Chapter 152: The Truth

Naoki’s story continues.

“After that, I wandered the universe alone, holding the proof of the Creator God that I received from Mom. In the end, I finally set foot on Earth.”

“Why? You should have known, right? If you go to Earth, an army of angels will come after you. You should know that it was why Miyuki avoided going back.”

“Of course I understood that. But I was at my limit. With no means of fighting Gohma, I was exhausted from the life of running away with the proof entrusted to me by Mom. That’s why I decided to take a last gamble.”

“The last gamble?”

Naoki nods at my words. 

In other words, there was something on Earth that could solve the situation. However, if that is the case, Miyuki should have come to Earth first. Considering that, Naoki’s choice is something that has a rather precarious and low probability of success then.

“I wanted the resurrection of the God of Destruction.”

“!?”

“I thought that was the only way to change the situation, but I had to meet a few conditions to do that.”

Is that on Earth?

Naoki continues,

“The seal of the God of Destruction is designed so that it cannot be broken by a god, and even if the Sacred Beast Barrier is lifted, the remaining two barriers must be broken by someone other than the god.”

“In other words, it has to be a human, is that right?”

“Yes. What’s more, the place is at the end of a long and dangerous road. I don’t know anyone who can get that far.”

He added, “Except for Dad.”

Gradually, I feel like I’m starting to see the story. There were two reasons why Naoki reincarnated me.

“I came down on Earth to find Dad. It was a strange feeling, and I realized that even though I grew up as a god, I was still half a human.”

“Did you go home?”

“Yes. When I got to our house, someone I don’t know was living there and I thought the passage of time was cruel. Then I looked for Dad. I know the city you are in, but I can’t pinpoint the exact location. It is the limit of my power after all. Because of that, I’ve been searching for you for a long time.”

I have completely changed my appearance, so it must have been very difficult to find me. In addition, I had a special ability to blend in with my surroundings. It would have been even harder for him to find me then.

“A month had already passed when I found Dad. That was also enough time for the Chief God to know where I was. And sure enough, he sent an army of angels disguised as demons to Tokyo to capture me.”

“Wait! So that incident was caused by you!?”

“Mm, you could say that. After all, I came to Earth knowing everything that would happen. I know I’m the worst. Dad can hit me all you want. Dad has the right to do so.”

I raised my fist in anger, but I lowered it slowly. 

I should not make mistake. It wasn’t Naoki who killed Shigeru-san and Kanzaki. It is the main god, Gohma. Naoki is just one of his victims.

“……I’ll continue the story. I managed to escape the eyes of the enemy and rushed to Dad. But by then, it was too late. As an emergency measure, I decided to reincarnate Dad’s soul on a certain planet.”

“My soul? Then what happened to Shigeru-san and Kanzaki?”

“I was actually very distraught at the time, so it’s possible that I got some souls involved. I’m sorry Dad, but I don’t know where the other souls went.”

“But Kanzaki, who was killed at the same time was reincarnated in this world too.”

“Then, since he was dragged into it, I’m pretty sure he was also reincarnated on this planet. However, it is unclear who he’ll become or when. The soul will jump through time if I don’t put various conditions on it.”

I see. So that is the reason why Kanzaki was reincarnated in the past. If that’s the case, does it mean that Shigeru-san may have been reincarnated in this world a long time ago? Or maybe, he will be, in the distant future.

“I left Earth to come to this planet after reincarnating Dad. But at that time, I was wounded by an angel and was very weak.”

Eugrapia, who had been listening to the story for a long time, began to speak.

“Originally, no god could enter this planet, but he had the proof of the Creator God. With the exception of the Creator God, who was the king, he had the right to enter another planet. In addition, he was wounded and weakened. I sensed something unusual was going on, so I brought him to this planet.”

“Thanks to her, I survived. But I couldn’t move for a long time. I could only do some things to help Dad survive while lying face down on the floor.”

I jolted in shock. 

When I was just reincarnated, I did find something like that. For example, a corpse that had fallen unnaturally. Besides, it was too convenient that I was able to reincarnate in a position close to the hideout. The same goes for my skills. At that time, if it weren’t for the pressure point, I might not have been here.

Does it mean that all of them were Naoki’s work?

“I’m sorry that Dad was reincarnated in the dungeon. I wanted Dad to get stronger as soon as possible and break the seal of the God of Destruction.”

“Just threw me in the dungeon……Wait. I’m sure there were other dungeons as well. Why was it there?”

“Oh, you’ve noticed it huh. What you’re thinking is right Dad. The place where the God of Destruction is sealed is at the bottom of the Mohed Great Dungeon.”

Everyone let out a gasp of shock. 

We never imagined that there was a God of Destruction at the bottom of the place where we lived. Well, it’s also true that the Mohed Great Dungeon is called the most dangerous one, and it’s still a place where everything is shrouded in mystery……

That being said, a new question arises here.

“I don’t know what to say, but no matter how much you ask for it, there should have been no guarantee that I would accept it. And I don’t think you’re going to say that it’s Miyuki’s request.”

“Of course, it was my decision to reincarnate Dad on this planet. And it is my hope alone to resurrect the God of Destruction. However, this story is not bad for Dad.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want Dad to become the God of Destruction.”

Haaaaaa!? Me? The god of destruction!?

What does he mean? At this point, I don’t understand the story at all.

“Dad misunderstood. The God of Destruction refers to a being who has the proof of the God of Destruction. When I say resurrect the God of Destruction, I meant the birth of a new God of Destruction.”

“So you’re saying that only the proof of the God of Destruction is sealed there?”

“Yes. It’s complicated to explain, but as you can see, the previous owner is also sealed with it, but with Dad’s current state, you can take it by force. Mohed Great Dungeon actually has the function of taking away power and weakening it. The God of Destruction, who is still alive inside the seal, should be a beacon before the wind.”

Naoki took out a crystal sphere about five centimeters in diameter from his pocket. It emitted a white aura, and its mere presence made the surrounding air extremely tense.

“This is the proof of the Creator God, and I hope Dad will get something very similar to this at the bottom of the Great Dungeon.”

“Why do I need to become a god of destruction? And why don’t you become a creator god yourself and defeat Gohma?”

“If I can do that, I wouldn’t have had a hard time all these years. Besides, I need a qualification to bring out the power of the proof. It’s the Path to Relentless Evolution. If one doesn’t possess that skill, he won’t be able to become a true creator god.”

I hurriedly checked my status. It must have been a skill I acquired after the Imperial War. As expected, there was a skill that Naoki said in the skill column. So, does this mean that I can be both a creator god and a god of destruction?

“That’s right. Dad can be either way. But I’ll tell you that you shouldn’t be a creator god.”

“Is there a reason?”

“The Creator God is the leader of the gods, and he is always responsible for maintaining discipline and balance in the universe. It sounds good, but in reality, there is almost no freedom. And that goes on for hundreds of millions of years. I don’t think Dad can stand that. On the other hand, the God of Destruction has no such constraints and is free.”

From the point of view of a freedom-loving me, the God of Destruction is indeed the only choice. I also understood why Naoki couldn’t wield the power of a creator god even if he holds the proof.

Suddenly, a strange thought crossed my mind.

What would happen if I obtained both the proof of the Creator God and the God of Destruction?

“It’s the greatest taboo in the world of the gods. It could even destroy the universe itself. It’s an extremely dangerous act as we will never know what’s going to happen.”

Both Naoki and Eugrapia had expressions that said I’m being ridiculous.

“Anyway, if Dad becomes the God of Destruction, we can overcome this situation. And if we defeat the main god Gohma and brings peace to heavenly realm, this planet will naturally be saved.”

“But what will happen to Earth? A lot of people on that planet where I was born and raised was lost….”

“Dad, there is no Earth anymore. It is now an uninhabited planet shrouded in ashes.”

“.….W-what did you say!?”

The Earth…… has been destroyed? Is it that everyone I know is dead? It was a sadness I had never felt. The loss of one’s hometown makes it feel like something important has been lost.

“There’s only one way to get the Earth back.”

“!?”

“However, by doing so, there is also something you’ll lose.”

“What do you mean!? I’ll do anything to get my homeland back to normal.”

Naoki tells me the method. It was absurd and beyond comprehension.

“So, will Dad accept this proposal?”

“…………”

“You don’t have to reply right away. You have to get the proof first.”

“Hmmm……”

I couldn’t find the words. It was such a strange feeling that I couldn’t say yes or no. Sensing the atmosphere of the place, Eugrapia tries to change the subject.

“You understand the current situation from what Naoki-san said, right? Shinichi Tanaka-san is the only one who can defeat Gohma. That’s why I want you to go through Mohed Great Dungeon.”

“If I become the God of Destruction, the universe will be saved.”

“Yes. if this situation is left unchecked, the self-righteous god Gohma will surely try to destroy everything. Or rather, I should say re-creation. He will be remaking the world, as if applying a new coat of paint.”

“Why is Gohma so obsessed with re-creation? Is he not just fixated on status?”

“I don’t know the reason either. But I’m sure he is trying to achieve some purpose by becoming a creator god.”

What is the purpose that can only be achieved by becoming a creator god? I’m very curious about what kind of thinking Gohma is working on. Apparently, this is the end of the story, so we get up to get back to the ship.

My errand on this island is done. All I have to do is go home.

“Dad.”

Suddenly, Naoki calls out. His face is not the one of the gods he had been a while ago. It was the face of my son who was reunited for the first time in decades.

“I’m sorry that this happened. I really didn’t want to drag Dad into this. I wanted to avenge Mom’s death with my own hands…… but…… I’m really powerless now…… I’m sorry for being such a stupid son who can only rely on his father…… I’m sorry……”

Naoki sat down with tears streaming down his face. I grabbed my son by the shoulders and makes him look up.

“It’s natural for a child to cause trouble for their parents. Besides, it is Gohma who is at fault, not you. You don’t have to apologize.”

“Dad….…”

I hugged Naoki and said, “You’ve done a good job until now.”

I hugged him tightly as my arms are wrapped around his back. He also hugged me back tightly. I feel like I’m finally reunited with my son. He has grown up so well. I’ve always wanted to see him.

“Pero, come here. He is your big brother.”

I called Pero over. Naoki, whose eyes were red, wiped his eyes with his arm and laughed.

“Fufu, I’m a big brother now. I’m Naoki Tanaka, I’d be happy if we could get along.”

“My name is Pero Tanaka. I’m glad to be your younger brother too. Let’s get along well.”

Naoki and Pero smiled shyly at each other.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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