A few days after the school festival was over.
I continued my training with Night and the others in the other world, preparing for when Lanael-san would come to pick me up.
Then I felt a familiar presence approaching my house.
"Is this… Iris-san and the others?"
"Astonished. Yuuya, how did you recognize them?"
It was something I suddenly said unconsciously, but Yuti, who was training with me, was surprised by my words.
H-huh? Now that you mention it, how did I recognize the presence…? I didn't even activate my "Presence Detection" skill…
As I was surprised at what I had done, Ouma-san, who had been watching our training, told me with a yawn.
"Fuwahh… I guess that means Yuuya has become strong enough to reach that state."
"Eh?"
"It is indeed true that skill exists as a mechanism in this world, but it is naturally possible to acquire such power even if it is not in the form of skill. You know that now, don't you?"
"T-that's right."
Certainly, Zenovis-san's strength was a strength that was far removed from the laws of this world and so on… It's impossible to call that as a 'skill.'
So, it must really mean that I've become able to detect nearby signs without any skill, just as Ouma-san said.
I never thought I would reach such a state of mind, and while I was stunned, Iris-san and the others appeared.
"Yuuya-kun, it's been a long time!"
(Have you been training properly?)
"Phew… running is tiring after all…"
"Hey, everyone! It's been a while! And now that you're all here, it means…"
"──Yuuyaaaa-saaaannnnn!"
"Ah!"
I felt a familiar presence approaching from the sky above me, and when I turned my head to look, I saw Lanael-san falling from the sky!
Lanael-san adjusted her stance before she reached the ground and quietly landed on her feet.
"Lanael has arrived!"
"A-ahahaha!"
Lanael-san was as energetic as ever, and while smiling, I asked her.
"Um, the fact that Iris-san and the others came to this place like this means that…"
"Yes! The upper dimensional world──the [Heavenly Realm]──is ready and you all are authorized, so I am here to pick you up!"
(Fuh──So we can finally fight against the false god.)
"By the way, how are we going to get to the [Heavenly Realm]? Do you use magic or something?"
When Odis-san asked that, Lanael-san smirked.
"It's not the same as magic, but moving to the [Heavenly Realm] is instantaneous, you know? ──See?"
"Woof!"
"Hugo!"
The moment Lanael-san snapped her fingers, the view we were in changed in an instant!
It was a strange place, whether it was above the sky or above the clouds. The surroundings were as dim as dawn, with stars twinkling and constantly streaming in the sky above us.
There was a white haze around our feet as if we were above the clouds, and the ground could not be seen.
The sensation in my feet was strange, and although I was supposed to be standing in place… I felt as if I were floating in the air.
When I was surprised by the sudden change, Odis-san shouted.
"T-this is… what in the world has happened! I didn't even feel the flow of magic!"
"Yes. As Odis-san said, it was not magic, but the observer's [Divine Authority] that made the transition."
"D-divine authority?"
While tilting my head at the mysterious word, I suddenly detected a number of strong presences appearing in our vicinity.
"!?"
"Ah, everyone! Those over there are the observers!"
When we turned our eyes toward the presences, we saw several men and women standing there, dressed in togas like those worn in ancient Rome.
They had blond hair and blue eyes, and their atmosphere was somewhat godlike, giving off an aura of floating in the air.
Everyone, including myself, was startled by the presence that appeared before us, and the woman at the center of the group spoke.
"Welcome, people from different worlds!"
The woman had a particularly divine aura among this group, and I could somehow guess that she was the leader of this group.
"I am one of the observers; my name is Dea. Welcome to the [Heavenly Realm]."
──This is how we encountered the observers.
＊＊＊
"──This is our current situation."
After being introduced by one of the observers, Dea-san, we moved to another location as Dea-san snapped her fingers.
There was a large round table with chairs arranged around it. We sat there and were told about the current situation between the observers and the false god.
According to Dea-san's story, people like Lanael-san, in other words, the apostle, are still fighting against the sentinels of the false god, but the number of the enemy is so great that they are gradually being pushed back.
And as for the main body of the false god, the observers have not yet been able to confirm their appearance.
"There is no existence that we cannot observe under normal circumstances. But the false god is different. Even with our power, it is impossible for us to observe their existence."
"Um… You say that the false god is unobservable, but does the false god really exist?"
"There is no doubt about that. The "false god's" sentinel cannot be born without the "false god." In other words, as long as the sentinels of the false god exist, the false god, which is the origin of the sentinels, must also be hiding somewhere."
"I see…"
Then Master Usagi, who had been listening to Dea-san's explanation, asked something without hesitation.
(If the observer camp loses the battle against the false god, what will be the consequence?)
"What? You say we will lose?"
The observers in the surroundings were all in a panic because of his clear statement.
However, when Dea-san immediately raised her hand, they stopped their murderous intent.
"That question is reasonable. If the false god is to win this battle… not only this world, the [Heavenly Realm], but also the world in which you live, would be reduced to nothing."
"…I never knew that such a level of development was underway…"
Once again, the danger of the false god was conveyed more clearly by the fact that the observers, who are amazing people from my point of view, talked so much about the false god.
"That is why, in fact, this battle is not only about us but also about you. However, it is also true that the false god is powerful. If we ask you to participate in the battle, we cannot guarantee your safety. But will you still lend us your hand?"
We looked at each other and nodded.
"Um. If there's anything we can do to help──"
"──I still don't agree with it!"
Suddenly, one of the observers, who had been listening in silence, spoke up.
"…Gwen. You should understand their sentiments."
"Yes, I understand that, of course. But I don't think the presence of those from the lower worlds will make any difference to the situation in the fight against the false gods, will it?"
"What do you mean?"
Iris-san responded to one of the observers who blatantly and condescendingly announced so.
However, that observer did not seem particularly intimidated but rather continued his words in a condescending manner.
"What do you have to complain about? All I did was state the facts."
(If you just keep your mouth shut and listen… We're saying we'll help you because you're unworthy.)
"Hah! You are of no use against the false god!"
"Gwen! That's enough!"
Dea-san rebuked the agitated observer, but the other observers also raised their voices in sympathy with the observer called Gwen.
"No, Dea-sama! We are of the same opinion as Gwen."
"Yes. Indeed, we do not have enough hands. But even if that were the case, I don't think that a mere existence from a lower world would be able to help us!"
"Let me tell you… you have a lot of nerve."
Finally, Odis-san also expressed his anger, and the atmosphere became completely awkward, and I panicked.
"Everyone, please calm down…"
"There is no way we can calm down! Whether they're observers or not, they just say whatever they want…"
(Absolutely.)
"Maybe we should show them a little of what we can do."
"E-eehh…?"
I'm already baffled by the three of them, who are already motivated, and Yuti tugged at my clothes.
"Useless. The Holy has high self-esteem. That's because they've been working out that much."
"T-that may be true, but…!"
I don't think we should be fighting here when we're about to fight together…
Then Ouma-san, who had looked uninterested until now, laughed amusedly.
"Kukuku… isn't it good? I think they should know what you're capable of once and for all, don't you?"
"Woof!"
"What? Hey, why are you hitting me?"
As if to stir up the pot, Ouma-san was scolded by the Night by slapping him.
However, perhaps in response to Ouma-san's words, Dea-san pondered for a bit and then let out a sigh.
"Hah… It can't be helped. It is certainly better to see each other's abilities once in order to get to know each other. Is that okay with Gwen and everyone else?"
"Of course!"
"Yes, no problem."
"A-are we really going to fight?"
"Just accept it. You have no choice about it."
"S-seriously…?"
No matter what I said, there was no indication that it would be changed, and we ended up having a contest with Gwen-san, the observer.
＊＊＊
When Yuuya and the others decided to compete with Gwen in the [Heavenly Realm], Kamiyama was having a hard time contemplating in the Nittei Academy on Earth.
"I-I never thought that… our academy would lose…"
The school festival battle between Nittei Academy and Ousei Academy ended in a victory for Ousei Academy, which drew more visitors than Nittei Academy.
"Despite all the publicity, no way…"
In fact, the Nittei Academy had prepared for the festival by advertising in all kinds of media.
Of course, it was safe to say that not only the publicity but also the contents of the school festival were among the most spectacular of all time.
But even so, they still lost.
Moreover, Ousei Academy did not do any special publicity.
However, the number of visitors increased dramatically due to the buzz generated by the live streaming by a well-known vlogger.
More importantly, Yuuya Tenjou was featured in the vlog.
"I didn't know he had this much influence… Well, he was actually an extraordinary man…"
Kamiyama muttered as he recalled Yuuya.
Then she looked frustrated.
"…This time, our school lost, but that doesn't mean we have given up! If I have the chance, I will definitely take you…!"
Kamiyama was filled with such determination.