[Warning!]
As I tried to stand up, a system sound suddenly sounded. Moreover, the contents of this system voice sounded terrifying.
I then looked up at the monitor screen in front of me that read...
[Your Identity is Unknown!]
(Eh? Wait, what?)
I immediately looked around, why, didn't I put my mask back on?
Although I tried to feel the presence of someone but there was no one but me. If it was Nifl then it would have been able to sense people around here, but I don't have the ability to detect anyone more than 10 meters away from me.
Besides, why is it only now? If the previous entity was the one who knew my identity then surely the system would have reacted earlier, but when my face was seen, the system didn't say anything.
But after the entity disappeared, a few seconds later this notification appeared. Did someone see us?
But-
As I was thinking, I suddenly remembered that I had never gotten a notification like this before.
(Ah... This is bad...)
As soon as I remembered, a horrible feeling arose from my internal organs.
[Penalty Given]
[Your Lifespan Reduced by 50%]
(Huh?)
As soon as I saw the notification, an overwhelming feeling of dread appeared.
"Bugh..."
With the notification as a start, I vomited blood again. But this time it was really no joke, not just vomiting but my sight, hearing, smell, all my senses were instantly dulled.
And with that I immediately fell in a pool of my own blood...
(Damn it... What the hell...)
With my remaining strength, I tried to retrieve the potion that was in my pocket, but because the power in my body seemed to disappear, it was difficult for me to do so.
Just as I was about to completely faint, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
(Who?)
Although I tried to focus my vision, I couldn't see who the person approaching was.
But at least I knew that the silhouette of the person was a woman from her hair. Only Umbra Vitae members knew this place, so it was certain that the silhouette was an Umbra Vitae member.
"Sera? Is that you?"
As I asked in a very tired voice, the silhouette of the girl visibly gasped in surprise.
"Thank goodness you're here, I can't move at the moment. Can you get me the potion in my pocket."
"..."
Sera's silhouette seemed to be silent, after a few seconds of silence. The silhouette started to get closer and reached into my pocket.
After finding the potion, Sera's silhouette put the potion in my hand and walked away.
"Wait!"
I was a little confused by Sera's strange and quiet behavior so I tried calling out to Sera. Sera's silhouette then stopped, so I said what I wanted to say.
"Thank you..."
"..."
Then there was a long silence.
(Did I say something strange?)
Just as I was thinking that, Sera's silhouette again went away.
Although it was confusing, I opened the lid of the potion bottle and drank the potion.
*Gulp...gulp...gulp*
After that I waited for the potion to take effect. While waiting, I recalled the system's terrible penalty.
(Haha...ha...this isn't funny...damn it)
Thinking that my life time was drained so much, all my plans started to go awry just because someone knew my identity.
(I hope that someone doesn't spread my identity to others... No, even if it does. There's no way anyone would believe it.)
After a few minutes of waiting, my six senses began to return.
After feeling my body start to improve, I tried to stand up but it felt like my legs couldn't support my own weight like a newborn baby.
Even so I still forced myself to familiarize my current body with this feeling, because I was sure that in the future I would experience this often.
(Muspel, I'm sorry but can I use you as a stick?)
When I asked Muspel, but there was no answer even from Nifl.
(Are they still asleep?)
Even though there was no answer, I still used Muspel as my walking stick.
"I have to hurry back, otherwise I'll get scolded by father."
With that, I walked towards my house with a leg that had to be dragged.
...
After a few tens of minutes, I finally started to be able to move my body as before, so I sheathed Muspel back into the scabbard.
(Wait! What are you doing to me!)
(Big brother, please don't yell out loud like that. Master might get startled.)
Just then Muspel suddenly yelled so loudly that my head felt like it was going to burst. And thankfully there was Nifl's calming voice, otherwise I would have thrown away this weapon long ago.
(Can't you stop yelling so loudly all of a sudden. You made me almost die from shock...)
(What did you do to my body while I was asleep-, wait, why do I feel your life energy draining so much.)
(You just realized it now...)
Feeling upset, I didn't want to tell anything to Muspel.
(Master, what happened?)
But since Nifl asked, there seemed to be no other choice.
So I started to explain the outline of what happened while they were asleep.
(Forgive us, master!)
Upon hearing the whole story, Nifl immediately apologized with a voice full of regret.
(We didn't expect something like that to happen while we were asleep.)
Seeing Nifl's regret, I felt instantly calm.
(Huh, just like that.)
I retract my words, this Muspel bastard...
(But why are you guys asleep? I'm not using you guys to your full potential, am I?)
(Ah, right. We don't understand either, the sleepy feeling suddenly appeared.)
Nifl looked confused too about what was going on with them, then suddenly Muspel started talking.
(Zend, that entity has no form, right?)
(Ah, yes.)
(Hmmm...)
(Do you know anything?)
(To be honest, it's hard to say I know anything, because the universe is so vast. There are many mysteries, but at least I know some characteristics that are similar to the entity you mentioned.)
Curious, I began to listen carefully to Muspel's explanation.
Although Muspel is very annoying, there is no doubt that Muspel is a creature that has lived for a very long time. Muspel and Nifl must have information that I don't have.
(The first possibility is the World Concept God.)
(World concept god? Is that different from the New God?)
(Yes, if the New God is a God created from the Old God, the World Concept God is an entity created from the world representing a certain concept. You could say Local God.)
(Local God...)
(For example 'Animal', 'Animal' itself is a concept, hence the creation of the 'Animal' God, an entity that becomes the God of the Animals. But the power of Local Deities only has influence in the world they live in. Most Local Gods don't have a clear concept, so they don't have a definite form).
Local Gods, I've heard the rumors but I didn't think that Local Gods really existed.
(Then the second possibility is Entities that represent concepts that have no form.)
(Formless, what does that mean?)
(Such an entity can be called a 'Ruler'. The Ruler should have no form and no thoughts but because of the appearance of the Old God, all the concepts of the universe were broken. And the 'Ruler' is one of the results of Old God's actions.)
(Third, Old God.)
(Eh?)
(Of course it's impossible, after all Old God has disappeared since 'that time'.)
(And the last possibility is that the entity is a creature you've met before.)
(What? But I don't recognize such an entity.)
(It's possible that you, the entity, did something that made you not know who it was.)
(Someone I know...)
(From what you said before, then it's likely that the entity is the entity you knew before.)
Thinking back, that Entity said something about my previous life. What does episode 1 mean, but I've never made a contract other than with Weapon Of Sins, 'She' and... Who?
At that moment I suddenly remembered someone, but I couldn't remember who it was. Could it be that person? No, I don't think that Entity is the same as that person.
Then does that mean that the previous life was the life when I was in the modern world? No, that's also strange. I just lived quietly in the modern world.
Then there's only one other, I'm a reincarnation. ..... No way, there's no way such a ridiculous thing could happen. Then I've experienced so many repetitions of life, it must be something else.
(There's no point in thinking about that now.)
(That's right. It's time for us to go back.)
So I went back to walking as usual without knowing the continued conversation between Muspel and Nifl inside the sword.
"But big brother, isn't it then that the Entity is 'That' creature?"
"You mean, The Terror?"
"Yes."
"No, The Terror should still be sealed by the power of Chaos. Besides, if The Terror escapes. This semester has already vanished and we can't even be here. Most likely, the entity Zend encountered is the Old God."
"Why, isn't the Old God our enemy?"
"Yes, the Old God is our enemy. But there are some good Old Gods who even helped The Chaos fight The Heaven."
"Ah."
"Well, I could be wrong. Regardless, good luck to Zend. I hope Zend can unite all the Soul Weapons into one again."
...
When I made it to the hole I usually used, I saw that it had just been used.
(Does someone know this place?)
I looked around and entered the hole.
(Looks like I can't use this place anymore.)
With that I went back to my room and prepared to change to get ready for my birthday party.
I then put on a lot of perfume to cover up the scent of blood from my body. On top of that I even resorted to dressing up to cover up my pale skin.
It seemed like I had bled a lot before.
After finishing getting ready, I went straight out of the room to the garden to start the party full of chaos.