There's an epilogue to this story.
Races who met their god in person for the first time in thousands of years (literally face-to-face) celebrated with a festival.
Was it a neat meeting?
The various races were happy to discover that their parents were better than expected.
"...Ah."
It was while we sat together on a broad rock, watching the jungle festival. Ah, the Black Dragon Witch said, as if she had realized something.
"Why?"
"Oh… It's just… It's just that, hearing from [The Lady Who Walks the Mirage], you realize there are hunters from other worlds ascending the tower, not just us. It's hard to imagine."
"Well, yes. Right…?"
I glanced back subtly. A ghost was floating and yawning in midair. Even as a ghost, it burped, "Gurgle! Huhuhu." It was an amusing sight I thought would be fun to show others.
"Eh? Why suddenly look back? Is someone there?"
The Black Dragon Witch narrowed her brows and followed my gaze into the empty air. Of course, to Anastasia's eyes, it would just be a view of the jungle with vines hanging from palm trees.
The Black Dragon Witch lacks spiritual sensitivity, unfortunately.
"No, just felt a presence. Probably a snail or a squirrel."
"Hmm."
"Please continue."
"Well, anyway… So, strong figures from various worlds are flooding into the tower, right?"
"Yes."
"Among them, there must surely be hunters much stronger than us. Death King. As you said, we are strong, but… we're not invincible. There might be forces more ruthless, stronger, and more numerous than us."
"Yes."
"So, what I'm thinking is…"
The Black Dragon Witch slightly lifted the corners of her lips. Did she herself find it a bit awkward? Ridiculous? Absurd? Anyway, it was that kind of smile.
"Can't we just not ascend past the 50th floor and live?"
"...."
"Ah. Don't misunderstand. I'm not suggesting we do that. Nor am I saying we will. I'm simply thinking that many other hunters and tower residents might feel that way."
Hmm.
I quietly drank my tea.
"That seems likely."
Far from the city and villages, in the jungle, especially since all races had gathered for the war against the Energy Dragon. It was difficult to find proper tea leaves, let alone a cup to hold the tea.
Yet, the Goblins had diligently collected sturdy leaves. They chose non-toxic leaves, overlapped and knotted them, creating a plausible jungle-made leaf teacup. The Goblin children shyly giggled and presented the teacup to me.
-The jungle is cold at dawn! The body gets cold.
-Ugor, the day is only happy when you feel warm inside!
That was the offering I received this dawn.
As a god, perhaps no one else has received a more delightful offering than this, and as a parent, hardly anyone has received a cuter devotion than this.
It's blissful.
"Many people probably feel that way."
I took a sip from the world's most luxurious teacup.
The warm sensation slowly enveloped my throat and belly.
Human care isn't just visible in smiles or laughter; but something that could reach deep into someone's heart.
"That's true. We have already incorporated the continent ruled by the Aegim Empire in our tower. The magic books we could obtain there are just the least valuable resources. Millions of manpower, endless monsters and prey, minerals, gold, oil…"
"There are already many extremists advocating to drive out the Aegim Empire."
The Black Dragon Witch Witch lowered her voice.
"Like what America did to its natives. If we take away all the land they occupied and plunder their resources, won't we, with our overwhelming advanced civilization, become the winners of the new world?"
"Thank you, Anastasia. If the Black Dragon Witch hadn't strictly limited stage-to-stage movement, such incidents would have already happened."
"I'll gladly accept your gratitude. But, I cannot forever suppress the voices of extremists."
"...."
"Kim Gong-ja. You are a hero."
The Black Dragon Witch's face became serious.
It was the expression of a close friend offering truly earnest advice to a dear comrade. Thus, I felt that her saying, "You are a hero," was not a compliment, but rather the beginning of a warning.
"The reason you've been treated as a hero until now is that you really haven't been involved in governance at all. Black Dragon Witch, Ten Thousand Temple, Merchant's Union, Chen Mu-mun, Civil Militia… The top-tier guilds offered you the position of deputy guild master, but you never once used that title to wield power. You didn't get involved in politics. Do you understand what I mean?"
"If I start governing the tower, the mask of a hero will be stripped away."
"Exactly. The mask will split in two. One half will be held by those who fervently follow you, and the other half will be trampled and shattered by those who brandish spears against you. It will split into two factions."
Indeed.
Perhaps due to experiencing civil war in the outside world, the Black Dragon Witch's words carried a heavy conviction and strong intuition.
"If the two factions are evenly matched, a civil war will break out. Guilds that follow you and those that dislike you. Divided like that, they'll fight over who will seize control of our tower…"
"This time, it won't happen."
"Right. This time there won't be a civil war."
The reason is simple.
"The five guilds ruling the tower from the top. Black Dragon Witch, Ten Thousand Temple, Merchant's Union, Civil Militia, Chen Mu-mun, all strongly support you."
Our relationship is built on unprecedented trust.
But what about the other side?
Those who want to snatch and shatter my mask, the extremists, are simply… too weak.
Far too weak.
There's no way a war can happen.
Therefore.
"I'm planning a [purge]."
"A purge?"
"Yes. I'll eliminate all dissidents and extremists."
A brief silence followed.
2.
Somewhere, the sound of wood turning to charcoal in a bonfire could be heard.
I was not listening to that sound. Instead, I recalled a story the Heretic Questioner had told me in Raviel's world.
I remembered the phrase that kept repeating: [You have died].
"Anastasia."
I looked into the Black Dragon Witch's eyes.
"That purge once completely broke the relationship between the guild masters."
Long ago.
After the great purge that cost hundreds of thousands of lives, the relationship between the five major guilds collapsed.
The Sword Saint descended from being the leader of the Civil Militia. The Crusader stayed as the deputy leader instead of ascending. The Black Dragon Witch hid in the shadows, and the Venomous Snake, the Heretic Questioner…
The scenery of the rainy street seen through the half-closed eye. Remembering another world shown by the Tower Master, I brought up this topic, but the Black Dragon Witch did not remain silent.
She immediately retorted.
"Yes, that's true. But Kim Gong-ja, you appeared, and thanks to you, we all became good friends again. I'm truly grateful for that."
The Black Dragon Witch took a breath and continued.
"But back then, the five major guilds weren't tightly holding power like now. That's why it was difficult to sort out and get rid of the rotten apples. That was the cause of so much unnecessary noise. But now,"
"Now?"
"Now the situation is different. The relationship between the five major guilds is better than ever, and I've been accumulating information about influential hunters within the tower for a long time. I roughly know their ideologies and what they've been doing. We just need to identify and deal with the extremists. Quickly. And discreetly."
The Black Dragon Witch spoke decisively.
"Nobody will even know that they are dead."
Her words made me recall a certain alley.
There, I remembered an unnamed hunter who died.
And then I thought of a certain hunting ground.
There, I remembered an unnamed hunter who died and now resides in my shadow.
"...."
I crossed my arms.
After thinking, I spoke.
"What happens next?"
"...."
"People keep coming in. The [extremists] you talked about will increase over time. What will you do about them?"
The Black Dragon Witch bit her lip slightly.
Then she said,
"We'll have to deal with them."
"...."
"Skin peels and becomes scabs. Digested food turns to waste. Accumulated nutrients become fat. These are the inevitable byproducts that need to be managed… necessary actions to maintain an ideal self. These are the tasks we must keep performing. Without them, it's impossible to maintain an ideal organization—"
"Anastasia."
I reached out and placed my hand on Anastasia's hand. Despite the jungle's stifling heat, my friend's hand was always as cold as if it were holding ice.
"There was a time we talked about this before."
In the past.
During the conquest of the world of the [Evangelist of Everlasting Happiness].
"Bring them to me."
I declared to the Black Dragon Witch, the Heretic Questioner, the Count, the Crusader, the Venomous Snake, that I would become their king and lead them. I asserted that I would take charge. I had no intention of retracting my declaration as a mistake.
Even at this moment, it remains the same.
"Who is this person? Does he truly deserve to be purged? Anastasia, you can advise and warn me about him, but in the end, the one who will make the judgment is me. I will look into his eyes, observe his life, and make my decision."
"...."
"I will decide. So, bring them to me first."
"Ah."
The Black Dragon Witch sighed.
It wasn't a sigh of fatigue but one imbued with sadness.
"So, you plan to persuade them?"
"Choosing to kill will be my last option."
"How difficult that task is…"
"Once you get a taste for killing, persuasion feels bothersome. But, Anastasia, that's the right sensibility. You should find murder the most difficult option."
The Black Dragon Witch closed her mouth.
After a moment of silence, she slowly continued.
"Since you are… at least nominally the Deputy Guild Master of Black Dragon Witch, you can roam our guild without much issue. I won't guide you, but you figure out who the extremists are and try to persuade them."
"Yes."
I smiled.
"Thank you, Anastasia, for listening to me…"
"A truly grateful conversation, Black Dragon Witch."
Thud.
There was a sound of footsteps behind us.
Someone approached without any warning, suddenly making noise within 10 meters.
"——!"
It took me 0.5 seconds to grasp and unsheathe my sword.
"Black Dragon Witch! I agree!"
"[Instant Teleportation]!"
It took Anastasia 1.5 seconds to grab my sleeve, seek agreement, and activate the skill.
"Master, please step back."
"Oh my. To come unannounced to our family head, what kind of uncivilized intruder might this be?"
Estelle and the Demon Lords descended from the top of the palm trees, emerged from the dark bushes, and came out from the shadows of the rocks, all within 2 seconds.
"Hoo."
"Hm."
Then Anastasia and I completed our teleportation to a safe distance. By this time, my holy sword was already drawn. Hundreds of my guards began to perfectly surround the area.
3 seconds.
In just 3 seconds, we had perfectly responded to the intrusion of an unidentified intruder.
"Heh...."
The intruder stroked his beard. His face was masked. His voice was altered with aura, making it difficult to discern his expression or identity. His body was covered with a robe, concealing his identity.
A true intruder.
However, it was clear from the atmosphere that the intruder was quite surprised.
"Even though I intended to test how much your skills had improved as a joke, this is… a failed prank. It could be shrugged off as a personal embarrassment, but what I've witnessed is astonishing. The protection you have is near perfect."
Yet, there was a rhythm in the altered voice that was hard to disguise.
I gauged the intruder's physique, posture, and the intensity of his aura.
And, in a dumbfounded voice, I called out the intruder's name.
"Uh, could it be Sword Saint?"
"It's been a while."
The intruder removed his mask.
Before our eyes was a familiar face.
A smile graced the face of an aged man, his wrinkles adding to his dignified appearance.
"I met the Heretic Questioner on my way here. We had a brief chat. He swore allegiance to you, and the Black Dragon Witch has become your friend, hasn't she? Up to that point, I understand, having lived a considerable life myself. I know that sometimes incredible things happen to us. I can accept that. But,"
The Sword Saint smiled slightly.
Seeing the Sword Saint smile was rare, and when he did, it was with a purity like a child, leaving me no choice but to gaze at it blankly.
"I heard that the Deputy Commander of the Civil Militia has also become your friend! Haha."
"...."
"I couldn't bring myself to ask him directly, so I went to the leader of Merchant's Union and asked if it was true. He confirmed it with a refreshing smile. I was amazed. Truly, life is full of unexpected events."
I relaxed and sighed.
"Really. Was it necessary to confirm that, elder? Sneaking around in disguise without our knowledge?"
"Of course."
The Sword Saint then removed the cloak covering him.
"It was an important event that had to be confirmed."
Thump.
As the straw coat fell, the Sword Saint's true attire was revealed.
A suit fit for heading to an office any moment. The perfectly tailored black suit elegantly covered his thighs and forearms.
"It's about deciding whether I should [retire] or not."
The refined elegance of the black coat couldn't disguise the Sword Saint's true stature. The suit followed the contours of his muscles gracefully. Only the red tie, an essential item for an office worker, hung loosely, providing a bit of relief to the otherwise tense suit.
Number one in the hierarchy.
For over ten years, people had witnessed the Sword Saint just like that.
"…Retire? What do you mean by that?"
While I was struck by the Sword Saint's appearance, the Black Dragon Witch pressed on the intriguing topic. Her gaze was sharp.
"Have you finally grown fond of the idea of being an old man in the back room? Congratulations. You've been like a retired old man ever since you left the Civil Militia, but now you'll finally realize your true place."
"Hmm."
"Really. When you were chasing the Demon King with Kim Gong-ja, I thought maybe you had changed a bit, but after that, you've been just as lazy…."
"I did my best in my own way."
"That attitude is annoying."
The Black Dragon Witch frowned.
"You did the same this time as well. The pure race you chose had almost no impact on history. They were a race that, originally, wouldn't have been surprising if they caused great disturbances. You, as a god, must have commanded them to live in seclusion and retreat, right?"
The old man smiled faintly.
It was an uncommon occurrence.
"I won't deny it."
"…Why? Because you're considering retirement, as you said?"
"No matter where I stood in the outside world, now I am just one hunter. My profession is a swordsman. The day a swordsman retires from the sword is only when he dies and lets go of his sword."
"...."
"I have been watching over you. Not surveillance… no, that's not the right word. There's a better expression."
Perhaps it was just my feeling, but the tension around us seemed to intensify.
It was mainly due to the Black Dragon Witch glaring at the Sword Saint with suspicion.
The Sword Saint nodded once, as if understanding the Black Dragon Witch's gaze. But that was all. The Sword Saint wiped the smile from his lips and spoke softly.
"I have been testing you."
Testing.
The Black Dragon Witch let out a scoffing laugh.
"Still speaking from your high horse. Really, who is testing whom here—"
"If."
The Sword Saint said.
"If the Death King had accepted the to [purge] from the Black Dragon Witch, I would have used all my strength to kill the Death King."
"...."
"Right here, right now."
At that moment, the encirclement was completed.
Estelle drew his red sword, facing off against the Sword Saint. The Demon Lords formed a line to support Estelle. Shrring! Shring! The sound of swords being drawn echoed from all directions. A thousand followers, each hidden in the shadows of the jungle and behind palm trees, formed a surrounding formation, ready to pounce at any moment.
None of them uttered a word. Thousands of eyes silently watched the Sword Saint's hands, feet, waist, and eyes. Under their gaze, the Sword Saint was dissected limb by limb.
Should the Sword Saint raise his aura or harbor any killing intent, a thousand swords would strike along those lines, dismembering him.
"...."
But the Sword Saint only kept his eyes on mine the whole time.
I slowly sheathed my sword back into its scabbard. The Black Dragon Witch nudged my shoulder from the side, but it didn't matter.
"Elder."
I too looked into the Sword Saint's eyes.
"I know you would never harm me."
"...."
The eyes of the aged swordsman were clear and bright.