3.
When my eyes opened again, I realized the teleportation was completed.
A pure white space.
There was no horizon, mountains, streams, and vegetation. We were in a three dimensional space that looked like blank drawing paper.
A rest stop wedged between stages.
We had arrived at the [temporary base] to prepare for the next attack.
'It's been a while since I've been here.'
Although it was too bleak for me to feel nostalgic.
"Now that I think about it, what exactly is this space…"
"Curious?"
Taht.
[The Lady Who Walks Through the Mirage] who had teleported with us, lightly landed on the ground. The lady looked back at my face with a smile.
"No. It was just bothering me a bit."
"This is one of the worlds Mom created with Manseng. Wow! There shouldn't have been any noise when I recited that sentence just now!"
Boing, boing, while saying this, the Lady suddenly jumped up and down as if she was amazed and excited. It seemed as if something extremely pleasing had happened.
"Listen! Words like Mula-Gagamia or Gesh-ve-Nail, that are originally caught by the security level, and all the others that you aren't supposed to know are translated into the kingdom language of the main world. Amazing!"
[The Lady Who Walks Through the Mirage praised your security level.]
The Lady kept shouting 'Amazing! Amazing!'.
That seemed to show how exceptional the fact that the security level didn't apply to me was.
"By the kingdom of the main world… you mean the world where Viscount Ja Soo-jung lives."
"Mhm!"
The Lady answered nicely.
"The Tower translates every language, except for one, the language of the main world is not translated. Didn't Gong-ja say you went to the main world with the trauma? How was it? Were you able to understand the language?"
"Uh, yes. I could understand from the beginning…"
Suddenly, a possibility occurred to me.
"At that time, I had possessed Baron Gu Won-ha. Baron Gu Won-ha should have learned the kingdom language, so while I possessed her, I was able to listen and speak without any problems."
"Hng. I see."
When the Lady heard my words, she made a hnng sound through her nose.
Then, she came a little closer and looked up a my face.
It was a little uncomfortable.
"Wh-, what is it?"
"Of all things, Advisor Gu Won-ha and Death King… hng…"
"…do we have anything in common?"
"No. At all!"
The Lady raised her waist and waved both of her hands.
"Looking at your lives, you have nothing in common. Instead, if you two met, you'd probably become enemies in less that… 3 seconds?"
"That bad…"
"Mhm mhm. That's just how different your personalities or styles are. But… that's right.."
The Lady waved her hand in the air.
Flutter-
White flower petals flowed out of nowhere and hovered around the Lady's hand.
"Let's say there is an innocent child, and in addition to that, there is a world."
It was mysterious. The white petals fluttered in the empty drawing paper world, and the space suddenly became a temple filled with the sacred songs of life.
"But in order to save this child, you have to destroy the world. Conversely, if you leave the world as is, the child will die."
"…is that a bit more extreme than the Evangelist of Everlasting Happiness' world?"
"Mhm mhm. You have already experienced such a world. But the reason you were able to make such a choice back then was because you had the 'power' to turn the world upside down."
That was right.
If I hadn't had that skill, it wouldn't have been possible to choose that option.
"If you didn't have that power, all you could have done was choose between the two options. Now, Kim Gong-ja. What would you choose in this situation? Would you save the child? Or would you maintain the world?"
Hmm.
I crossed my arms.
"Save the child."
"That was a quick answer. Why?"
"That, if that is the only way to maintain the world, then that isn't a proper world anyway. That's why I have to save them."
"Ahaha."
The Lady let out a quiet laugh. It was a laugh filled with interest and knowing at the reason.
"Right. Right. Such a world wouldn't be worth much. The person you possessed would probably think the same."
"…You're talking about Baron Gu Won-ha, right?"
"Mhm."
The Lady nodded.
"Because that person loves Mom very much. No, it's more worship than love. Well, let's look at it as a priest expressing their desire to monopolize God."
"…"
"You'd better be careful as well, Death King."
The Lady grabbed my shoulder.
Looking behind me, my close to 1,000 family clan members were all looking at me.
"You created a family clan this time. It'll be nice. Faith will overflow. You will feel like you can do whatever you want, whenever you want."
The Lady Who Walks Through the Mirage whispered quietly.
"However, they are a group that stands united because of you."
The group that stood united looked at me.
"If it's not you, if you're not around, they become a group that has no reason to be one."
"Did you know?"
The Lady crept up to me, placed her hand on my shoulder from behind, and whispered.
"The cult members of the Demonic Cult cannot tolerate Estelle, who mercilessly slaughtered the public. The Constellation Killer, who used to kill constellations, cannot accept your son, Uburka. They are all people who lived different lives in different worlds. They cannot mix."
Her whispers were like the hisses of a snake.
"Besides, they aren't all, are they?"
"…"
"There are people that even you are putting off until you figure out the right time, aren't there? Among the people you will meet in the future, I'm sure there will be some that you want to embrace, right?"
That's right.
"Death King, the more your family grows. The more that discord will grow. Then-"
That being the case.
"The moment you are not around, or you're in even the slightest bit of danger-."
The Lady put her hands together before spreading them apart.
Paaa-
A playful explosion sound came from the Lady's mouth. Then, the Lady laughed as if she was having a good time.
"Climbing the Tower? Helping the weak? Creating a world where no one's sacrifice is forced, and where everyone has to bear their own scars? Although that's a good story, Death King, if you die, or get really hurt… it'll just end up being a story told to children that [doesn't really matter]."
"Everyone is struggling for you without caring about the world. That balance has been broken, and things like the world will never weigh the same as you."
[The Lady Who Walks Through the Mirage gives a deep warning.]
"Don't die. Death King."
"…"
"Don't get hurt. Don't get kidnapped. Don't get tortured. Don't sacrifice yourself to do something. The amount of blood you shed, the weight of that blood, that is the portion of those children's hearts that will be dyed red."
In this pure white world that was a knockoff temple, with a frivolous smile and a somewhat reverent voice, the daughter of God gave me a prophecy.
"Be happy."
"…"
"If you are happy, your other family clan members will be happy. Do your absolute best. This isn't just about being emotionally happy, it's about knowing exactly why we are doing this, and knowing exactly how great it would be when it's done, things like that. That is how happy you should be."
I.
Nodded.
"Yes."
"Hmm. Another quick answer. Are you sure you know the answer?"
"If other people are happy, I will also be happy."
I said emphatically.
"As long as I'm fighting for someone, as long as I'm continuously fighting, there will never be a day when I stop being happy."
"Hmm."
The Lady smiled.
Then, she held my hands.
"Please take care of my Mom."
Light spread brilliantly through our clasped hands.
At the same time, I flinched.
I could feel a tremor from the Lady's hands on my own. It was a tension that didn't suit the Lady who seemed to always be smiling leisurely. I unconsciously raised me head and looked at the Lady's face.
"…Lady?"
"Please. Please."
With tears in her eyes, the daughter of God begged.
"Save my mom…"
…
"There are too many unhappy lives. So there are too many lives blaming mom, lives that mom is responsible for, too much pain…"
"Lady-nim."
"There are already a lot, too many, and there are more and more every second."
That seemed to be true.
I thought back to the worlds I had experienced during the missions.
I wondered how many of the ordinary people who had died in vain due to the Devil King's attack in the world of the Aegim Empire were the Tower Master. I wondered how many frozen corpses of nameless people who had died of starvation in the murim that Master belonged to were the Tower Master. In the worlds of the Evangelist of Everlasting Happiness and a few others.
How many among those who had been discriminated against, abused and killed in the Rime* Empire created by the Heretic Questioner were also the Tower Master. (*: I completely forgot about this typo that I decided to keep lol)
How many people on Earth where I once lived.
"Please."
The daughter of the suffering God sobbed because she had such a God as a mother.
"I beg you, please."
And.
At that moment, a voice announcing the entry into the stage resounded in the space.
[The 36th Floor stage has opened.]
[Those climbing the Tower.]
[May luck be with you.]
I patted the Lady on the shoulder.
"Okay."
I nodded determinedly.
"I'll save her."
The 100th floor was still far away.
However, when I got there, it was definitely something that I would do.
"Although it will be hard, please wait."
To save the God of all Things of every world.
We would save that God.
It was simple, clear, and perfect.
"Because we are strong."
[You are forcibly being sent to the 36th Floor!]
I patted the shoulder of the still crying Lady and looked directly in front of me. Light was sweeping over from the other side of the endless drawing paper.
It was literally a quiet explosion of light.
The tsunami of light swallowed me, Kim Yul, Sylvia Evanail, and the rest of my 1,000 or so family clan members and swept us away at the same time.
At the last moment, I smiled at the Lady who would be left alone.
4.
Then, we were floating above a plain.
This wasn't the first time I'd found myself floating like a ghost, but it was certainly different to play ghost with several people, to be precise, with the 1,000 or so members of my family clan.
'If anyone were to see this, they would think the world was ending.'
I looked around.
Soon, I noticed grounds that were just as large as ours.
On either side of the vast plain.
Soldiers bearing different flags were fighting.
-Uuoooh! Kill!
-Don't back down! Kill! Kill!
On one side was an army of oni.
The race led by the Rank 6 Hunter Venomous Snake.
The oni were larger than the other races and had two horns growing on their heads. Clad in loose armor, they swung swords that were as large as their bodies.
And on the other side, was an army of goblins.
The race I led.
Aside from the fact that these children, who I hadn't seen in a long time, didn't have horns, they weren't that different from the oni.
-Kuuaaah!
-Horned ones! Let's distinguish victory and defeat!
-Archers! Fire your arrows!
-Stay alert! Use the corpses of the enemies as shields to block the arrows!
A gruesome battlefield.
A battlefield where about 20,000 people from both had been killed and died.
'Mm.'
For a moment, my heart palpitated.
'It's unfair because the few of them will never be able to live again…'
It was a scene that I couldn't help but be stunned after thinking about, but I calmed my mind.
Standing there, I didn't let myself be swept away by my emotions, but I also didn't turn away. I faced them all.
As a result.
I was able to see [that].
"Nyahahaha-!!"
On the front line of the oni army. There was a female Swordsman with fluttering red hair.
Her appearance was certainly worthy of the attention as she ran across the battlefield wearing something like a robe, with dual swords in her hand.
And this female Swordsman was certainly attracting attention.
-Uoh! It's the Sword Princess!
-Dammit, she's gonna take all the credit…!
The oni cheered.
Compared to the crude faces of the oni who were cheering, this one, how should I say it… it was as if it had been drawn in a different style.
Mm.
But.
But the problem was…
"Daddy."
Uburka poked my shoulder.
"Huh."
"By chance, can you tell me what that is…"
"Mm…."
I averted my gaze. It was only a short while ago that I had decided to face it without turning a blind eye, but still, in this situation, I wanted to turn my eyes away.
However, beside me, Kim Yul muttered cold-heartedly.
"That's a [possessed body]."
"Don't say it…"
"Is it a 'Player' who is in a ghost like state like we are? I can see the image of a middle aged man possessing that woman who is running wild on the battlefield—"
"Uah! Don't say it!" (TL: Took away his chance to daddyflex.)
That's right!
The reflection of the Venomous Snake could be seen on the back of the female Swordsman running across the battlefield!
In other words, that was the Venomous Snake!
"Family Head."
Sylvia tugged on my sleeve.
"What is it…"
"That… it's not one…"
"Not one…"
"There, overrr~ there. No, don't ignore it. Look over there. Yes. Over there."
Sylvia grabbed my head, turned it and forced me to look in that direction.
It was also on the front lines of the oni army.
"My my, it can't be helped. I have to step in."
Fixing his gloves, an oni boy who, unlike other oni, was quite slender, walked out with two swords in his hands.
"…"
And behind him, there was also the reflection of the Venomous Snake.
In other words, he was also the Venomous Snake.
"Ahaha! That's what I'm talking about. We gotta step in!"
As expected, an oni girl who, unlike other oni, had a small body, pigtails and a strange accent, walked out wielding two swords.
Of course, she was also the Venomous Snake.
"Hu… that's what we're here for, isn't it?"
A young oni man with a sharp appearance that seemed as if he could cut a cake cleanly with his face, walked forward while muttering in a blunt tone.
Naturally, he was the Venomous Snake.
"Mm."
Seven oni, each with unique appearances, appeared in different directions.
"We, the [7 Oni Heroes] are in charge of this battlefield."
In other words, the seven Venomous Snakes spoke at the same time.
I.
+
[Multiple Reincarnation Possession]
Rank: SSS
Effect: Possess the persons you choose. When that person dies, you return to your original mind.
Cost: Not for sale (This benefit can only be obtained via a special method)
※However, you can only possess someone within a minute of their death.
+
I couldn't help but cry out.
"What are you doing over there—!?"