[Source Temple] Innermost sanctum, the Altar Chamber. While sensing the enormous power flowing in, it quietly observed the world.
Its existence was still far from a complete manifestation. Only a fraction of its consciousness had been reproduced, and even that was nearly dormant.
The Mana Material accumulated over countless ages was still woefully insufficient to reproduce the very existence of a god. In terms of raw power, it likely didn't amount to even one percent of the original.
But through the authority it possessed, it held a precise grasp of the situation.
The reason its consciousness had awakened. The nature of the enormous Mana Material flowing in. That the temple, and its kin, were being reconstructed from memories and information of the past, etched into the stars.
And also — about the beings wandering around the temple.
Those creatures possessed abilities no less impressive than those of the creatures from the era when it had been worshipped as a god.
Superb mana manipulation techniques. The ability to communicate with invisible spirits. On top of that, they possessed enough intelligence to feel fear and wariness upon seeing the temple.
But there should have been no problem. No matter what power that flock commanded, their rank of existence was fundamentally different.
A non-god cannot slay a god. Rather, all living creatures could become its servants.
Before the jet-black altar, countless phantoms knelt.
The phantoms' forms varied greatly — beasts, dragons, spirits, and humans alike.
Despite differing lifespans, abilities, cultures, and ecologies, this group shared one singular common feature — masks covering their faces.
Masks. Those were the proof of loyalty to Keller, the Masked God.
It would absorb the occasional intruder, accumulating numbers and power, biding its time for the moment of complete manifestation.
The situation, which should have been proceeding without issue, developed its first blemish the moment a group of believers that had appeared in the temple was annihilated.
Believers had been lost before. But an entire army led by a high-class believer being wiped out was unprecedented.
Moreover, if that army had materialized in the temple without any warning whatsoever, then even those connected to a god could not afford to ignore it.
Even a godlike existence has natural enemies. Those would be — other gods.
This was not the world that had existed during Keller's reign. The ability to dispatch legions directly from beyond the range of a god's perception pointed to the possibility of interference from another god.
And that suspicion, the instant it was suddenly observed, hardened into certainty.
It had to go on the defensive. Against inferior life forms, its current state was more than sufficient to overwhelm them, but it still lacked the power to fight against an equal.
Using the power of the Ley Line, it erected a powerful barrier and commanded even the newly added members of its kin to patrol and eliminate external threats.
The power gathering at the temple was enormous. Complete revival was still distant, but if it could at least manage to create a physical form, it would be able to fight even against a god.
The spatial-severing barrier, repurposed from the incoming flow of power, was formidable. Its countermeasures against spatial jumps were thorough, and even a godlike existence could not break through it easily.
The believers, receiving the "Divine Oracle" emanating from Keller, devoted themselves to the defense. Time was on Keller's side.
§ § § Yggdrasil and the Imperial Capital Zebuldia differed in location, culture, and climate — but the one thing that never changed was lying in bed.
In the guest room at the Yggdrasil residence, prepared for the Mourning Specter's stay. Alone in the empty bedroom, rolling around on the bed, lamenting the cruelty of the world.
Yesterday had been a hectic day from start to finish. Perhaps it was because she hadn't used "Comfortable Vacation," but her body felt heavier than usual, as if weighed down by something invisible.
The source of her anxiety wasn't the World Tree's rampage, nor the existence of the attackers. She'd experienced that sort of thing countless times. She couldn't afford to panic over something like that — not at Level 8.
After a massive yawn, she recalled the events of yesterday and murmured with genuine feeling.
"I never imagined Selen would become such a noble disaster from using 'Comfortable Vacation'..."
And then there was the moment she'd gone to the restroom, only to realize Selen and the others had vanished without a trace. She'd been terrified.
Being told that everyone who was supposed to be with you had disappeared was a familiar scenario in her life, but no matter how many times she experienced it, she never got used to it. It had turned out fine because she'd caught up quickly enough...
She still didn't understand the situation at all, but the operation appeared to be proceeding smoothly.
Whatever fighting had broken out — she hadn't really grasped the details — must have been resolved while she wasn't paying attention. There were injuries, it seemed, but no deaths, so no real problem!
She'd nearly been saddled with another troublesome job by the Guardian Spirit, but she'd managed to shut it down before anything was said — a perfect result, as far as she was concerned.
But yesterday's spellcasting by Lucia had been spectacular even from a distance. The second highest-tier Spiritfolk, and since arriving in Yggdrasil, the combat level — or rather, the enemy level — seemed to have climbed yet another tier. Could this be the terror of a Level 10 Treasure Hall?
There were no Level 10 Treasure Halls around the Imperial Capital Zebuldia. Even among the Mourning Specter's members, opponents like these were surely a first.
Recently, the nearby Treasure Halls had been getting a bit too easy for their members, so in a way, this incident was just what they needed. Not that she could ever say that in front of Selen.
Still, Luke was really unlucky. He was the one who wanted to fight the strongest enemies the most...
As she lay around idly, she suddenly heard loud footsteps outside.
The footsteps stomped right up to the room, and without even a knock, the door swung open.
The one who entered was Adler, the leader of the Night Parade of a Thousand Demons.
A long spear, tall stature, and striking black hair. Sharp eyes — exactly the type she didn't get along with.
Even without the monsters under her command, Adler was surely far stronger than her. If she attacked, she wouldn't stand a chance — but if she were going to attack, she would have done so long ago.
Trying not to provoke her fighting spirit, she asked in a laid-back tone.
"What's up?"
"Nobody understands a single thing. How frustrating, Thousand Transformations."
"...What are you talking about?"
She wished people would stop expecting anything from her comprehension. She was the type who understood half of what she heard and got two things wrong.
Blinking in confusion, she listened as Adler spoke in a rapid, heated voice. An indescribable intensity burned in her tone.
"I was watching. The whole time. From right after Lucia defeated the phantom, I've been monitoring through the 'Mirror of Truth.' Selen and the others believe you've been moving in the shadows during your absence."
"Huh? No, I haven't been doing anything..."
That was just an ordinary day for her.
Yesterday she'd blurted out something about personal errands, but she'd simply been searching for Selen and the others who had disappeared while she wasn't looking. If she were actually going to do something, she'd ask someone for help first.
She wasn't exactly hiding anything, but the fact that nobody ever noticed was probably because every other member was too skilled and too busy. Nobody had time to pay attention to her.
Still, monitoring me? You people really must have too much free time...
At her answer, Adler nodded with satisfaction for reasons she couldn't fathom.
"Exactly. You've been doing nothing at all. As far as I can tell, you've been lounging around the entire time, and yesterday you just went to the bathroom. For someone who supposedly had only a bit of information to devise a strategy like yesterday's and actually bring it to fruition — that would be impossible."
"? Yeah, right?"
She'd thought he'd come to criticize her incompetence, but he seemed oddly pleased. And what strategy was he talking about...
She hated thieves. Arnold and his crew were at least Hunters, and Sola was, well, an interesting enough girl to tolerate, but the Night Parade of a Thousand Demons were seriously dangerous people.
She'd had nothing but terrible experiences with thieves in the past. They were cooperating now, but who knew when they might go on a rampage again, and she would really prefer they kept their distance.
Oblivious to her inner thoughts, Adler spoke with a deep grin.
"Thousand Transformations, you see... I'm truly impressed. When you first started using Treasure Weapons, I wondered how things would turn out. I'd always thought Hunters were ultimately the same no matter how high their Level climbed — but you're different. You're not on that level. Whether you have special eyes like Uno, or a unique ability, or whether it's the power of the Monsters you command — I can't tell yet. But don't think you can fool my eyes forever. I can always verify your actions."
He seemed to be getting hyped up on his own. How could he jump to such absurd conclusions just from watching her do nothing?
There had been plenty of people who rated her highly before, too. Apparently, even an incompetent person looked capable with a Level 8 title hanging on them.
Well, she'd probably think the same if she saw a Level 8 Hunter, too...
But man, she really kept attracting dangerous people.
Ignoring Adler's words, she let out a big yawn to advertise her incompetence, then spoke.
"Sorry, but I don't plan on doing anything else this time. Everything I need to do is already finished."
"...What?"
Saying "everything's finished" actually made it sound more like a lie, didn't it?
Really, even proving one's incompetence required effort these days. What a harsh world.
Adler probably wouldn't mind if she pushed back a little — she seemed to value her highly, practically begging to be her apprentice. She'd just brush her off with smoke and mirrors.
"Well... to be precise, there might be one or two things left. If you've got time to come bother me with pointless questions, why not go help Citry? Yuden's resurrection should be nearly done by now, right? That'd be more useful for you."
She tossed out some arbitrary numbers to lend credibility. Well, between Luke's curse removal and the return to the Imperial Capital, saying two things were left wasn't entirely wrong.
Adler's gaze missed nothing of her every movement.
Regardless, the Night Parade of a Thousand Demons' combat power was invaluable in this situation. If she left it to Citry, the forces would be deployed to the right places.
"That composure of yours... I wonder what lies beneath it once it's stripped away. I look forward to finding out."
"Heh. Don't go assuming something interesting will come out from under my composure if you ever do strip it away."
She flashed a grin and said something she herself didn't quite understand. Honestly, what had she even done since arriving in Yggdrasil that could possibly suggest she had special abilities?
Adler returned a provocative smile, then strode out of the room with heavy footsteps.
§ § § "How did it go?"
Uno and Quint flanked Adler as she emerged from the building.
At Uno's question, Adler shrugged.
"I poked at her a bit, but... prospects look dim. She didn't show a single crack."
"But still, we've got to find something soon..."
"From what I can tell, there are no Monster signatures either. Lucia seems like a different case, though."
Chatting idly, they walked through Yggdrasil, where Mana Material hung thick in the air.
Having witnessed Thousand Transformations' abilities once already, Adler still couldn't get any read on Thousand Transformations' power whatsoever.
Results had been produced. How Thousand Transformations moved and what she'd done were known facts.
But beyond that, nothing was clear. Why those actions — which looked nothing more than laziness — had led to the current outcome.
Adler's monster, the "Mirror of Truth," was an extremely useful tool in intelligence warfare.
This monster could uncover any secret. And yet, despite using it to its fullest potential, being this completely in the dark was unprecedented.
The mirror in Uno's hand was showing Klye's current state in real time. Klye, rolling around on the bed and yawning.
Adler had hoped that even a single provocation might make her react significantly, but even after unleashing her full fighting intent, she hadn't even gotten out of bed.
Adler deeply regretted that the Mirror of Truth lacked the ability to peer into thoughts.
Recalling the conversation they'd just had, she clicked her tongue in frustration.
"If you've got time for pointless prying, go help Citry," she'd said.
That absurdly arrogant attitude toward the Night Parade of a Thousand Demons, who had slaughtered countless Hunters. Combined with the vast gap that surely existed between her and Thousand Transformations — everything about it grated on Adler's nerves.
"...Hasn't Yuden revived yet?"
"Just a little longer. Only the head was left, after all. Even absorbing the earth's energy, it takes time."
"...Tch. Things aren't going well."
Thousand Transformations had said Yuden would probably be revived by now. But in reality, the regeneration still wasn't complete.
That meant Adler's trump card — the Star-Eating Centipede Yuden, worshipped as a god by ancient peoples — had fallen short of Klye Andrich's expectations.
Normally, that would just be a bluff. There was no way Thousand Transformations could have detailed knowledge about the ancient species known as the Star-Eating Centipede.
But the situation had already reached a point where one had to question common sense.
It wasn't just the method of subduing phantoms. If Adler could uncover the secret behind Thousand Transformations' brilliant strategies, she could become even stronger.
"Please stay calm, Lady Adler. There should still be a chance."
"We haven't seen her ability as a guide yet, either... For now, I suppose we'll have to join the operation like that man said."
Quint sighed as he spoke.
At the very least, the strategy Citry had devised seemed reasonably fair.
There was no indication he planned to use Adler and her group as pawns, and frankly, that man wasn't the type for such ordinary behavior. As much as it stung, Quint was right — for now, the best course was to follow instructions and observe.
"You're right. If the god's phantom gets serious, that man will have no choice but to act directly, but depending on how things go, we might need to make a move ourselves."
Adler's goal was to learn how Klye subdued phantoms — and the means by which he did it.
Adler wasn't lending Klye a hand out of charity.
If the operation progressed without yielding any results, then — Adler's group would have no choice but to take matters into their own hands.
§ § § After a sleepless night, she dragged her heavy body to the magical research laboratory where Citry and the others had gathered.
It was still early morning, but by the time Selen arrived, the key members were already assembled.
Lucia, in charge of device manufacturing. Citry, who had been given overall command. The fellow members of Star's Holy Thunder led by Lapis. Riez, Tino, and Elisa's thief team were absent, as was Anthem — presumably dispatched to Ley Line surveys and defense reinforcement.
Yggdrasil's warriors were also skilled, but they wouldn't move without the decisions of Selen and Yggdrasil's upper echelon. It was a display of loyalty, and given their irreplaceable mission of protecting the World Tree, it couldn't be helped — but it was frustrating nonetheless.
The Mourning Specter's members were different. Even without their leader saying a word, they possessed the skill and will to think for themselves, act without fear of failure, and respond flexibly to circumstances. Perhaps in a desperate situation like this, the independent capabilities of each member mattered more than coordinated command.
The only problem was Thousand Transformations, whose intentions remained unknowable and who kept Selen off-balance.
Luin had spoken only a single sentence before losing consciousness again and still hadn't woken up. The fact that she was alive at all was a miracle — she had been severely depleted.
The words spoken to her last night had inflicted a fatal wound on her heart, and she still hadn't fully recovered.
Why was she wearing that outfit — that was what Selen wanted to ask.
It was true that Selen had accepted the Treasure Weapon the human offered, but she hadn't worn that outfit by choice.
Seeing Selen trying to maintain her composure, Citry greeted her with a bright smile.
"Good morning, Selen-san. I see you've stopped wearing that 'Comfortable Vacation.'"
"I—! It's not like I was wearing it because I wanted to! That human told me to put it on, so—"
Selen was now dressed in the robes befitting her original station as a Spiritfolk princess.
Tailored from plants that had absorbed abundant mana, the robes bore protective spells cast by generations of Yggdrasil princesses, granting the power to ward off calamity.
Needless to say, removing them of her own accord negated the effect.
She'd been tricked by what seemed like a natural suggestion and ended up wearing "Comfortable Vacation." She was already anxious about what Luin would say when she recovered. Luin was one of Selen's magical mentors, after all.
Citry cheerfully breezed past Selen, whose ears had turned red with protest, and spoke.
"We're about to start manufacturing the devices now. Time is short, so we need to finish as many as possible today. We have Mana Recovery Potions too, so it should work out."
"I-I see..."
In front of a magic circle drawn with special dyes, Lucia Roje stood with her eyes closed, taking deep, measured breaths.
Members of Star's Holy Thunder had gathered around, observing her.
With each breath, Selen could sense Lucia's consciousness becoming sharper and more refined.
Concentration was the key to magic.
Selen had already known from yesterday that Lucia's power was not inferior to a Spiritfolk's, but seeing it again, the strength and purity of the mana circulating through her body were truly remarkable. Every quality required for a mage was present at a high level.
Then, Lucia exhaled sharply, raised the staff clasped before her chest, struck the ground hard, and unleashed a rapid succession of spells.
Five magical lights rose in sequence around the magic circle, hovered in place, then nearly simultaneously plunged downward as if being swallowed by the circle inscribed on the ground.
The entire magic circle blazed with light, and the materials placed upon it for device construction burst into flames.
Wind and water, earth and fire — the spells released simultaneously fused according to the inscribed patterns and became a single technique.
Klyus, watching from nearby, let out an admiring sigh.
"Lucia-san is really dexterous, she is. Even with hints from the weak human, mastering multi-casting this quickly—"
"...She pushes unreasonable demands as always. If I couldn't do it, things would get very troublesome."
It was a casual remark, but any fellow mage would understand just how advanced that technique was.
In principle, a mage could not activate multiple spells simultaneously. Even with exceptional talent, activating two at once was the practical limit. In that sense, the technique Luin had used as a phantom — setting standby intervals before spell activation to achieve a pseudo-simultaneous release of multiple spells — had been groundbreaking. But even that wasn't something an average mage could pick up easily.
Magic wasn't the kind of thing where phenomena could be freely created at the practitioner's will. Setting precise standby times between activation and effect required reconfiguring the spell formula on the fly, to some degree.
The fact that Lucia could do this proved not only her talent but also that she never neglected her daily magical research.
At the very least, her fine control of spell formulas surpassed Selen's. If she had been a Spiritfolk instead of a human, she might have become a great mage who surpassed even Selen.
"Come to think of it, she mentioned developing several new spells at the laboratory... at Thousand Transformations' request."
"...If you'd like to learn them, I can teach you. Though — they're all problematic spells, so I doubt there's any point even if you did."
At Lapis's words, Lucia shrugged. While maintaining their conversation, the device formation continued.
Melted glass swirled and gradually took shape. The conventional wisdom held that magical manufacturing could only produce crude results, but every movement here was precisely controlled by the magic circle.
Block external interference, insert the raw materials, channel the spell through — and the device was complete.
Easier said than done. The magic circle had been constructed through layer upon layer of calculations.
The time it took for the device to finish was a mere ten minutes or so.
The device resembled an inverted cone. Its body was composed of spiraling glass tubes, with a socket at the bottom for inserting something.
Citry had provided a considerable amount of glass, but the finished product was only about a meter in length.
The magic circle dimmed, and only then did Lucia seem to relax, catching her breath.
"Multi-casting is one thing, but each individual spell formula seems to require considerable mana as well. ...If the goal was to design a magic circle that anyone could use to build the device, hasn't this been a failure?"
"Good work. Well, since it takes five people to activate... it's not a circle that would see frequent use, so I suppose that can't be helped. Now then — this is my research result. The Mana Material Stirring Device. This is a small model, but to complete it, you just need to insert a gemstone as the power source — a magic stone."
Spiritfolk had an aversion to metal. It wasn't that metal was toxic — it was probably something instinctive.
They didn't want to touch it if they could help it, and even looking at it gave them an unpleasant feeling, as though they were witnessing something deeply abhorrent. As a result, no metal products existed in Yggdrasil.
Conversely, the glass used in this device was neither particularly appealing nor particularly offensive to them. And yet, for reasons she couldn't articulate, the device looked terribly bizarre and repulsive to Selen's eyes.
She shouldn't have known how the device functioned — yet she felt something similar to the alien atmosphere she'd sensed when peering through the Mirror of Truth at the altar in the innermost sanctum of the Source Temple. Was it the Spiritfolk's instincts warning her of the danger?
What kind of terrifying device had the human created... The words almost slipped from her lips, but she barely held them back.
Perhaps to counter the World Tree's rampage — a natural catastrophe one might call it — and the appearance of the god's phantom, an artificial artifact of equal horror was necessary.
To save Yggdrasil, and ultimately the world, this was the only way.
"The power source is a magic stone, is it... I happen to have one here."
A magic stone was a processed spirit stone or gemstone used as a magical catalyst. The pendant Selen had been wearing earlier was one such stone.
Bracing herself, she approached the device. The moment she extended her hand toward it, Citry shouted.
"Stop!"
"!?"
Selen flinched and spun around. Citry spoke in a low, menacing tone.
"Don't insert it yet. The nature of Mana Material is extremely complex, and modern human technology hasn't fully deciphered it. If the device is activated in the wrong place — there's no telling what might happen. Perhaps the world itself will be destroyed by human hands before a god's eyes."
"I—! S-sorry. I understand..."
Clutching the magic stone, Selen took several steps back from the device. It sat there quietly, reflecting the sunlight and gleaming.
It was said that demon swords bewitched their wielders. Perhaps Selen, too, had been influenced by this alien device.
Taking a deep breath, she watched as Lucia crossed her arms and gently admonished.
"Citry, stop scaring her. You deliberately didn't warn her until she was just about to reach for it, didn't you?"
"...When the big sisters return and the device placement is decided, we'll begin production immediately. Until then, let's make as many as we can."
Selen's eyes widened as she looked at Citry. Citry clapped her hands together lightly and spoke as if nothing had happened.