Chapter 91: First time
by fnovelpia
“An attack on the academy… you say?”
The saintess, who had been visiting a nearby village, was shocked by the conversation she overheard from patrons drinking in the tavern.
Though the event had sent shockwaves throughout the continent, the saintess had not been connected to Rudera and was only learning about it now.
“Excuse me, I need to ask you something.”
“…Huh? What’s this? It’s rude to ask someone a question without at least removing your hood…!”
Thud!
The saintess’s divine power surged, pressing down on the surrounding patrons.
“Hieek!”
The overwhelming force made the man she had spoken to realize that this person was not to be trifled with.
“A-Ask anything you wish!”
Bang!
“This can’t be happening! Not at this moment!”
After listening to the man’s explanation of the academy attack, the saintess hurriedly dashed out of the inn.
“At this point in time, there’s no way the GM would move like that!”
The academy was where her beloved husband resided.
If the GM had taken control of that place, then her husband was in danger.
“Yah!”
The saintess spurred her horse, galloping swiftly toward the academy.
“A guide…?”
“Yes, one created directly by the master.”
Ever since he heard the saintess’s story, Albus had considered the possibility.
If what she said about her experiences in a previous cycle was true, then the GM she called the evil god must have existed.
But she also said she had fought alongside him against the GM.
It didn’t make sense.
If I’m the GM, how could she have fought me by my side?
So, perhaps there was another GM besides me.
But…
“Why… guide? Why would you do such a thing…?”
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the one from the future would be the guide.
“I’m sorry, master.”
The being with the guide’s face forced an awkward smile.
“I guess I underestimated you, master. You weren’t supposed to find out.”
“Explain yourself, guide.”
If what the saintess said was true, and the guide had become the evil god, then…
That means the guide was trying to destroy the world in the future.
“Are you trying to destroy this world?”
“Not quite.”
Flash!
In a burst of light, the guide disappeared and reappeared behind Albus, wrapping her arms around him.
“It’s destruction, yes, but… let’s just say it’s a little different from what you think.”
Her soft hands encircled his waist, and her breath tickled his ear.
“Different? What do you mean?”
Albus shoved her away.
“Master’s cold demeanor… It hurts my heart.”
“Are you playing games with me?”
This behavior was nothing like the guide who had loyally followed him without emotion.
“I’ve always been sincere with you, master.”
Wuuum
A formless power gathered around the guide.
“Master, why don’t you just sleep for a little while? Don’t worry, everything I’m doing is for you.”
“You truly won’t explain, then?”
Albus also summoned his divine authority.
“If you really are the guide, then you know. What you’re doing now far exceeds what I can tolerate.”
“I’m sorry, master.”
Boom!
[Authority Revoked]
[Divine Power Neutralized]
The powers of the two gods clashed within Rudera, each trying to nullify and disarm the other.
“How can anyone accept your claim that this is for me, without giving any explanation, while hiding your true identity?”
“I know. But there’s nothing I can do about it either.”
Kwooooom!
The collision of divine forces caused massive distortions.
The sacred energy born from the faith of Rudera, which should have flowed toward Albus, was now siphoned by the future guide, hiding in the abyss and parasitically draining a significant portion of it.
“Master, you gave me all that divine power of yours.”
As the GM’s agent, she had been entrusted with the authority to manage the world.
Now, having traveled from the future with the power of Rudera’s season one final boss, she had grown powerful enough to rival Albus.
“And I’m going to use it to save you.”
Divine energy swirled around the two absolute beings.
Crackle
Zzzzzt
Albus could feel his strength waning little by little.
“Why…?”
Seeing Albus’s confusion, the guide offered a bitter smile.
“Even though all Rudera’s power originates from you, I’ve wielded it for a longer period of time.”
The guide, who had used the GM’s power over long ages in the future, had become adept at its use.
Even though Albus was the creator of Rudera, his control over his divine authority could not match hers.
“You just need to sleep for a while. I’ll take care of everything.”
A single tear rolled down from the guide’s eye.
Though she was a mechanical creation, incapable of crying, the guide was feeling sadness.
As she said, the divine power she wielded began to press down on Albus.
The tightening force of the divine energy.
Albus’s vision began to blur.
The guide’s power began to lull Albus’s consciousness into a deep slumber.
“Guide…!”
Albus’s hand trembled violently.
He gritted his teeth, clinging to the threads of his consciousness.
“I’m truly sorry, Master…”
The [Guide] had drawn close to Albus without him realizing.
Her hand gently stroked his cheek.
Finally, Albus’s grip on his awareness slipped, and he collapsed.
Thud
The [Guide] caught the falling Albus.
“I’ll handle everything from here.”
But then—
Flash
Though it seemed Albus had fallen asleep in the [Guide]’s arms, his eyes suddenly snapped open.
“Now, Carthesia!”
Crack!
!!!!
At the moment Albus called out the name of the ancient dragon, the [Guide]’s control over his consciousness wavered.
“What the—!”
Her body stopped obeying her commands.
“Kyaaa!”
Bzzzzt
As if shocked by electricity, the [Guide] writhed in agony.
- Give it back! My body! The body my master personally created for me!
The thread of consciousness connecting the future guide in the abyss to the present guide had been severed by Carthesia, allowing the original guide’s consciousness to surge back within her body.
“Why won’t anyone understand! It’s all for the master’s sake!”
The [Guide] grimaced, her bloodshot eyes narrowing in frustration.
- Deceiving the master for his own good? How could that ever make him happy?
Rumble
The guide’s body twitched and shuddered.
Inside, the two guides—one from the present and one from the future—engaged in a fierce battle for control.
[Authority Suspended]
[Body Frozen]
[Consciousness Bound]
Zzzzt
Due to the internal struggle, the guide’s powers lay in disarray, allowing Albus’s divine authority to reach her.
“Ugh!”
The guide’s body stiffened as if frozen solid.
[Nooo!!!]
Both the present and future guides were trapped inside the immobilized body.
Albus slowly approached the guide.
Wum
His hand gently touched her head.
[Record Visualization]
[Memory Reenactment]
A brilliant light burst from the guide’s forehead.
Wooooom
Before Albus’s eyes, a completely different world unfolded.
It was the past life, a world the guide had once experienced.
Wooooooooom
A power so vast it was incomprehensible.
[A human child has created a world and twisted the order of the universe through reckless indulgence.]
A colossal figure of unfathomable size.
[The order of the universe is sacred and absolute.]
The power it wielded was a system of such immense magnitude that even the ruler of Rudera could not hope to stand against it.
[Here, I bring an end to the chaos wrought by mortals.]
Kwoooooom
Transcendent divine energy bore down upon everything.
A power of destruction capable of erasing anything in its path closed in.
The guide, foreseeing her own annihilation, closed her eyes.
Even Albus, who had witnessed this past through the guide’s memories, was certain she would meet her end.
Boom!
But something blocked the destructive onslaught.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t be true, but there really is a transcendent being managing the universe.”
When the guide opened her eyes, she saw someone standing in front of her, halting the destruction.
“Guide! I can’t hold this much longer! In our current state, there’s no way to stop this!”
It was a future version of Albus, who had ascended over countless years to become a full-fledged god of Rudera.
“But I am the GM, the ruler of Rudera.”
Thud
Sweat dripped down the face of the future Albus as he held off the destruction.
“There is still one final option.”
Between the drops of sweat, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Wum
The guide’s body began to glow with a pure white light.
“No… Master…!”
The future guide, who had created a regression device with Albus in case of emergencies, realized what was happening.
Albus was squeezing out his last bit of strength to activate the device, using the guide as a catalyst to send her back to the past.
Originally, the device was meant to send Albus back, with the guide acting as the activator. However, it was impossible to halt the destruction and go back in time simultaneously.
Thus, Albus made the best choice available in that moment.
“Please, guide. I’m counting on you.”
“Masteeeeeer!”
Flash
The bright light obscured Albus’s vision as he relived the memories of the previous cycle through the guide’s eyes.
When his sight cleared again, Albus realized something crucial.
The world he saw was not the second cycle.
It was a different world altogether.
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