Chapter 155: Enemy of the World

On the road again, Lea witnessed bandits robbing a carriage. Five men with mismatched weapons surrounded the merchant wagon, their leader barking demands while the terrified occupants cowered inside.

Lea sat invisible atop the carriage itself, legs crossed, The Plague Garden bouncing gently in her lap. She could hear the merchants' whispered prayers to Novala, pleas for salvation, for divine intervention, for heroes.

Not my problem... Lea thought, watching with detached interest.

But then she sensed something approaching. Someone walking the road with steady, unhurried steps. A young man appeared around the bend. Perhaps twenty years old, wearing a simple robe and wide straw hat that shadowed his face. A sword hung at his hip, plain and unremarkable.

"Oi! You there!", the bandit leader turned, seeing an easy target, "Hand over your coin or—"

The young man's hand moved with practiced precision. His sword cleared its sheath in one fluid motion. The blade sang through the air, catching sunlight for just a moment—

Three bandits fell. Not dead, just... disabled. Tendons severed at wrist and ankle, leaving them collapsed and screaming but alive.

Severance... Lea noted, analyzing the technique... Third Step, probably. Minimal wasted motion... I might learn this if it didn't contradict my style.

Severance is the second most popular primary Path in this empire, just below Fire. Finding these people isn't hard.

The remaining two bandits stared in shock. Then the young man took one step forward. They ran, wasting no time in a lost cause.

"Wait—!", the leader tried to scramble after them, but his severed ankle tendons made that impossible. He collapsed again with a scream.

The young wanderer sheathed his sword with the same casual grace he'd drawn it. Then he approached the carriage, tipping his hat to the merchants who'd emerged, trembling.

"Are you alright?", his voice was warm, concerned. The smile on his face genuine and bright.

"Yes! Yes, thank you!", the merchant, a portly man in expensive silks, bowed repeatedly, "You saved our lives! We're forever in your debt!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say forever.", the young man said with a laugh, "But perhaps... a small payment? For services rendered?"

The merchant's smile faltered slightly, "Payment?"

"Well, yes.", the wanderer's grin widened, taking on a cunning edge, "I did just risk my life fighting bandits. Surely that's worth something? Say... fifty Drach?"

Lea rolled her eyes behind her mask... Of course.

"F-fifty?!", he merchant sputtered, "That's highway robbery!"

"Is it?", the young man tilted his head innocently, "I could have just kept walking, left you to the bandits. They seemed eager to take everything you own. Fifty Drach is quite the bargain, don't you think?"

The merchant's face turned red. His wife beside him looked equally outraged but terrified to speak.

"You... you're no better than them!", the merchant finally hissed, "Extorting an honest merchant!"

"Extortion?", the wanderer's hand rested casually on his sword hilt, "I prefer to call it 'fair compensation for heroic deeds.' But if you'd rather I..."

He made as if to draw his sword.

"Wait!", The merchant fumbled for his coin purse. "Fine. Fifty..."

The young man's bright smile returned as he accepted the heavy pouch. He weighed it once, nodded in satisfaction, then bowed with exaggerated courtesy.

"Pleasure doing business. Safe travels!", he strode away, whistling cheerfully.

Lea remained invisible atop the carriage, listening. The merchant's thoughts were venomous, as expected.

'—Fifty Drach! For two minutes of work! He's worse than the bandits! I hope he chokes on it. I hope he falls in a ditch. I hope some monster tears him apart and—'

His wife's thoughts were similar but more creative in their cruelty.

"—hope he gets cursed. Hope his sword breaks. Hope he dies alone and unmourned—"

Lea smiled... How convenient.

She'd been wondering what to do about the hypocrisy festering in Empire's Edge. The so-called "heroes" who were just thugs with better PR. The wandering swordsmen who demanded payment for basic decency.

This young man would make an excellent example.

Lea dissolved into shadow, following the whistling wanderer as he walked down the road, counting his gold with that bright, cunning smile. He had no idea he'd just been marked.

Knock-knock... Lea thought, humming her lullaby softly. The wanderer comes...

Behind the carriage, the disabled bandits groaned in pain. The merchants climbed back inside, muttering curses. And ahead, the young swordsman walked into his fate, completely unaware that something faceless and patient was following just out of sight.

This is going to be good... Lea mused.

...

The merchant couple screamed, crying out in fear. The young swordsman turned to give them a strange look. Then he noticed a shadow cast down on top of him. With practiced instinct, he drew his sword and slashed at whatever was standing behind him.

Clang!!

He hit something solid, yet wet at the same time was not flesh nor bone, like hitting nearly dried clay. His eyes slowly turned up at the black and gold monster staring him down.

Before he knew it— he died. Crushed into a cube by her Soul Morph.

Quick and simple, like a Twilight Gaunt. Maybe that is the end goal of all the gods possessing a Divine Domain, to become something like a servant of a Cosmic Law...

Opening her mouth wide, she dropped the cube into her mouth, consuming the biomass and his soul.

Delicious.

=0=0=

"So, what is the meaning of this?"

Inside her fortress, Camelot, Charlotte was alone on her silver throne. Her sharp azure eyes landed on the two who just walked into her throne room (every ship has one).

Sinclair, her lightless eyes and manic smile bloomed as she walked down closer to Charlotte. Behind her was Saga, shaking slightly with her prismatic ears folded down.

"Come on now, can't I meet myself without all of this hostility?", Sinclair tried to play it casually.

But both of them know that Charlotte despises Sinclair on a personal level. They might work together on different things, like this world's Path system, but outside of that is a whole different story.

Boom!!

And just like that, Sinclair was killed by a laser blast coming down from the ceiling. Leaving only a pile of ashes on the ground. Saga was shaking at Charlotte's ruthlessness. But just as quickly as she was gone, Sinclair ran back into the throne room with an annoyed expression.

"Do you HAVE to have your servant observe everything?!", she yelled at Charlotte.

"I have to kill you at least once or twice.", the Monarch just shrug, "So, what are you here for?"

"Aside from introducing my daughter, I want to "that" thing you are holding onto.", she pushed Saga up front, "And squeeze that bad boy into my daughter!!"

"Oh, and say hello to my daughter, Saga!"

Charlotte narrowed her eyes, examining the prismatic magical girl. It was as if thousands of eyes were scrutinizing her. Saga felt if she just moved casually, she would be judged and executed.

"So, what do you want?", she asked Sinclair again.

"I said I want the Divine Domain of Time, I know you have it in your pocket somewhere~ you are not going to use that anyway.", her smile widened further.

"Since it was discovered that Divine Domains related to each other can be held by one person...", Charlotte took out her hard light slate, scrolling through something, "This world not only imitates the Cosmic Laws, but also the Celestial Configurations. There is no way I would let you get hold of something you are clearly banned from getting, especially when you have the other two already..."

Universe Kaleidoscope, the Celestial Configuration containing Tale, Space, and Time. Even if this world's Divinity is just an imitation of the Scions, they still hold power.

"But it won't be me who uses it.", Sinclair put her hands on Saga, "But this little cutie~"

"Plus, you don't care about this world at all. Why should you be concerned with it?", she opened her arms, looking around dramatically.

"No, but it brings me joy seeing you struggling.", Charlotte smiles, "If it pissed you off, then I will gladly do anything."

And Charlotte doesn't even have the Divine Domain of Time in the first place.

Sinclair's eyes widen in surprise, "Damn, but you still hamper my...", she looks down at Saga, "My quest to save this world!!"

Charlotte could see through the bullshit; Sinclair doesn't care about this world, just like her. She just wants an ultra-powerful being to be here and see what happens.

The problem with Saga obtaining the Divine Domain of Time is Charlotte. Since Time is attracted to her, not as aggressive as Progress, as long as she is still here, nobody in the world will have a chance to obtain that Divine Domain.

The same is happening with Tale, Sinclair cannot fully control the library with Charlotte being here.

"Couldn't you go to a more fun place, like Evislon? That planet would surely give you a fun time.", she tries to persuade the Monarch.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "I see what you are doing."

She stood up from her throne, gripping her cane tightly.

"I planned to go away after seeing a concert, but seeing that you want me gone..."

"Aw shit...", Sinclair stepped up, pushing Saga back.

The Monarch smiled widely, the stars in her eyes glowing brighter, "Now I don't want to! I will stay here as long as I want!! Solely to fuck with you!!"

"Why... are you two getting ready to fight?", Saga managed to squeeze her voice out.

"Oh no, not me~", Sinclair shrugged, "It's just that Charlotte will find any excuse to throw hands at me."

"Ryomen Sukuna(Twin Faced Demonic Bodisattva)", she summoned from the darkness the Memory of a protector who was called a monster.

A man taller than Charlotte stood behind her, a mutant with two faces on his head, four arms performing different Buddhist poses, four legs standing firm on the ground. He radiated power that made Saga shake in fear.

"Look, she started.", Sinclair crossed her arms casually.

In an instant, the entire throne room was covered in sigils, strange symbols that don't belong to this world. And Sinclair had no idea how to read them.

"Just for a test.", the Nowhere Girl conjured a black fireball and threw it at Charlotte.

And as she expected, it hit a barrier and fizzled out.

"Fortunately, Charlotte isn't serious yet. She's still keeping things civil—"

"Ashoka Maurya (City Builder), Sargon of Akkad (King of the Universe)."

Two towering shadows wearing masks appear beside her. One a man who ruled the world beyond death. The other a man who created the first empire of that world.

"Holy shit, she brought out TWO heavy hitters!!", Sinclair grabbed Saga's hand, "Saga, open a portal now!!"

"I...I can't!!", Saga cried out in a panic.

"Ryomen Sukuna, a local hero from Japan. Who was said to be a guardian of his people, or a man-eater who slaughtered thousands. Both are true, a human with two souls. A duality, if you may..."

"A weapon master and an expert magician."

"This place is completely sealed from the outside world. Thanks to him, you cannot escape."

Charlotte's voice was cold, ready to kill everyone here. Although Sinclair is stronger than Charlotte, she cannot harm the one beloved by Time itself. Time is by far the scariest Voidborn.

"Go.", the Monarch commanded.

The two kings charge forth, ready to hit the two with their strongest attacks—

But their attacks faltered, stopped by Sinclair grabbing their swords.

"You know, you should've thought this through.", she strengthened her grip, breaking the swords. Then she delivered two punches in quick succession, shattering the Constructs, "They don't even have their afterlife buff—"

She spoke too soon.

"Howard Philip Lovecraft(He who Laughed at the Cosmos)."

The man who was driven mad by fear and overcame it appeared by Charlotte's side.

"You seem to forget that I am a mage type.", Charlotte smiled, then clapped her hands, "Mr. Lovecraft, please."

The Construct nodded and opened a blank book, "By the Break of Reality, Separation of Division, Gate of Inversion— I invoke the Horror Castle."

"Open!! Gate of Arammi!!"

Invoking the name of a Celestial Configuration and calling upon a genuine Scion of the Universe. Sinclair realized what was going on fast as soon as popping sounds invaded the world.

"Open a portal near that black man!! Quick!!", she yelled out.

Saga nodded and opened a portal right beside Sinclair, one leading up to Lovecraft.

"Escalation Level One:Beat It!!", she raised her finger and blasted a beam of black flame, eating right through the barrier protecting the Construct.

"I Offer to the Universe—", a golden scale appeared behind Charlotte, "For the price of a Philosopher's Stone, strengthen the barrier."

She threw a blood red gem onto the scale, weighing one side down. Exchanging for equal power. The fire was pushed back, but an ember made it through. That black ember landed on Lovecraft, igniting and burning him away in an instant.

"I Offer to the Universe—", the scale behind Charlotte beat again; she threw up another blood gemstone, "For the price of a Philosopher's Stone, I demand the partial manifestation of Antimatter."

Sinclair felt something breaking inside her, something that sent chills down her spine. Fear was apparent in her lightless eyes. The crackling sounds got louder and louder.

"Ah fuck... I don't want to do this.", she turned to Saga, "Quick, kill me."

Unexpectedly, Saga obliged in an instant.

"Space Rend!!", she swung her magic staff, sending out a cut of compressed space.

Even Sinclair didn't expect it, she just got cut in half and killed. Then Saga felt something growing inside her; her eyes trembled as she gained an epiphany.

"In the Name of Salvation..."

Salvation, some may call it Deus Ex Machina. The power to create miracles in desperate times, to invoke the universe into lending the owner a hand— A Miracle is granted.

Because she was not a normal demigod, born from stories revived through Salvation. She does not need to obey the rituals for Space. The Fourth Step of Salvation is to kill the enemy of the world. She had just killed Sinclair, an abomination of life and error of the universe.

And the Fifth Step of Salvation, to recognize who the true enemy is.

Her purple eyes stare directly at the Monarch, those cold eyes that see no worth in this world... those eyes looking down on all inhabitants of the world. Arrogance. Pride. The gaze of a king looking on a foreign land.

Out of all people, she had done the most damage to this world on a structural level. Charlotte Silvi, the Argent Monarch of Humanity, the Chalk Princess, is the true enemy of this world. Saga realized what needed to be done.

"Space Rend!!", she swung her staff, sending another reality-cutting blade—

She destroyed the Demonic Bodisattva's barrier, connecting the throne room back to reality. Then quickly opened a portal and escaped.

Charlotte looked at Sukuna.

"Can't blame ya. I wasn't serious at all."

Then dismissed the Construct with a wave of her hand.

"Quite uneventful today is.", she sat back on her throne, "I hope someone else challenges me..."

=0=0=

Saga had hastily opened a portal to escape Charlotte, not caring about where she went to. So when she opened her eyes...

The first person she saw was a woman, sitting by a campsite admiring the darkness in the middle of nowhere. Those glowing golden eyes prove that she is either a god or a demigod...

Lea stared at the strange prismatic woman, trying to pry into her thoughts the moment she appeared. But it was too chaotic.

Thousands of stories were trying to tell her what they are, making an incomprehensible mess. A person made completely of Sagas.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Saga.", she stood straight up, "I am the Demigod of Space, soon to be owner of Universe Kaleidoscope."

Universe Kaleidoscope? What's that? Lea asked herself.

"Will you help me save this world?", Saga reached her hand out.

The Faceless Twilight looked down at The Plague Garden, and she shrugged, "No, I don't want to."

It was not her place nor her goal in the first place, at least not yet.

"Oh.", Saga took it very well, "Okay."

She opened a portal with a wave of her staff, connecting to Australia. Then Lea saw who was on the other side...

Sinclair!!

The Nowhere Girl made eye contact with Lea, gave her a polite smile, and waved. Saga stepped through the portal and closed it, leaving the Demigod of Unconscious staring in shock.

"That girl is with Sinclair..."

Her expression didn't say much, but the Cursed Constructs spiking up around her showed how much fury she was trying to Silence.

"Nm...?", the slime squeaked.

"No... I'm fine.", Lea shook her head, "I know I can't do anything to that monster now."

But I am going to find a way...

Soon...