Ch.1102Whirlpool

Six hours until I face him head-on.

A time that’s short yet long… no, anyone would say it’s not long at all. Just a short time. Like the feeling of a prisoner climbing the scaffold.

[That evil god is coming? And this time with a complete physical body? That’s… an extremely dangerous situation.]

Hersella, who had started speaking again after I withdrew the divine star, expressed concern and worry, which was rare for her.

[Do you have any chance of winning?]

She even went so far as to ask about my odds.

‘Well… I wouldn’t say there’s absolutely none. Probably.’

A response with neither confidence nor basis—just wishful thinking.

Hersella didn’t seem to expect that I actually had a brilliant plan, as she didn’t press me further on how to win.

[What about retreating to the border for now?]

Instead, she tentatively suggested a strategy she’d come up with herself.

[That person… what’s his name… Perlien should be there, and perhaps the second reinforcements might have arrived. If you join forces with them…]

Of course, it wasn’t particularly fresh or innovative strategy.

‘It’s not that I haven’t thought of that… but I’m not sure it would help. They’re all mediocre fighters.’

I don’t know about Perlien, but those below his level would be absolutely no help.

How could humans who couldn’t even defeat Void monsters fight against an evil god? Fighting with their lives would only make them the enemy’s snacks.

‘Besides, if we’re pushed back there, it’s a highway straight to the Holy State.’

[Highway?]

‘It means a path is opened for advancing at maximum speed without interference. The damage would increase exponentially.’

[Hmm…]

Hersella trailed off as if contemplating something.

She personally wouldn’t care at all if masses of humans in the Holy State died, but she was probably considering other options because she knew I would hate that.

The fact that Hersella, who was usually busy mocking me, was being this serious was itself evidence of the gravity of the situation.

[Ah, right! That evil god, is he truly coming after us?]

Perhaps she’d thought of something good. Hersella suddenly asked something that seemed unimportant to me.

‘Probably. He might just be heading toward the Holy State, but… I think he is coming after me. Just a feeling, though.’

Is Invidius coming for me? I couldn’t answer with certainty. It’s not like I asked him where he was going.

It was just my intuition—which had been my reliable ally until now—telling me that I was his target. So either run or fight.

[Then there is a way. Not a way to win, but… at least a strategy that might buy us some time.]

‘What is it? Tell me.’

Hersella said it would only buy time, but even that would be a godsend for me.

If I could buy enough time, I could at least evacuate the people of the Holy State.

It would be difficult for me to alert them about the evil god’s appearance… but wouldn’t Lacy or Agnes handle it well?

A saint should be able to sense the appearance of an evil god, however faintly.

If they were overconfident and believed they could defeat the evil god themselves, that would be seriously problematic, but if not, they would probably take care of the evacuation on their own.

[So…]

Hersella quietly began explaining her strategy for buying time. After hearing it all, I found myself nodding in agreement.

Though it was nothing special—a simple and obvious method—it would definitely be effective if things went as expected.

‘Indeed… that might work.’

I agreed with her plan.

Not to win, but to buy as much time as possible to find any potential advantage within that time.

Five days passed like that.

======[ Three days ago, above the Sea of Dark Mana. ]======

Kuuuuung…!

Slowly walking across the Sea of Dark Mana, the Evil God of Envy suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The situation had changed.

【 Wh͕̫̱̀̀̅͑̕͜ere…】

His enemy, his prey was moving. At a pace similar to his own. Drawing a large arc southward.

The intention was unclear. Was it to lure him?

At least it was certain that they weren’t trying to escape. If they were fleeing, they would have headed straight east.

So why had his enemy suddenly turned south…?

…Kuuuuung!

The time for contemplation was brief. Instead of pondering the reason, Invidius immediately changed direction to pursue her.

Even while he paused to think, the time he could maintain his existence in the mortal world was steadily decreasing.

He could sense that some demigods had awakened, stimulated by his descent, but Invidius paid no attention to that.

If they attacked, he would simply devour and digest them, taking everything from them.

If they tried to stop him alone, it would actually be welcome. He could use their divinity as fuel to last longer in the mortal world.

Kuuuuung!

So Invidius walked. Without any hesitation. Staining the continent’s underground with hatred and hostility like mud.

…In fact, at this time, Invidius hadn’t anticipated that this chase, like a game of tag, would continue for five whole days, circling the entire Great Desert.

Anyway, five days later, Invidius finally reached beneath Haschal’s feet.

“…He’s coming. Everyone, prepare for battle!”

Haschal wasn’t the only one there.

“Open all gun ports! Prepare to fire! Crew, brace for impact!”

The airships that the Holy State had purchased from the Empire after lengthy negotiations, along with two airships dispatched by the Empire, opened all their gun ports and aimed at the ground.

Those on the deck and the elite few standing in the middle of the desert also drew their weapons, preparing for the desperate battle.

These weren’t people Haschal had called—they were support troops that Lacy and Agnes had gathered and dispatched to support her, within their means.

To minimize collateral damage, they had selected only those with sufficient ability, so their numbers were truly insignificant, but their fighting power was the best that could be mobilized within five days.

—-

About ten seconds after Haschal shouted to prepare for battle.

“It may be somewhat late to ask, but this monster below… will it truly rise to the surface? I’ve heard that such beings would be incinerated the moment they touch the ground.”

A masked Dragonborn standing on the deck quietly asked, looking down at the landscape below that showed no visible changes.

“He’ll come up.”

The man standing beside him nodded and answered.

“It’s certainly hard to believe… but Haschal said he would.”

“Hmm… I’ve heard that the things that woman confidently declares rarely come true as stated.”

“…That’s true, but that doesn’t mean nothing happens at all. The details might be slightly off, but the main points usually turn out to be correct.”

A woman holding a bow made from a branch of the World Tree interjected between the Dragonborn and the man.

“Hmph.”

The masked Dragonborn merely shrugged and gave a faint snort instead of answering. Despite his grumbling about how difficult it was to believe, he never took his eyes off the desert spread out below.

Millia, who had come to relieve Ophelia, didn’t press the matter further.

Honestly, even she wondered how many beings would be crazy enough to jump to the surface knowing they would burn to death.

And then,

Invidius answered that question with action, not words.

– Kugugugugung…!

A calamity struck the quiet desert. With vibrations echoing from deep underground, the desert sand began to darken and collapse.

Like a drop of ink falling on pure white paper, the darkness of evil spread like waves, releasing a pungent stench.

“Fire as soon as he emerges!”

As Haschal, who had volunteered as bait, released her divine form and soared into the air, a massive sinkhole opened beneath her feet like a gaping maw.

And then.

– Kwaooooooo!

In the center of the black sand pit that poured down like a waterfall.

From within the darkness that instantly expanded large enough to swallow a dragon whole.

Like a tidal wave, like a storm.

Like lightning from the ground surging toward the heavens.

【 Graaaaaaaaaaaaa—! 】

Evil took flight.

The Age of Mythology had begun.