0 – Return
I was the only survivor.
The legions of chimera numbering hundreds of thousands, and the ancient evil beyond them.
All those hellish battles were for the sake of obtaining this single pebble.
“You’ve done well, my warrior.”
The Soul Stone. How many had to die for the sake of this tiny rock.
For this, my precious bonds and everything in this world were shattered.
I turned my head at the voice behind me, and there stood the mastermind who had thrown us into this hell.
“Since you have fulfilled my wish, I too must grant yours. Speak. Your desire.”
Golden hair shining like the sun, eight white wings.
The Archangel Izra, the being closest to ‘God’ in this world, wore a compassionate smile.
That disgusting attitude twisted the corners of my mouth.
What right does a slaughterer who pushed even people from other worlds into harm’s way for the sake of his greed have to wear such a smile?
“Can you let me commit suicide?”
Did you sense the ridicule lacing my words?
Izra too responded with a twisted smile.
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
“Of course. Then can you revive some of the dead people? Not too many, just a few dozen will do.”
“Your companions, I presume? That too is impossible, I’m afraid. As I’ve explained before, souls killed by the Ancient Evil belong to its master, Decaluth. It is beyond the power of even the Soul Stone to steal souls bound to another god.”
The promised question, the promised answer.
In his eyes, I must seem to be futilely struggling in a play whose ending was already written.
“Well, everything’s impossible, damn it. Then what wish are you going to grant me, you moronic b*tch, when nothing can be done?”
“Such coarse language.”
Izra took my words with a smile still on his face.
“You’re the one who made me coarse. Shut up and stop smirking. I’ll go ask the other side first.”
I turned my body to face the corpse of the Ancient Evil.
Although the Ancient Evil was dead, its master Decaluth was surely watching this situation.
Simply unable to intervene directly from another dimension without an opening.
And we could provide that opening from this side.
“Do you think he can wield the Soul Stone? If so, it’s strange he didn’t use it before things got to this point, no?”
Izra was now shrugging with arms crossed, mocking me.
In truth, the Soul Stone was held by the Ancient Evil.
So it’s correct that the Ancient Evil and its master Decaluth cannot use the Soul Stone.
“What, you want to say only you can use it because you’re the one who made it? Irene.”
Izra’s relaxed expression froze in place.
Seeming startled to hear the unexpected name, she paused briefly before smiling differently than before.
It was clearly a frigid smile like a venomous snake, despite wearing the same face.
“…How do you know that name?”
“The ‘real’ Izra you corrupted and sealed away told me.
I pretended to appraise the Soul Stone in my left hand.
Cracks were beginning to form in Irene’s previously casual demeanor.
Enjoying that expression, I waved the Soul Stone exaggeratedly before her eyes.
“Oh, Izra also taught me how to use this, by the way.”
“You!!”
Irene, who had maintained a composed attitude all this time, charged at me in agitation.
She must have believed she was controlling every aspect of the situation, only to have an unexpected variable pop up at the very end, flustering her.
“Lumen Glacie.”
Together with the short chant, a spear of light took shape in my hand and shot forth, piercing Irene’s chest and nailing her to the wall.
Given her nature as a mere thoughtform rather than true body, it was obvious she had no chance charging recklessly. Was she really so shaken as to lose her composure to this extent?
Pinned to the wall like a butterfly in a display case, Irene shrieked.
“Get your hands off my belongings! I’m the one who created it! Some lowlife with no foundation like you…!”
Having cast off her mask, Irene’s speech had changed as well.
“I told you to take a number and wait. If you can’t hold a conversation with that side properly, I said I’ll come to you next.”
Mocking in a tone that clearly conveyed I had no intention of actually doing so, Irene’s screams grew louder.
With Irene spewing curses behind me, I stood before the Ancient Evil’s corpse.
“If you’re watching the situation, come out. Let’s talk.”
The Ancient Evil’s dead eyes slowly opened.
But in place of pupils, cerulean flowers of fire burned where they should have been.
Decaluth.
Unlike the half-divine Ancient Evil or Irene, he possessed the full divinity of a true monster.
─ How impudent, for a mere human.
It was a voice that rang directly in my head rather than through my ears.
“No, it’s not me that’s impudent, but the Soul Stone.”
Decaluth laughed sinisterly at my reply.
─ What is it you desire? The souls of your companions?
“While I do want that, I’m not suggesting swapping them for this or anything. Souls don’t truly revive just by being returned, only reincarnate in our original world. I can’t make that kind of losing deal.”
─ Then what exactly do you want?
“Your divinity is ‘conquest’, is it not?”
Decaluth’s expression froze.
Though all that was visible were the cerulean flames in his eyes, the sense was unmistakable.
“If you retreat like this, won’t it tarnish your divinity?”
─ A single defeat does not topple an extensive history.
“Who said anything about toppling? I said tarnish. Cracks begin from little spots like this, you know.”
─ What are you trying to say?
“You, your divinity is ‘conquest’, isn’t it?”
Decaluth’s expression froze.
Though all that was visible were the cerulean flames in his eyes, the sense was unmistakable.
“If you retreat like this, won’t it tarnish your divinity?”
─ A single defeat does not topple an extensive history.
“Who said anything about toppling? I said tarnish. Cracks begin from little spots like this, you know.”
“Give me a chance. Let’s fight again.”
Hearing these unexpected words, Decaluth fell silent.
He must be furiously calculating what would be most advantageous.
“Return the souls you took. Then I’ll use this to turn back time to the day I was first summoned 7 years ago.”
─ What about memories?
“Just me and the Ancient Evil will retain memories when we regress. That’s fair, right?”
─ Just Glunth? A pity.
“What, were you hoping I’d send you back too? You’re already fighting wars in other dimensions besides here. Sending you back would be an affront there. Right?”
I sensed Decaluth laughing.
It’s amazing I can discern his expression when all that’s visible are the cerulean flames burning in his eyes.
─ Fine. I accept your proposal.
As soon as Decaluth agreed, the contract I had prepared in case he accepted my regression proposal appeared.
─ You’re well prepared.
Decaluth placed his seal as the God of Conquest on the contract.
I represented myself as a human with the Soul Stone.
As the contract was formed, I felt the souls detained by Decaluth return to our original world.
If the regression proceeds now, I’ll be able to see them alive again.
As space began distorting, the harbinger of regression, Decaluth spoke in a mocking tone.
─ When you return, did you think you’d be victorious again? Glunth is my vassal. The memories inherited by him will naturally be inherited by me as well.
He was saying he would target me as soon as I returned.
I sensed he would send not the Ancient Evil, but another vassal if needed.
“You think I didn’t anticipate that?”
No matter how strong my current self, my freshly summoned self 7 years ago will only have memories and be weak. It would be easy to kill me.
I intentionally let him think that way.
The Soul Stone, which had exhausted most of its power for the regression, began shining again with only a fingernail’s worth left.
This power would be the hidden blade to kill any enemies coming after my weakened past self.
“The Ancient Evil’s memories won’t include this scene or our deal, or the fact I used the remainder of the Soul Stone.”
─ You bastard…!
“No, stop! Please, don’t use it…!”
Seeing Decaluth glare at me as if to burn me and Irene shrieking, a strange sense of victory came over me.
Of the three, only I am laughing.
With this, I can consider myself the winner for now.
What’s doing it twice when I’ve already done it once?
“See you in round 2, morons.”
Next time, I’ll win without anyone losing.