Chapter 15: Craftsman and Lover – 2
by fnovelpia
GM
God of Rudera
How dare a mere mortal defy the natural order and wander through dimensions searching for his master!
Taking my master hostage to lure me in and then mocking me with this charade!
Emperor Ahenobarbus felt his fury rising and unleashed an immense aura.
A transcendent power that far surpassed the limits of a Grandmaster, reaching the realm of demigods.
He had even slain gods during his journeys through various dimensions, so he did not fear the GM.
“In this place, GM, I will reclaim my master from you!”
Thus, he charged at the GM with ferocity, swinging his fist.
Thunk.
“Ugh!”
In the next moment, he found himself rolling on the ground.
What was that?
He was certain his fist had reached the GM just moments ago.
He couldn’t comprehend the situation.
It was as if the time between his punch and his rolling on the ground had been erased.
“Ha… so, this is a god, huh.”
This was different from when he had killed a god in the past.
An attack that disregarded even his extremely developed perception.
A strength befitting a god who governs multiple dimensions.
Tap.
“Then I will just give it my all!”
Clenching his fists once more, he made a mighty leap.
After he was repelled, the shield protecting the GM vanished.
‘It probably isn’t the type of power he can maintain indefinitely.’
It didn’t make sense that someone could always maintain a shield strong enough to repel his attack.
Thinking this, Ahenobarbus unleashed an onslaught towards the GM.
In reality, the shield had disappeared because Albus had hastily deactivated the protocol out of fear that the Tower of Labyrinth might be deleted due to the emergency protocol, but Ahenobarbus was unaware of this.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The devastating attacks that could erase the very space they occupied were launched, but in the midst of the annihilation storm, the GM stood unaffected, as if the attacks had no impact on him.
After a long barrage of attacks, the first Emperor distanced himself from the GM.
“…Why.”
In the past, the god he killed had been tattered by this attack, yet the GM seemed completely unscathed.
Even though his attacks, which could now contain divine power after transcending human limits several times, the GM ignored all of them as if they didn’t exist.
“Ha.”
Crack.
The first Emperor grabbed his opposite shoulder with one hand and rotated his arm.
‘There is a difference in class.’
His strongest attack, imbued with divine power.
Its destructive power rivalled that of a god, but it couldn’t reach the GM.
‘Can I win?’
A sense of powerlessness.
It was the same feeling he had when he glimpsed a colossal creature from an outer dimension during his travels.
Defeat.
An unfamiliar word surfaced in his mind.
Shake.
‘No.’
Since the day he lost her and vowed never to be defeated again, he had not lost a single time.
Even the gods who looked down on mortals and tried to crush him for fun couldn’t withstand his fist.
Raising his head, the first Emperor noticed Solaris looking at him and the GM with a worried expression.
-Ah? I didn’t intend to save you, though? You just happened to emerge from the burning basement after I wiped out the bandits occupying the village.’
-Teach you how to fight? Why should I?
Suddenly, memories of the past came flooding back.
Memories of her, now unreachable, but never forgotten.
“I can’t back down!”
He clenched his fists tightly.
-It seems you don’t suit the sword. Want to try using your fists?’
-Yeah! You’ve got talent!
-The strongest fist that never backs down… Did you name your gauntlet yourself? Pfft. Ah, sorry. No, I’m really sorry! Okay, okay! Stop, stop! Ahaha!
“I can’t back down.”
Standing up, he blocked the GM, as if trying to protect Solaris.
He couldn’t lose her again because of his mistakes, the one who had sacrificed herself to protect him.
“Can’t back down, huh. Is it because of that woman?”
Watching him, the GM spoke.
“Didn’t you bring her here knowingly?”
Ahenobarbus growled and replied.
“Is that so.”
‘I did put a lot of effort into creating that NPC, but I didn’t expect a player to fall in love with her.’
Albus pondered as he looked down at the first Emperor.
‘I was too scared to handle it properly until now, but he can’t harm me anyway. As long as I’m in Rudera, I’m safe. The problem is, this man holds a tremendous grudge against me.’
As long as he possessed absolute power in Rudera, nothing could go wrong, but since his current face matched his real one, there was no telling what the first Emperor might do to him when he returned to reality.
A situation that had completely twisted due to repeated misunderstandings.
‘He seems to have a victim mentality or delusional disorder to some extent.’
Even if he told the truth, it was unlikely the enraged man would understand.
‘Is this really the first Emperor?’
His demeanour was so different from the great Emperor depicted in history books.
Albus felt a headache coming on.
How should he resolve this situation?
Snap.
‘Object coordinates changed.’
As the GM snapped his fingers, Solaris, who had been behind Ahenobarbus, suddenly found herself in the GM’s arms.
“…What!”
‘I have no choice. Could I play the boss role for a moment?’
Holding Solaris in his arms, Albus activated his power in succession.
‘Map background change.’
Thump.
An infinite space filled with countless stars.
A fictional space that would decorate the final floor of the Tower of Labyrinth surrounded the first Emperor and the GM.
“Then show me. Your true feelings for this woman.”
Clench.
The GM tightened his grip on Solaris.
“…You bastard!!!”
-What? You want to establish a nation? Didn’t you enjoy adventuring with me? Why settle down suddenly?
He played the role of a king, something he was never meant to be, for her sake.
-Wow… what’s this? You’ve become quite successful while I was away?
To provide a safe haven for her, he eliminated all the surrounding bothersome nations.
-…Huh? Live together? Protect me? Geez, you’ve grown up a lot. Now you even say you’ll protect me.
He erased the filthy nobles and mercenaries who targeted her.
He could even give up this nation for her.
-I’m sorry. I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but staying in one place isn’t really my style.
-And listen to this. How dare you, an apprentice, talk about protecting your master? You’re my disciple. If anyone is going to protect someone, it’s me who will protect you.
The day my master rejected me.
-How dare she refuse His Majesty and even strike him! Your Majesty! Shall I have the knights bring her in?’
-……No.
If only I had properly stopped my subordinate who wanted to bring her in.
‘
-Die, Emperor!
-No!
Stab
-Mas…Master! Why?
If only I hadn’t let my guard down and shown a weakness to the assassin.
No, if only I hadn’t been so distracted by my master that I allowed the assassin to enter, things wouldn’t have turned out that way.
The first emperor closed his eyes.
It had been hundreds of years for this moment.
For her alone, I wandered through countless dimensions to find her after she saved me and lost her life, and then reincarnated.
Flash
BOOM
As he concentrated and opened his eyes, an enormous energy began to surge from his body.
After a long journey, he finally found her.
The one who saved me, raised me, protected me, and taught me.
My first and last love.
The one who could have been my mother.
Now it’s my turn to protect her.
Clench
The fist she helped me create.
A fist that can only be used to protect her.
A fist that became strong for her.
If I don’t use it now, when will I ever use this fist?
Thud
A massive amount of divine energy condensed around Ahenobarbus.
BOOM
A deafening explosion reverberated from within him.
Ding
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL 375 -> 526]
Ding
[Achievement Unlocked!]
[Union of Divine Power and Authority]
[Acquired Divinity]
Ding
[You are the first player to acquire divinity. A hidden reward has been granted, and a new class has been given.]
Numerous system messages appeared before his eyes, but he was too focused to notice them.
Wooo
The moment when a new god, the God of Fists, Ahenobarbus, was born in a human body.
……What?
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
I felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the scene.
“Fine. I will grant you what you desire, O God of Rudera.”
Snap
“I will crush you and reclaim her!”
Boom
He launched himself towards the GM.
The space between him and the GM folded and shrank.
‘Master.’
Just as Ahenobarbus’s hand was about to reach the GM’s hand holding Solaris,
Thunk
“What!”
The GM caught Ahenobarbus’s fist with one hand.
Even though he had just acquired divinity, and an overwhelming aura of divine power was swirling around the first emperor, the GM received it without a scratch.
“Wh-why.”
On the other hand, the eyes of the first emperor, who had swung his power with the feeling that he could accomplish anything, were violently shaken.
Blocked?
My final strike, even after gaining divinity?
An overwhelming sense of helplessness engulfed him.
Will I lose you again, master…?
“Remarkable, child of man.”
Then the GM spoke.
“Please take care of this child.”
……?
Srrrng
Wrapped in a holy light, the GM’s figure disappeared.
Thunk
Ahenobarbus caught Solaris, who was falling in midair as the GM vanished.
As the GM disappeared, the surroundings returned to the temple of the evil god.
I couldn’t even leave a scratch on him with all my might.
Instead, he could have torn me apart.
But why did he give me Solaris and leave?
Why did he say to take care of her?
The first emperor’s mind became exceedingly complex.
“Hmmm….”
At that moment, Solaris, held in his arms, opened her eyes.
“Mas-Master!”
Blank stare
The first emperor panicked at the sight of Solaris, but she just gazed at him with clear eyes.
……I see.
“You forgot.”
In the process of reincarnating through the cycle of life, she lost her memories.
No wonder she doesn’t remember me.
Just as he bit his lip in bitter realization,
Flick
“Foolish disciple.”
!!!!!
Solaris flicked him on the head.
“Doing such dangerous things…. Didn’t I tell you not to?”
The scolding from his master that he longed to hear.
He didn’t realize it when she was there, but once she was gone, he missed it painfully.
“Master…! No way!”
“Yes, foolish disciple. I remember everything now.”
“Massterrr!”
The first emperor cried like a child as he hugged his long-lost master tightly.
“Haaaaaah!”
The grown-up god’s sobs echoed through the grand temple.
Now he understood.
The true reason the GM lured him here.
Why he acted as his enemy.
To draw out his true feelings and form divinity.
To restore his master’s memories.
“To think he played the role of the villain for me and my master… No, for us.”
The GM never looked down on him as a mere mortal from the beginning.
It was all done to ensure a proper reunion with his master.
“O GM, why…!”
It was the moment a new faith in the GM was born.
“Ahhh! I need to log out quickly!”
Meanwhile, the GM hurriedly tried to log out, worried that his friends might think it strange that he was late.
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