Days after days after days, basically every day since then, my morning
starts with that monster beating me nonstop using that equally monstrous
wooden stick. I get free from my suffering only at the arrival of night. At
first, I thought of retaliating when he was asleep, but that monster has no
openings at all. On the contrary, I receive merciless counterattacks from
him along with unimaginable pain.
Now, my heart has become too worn out to even attempt something against
that person. I have turned into a yes man who can only go through the
torture of that aberration, which he calls "training."
Speaking of that aberration, he said that his name is Kai Heineman. I
wonder just what in the hell is wrong with that monster? For me,
Girimekhala, he's an extremely powerful vessel in a completely different
way. I mean, going against him is like a bug trying to challenge a giant,
legendary dragon. It isn't a matter of winning or losing anymore; the
difference between our strengths is like that between heaven and earth. Yes,
the desperation I feel is similar to what I sense when confronting my
master, Mara-sama.
This dungeon, [Gods' Ordeal], is a game(gateway to honor) to become a
great god who represents their own myth. Confident of their abilities, gods
bet on their pride and life to challenge this dungeon and conquer it. If they
can't clear this dungeon, only death awaits them. If they clear it, however,
they would be honored with the title of a great god. That's just how crazy
this trial is. It's a literal hell or heaven.
At the end of the day, the goal of this dungeon is to make one a great god.
And since this aberration already has that much power, he should be able to
go straight into the deepest floor of this dungeon and defeat the last
guardian there. Yet, despite having such tremendous power, Kai Heineman
always does contradictory things.
This dungeon can be cleared in two ways. The first way is to follow a
regular route, clearing one floor after another. You could say that this route
is unnecessary for him since he's powerful enough to beat the last guardian
of this dungeon.
The other way is to use the right hand of a god to use the access code that
would send the god straight into the last floor. Then, the god can beat the
last guardian and clear the dungeon. The last guardian is so powerful that its
power causes unrest even amongst gods. That's why only foolish gods use
the access code. However, this shouldn't be a problem for Kai Heineman.
He should be able to beat the last guardian with ease. This is the reason his
current actions don't make sense at all.
All the gods who come to challenge this dungeon should already know of
these two routes. What I'm trying to say is that Kai Heineman's action of
clearing this dungeon floor by floor doesn't make sense since he's strong
enough to beat the last guardian of this dungeon.
While I mulled over this question, the sun rose. The figure of Kai Heineman
walking out of his residence, a small wooden building, appeared before me.
「RISE AND STAND!!!」
My body jerked on its own when I heard his shout.
『YES SIR!』
I spontaneously jumped up and stood with a straight posture. Then I saluted
him with my right hand.
「Oi, Tell me again. What are you!?」
『Yes sir! I am nothing more than a lowly bug who crawls on the
ground!!』
Nowadays, this reply has become a part of my life. I felt humiliated at first.
However, I abandoned such useless pride long ago. This routine has reached
a point where my mouth answers on its own.
「Good! It seems like you finally have some guts after thirty years of
training. Rejoice! From now on, you're no longer a worthless bug. You
have been reborn as a warrior.」
『YES SIR! It's a pleasure to receive such an honor!!』
Why? What's with this shaking voice of mine? What's with all these tears?
The hot liquid kept slipping down from my cheeks and falling to the
ground.
Despite seeing me trembling while I cried due to the unexplainable
emotions I felt, Kai Heineman raised his lips.
「Girimekhala, I shall give thee a present to celebrate your graduation as a
warrior. What kind of a world do you wish for?」
He asked me an incomprehensible question.
『A… world?』
「Yes. Apparently, this picture book has such a system.」
『E-Eh, what's what for me…』
「What? So you don't have a world you wish for, huh. Since that's the case,
I guess I shall create a world similar to the land where creatures like you
can live.」
The moment Kai Heineman muttered those words, the scenery before me
distorted.
It transformed into the scenery of my homeland, which I badly miss. A
palace-like building majestically towered over the plains in this world.
『T-This is…』
To be honest, seeing the scenery before me, I was completely at a loss for
words.
Did Kai Heineman just casually create a world? Nononono! Not even a
great god should be able to achieve such a miracle. I mean, creating a world
you have never seen before should be an impossible task.
The scenery before me distorted again, and this time, Kai Heineman
appeared in front of me.
「What do you think? Not too bad, right?」
『Did you… really create this world?』
「Well, to be exact, I just reproduced a scene you saw before using this
picture book, which I found in this dungeon. And, it's not my power that
created this world.」
That's impossible. At the end of the day, this dungeon was created to train a
god into a great god. Anything beyond that should be impossible. No matter
how powerful an item in this dungeon is, it shouldn't be able to create the
impossible scenery before me.
However, there is no need for Kai Heineman to tell a lie to me either. Why
should he lie to someone he can swat to death anytime he wants to? In
short, he's telling the truth about that book.
Since that's the case, it means that the book underwent a transformation
when it became Kai Heineman's possession.
Such an incomprehensible existence. Power rivalling that of a great god and
power to create a world! I've never heard of anyone having these two
powers at the same time before. Thus, I decided to ask a question that has
always been in my mind since I realized the depth of Kai Heineman's
power.
『What are you trying to do in this dungeon?』
For someone as powerful as Kai Heineman, clearing this dungeon should be
as easy as flipping his hand. Yet, he chooses to walk his way through each
floor instead of going straight to the last floor. This Girimekhala is dying to
know the reason Kai Heineman does such a thing.
「Naturally, to become stronger.」
Kai Heineman's reply betrayed all of my expectations. It was just too
simple.
『C-Can you become… even stronger than now?』
Does he want to become an existence even higher than he already is? Does
he seriously think about that despite having a power rivalling that of a great
god? Such greed for strength.
「Naturally, I'm far too immature after all. Fortunately, I've found a glove
that can seal my strength. With this, I can limit my strength and enjoy even
more fierce and deadly battles that can burn my soul.」
A madgod! There's no doubt about it. The existence before me has a few
screws loose in his head. Honestly, this is the first time I've met such a mad
god. And yet, for some reason, I feel a sense of longing toward such absurd
madness.
（I see. This must be the reason I was crying before.）
When I understood that, my hesitations, questions, doubts, and even my
loyalty toward my former master, scattered and vanished at once. They
were replaced with an unshakable faith toward the existence who stood
before me.
That's why―
『From this moment onward, this bug pledges his absolute loyalty to
you.』
At this very moment I, Girimekhala, knelt and pledged a vow in my heart in
the name granted by my supreme master