Three shadows streaked across the skies of Renea.
One was Atou, the Witch of Filth. One was Erakino, the Witch of Siphoning. One was Fenne, the Veiled Saint.
Worried about Soarina, the Saint who wasn't present, they raced across the city's rooftops at tremendous speed—as fast as their hidden strength and the GM's support would allow.
Before the people below could even point at the sight, Atou called out to her two companions, her voice cutting through the wind.
"I'll keep it brief! Ira=Takuto's hero title is 'The Nameless Evil God'! Its nature is—"
She kicked off the rooftop and launched herself forward. Easily clearing what must have been a boulevard several dozen meters wide, Atou drew a deep breath and shouted.
"Having no name means being no one—and simultaneously being everyone!"
The Nameless Evil God was mentioned in only the most limited of places within Eternal Nations' settings.
By nature, a default leader in a game existed to immerse the player in the world, so their backstory was extremely restricted.
That was different for usable heroes like Isla, but as for the Nameless Evil God—among all the various default leaders in Eternal Nations, it stood apart, shrouded in utter mystery.
The only thing that was crystal clear was...
That as long as it was the god of Mynoghra, it would bring incomprehensible harm to the world.
"Most likely, its authority is perfect mimicry! It wasn't made very explicit in the game, but based on its behavior and circumstances, that's the only conclusion! It shouldn't have been possible in principle, so I was at a loss, but now I'm certain!"
There were several reasons Atou had reached this conclusion.
First, within the vast storyline of Eternal Nations, there was a very brief passage describing the Nameless Evil God's ability to completely become someone else.
Second, the fact that Takuto had performed information manipulation at a level that should have been impossible for anyone but the person themselves.
And the clincher was the execution of an event.
That was the exclusive domain of Brave Questus's Demon Lord army—the RPG faction.
Whether the event "Track down the knight squadron murder!"—communicated to them via a system notification during the earlier information disclosure request—truly existed within Brave Questus, Atou had no way of knowing.
But one thing was certain: in Brave Questus's Demon Lord army, where the Demon Lord had been slain and all subordinates eliminated, no one could execute events. Therefore, she could only conclude that Ira=Takuto, as the sole exception, had been responsible.
That forced event that had once tormented them, driving a hero to death.
The past that should have been over had risen like a corpse to haunt them once more.
"But then why didn't the Master see through it!? That's impossible!!"
"I told you! Because it's the real person! The entity Ira=Takuto declared and impersonated would be registered as the real person across all data!!"
No matter how much they suspected, since the entity truly was the real person, the mimicry was impossible to detect.
It was no longer mere mimicry. The evil god who could be nothing defined itself as something, and rewrote all information accordingly.
There was no room for doubt—it overwrote reality like a curse.
That was the existence known as the Nameless Evil God.
"It truly is the real person! That's why it could forge the false orders! That's why it could approach the knight squadron without being detected! That's why—"
She paused for a breath, then screamed.
"It could mix in among us and observe our every countermeasure!"
At those words, Fenne and Erakino were rendered speechless.
And the GM, hidden away observing everything from a dimensional rift between worlds, was equally struck dumb by this impossible ability.
The Nameless Evil God could imitate everything.
No—"imitation" was the wrong word for it.
The moment it defined itself as something, it became that thing. Its power was absolute on the game board.
Just as Atou had been forcibly reassigned her affiliation through Erakino's Siphoning ability.
The very definition of Ira=Takuto's existence had been fundamentally rewritten.
Since the opponent was completely the real person, no ordinary method could uncover the difference.
If anything, the situation was worse if you believed the Nameless Evil God didn't even exist...
(But if that's the case, then Takuto...)
Gritting her teeth, Atou put power into her stride.
For some reason, her expression was overflowing with anguish, and a thin sheen of tears shimmered in her eyes.
……
……
…
Beyond the opened door, Soarina stood alone in a daze.
The church's chapel was in ruins just as the intel had suggested. Chairs and decorations, smashed to pieces and presumably looted clean as if thieves had broken in, left the interior in a state that lent a particular melancholy to things forgotten.
Parts of the ceiling had collapsed, and sunlight streaming through the gaps created an ethereal scene.
Beneath that light, Soarina stood before the pulpit where the priest would normally deliver sermons.
She was the only one present—the Saint of Splendid Burial, Soarina.
No, she was the only living person present.
Because there, submerged in a sea of blood, lay the corpse of Holy Knight Fjord—a gaping hole in his chest, his face frozen in an expression of fury and despair...
Someone gasped.
The saint before them gazed blankly down at Fjord's crumpled body, then slowly turned toward Atou and the others, and finally murmured:
"Oh... Erakino..."
"Soarina!"
Erakino cried out at the sight.
Something had clearly happened. The fact that Fjord lay collapsed on the ground confirmed that he had been attacked by someone.
"Are you okay!? Are you hurt!?"
"No, I'm fine. It's just... Holy Knight Fjord..."
Erakino, who genuinely worried for Soarina's safety, forgot all about the tense alertness of her companions beside her and rushed forward.
"W-wait—!"
Fenne called out in a panic.
Atou's eyes went wide in shock at Erakino's impulsive action.
All three of them froze for an instant—deceived for just a moment.
Despite having been on constant guard, the instant they saw Soarina, they couldn't tell which one was real.
The strangely orchestrated secret meeting. And Fjord, fallen on the ground.
Every element of the scene screamed that the Soarina before them was not genuine, yet an impossible worry—what if...—surged up, and they hesitated.
That instant was fatal.
In a world of supernatural beings where a split-second mistake could mean death, the three understood what was happening but couldn't stop Erakino from rushing toward Soarina.
And so—
"How careless of you, Erakino."
The result was inevitable.
"Gah!!"
Blood sprayed from her mouth along with the devastating impact.
Feeling searing heat and pain in her abdomen, Erakino finally realized she had been attacked by Soarina.
"Why—"
The woman before her giggled.
Erakino's friend. Someone irreplaceable. Someone she should save even at the cost of her own life...
Her precious friend, Soarina.
No. That wasn't right.
Ripping away the alien sensation clinging to her mind through sheer force of will, Erakino glared at the opponent before her.
"Too easy, aren't you? You really are worthless..."
The words someone had once spoken now echoed back at her.
Words dripping with contempt, spoken in a friend's face.
Soarina's right hand, raised in a swift arc, was slick with blood—and was about to come crashing down to shatter Erakino's skull when—
"Not a chance—!"
"O God! Grant me the miracle to banish evil from my sight!"
Erakino's true companions saved her from her predicament.
Soarina's descending arm was deflected with a sharp crack, and simultaneously, tendrils that had wrapped around Erakino yanked her back at incredible speed.
=GM: Message===
Game Master authority exercised.
Witch Erakino's HP fully restored.
---
Next, the Arbiter's ability activated and completely healed her wounds.
From a purely results-based perspective, it looked as though they had returned to the same situation as when they had first burst in.
But the impact Erakino had taken was no joke—she was huddled on the ground, face pale.
"Gah—! *cough* *cough* *cough*..."
"Are you okay, Erakino!?"
"I-I'm fine. That was a close one..."
In that instant of combat, the opponent had gone straight for her throat.
They had known it was coming, yet still allowed the enemy to seize the initiative.
Fenne, who had deflected Soarina's attack. Atou, who had pulled Erakino back. And the GM, who had healed her wounds.
If even one of them had been missing, Erakino would have been lost right then and there.
No one could say a word against the opponent's—Ira=Takuto's—bizarre presence and attack.
"Hehehe... I failed."
Laughter echoed through the crumbling church.
A flippant, airy voice utterly unbefitting of Soarina.
Even though it was supposed to be the real person, it was as if it wasn't—that sinister timbre spilled from her delicate lips like filth.
The moment that gaze turned toward them, a chill shot through them as if their hearts had been seized—yet at the same time, they found themselves recognizing the figure before them as Soarina, as though compelled by some invisible force.
Oh, why did they keep thinking of that as Soarina?
Oh, why did they keep recalling the gentle smile of that girl who cared so deeply for her people?
When her face was smeared black, as though painted over with shadow cut off from the world itself...
"You were too careless, Erakino! That possibility was explained, wasn't it!"
"Oh—no... but—!"
"No, unfortunately I cannot blame Erakino. This—this is the Nameless Evil God's ability. Even knowing it as information, the mind continues to hold the wrong perception. It's not brainwashing or cognitive suppression—it's the power of being the real person, which makes it impossible to judge any other way. I wish it hadn't been right, though..."
Atou responded to Fenne's instinctive scolding with a measured denial.
She, too, had been delayed by a heartbeat and could have ended up in the same deadly situation.
It was an ability far more troublesome than they had imagined.
The figure before them was not Soarina. It was unquestionably Ira=Takuto.
But as long as it acted as Soarina, it would be recognized as the real Soarina.
You might think you could simply force yourself to doubt, or kill it with full intent even if it were the real person, and that would solve it.
But no matter how hard you tried to push it away, the moment your guard slipped even slightly, the dread would surge back from the depths of your heart.
Moreover, Soarina was, at the end of the day, their companion.
And they did not have it in them to strike down a companion.
Foolishly, even with a witch and a saint assembled together, not a single one of them could shed their softness.
"Reaching out... carelessly is dangerous. Atou, do you have any ideas for a countermeasure?"
Fenne sought Atou's counsel.
She had thought that if anyone could devise a plan, it would be Atou—who was closest to Ira=Takuto.
The most puzzling thing throughout all of this was why the Ira=Takuto standing before them wasn't taking any action.
Ira=Takuto still stood there, radiating a calm that seemed to say "take your time"—and that composure alone sent chills down everyone's spine.
"Please summon the real Soarina here. The event should have ended with the culprit's identification. The GM's ability should work now."
Atou briefly glanced toward the other Soarina, watching for a reaction.
And that figure—whether calling it "she" was even appropriate was uncertain—slowly extended its hand forward in a "please, go ahead" gesture.
=GM: Message===
GM authority exercised.
Saint Soarina summoned to this location.
---
=Message===
Saint of Splendid Burial Soarina has appeared.
---
Sure enough, just as everyone had predicted, the real Soarina appeared.
As Atou had said, the event had already ended, and the invisible forced resistance that had blocked the identification of the culprit had dissipated.
That made sense. With the real Soarina here now, it was obvious that the Soarina on the pulpit was Ira=Takuto's imitation.
And yet... even so, that blackened face snickering in the dark still looked like a companion to them, and Erakino and the others felt a chill of dread.
The enemy was right there.
The signal for battle had already been raised.
"Huh? Me... why?"
But before that, there were several things they needed to confirm—with the real Soarina, naturally.
Fenne peppered her with questions one after another, the saint wide-eyed and bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
"Soarina. Where have you been all this time?"
"Huh? I was told I was heading to negotiate with the Fonkavun representative who had advanced to the border zone..."
Soarina had every reason to be confused.
She was supposed to be on a carriage ride to the border zone, dealing with territorial disputes and the unknown monsters there.
Having been given the courtesy of a rest break, she had been enjoying a rare moment of peace inside the carriage...
And the next thing she knew, companions she had parted ways with just days ago were standing before her.
Plus, this unfamiliar location that looked like a ruined church.
Was she dreaming? More than confusion, it was sheer bewilderment.
"Why would you do that? At the very least, you should have told someone!"
"Well... I did greet Lady Fenne directly, didn't I?"
Yes, she couldn't understand why she was being blamed.
She had followed proper procedure, obtained her companions' approval. There shouldn't have been any problem. After all...
"Yes, I remember. It was a very courteous greeting."
Fenne recalled that Soarina had indeed offered her words of encouragement...
Hehehe. The Soarina on the pulpit chuckled.
Understanding everything from her tone and words, Atou and Fenne twisted their faces in disgust.
It was Ira=Takuto, disguised as Fenne, who had issued false orders to Soarina and sent her away from this place.
In the meantime, Ira=Takuto had assumed Soarina's identity and casually played the role of their companion.
"Huh? Me? What does this mean!?"
Spotting another version of herself, Soarina's eyes went wide and she raised a voice of alarm.
There was no time for explanations. If they wanted to stay alert to the enemy's movements, they couldn't afford that kind of leisure.
But right now, they possessed a surefire method that could cut through any deception.
"GM. Use the Arbiter's authority to explain the situation to Soarina."
=GM: Message===
GM authority exercised.
Saint Soarina has been briefed on the full series of events.
---
In an instant, everything was etched into Soarina's mind, and she was made to understand the horrific scheme the King of Ruin had been enacting in this country.
"I-Impossible... this can't be!"
Soarina's eyes trembled in shock.
No one reprimanded her for not realizing this was already a battlefield.
Because that same shock was something Erakino and the others had already experienced...
"Now that the main cast is all here..."
Soarina—no, Ira=Takuto—murmured happily.
That tone and voice were indistinguishable from the real Soarina's, bringing a strong sense of wrongness and revulsion to Erakino and the others.
But more unsettling than anything was that the opponent wasn't taking any action at all.
They turned their gaze to Knight Commander Fjord, collapsed on the floor.
The blood spreading across the floor had clearly exceeded any survivable amount, and from his completely motionless, paper-white skin, it was easy to see that his chances were beyond hopeless.
Atou had been told that Soarina had been summoned by the Knight Commander under the pretense of a private meeting.
In other words, he had noticed Ira=Takuto's scheme early and tried to resolve it alone. This was the result.
Reckless beyond measure... but right now they didn't have the luxury of dwelling on his feelings.
This was the turning point. A careless move would bring death and ruin.
Atou chose her words with extreme care, sizing up the opponent's intentions and likely response, and addressed the figure before her.
"You've been watching us this whole time, haven't you, Takuto? Or rather—should I say the Nameless Evil God, Ira=Takuto?"
"Call me whatever you like. You've chosen your own side now, Atou, and I'm sure you have your own position to maintain."
Appearing in Soarina's form, Ira=Takuto chuckled—a far cry from the Takuto Atou had known. This being carried the full horror and eeriness of the King of Ruin.
Was that because they had become enemies? Or was there another reason?
Unable to tell, Atou probed for any opening while waiting for the perfect moment to launch a coordinated attack with maximum caution.
After all, Erakino had only survived by sheer luck, and they had no idea what other tricks the opponent might be hiding...
"I appreciate your concern, but now that the full cast is here, you still won't do anything, will you, Takuto?"
"Oh, I was a little surprised. Atou, you've been working wonderfully. If not for you, Erakino would have been separated at the torso and neck by now. You've been performing well on your end too."
A slight smile crossed Atou's face at those words, but she immediately discarded the emotion.
"I am your enemy. I still hold you in the highest regard, Takuto, but that doesn't mean I'll betray my own principles. Speaking as one who once served under you, I ask that you forgive my disloyalty. I will destroy you here—Ira=Takuto—completely and utterly. For myself, and for my companions."
It was a declaration of farewell.
How much feeling had been poured into those words?
But the sorrowful expression she had occasionally worn was gone. In its place was the face of a warrior, fully committed.
"...Wonderful. That's the Atou I know—the Witch of Filth. You are the one hero I trust above all others."
Hearing her farewell, Ira=Takuto spoke with genuine delight.
Atou felt an emotion that was neither sadness nor anger—something she couldn't put into words.
Would the Takuto she believed in say something like this?
Even knowing she had turned against them, would they exchange words with such composure?
What exactly was the being standing before her?
But as if utterly oblivious to the turmoil in her heart...
Ira=Takuto simply clapped their hands together in delight.