Chapter 087: Hitogami's Arrangement (Patreon)

Just as Hitogami sank into endless anguish, Rudeus was recounting everything that had happened along the way to Dragon God Orsted.

Starting from when he'd set out from the Demon Continent, all the way to his arrival now at the Central Continent — at the ruins of the Citadel of Roa in the Fittoa Region of the Asura Kingdom.

It was a long, drawn-out account. Rudeus had filtered out the parts about his training and research, focusing instead on what he'd seen, heard, and the relationships he'd formed with others along the way.

Even so, it took Rudeus a full hour before he finally finished telling Dragon God Orsted everything.

Watching Orsted look thoughtful, Rudeus asked, rather expectantly, "Based on what you know of this world's future — did I do anything along the way that had a major impact on it?"

Orsted nodded and said seriously, "In the very beginning, the world consisted of seven realms — the Human World, the Dragon World, the Beast Realm, the Ocean World, the Sky World, the Demon World, and the Void World."

"But because of Hitogami's scheme, in the end, aside from the Void World and the Human World, all the other five realms collapsed along with the deaths of their respective gods."

"At the time, in order to fight Hitogami and take revenge on him, the first-generation Dragon God created five secret dragon treasures, each guarded by one of the Five Dragon Generals!"

"Laplace was one of the Five Dragon Generals."

"According to the world's normal trajectory, the Seventh Prince of the Shirone Kingdom, Pax Shirone, would in the future push the kingdom toward reform."

"And by then, under the new state system that followed the reform, a merchant would give birth to the reincarnation of the Demon God Laplace — and eighty years later, that reincarnation would launch the Third Human-Demon War."

"To find Hitogami, one first had to obtain the five dragon treasures from the Five Dragon Generals, and only then could one successfully be sent into the Void World to kill him!"

"But now... because of your influence, Pax Shirone has already died ahead of schedule."

Hearing Orsted's explanation, Rudeus nodded in understanding. "So that's the design Hitogami had for me."

"Before I went to the Shirone Kingdom, he told me my family — Lilia — was there. So I rushed straight for the Shirone Kingdom."

"Hitogami understood my domineering nature perfectly well. He knew that once he told me that, I'd definitely go to Shirone..."

"...and inevitably run into the young, lawless Seventh Prince. Given my overwhelming strength, facing a prince like that, I wouldn't have been able to hold back — while rescuing Lilia, I'd have also killed the Seventh Prince of Shirone outright."

"Like that... using my own hands, he'd have completely wrecked your planned future."

"Then, he'd have lured me into confronting you. In his reckoning, I'd surely be killed by you, Orsted."

"But since I myself am quite strong, there'd also have been a good chance that fighting me would drain a large amount of your magic power."

"Because your magic power — due to the regression reincarnation method, along with all the various conditions placed on you — already recovers extremely slowly, being drained by fighting me would have made the predetermined future uncertain again."

"By then, you'd have had to spend even more magic power collecting the treasures. And the result would be that even after collecting them all, with barely any magic power left, you'd have been completely unable to kill Hitogami."

Listening to Rudeus's analysis, Orsted sighed. "That's right. By that point, I'd most likely have chosen to regress straight back into the past and start all over again..."

Those standing nearby had never had much of a concept of Hitogami before. They'd only known he was one of the oldest gods, and that his power should be tremendous.

But now, listening to the conversation and analysis between Rudeus and Orsted, a chill crept through their hearts.

As they saw it, a situation like this was a complete dead end. Facing a god who could see the future and observe everything in the world — under circumstances like that, if it had been them, they probably would have already fallen into total despair.

But Rudeus, against all odds, had forced his way through with sheer effort. He'd torn apart every one of Hitogami's blockades, and on top of that, placed himself at the absolute pinnacle of the world.

The more they understood, the more everyone realized just what a nightmare Rudeus had faced before — and just how hard-won it had been for him to get this far.

Just as everyone was marveling at this, Rudeus said with a laugh, "But things are completely different now. No matter who Laplace reincarnates as, he won't be a match for me. As for the other Dragon Generals, I don't think they will be either."

Orsted nodded and said seriously, "That's right. You're now able to defeat me completely, without so much as a scratch — and that's me at full strength, using magic and technique to their absolute maximum."

"So the other Dragon Generals would be nothing more than child's play for you."

Rudeus nodded and asked with a smile, "Anything else? Anything else important that I've affected?"

Orsted shook his head. "Based on what you've told me — no, nothing else."

Rudeus nodded and, smiling, took out a Magic Stone the size of a human head. He tapped it and said to Orsted, "Here, let me help restore your magic power."

"Help me... restore my magic power?"

Hearing that, Orsted placed his hand, half doubting, on the irregular, head-sized black Magic Stone, looking at Rudeus with a puzzled expression.

Rudeus, meanwhile, activated the nuclear fusion ring within his own body, continuously generating an endless stream of magic power, channeling it into Orsted's hand and saying with a smile:

"Actually, magic power is something I really do have as much of as anyone could want. Take as much as you like — just remember to tell me before you hit your limit."

"Uh..." Orsted, looking utterly dumbfounded, felt the magic power surging endlessly into his hand.

In an instant, his utterly parched body was rapidly flooded by a surging torrent of dense magic power.