into the room, and the girl’s head was already swirling with confusion.

§

The girl who barged into the room was named Emily. She looked to be in her mid-teens and wore a beret over her brown hair. Without a doubt, she was the very same girl who’d approached me while I was resting on the bench.

“My helper, Emily,” Chloe said.

Emily looked at me. “Ah, it’s nice to meet you...again, I suppose.”

Well, now it made sense why Stella was acting all strange earlier. Having an acquaintance catch her wearing a fish head must’ve been downright embarrassing... Wait, why would that have been an issue if she was already a magic-obsessed creep?

Ugh, I don’t get it...

To the people of this country, being a magic-obsessed creep was fine and dandy but a fish-head-wearing creep was a step too far... Just what criteria were they using to judge what was weird and what wasn’t? By Kieran’s metrics, stripping before God was logical but licking and hugging a block of ice was absolute lunacy... That guy didn’t make much sense either.

In any case, this also explained why Emily had called in sick. Anybody would have needed some time off after encountering that bloody fish-headed monster.

“So, you two...” Emily meekly glanced at me and Kieran as she sliced a few strips from the whole roasted pig at the center of the table. “I’m guessing...you’re not from around these parts?”

That wasn’t exactly a secret, so I readily nodded.

“Did you cook this...?”

“Kieran did,” Stella answered.

“Oh... Do you usually cook?”

“Hmph. The answer to that is obvious,” Kieran replied coldly. “I will do anything for Lord Zil. Preparing meals is simply one of my duties as his servant.”

Emily’s eyes shot wide open. “Are you...a genius?”

Where the heck did that come from?!

“W-Wow! You realized that we die if we don’t eat... What a genius! I can’t believe we’re in the presence of a prodigy! You know, not just anybody can prepare and eat food. But you do it so easily, so naturally... And you’re not even bragging about it! You’re an inspiration to us all! In fact, I believe you may someday carve your name in history... Yes, I know you can do it. I believe in you...!”

Wow. Never thought a compliment from a girl would piss me off so much. Is she making fun of us? No, wait... Is she just another lunatic...?

My poker face betrayed nothing of the despair that ravaged my heart. Hector... Where are you, Hector...? Aah, my precious Hector... Please, save me...

“By the way, what brings you here—”

“He is my new apprentice,” Chloe answered eagerly. “Zil, not Kieran.”

Something snapped. Well, I felt like I heard something snap. The source of that figurative sound? Emily.

The girl was doll-like in how she slowly, creakily turned to Chloe. “What...did you just...?”

“Zil is my new apprentice,” Chloe repeated.

Emily remained frozen in place. Chloe shot her a curious look.

“...it.”

“Hmm?”

“...cept it.”

“Emily?”

“I won’t accept it!” Emily yelled, slamming her hands on the table.

Stella’s eyebrows shot up, Chloe and I remained expressionless, and Kieran’s eyes began to shine.

Unfazed by it all, the girl was like a storm exploding with anger as she pointed at me and exclaimed, “I won’t accept this foreign child as your apprentice!!!”

§

Meanwhile, in the Church...

“My dearest brother was partaking in his meal when all of a sudden this puppylike girl snapped and pointed at him... Oh, how adorable. Such a brave little critter.”

“A little critter... Is that what I must strive for...?”

“Sophia, what’s gotten into you? You’ve been quite strange recently.”

“Snapping...and pointing...at a god...?”

“Pope, we must—”

“Oh, will you all stop that? My dearest brother hasn’t even given an order yet.”

§

Kieran’s glowing eyes ensnared Emily’s figure. His lips muttered something just loud enough to reach her ears. “Prohibition—”

Several things happened in this brief moment.

Stella looked at him with a questioning gaze.

Emily, her finger still pointed at me, turned to Kieran and paled the moment she saw his expression.

Chloe, her cheeks still stuffed with pork, narrowed her eyes and began to raise her right hand.

As for me...

“Halt, Kieran.” With a stern voice, I slammed the brakes on Kieran’s display, prompting the man to purse his lips and bow his head. “Her words came from a place of ignorance. Moreover, take a closer observation. Weak as she may be, this girl is no fool.”

“Understood.”

“Hmph... Nevertheless, your loyalty has not gone unnoticed. Continue your efforts.”

“As you command!”

My gaze then slid to Emily, causing the girl to flinch. “As for you, lass... It would do you well to think twice before goading another. After all, the heedless actions of a servant can easily smear their master’s name. Had I slighted your master, then perhaps your anger would be justified. But your act was driven not by duty but by a personal grudge. Hmph... Though, I suppose your indignation is not entirely unfounded, as I’ve yet to exhibit my own skill.”

Having said my piece, I breezily turned away from the girl.

Ugh, talk about the pot calling the kettle black... It pains me to say this when objectively, it pretty much applies to me too.

Alas, it was all in the name of embracing my role as Zil. People saw Zil as the type to never back down from a fight or take any insult sitting down. Hence, I made it a point to always stand up against any slight against me.

But if you asked me, avoiding confrontation whenever possible felt a heck of a lot safer, especially if an amicable outcome was more beneficial. In this case, I simply didn’t benefit from picking a fight with the Magic Republic, as that risked damaging—possibly even destroying—their divine power and heavenly array. Besides, it wasn’t like burning Emily at the stake would help Zil’s image as a mighty figure.

That being said, I could never compromise on maintaining Zil’s dignity. Because of this, my go-to method was to make the other side back down—and fortunately for me, I had just the guy for the job—Kieran. Leave this guy to his own devices, and he was bound to lash out at any slight against Zil. Case in point, his reaction to Emily’s outburst.

Thanks a bunch, Kieran, I thought smugly.

Getting mad then backing off would’ve been terribly suspicious of me, but Kieran getting mad and me jumping in to placate him? Now, that worked out perfectly in my favor. As luck would have it, Emily was a self-aware weakling. If she had been a typical mob character who didn’t know when to let something go, things might’ve turned into a bloodbath.

When affronted, there was a world of difference between clamming up and expressing forgiveness. The former came across as cowardice, whereas the latter presented magnanimity. Overlooking the thoughtless words of a measly girl did no harm to my dignity. It even abated the risk of missing out on this country’s divine power.

Hence, I had intentionally let Kieran react before admonishing him.

As a bit of a bonus, this also gave me the chance to indirectly warn not just Kieran but also the members of the Church. After all, they were listening in via Gracie.

See, this had been on my mind for a while now: What if Kieran or the Church let their fanaticism take the wheel and picked fights without my knowledge? Kieran was surprisingly prudent in this regard, but the chances of him blowing his top weren’t zero. And the Church had many members, all with questionable values and views. There was no telling when any one of them would run wild and create problems for me.

Now, I could just tell them to behave themselves, but was that something Zil—the guy who gathered a whole band of criminals—would say? Obviously not.

Thus, I’d been waiting for a chance to make them realize that their careless actions—no matter if they were born from a place of rightful indignation—could cause their god trouble. And lo and behold, Emily here had provided me with the perfect opportunity to do so.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Well, I’d feared that the road to my grave was paved with the burning loyalty of these fanatics. Catching them blindly tap dancing on a tiger’s tail in my name was the last thing I wanted. Retaliating against an affront toward me was acceptable, since it could come in handy just like it had now. But picking a fight against powerful enemies on my behalf? No thanks.

Not like there are many enemies too powerful for me in this world. And for the few that are, like the gods, you won’t just come across them on the street. But it still pays to be careful.

Honestly, I was quite satisfied with how things turned out. Heck, I’d reward Emily for giving me this opportunity if I could. That’d be way too random though, so I dropped the thought.

Stella, however, didn’t look nearly as content as I felt. Her blatantly exasperated expression bounced between me and Kieran. “Wow... You guys sure are something else. I totally lost my appetite.”

You think you’re any better, you damn pervert? I snapped back in my head. Okay, fine... I admit that was a bit of an overreaction. I’ll let this one slide.

Stella turned to Emily with an arched brow. “What’s gotten into you, Emily? This isn’t like you.”

Emily frowned. “You wouldn’t understand, Stella.”

“Ouch...”

“Emily,” Chloe cut in. “Regardless of your thoughts on the situation, Zil is my second apprentice. This will not change no matter what you say.”

The girl bit her lip.

Aha... I see now. This Emily girl wasn’t even an apprentice. She really was just Chloe’s helper.

Well, like I said before, her “talent” was mediocre. Just to be clear though, this was by my standards. Drop Emily anywhere else and she would be treated as a most capable mage. Basically, she was the opposite of a frog in a well—she was a frog in a vast ocean who never knew of life in a well.

It was easy to develop tunnel vision when your sights were fixated above. Also, it had to be hard to feel self-content when surrounded by those greater. And now, in came this random kid getting exactly what she’d always desired. Emily must’ve felt terribly jealous. Kids her age were already prone to the occasional temper tantrum, and it didn’t help that she was probably very passionate about magic too. She had every right to feel the way she did.

But... Hmm...

I had no recollection of any “Emily” in the anime... Shouldn’t she actually be a relevant character? She was the Frost Witch’s helper and—from what I could tell—Stella’s good friend. I could easily imagine her making an appearance during the anime’s Magic Republic Arc, maybe after Stella’s entrance. Heck, even a brief mention by Chloe at the tail end of the arc would’ve worked... But somehow, Emily was nowhere to be found in the anime.

Perhaps something was going to happen to her. Some sort of cruel and tragic fate, a far too commonplace occurrence in this world.

Could that be the inciting incident which warped Stella’s view of the Frost Witch? But then why didn’t she make any mention of it in the anime? Was it cut out because they didn’t need to give a villain a tragic backstory?

Well, well... How shall I go about this, hmm?

Various thoughts swirled in my head as I quietly resumed my meal.

§

The following day, Chloe approached me and said, “I’d like to begin your supreme magic training. But first, I need to introduce you to the schools and major research institutes.”

“Hmm?”

“Being my apprentice comes with its fair share of problems,” she explained. “The fastest way to deal with it all is to make a show of your strength.”

“Is concealing my apprenticeship not an option?”

“Not really. Surprisingly enough, I’m well-known around here.”

Figures, I thought as I outwardly responded with a curt nod.

Also, “surprisingly,” huh? Talented folks were unexpectedly indifferent to how they were perceived by others. It seemed this applied not only to my previous world, but here as well. Although, I suppose that was why people like that could tread their own paths with single-minded devotion to begin with.

“As you’re not my first apprentice, I don’t think we should have any problems. Besides, I’m not close with the institutes since magic research isn’t my thing... I just like studying it.”

Well, that part about her relationship with the institutes was news to me. But her disinterest in magic research... She’d mentioned that in the anime too. According to Chloe, she gave the forbidden art a shot because she liked learning magic, but she wasn’t all that interested in developing her own spells and uncovering new theories. This made her a bit of an outlier among the Republic’s mages, so perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that they didn’t exactly see eye to eye.

Though, she still developed her own ice spells and invented a new spell from the forbidden art... At the end of the day, she was a Magic Republic citizen through and through. Besides, she was also just crazy talented like that. She even had Zil beat in the magic department.

“Anyway, don’t worry,” Chloe continued. “I don’t think the researchers will care enough to be jealous of you. We’re doing this mostly for good measure.”

Was it really as simple as that? Even with how vastly distant their fields of interest were, surely many of them craved even a fraction of Chloe’s knowledge... Well, I suppose she would know best. I’d just have to take her word for it.

Stella’s hand shot up. “Ooh, ooh! Can I go too? Please? Pretty please?!”

Some intrigue surfaced on Chloe’s blank expression. “I’ve never seen you so interested in a mage other than me, Stella.”

“Oh, you’ll understand once you see him in action, master. Little Zil’s magic is out of this world. Aah, I can barely hold still just thinking about it... If you both unleash magic, I might just pass out from the excitement!”

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand. That sensation must be yours and yours alone. Treasure it and keep it locked away. Deep down inside. Forever.”

“Hee hee... Aw shucks. You’re making me blush.”

Once again, I caught a glimpse of Chloe’s exhaustion beneath her expressionless exterior. This time, I was pretty certain of my reading. After all, it took one to know one.

I furtively cast a sideward glance at Emily. Even though she’d apologized this morning about her outburst last night, she was still rather awkward around me... Not that I could blame her.

“I...will join too,” she quietly declared.

“Naturally, I shall accompany Lord Zil wherever he goes,” said Kieran.

Is this big of a group really okay? I shot Chloe a questioning look.

She responded with a nod. “It doesn’t matter how many of us there are. They keep all their confidential information stored away safely anyway.”

Well, if you say so...

The anime never delved into the nitty-gritty of the Magic Republic—or specifically, their relationship with Chloe. At most, it had depicted the country’s insane citizenry. The only relevant characters from the Republic were Chloe and Stella. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that my time in this world had taught me more about the Republic than the anime ever did.

Well, I’m sure everything will be fine, I thought as I optimistically shrugged it off.

The news surged through the Magic Republic like a bolt of lightning.

“What? Madam Chloe has taken in another apprentice?!”

Word had spread that the Frost Witch—the world’s strongest mage, whose countenance was as frigid as her magic—had taken a new pupil under her wing.

“Is he as promising as Stella?!”

“He must have the potential to attain supreme magic!”

“Or maybe even...the forbidden art!”

“O-Oh... Ohh...! A new wielder of the forbidden art...!”

“Aah, I wish I could take him to the grimoire right this instant...!”

“No, no. Madam Chloe values due process. She wouldn’t show him the forbidden art so soon. That’s exactly why Stella hasn’t seen it either.”

“Urgh, I’m so jealous...!”

“So this kid just pops up out of nowhere and she takes him in? That’s not fair!”

“I’m sure he’ll prove himself just like Stella did!”

The Magic Republic of Magia was home to an entire population of magic manics. Among them lived the Frost Witch, the greatest mage in their nation’s history known far and wide for being the first wielder of the forbidden art.

Her expression was as frosty as ice, her words few and far between. Despite her wide renown, the Frost Witch chose to reside deep within the forest. There she spent her days with her lone apprentice as she made a solitary endeavor to progress her research. No one had it in them to disturb her earnest, awe-inspiring efforts.

A witch shrouded in countless mysteries—that was how most saw Chloe. As such, word of this profound figure taking in a new apprentice was certainly no small matter. Alas, it seemed the Frost Witch herself was utterly clueless to the impact she left on the people.

“Th-There she is...”

“Her signature frigid composure...!”

“I heard that she was completely unfazed even after acquiring the forbidden art. She just went home and carried on with her research like it was any other day... What a legend!”

“Apparently, she even had harsh words for the grimoire’s author, who likely also created the forbidden art, and called them a lunatic... She was hardly impressed!”

“Without a doubt, the next forbidden art is being crafted deep within that forest where she lives...”

“Such silent perseverance... We must learn from her ways.”

“To her, even the forbidden art is no more than a checkpoint...”

“Man... You know what? I only learned expert magic just the other day, but I think I’ll give the grimoire a go anyway.”

“Good luck, bro.”

“You might become crippled, but your body will be preserved with formaldehyde. We’ll swing by to visit every now and then.”

“I really appreciate it, guys.”

“I’ll join you!”

“Me too!”

As the hearts of the people were roused, the cold and expressionless witch—the very source of their inspiration—watched from a distance with a tilted head. “Hmm...? Why is everyone so riled up today?”

The boy beside her replied flatly, “I fear I have committed a grave mistake.”

“What’s the matter, Zil?”

“I would advise you to gain a better understanding of how you are viewed in the eyes of this country’s people.”

“Huh? Why? Did I do something?”

Alas, this cold witch was shrouded not in mysteries, but in misunderstandings—much like those frustratingly thickheaded anime protagonists. By her influence, the mages of this nation had come to believe that the forbidden art was no more than a checkpoint, triggering a boom in their land’s crippled population.

All the while, the root cause of this chaos remained none the wiser.

What the hell...?

This tragic truth revealed itself to Zil through his superhuman hearing. Yet he could do naught but mentally cradle his head in dismay.

§

The Frost Witch was known as an emotionless and coldhearted mage. Most mages could only dream of wielding the forbidden art, but when she got her hands on it, all she had to say was, “Ugh... Whoever wrote this is out of their mind.” She had lamented—even criticized—how lacking the spell was.

This story had spread far and wide like a local legend. Most would have expected the mages to lash out with indignation. But no, they hailed her with respect. They were moved to tears by the witch’s derision, for it showed that the forbidden art was no more than a checkpoint in her magic journey.

“We must follow in her footsteps!”

“The forbidden art is no more than a checkpoint along this arduous path!”

“Who cares if we become crippled? Anything for magic!”

Thus, the mages were emboldened by the Frost Witch and cheered as they ran off to view the grimoire. And as a result, the Republic’s executives cried bitter tears of blood.

Needless to say, the Magic Republic was no monolith. Some mages enjoyed having their noses in books for research, while others were so enamored with elementary magic that they refused to expand their repertoire. There were those who dedicated their all to developing new spells, those who derived joy from destroying buildings with magic, those who sought to uncover the truth of this world, and those who purchased the bodies of their crippled compatriots to satisfy their intellectual interest in a mage’s flesh, among other lunatics.

Naturally, not everyone was interested in the forbidden art and becoming crippled. Even so, there was no shortage of mages seeking to obtain the forbidden art. This abnormal state of affairs had already reached the ears of other nations.

Incidentally, I’d heard a bit about this from Sophia during my time in the Church. According to her, the Church had sensed the very moment the Frost Witch had wielded a heavenly array. But when they ventured forth in search of their new brethren, they were quickly met with a bizarre sight: A long line of mages was steadily opening the grimoire and collapsing into a pile of crippled bodies. The most frightening part? All of them were smiling from ear to ear the entire time.

Ugh, what a bunch of weirdos. We’d better not get involved, thought the members of the Church as they swiftly retreated back to their base.

To have fended off the very pioneers of power creep showed what a formidable force the Magic Republic was. Though, I wasn’t so sure this was actually praiseworthy.

Sophia had finished her recollection with a shake of her head. “The Magic Republic... I’m afraid they are beyond my comprehension. To willingly cripple themselves not for the gods, but for magic... I could never understand them.”

You’re all equally crazy in my eyes, I’d nearly deadpanned but held back out of the begrudging kindness of my heart.

Anyway, forget all that. Right now, I had a bigger issue on my hands—namely, the misunderstanding between Chloe and the citizens of the Republic.

Emotionless and coldhearted? Who? Where?

The grimoire’s author failed to impress her due to her ambition? She was just calling it like she saw it—the author was a crazy fanatic.

The forbidden art was no more than a checkpoint to her? That was just her not being very expressive. When I asked her about it, she told me point-blank that she was happy to have learned the forbidden art.

The next forbidden art was being crafted by her hand deep in the forest? The way she described it, she just felt more at ease living there. Plus, she hardly even did any research!

What... What is this? This...strange feeling...

Unfolding before my eyes was a side of the Magic Republic I hadn’t learned about from the anime or since coming to this world. Chloe’s utter obliviousness meant she couldn’t correct this misunderstanding. Nor could anybody else, as Chloe’s actions were in line with the rest of the Republic’s mages. Thus, this misunderstanding settled snugly into their collective consciousness, becoming such common sense that it hardly warranted discussion—meaning the other nations never caught wind of it.

The anime never really shone the spotlight on the Frost Witch, with her being a supporting character and all... I never would’ve thought that such an idiotic tragedy was taking place behind the scenes. This didn’t really matter to me in the big picture, but I still felt an odd sense of sympathy welling up within.

She’s just like me... I should be nice to Chloe. It’s the least I could do for the poor girl.

“Hmm? What’s the matter, Zil?”

“Ah... I was simply applying some revisions to my future plans.”

“Hmm?”

Anyway, Chloe and I were soon guided to a research institute’s drawing room. This facility seemed to be studying something rather special. When I asked Chloe for more details, she answered, “I dunno.”

Awesome. Welp, guess that’s that.

After a short wait, a plump middle-aged man dressed in a white robe came in with eager steps. “Apologies for the wait, Frost Witch and her apprentice.”

Chloe gave the man a short nod and placed her hand on my head. “This is Zil, my new apprentice. He’s very talented (according to Stella).”

The man’s eyes flew wide open, awe and fear brewing behind his gaze. “My... How astounding...”

Even though she’d forgotten three vital words, things seemed to work out all right. It wouldn’t do for them to look down on the Frost Witch’s apprentice, especially while I was in a younger body which had suppressed my magical energy. If they wanted to overestimate me a bit, I sure as heck wasn’t going to stop them.

The rest of their conversation passed uneventfully under my impassive gaze.

§

The Frost Witch had taken a foreign child as her apprentice. Naturally, this news also reached the executives of the Magic Republic.

“What does the child look like?”

“I’ve heard he has silver hair, bluish-purple eyes, and an expressionless demeanor.”

“Expressionless... Do you mean to say he resembles the Frost Witch?”

“Now, I wouldn’t go that far quite yet.”

“Isn’t he still only a child?”

“A foreign child, mind you. Besides, children are malleable. If we don’t act quickly, he might soon adopt this nation’s abnormalities...”

“If he’s older than ten, then surely he won’t be so easily influenced anymore, right?”

The executives of the Magic Republic were outliers in their homeland. Unlike most of their peers who harbored a desire for magic, they desired wealth and status. Not to mention their goal of building up the military power to invade other nations.

“The Frost Witch’s second apprentice... He undoubtedly has the potential to learn supreme magic.”

“Really now? The Frost Witch’s sole apprentice up until now, that girl Stella, hasn’t been able to break past expert level, yes?”

“You say that as if it discounts her talent. Need I remind you that she can cast expert magic without a chant?”

“Besides, there have only been a handful of supreme mages throughout history. It’s ridiculous to expect anyone at that age to attain it. Mages typically only reach those heights in their later years. The Frost Witch is an exception, not the rule.”

“So you’re saying the child will wield supreme magic a long while from now.”

“Don’t lose sight of the big picture. Looking too far ahead will only make us trip over what’s right beneath our feet.”

“Well said. This is no more than a preemptive measure—an investment, if you will.”

Much to their dismay, military forces were a rarity in this country, for all of the expert mages couldn’t care less about the subject. If only the mages instead showed a willingness, the Magic Republic would hold a sizable advantage over the other nations. Yet the Republic’s strong mages preferred to spend their time advancing their research, learning supreme magic, and attaining the forbidden art. If they were lucky, they might get the occasional intermediate mage volunteer. But the middle-aged folks who’d already given up on reaching greater heights weren’t exactly the best soldiers to deploy for an invasion.

“If only we could turn a single supreme mage into our pawn, then we could use them as bait to lure in others seeking their knowledge...”

“Is it really that simple? I imagine they would opt to self-study over wasting time on military activities.”

“Perhaps. Even so, a supreme mage is a tremendous asset.”

“You mean to say that we’ll use the Frost Witch for defense—as a deterrent for foreign invasions—and the child for offense.”

“Other nations already fear us due to our large population of expert mages. With two supreme mages under our control, some small nations might even submit willingly.”

For the executives, skilled foreign mages were always worth recruiting. Alas, none had ever accepted their invitation, no doubt thanks to the horrendous reputation placed upon their local mages. Thus, Zil had all the qualities the executives wanted. He possessed magical talent, hailed from a foreign land, and was absolutely brimming with potential.

“Two supreme mages... Wouldn’t that significant advantage force the other major powers to form alliances to keep us in check?”

“Hah. You think the Dragon Emperor would ask for an alliance? He has his sights set on ruling the continent.”

“Humanity’s Strongest is out of the picture too. That country closed its borders, and it doesn’t seem like they’re opening back up anytime soon.”

“Closed its borders? Why?”

“Hmm, what was it again? Something about studying ‘divine power’ or whatever...”

“‘Divine power’? What in the occult...?”

“I pity them. Our nation has long since proven that there is no such thing as God.”

“Didn’t humans once attribute all calamities and disasters to God’s wrath?”

“That’s true. As magic didn’t exist in the past, humans attached God’s name onto every unknown as a means to garner some semblance of understanding—to abate their fears.”

“But now, magic can replicate every phenomenon, be it a thunderstorm or a typhoon. Of course, no single human could possibly wield all of them.”

“Ah, yes. Our collective understanding is that God would be defined as a being who could wield all magic.”

“And that’s exactly why God doesn’t exist. At best, it’s an armchair theory.”

“Even the Frost Witch couldn’t acquire all the contents of the forbidden art. For example, I hear she cannot wield the fire attribute. You’d really need to be God to best her.”

“Indeed. Theoretically speaking, wielding all magic is tantamount to manipulating every law of this world.”

“Isn’t one of the research institutes attempting to achieve just that through sheer numbers? By simultaneously activating multiple spells, they aim to manipulate the world itself and finally reach the truth...”

“Well, without the forbidden art or supreme magic in their arsenal, they won’t get anywhere.”

“Besides, another institute shut down their hypothesis on the basis that a handful of phenomena cannot be replicated or observed. After all, it takes a great deal of time to observe a phenomenon, adapt it into a formula, and complete it in the form of a spell.”

“Some even theorize that, for these unobserved phenomena, we can fill in the gaps using the forbidden art and—”

“Hey, we’re getting sidetracked.”

The executives were well aware that recruiting the Frost Witch’s apprentice was a tall order. Even then, his value was clear as day. As the materialistic minority in this land, they wanted to get their hands on anything that could boost their status.

“Seeing how he came here seeking the Frost Witch’s tutelage, won’t it be difficult to bring him over to our side?”

“Since he’s a foreigner, we can’t even lure him with the grimoire, can we?”

“Don’t be foolish. If he’s the type to be lured by something that will cripple him all for the sake of magic, then we won’t have any hope of bringing him over to our side.”

“It’s not like a child would be baited by wealth or women either...”

“Can’t we just abduct him?”

“Do you have a death wish? The Frost Witch would kill you herself.”

“What makes you say that? Does she strike you as the caring type? We’re talking about the same Frost Witch who had no problem freezing her own apprentice before. Won’t she just dismiss him as a weakling for failing to fend off his abductors?”

“Regardless of whether she has a caring bone in her body or not, there won’t be an issue as long as we erase our tracks. We can hire someone from outside, then alter the boy’s face and wipe his memories.”

“Ugh, cut it out. If this were a story, you’d be third-rate villains setting themselves up for failure. I don’t want to die a dog’s death, nor can I get behind abducting a child, even with our nation’s interests at heart.”

“Well said. I’m against this too. I have no intention of stooping that low.”

“Hmm... Let’s have a thirty-minute recess. Take that time to organize your thoughts.”

This was a gathering of the materialistic minority, where every participant sought out worldly gains. The man leaning against the wall was no exception.

The Frost Witch’s apprentice... A future supreme mage...

The events of the previous day replayed in his head—his encounter with a suspicious young man calling himself a Vassal of the Overlord, and the unknown power the Vassal wielded which he called “sorcery.”

“You, my good sir, have the potential to make this nation your own. Perhaps one day, you may even become its sole ruler! After all, there is more to ruling than mere might. With your clever wits, who could possibly be more deserving of that seat than you? Why, it’s that firm belief which has inspired me to offer you my assistance.”

The man began to envision his own future. None could argue the might of supreme magic. He had even personally witnessed the Frost Witch unleash her supreme spell at the continent’s edge. That sight had been so mesmerizing, that power so irresistible.

If I can just get my hands on that apprentice and that so-called sorcery, I could make this country all mine...

The man was materialistic, ambitious, and greedy. He was painfully and tragically human. With that in mind, perhaps it was only a matter of time before he began scheming for purely selfish gains.

§

His magic was beautiful.

But the most stunning part of it all? It radiated with such conviction.

What resolve lifted his strength? What motivations pushed him forward?

I had no clue. I knew nothing. All I could say for certain was that he was striving for something without ever looking back.

Just like...

“Frost Witch! Please take me as your servant!”

He was...just like...

§

My visit to the research institute had come and gone uneventfully. But that hadn’t really been a surprise seeing how the Magic Republic didn’t worship the gods like the Church did.

Okay, you caught me. That was a big fat lie. I wish I could’ve said that, but alas, reality had something far crueler in store.

“L-Little Zil’s magical energy! Aah, so pure, so stimulating...! Geh heh heh!”

“Ooh, I can feel it! Lord Zil’s magical energy! H-His power is washing over my flesh... Ahhh!”

“G-Goodness! He isn’t the Frost Witch’s apprentice for nothing! Fire, water, lightning, air, and earth... He can wield expert spells of all five attributes...!”

“D-Does he possess the potential to wield supreme spells of every attribute as well?!”

“Wait! What about the ice attribute?!”

“I-If he and the Frost Witch work in concert, could that provide proof to that armchair theory?!”

“Wh-What?!”

“Th-That’s... But that’s... A-Ah...! Bringing that theory into reality?! O-Oh... Ohhh! Oh no! I can’t...contain myself...!”

“How could this be?! If we just pair the Frost Witch and Zil together, then perhaps we can even grasp what lies beyond this world...!”

“What lies...beyond?!”

“But that... That would mean... Ahhhhh!!!”

It had been like hell on earth in its truest form. This pandemonium had been brought about following a demonstration of my magic at the institute’s laboratory. Incidentally, Stella had been the first to speak up, but the rest had been said by grown men.

Hell on earth... Yes, there was really no better description than that.

What the heck is wrong with this world...?

Stella had been Stella, and Kieran had been Kieran.

The researchers had lost their marbles.

Emily had clenched her fists with steely determination.

Chloe had stared off into space.

As for me... Well, in the interest of staying in character, I’d whipped out my poker face for the whole ordeal, but deep down I had been cycling through all five stages of grief...

That hadn’t even been the end of it. After the researchers mentioned something about attaining godhood using me and the Frost Witch, naturally Kieran had attacked them like a rabid dog.

“You unenlightened folk spout such folly... Attaining godhood with the Frost Witch? It seems you are blind to the fact that Lord Zil alone is God.”

“You’re calling us unenlightened? How about you read a thesis or two! Sure, it’s only an armchair theory now, but those two can surely attain godhood together!”

“Such drivel is unworthy of my time. In this world, there is only one absolute truth—Lord Zil is God!”

“The absolute truth in this world...?! How dare you speak so lightly of our ultimate goal?!”

“Fools! You still refuse to open your eyes to the truth?!”

Personally, I was rather interested in those theses they had mentioned. They’d called it an armchair theory, but with my canon knowledge and this superhuman body, it just might be possible after all.

In any case, the last thing I expected to hear from the Magic Republic was talk about godhood.

Believe it or not, that hadn’t even been the worst of it. This blazing chaos had soon been met with a splash of fuel in the form of researchers from other institutes who had bluntly exclaimed, “Cut the crap! We’ve already proven that God doesn’t exist!”

It was needless to say what had ensued thereafter. The two sides stubbornly debated back and forth without any intention of hearing the other side out. It was the antithesis of productivity, an utter waste of time—or simply put, your typical social media argument.

Naturally, I had exited the scene without so much as a word.

“Zil.”

As I was struggling to mentally recover, Emily suddenly approached me. Her anxious features looked me right in the eye... But just a beat later, her expression relaxed. The tension in the air swiftly gave way to a gentler atmosphere.

“You’re incredible. I really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. That lesson should go without saying, yet I still...” The girl quietly trailed off, momentarily pursing her lips before continuing. “I wanted to become Madam Chloe’s apprentice, but I was told that I didn’t have talent. So I tried and tried, over and over. But the best I could manage was a single attributeless advanced spell. And forget chantless casting—I can’t even manage to shorten the chant. But still, I held on. I gave it another shot, and another, and another... And then you came along...”

Suddenly, the girl’s melancholic features brightened into a sunny smile.

“I’m sorry about yesterday, Zil. You were right—I was just lashing out at you.”

I wordlessly stared at her. What’s gotten into her, I wonder? She’d already apologized to me this morning, so there was no need for another one. But somehow, the look in her eyes...seemed significantly different compared to last time.

“You know,” she quietly continued. “I felt a very strong conviction in your magic. A firm resolve...to keep moving forward.”

My eyes widened imperceptibly.

“Toward what, I don’t know. I just felt like no matter how impossible your goal may seem, you’re still going to forge straight ahead. And that...really moved me.” The girl silently clenched her fists. “I won’t give up either. I’ll keep giving it my all.”

Faced with her quiet resolve, I...

“Is that so? Then continue your efforts. Aspiring for the tutelage of the world’s strongest mage is no easy task.”

“Yeah!”

I...

“Zil.” Chloe tugged on my sleeve.

I turned to her. “What is it?”

“I’m going to the continent’s outskirts to unleash some magic. Join me.”

My expression nearly fell flat as a hypothesis formed in my head: Could unleashing supreme magic be her way of relieving stress after dealing with all the lunatics in this country? Thinking back on the pandemonium we’d just escaped, I was willing to bet on this theory.

In that case, launching a nuclear missile every now and then sounded a lot more acceptable... Uh, never mind. I wasn’t so sure about that just yet.

“I’ll head back to the mansion,” said Emily. “I need to prepare our lunch, then study up on some advanced magic theories.”

Stella hummed. “I guess I’ll head back too, after a quick stroll around town.”

“Oh...?” Chloe looked at the girl with a vague air of intrigue.

“I mean, with you taking Little Zil along, that can only mean one thing. I am kinda bitter about it, but I got to see quite the treat today, so it’s all good! Geh heh heh...”

“Hmm... You’re sharp sometimes. If only you could apply that at all times. Also, that last part ruined everything... My apprentice really is a fool.”

Emily opted to head home, and Stella chose to follow soon after, much to our surprise. I expected her to insist on tagging along, but it sounded like Chloe had a lesson for me up her sleeve, so Stella chose to leave us to it.

Hmm...

“Kieran,” I called.

“Yes, my Lord.”

“I have an order for you.”

“Anything you desire, Lord Zil. I am yours to command as you wish.”

§

Chloe and I stood at the edge of the continent.

An unending body of water stretched out before us, and off in the distance was a horizon where the sea and sky met. What was beyond that horizon? That was a complete mystery. The anime only ever talked about this continent, and I’d never heard of any other landmasses since coming to this world.

In anime, settings like this were always the subject of many eye rolls. After all, humanity’s survival essentially depended on just a single landmass. But such was the reality of this world, so it was pointless to dwell on it any further.

“After seeing your demonstration,” Chloe began, “I believe you’re already on the cusp of attaining supreme magic. To get over the hump, witnessing supreme magic yourself should suffice. Casting supreme magic requires taking many things into consideration. Attribute endowment, magical energy regulation and emission, theoretical understanding, chant memorization... But Zil, you are already greatly skilled in all these areas.”

She’d picked up on my actual proficiency from a simple demonstration... When it came to magic, Chloe really was on another tier. Not only was she more talented than Zil, but she had even created her own attribute. In the anime, it was said she used the forbidden art as a basis for her experiments on a brand-new original spell. Her passion alone had birthed many grand achievements.

That was the Frost Witch—a present-day living legend. Make no mistake, I never once looked down on her. To me, she was more than just a means of attaining Stella, divine power, and the forbidden art. Studying under the Frost Witch could directly contribute to my growth too.

Admittedly, I kinda brute forced my way to supreme magic... This is a perfect chance to watch and learn from a professional—to catch up to the original Zil’s full strength, and then someday...surpass him.

My gaze was pinned on Chloe as she quietly stepped forward. She threw me a glance over her shoulder, her lips furtively curled into a soft smile. “I will use a chant, just this once. Pay close attention to the flow of my magical energy.”

Finally, all expression fell from her face once more as she turned to the front.

“Thus shall my soul transgress this world.”

Immense magical energy swirled around Chloe.

“Thus shall all known to man surge forth.”

This was the Frost Witch’s original supreme spell, the very pinnacle of magic that had been showcased in Ragnarök part one. This marked my first time witnessing it in the flesh.

“Thus shall the laws of the universe come to be.”

Even though the spell had yet to be completed, the magical energy swelling from her was already crawling over the surroundings and freezing the land. By the time I realized it, my breath had turned white and my body threatened to shiver under a fierce, biting chill. The clear blue skies were overrun by gray clouds, and the land was ravaged by a blizzard.

A single spell had painted over nature itself with stark white strokes.

“And thus shall the world be encased in ice... Full Spell: Permafrost.”

Chapter 7: Evil Draws Near

Something was amiss.

Emily had finished buying groceries for dinner and was making her way back to the mansion. All around her was a familiar forest, and underfoot was a path she’d trodden many times before... Yet, a sense of unease gripped her heart.

The girl stopped and studied her surroundings with a dubious gaze, but nothing stood out. This was the same old forest that...she...?

Emily’s eyes narrowed. “Who goes there?”

“My, oh my. How sharp.”

The girl turned toward the voice and found a suspicious young man. He had indigo hair and was dressed in unfamiliar dark purple garb.

“I expect no less of the Frost Witch’s apprentice... Ah, pardon me. You’re not her apprentice, are you? Time and time again, you reach out in hopes of something you know will never be in your grasp. Oh, how pitiful... How laughable. Truly, you are the very embodiment of idiocy.”

Emily’s dubious gaze turned into a sharp glare, but the young man was unfazed. His eerie grin stretched wider as the sound of his claps echoed hauntingly in the air.

“Who are you?” the girl demanded.

“Hmm? My, what’s this? Surely such caution is unwarranted. The Frost Witch’s dome barrier protects this nation from any and all outsiders, yes? This land doesn’t know the likes of criminals or suspicious individuals.”

“Unfortunately for you, some suspicious individuals were spotted in the streets just yesterday. And as unlikely as it may be, a criminal could get in with some assistance from inside.”

The young man pursed his lips. “Hah... What horrendous timing.”

As he’d said, a magical barrier covered this country, only allowing entry to those with permits and their companions. In the decades since that barrier’s construction, not once had this country needed to be wary of suspicious individuals—that is, until yesterday. On that day, a fish-headed woman and a man in black were spotted prowling the streets. Unfortunately for this young man, that incident had left Emily still on edge. Horrendous timing indeed.

“So be it. I am not against a dash of ad-lib, but the show must go on.” The young man clapped twice. Three men, dressed in similar garb, emerged from the forest depths. “We’ve come here for the Frost Witch and her new apprentice. And... Well, well, well... She seems to be quite the empathetic fellow to keep such a dullard in her company. My good sirs, do make sure she doesn’t die. However, feel free to crush her thoroughly.”

With those orders, the three men pounced.

Emily’s expression warped bitterly as she dropped her groceries and thrust out both hands, from which an orb of water much larger than her palm began to form. “So you’re here for Madam Chloe and Zil... You’ll have to get through me!”

The young man observed her with a hand on his chin. “Hmm, hmm... Ahh, I see now. It appears even intermediate mages are deemed mediocre in this country. Hmm, hmm... I’d rather not dillydally, though.”

The shadow at Emily’s feet squirmed—then lashed out and severed her hands. With a silent scream, the palefaced girl fell to her knees.

“Oh, please. Quite the drama queen, are we? You only lost your hands. I will have you know that we Vassals express our loyalty to the Overlord by peeling off all our skin and gouging out our organs while conscious.” The young man huffed, then ordered his three lackeys, “Capture her.”

He turned a cold gaze on Emily—and instantly furrowed his brows.

“My... How bizarre. She’s not bleedi—” The young man cut himself off as he swiftly leaped away.

The next instant, the ground he’d been standing on was pierced by a rain of black daggers and icicles. If even a single one of those vicious attacks had hit their target, it would’ve been instantly fatal.

Regardless, the young man remained unperturbed. He simply placed a hand on his chin and slowly nodded. “A surprise attack, hmm? How unsophisticated,” he muttered, turning his attention to the two attackers.

One was Stella, carrying an unscathed Emily in her arms. “Who gives a rat’s ass about being sophisticated? I’m gonna tear you to shreds,” hissed the girl, her expression warping furiously like an enraged demon’s.

The other was Kieran, standing breezily with a dagger in hand. “By Lord Zil’s orders, I shall protect this lass and kill you. Know that this will be your last day walking among us.”

The three lackeys had long since breathed their final breaths. Beside Stella and Kieran, an ice figure knelt with two missing hands.

“Hmm, hmm... An ice clone? Or an illusion, perhaps? Hmm... And you two are...”

The young man’s gaze returned to the pair. Noticeably, they had two things in common: their apparent eagerness to rip him to pieces...and their place among the continent’s elites. The girl was the Frost Witch’s apprentice, while the man was the very assassin who had infiltrated a major power and assassinated their prince.

Indeed, they were fearsome foes.

Indeed, they were incomparable to the girl named Emily.

Indeed, this was all true.

“Heh...”

And that filled the young man with delight.

“Wonderful! Oh, how wonderful! This saves me so much trouble! Truly good tidings! All it took was some money to entice a gullible fool to allow me entry into the Magic Republic! Then, I offered that fool’s soul to the Overlord! And then, and then, and then! My targets are all coming right to me! Oh, oh, oh...!”

An eerie purple aura seeped out of the young man. In response, Stella began to emit a biting chill, and Kieran’s eyes shone.

“Spectacular! Without further ado, let us begin! By the Evangelist’s guidance, I shall sacrifice the humans of this country and transform the Frost Witch and that boy named Zil. All in the name of offering this world to the Overlord! I am Sanjel, a Top Vassal of the honorable Vassals of the Overlord!”

“Shut up,” Stella hissed. With Emily occupying her right hand, she waved her left and unleashed all the icicles that had been levitating around her.

Eight frosty blades flew at five times the speed of sound. Any ordinary person would have been fatally wounded before even realizing what had happened, but Sanjel dodged with ease using a simple sidestep. “Such a straightforward attack.”

The icicles pierced through the thick tree behind him and smashed the boulder on the other side, causing Sanjel’s lips to curl into a sly smile.

“Oh? That’s quite the sharp—”

“Chatty cretin.”

Kieran appeared behind Sanjel in an instant. His dagger sliced through the air in a flat line, transforming into a black blur as it lunged for Sanjel’s neck.

Sanjel’s eyes flew wide open while he lowered his stance almost entirely by reflex—but Kieran had seen that coming. With his arm still extended in a horizontal swing, he flicked his wrist and threw the dagger toward Sanjel’s head.

“Die.”

Like a vicious hunter, the dark blade closed in on its target—but it never struck, for the shadow writhing at Sanjel’s feet jumped out to block the lethal blow.

“My, that was close,” Sanjel crooned.

Kieran wasted no time leaping up into a tree. “Bizarre tricks,” hissed the assassin as his narrowed gaze captured shadowy blades protruding from the ground he’d just been standing on. Had he retreated even a moment later, his legs would have been skewered by now.

“One look at my moving shadows, and you immediately repositioned yourself... You have a wealth of experience,” Sanjel praised. “Though, I would have loved it if you’d taken the proper time to analyze them.”

Kieran scoffed. “Unfortunately for you, there’s no need for analysis. Whatever the logic behind it, you are clearly ‘attacking with shadows.’ That is all I need to know.” Kieran’s glowing gaze captured Sanjel and his writhing shadows. “Prohibition: Attacking with shadows. Pen—”

“You seem to be up to no good, so I’m afraid I’ll have to stop you right there.” Sensing the world itself shifting around Kieran, Sanjel withdrew his shadows and pointed at the man. A jet-black orb began to form at his fingertip. “Hex: Stygian—”

“Hey! Up here!” growled a voice from above.

Sanjel reflexively whipped his head upward, only for his vision to be painted white. “Wha...!”

Stella brought about the torrent of a localized blizzard, bombarding Sanjel from above and swallowing up his entire body in a whirlpool of raging snow. Sanjel struggled to free himself, but before his efforts could bear fruit, Stella’s cold voice pierced the snowy veil and reached his ears.

“And last but not least...”

With a clench of Stella’s fist, Sanjel’s feet completely froze over. The ice crawled up his legs before encasing his entire body, transforming the man into an unmoving ice sculpture.

Finally, Kieran took out another dagger and threw it at the frozen man. “Die,” he growled, as the swift blade shattered the ice sculpture into pieces. Scattered frozen chunks of flesh littered the ground without so much as a spatter of blood.

“Finally... Ugh. That guy was like a cockroach.” Stella slowly set down the unconscious Emily on the ground and gently brushed a hand over her hair.

A moment later, her eyes were drawn back to Kieran. The man hadn’t alighted from the tree, his sharp gaze still stuck on the chunks of frozen flesh.

“Kieran? What’s wrong?” Right when she was about to tell him to come back down, Stella swiftly swallowed her words when the frosty encasing suddenly shattered. “Wha—?!”

The freed chunks of flesh began crawling over the ground and converging at a singular point, until gradually they formed a whole Sanjel. “Good grief,” said the man with a breezy expression. “That would have been the end of any ordinary human.”

Stella’s eyes widened. “No way...”

“Who are you?” Kieran demanded, scowling.

“Hmm?” Sanjel’s lips curled into a sinister grin. “Like I said, I am a Top Vassal. What of it?”

His question was punctuated by a sudden onslaught of massive ice pillars. They rained down, toppling trees on their way to pound him into the ground.

However, Sanjel leisurely wore a smile as he stood unmoved. “Oh, woe is me, fighting gallantly all by my lonesome against two formidable foes. How is this fair? This calls for a slight change in plans.”

With a snap of his finger, a mysterious group dressed in dark purple garb appeared out of nowhere. While some remained on standby, most jumped into action. They lowered their stances like coiled springs, then bolted out like bullets toward the incoming ice pillars.

“Hex: Human Bombing!”

The lackeys exploded, taking the ice pillars along with them.

Kieran leaped from the tree with a click of his tongue, while Stella narrowed her eyes as the blast sent her hair and clothes aflutter.

“See? Now this is more like it. Your team versus my team,” Sanjel crooned. “Hex: Rakshasa Transformation!”

The skies above were taken by a bloodred hue. Darkness spread from Sanjel’s feet until it swallowed up the remainder of the bizarre group on standby.

“Yes! Go, go, go! Go forth, my obedient little corpses! Your souls have been offered to our Overlord. Rejoice! Shed tears of joy! You are fulfilling your duties to him!”

The lackeys emerged from the shadows, but by then, they were no longer human. With discolored skin and unnatural movements, they lunged toward Kieran and Stella.

Kieran watched them, concealing his distaste with a huff, as he readied his dagger. Whatever that “transformation” had done, he was still superior to those lackeys. Their amateurish movements, their sluggish speed... Ending them in one fell swoop would be just as easy as it had been earlier.

With swift and efficient strokes, Kieran pierced their hearts and sliced their necks, producing corpse after corpse—until he saw those “corpses” continuing to swing their arms and legs as though nothing had happened.

Wide-eyed, Kieran leaped back to take some distance.

What is this...? They neither screamed nor bled. They hadn’t so much as staggered. No human should have been able to move after having their heart pierced or head lopped off. That simply wasn’t how the world worked.

The first three men died without issue. That man, Sanjel, is still alive despite being shattered into pieces. And now, these people... They seem to lack even a will of their own. Kieran’s mind continued to move alongside his body. As he fended off his foes with swift strikes, his mind was also at work calmly analyzing the situation. Though the logic escapes me, these attackers appear to be undying. But unlike Sanjel, their heads are not regenerating. In that case...

Suddenly, Kieran disappeared. Several black slashes flew through the air, leaving severed limbs of the undying mob in their wake. The lackeys crumpled to the ground and began twitching and writhing like broken puppets.

I can cease their movements by severing their limbs. It’s rather disturbing that they still try to move in that state... Regardless, there are ways around this.

Kieran shot Stella a sharp look.

The girl didn’t hide her disgust as she unleashed a blizzard on the undying mob, dulling their movements. “Annoying pests,” she hissed as a wave of ice surged from her feet, freezing them into ice sculptures. “There. Got yourselves a makeover.”

Finally, she turned away from the eerie statues and back to Sanjel.

“Casting an expert spell completely chantless... Truly formidable,” said the man, responding to Stella’s chilling glare with applause. Even her subsequent look of annoyance earned no more than a flippant chuckle from him. “Summoning a blizzard at a moment’s notice... Can you really still call that magic? Not to mention, the ice attribute... I see that it’s exceedingly versatile.”

“Gosh, will you knock off the rambling?” Stella snapped. “You came back after we shattered you to bits, but what if this time I just leave you as a block of ice? Think you’ll be able to bounce back then?”

“A commendable idea. That being said, you seem to be underestimating us Top Vassals, hmm?” Sanjel sneered. “Hex: Rakshasa Transformation!”

Once again, the sky was painted a bloodred shade and darkness spread from Sanjel’s feet. The shadows crept over the ground toward their target—but it was not Stella.

“Bastard!” Stella hissed as she grabbed Emily and retreated into the air, mere seconds from losing the unconscious girl to the darkness.

The corner of Sanjel’s lips curled upward as the sky regained its blue hue. “Aha. There’s the better target,” he said mockingly.

Stella bristled, her magical energy roaring angrily. “You’re dead meat!”

Another army of massive ice pillars manifested above Sanjel, their numbers incomparable to Stella’s earlier attack.

Sanjel leisurely turned his gaze upward. “I see you are eager to swiftly end this battle of ours... But you still seem to be underestimating me significantly. Hex: Gate of Evil!”

An ominous gate appeared above Sanjel, facing the rain of ice pillars. Its doors opened, swallowing up the entire barrage, before disappearing entirely.

“Damn it!” Stella hissed.

“Now, it’s my turn... Hex: Dance of Chaos.”

A shadowy whip lashed violently through the air. In no time, it climbed toward Stella—who had retreated up in the sky—seeking to strike her down.

“Whatever that ‘hex’ thing is... If it can stop my attacks, that must mean it goes both ways!” Stella manifested a dome-shaped shield of ice up front, injecting it with magical energy equivalent to an expert spell for good measure.

Alas, the whip simply phased right through the icy shield.

“Wha—?!” Stella hastily dodged, then watched as the whip lashed against a tree—yet created no impact whatsoever. “A fake?!”

“That is correct,” Sanjel crooned. “To see through it with such ease... How sharp.”

“Ugh, what a pain in the ass!” Cold air burst from Stella, gradually painting the trees and ground with a frosty sheen.

Sanjel observed the change in their surroundings. “Oh? By filling the air with your magical energy, you transform the space itself into your own domain... Could it be that you’re approaching the Frost Witch’s heights as we speak?”

“Shut up. I’m nowhere close to my master. Her spell can cover the entire country, and it’s much stronger to boot... But I’m only dealing with you. So this should more than get the job done.”

“But can you pull it off? You’ve yet to even acquire supreme—”

Sanjel cut himself off to dodge a sudden spike of icicles at his feet. But the frosty thorns followed wherever he landed next, causing him to leap away over and over. Soon, he coated himself in a purple aura, blasting away the icicles and shattering the sheen of ice crawling toward his feet.

“Hmm, hmm...”

However, the exposed patches of soil were soon painted over with more ice. So he opted to instead retreat to the skies, holding his place in midair with a shadowy foothold.

“I see now. Though it pales in comparison to the Frost Witch’s spell, this downgraded version has sufficient application. Hmm... This is more cumbersome than I’d thought. How about this, then?”

The sky was overcome by a bloody hue. Sanjel’s black platform descended to the icy floor, drenching it in pure darkness. From there, Sanjel looked up at Stella and slowly raised his right hand. “Hex: Rakshasa—”

“I won’t let you.” Kieran’s leg whipped sharply toward the back of Sanjel’s head.

Sanjel redirected his right hand to block the blow. “Hmm, hmm... What a frighteningly weighty kick. I’d taken you for the nimble type, but it appears your physical strength is nothing to scoff at either... Ah, now I want you too.”

“Cease your nonsense. I belong wholly to my God, Lord Zil.”

“Now, now. Surely there’s room to negotiate?”

“Prohibition: Using shadows to attack. Penalty—”

“Oh dear. I really don’t like the sound of that.”

Blows were exchanged between curt remarks. Sanjel twisted his body as he unleashed a black bullet from his index finger, and Kieran dodged by a hair’s breadth as he stabbed a dagger straight into Sanjel’s heart. But Sanjel’s only response to that was a breezy smile, causing Kieran to click his tongue.

“Bravo,” Sanjel praised.

“Silence,” Kieran hissed as he proceeded to lop the man’s head off.

However, Sanjel’s head instantly sprouted back and he hurled a shadowy blade at Kieran. The assassin dodged it with a mere quick tilt of the head, though a bold red line was drawn across his cheek. Sanjel’s grin widened, while Kieran simply readied another blade with a cold glare.

“It’s no use,” Sanjel taunted.

“That’s not for you to decide.”

Kieran swung his blade, dismembering Sanjel with swift strokes. However, the wounds unleashed not a gush of blood, but rather a deluge of darkness. Kieran leaped away as his eyes began to glow.

“Prohibition—”

“I won’t let you.”

“I didn’t think you would.”

“It’s only natural.”

The palpable bloodlust caused the atmosphere to thicken. Both sides deftly read the other’s moves in a seemingly unending exchange of blows. Alas, Sanjel’s immortality was a hefty weight on the delicate scales of this battle. Soon, a shadowy blade closed in on Kieran’s face—

“Oh my... Was this your plan all along?”

—but it veered off its trajectory when Sanjel’s lower legs were frozen.

Without missing a beat, Kieran leaped back and slung two daggers at Sanjel—one piercing his head, and the other his heart—just as he landed right next to Stella. “Well timed, lass,” he remarked, throwing the girl a sideward glance.

“Says the guy who manipulated the timing himself,” Stella retorted.

“I have no idea what you mean,” he nonchalantly dismissed. As Kieran turned his gaze back to Sanjel, what awaited was an utterly absurd yet expected outcome. His expression hardened ever so slightly. “Even simultaneously destroying his brain and heart doesn’t kill him.”

“Wonderful,” Sanjel praised. “Such a brisk retreat, and yet your daggers maintained chilling precision. You, my good sir, are a true master of the art of killing.”

With a smile, he yanked the daggers from his head and chest before tossing them aside like garbage. They clattered to the ground, pristine and unbloodied—an eerie testament to their opponent’s inhuman nature.

“Color me impressed. I must say, you’ve both exceeded all my expectations. On one hand we have a mage, able to skillfully manipulate such a versatile attribute. On the other a man, capable of wielding highly refined killing techniques and a strange, disconcerting ability... I’ve given you two far more of my time than I’d initially planned, and still our battle appears to be far from over.”

Kieran narrowed his eyes. “What is the nature of your immortality?”

“This power was bestowed upon me by the Evangelist,” Sanjel answered. “It is a mere fragment of the Overlord’s absolute power—quite the improvement compared to that terribly inconvenient ability of yours.”

Murderous rage exploded behind the assassin’s seething glare. “Impertinent wretch... Don’t think you’ll die an easy death.”

“I simply speak the truth. If your ability truly was a perfect one, you would have used it in succession without issue. Yet you do not. That can only mean it has some sort of weakness, correct?” Sanjel’s gaze slid to Stella. “As for you, little miss mage... While I acknowledge your ability, your magical energy is finite. The more you try to corner me, the more of it you consume. In a prolonged bout, the tides turn in my favor. And in this case, there is also the matter of you protecting that unconscious girl.”

Stella responded with a fiery glare.

“But I have no such limitations. None at all,” Sanjel continued, unfazed. “With my immortality, I can partake in this meaningless dance for however long you so desire. In the end, the scales of victory will inevitably tilt to my side. I’ve played along long enough with this so-called ‘battle,’ but in truth I have no need for such inanity.”

With a snap of Sanjel’s fingers, several people dressed in unusual garb once again emerged from the forest.

“Without further ado, let us begin. A most predictable outcome awaits at the end of this dreary farce.”

§

The world was painted white with fluttering snow and shimmering crystals, as ice encased the trees and coated the ground. This, however, was no winter wonderland. Daggers and blades littered the frosty scenery with dozens of humanoid bodies strewn about. Some had frozen over, others had been dismembered, while the rest had either been beheaded or transformed into ice sculptures.

“My, my. Color me impressed. To think you lasted over an hour...”

Sanjel stood amid the bleak scenery with an eerie smile. His gaze lazily trailed over his surroundings until it settled on two girls—one on her knees, the other unconscious—and the man who stood in front of them with blood coming from his head.

“Shielding the weak, hmm? Oh, I nearly shed a tear.” Sanjel huffed. “Would you like to know how you could have won? All you had to do was abandon those two deadweights while you had the chance. And with my Rakshasa Transformation activated, you are saddled with carrying those two both figuratively and literally in the middle of our fight. As for me, I simply have to look out for that so-called ‘Favor’ of yours...”

Contrary to his mocking tone, Sanjel’s thoughts were unsettled.

That man, Kieran... What an absolute madman. Is he really human? What motivation fuels him?

The girl, Stella, was also formidable in her own right, but her power was partially fueled by rage. Once her magical energy had been exhausted—which was quite quickly as she’d let her emotions get the best of her—she had no longer been a problem.

But Kieran... Sanjel’s eyes narrowed sharply. That strange ability... His “Favor,” was it? Why does it keep giving me the chills...? My fear of death should be a thing of the distant past... His physical prowess, mental fortitude, and swift decisiveness are out of the ordinary too. He actually isn’t a foe I can afford to lecture... How can he be this strong? Didn’t he flee from the Knight Captain?

Sanjel resisted the urge to scowl before this incomprehensible man. Even while protecting those two deadweights, Kieran had managed to pierce his heart several times. Sanjel felt as if cold sweat was running down his back, even though his body had already lost such functions.

“How irksome. It’s almost as if...I am inferior to you,” Sanjel muttered, scowling for a mere moment before dismissing it with a smile. Though the thought vexed him, Sanjel knew that his strengths lay elsewhere anyway. With that, he was able to regain his composure. “Now then, let us—”

“Thus shall my soul bestow upon this world...”

Suddenly, a voice rang through the chilly air.

Sanjel turned to the right. “Hmm?”

Kieran and Stella followed with looks of shock.

“You...!”

“Emily?!”

There stood a girl, her face pale as a sheet and her brown hair disheveled. Though her legs trembled and arms shook, she stood firmly on her own two feet as she desperately strung together her chant—earnestly, zealously, resolutely. There was no better display of her character than her steadfast figure before this insurmountable threat.

Sanjel nodded solemnly, almost sympathetically—

“Thus shall the—”

“Pathetic.”

—before whipping a kick at the girl’s face.

“Agh!” Emily collapsed to the ground, her chant disrupted and spell terminated.

“Hmph...” Sanjel looked down in contempt. “An advanced spell? Really? Need I point out what a mess your magical energy is? Yet look at you, trying to attack me with a spell you’ve yet to even master. Sadly, I’ve heard better jokes,” he spat while stomping on the girl’s head.

“Bastard!” Kieran threw a dagger at Sanjel to stop him.

Alas, the man didn’t even spare it a glance. The dagger now lodged in his head didn’t keep Sanjel from stomping on Emily over and over. “Lowly, talentless scum like you reaching for the heights of the Frost Witch? What will that achieve, hmm?”

Stella glared at him with bloodshot eyes and mustered her magical energy, but she only had enough left to form a meager chunk of ice. She could do no more than punch the ground while cursing her powerlessness.

“You disgust me. Oh, how you disgust me. Such stupidity, such absurdity... Why do you refuse to know your place?”

A crimson hue took hold of the world as darkness crawled from Sanjel’s feet to swallow Emily whole.

“So be it. I’ve changed my mind. You, foolish little missy, shall have the honor of being the newest addition to my collection of puppets.”

Kieran gritted his teeth, desperately digging deep to find the strength to stand.

“Emily!” Stella cried, her expression warped in anguish.

The girl slowly turned to them. As she was finally devoured by darkness, they saw one last glimpse of the girl—her fragile smile.

§

“You have no talent.”

“You lack magical energy.”

“You manipulate magic too poorly.”

“You can’t even wield any attributes.”

Those had been their words as they turned me away.

Sometimes, I was dismissed for struggling to memorize chants. Other times, I was ridiculed for failing to comprehend the formulae and the phenomena they replicated.

“I have no time to teach you magic.”

“You don’t need to become a mage.”

“I recommend moving to another country.”

“You should just join the executives.”

Those had been their words as they brushed me off without a second glance.

I loved magic just as much as the next person, but my talent for it was nonexistent. Academic texts went over my head, while theoretical exposition and technical jargon overloaded my brain. “Feel it,” they said—but what was it even supposed to feel like? “Control it,” they said—but how was I even supposed to control it?

Should I just give up...?

It was when that thought began encroaching upon my weary mind that I saw it—a world painted in white with its queen proudly standing tall at the center of it all.

The Frost Witch was a mage with the utmost talent, power, and intelligence in the Magic Republic’s entire history. She was my antithesis—a lofty existence I could never even dream of reaching.

But... But I...

“It’s...beautiful...”

But I just couldn’t help myself. I knew I could never be like her. I knew it all too well. But her magic was just so beautiful—I loved it, I admired it, and I aspired to it.

Then, what else was there for me to do...but to strive for it anyway?

Before I knew it, I’d begged her to employ me. And the Frost Witch, Madam Chloe...simply gave me a nod without batting an eye. From that day forth, I was her helper. I took to my duties while pursuing my magical studies, all in the hope that one day she would acknowledge me as her apprentice.

I read some academic texts. I didn’t understand.

I mustered my magical energy. I didn’t understand.

As I struggled, Madam Chloe watched on with her usual expressionless look. She even offered me some advice.

She gave me advice. I didn’t understand.

She gave me advice. I didn’t understand.

She gave me advice. I didn’t understand.

She gave me advice. I didn’t understand.

She gave me advice. I didn’t understand.

I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand—

“Oh...”

“Mm-hmm. You did it.”

A small step forward. A smidgen of progress. It was too little, too late. Even so, Madam Chloe said nothing of it.

This was just the beginning. Not even I dared to covet apprenticeship with only this on offer. I was hardly worthy of it just yet.

But that was when, for the very first time, Madam Chloe took on an apprentice—an incredibly talented girl who was just a tad older than me. She was the first to learn the ice attribute after Madam Chloe herself. In no time at all, she even mastered chantless expert magic.

And I... I was...

§

The girl was devoured by the darkness.

Sanjel’s expression warped in contempt as he gazed at the pitch-black space. “You incompetent simpleton... Struggling to reach for unreachable heights all in vain... Utterly laughable. I hoped to use you as a hostage against the Frost Witch for good measure, but so be it... Well, regardless, my immortality is impervious. I suppose I shall move on to taking you two as—”

Suddenly, the world shattered.

“Oh? To reach for unreachable heights is a laughable endeavor, you say? An amusing assertion, as expected...from a clown.”

A blue expanse painted over the bloodied sky. The darkness crawling over the ground was washed away by a golden light.

The abrupt change left Sanjel wide-eyed and slack-jawed. But the sudden pressure that bore down on his body snapped him back to his senses, whipping his gaze to the sky.

“Alas, I hold a differing opinion. Are those who reach for unreachable heights and struggle for an unattainable dream truly deserving of such ridicule? Hmm? Well then... Would you care for a debate?”

There stood an absolute and imposing presence, carrying a fully healed Emily in his arms. His cold, scathing glare pierced Sanjel from above.

§

“Oh my... Oh me, oh my...” Sanjel’s stunned expression lasted for but a second. In no time at all, his superficial, frivolous smile was plastered back on his face. “It’d just crossed my mind how much of a hassle taking on both you and the Frost Witch at once would be... Now here you are, all by yourself. Truly, this day has provided me with great fortune...” His voice trailed off into stifled snickers.

Watching all his targets fall right into his lap filled him with glee.

“In any case...” His lips curled into a wider grin as he recalled Zil’s words. “Surely you jest. Reaching for what cannot be reached... What is that if not the height of folly?”

Sanjel’s disdain was made apparent by his ridiculing tone. To him, those who desperately reached for the dazzling night sky were no more than fools. Why persist if it was clearly pointless? Why waste time on such fruitless ventures? In Sanjel’s eyes, the girl was a worthless, unsightly, and foolish dullard—more than worthy of his ridicule.

But his ceaseless mockery—his blatant provocation—failed to faze Zil. The boy’s face remained eerily expressionless, his figure exuding a haughty and imposing air as he slowly opened his mouth.

“The true height of folly,” he said coldly, “is your audacity to judge this girl’s culminated efforts. Her resilience to reach for an endless dream, her integrity to improve herself day by day, and her pride in facing life... I am fond of it all. In my eyes, this girl is worthy of respect... Therefore, I shall refute your words.”

Zil’s grip on Emily furtively tightened. Suddenly, space warped and the world itself began to quiver.

“Hmph... Allow me to correct myself, foolish clown. Earlier, I offered the opportunity to debate, but I no longer have any such intention. I shall refute you and everything you stand for. Call it a pure act of my pride. Come, show me your all, and witness as I eradicate all of your efforts—thoroughly, and beyond recovery.”

A torrent of magical energy burst from Zil. It crushed the world and grated space, causing trees to tremble and web-shaped cracks to form over the icy ground. Immense pressure bore down on Sanjel and depressed the ground he stood on.

This was no attack. A typhoon of uncontrollable emotions expressed through magical energy had been unleashed into the world. It was, so to speak, the manifestation of a pure heart.

Sanjel’s lips curled into a smirk. “My, my... What a purehearted fellow. Though you maintain that cold expression, under the surface you are exactly as young as you appear. Moreover, despite your long-winded speech, your point is plain and simple: You wish to fight me because I irk you. Coming from such a naive and conceited brat, I expected no less. By the looks of it, you are already drowning in your own power...”

With a disparaging grin, Sanjel pompously spread his arms. Darkness surged from his feet and clashed with Zil’s pressure. The massive force almost made it seem as if what he had displayed thus far was a mere warm-up exercise.

Sanjel snickered. “Aah, how irksome. You make my skin crawl. Look at you, possessing just a dash more of talent than riffraff. Where do you get the gall to be so conceited?”

“You dare to call me conceited? It appears clowns are fond of barking like mutts.”

“I would advise you to choose your enemies wisely, lest you expose your own ignorance.”

“Oh? Interesting. Let’s see which one of us is the ignorant one, shall we?”

Black flames roared to life. With a click of his tongue, Sanjel threw out a deluge of darkness to impede the coming force before using it as a platform to retreat to the sky.

“Chantless expert magic at that age? Tremendous magical energy paired with superb skill... It seems the rumors of your genius were true. However...”

Sanjel chuckled darkly. At the end of the day, this was no more than an encore to the earlier farce. Those flames would certainly slow his regeneration, but that was it—they couldn’t kill him for good. Thus, Sanjel would never lose.

“Hex: All-Devouring Rakshasa...”

Darkness blanketed the sky before crashing down on the earth like a sudden downpour. With this, all life in the area would be sacrificed to the Overlord. Though this wide-ranging variant of the hex was terribly flashy and came at a greater cost to his sorcerous energy, it was a cheap price to pay to turn this boy into his puppet. When facing a talent with potential to surpass the Frost Witch herself, there was no need for restraint.

“...Transfor—”

“Pathetic.”

Suddenly, a burst of golden aura banished the darkness.

Sanjel’s eyes widened. “What...?”

Zil huffed. “Have you already forgotten? I put a halt to your tricks mere moments ago.”

“Impossible...” Sanjel muttered, failing to comprehend what he’d just witnessed.

He hadn’t forgotten that the boy had some means of resisting his sorcery. But the hex he’d used earlier was completely different to the one he used just now. One produced crawling shadows over the ground within his immediate vicinity, while the other was an all-encompassing darkness that devoured the entire sky above the forest.

How could this boy brush off this one just as easily as the last...?

“This cannot be!” Sanjel howled, mustering all his energy to crush the boy. “Hex: Two-Headed Asura!”

He whipped his arms through the air, summoning forth a two-headed asura. Its belligerent gaze swiveled toward Zil as it rattled the entire forest with its roar. Then, the asura swung down its fists with monumental force—enough to crush a human like a bug.

Alas, be it an all-encompassing darkness or a massive fist, Sanjel’s attacks meant nothing to Zil.

“Weak,” Zil spat as he parried the four-fist barrage with a single hand. Sometimes he swatted them away, others he redirected elsewhere, and he even stopped a few with just one finger. Before the onslaught of blows, Zil didn’t budge an inch. All the while carrying Emily in his other arm, keeping her completely safe from the shock waves and impacts.

It went without saying that the difference in their strength was as clear as a chasm. The boy looked down at Sanjel, disappointment evident in his gaze. “Though I gave you the opportunity to put your best foot forward, it seems you are as measly as I’d assumed. Pathetic.”

Sanjel had no time to falter before Zil swung his hand from left to right, slicing the asura’s body in two. Its flesh dispersed into darkness. And before it could even fade away completely, it was purged by an eruption of golden light.

The wide-eyed Sanjel gritted his teeth.

Meanwhile, Zil’s lips curled into a callous smirk. “Was that all? You’re hardly worth an opening act.”

Sanjel let out a grunt, clearly ruffled. He no longer had a heart, yet a bizarre pressure seemed to clutch at his chest nonetheless. “Don’t look down on me!” he howled, shaking off the eerie sensation with an explosion of rage.

“Hex: Rakshasa Transformation!”

“Hex: Dance of Chaos!”

“Hex: Gate of Evil!”

“Hex: Stygian Bullet!”

“Hex: Two-Headed Asura!”

“Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex! Hex!!!”

A plague of sorcerous energy assaulted the area. Vile power filled the air with a dark abyss that seemed ready to devour all life with but a single word. In the blink of an eye, trees withered and soil turned desolate. The unmoving corpses which littered the ground resounded with haunted groans.

An overwhelming darkness surged toward Zil like a tidal wave—

“You struggle in vain. This so-called sorcery is useless against me.”

“Wha...?”

—but it dispersed before even reaching the boy. Whatever remained of it simply scattered in the wind and faded into nothingness.

None of Sanjel’s attacks were landing. His absolute power was reduced to an insignificant parlor trick.

It can’t be... No, this simply cannot be!

The Vassals of the Overlord were proud followers of the Overlord, personally selected by the Evangelist. Among them, Sanjel was one of their Top Vassals. Yet none of his hexes were working. How could he have been rendered so powerless before just one person?

No, I’m not simply powerless. It’s as if...my very essence is being denied.

Could the boy wield some sort of power that denied the fundamental existence of sorcery? Was that why all of his hexes were dispersing like they never existed in the first place?

What...in the world...?

How could something reject his power so decisively? How could there be such an insurmountable being?

“Nonsense!”

This simply couldn’t be. To deny their sorcery was to deny their Overlord. Sanjel couldn’t allow himself to be a mere witness to such blasphemy. He rode through the darkness to close in on Zil, then whipped out a sharp and deadly kick.

However, the boy swatted his leg away like a fly. “Weakling.”

Sanjel gritted his teeth. “So fast...!”

“No. You are too slow.”

Sanjel’s leg had been obliterated. Zil’s movements had been too fast for his eyes, drawing yet another wince from Sanjel, but no matter. His leg would regenerate in no time...

Wait... It’s not regenerating?!

“Your Evangelist bestowed this immortality upon you, yes?” Zil met Sanjel’s stunned expression with a cold gaze as he unleashed a merciless axe kick of his own.

Left with no time to dodge, Sanjel grunted as the blow tore his right arm from his body. Though he felt no pain, the limb failed to regenerate just like the last.

Why? Why is it not regenerating?!

Panic festered in Sanjel, whereas Zil hadn’t budged a hair from his initial position. This alone spelled out the gap in their strengths loud and clear.

“That Evangelist of yours has created quite the unusual art... It goes against the ways of this world, perhaps even rejects them. Or could it be that...it denies the world itself? But this world is... Hmm... Ah, no matter.” Zil huffed. “Vexingly, human arts appear to be ineffective against you. Rather, the effect is simply too minuscule and inefficient—not worth the cost.”

A chill ran down Sanjel’s back, incomparable to the sense of alarm he’d gotten from Kieran’s Favor. By pure reflex, he attempted to cast another hex—but it was in vain.

“Such a power is wasted on the likes of you, but this Evangelist has piqued my interest. Now, consider it an honor that I shall display to you my true essence.”

Suddenly, Zil’s very existence ascended.

Sanjel went pale as he stared death in the face, prompting him to leap away on his shadowy foothold. “Wh-What...is that?! That’s... That’s sacrilegious against the Overlord! It has to be!”

“I speculate that your power is a subversion of the mortal world’s laws. Then, what better way to snuff it out than with the power of the gods?”

“What nonsense are you spouting...?!”

Sanjel unleashed a hex, only for Zil to swat it away.

Sanjel sent out more exploding lackeys, only for Zil to stand unfazed.

Sanjel cast another hex, only for Zil to render it useless.

Sanjel tried again and again, hex after hex after hex...

“A power that opposes the Overlord... This cannot be...!”

Alas, the battle had been decided long ago. Sanjel’s prospects of victory were nil.

“As I said, as an act purely of my own pride, I will refute you and everything you stand for—including the so-called Overlord you worship.”

Finally, Sanjel came to an end. His body was split into two at the waist, and most of his head was blasted to smithereens.

None of it regenerated.

§

Is this...the end for me?

Sanjel slowly fell from the sky.

I don’t...want to die...

His very existence was fading away. Death, which once felt so distant, now crept up on him and sought to swallow him whole. Sanjel tasted despair, and he—

“No. I’m afraid I’ll be needing your services for just a while longer.”

ArGH&uC%#K?!

And he—

“Interesting... Very interesting. That child also seeks absolute power, though his means differ from my own. We both may be works in progress, but an exchange of contrasting ideas just might prove fruitful at this stage.”

And he—

“Just what is the extent of his knowledge? Does he have information that I don’t? And most importantly, just how far has he ascended as a living being? Oh, this is all so fascinating.”

And he—

“At the end of the day, you’re all just my disposable pawns. So, make yourself useful. May as well let me use you to the fullest before you croak.”

And he—

“Oh, by the way, don’t think I didn’t hear you earlier. Something about your power being absolute... Hah. You buffoon. Is that really what you think? Both that child and I are far from absolute beings. Why else would we still be striving for more? So, how couldyourpower be absolute when you’re inferior to us? You were the true fool all along—garbagethat never strove for more. Goodness... Do you have any idea how many times I’ve considered discarding you myself?”

And he—

“Now then, let me grant you some power. Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? Hmm? Well, good for you. Congrats. Go on, carry out your duties for just a while longer—at least until I get a better glimpse of what that monster in children’s clothing is hiding... Heh... Oh, wait. What was your name again?”

§

“Th-Thank you, Zil...” Emily muttered before looking up in bewilderment. “Zil...?”

I didn’t respond. Casual chitchat would have to wait... We weren’t out of the woods just yet.

A thunderous roar rattled the air as pitch-black mist came pouring out of the Vassal’s corpse, blanketing the area in a dim and gloomy atmosphere.

Emily yelped in my arms as I took to the skies with a burst of divine aura. This should’ve been enough to purge the dark mist, but it fell short.

I clicked my tongue. This juvenile form limited how much divine power I could unleash. As I was now, the best I could do was clear the immediate area around us. It was enough to keep us safe, but if this darkness breached any farther, it might put a dent in Chloe’s barrier around the forest.

Things weren’t looking so hot.

“What is that...?”

And worst of all, I didn’t have the faintest clue what was happening. The way I got a bad feeling from the encroaching darkness, the way this bizarre pressure was weighing down my body... All of these sensations should have been foreign to Zil’s body, no matter my weakened state.

Just what in the world is going on?

“You’ll show me, won’t you?”

I leaped away as fast as I could. The abrupt movement and excessive speed drew a yelp out of Emily. My gut had told me that staying put would have been a bad idea, but Emily wasn’t as stout as I was. I had to be careful.

Suddenly, the spot where we’d been just a moment ago was swallowed up by a black pillar. The pitch-black column of darkness pierced the sky, until it gradually grew thinner—and from within came a repulsive voice.

“We tread vastly different paths toward the same goal—becoming a ‘perfect being.’ I’m just itching to learn more about you. Won’t you show me the fruits of your endeavors? Don’t worry, I’ll show you mine as well!”

Finally, emerging from the never-ending darkness...was a young man with bloodred hair. He was dressed in purple oriental garb and had a distinct tattoo on the back of his hand.

“Come on. Show me what you’ve got!”

There he stood, like an indomitable ruler amid the dismal world.

Afterword

If you are reading this afterword, that must mean this book has been published safe and sound.

To first-time readers, it’s very nice to meet you. To the rest, hello. I’m Rei Yayoi. Thank you very much for picking up a copy of The Canon Fodder’s Ascension from Pawn to World Unifier. This work started out on Shosetsuka ni Naro before GC Novels reached out with an offer. After a series of edits and revisions, it’s finally been printed and published.

Now, I may sound terribly nonchalant about all this, but I’m actually anything but. So much time had passed since I started posting this story online that I’d actually thought, Wow, offers exist?

It certainly didn’t feel real back when I first received the offer. Some days, I wondered if I’d simply conjured up an imaginary editor. It got to the point where I told my friends, “I’m gonna turn to the dark side if this publication doesn’t pull through!” Then, when I laid my eyes upon Zil’s godly character design, I finally thought, Whoa, this is actually real! After all, I couldn’t have conjured up an imaginary illustrator too. It doesn’t get more real than that.

Honestly, rather than feeling like it wasn’t real, I was in utter disbelief. But in the end, my book was published, and it was a deeply moving experience for me.

This story was born from a desire that budded within me in my high school days, when I first started reading light novels. I wanted to make a work that read like a shonen manga while giving off chuunibyou vibes. With that as the foundation, I thought about other things I liked. “The misunderstanding trope’s pretty funny.” “I love it when there are tons of quirky characters.” “I wanna write both comedic and serious scenes.” After lining up all my preferences, I decided, “Oh, what the heck. I’ll use all of them!” And thus, this story came to be. What is this, a potluck?

Now then, to everyone who’s read this book: What did you think of it?

Let’s start with those who’ve been following this story from the web novel. Did you enjoy this volume? I applied whatever revisions I could manage within my allotted word count. Editing hard-to-read passages, sprinkling information and foreshadowing for events that had yet to be revealed during the web publication, shedding more light on some side developments... Stuff like the original Zil’s combat style, how vastly different the anime’s Kieran is from our Kieran, Zil’s nerves and tension in each scene... I’d be glad if these resonated more vividly while reading.

Next, let’s move on to our first-time readers. Did you like this book? The characters of this story are all rather quirky, wouldn’t you say? If they weren’t quite quirky enough for your taste, then I apologize. Whatever the case, I do hope you enjoyed watching this colorful cast run amok and get into all sorts of comedic situations, much to Zil’s dismay. Or maybe you liked any of the other aspects included in the “potluck” that I mentioned earlier.

All in all, my dearest wish is to have written this volume such that every reader—both old and new—can come away from it feeling satisfied and entertained. Fingers crossed!

This has gotten rather lengthy, so it’s about time I moved on to my words of thanks.

First, to my editor Y, thank you for everything! I’m very curious as to how you went about excavating this series. Also, I know what you’re thinking: “Man, this author sure is nitpicky and so demanding!” Isn’t that right? If I’m wrong, then you must be a saint. Oh, one more thing. You once told me that you’re a Kieran fan... Are you okay? Anyway, I hope this book takes off so we can work together on future volumes.

Next, to the illustrator Kyozip. I reached out to you through Y because I sincerely believed that you would draw Zil for me. For accepting the job despite your busy schedule, I can’t thank you enough. When I first saw the cover illustration, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Were you a firsthand witness to legends and myths? Could a god have descended upon the land right before your eyes?” You can’t fool me. It wouldn’t surprise me if you hailed from the celestial realm yourself!

To the readers who have supported me since the web novel, I was able to come this far thanks to all your support. Though it feels weird to say this since I haven’t written it yet at this point—I hope you enjoy the short story too.

To my friend who gave me advice, my companions who cheered me on, the printing press, the editing department, and everyone else who was involved in the production of this book: I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Lastly, to everyone who bought a copy of this book, I offer you my sincerest gratitude! Thank you so, very much! Let us meet again in the next volume!

By the way, a manga adaptation is in the works too, so I would appreciate your support there as well.