A white space spanned into the void of eternity. An abode too pure in color for any person of sensible taste to enjoy. Yet, nonetheless, three gods sat upon a spotless couch, staring forward at what should have been a screen displaying Claire and her situation. It was blank.
"As soon as the book glowed, we lost our vision?" The red-haired goddess at the farthest right of the couch spoke in contemplation as she crossed her long legs, the slit of her white dress revealing a bit too much.
Micheal frowned at the leftmost hand of the couch. Someone or something able to block their vision into their own world? He pondered this with a gloved hand to his chin, the same color as his white suit. There could only be one answer.
"A meddling god," He replied calmly.
The old man in the middle nodded, stroking his thick, white beard. "One at least as strong as the three of us combined."
All three gods were in agreement. Either way, however, they could no longer track Claire's movement nor those around her, as well, they were incapable of looking into her elemental realm any longer. The only hold left over her was the terms of the game. The contract of gods.
'Most likely, she now has a trace of divinity,' Micheal thought. Aware that his two companions likely thought the same as well. 'But how was a god able to reach her and hand it over?'
He didn't believe she was able to obtain a trace of divinity on her own. That required extensive knowledge, and people to believe and pray you. She had not been in Estea long enough to obtain either of the two. So, naturally, only a god could have given her a piece of theirs. Yet, that was a troublesome fact to behold.
Only the three of them knew this game was afoot and, even if another found out, a singular god intruding upon a stage of three others would cost far more divinity than its worth. Logically, no being would expel that much simply for the sake of passing a trace down onto the denizen of a world. That, of course, was prefaced on the idea that the god was thinking rationally.
'So, it's a god who wouldn't mind losing all of their might for this one simple act,' Micheal thought, 'That means their plan is more sentimental and emotional than logical.'
Gods were not omnipotent, they had their own shackles. The act of another couldn't be erased and rewritten and, even if they were to destroy Estea and start it anew, Claire would not be affected by their will. They, he and Ishtar, only had divinity over Estea. As much as Claire's elemental realm was now her sole domain, so too was the world theirs. The laws, rules, and system of power set in place upon Estea? Those were woven through divinity. The Sacred Text and its systems? Those were woven through divinity. The 7 seeds that represented aspects of their wills which made up the world? Those too were woven through divinity, though a more freerer will than the previous. Yet that only went so far. Anything outside their divinity, well, couldn't be controlled.
And, now, she was outside. Not outside their game, but certainly outside their control.
"How troublesome. . ." Micheal muttered as he stood up.
"Indeed," Ishtar nodded.
In normal times, they could simply strip her of all the powers they had given to her but, now, (1) The game was already afoot. They could not interfere, else they would lose their divinity. And (2) Even if they could interfere, once more, Claire had already gained a divinity of her own. What they had originally given to her was now rightfully hers and no one else.
The old man turned to the standing Micheal. "Where are you going?"
A hand sliced down and a portal of white tore into the air. Receding his hand, Micheal arched a head back as he fixed the spotless suit and gloves he wore.
"I'm going to look into things," He said. "I refuse to believe a god simply wormed their way into our game without a clue left behind."
To that, Ishtar raised a brow, her fiery-red hair shifting as she turned her gaze to him.
"You? Investigating?" She almost laughed, "When was the last time you made any movements, Micheal? Was it when we worked together to usurp Estea's former gods? When we slaughtered all of their believers?"
"Certain times call for certain measures, Ishtar," He replied, chuckling dryly.
"Where will you begin?" She asked. This time, her tone serious.
"Well," He smiled, shrugging, "I'll start with the Pantheon, of course."
Infinite realms existed along with infinite worlds. And if there were infinite worlds, then there were infinite gods which controlled those worlds. Some gods were weaker than them, some were as strong as them, and some were stronger. Micheal decided he would trouble himself with the Pantheon, a place he hadn't stepped foot upon in centuries, and see if any major movements from a god as strong or stronger than them had occurred.
"And if you find the culprit?" Ishtar asked, "What will you do?"
Micheal smiled as he placed a foot into the portal.
"Kill a god, naturally."
"A world might die," She replied.
"So be it."
And he was gone, out into a realm only gods could access.
— — —
Sora Casburn was running for her life.
A chain of gold sleeked through the air like a snake, then it shot down, a spike at its length piercing through the wind with a whistle. Sora gritted her teeth and leapt aside, jumping in the nick of time to avoid the weapon plunging into her thigh.
She crashed against the ground, and quickly turned to her back, skidding against the earth backwards with all her might. In front of her, a frightening bunnygirl walked out, frilly skirt fluttering as her ears twitched in irritation. She was covered in blood.
"Why are you running?" Via Goodwill tched. "I thought you were strong?"
". . .you and I both know I don't have my powers right now."
As soon as she returned into this world, the crazy bunny began chasing her as if she had been waiting angrily.
"I told you already that I didn't know this world was real!" Sora screamed and leapt, running once more for her life.
"Are you dumb? I already know that," Via Goodwill replied, chasing after the girl once again. "But I still want to beat you up myself. Not knowing you made a mistake doesn't mean the same thing as escaping scot-free."
In the distance, Asta, whose body was a tad-bit damaged, watched the two girls with curiosity, the corpses of beasts littered about him. Naturally, he was only seeing them through narrowing his vision across the distance of Felcius's dungeon.
"Huh? What's that?"
At that moment, a golden light broke through the atmosphere and headed straight for the two.
". . ."
". . .the heck's that?" Via watched the thing scornfully, narrowing her eyes.
Then, she realized what she was staring at.
"Well," She backed off from her chase. "It's all yours."
"All mine? What?" Sora tilted her head and took the chance to look behind her.
Then it pierced into her.
[Congratulations, you have regained your record.]
Once more, she became the Hero of Strength as crimson mana flapped about, twisting the air and creating cracks upon the ground.
She turned to Via, grinning.
"It's payback time," She said.
"Are you an idiot?" Via retorted, "Claire still has your sword. Or what, do you think you can beat me without a weapon? Do you think I'm that weak?"
Sora paused in her steps.
". . ."
The girl was right. She didn't know how to fight without a weapon. Sure, she could probably still defeat Via as she was a hero and the other wasn't but, looking at the bunny's expression which looked down on her as if she were an idiot, and realizing that this person was still Claire's companion at the end of the day, she took a moment to wonder if perhaps Via wasn't a broken character too?
"You're right. . .I'm sorry. . ." She said as her mana receded.
"Louder," Via replied. Naturally, she didn't believe she could defeat the Hero of Strength, but she had learned a thing or two from Claire after being dragged on this journey through being led by the nose: words were a type of strength. If this dolt thought she was as strong as Claire, why should she stop her?
oh my, Via's being corrupted by Claire, lmao.
Can’t beat them, join them xD
Thank you for the chapter!
Probably should have committed before now but was absorbed by this story... simply it's in my top 10 and we'll done you. Thank you for your hard work and I truly appreciate it ?
hmm,
Thanks for the chapter!