Three days had passed since the battle.
The wounded had been treated, and peace returned to the Superd village.
Over those three days, we stood guard against further enemies while resting.
It wasn't that we did nothing, but nothing of note happened either.
Truly peaceful, uneventful time flowed by.
Zanoba seemed quite exhausted, spending most of each day asleep.
I worried it might be a serious injury, but the doctor said it was just muscle soreness.
Apparently it was his first time ever experiencing muscle soreness. "My whole body is falling apart… Julie, I'm about to die. I've taught you everything. Carry on with your training even after I'm gone," he declared, leaving behind what sounded like a deathbed testament.
Julie nodded through tears, though her eyes burned with resolve—so I couldn't help but find it amusing.
I rushed over, grabbed Zanoba's hand, and said, "Zanoba, I swear on the God I worship—I will definitely complete the automaton. Leave it to me. Divine power is rich nourishment, and it shall grant those who have lost their strength the power to rise again—'Healing.'" And I healed him on the spot.
After that, Zanoba rose with a look of near-miracle and helped me repair the MK.I.
Julie stood there, dumbfounded.
Atoufeh was comparatively well-behaved inside the village.
When I wasn't looking, she'd gotten the villagers to build her a throne out of timber and was teaching the warriors combat techniques, but nothing came of it.
Eris had apparently joined in on that.
Shandor watched Atoufeh's antics with a somewhat embarrassed air, though shadows occasionally fell across his expression.
He must have been thinking about Alek after all.
When I asked whether he'd like the Dragon Sword returned, he said it was spoils of war, so I should use it as I pleased.
After hearing a story like that, I couldn't very well bring myself to wield it.
I say this as someone who relies entirely on the Magic Armor, but using it too much might wear it down.
For now, I'd leave it with Orsted and borrow it back when the time came.
Ruijerd spent all day, every day, with Norn.
Or rather, Norn followed Ruijerd around like a little chick wherever he went.
Watching him teach her all kinds of things reminded me of how Eris and I had once been.
Norn was so diligent.
…Diligent was a good thing, right?
Doga was immensely popular with the women and children.
When we'd first arrived in the village, they'd been afraid of him, but his selfless work during the epidemic seemed to have bridged the gap. They accepted each other now.
Recently, he'd been making carved wooden figurines with his honest, simple face and playing with the children.
Orsted was a little lonely that nobody threw balls at him anymore.
The medical team, seeing that the Superd's recovery was progressing well, shifted their focus to researching the epidemic.
They were examining the village's food supply and investigating the cause of the disease—or rather, collecting samples.
They'd probably compile everything into documentation once they returned to the Asura Kingdom.
Cliff, Elinalise, and Ginger—the three of them had been dispatched to the second city, Irel.
We'd taken prisoners from the Kingdom of Biheiril and sent a fresh set of demands.
We needed someone to receive their reply.
I assigned two shaved-headed Superd warriors as bodyguards, but if Geese's operation wasn't over yet, there was a risk of being picked off one by one. I was worried.
As for me, it was time for the post-battle review.
Once again, there were many points to reflect on.
Especially that part where I was dropped into the canyon. That was bad.
Why had I assumed Geese wouldn't use magical tools?
I needed to think through that part more carefully before the next encounter.
I couldn't help getting hit, but at least I wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.
Incidentally, the "Atoufeh Hand" had reverted back to my normal right hand, and I'd restored it using a healing magic scroll.
When I absentmindedly groped Eris's chest with that hand, I caught a clean hook to the jaw and wasted half a day.
Then there was that magic.
The magic I'd used in the final fight against Alek.
I'd tried to replicate that sensation several times before I forgot it, but I couldn't get it to work.
It was probably gravity magic, but I needed some kind of catalyst to try again.
I'd experienced firsthand just how powerful gravity magic could be in this battle.
Also, I had to rethink the teleportation circles.
If I installed them in various places, the enemy would naturally use them too.
Going forward, I'd need to implement countermeasures for that.
Even so, three days had passed and the teleportation circle still hadn't recovered.
On the second day, I'd summoned Arumanfi and confirmed there was no problem with my family… but the circle's recovery was slower than expected.
There might be some problem unrelated to the Man-God.
I was worried.
Still, worrying too much wouldn't help.
I had to do what I could do.
---
Day four.
The envoys who'd been dispatched to the second city of Irel returned.
They brought a reply from the Kingdom of Biheiril.
A single letter, filled with all sorts of lengthy prose.
"King Biheiril wishes to meet with you. If you can deal with the forces on Ogre Island, he's willing to consider the matter of the Superd."
That was the gist of it when summarized.
It seemed quite likely that this village would be permitted to survive.
They'd returned remarkably quickly, but perhaps because the letter had been written in haste, the handwriting was smudged—though the seal was genuine.
The forces on Ogre Island referred to Moore and the others that Atoufeh had left behind.
Under Atoufeh's orders, they'd taken the Ogre villagers hostage and were holding out.
So far, it didn't seem like the Ogre God was forcibly putting them down…
Well, the point was to discuss the cleanup.
"…Alright."
We didn't have any major demands beyond the Superd situation.
We needed to ask about Geese, but that was about it.
"If that's the case, then let's go."
I'd bring some Superd along.
Depending on the negotiations, if the Superd were going to continue living within the Kingdom of Biheiril, we should show our faces so they'd be accepted.
Otherwise, something like this could happen again.
Though on the flip side, a citizens' group might see the Superd and organize protest demonstrations.
I kind of wanted to arrange a ceremony where the Ogre God and the Superd chief shook hands…
While thinking along these lines, I selected the team.
For combat readiness: Eris, Atoufeh, Shandor, and Ruijerd.
For negotiations: Cliff of the Millis Church, with Elinalise as his attendant.
Plus two Superd warriors, and we'd head for the capital.
The rest would stay behind at the Superd village to prepare for a potential ambush.
Also, not part of the team, but the prisoners needed to be returned.
In a somewhat sad development, the return of prisoners hadn't even been demanded.
Still, it was a gesture of goodwill.
That said, there was a possibility the negotiations could fall apart, so I'd keep one prisoner as leverage.
Thinking this, I moved to the hut where the prisoners had been staying.
Inside, the two prisoners sat in silence, staring into space.
When they saw me, they regarded me with suspicious eyes.
"So, how was the Superd village?"
"…"
"It was a pretty nice place, wasn't it?
Lots of beautiful women, and the kids were lively.
The food was a bit rustic, but it tasted decent.
The warriors were surly, but they're not hostile toward humans—I hope you could see that."
The prisoners had been allowed to live freely for a few days.
Of course, I'd had guards watching them, confiscated their weapons, and stripped them naked once to confirm they weren't disguised, but beyond that, I'd tried to treat them with hospitality.
I'd told the Superd to welcome them as guests, and indeed, the Superd had been kind to the prisoners.
They'd never been restrained.
Within the village, they could walk around freely, and even outside, they were permitted to go as long as a Superd escort accompanied them.
I wasn't worried about them escaping.
I was worried about them being attacked by Transparent Wolves.
Incidentally, over those two days I'd also taken them on a Transparent Wolf hunt so they could see for themselves what kind of monsters they were.
As for the food, it was whatever was available locally.
There was still a slight risk of the epidemic, but there was nothing else to eat, so it couldn't be helped.
I'd had them drink it alongside Salkus tea.
"…Well, I'll admit we were more misled by rumors than we thought."
The knights had looked despairing when they'd first been captured, but now they were relaxed.
I didn't think I'd fully conveyed all the Superd's good points yet.
But I believed I'd at least left a positive impression.
As for the other one, I'd let him enjoy himself a little longer.
It would be terrifying if the moment I left, he ripped off a face mask and said something like, "Heh heh, actually I was the Man-God's spy"…
Well, I'd chosen them at random, and I'd been thorough with the physical examinations when bringing them to the village.
Orsted and Cliff had examined them carefully as well, and we were keeping one behind… It should be fine.
"I'm going to negotiate with the kingdom now, so I'll be taking one of you back. I'd like to leave the higher-ranking one here, if that's acceptable?"
"Understood."
One of the knights nodded, and the other stood up.
Well-mannered, the pair of them.
If these two had some personal grudge and one decided to sacrifice the other, that would be unfortunate…
Well, the kingdom had essentially agreed to our terms.
In that case, we had to meet and talk.
And with that, we departed from the Superd village.
---
Four more days later.
The negotiation with the king went smoothly.
The King of Biheiril was frightened.
His demeanor was regal enough, but he was on edge about every word and gesture I made, and he was visibly intimidated by the mere presence of Eris, Ruijerd, and Atoufeh.
"I was only being threatened by the Sword God and the North God," he explained—using pompous language to say it indirectly.
He admitted to sheltering the monkey-faced demon in the castle and that Geese had swapped in to replace him only when I arrived.
I'd had him remove all his rings and used an Absorption Stone on him, and it seemed Geese wasn't currently impersonating him.
But sure enough, the king at that time had been Geese.
We'd been completely had.
He might have been doing voice mimicry or something—what incredible acting ability.
In any case, when I pressed him firmly while naming the prisoners, he quickly agreed that if we could deal with the forces on Ogre Island, he would fully recognize the Superd.
We weren't asking for enormous reparations or territorial concessions—just recognition for the people who had lived in this country all along and contributed to it.
Furthermore, the deployment of the subjugation force that had created this situation had been Geese's unilateral decision.
The king could only swallow the bitter pill and accept.
On top of that, if he rejected our demands here, his ties with the Ogre race would be severed.
The Kingdom of Biheiril would be seen as abandoning the Ogre prisoners.
Given how closely tied this country was to the Ogre race, losing those bonds would mean the end of the kingdom.
---
And so, we arrived at the third city, Heilerl.
A port town where, in the far distance, you could vaguely make out an island that looked like a volcano.
I'd wait here while Atoufeh and Shandor crossed over to Ogre Island to negotiate with the Ogre God.
As envoys, Atoufeh and Shandor would head to Ogre Island.
I wanted to cross to Ogre Island myself, but the MK.I couldn't board a ship—there was no vessel that could bear its weight.
With the Ogre God's actions still unpredictable, I'd concluded it was better not to leave the MK.I's side.
If the negotiations with the Ogre God went smoothly and the prisoners on Ogre Island were freed, our business in the Kingdom of Biheiril would be done.
The Superd would be permitted to live near the forest entrance rather than by the canyon.
The cause of the epidemic was still unknown, but they should be far enough away from it.
Relocating would be somewhat troublesome, but my work was essentially finished.
I still had to consider the possibility of a final battle with the Ogre God…
But the Sword God and the North God were both gone now.
There had to be a chance of victory.
Even if Geese still had forces remaining, if things looked too dire, we could retreat to the forest and regroup.
"…"
Lost in these thoughts, I climbed the lighthouse with Eris and Ruijerd as my guards and gazed out at the sea.
It had been a while since I'd seen the ocean. The sea was wonderful—vast and grand.
Under the clear sky stretched an endless expanse of water.
On the horizon, an island was faintly visible—that was supposedly Ogre Island.
I'd expected it to be shaped like an ogre's face, given the name, but it was just a regular island.
It was apparently a volcanic island, with smoke rising from the mountains.
From this vantage, it had a certain grandeur and eeriness, but nothing overtly sinister.
If anything, it looked rather plain.
It was called Ogre Island simply because the Ogre race lived there.
Of course, I hadn't climbed the lighthouse just to admire the sea.
The reason was a single point on the open water.
A ship approaching Ogre Island.
The ship carrying Atoufeh and Shandor.
Standing in this lighthouse, I'd use my Clairvoyance to watch over their negotiations.
And if the negotiations failed and the Ogre God went berserk, or if Geese showed up at the meeting unannounced, my plan was to fire a large-scale spell from this position.
It would be messy—involving innocent Ogres on the island and potentially derailing the negotiations with the Kingdom of Biheiril.
But if Geese really did show up, I would fire.
"…Hey, Rudeus, can you actually see them?" Eris asked.
"I can. Want me to explain?"
"No need."
I smiled wryly at her words and continued my reconnaissance.
With Clairvoyance, I could only see a portion of the island.
But in that portion, in a convenient spot, I could see a group of people gathered.
On the beach.
That was where we'd designated as the meeting place.
There stood the Ogre God, Marta—an enormous figure even among Ogres.
Around him were what appeared to be Ogre warriors.
Some of them had bandages wrapped around them, suggesting there had been several skirmishes.
Facing them were eerie knights clad in black armor.
The Atoufeh Royal Guard. Moore's group was among them.
They might have sustained some injuries, but from what I could see, they were largely unharmed.
As expected—they'd been overwhelmingly stronger than the Ogre warriors.
Still, who knew how things would go against the Ogre God in a real fight, and with the village held hostage, they probably hadn't clashed.
Behind the Atoufeh Royal Guard, I could make out roughly five Ogre women and children who appeared to be hostages, bound.
But if there had been fighting, there must have been casualties.
This could get complicated.
Watching with a racing heart, I saw that after Atoufeh and Shandor arrived, half the hostages were promptly released. Then the Ogre God and Shandor spoke about something, and the gathering dispersed.
I didn't know what had been said, but the Ogre God's shoulders were slumped.
The downside of Clairvoyance was not being able to hear anything.
---
"Rudeus!"
The next day.
I was sleeping at an inn in the third city of Heilerl when Eris's voice woke me.
"…What is it, honey? Let me sleep a little longer."
Thinking this, I reached to grope her chest, but my hand was brushed away.
Can't be too pushy. She'd resort to violence.
But honestly, this was my fault for trying to touch her when we were being abstinent.
"They're here!"
"What is?"
"That guy!"
Eris shouted and ran out of the room.
I wished she'd stop communicating by instinct.
Someone as intellectual as myself couldn't understand such vague terms.
"That guy…?"
I sat up, still half-asleep.
Rubbing my bleary eyes, I looked out the window.
There, a group of people with dark reddish-black hair had gathered in front of the inn.
"—That guy!"
I scrambled out of the room and ran downstairs.
"…"
The Ogre God was sitting cross-legged in front of the inn.
Around him, young Ogres wore pained expressions.
Facing them, Eris, Ruijerd, and the others stood with weapons drawn, on guard.
When I stepped forward, the crowd parted to make a path.
I approached the Ogre God.
Shandor leaned in and whispered to me.
"The Ogre God says he wants to come to terms. I sensed little threat of a trap, so I brought him here."
"…Understood."
If he was saying he wouldn't fight anymore, I wasn't about to refuse.
I couldn't tell what Shandor's prediction was, but it didn't seem like one of Geese's schemes, and from what I could see, Eris, Ruijerd, and Atoufeh didn't appear to be on high alert.
Perhaps something had resonated with the Ogres—something that put them at ease.
"…"
The Ogre God fixed me with a hard stare, then spoke in a probing voice.
"…You… the boss?"
"Yes. Rudeus Greyrat. I'm in charge."
"I… Marta."
I bowed my head, and Marta, still seated, bowed his in return.
"Talk. Have."
"…I have some things I'd like to discuss as well."
I followed the Ogre God's example and sat cross-legged on the ground.
He was in the same position, so it wouldn't be rude… I hoped.
Then, the young man beside us quickly knelt at my side and placed a cup before both the Ogre God and me.
A sake cup.
Immediately, the cups were filled.
Mine was probably filled with the local liquor.
The Ogre God's was filled with soy sauce.
Soy sauce and miso—was this culture close to Japan's?
"Drink."
"Thank you for the hospitality."
The Ogre God downed his in one gulp, and I did the same—though only one sip, since getting too drunk would be bad.
Finishing it in one go might be the proper etiquette…
But anyway, where should I start the conversation?
Geese first, probably.
Whether he was the Man-God's apostle.
The Ogre God didn't exactly look like the sharpest tool in the shed.
I needed to explain difficult things simply and concisely.
Gently, the way I taught Eris.
"I… heard. Talk."
After a moment of hesitation, the Ogre God spoke.
"Demon King… attacked village. Took food. Unforgivable. But those who didn't fight… all alive."
The Ogre God looked around at the Ogres nearby.
All alive…?
If there had been any fighting at all, I'd have expected casualties… or rather, there had been no casualties among the noncombatants.
Atoufeh had apparently shown that kind of restraint.
Well, it was Moore's strategy.
"I… wrecked your house, but I kept your noncombatants alive. We're even."
"…"
"Ogre race… protects country. Country… admitted defeat. I'm Ogre boss. No reason to fight anymore. Come to terms."
Atoufeh attacking the village was unforgivable.
But he'd attacked my office too.
Noncombatants were not targeted, though.
So they were even.
The Ogre race had a duty to protect the country, but the country had already admitted defeat.
As the Ogre chief, he'd decided there was no reason to keep fighting, and so he wanted to come to terms.
That was about it.
"Are you fine with the Geese situation?
Wasn't he asking something of you?"
"Geese… told me you'd destroy the country. So I helped. But Geese ran away. You didn't destroy the country. Continue this, and country and Ogre race both die."
Geese had told him I was going to destroy the Kingdom of Biheiril.
But I hadn't.
Moreover, Geese had fled.
If this continued, both the country and the Ogre race would definitely be destroyed.
"Geese lied. Don't trust him anymore."
But I wasn't going to destroy the country.
It had been Geese's lie.
"I surrender. I'll die if I must. But… those who didn't fight… spare their lives."
The Ogre God said this, then collapsed his massive body forward.
Almost prostrating himself.
The young Ogres around him wore grim expressions.
They probably thought there was a high chance I'd kill the Ogre God right here.
Killing the enemy was the natural thing to do.
And they would reluctantly accept it—the Ogre God dying so that they could live.
Why so tragic?
I wondered, but then I understood.
The country admitting defeat meant the Ogre race had lost its backing.
Our military strength was superior, and if we wanted to, we could ravage Ogre Island…
Of course, that would be pointless for me.
So.
Should I kill him, or not?
The Ogre God said he no longer believed Geese.
He didn't seem like the type who could lie, so I was inclined to trust him.
The Ogre God's words were clumsy, but he was by no means foolish.
If my interpretation was correct, his reasoning had been sound.
His intelligence was probably higher than the Deathless race.
In that case, there was actually a chance he could lie.
"…"
After thinking for a moment, I asked one final question.
"Ogre God—you are not the Man-God's apostle, are you?"
"No. Geese said Man-God's name… but I don't know him. Even if I did… island is important."
The Ogre God's eyes were strong, straight, and clear.
If he was lying to me now, I felt I could never believe anyone again.
"I accept."
The moment I said it, a wave of relief swept through those around us.
It was better to keep him alive.
It would be useful in the long run.
"But Ogre God, you will need to fight against Geese. If he tries to run or betray us, I'm sorry, but we will invade the island."
To account for Geese's traps, this was the best approach.
The bond between the Ogre God and his people was deep.
I didn't like threatening anyone, but being betrayed at the last moment would be worse.
"You say… I fight… alone?"
"No. Together with us."
"Then… after I die… what happens to those who don't fight?"
"As for the surviving Ogres, one of us… whoever survives will take responsibility and protect them."
"Hmm. No lie?"
The Ogre God nodded.
Then the young man from earlier poured more soy sauce into the Ogre God's cup and sake into mine.
The Ogre God raised his cup, holding it up solemnly.
I mirrored him, raising my cup as well.
"On the horns of the ogre…"
"…By the name of the Dragon God."
I returned with something appropriate, and the Ogre God nodded with a serious expression.
"Hmm."
Then we drained our cups.
And so, my confrontation with the Ogre God came to an end.
---
That evening, a feast was held on the beach near Heilerl.
Ogre wine was brought out from the cellars and served to all the Ogres and to us.
Among the Ogre race, there was apparently a custom of drinking together after fighting and making peace.
You drink, and let the water wash everything away.
That was the Ogre way of coming to terms.
The Ogre God made me drink heavily, and partway through I couldn't handle it anymore and passed the task to Atoufeh—whereupon a drinking contest between the Ogre God and Atoufeh began, so I slipped away.
After using detoxification to sober up from my bad hangover, I wandered through the feast for a while, then noticed one person was missing and made my way to the waterline.
There, Shandor was drinking alone.
"Oh, hello."
"Mind if I sit here?"
"Please, go ahead."
I sat beside him and let out a long breath.
What was he thinking about in such a far-flung place?
Even someone as dense as I was could figure that out.
It was about Alek.
At the very end, he had offered Alek a chance to surrender.
Even as the North God, he wouldn't want to fight and kill his own son.
I wasn't going to apologize for it, though.
If I had pulled back then—
If I had let Alek go—
Perhaps this feast would never have existed.
The North God might have joined up with Geese, partnered with the Ogre God, and launched a further offensive.
In truth, I didn't think Shandor believed he'd made the wrong call.
Shandor hadn't said anything about it.
He should have made peace with it by now.
"Alek… that was unfortunate."
"Yes."
But there was a difference between not being wrong and staying silent about it.
"That boy had talent from a young age.
When he held a sword, he wielded it better than anyone. When he fought monsters, he spotted their weaknesses in an instant.
Among his peers, no one could beat him."
"…"
"So I had high hopes for him.
I gave him the Dragon Sword and told him to inherit the name of the North God.
But perhaps… that was where I went wrong."
Alek had been obsessed with being a hero.
"The title of North God is nothing but a name. But he became fixated on it."
Shandor finished his drink.
There was nothing I could say to him.
Perhaps if he'd accumulated more experiences going forward, he would have acquired something worthy of the name North God.
That's what I thought, but I couldn't say it.
Alek was gone.
"Well, it's in the past. I'll struggle with it for a while, but you don't need to trouble yourself over it, Rudeus. That's simply how the battle went."
"…Is that so?"
"I hear you have many children. Then… I imagine you'll have to face that kind of thinking someday."
The grief of a parent who has outlived their child.
I couldn't understand it yet.
And I didn't want to understand it anytime soon.
"In any case, pray for my son's soul."
"I will."
Our conversation ended there.
Ahead, the sound of waves. Behind, the sounds of the feast.
With that background music, as we talked about the battle, the reality sank in that it was truly over.
We hadn't defeated Geese—we hadn't even seen him—and yet it was over.
That's what bred a lingering unease about a concluded battle.
In the end, this battle had been close to a one-sided victory.
But there had been many close calls, and luck had played a big role.
What about next time?
Could I fight the same way and pull off another win?
It might be tough.
Geese had watched this battle and would come up with new strategies.
"In the end… who was the Man-God's last apostle?"
The words that came out were those.
Not the Sword God.
Not the North God.
Not the Ogre God, apparently.
Geese and Death God Vita.
And one more—still unknown.
According to the Ogre God, Geese had fled.
If my prediction was correct, he'd fled with someone we hadn't encountered this time.
But something…
I felt like I was forgetting something.
One piece was missing.
There should have been one more person who seemed to be an apostle, but they hadn't appeared.
"Honestly, I can't imagine who it would be either.
Perhaps a different apostle is operating somewhere else."
A different apostle, somewhere else.
What came to mind was my own household.
The Ogre God hadn't attacked.
But there could be other hands at work.
We still had no way to get home.
I'd made arrangements, but… they were slower than expected.
Right now, could a battle be breaking out in Sharia?
"Ugh…"
Worrying wouldn't help.
It was agonizing, but over there, it was up to those people.
I just didn't want to experience the grief of a parent outliving a child.
That was why I fought—to keep that kind of feeling at bay.
As if pushing those thoughts aside, I took a swig of wine and swallowed.
I wanted to go home.
"Oh?"
Shandor suddenly raised his head.
He was looking out at the sea.
"There's something… shining, isn't there?"
At his words, I too looked at the ocean.
It was nighttime.
The sea was pitch-black—nothing visible.
Only the sound of waves.
I tried my Clairvoyance, but still couldn't see anything.
"Whereabouts?"
"Look, over there. It's getting closer."
As before, my vision showed nothing.
I stared for a while, but still—nothing.
Was Shandor perhaps seeing things from the alcohol?
"Shall I light a lamp?"
"…You truly can't see it?"
"No. Is Shandor's eyesight just that good?"
Shandor furrowed his brow skeptically.
Maybe it wasn't the best look for the guy with Clairvoyance to be saying that.
Perhaps my intoxication had me looking in the wrong direction.
Maybe higher up…
"…No way! Rudeus—close your Magic Eye!"
"Huh? Oh, sure."
I shut my eyes.
"Not like that—reduce the magic power flowing to your Magic Eye to virtually zero!"
"…"
I did as told, cutting off the power to my Magic Eye.
Both Precognition and Clairvoyance.
"…Oh."
Then I saw it.
There, at that very moment, something was climbing from the waterline onto the sandy beach.
It was enormous—about two and a half meters tall, roughly the same size as the Ogre God.
It was clad in golden armor.
It had six arms.
And it… it was carrying someone on its shoulders.
The figure on its shoulders wore a robe adorned with strange patterns.
When the hood was pulled back, a familiar face came into view.
"Oh, to run into you here, senpai…"
The monkey-faced man…
Geese.
"You'd think you could land undetected, but nope—just my luck."
"Fuhahahaha, it's best not to assume things will go according to plan."
"You're not wrong."
The one who answered Geese was the man in the golden armor.
A familiar voice.
There was no forgetting that laugh.
"Your Majesty Baldigardi…"
Baldigardi.
Why here, why wearing that, why with Geese?
Had the Ogre God betrayed us?
Or had Shandor lured them in?
No way—wait, but, what?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, but none became words.
From the depths of my body, an indescribable trembling rose.
This golden armor was bad news.
I didn't know exactly how or why, but I could feel its danger, its malevolence.
This was the kind of opponent who would kill me instantly if I fought in person.
"It has been a long time, Rudeus—and Alex too."
Shandor, too, was stunned, yet beads of sweat clung thickly to his forehead.
He should have attacked immediately, but he couldn't move.
That was the sense I got from Shandor right now.
"Uncle… why are you here?"
"Isn't it obvious? Because I am the Man-God's apostle!"
Baldigardi declared.
Openly, without a shred of shame.
The last apostle.
"…Ah."
So that's how it was.
Of course.
I'd forgotten.
I'd been told over and over.
Even Silica had said there was a possibility Baldy was an apostle.
And the person who'd brought Ruijerd all the way to the Superd village was none other than Baldigardi.
How had I forgotten?
The last piece clicked into place.
"At the Man-God's request, I delivered Ruijerd to the Superd village.
Then I retrieved this armor, which had been sunk in the central sea in preparation for battle.
By combining the powers of the Death God Vita, the Sword God, the North God, and the Ogre God, we would corner you with no escape—and defeat the Dragon God Orsted, and then my—"
"Baldy, Baldy."
"What is it? I'm in the middle of a perfectly good speech…"
"You're saying too much. You don't need to spell all that out."
"Hmm, what a bore. Isn't the whole point of a scheme to reveal it?"
Geese scratched his cheek and shrugged.
But with those words, things clicked into place for me too.
I'd been right.
The Sword God, the North God, and the Ogre God.
They were not the Man-God's apostles.
And if I had let the North God Karlman III slip away, the battle would have continued.
The subjugation force wouldn't have disbanded, and we'd have remained in a standoff across the forest.
In the meantime, they would have landed on Ogre Island.
Overpowered the Atoufeh Royal Guard and eliminated the Ogre God's worries.
They'd struggled hard enough against the North God and the Ogre God.
Adding Baldy to the mix—we wouldn't have stood a chance.
But now.
The Death God was dead.
The Sword God was dead.
The North God was dead.
The Ogre God had surrendered.
All that remained were Geese and Baldigardi.
"Nah, I get it, senpai.
I heard from the Man-God that you won in the forest.
Coming out now wouldn't change a thing, right?"
Geese was useless in combat.
So we could win…
Could we?
"But, you know, is that really the case?
This gentleman right here is the real deal—a legend, you know?"
At the word "legend," Baldigardi puffed out his chest.
"Forty-two hundred years ago. The strongest Demon King, who fought the Dragon King Laplace to a draw…"
I swallowed hard.
The gold that adorned Baldigardi's body shone as if proving his very existence.
"The Fighting God, Baldigardi. He alone should be more than enough, wouldn't you say?"
So that was it.
So this was the Fighting God's Armor.
The abnormal pressure radiating from his entire body.
That chill—like the time I'd faced a serious Orsted.
I instinctively knew I couldn't win.
In that instant, Baldigardi spread his crossed arms wide.
"I am the Fighting God, Baldigardi! Under the Dragon God's command, the 'Mud'—Rude—"
"My name is Alex Karlman Ryback! I am the second North God Karlman!
I challenge the immortal Demon King Baldigardi to a duel!
On the honor of the Deathless race—accept!"
Baldigardi froze.
Then he looked at Geese beside him with a troubled expression.
"Hmm… I had intended to challenge Rudeus to a duel."
"Just refuse, then."
"I can't very well do that. A Demon King must accept a duel—it's been the rule since ancient times."
Geese looked exasperated.
The Man-God, I could understand, but even Geese couldn't quite keep the reins on this one.
I wasn't sure I could control Baldigardi or Atoufeh either, for that matter.
"Rudeus."
Shandor whispered to me in that moment.
"Leave this to me—I'll buy you time. In the meantime, retreat, reorganize your forces, and come up with a countermeasure."
"And you?"
"I won't be coming back alive."
My breath caught.
I couldn't respond immediately.
But I could nod quickly.
Right now, I was in my body—no Magic Armor.
The MK.I was nearby, yes, but at this very moment, I was defenseless.
This wasn't a matter of safety margins.
There was zero chance of victory.
Fighting alongside Shandor would only make me a burden.
There was no upside to fighting here—only downsides.
"Please… I'm counting on you."
I said those words and broke into a run toward the village.
Behind me, the sound of tremendous sword clashes echoed.