“What did you say?”

Miko stood up, his eyes trembling in his head. Tia stood there smiling. No, she was rocking side to side.

“Shit…”

She leaned on the tree trunk, fell off the tree branch, and crashed into the ground below.

“Huh?”

Miko looked down and saw her crawling on the ground.

“I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I forgot that Bacchus’ wine was the strongest in the world, second only to Ninkasi’s. Why did I drink it so fast?”

“H-Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m a goddess crawling on the ground like a caterpillar…What do you think?”

Tia stopped moving and covered her mouth with a pale face.

“Dammit, which goddess is making the earth rotate so fast? Can’t they see that I’m dying here?”

“…..This is a goddess? I don’t why but I kinda feel disappointed.”

“Tia!”

Miko turned his head and saw Momo flying on a staff.

“Wait for…Ugh!”

She bent over holding her mouth with her hands.

“You too?!”

Momo jumped off the staff and landed beside Tia. She stumbled back and forth before spreading her arms and steadied her breathing.

“I’m fine….The earth is spinning but I’m still fine.”

Miko sighed. He jumped down and landed between them.

“Can we get back to what you were saying earlier? Why would thousands of proxies come for my head?”

“What?”

Momo’s posture straightened up. A golden light covered her body and the intoxication in her eyes disappeared.

“Could you explain what he’s talking about, Tia?”

“First, could you prepare a bag for me?”

“Just purify the alcohol from your blood as I did.”

“…..Fine.”

Tia’s body was engulfed in light. She stood firm and showed no signs of intoxication.

“This defeats the purpose of drinking in the first place, but I’ll let it slide considering the situation.”

She snapped her fingers and the world lost all of its colors. Miko quickly noticed that all sounds and movement had vanished as well.

“Did you just freeze time?!”

Momo looked around both shocked and excited.

“What we’re about to talk about is something confidential. So I can’t afford for anyone to eavesdrop.”

A white table with gold rimmings appeared between them along with three chairs to match. Tia took a seat, Miko and Momo did the same.

“Before I explain, Miko don’t you have a question you’re dying to ask?”

“……I do.”

He glanced at Momo and back at Tia.

“What am I?”

Momo’s eyes widened while Miko continued.

“I know myself more than anyone else. I know that I’m not human, at least not fully. If you trace my heritage, you’ll see that I have an extravagant lineage.”

He started to count off his fingers.

“My maternal grandfather, your grandson, has inherited your genes which make him part Dragon, sea god, and chaos entity. While my mother’s mother is the daughter of the Norse Goddess Hel making her a true Demi-Goddess. As for my father, he’s a descendant of a clan of humans who became demons by devouring the flesh of one of the Great Kings of Hell. My human blood comes from you and Hel’s husbands.”

He revealed his complex lineage.

“Everyone originally thought that I’m the way I am because of the various bloodlines mixing together. However, that was proven false after the birth of my siblings. It became apparent I was the problem, the abnormality.”

His gaze was fixed on Tia.

“I don’t consider myself human and the chances of me being a god is low. If I had to choose, I’m like a mixture of a demon and a beast. However, I’m not sure. That’s why I’m asking you, who is the Matriarch of our clan….What am I?”

“Looks like you won’t be able to move forward unless I answer your question.”

Miko nodded.

“Alright, I’ll be honest.”

She took a breath and said-

“You’re a freak of nature.”

Momo’s eyes sharpened.

“You can glare all you want but it’s the truth.”

Tia remained unbothered.

“Miko, your existence goes against the very order of the universe. To be blunt, you’re not supposed to exist.”

She didn’t mince her words.

“Among us Higher Beings, we have a name for existences like you.”

She smiled.

“We call you Irregulars.”

“Irregulars?”

Momo was confused because it was the first time she’s ever heard that word used in such a manner.

Tia nodded.

“Beings who are born outside the laws of the universe under different conditions. They come in all forms shapes and sizes, but are all destined to destroy the balance of the world just by existing. We call them Irregulars or glitches in reality.”

“Destroy the balance of the world? Isn’t that exaggerating?”

Momo was skeptical.

“Overexaggerating? There was once a sword that suddenly appeared in the world, without anyone forging it, during the War For Supremacy. This sword had the ability to cut through everything in the world, with no exceptions. That’s right. It could cut anything. Even the heavens and the hells. In fact, there was one incident where the world of the Japanese gods, Takama-ga-hara, was split down the middle by this sword. It was even used to slay the Buddhist god of hell Yama (Enma in Japan). Because of its unnatural sharpness, this sword was referred to as the True Sword. However, it was destroyed by the god of destruction, Shiva.”

“True Sword?”

Miko questioned the title.

“Irregulars all have a title which best described them and it always has ‘ True’ at the beginning.”

“If that’s the case, what’s my title?”

“Who knows?”

Tia shrugged.

“I know that you’re an Irregular, but I don’t know what’s your true nature. I know you have some powerful menacing power inside you, but I don’t know what kind of power it is.”

“From the way you talk, it seems like no one else except you know that I’m an Irregular.”

Tia noticed the look in Miko’s eyes kept changing throughout the conversation.

“Correct. I hid your existence by making it look like your power is from your lineage, but I don’t think I can hide it forever.”

“From your tone, I take it that Irregulars aren’t welcomed. Is this the reason why everyone around me is in danger?”

“That’s right. Irregulars are extremely dangerous. They threaten the very survival of us higher beings. Hence, we tend to try to eliminate them from early stages as a precaution before they grow beyond our control.”

She pointed at him.

“You may have given up on everything, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re a major threat. When news of you eventually gets out, some of the world’s most powerful Gods will send their Proxies here to destroy you.”

She pointed at Momo.

“And everyone in your family.”

Miko’s eyes instantly darkened. Black mist seeped out of his trembling body.

“Calm down, Miko.”

Momo grasped Miko’s shoulder and turned her attention to Tia.

“Why would they come for everyone?”

“Why wouldn’t they? I mean our clan is filled with people who spat in the face of gods over and over again. This clan is kinda famous for rebelling against the heavens and the hells. Also, do you think that the clan would give Miko up so easily? Most might, but your grandfather and the other branch leaders wouldn’t. So what do you think would happen?”

“An all-out war against the rest of the world….”

Tia nodded and turned to the fuming Miko.

“Everyone here is my children, I don’t want them to die and I’m sure you don’t either.”

“……..”

Miko silently clenched his fists.

“Just so you know, as an Irregular you’ll naturally become strong over time but that won’t be enough to take on the world.”

She stretched her hand out to Miko.

“You’ll need help, all the help possible or we’re all dead.”

“You too?”

“I hid the fact that you’re an Irregular and is attempting to make a contract with you. I’ve clearly betrayed everyone, so they’ll want my head too.”

She smiled.

“So we’re in this shitty situation together.”

“……..”

Miko remained silent for a bit before gritting his teeth.

“So even if I stay idle I will hurt those around me just by existing? Then what was the point of those five years where I did nothing but live?”

“Are you angry?”

Tia stood up and approached him.

“If so, then you must make it known to the world. Show them that Miko isn’t someone who will roll over and die.”

Miko looked her in the eyes.

“You don’t need to give me a pep talk. I’ve already decided to become your Proxy.”

Tia’s face brightened up with a smile.

“However, I won’t fight this war to make you the Supreme Being.”

He pointed at himself.

“I’m going to take the throne for myself.”

Tia and Momo’s eyes widened.

“Hearing what you said made me realize, everything that happened to me was because I was not strong enough. If I was strong enough no one would dare try to kill me, then my mother wouldn’t have suffered that much. If I was strong I wouldn’t have to ignore everyone’s scorn, they’ll be too afraid to even think about it.”

(If we were strong enough we could’ve lived a peaceful life without a single worry in the world.)

Miko nodded to the voice in his head.

“Only one person won’t have to worry about any of this.”

“The Supreme Being.”

Tia laughed.

“I don’t know if you can do it but it will be fun to see you try. I don’t really care who ends up on the throne, as long as this war can end with my children alive and well.”

She stretched her hand out to him.

“…….”

Miko looked at it for a while before standing up and grasping it.

“In return for granting you my power, you will bring an end to this war. Do we have a deal?”

Miko nodded.

“Then let’s seal the Proxy Contract here.”

The ground lit up. A magic circle with the symbol of a dragon rising out of the sea appeared underneath Tia and Miko.

“Warrior, Miko, do you swear to fight for me, bring glory to my name, and create a legend in my story?”

“I swear.”

Blood flowed from Miko’s right eye and down his cheek. The same thing happened to Tia. The blood tears fell off their chins and hit the ground. The magic circle absorbed the drops of blood and took their color. Tia nodded and the seal turned into light and shot into both of their bodies. Immediately after, a gold chain appeared and linked the two together. The chain disappeared and a dragon’s roar came from inside Miko’s body.

“Congratulations, Miko.”

Tia smiled at him.

“You’re now a Proxy.”