Strongest Hammer God

Kyle sighed in annoyance. "Fine," he said before he transmitted almost everything he knew about the world. He didn't talk about his powers or Laws, only about the things that had led to this situation.

Melanie and Sebastian did the same thing.

Naturally, Swamp Dragon also shared everything with the man.

The Overseer didn't like it, but she knew that she didn't have any other choice and did the same.

When the man heard all sides, he closed his eyes for a bit to sort the tsunami of information he had just received.

"Thank you," the man said. "Now, I will be talking to each of you in private to clarify some things. Please, give me a moment."

In the next moment, Kyle saw the expressions of Melanie and Sebastian changing repeatedly. It seemed like they were first.

Then, he saw the Overseer's expression change multiple times. Sometimes, she was angry. At other times, she seemed terrified. Then, she seemed hopeful. Finally, an expression of unwilling acceptance appeared on her face.

"Kyle," the man transmitted. "It's nice to see you again after such a long time. To be honest, you've become even stronger than I had hoped for."

"Not sure if it's nice for me," Kyle answered. "You know what I want. You know what has happened. Yet, I don't think you will allow me to get the things I want."

"We don't know what the final outcome will look like just yet," the man transmitted. "The votes have not been cast. However, you have to keep in mind that the two things you want the most will be granted to you. These are not up for debate, and even if they were, I don't believe the vote would get passed."

"You will not die."

"Sebastian and Melanie will not die."

"You won't vote for your death. Swamp Dragon won't vote for your death. I won't vote for your death. Sebastian and Melanie won't vote for your death. Your battle has opened up a promising future for the world, which is why the world won't vote for your death. I believe even Fox won't vote for your death since that might offend everyone else."

"I presume Fox is her name?" Kyle asked absentmindedly as he took another gulp of the Burning Heart.

"She doesn't have a name. Beasts don't need names. She simply goes by Fox since she is a fox," the man transmitted. "I know today hasn't gone as you've predicted, but you should remember the gains you have made today. You've freed the world. You've secured your Ascension. Sebastian and Melanie will survive. I can see that you know the Law of Karmic Causality. Can't you sense the countless green Karmic Lines?"

Of course Kyle could sense them. He had stopped the Overseer, who had been the very source of this world's anguish. Naturally, even if almost nobody knew about it, almost every life in Ayuvar owed a Karmic Debt to Kyle.

"So what?" Kyle asked. "This version of Ayuvar is not the version I call home. My home was destroyed."

"But is this not like the child of the home you've come to love?" the man asked. "Have you not spent any time in this world? Have you not watched the world occasionally? Would you truly feel nothing if the world were to be destroyed once again?"

Kyle's first instinct was to confirm that he would feel nothing, but he knew that this would be a lie. Sure, he didn't value the current version of Ayuvar as much as the old version, but he still cared for it. He didn't want the world to be destroyed.

"Isn't the current version of Ayuvar like you?" the man asked. "The old Ayuvar is dead, just as the old Kyle is dead. Yet, the new version couldn't exist without the old version dying."

"That argument is ridiculous," Kyle answered with annoyance. "According to that logic, I can wipe out all life every couple of thousand years, and I would have done nothing wrong."

"And you're right," the man transmitted. "That's why you can't negate atrocities with altruism. Saving a thousand lives doesn't free you of the guilt of ending one life."

"With that in mind, how do you feel about what Sebastian has done?"

Kyle remained silent for a bit as he looked at his drink with furrowed brows.

"Reality is too muddy," Kyle answered. "I can't find an objectively correct decision. Therefore, I can only rely on my own feelings, and they haven't changed."

"I feel like I should be angry with him, but I'm simply not angry. He did what he thought was right, and if we look at how things have developed, he was right. I'm pissed that I had to enter the Gate of Death, but I also understand why I had to enter it."

"That's good to hear," the man transmitted. "Now, let's talk about Fox."

Kyle's eyes narrowed.

"She has committed countless atrocities," the man transmitted. "The sins she has accumulated across a billion years put her amongst the most sinful existences in the entire Cosmos. According to every sane opinion, she is a monster."

"However, what would killing her accomplish?"

Crack!

The cup in Kyle's hand turned into dust as he clenched his fists.

Yet, he didn't answer.

He knew exactly how this conversation would go, and he hated it. He absolutely hated that he knew everything he would say and all of the counters the man would use.

It would stop her sprees of atrocities, but her spree was already over, but she would get another opportunity, but what if she wouldn't get another opportunity...

That would be how the first argument would be destroyed.

It would bring justice to the beings that had suffered, but that wouldn't accomplish anything since they were already dead. Even more, the man could use Kyle's action of sacrificing the Tertiary World to the Cult of Final Fate in the same way. According to that logic, he also deserved death.

Kyle could say that he and Sebastian deserved justice, but the man would just use the future good Fox could create and ask Kyle if he valued fulfilling his revenge above improving the lives of countless individuals. Kyle could say yes, but to be honest, he wouldn't be completely happy with his answer.

In the end, Kyle only had a single argument that could withstand all critique.

"I want her dead, and I believe that she deserves to die for everything she has done to me, my friends, and Ayuvar," Kyle answered.

It was a weak argument, but it was the only one he had.

"That is a valid argument," the man answered, "and if you were more powerful than me, you would get what you want."

Kyle remained silent.

"I know that you want agency, and while you can be free in your own reality, that's your current limit," the man added. "If you want objective freedom, you need the power to impose your reality on objective reality."

All argumentation once again returned to the topic of power.

If Kyle were stronger, the Overseer and Swamp Dragon would be dead.

"I've finished my talks with all of you," the man announced to everyone.

"Now, let's start the votes."

"First, we will vote on the previous Overseer's fate."

Kyle just looked at the table.

He knew he wouldn't get what he wanted today. The only solace was that the Overseer also wouldn't get away unscathed.

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