Chapter 328
Genjiro and Claudia, judging the laughing Grundt as dangerous, quickly retreated to my side in one motion. The Serpent Dragon Kin, which had been intensely targeting us until moments ago, all simultaneously stopped moving, creating a temporary stalemate.
The presence within Grundt, who had suddenly started laughing, could only be described as alien.
*`'Delightful, delightful, oh, truly delightful.'`*
Despite having his prepared tools damaged, he laughed joyfully. Feeling a chill at this sight, I raised my weapon, determined not to miss a single movement.
Claudia's Heavenly Fist was nearing its time limit.Fighting while trying to analyze this anomalous presence was too risky.
"......Who are you?"
I cautiously threw the question at the still-laughing Grundt.
*`'Hmm, interrupting my excitement is a crime worthy of death ten thousand times over, but no, perhaps I too am at fault for suddenly appearing, laughing like a fool, and leaving you be. Very well, that question is justified. I shall answer.'`*
An unpleasant cold sweat hadn't stopped since earlier.My instincts were sounding an alarm: I shouldn't be here, I should retreat immediately.
Since I asked the question, it's natural that the entity within Grundt—that is, Loki—would make eye contact with me.
*`'My name is Loki. A humble Fallen God.'`*"......Should I call you Lord Loki?"
The name given is the same as the trickster from Earth's Norse mythology.I don't think it's the same god, but it's a god's name that *didn't exist* in FBO.And the unknown term "Fallen God."His demeanor carried enough gravitas to make me think addressing him casually would be unwise.
*`'Call me as you please, lost one of peculiar sort. You are one whose fate has been twisted by those gods. I am magnanimous. Out of sympathy, I shall permit you, my subject, to address me by my name as you wish.'`*"Is that so?"*`'Ah, I do not often permit others to call me by my name. Be proud, lost one.'`*
Both Claudia and Genjiro remained silent, using all their nerves just to stay alert, wary of the man before them.Nell was the same; her pupils were dilated, her fur standing on end, her beastly instincts sensing his danger.
Loki, recognized as such a dangerous presence, paid no heed to their emotions. He looked at the torn arm, nodded *`'Hmm'`*, faced his open palm towards it, emitted a holy light, and stopped the bleeding for now.
"So, Lord Loki, are you his guardian, then?"
I'd hoped Grundt might just bleed out, but it seems fate isn't that accommodating.I asked Loki, who had easily closed the wound, probably because the reason we couldn't kill him in FBO either was due to this self-proclaimed Fallen God, Loki.
*`'Guardian, hmm, a guardian. That could be taken as both yes and no.'`*
The answer to the question was somewhat ambiguous.His expression wasn't so much troubled as it was suggestive of having thought of a prank.
He created an eerie pause, perhaps to buy time, or perhaps he was thinking of something else.
*`'Ah, I have no intention of deceiving you. Since ancient times, I have been seen as suspicious, shady, likely to do something, and I think it can't be helped since I have done such things. However, this time I speak truthfully.'`*
The fact he was self-aware of his shadiness and even corrected himself made me think he might be surprisingly honest? But then he casually mixed in the admission that he *has* indeed done such things, making it hard to know how to react.
And stop reading my thoughts so nonchalantly.Does he have something like mind reading?
*`'I possess no such thing? It is a skill one naturally acquires after observing people for many years.'`*"He's reading them quite naturally."
Lady Esmeralda couldn't help but interject, even while maintaining her tension, so accurately was he reading my thoughts.
*`'The reason for the "yes" in the meaning of guardian is that I gave this fellow a skill I created and was experimenting with him. He is an observation subject, and I cannot have him dying too easily, so I bestowed my protection upon him. The "no" means that I neither cherish him nor hold any affection for him.'`*"Skills are supposed to be bestowed by Lord Akam. Did you create this one?"*`'If one is a god, anyone can create such a thing. Although there are conditions for creating skills to prevent the world from collapsing.'`*
Why would such a being leisurely engage in conversation with us?The most troublesome possibility was that he was pinning us here to buy time, but...
*`'Ah, lost one over there. There is no need for the concern you harbor. Right now, by my power, the one underground is suppressed and cannot move or gain power. I would be satisfied if you let this fellow go. I simply dislike seeing a seed I painstakingly created and nurtured disappear before it withers. If you let him go, I will see to it that he leaves this continent. How about it?'`*
That possibility was confirmed not by the person himself, but by the god himself.His power was an unknown quantity, and above all, he knew of Azhdaha's existence and threatened that he could grant it power with a mere whim of his.
Mishandling this could mean facing both this unknown entity and Azhdaha simultaneously.
"What do you intend to do using that man?"*`'To pass the time.'`*
That was something to be avoided.Our current forces are specialized and built specifically to defeat Azhdaha.We have no spare capacity to antagonize a self-proclaimed Fallen God who can provide a being capable of wielding an absurd power like Future Prediction.
*`'I do not favor a boring world. The world of the gods, creating this fixed flow, is dull. I am a god who breaks paths. Hence, I am one who parted ways with beings like them.'`*
When I inquired about this being's motives, a selfish answer returned.
*`'From the beginning, gods are an assembly of arrogant, selfish, unreasonable fools who act as they please. They are of poor quality, myself included, simply because they possess power in vain. You understand that, do you not?'`*
Seeing that "what, you're only realizing this now?" expression on Grundt's face was irritating, but at that moment, Claudia's enhancement ran out.
"Genjiro, take Claudia and fall back.""......Hah.""Understood."
*`'Clever. Boring, but I won't call you foolish.'`*
That provocative face might have contained a wish for me to challenge him.He seemed disappointed that his expectations were unmet.
*`'Hm?'`*
But that expression changed in an instant.
Because I took a step forward, scythe-spear in hand.
*`'Oh ho, oh ho, oh ho. You are foolish, but an interesting one, it seems.'`*"Who knows? That depends on your answer."*`'Ho, you pose a question to me? Very well. It has been long since a human has posed a question to me. I permit it. Ask away.'`*
The others were giving off an atmosphere of wanting to fight together, but I signaled them with a look to bear with it, just this once.I had no time to answer their 'why?'
"God Loki, were you born of this world?"*`'That is so.'`*"God Loki, are you bound by the principles of this world?"*`'That is so, and it is not.'`*
After these two questions, I felt relieved.Good. It seems this existence also properly fits the pattern of this quest.
"God Loki, are you one who accepts human challenges, or one who rejects them?"*`'I am one who accepts.'`*
FBO had numerous quests related to gods.Quests involving gods were almost universally high difficulty, but among them, trial-type quests were numerous.The flow was that a god imposes a trial upon an inhabitant of this world, and upon completion, a reward is given.
However, these trial quests could be given by the god, or could be requested by the player.
This was determined by the judgment of a very specific subset of gods and manifested by following a certain procedure.
That quest is 'Divine Debate' among the divine trials.
It's a quest that only triggers if a god holds a certain level of interest in you *and* is a god who affirms the act of holding a debate. The unknown god Loki was interested in me and was the type of god who accepted debates.
Hearing the words 'to pass the time,' I thought he was the type of god who preferred events and commotion, and that was a bingo.
And here lies the problem.Once a Divine Debate begins, it must be seen through to its conclusion.What you must absolutely not do is end it after merely asking questions.
Wasting a god's time in the form of a Q&A results in a curse ninety-nine percent of the time.The drawback of that curse is so severe that unless you have a special build, it will hinder not just your future life, but your very survival.
"Then, I challenge God Loki to a one-on-one, *'equal'* duel."*`'Kakaka, you challenge me? It cannot be helped.'`*
In that case, the best way to conclude this debate and please him is through a challenge.A god seeking to pass the time will grant our request if we steer the debate in a direction he finds enjoyable.Furthermore, we must be careful to continuously present conditions and ensure we do not displease the other party.
I emphasized the 'equal' part because in an all-out fight, we simply cannot win against a god in our current state.
"The rules shall be a duel of 'mirrored sight,' and I request both parties be at Class 1, Level 1, with skills sealed."*`'Hmm, hmm! Equal. A contest of pure skill! Good! Truly good!'`*"Interference from outside is prohibited! The match shall be decided the moment one pierces the other's heart!""Liberta!?"
I equalized our strength and made the victory condition clear.If I had chosen something like 'defeat is declared upon surrender,' a god would never declare defeat.
And by proposing a clear resolution where I stake my life, rather than an ambiguous condition like 'landing a hit,' I further gain the god's favor.
The more it suits his tastes, the more likely the god is to accept the conditions.To avoid making the terms disadvantageous, this approach is crucial.
Nell cried out as if to say 'No!' about me staking my life, but the Fallen God Loki possessing Grundt snapped his fingers, preventing any interference, and a barrier for the duel was erected.
*`'Accepted, accepted. And what shall we wager?'`*"What I wager is my own body and soul!"
In FBO, you could wager by putting your character at total loss.On the premise that challenging a god's trial could yield the greatest reward, you could bet your character data.
Winning allowed you to obtain the desired prize, but losing incurred the massive drawback of your character data being completely lost.
By declaring those words, Loki deepened his smile, confirming it was the correct answer.I absolutely must avoid letting this bomb, possessed by an unpredictable god, get away no matter what.
*`'Good, truly good. That price, I accept it! Now, what do you desire!?'`*"Grundt's life, and the prohibition of the reuse of his soul."
Even at great risk, I must absolutely stop him here.
"This match! What say you!?"
The debate ends here; the rest depends on the god's mood.Heads or tails.I await the outcome of the debate with a gambler's feeling.
*`'I accept, that match. The Fallen God Loki accepts that duel. Ah! Letting such a pastime slip away would surely bring regret. I adore enjoyable things!!'`*
And the response was a single clap that echoed from nowhere.
*`'Challenge to a god accepted! Now, now! Your opponent is this shadow figure, yet its essence is the Fallen God Loki! Power is feeble, skills are none, yet the weapon used is first-class! I shall accept this human's challenge!!'`*
What this brought was a single announcement.
*`'By the Fallen God Loki, your status has been temporarily sealed.'`*
It was a nostalgic announcement voice, one might say. This is also the same as FBO, huh.Assailed by a sudden sense of weakness, I ignored the discomfort and slowly moved my body, checking the sensations while focusing straight ahead.
Something black and slimy bubbled forth from within Grundt, and that black shadow took human form.
Its shape was human, but its appearance made it clear it was not human, being entirely black, with eyes, ears, and nose merely suggested forms.
*`'Now! Let us enjoy ourselves!'`*
I have plans after this as well.Shall I show you? The power of a min-maxer that can astonish even a god.