Ch.1280Why Would You Make Such a Choice?

Reality is often stranger and more unbelievable than dreams.

I had expected a final battle with an undead lord intoxicated by religious madness, but what I actually faced was a woman who had changed her profession from Pope to Saint by sacrificing her Y chromosome.

Like the dementia-ridden sword Valenstein who became the most shameful existence after living a life full of shame.

Hard to believe, but that was reality.

“Ha….”

I was at a loss for words.

I was already dizzy from the ghost sword that transformed from corpse to girl, from girl to maid, and finally to a human sprayer, but now Garmerlic had become a woman too?

It’s the end times, truly. What a crazy world. How is this reality? Shouldn’t this be a dream?

…Well, let’s put that aside for now.

What I need to worry about now isn’t whether this is a dream or reality, but why he transformed into such a body.

‘Just why…?’

What could be the reason?

If it had been unavoidable like with the ghost sword or me, that would be one thing, but otherwise, what benefit could there be in choosing a female body?

If he had been a woman from the beginning, that would be different, but for a sturdy man to become a woman’s body is nothing but disadvantageous in combat.

This isn’t a discriminatory statement, but I know well because I’ve experienced it. The problems that arise when suddenly transformed into such a body.

Decreased strength, lower weight class, and the sensory disconnect caused by the mismatch between combat experience engraved in the subconscious and the actual physical body.

Those were just three obvious disadvantages that came to mind, and all three were significant losses in close combat.

You ask if I didn’t become stronger?

Well, that’s an exception. In my case, I didn’t simply become a woman, but possessed a body that was already strong to begin with.

Even then, for a while I struggled despite having such strength because I couldn’t adapt to the differences in experience and sensation.

If it weren’t for the Great Disaster, wouldn’t I have followed a smooth growth path as an academy student with moderate achievements?

Or maybe not.

Anyway, Garmerlic transformed himself into a woman’s body, accepting the practical disadvantages and the risk of his identity being altered, while suppressing psychological resistance.

Why?

It must be because he has a purpose that must be achieved even at such a cost.

And his purpose—his fundamental purpose—is only one.

The resurrection or rebirth of Bellona, the goddess of death.

In other words, Garmerlic needed to transform himself into a female body for Bellona’s resurrection.

In the detailed process of that absurd plan, to do something that would be impossible with a male body… something only a woman could do.

‘Something only a woman can do…’

Thinking about it that way, there was just one thing that came to mind.

Though it seemed like an insane idea that left me dumbfounded, there was exactly one possibility that I could be certain of, with no other reason possible.

“Hey, about that ridiculous delusion of yours to resurrect the goddess of death…”

So what exactly is it? It’s obvious, isn’t it?

“…Could it be that you planned to give birth to her yourself?”

To become the vessel that would birth a goddess.

In this world where gods, magic, and different races exist, the one thing only women can do is obviously pregnancy and childbirth, right?

Isn’t that so?

—-

Garmerlic became a woman to give birth to the goddess of death.

I was certain that was the answer. 100%—no, 140% certain. Because there could be no other explanation.

“What did you say?”

However, Garmerlic’s face showed astonishment bordering on incredulity when he heard those words.

Incredulity. Not the dismay or embarrassment of having his purpose discovered, but the incredulity of hearing nonsense he couldn’t have imagined.

“Give birth? Birth? No, that, ha, what ridiculous nonsense. What on earth is in your head…”

He was so dumbfounded that he spoke in a normal voice instead of the majestic voice that imitated the celestial gods.

…What? Did I guess wrong?

No, that can’t be. There was not a single error in my reasoning. So it couldn’t be wrong…

“What? Don’t tell me you weren’t trying to give birth to the goddess…”

“What birth are you talking about, you crazy woman…”

Surprisingly, it seems that was my misunderstanding. Seeing Garmerlic in front of me sighing deeply with a face that momentarily forgot even hostility.

“…Well, never mind. I know it’s pointless to explain with words to a monkey who only has strength.”

“Why blame me for your terrible explanation? Ask a hundred people on the street whether this is my problem or yours.”

[It would be your problem.]

‘I’m hearing things. Is this mental magic?’

Yeah, invalid~ghosts don’t get a say!

If it bothers you so much, try shouting so the whole world can hear instead of whispering only to me.

Hey everyone, Hersella has something to say!

……

Yeah, nothing.

Once again, Hersella’s voice failed to reach not just the whole world, but even Garmerlic right in front of me.

In other words, silence. Silence means consent. So I can say Hersella agreed with me. Perfect syllogism.

“What a beast needs is not words but a whip. Don’t you agree, Austica Median!”

As if ending this disjointed conversation, Garmerlic raised the thorn sword in his right hand. The mist flowing along his arm gathered on the black blade, flickering ominously.

“Where did you hear that name? Ah, no need to answer. I’m not that curious.”

Right, what does it matter whether man or woman? The essence remains the same—an enemy that must be killed by any means necessary.

“So just let me hear your death throes!”

Regaining my fighting spirit that had momentarily wavered at the shocking reality, I spurred the dragon skull and charged like lightning toward him.

The thorn sword imbued with the power of death. The oath sword imbued with the power of stars.

The two blades forged by heaven clashed with transcendental divinity of a different caliber than before.

Thunder roared across heaven and earth.

—-

“…You blocked it.”

The first strike was intercepted by his thorn sword. Even though Rotholandus’s power of severance was unleashed on my blade.

“Did you think I couldn’t block it?”

“Not particularly?”

I see, even when striking directly with the sword rather than from a distance, he can neutralize the spatial severance itself.

Unpleasant, but not unexpected. It’s an ability he had already demonstrated before, so he must have prepared countermeasures.

If he were such a fool, he wouldn’t have been my match in the first place.

【 Defying Fate 】

【 Coffin of Rest 】

In the world of stopped time that I reflexively deployed, the woman shrouded in black mist swung her left arm toward me with composure.

A defensive power similar to my mana resistance, blocking the effects of abilities harmful to oneself.

Before it was just “Rest,” but perhaps because it had grown stronger, its name and manifestation method had changed slightly.

――! ――! ―――!!

Three clashes continued in the stopped time. The shockwaves that erupted froze in mid-air like rings of light.

And then, Defying Fate itself was released as it reached its time limit.

– Kwaooooo―!

Simultaneously, the released rings of light exploded with indescribable sound, pulverizing everything in all directions.

– Kurrrrrung…!

The impact reached the ceiling of Naraka, causing the barely stable ground to collapse with a rumble, triggering a meteor shower of falling rocks.

As if wary of the moonlight that would pour down like a waterfall, Garmerlic flapped the dragon wings and quickly moved sideways.

“Stopping time is meaningless. Then, as now.”

At the same time, he sneered at me as I was blown back by the pressure of the clash.

“I know that, bastard!”

Twisting my body into a backflip and reversing. Kicking off the empty air behind me, accelerating by spewing karma flames. Charging toward him once again.

【 True End 】

Black currents forming and rippling in my charging path.

Spewing karma flames with my right hand to sharply change direction, and with a ripping sound, the space where black energy had condensed was cut away.

It was the position where my neck would have been if I hadn’t changed direction abruptly.

“You too, are doing the same things now as you did then!”

A curse-type ability that interferes with space to behead the opponent.

Having experienced this ability before, it wasn’t difficult to counter. Although it had become stronger and faster, its essence remained the same.

“Does it seem that way?”

Garmerlic swung down his right-hand sword through the air.

– Kwajijik…!

The next moment, the space in front of him tore open and spread wide. Like the maw of a monster facing its prey.

And then.

【 Negation Torrent 】

Millions of spirits that had been writhing and swirling inside the gaping maw all burst forth at once.

– Kiiiiaaaaaaaaaak!!

A river of grayish-black spirits, driven mad with infinite hatred toward the living, surged forward with distant wailing.

They rushed forward in a straight line, then suddenly spread in all directions, covering everything like a tsunami.

– Kieeeeek!

– Kyaaaaaaak!

Wailing that seemed to resonate with each other, beating at me from all directions.

“What is this now…”

I bit my lip against the oncoming headache and nausea, looking around.

Front, back, left, right, plus above and below.

As if I had fallen into a river made of spirits, every visible space was filled with them.

This was a new ability I had no memory of.