"Then let's go."
The next day.
Gwen-san came to pick us up in front of the house, and as soon as we gathered, he snapped his fingers. At that moment, the scenery changed in an instant.
Whereas the space we had been in until now was a vague scene like the border between the sky and space, the space we had just arrived at had a view as if we had been thrown out into the middle of the universe.
However, unlike the outer space that we traveled through with Merl, there were rainbow-colored auras floating here and there like the aurora borealis, and countless galaxies seemed to be twinkling in the sky.
As I gazed at the view, Gwen-san showed a mysterious expression on his face.
"This is the world of trials. Here you will undergo trials, and by overcoming them, you will gain divine authority."
"I-I see…"
"Rest assured. There is no danger of death in this trial."
"Is that so?"
I thought for sure that without almost dying, you couldn't get divine authority…
While everyone was puzzled, Gwen-san grinned.
"However, once you start the trials, you can't quit halfway through."
"Eh?"
"As I explained yesterday, here in the [Heavenly Realm], your bodies will stop aging. And you didn't have an appetite, did you?"
"I-indeed, I rested yesterday because you asked me to, but I didn't feel hungry or even sleepy."
"That's right. Once you start a trial, you will be trapped in the world of trials forever until you get over it. Now, let me ask you one last question. After hearing all this, do you still want to go through the trials?"
"""….."""
We looked at each other and nodded toward Gwen-san.
"Yes!"
"Affirmative. If it makes me stronger, I'll do anything."
"Me, too. I don't like to be left on the receiving end."
(That's for sure. I'll beat you after I acquire that divine authority."
"Well, I'm not that particular about it, but… I can't help my curiosity in the face of unknown power."
Each of us had different reasons, but we were all very motivated.
Then, even Night and the others raised their voices.
"Woof! Woof, woof!"
"Fugo! Buhi!"
"Pii!"
"Eh? A-are Night and the others going to take part in the trials too?"
I was surprised because I didn't think that even Night and the others would show their willingness to participate in the trials, but Gwen-san nodded his head.
"If you want to take the trials, you can take them. If you don't regret it, that is."
"Woof!"
Night nodded vigorously at the somewhat provocative words of Gwen-san.
"Hmph. Then I will stay here and wait for you while I sleep."
"O-Ouma-san, you are not going to take the trials?"
"I don't need it."
"A-ahahaha."
I laughed at Ouma-san, who was always going at his own pace.
W-well, Ouma-san is an extraordinary being called the Genesis Dragon, and maybe he can actually use power like divine authority just because I don't know about it.
In that sense, could Zenovis-san also use divine authority?
I thought it was necessary to quit being a human being in order to obtain divine authority… No, I think Zenovis-san would be able to use divine authority without doing anything in particular.
I got a little sidetracked in my thinking, but at any rate, the members who would undergo the trials were decided.
When Gwen-san confirmed it, he snapped his fingers.
At that moment, a huge black vortex, like a black hole, appeared in front of us.
"This is…"
"Now, let the trials begin. Last warning, once you start the trials, you will not be able to come back from the other side until you conquer it. Are you ready?"
"…Yes."
"Then──begin the trials."
With the signal from Gwen-san, our bodies were sucked into the black vortex.
＊＊＊
"!? T-this is…"
As I was sucked into the black vortex, my vision blacked out for a moment, but the next moment, I was surrounded by a new landscape again.
There was nothing in the sky, nothing on the ground, nothing but pitch-black space.
And it was not only the environment that had changed.
"What is that? My clothes…! And this body is…!"
For some reason, I was no longer in the armor I was wearing before, and I was wearing the uniform of the school I was in before I transferred to Ousei Academy.
In addition… before I knew it, my physique had reverted to my pre-level-up appearance.
"W-why…?"
Like myself, this space itself was strange.
At first glance, I almost thought I had been thrown into a world of total darkness, but I could see my body clearly, so it was different from the usual darkness.
"W-what in the world is going on here?"
"──This is the trial."
"!?"
I was in a state of panic when a voice suddenly spoke to me.
When I turned my head to look in that direction, I was stunned to see a person standing there.
"W-why──w-why am I…?"
Standing there was the post-level-up me in the Blood Warrior Ogre's armor. The person in front of me, who seems to be another me, smiled wickedly at me as I stood there in a daze.
"Don't say something strange, okay? I'm not you."
"Eh?"
"The way you are now is the real you, isn't it?"
"!"
The words that were said to me mockingly pierced deep into my heart. But the other person didn't care and continued talking.
"Now, let's talk about the trial. It's not that difficult. If you fight me and win, the trial will be over. How's that?"
"That's…"
"Now that I've explained it to you. Let's get on with the trial."
"Eh──."
A moment later.
A hole opened up in my stomach.
"Gobuhh!"
I had no idea what had been done to me. The next thing I knew, there was a hole in my stomach, and I collapsed to the ground.
Then, in the haze of my vision, the post-level-up me boredly spun some words.
"Hey, hey, aren't you too weak?"
In his hand, he was holding the [Absolute Spear].
"It is impossible to clear the trial like that, you know? Right?"
The other person was saying something, but my consciousness was so foggy that I couldn't think straight. Just as I was thinking that I was going to die here, my consciousness suddenly came back clearly.
"──Eh? W-why…?"
Moreover, I found that the hole in my stomach, which had been empty, had been completely closed in an instant.
I was confused and didn't understand what was going on, but the other person told me.
"Didn't you hear that before you came here? In this world, you will never die."
"Oh…"
"See, now that you understand, let's continue. I'll be waiting for you."
The other guy totally looked at me without any trace of respect.
I managed to get up and tried to take out my [Omni-Sword] from my [Item Box].
But──.
"W-what?"
──Not only the [Omni-Sword] but even my [Item Box] didn't appear.
No matter how much I thought about it, nothing came out.
The other party then erupted in an unbearable manner.
"Pfft… ahahahahaha! How could it possibly come out?"
"Eh…"
"Hey, hey, whose power is that originally? Is it yours? No, it's not. It's all thanks to the sage, isn't it?"
"Ah…"
"And the awesome titles! All those skills! All of it! They are not yours. They are all things that you got because of the Sage. You don't have any power."
"──"
I had nothing to respond with.
The reason I've been able to fight in the other world so far, the reason I'm no longer bullied in the real world, it's not all because of my power.
I was able to do this because of the legacy that Sage-san gave me.
As I stood there, unable to say anything, the other man smiled at me with a lecherous smile.
"Hey, if you're not coming──I'll go to you, okay?"
"──!?"
And when I realized, my right arm was blown off.
"Aaaaahhhh!"
"Hahaha! You can be a scarecrow! Hey!"
I screamed out in pain, but the other man just laughed at me. But this space didn't even allow me to faint from the pain.
Even the most agonizing pain could be recovered in an instant after waiting a short while.
"A-ah…"
"Well, there's more to come. I've got plenty of weapons I haven't used, so… let's have plenty of fun."
──That's when the real hell began.
I was pierced through every part of my body with the [Absolute Spear], and my limbs were slashed off with the [Omni-Sword] just for fun.
I was slowly hunted down with the [Formless Bow], and the arrows that poured down like rain pierced my entire body, making me look like a hedgehog.
The moment I was hit with the [Infinite Gauntlet], I could do nothing but feel endless pain, and the moment I was struck with the [World Strike], my body was reduced to bits as if I were a piece of wood.
No matter how much I screamed, the other me never stopped attacking.
It was as if all the power I had used up to this point was just thrown back directly at me.
As I rolled around like a rag, the other man shouted at me in a truly bored tone.
"Hey, hey, you really can't do anything, can you? That's just right. In the first place, you were just an incompetent person who couldn't do anything, weren't you?"
"Ugh…"
"However, I do have some sympathy for you, you know? You have tried to change yourself. But in the end, nothing changed. No matter how hard you tried, nothing changed. I wonder why? Maybe you're cursed or something? Haha!"
──Why, I was the one who wanted to ask.
I've been trying to do the best I can, just as the other guy said.
But still, there was no change in my body. My body had not gained any muscle or strength.
Every day I was avoided, shunned, and despised by those around me, even though I had done nothing to deserve it.
…What was I supposed to do?
Am I really cursed by something? If so, why? Why me?
"And for that matter, look at me!"
I have nothing, but as if to show off the difference, the other me opened his arms and released all kinds of power from his body.
It was all the power I had acquired up to now, such as [Magic Armor], [Holy King Authority], and [Holy Evil Creation].
Besides…
"Look, look at this. This is… the divine authority you've been looking for."
In addition to the power I had used up to that point, the other person was now clad in divine authority as well.
"How's that? Unlike you, I can do anything. Can you still say that you and I are the same beings? You can't say that, can you? Hahahahahaha!"
The other me, who had laughed for a while, clapped his hands as if he had just thought of a good idea.
"Oh, yes! I'll make you disappear completely, and I'll become the real Yuuya Tenjou. Don't you think that would be better for the world?"
I wanted to deny what the other me said, but the words to refute him never came out of my mouth.
Because somewhere in the back of my mind, I had to admit it.
The other guy in front of me is more suitable for the world, not me.
There is no merit for the world to have me, who can do nothing.
But the person in front of me can do anything.
Even save the world.
"Hey, hey, the more I think about it, the more I like it! If I'm the one who can do anything, it shouldn't be impossible for me to get out of this space. Kukuku… This is exactly what I call a revelation."
"….."
"So that's how it is. You can disappear without worry, okay? I'll save the world or whatever in your place."
The other guy laughed happily.
Then, he thought of something more.
"If I switched places with you, it wouldn't be a bad idea to rule the world! Because I have that much power!"
"W-what…?"
My eyes widened at the man's words.
"What are you surprised at? Superior humans dominate the inferior creatures. It's natural, isn't it?"
"No, you can't do that…"
"Oh? Who are you talking to?"
"Gah!?"
I was kicked in the stomach by the other guy with all kinds of enhancements applied to his body. The power of the kick caused my body to explode, but a few moments later, my body was back to normal again.
Then, my head was restored to its normal state, and the other guy released his enhancements and stomped on my head.
"Ugh!"
"You, who are lower than anyone else, what are you talking back to me about? You have no rights. I am everything."
"Kuh… T-that's not true…"
"…You pissed me off."
As the emotions drained from his expression, the other guy increased the force with which he stomped on me.
"Guh!"
"That's right… as punishment for challenging me as a lowly creature, I'm going to mess up your precious things after I switch places with you."
"Wha…!?"
"I'm going to kill that dog, that pig, that bird, that lizard, and all the people at your school!"
"N-no!"
"ASーIーSAID… Don't you dare tell me what to do!"
"Gahah!"
"Well, I guess it's decided that I'm going to mess up your precious things now. No, you're going to die here anyway, so if you consider that I am sending your precious things together with you, it's not a punishment but a reward, isn't it? Ahahahaha!"
I tried to stop the guy who was smiling innocently, but helpless as I was, I couldn't do anything.
"U-ugh…!"
"Ah, good grief, keep struggling, keep struggling. What a nuisance…"
When the man uttered that in a truly troublesome manner, he moved his foot away from my head and took out the [Omni-Sword].
And then he released all of his power again, including his divine authority.
"I'm tired of dealing with incompetent people like you anymore. So… die."
With a blank look on his face, he swung down [Omni-Sword]. Then that strike, which I had not even been able to react to before, seemed to slow down very much.
At the same time, the memories of the past run through my mind. I guess this is what they call a running memory.
Looking back, until I found the [Door to Another World], I really had nothing to show for my life.
Then I stepped into the other world and inherited Zenovis-san's legacy, and my life changed in one fell swoop.
Without what Sage-san gave me, I would have been nothing to begin with.
So when the person in front of me said that he would switch places with me, I couldn't even retort because I know that a man who can do anything is better for the world than me who can't do anything.
Even though I am such a person who can do nothing, there is one thing I can never back down from.
The man in front of me said he would destroy what I hold dear.
I don't care what happens to me. Even if it means risking everything I have, I want to protect the people I care about.
I can't believe how frustrating it is to be so helpless…
I just stared at the approaching blade, unable to do anything about it.
At that moment.
"Hmm? Wha-?"
Just as the [Omni-Sword] blade touched my neck, the blade was repelled by something!