"Quite the number of visitors today..."
The boy glanced at his hand drenched in tears before turning his eyes back at the disturbing sight occupying the blue sky.
There, where space broke apart, a giant eye peeked in as rippling cosmic energy seeped through.
"It's an honor to have an audience with the highly esteemed [Observer]-"
"Quit with the disgusting tone, ***. We don't have much time to waste. They will get suspicious if I disappeared for too long."
A chilling monotonous voice leaked. It was indeed the familiar voice he knew.
"Fine. So where do we start, business partner?"
The eyeball widened at his response.
"…Surprisingly quick. Do you not doubt this old friend?"
"It matters not. You should already know what you're doing if you dragged me here, no?"
Against the boy in front of them, their countless ploys, except for some, had all gone up in smokes. Though, while his avatar did have a hand in some of it, most were due to the unavoidable nature of the boy.
"Of course. We have invested enough so that nothing could never be the answer."
He was the very definition of Bad End, the one where pretty much everything is doomed to fall.
"Even if I was sealed, their Dream is still something else." The boy rubbed his eyes. "So, what do you want me to do?"
"Not you. Him."
It sounded ambiguous, but the boy instantly knew who it was. However, the current situation made him frown a little.
"You mean Jun? But he's completely on his own right now. That's why I'm here to converse with you, not 'us'."
The eyes widened further, as if to affirm its words.
"That's right. Only him. There's going to be a lot more problems if you're also at the forefront."
"Equilibrium…No, the 'rats'?"
"That's right. The trace of a certain vanished [God] is very well-sought, after all."
"…And I assume this place is already infested?"
The eyeball nodded lightly.
"As expected."
The higher one stood on the hierarchy, the more eyes looked upon one after all. Especially if they're involved in events spanning universes and worldlines.
This also means there are many troublemakers willing to play tricks and cause mischief, confident they could get away or just due to curiosity.
"It's a tall order if you ask for a mortal to rid [God], you know?"
That was a half-lie.
Due to Jun's connection with him, he's very much able to beat, or even kill [God]. However, Jun's nature as an artificial human meant he was as susceptible to damage as any other human without the boy's presence. His strength will also be much more limited than normal.
"You have a sly tongue. However, worry not, none have been able to manifest in this Dream yet."
"Until then bigger names show up, hm? A bit ambiguous, but I could work with it. Just have to hope that the synchronization's ready by then."
"That won't be possible."
Rustle----STAB!
Out of nowhere, a giant black rod stabbed through the boy's torso, firmly planted in the ground. Following suit, his limbs and neck were grabbed and shackled cleanly.
"I see. He didn't perceive those kids as threats...So what is this about, dear 'old friend'?"
The boy felt these things were similar sealing tools, made with a specific purpose. Though, it didn't seem to be precisely for restraining him, but something else.
"Say, don't you feel your 'self' withering away, even at this moment?"
"You should already know. It has always been like this."
As the boy spoke, fragments broke off his face, revealing a dark endless void.
That's right, ever since the day he ascended to this [Throne], its "love" has always eaten away at him. A "love" that has tormented him for eternity, even when he was a human, even when he's a [God].
"Would you be willing to give up the [Throne] for me?"
The boy was slightly shocked but amused. It wasn't the first time someone had asked him this, but it might be the last. After all, someone like them might just be able to do it.
"'Love', heavy, know? But, ready, yes?"
"After coming all this way, there's no turning back. It's a race against time, indeed."
Making the boy in front of them a part of this Dream was the biggest risk he took. In turn, to make this deal possible, he risked the failure of this elaborate project.
"Let me sum it up." The boy, whose face had turned back to normal, spoke with eloquence."For him to deal with troublemakers and for me to hand you the [Throne], yes?"
"Hm...Right. It seems time is up. This thing shall fill you and him in some details."
A little box was placed into the boy's hand.
"Give it to him after you're done. We have to go now. They have started to move again."
Just as the voice stopped, the eyeball and Carmilla vanished, leaving the gaping hole for the boy to fix. Around him lay unconscious kids who grabbed him just moments ago.
"...Quite the unabashed batch of guests."
The boy grumbled. "Oh well, it is not the first time I've seen these."
Long ago, there was a certain somebody who nearly succeeded. This was their invention, namely the Infinity Seal and the Anchor of Inheritance.
Unfortunately, they were consumed whole by its 'love', unable to bear the burden.
"Well, knowing it has such a history made me a little more about assured." He cracked his neck. "Now, whatever shall I do?"
He felt a little drowsy, but it wasn't time to slumber yet.
It appeared he needed to wait just a bit longer.
***
"I guess that's all of them for now."
After putting everyone to sleep, June temporarily transferred them to his "World". Even before this, he had done the same to those he deemed "savable", like that reincarnator before.
However, in doing so this time around, he found out that several things had changed about him.
It felt like his mind was cleared of something that had always bothered him. Like an itch one couldn't scratch just magically vanished.
Pain, emotions, death,...things that were so close yet much foreign now felt closer than ever.
It wasn't like he suddenly understood them, but rather they became much more natural and less one-sided than before.
Looking at his palm soaked in his own blood, he bore a somewhat excited smile.
With that said, gains did come with losses.
He couldn't use the [Universal Rune] with ease anymore.
For some reason, while deploying them was much smoother than usual, the burden was much heavier on his body.
His [God], while giving him the knowledge of the rune, did say it was different from its mortal counterpart.
Unlike purpose-filled letters fueled by beliefs and their pantheon, this is more akin to a language capable of manipulating reality to one's convenience.
It was something meant for [God], not human to use.
It was granted to him just because of his supposed injury hindering him from using his original magic.
Divinity, it was fueled by that energy, but his seemingly infinite supply was gone too.
"So this is how it should feel like."
A proper human. Not an ex-hero blessed by [God], burdened by his own fate and power.
However, saving people (specifically children) was probably more on him than his sense of duty.
"This is quite new though."
In his other palm, a small fire burned brightly. It was this world's magic system, emitting the same feeling he felt back at that wasteland - the feeling of a different world.
'So simple.'
A system that operated on the basis of manifesting phenomenons. Basically, any elements seen and grasped by humans can be projected into reality, done according to one's imagination and methods.
The limits seemed to be under the Subconscious's jurisdiction, which probably made sure nothing "outrageous" happened.
As said before, [Trace] is one's proof of existence. It's the way a world can manage its residents as well as foreign visitors.
To be branded is to be a part of that world, and to be a part is to have access to most privileges your registered race possessed.
Before, some weren't accessible also because of his "injuries", or so he believed. And now, it is.
All of this is thanks to the loss of something significant inside him. At least that's the hypothesis.
'And last but not least...'
There were a lot of holes in his memories and knowledge.
For the long-lived, it's normal to lose or even discard memories for the sake of new necessary ones. Nonetheless, his didn't look like that. Rather, it felt like deliberately cut off past tales meant not to dwell on, missing all sort of details that makes them important.
On the other hand, his head was filled with knowledge that didn't belong in his memories.
"Synchronization...seems important, yet I don't really get it."
Ceasing the fire in his palm, he took a glance at his body state.
"Not too bad, but I might overdo it if I cast a couple more medium rune spells."
He wasn't too keen on using the new magic system either, having been too reliant on the all-purpose rune.
It was the perfect excuse for a rest.
Yet there were also kids waiting for his help.
It was troublesome, and he hated trouble.
Just as he thought that, the Anchor inside of him tingled.
'A teleportation circle.'
It was a wide-range circle, probably purposed to warp the whole train. Its source was...the head carriage and its destination...
'This Astrea...if it's not too different from the one I knew...'
That's not where it should be heading.
Before June knew it, he rushed with all his might, leaving his worries behind for the moment.