Author: Yume Neiji

-Liberto’s POV-

Marga and I arrived at one of the devices with Erna-san. There is a huge structure floating in darkness. The surface was steel-colored and glossy. The overall shape was a diamond with a gap running down the middle. No, it might be more appropriate to say that it was two pyramids joined together.

We stepped into the gap.

“There’s no sign of the enemy.……”

“But this is such an important place, right?”

“Maybe this whole thing is a trap.”

Yes, that’s possible. No matter how much barrier was placed before the defense device, there is no way that they would not take Tanaka-shisho, the god of destruction, into account. Rather, it is natural to predict that the barrier will be breached so they would set a trap here.

“I’ll go first.”

“Be careful, Liberto.”

Marga’s voice gives me a push from behind. I then flew up.

There is nothing frightening here. There are only two sides, one that can be said to be a flat floor and the other that can be said to be a wall. Suddenly, I saw an emerald light in my field of view. I lowered my altitude and landed near the light. It was an emerald sphere of energy flanked by an upper and lower pedestal. A kind of electricity is generated from the sphere, and thin branches run through the space with a dazzling light. Beneath the pedestal was something that appeared to be a control device. There was a screen showing the output and a panel without a single switch. There was an indentation in the shape of a hand on the panel, as if telling me to put my hand on it.

“Liberto!”

“Marga, Erna-san.”

The two of them arrived and they also looked at the device in front.

“This is the core of the device that creates the barrier huh.”

“Can it be destroyed?”

“I’ll try. You two, stand back.”

Erna-san waves her staff to create a golden orb. The moment it was released into the energy sphere, an explosion of tremendous scale occurred, engulfing flames around it.

“It’s okay, stay calm.”

Erna-san continues to block the flames with one hand. A rainbow-colored membrane enveloped me and Marga.

“No, it doesn’t work.”

After the flames were extinguished, what appeared before us was an energy sphere and a control device without a single scratch.

What on earth could it be made of that it wasn’t even affected by all those attacks?

“You two, stay back.  I’ll put my hand on it.”

“Stop it, Liberto! It’s a trap!”

“Maybe it’s not a trap.”

“But—”

I asked them to step back and then I put my hands on the panel.

Beep. The display on the screen switches, and an explanation for turning off the device is displayed.

【The barrier device could only be completely switched off if the five structures are turned off at the same time. Do you want to turn it off now? YES／NO】

So all five should be turned off at the same time huh.

I telepathically told Marga about it.

“You can go with Erna-san to the next device.”

『What do you mean? Wasn’t it a trap?』

“I don’t know yet, but it seems that at least the five of us need to switch it off at the same time to break the barrier.”

『.…The five of us need to do it at the same time huh. I understand.』

Then, one after another, reports came in from my party members that they had reached the point. When all five of us were on standby, Tanaka-shisho spoke to us through telepathy.

『You can replace it with my clone instead.』

“But—, that would use a lot of divine qi, wouldn’t it?”

『……That’s true』

Tanaka-shisho is using divine qi to recreate the skill he had before he became a god. If we are to use his clones, he would lose a large amount of divine qi. That would be a hindrance in his fight against Gohma then.

We must not forget why we came here. Cutting off the telepathy with Tanaka-shisho, I talked to  Erna-san and the others with telepathy.

“Just to be safe, Erna-san should stay away from the structure first.”

『Understood…… I pray for your safety.』

“Thank you.”

We started counting from five and as we counted to 1, we turned the switch off at the same time.

Beeeeep.

【The device has stopped functioning. It will now enter the self-destruct sequence. Three seconds left. 3—】

No way. We only have three seconds to escape?

I ran away from the scene with all my might. With this evolved body, I’d make it just in time.

—That’s what I thought.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Just as the exit began to came into view, iron bars closed it off.

Damn! This is as far as we can go huh.

I’ll leave the rest to you Master!

An emerald light flashed behind me.

『Liberto, I love you!』

『If we live, let’s kiss each other till we die.』

『We are not going to die in a place like this yet.』

『Even if we die, we’ll all be together.』

“You guys ….…”

The voices of my friends reached me via telepathy. At the moment when I was swallowed up by the light, I saw a video of me holding my child in my hands.

◆◆◆

The barrier that covered the star system disappeared. But for some reason, Liberto and the others didn’t reply.

“Erna, what about Liberto and the others!?”

『Hiccup…… U-uu-……』

I could tell what happened when I heard her crying. As expected, it was a trap. I collapsed to my knees. I should have sent my clones towards them even if it meant losing most of my divine qi. But it’s too late to say that now.

Sorry. Liberto. Margaret. Dominique. Layla. Tina.

『Father! It’s the enemy army!』

I glanced up hearing Pero’s words. What was coming towards us was a pure white xenomorph with angelic wings. Each individual was well over ten meters tall, and there were more than 10,000 of them. The humanoid variant looked like a random mix of human, dragon and beast. It is too imperfect for a living creature. In exchange, I expect that their attack power is far more than that of an angel.

“It’s my turn now!”

“I won’t let you get in Master’s way.”

Kurohime and Suketarou run past, trailing a flash of light. An explosion occurred shortly afterwards, and a fierce battle ensued.

『Master! Leave it to us and go on!』

『We’ll be right there shortly.』

“I’ll leave it to you guys.”

I joined up with Erna and the others and we teleported to the planet where Gohma is.

“What’s that?”

It is a beautiful planet like an emerald. Four layers envelop the planet.

……I see. The planet is covered by four different dimension. I calmly unleashed the wave of destruction onto the planet.

—However, countless small mirrored orbs appeared and caught the waves. Like snakes, they stretched out in a swarm and they continued to spin around the planet. It’s as if eight giant serpents are about to swallow the planet.

I unleashed waves many times, but every time an orb disappears, another orb splits and repeats proliferation. Moreover, I had the impression that it was a special mirror surface that deflects the attacks on it. I can’t erase the planet this way then.

I expected that he would be taking countermeasures, but I never thought that he could have such means to crush my strongest attack. Even if I release waves at its maximum, it will only further activate his prepared countermeasure.

“Erna, what about the black hole?”

“I’ll try.”

Erna created a black orb. She unleashed it but then a group of white orbs appeared and swallowed the black hole. He must have taken countermeasures against my comrades as well. Perhaps he observed our battle against angels. It’s best to think that to some extent, he has figured out our plan.

However, even if we hit those serpents directly, it will be difficult to break through….

—As I was thinking the next step, the serpents stayed put and didn’t react to us at all. It seems to be a device that only responds to attacks that aim to destroy the planet. We slipped through the serpents and headed for the planet.

Splash.

The first alien space was a place full of water. The water level is shallow, only a little above the ankles. The horizon stretches as far as it goes, and the sky is blue enough to hurt your eyes. There was only one thing that caught my eye in such a bleak place. It’s a small island. And it was nothing more than a mound of white sand. There was a building that looked like a hut with a few vegetation growing around it.

Pat Pat.  We tread the water as we head to the island.

“Welcome to Genbu’s domain.”

In front of the hut, Genbu is lying in a reclining chair. In his hand, he holds a book, and his eyes seem to follow the letters while speaking to us.

Clap. He closed the book and stood up quietly.

“You want to pass through here, don’t you?”

He pointed to a white door at the end of the island. That’s probably the only entrance going forward. But instead of heading to that door, we drew our weapons.

“I have no intention of fighting many of you at once. If you leave one of you behind, I’m not going to go after anyone else.”

“What are you aiming for?”

“It’s not that I have a goal.…. I simply thought that it was a hassle. If I take on even one person, it will save face in Gohma-sama’s eyes, and the rest will be easier.”

“We also have the option of killing you together you know.”

“Then let me tell you. I will let you use up your divine qi so you’ll be weaker when you face a full-powered Gohma-sama. I can do that much.”

He openly shows off his gleaming jade gauntlets. I feel that the design has changed a little from before. I wonder if Gohma gave him a stronger, more powerful piece of armor.

“Okay. Pero, fight this guy.”

“Yes. I thought it would be my turn to fight as well.”

Genbu nodded as he observed Pero from head to toe.

“It looks like we are a good match. I feel like I’m going to have a lot of fun. Kuku.”

“I’m going to take you down quickly and catch up with Father though.”

The two of them took some distance from each other. The next moment, the two disappeared from the spot, and a splash rose in the distance.

“Let’s go.”

I urged the others and move forward.

Next dimension was a scorching space with lava flowing. It was dotted with rocks that served as a foothold, and there was a white door at the top of a particularly large mountain. However, Suzaku stands in front of the door. As we reached the top, we drew our weapons.

“I want to take on that woman. The others have to go first.”

He pointed his spear at Freya.

This one too?

It’s like a one-on-one with the four zodiac gods. Or is this also a trap from Gohma? Are they planning to separate us and kill us one by one?

“That’s pretty interesting. Alright, let’s figure out which one of us is the better spearman.”

“Right. Spears mean red. Spears are hot-blooded. Spear is a spear.”

“I see, you understand it very well. Well done, even though you are an enemy.”

The two of them have an exchange that I can’t relate to at all.

Is it because they are alike?

I leave Freya and Suzaku behind and goes on.

The next place is a desert world. In the distance stood a man against a white door while holding a huge axe. We approached the door, leaving footprints as go forward.

“My name is Byakko. I request a fair one-on-one fight.”

The more clever the tone, the more convincing it becomes. The other two are a bit strange, but I get the impression that this one likes that kind of thing.

“Leave him to me.”

Liz steps forward.

“Can you win?”

“I don’t feel like losing.”

Liz, who spoke nonchalantly with half-closed eyes, looked the same as usual. If she says so, then so be it.

“A little girl huh. Alright.”

“You’ll regret it later and wish that you had chosen Erna.”

“Hoh-, is that elf weak?”

“She’s all face and body, and just all talk. I’m many times more valuable than her.”

Liz uses dark matter to create the same giant axe as her opponent. Without a signal, their battle began, and the two of them disappeared from the scene. With a rumble, several pillars of sand rise in the distance, and the shock wave reaches here.

“I’m not convinced. I’m not all talk.”

“You can fight later.”

Me and Erna go through the door. As soon as we walked through the door, I was fanned by a strong wind. At first glance, it looks like a meadow, but if you look down from a cliff-like place, you will immediately know that it is above the sky. The space where the sky continued without ground was dotted with islands floating in the sky. On a large island, there is a white door, and the Seiryū with a large bow stands in the way. Me and Erna went up to the island and raised our weapons.

“The God of Destruction is not needed here, go quickly.”

“The two of us can beat you, right?”

“Hmph! You still don’t get it? This is a sympathy from the Creator God. You’ve come this far, and it would be a shame to just kill you so easily.”

“Are you saying that there is no chance that he will lose?”

“Of course! He is the Creator God who surpasses a Creator God.”

A Creator God that surpasses a Creator God? What does he mean by that?

“There’s no point in asking questions in a place like this. You just have to see it with your own eyes.”

“…………”

I didn’t reply, but I turned my gaze to Erna. She nods her head and agrees to fight him alone. Seiryū walked away from the door and opened the way for me. I then put my hand on the doorknob.

“You have to win.”

“I know.”

I opened the door and stepped forward.

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

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The first thing we did was a major clean up of the heavenly realm. I asked my familiars and angels to clean up the corpses and restore the buildings to their original state. The reason for this is to reassure the gods who are still holed up underground. First of all, we needed to let them know through our actions that we were on their side.

“Is this pretty much it?”

“I’m sure they are watching us with far vision. They should respond to our call this time.”

“I hope so.”

As Kurohime lounges on the edge of the fountain, I scratched my head. I had already called out to those who are holed up underground before. However, I got no response. Although I am certain that they are still alive, Kurohime said that they were quite frightened after being confined there for so long. I didn’t know how many years they had spent there, but I could say that we had cleared up those difficult days that had made them wary.

Kurohime and I entered a certain building. It’s a small cozy place like a private home. I opened part of the floor and then we went down the stairs. We came out to a tunnel with exposed rocks like a cave. Continuing further, we found a door at the dead end. At first glance, the door looks like a pure white wall, but I can barely tell that it is a door because of the thick metal-like handle. If I couldn’t see so far away, I wouldn’t have noticed that someone is here.

Knock. Knock.

I knocked lightly.

“It’s me, Shinichi Tanaka. I came here before. Gohma and his four subordinates have already left here and we have regained the control over Heavenly Realm. I assure you that no one will harm you anymore.”

“…………”

“.….No reply huh.”

This is bad. If possible, I would like to quickly find out where Gohma headed to. At present, my far vision cannot capture those five people. Either they are using invisibility power or that they are out of range of my line of sight. Either way, if we don’t get a clue, we’ll be wandering aimlessly through this vast universe.

“Shall we try somewhere else?”

“Mmm, I guess that can only be the case.”

Just as we are about to leave, I received a reply.

“……Is G-Gohma really gone?”

“We’ve certainly driven them away, albeit indirectly. I’ve already had the angels withdraw from all locations to leave the defense of this place to them. The other surviving gods should return soon… well, maybe.”

“Who are you? Why are you fighting Gohma?”

“Oh, speaking of which, I only told you my name huh. I am Naoki Tanaka’s father and the current god of destruction. Well, it could also be said that I am the son-in-law of the late Creator God.”

“Naoki-sama’s father!? C-current God of Destruction?”

Rumble rumble.

Abruptly after, the door began to open. There were about 30 of them in there. Men and women of all ages. They still looked frightened, but they somehow managed to put a smile on their faces. The representative seems to be a male god in his forties. He is lanky and fair-skinned, but he had a rational face.

“Don’t worry, we won’t do you any harm. More importantly, aren’t you hungry?”

“W-we’re all hungry. We’d like to have something to eat right away.”

“Then follow us.”

Apparently, most of them seem to be lower gods. The rank of a god is also related to the amount of divine qi they can generate. Divine qi is like blood for humans. Each god has his own limit of how much he can produce in a day, some of whom can only produce a single piece of shortcake, and some of whom can create an entire planet. Those classified as low-class ones produce less qi and can only manage to get by on a daily basis. This also means that even Gods range from best to worst.

I took them to the surface. They peeks out of building for a while without coming out, but gradually, they begin to accept the situation as the skeleton bows and the angel passes by silently.

“I heard that you are Naoki-sama’s father. But, does that mean that you are the one who had an affair with Aphrodia-sama?”

“Aphrodia?”

After thinking for a while, I finally get what he was saying. It must be Miyuki’s name as a god.

“Probably, but I can’t say for sure because I don’t know much about her.”

“That should be the case if he’s indeed Naoki-sama’s father. Aphrodia-sama also used the family name Tanaka from time to time.”

“I see.”

My chest throbbed and ached sharply. Even though I understood in my head that she is dead, I still felt like she is still alive somewhere.

Is knowing her more an act that magnifies this sense of loss?

Such a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

We entered a large building that could be called a mansion, and seated the thirty or so people we had brought with us. A variety of freshly prepared dishes were served immediately afterwards. Skeletons dressed in maid outfit placed heaping platter on the table one after another. That alone makes the young gods cheer.

“You can eat as much as you want.”

“Thank you.”

These foods are something Suketarou and the others had worked hard to prepare. If they hadn’t come out, it would have gone to our belly, but now that they’re at the table, I feel a little relieved. The amount they made is no joke after all.

“What’s this?”

“It’s yakitori. Try it.”

The representative took a bite and went silent for a moment. Then he starts to eat engrossedly without talking. Then the others also devoured their foods without caring about manners.

I also eat yakitori and sips on my sake.

“By the way, are you going to rule the Heavenly Realm in the future?”

“Hmm? No, I’m thinking of leaving it to Naoki for the time being.”

“Ooooh! So Naoki-sama is still alive!?”

“He is doing fine now.”

“Then what about Aphrodia-sama?!”

“………I’m sorry.”

The male god only replied, “I see.”

As expected, being the daughter of the creator god, she seemed to be highly trusted by the gods. If Miyuki is alive, I would have left the rest to her. But there is no point in asking for someone who is no longer here. The living have no choice but to do something about it and live.

“By the way, does any of you know where Gohma went?”

“I’m sorry, but those here hardly know him.”

“You don’t know? Sigh. I thought it would be the worst scenario but……”

“But we can predict it to some extent.”

“What!?”

The representative man pushed up his glasses and smiles.

“From what I’ve heard, he’s got the proof of the Creator God so he will surely go to a safe place where nothing can disturb him. I’m guessing he went to his own planet.”

“Gohma’s planet?”

“I’ve heard that it’s a very well-defended planet. It’s said that even the previous Creator God  couldn’t easily approach it. I wonder how much stronger it has become now that he became the creator god.”

As long as we know where it is, we’ve got him. No matter what kind of defense it has, we can break through with my power of destruction. I spread my hand and created a stereoscopic image. It looked like a map of the universe displayed in blue light.

“This is where we are now. If you go from here towards Andromeda, you will find a planet called ‘Kasho’ in the ‘Siyu system’. That’s the planet that Gohma owns.”

“Are there humans living there?”

“None…… I think. He hated humans after all.”

Hmm, it seems like it’s okay to erase the entire planet. However, it will not be easy because the other side will also make countermeasure for that. For the time being, I’ll make a plan while strengthening the defense here.

◇◇◇

Surprisingly, the gods began to return to the heavenly realm at an early stage. Apparently, many gods were watching us attack the heavenly realm. Naoki also entered the Heavenly Realm while being protected by Eugrapia, and the ownership of the Heavenly Realm was transferred from Pero to Naoki.

Dong, Dong. The bell rings, and Naoki, who sits on the throne, becomes the king of the heavens. The gods bowed down and they recognized him as the rightful successor of the Creator God.

“My name is Naoki Tanaka, and I hereby promise that I will rule the heavens from now on and make this land more prosperous than my grandfather. Now is the time to unite firmly, for we are the gods who rule and govern the heavens.”

“““Oooooooh!”””

The gods who stood up raised their fists valiantly. With Naoki’s return and my appearance as the God of Destruction, they have finally found hope. Not a single person commented about me being the God of Destruction at this point.

“Dad, are you sure? I would like to have Dad rule the heavens if possible.”

“Compared to me, who grew up among humans, you have been educated as a god so you are more suitable for this position. And as Naoki from the future said, I am not suited to being tied up for hundreds of thousand year, what more hundreds of millions of years.”

“Because you’re homeless?”

“Because I’m Shinichi Tanaka.”

Naoki and I smiled at each other.

Freedom is my weapon and my peace of mind. At this point, I can’t incorporate into society or organizations anymore.

“What a shame. The God King is always so spoiled huh.”

“Consort of the God King, not bad.”

Behind me, Erna and Liz are mumbling to each other, but I ignored them. They are probably only looking at the surface anyway.

“I’m going to leave the skeleton army behind. They will help reinforce your fighting forces for a while.”

“Thank you Dad for everything.”

“Don’t worry about it. The reason why I am here like this is because the you in the future helped me a lot. It’s like returning the favor.”

“You’re always welcome Dad.”

I nodded at Naoki’s words before leaving the temple. The gods bowed their heads in unison.

After leaving the heavenly realm, we repeatedly traveled to Andromeda in search of Gohma’s planet. The team composed of me, Erna, Liz, Pero, Freya, Suketarou, Kurohime, and Sword of Glory party. I had Eugrapia stay with Naoki’s place just in case. Naoki wanted to come along but I couldn’t let the heavenly realm be taken from him again.

We continued to fly through space while seeing various things. A planet that shines blue like a jewel. Red planet with a ring. A planet closed in white ice. A purple planet composed of gas. A planet rich in nature and is covered with greenery. Stars about to collide. Gas that shines in seven colors. A damaged, drifting spaceship belonging to an advanced, intelligent life form. And comets passing nearby. Occasionally, we would take a break and play in the asteroid showers. Eat on the ring of planets. It was only one day, but I saw a lot of scenes that I will never forget.

And then we finally got there. In the Siyu star system, where Gohma’s planet is located.

“—I see. So he won’t let anyone get close his planet huh.”

In the asteroid belt, I crossed my arms and grumbled. Gohma had enveloped the entire star system in a barrier. I tried to touch it lightly, but I was repelled with great impact. It seems to be almost the same as the one created by Eugrapia.

“They said that the Creator God can create anything. I wonder if he created a god like Eugrapia specifically to create such powerful barrier.”

“No, I don’t think so. According to Naoki, it takes a lot of divine qi to create a god. I don’t think someone like him, who is on guard against us, would take such a measure. It would be much quicker if he create this barrier with some kind of tool.”

“So if we destroy the tool, we can break in huh.”

I stared at the entire star system with far vision. Apparently, five structures are generating a barrier. The problem is that it is inside the barrier. I tried to break the barrier with my wave of destruction but the barrier only disappears for a moment and then it was instantly restored.

It is possible to send people inside, but it seems that I can’t leave here.

“Master, now is the time for us to show you how useful we are.”

“Liberto…… it’s very dangerous, you know?”

“Leave it to us! We are disciples of the God of Destruction!”

I felt reassured by the way he pounded his chest. When I first met him, he looked somewhat unreliable, but now I feel like I can trust him with my back.

“Just to be safe, take Erna and the others with you.”

“Thank you!”

I continued to destroy the barrier with wave of destruction. Erna and the others entered through the gaping hole, followed by Liberto and the others. The only ones left outside are me, Suketarou, and Kurohime.

Well, let me try to see if I can get in as well.

I moved forward aiming for the moment when the power of  the barrier was gone, but the barrier repairs faster than light. Thanks to that, I was hit hard in the face and was sent flying.

“Master! We’re off!”

“Watching us take action, ufufu♥ ♥.”

“We’ll make sure to remove the barrier.”

“Master Erna is also here, so there will be no problem!”

“Brace yourself. Let’s go!”

I watched Liberto and the others drift away. I pray in my heart for their safety.

Don’t die, you guys.

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

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It is said that the place where the heavenly realm exist is located at the center of a huge celestial body called “Himiko”. It is mostly composed of gas, and three star clusters lined up in a straight line shines from it. This celestial body is said to be very ancient and that it was formed relatively quickly, 800 million years after the birth of the universe.

The sight of the blue light emitting from it is both mysterious and divine. We were teleported to the vicinity of the star cluster located in the center of Himiko. There is gas floating around and the visibility is not very good.

Looking back, the others were struggling with zero gravity and ended up the breaking the formation as they dispersed.

“Uh-, we should have trained in zero gravity.”

On the other hand, the Angelton Division, remained perfectly in formation perhaps because their body remembers the environment. The Skeleton Division, which had been drifting, also get the hang of how to move and they gradually began to line up. However, the Magical Beast Division was still in a state of confusion. The griffons are desperately trying to paddle while flapping their wings which was very pitiful to look at.

“The gatekeepers have arrived.”

In response to Kurohime’s words, I glanced at the star cluster. The shining thing was a dragon that was coiled up and asleep. Its size is so huge that it is comparable to a galaxy. There were two of them.

Then they raised their huge heads, opened their eyes and glared at us. At the same time, countless angels, numbering about hundreds of billions emerged from the central star cluster, stretching their bodies like white snakes. This is going to be quite a challenge.

I’ll make the first move then. I made five transparent orbs in my right hand and unleashed them. The orbs snapped and erased the heads of the two dragons. Some of the angel army also disappeared.

Should I reduce it a little more?

With my Wave of Destruction, from hundred billions, I reduced the number of the enemies to tens of billions. Them appearing all together is a bad move after all. When the angels finally realized their mistake, they scattered, changing their course to minimize the damage. But that’s exactly what we wanted.

“Go! All out attack!”

“At your will!”

Following the instructions, Suketarou gives the order to attack. Wrapped in purple light, my familiars flew right away. White and purple light spiral as angels and skeletons fight.

“Abyss Gate, Open!”

Pero creates a black orb. A black, distorted crab-like creature spilled out like water from a faucet. They cling to an angel and devoured it without a trace.

The war was evenly matched.

—No, I’m pushing slightly.

Although angels are numerous, they can be said to be a small fry for my current familiars. Each of them is as fierce as thousand men, and they can continue to fight tirelessly. In addition, they are turning the dead angels into an undead and make them a familiar, so their number will only increase. The numbers are reversed in a short time.

“You are the new God of Destruction! You will not be allowed to get in Gohma-sama’s way! We are going to get rid of you right here!”

Four special class angels appeared with hundreds of first-class angels in tow. Behind them were thousands of second-class angels. A special class angel is a being who is at the highest level of an angel. It is said that in terms of fighting power alone, they can compete on equal terms with gods. Until now, they are opponents we would have undoubtedly lost to.

“Aghh!?”

One of the special class angel was split in half. On her other side, Liz is standing expressionless with a dagger in her hand.

“H-how dare you do that to my brethren! I will never forgi—?”

Pero’s thick arms pierced his chest. With a tight clench, he crushed the heart.

“Tsk. I had high hopes for this special class angels but this is boring.”

Freya, who had shredded her opponent in an instant, blurted out as she drifted upside down.

“Aghh!”

An arrow of light pierced his brain. Erna, holding the bow, grinned.

“Yes, the Staff of the Wind God that Moore-sama gave me is really good. It is very convenient because it can also be used as a bow.”

The bow instantly changes shape and returns to a staff. The Staff of the Wind God had granted its ownership to Erna since its previous owner had completely disappeared. However, since it is made from a part of the God Tree, ownership would have been transferred even if Moore had existed.

The angels were shaken by the fact that the special class angels were so easily killed. Then Kurohime and Suketarou launched an offensive, catching them off guard.

“Too late to run away now! Bow down to me like a good dog!”

She bit into the neck of the enemy and sipped some blood. Then she cut off the head with her hand and created two swords with the blood that spurted out. Every time she slashed an enemy, the blood that flowed out of their body gathered on Kurohime, covering her body like armor.

“As if we’ll bow to a mere vampire!”

A first-class angel slashes at Kurohime.

—But the next moment, the enemy’s sword flicked and the arm of the first-class angel was blown away. It was probably EX counter. A skill that could return an attack several dozen times stronger is really is terrifying.

“We will eliminate those who interfere with our Masters.”

A streak of light drew a sharp path, slicing the second-class angels into pieces. Confusion ensues, and with the angels unable to even fight back, they were left at their mercy. In addition, Waita, who is now a 100-meter giant, opened its large mouth to further cut down their number. The sight of it flying through outer space at a speed approaching the speed of light is a sight that is truly mysterious.

“Muu.”

Suddenly, the creature that could be said to be the last bastion to protect the heavenly realm begun to move. From what appears to be the central star cluster, a golden dragon is twisting its body and is now coming towards us. It’s clear that it’s more powerful than the two dragons I killed earlier.

I made an eye contact with Liberto and the others and had them take their positions. Then five skill boosts resonated together, creating a pentagram. Our goal is to unleash the Imperial Dragon Breath that has been sublimated to the realm of the gods.

“Divine Dragon Breath Boost Five!!”

A flash of super-extreme lightning engulfed the golden dragon’s head. I quickly restored the corpse and asked Suketarou to turn the golden dragon into an undead and then I turned it to my familiar. The golden dragon roared, transforming into a jet-black and wicked form.

Why did I make the dragon a familiar at this moment?

That’s because the two dragons I defeated earlier are about to be resurrected. As expected of the gatekeepers of the Heavenly Realm, they used their amazing regenerative ability to restore their lost head. From the looks of it, it would like take less than an hour for them to resume activities.

The dragon I turned into my familiar grew twice as large as before and then it bit into the regenerating dragons. Now there will be no hindrances, and I should be able to enter the heavenly realm with confidence.

“Liberto, I want you guys to help them here. If you think it’s too difficult, retreat immediately.”

“I understand, master.”

We left our disciples behind and moved forward. We head to the entrance to the heavenly realm in the center of Himiko. We teleported to the center and found a large open space in the gaseous state. A white orb is floating in the center. When I touched it, ripples spread out like water and a portal-like opening opened up.

“Let’s go.”

Everyone nods and then we sink into the portal.

My vision was dyed with pure white. When I opened my eyes, I saw an endless expanse of land. There is another land of high mountains that hug the clouds, and temple-like structures in the sky. Connecting them are countless thick pillars that are larger than mountains. The scenery is too fantastical and too mysterious. From a distance, it seems that this is a place where two-slabs of vast land is facing each other. There are no visible stars around it, only darkness spread out. It seems to be a special place created in a different space from the heavenly realm.

“I thought there is a trap waiting for us but it’s odd that there has been no reaction.”

“I’ve looked around too, but I can’t find Gohma anywhere.”

Not here? Did he really abandon this place??

I floated and teleported to the land above. This other land, reminiscent of Greek mythology, was completely deserted. It’s so quiet that it’s creepy. Torn clothes were left on the road in places, and traces of fighting could be seen. When I go to what appears to be a square, I found countless heads of gods pierced by spears, and headless bodies piled up on the ground. The heavens had become a titular city of death.

“Anyone still alive?”

“There are still some but they’ve locked themselves underground with barrier around them.”

Hmmm, it seems that Gohma couldn’t kill all of them either.

First of all, we must regain control of the heavenly realm. Even now, my comrades and familiars are fighting against the angels.

We went to the huge temple that caught my eye and opened the door. Pillars lined up inside and light pours in from the ceiling. Although it is a divine structure, the inside is deserted and the smell of death wafts in the air. The scattered corpses showed Gohma’s ruthlessness. Then we continued down the long corridor until we come to a door. When I opened it, we came to a room with a chair that looked like a throne. But as expected, Gohma is nowhere to be seen.

“Father, look at this.”

Pero found an envelope placed on the throne. I opened it and takes out the letter inside.

『I commend you for making it here. Kukuku, you came here hoping to fight, didn’t you? Unfortunately, as the creator god, I am no longer interested in a place like this. I seek to create a new world. A world where no one rules over me, where only I can find peace. And when the time comes, I intend to declare war on you people. I am the one who will become the one and absolute ruler.』

I instinctively crushed the letter.

Was I one step too late?

I attacked, knowing that it would take time for him to evolve into a creator god. But he was expecting my action. By now, he must be evolving in a safe place where we don’t about.

“Tanaka-dono, what should we do to stop the angels?”

“Just sit on that throne.”

“I see. Then, Pero-sama.”

“What!? M-Me!?”

Urged on by Freya, Pero reluctantly sits on the throne. Then the throne took on a rainbow of light. A window appears in front of Pero.

【The owner of the heavenly realm has relinquished ownership. Therefore, you are now the next owner. Will you own the heavens? YES／NO】

Pero chooses YES. Immediately afterwards, the sound of bells rang in the heavenly realm. Now the angels should obey Pero.

“Hey, there’s a door over here.”

“We can’t open it though. We had trouble opening it.”

Erna and Liz said as they returned from behind the throne. On the wall behind the throne, which is covered with red curtains, there is indeed a hidden door. I tried to push it, but it doesn’t seem to open, it did not even budge when I hit or pulled it.

“Hn?”

Suddenly, I find something that looks like a keyhole in the door. It was just the right size to stick your finger in. I tried to put the index finger of my left hand, but there is no particular reaction. The hole feels slightly bigger than a finger as well.

I guess a finger with a ring on it would fit perfectly…..

Eh? I was startled by my sudden thought.

Then with the mentality of trying it out, I stick my right index finger with the black ring on it to the hole. Sure enough, the lock is unlocked and the door opened with a clank.

“I see, this ring was meant to enter here.”

I told Erna and Liz that I would check it out first and asked them to wait for me outside. When I opened the door, I was greeted by a small room. In the center of the room was a pedestal, on which several bundles of paper were placed.

“—Order?”

That’s what the cover of the paper says. I quickly flipped the cover open.

『I command my family, which is divided into two, to manage the world and samsara for all eternity. Your main objective is the salvation of souls and the expansion of our forces to defeat evil enemies. 』

Flip to the next page.

『Do not allow the gods to be enlightened. We must not let them abandon their duties. The gods are the custodians of the Eternal Cradle.』

Flip the next one.

『Serve people, dedicate yourselves to people. 』

I staggered back and slumped down on the floor.

What’s this?

My head is spinning. Then a golden light flashed through my mind. The gods are—

The gods….. are dominated by something? And, I get to know that?

“Shinichi? Not done yet?”

Hearing Erna’s voice, my consciousness clears. I hurriedly stood up, put the stack of papers back in place, and left the room quickly. Then I close the door and checked again and again that it is locked.

“What was inside?”

“There was nothing in there.”

“That seems suspicious.”

“It’s true. There was nothing there. Really.”

I broke into cold sweat. This seems like a truth that should not be known to any other. Somehow, I feel that it should be that way.

“He is supposed to be here…… Oh, there he is!”

Kurohime and the others enter the room one by one. None of them appeared to be injured.

“Master, what about Gohma?”

“He is not here.”

Liberto and the others showed a look of disappointment. I thought this would be the end of it as well.

“So what are we going to do now?”

“For the time being, we have no choice but to protect the survivors and find out where Gohma went.”

“I see. By the way, Master, your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

I replied casually and went outside.

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

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The battle situation is overwhelmingly in our favor. The other side is more than 100,000 at most while our side is over 800,000. In addition, the lowest-level skeletons possessed the power of third-class angels or even stronger, so most of them were instead leaning towards aiding the evacuation of the people.

“What about the other you?”

“They’ve already caught on my whereabouts by this time. I should be on the run disguised as a monster.”

Gohma had probably pinpointed the position of the other Naoki. However, he should be wary of our sudden appearance so he does not appear easily.

Should I have waited a little longer?

But if we moved too slowly, there will be a big problem. The toll on the people in Tokyo will grow and Naoki will be deeply wounded by Gohma. What I want is to secure Naoki safely with minimal injury and face Gohma.

If history was exactly as it had been, I wouldn’t understand why I even came back in time then. As I was deeply thinking, the ground starts to shake.

Is there an earthquake at this timing?

The ground rises and huge stone walls emerged. It surrounded the city and completely sealed it off.

Could this be Gohma’s work?

It seemed that he had no intention of letting Naoki escape no matter what. On the other hand, I was also concerned about the safety of the people stranded inside the city.

“We’re back.”

Erna and the others are back. I entrusted them with the evacuation, but I wonder if it went well.

“We managed to get most of them out with our own efforts, so I don’t think there is a problem. The skeletons are still guiding them to shelters so I think they will be fine.”

“Un, that’s good. But it’s about time they made some move—”

At that moment, Naoki, who had far vision, shouted.

“Gohma has appeared!”

“Really!?”

“Together with the Four Zodiac Gods, he is surrounding the other me!”

That’s bad. We have to go there right now. We followed Naoki’s guidance and flew at the speed of light. In the middle of a deserted intersection in ruins, the other Naoki was grabbed by the neck and is lifted by a well-built man. Around him, four handsome young men are watching the situation.

“Dragon Slash!”

I unleashed a slash at Gohma’s arm. However, the attack was prevented by the Four Zodiac Gods.

—But there was something I’m really aiming for. Liz emerges from Gohma’s shadow and quickly cuts off his arm, then like a smoke screen, she covered the area with dark matter. When the darkness converged to a single point, Liz nor Naoki is no longer there.

Next, they appeared on the roof of Shibuya Station.

“Cough, cough. You are….…”

“I don’t have time to talk about it right now.”

As for us, we descend to the ground and Eugrapia put up a barrier so the enemies can’t get away. If we defeat them here, this battle will be over.

“I never thought that there would still be someone against me. I guess you sent that strange army after me, right?”

The figure, who appears to be Gohma, picks up the severed arm and connects it on the cut, instantly reattaching it. He was clad in golden armor and had a sturdy, muscular build. His greying blond hair was combed back, and his chiseled features and sharp gaze were like an eagle’s. He had a beard around his mouth, and his presence was imposing and dignified. And his white cloak fluttering in the wind further accentuated his majesty.

In addition, Four Zodiac gods protect him. Genbu, Byakko, Suzaku and Seiryū. All of them had peerless appearance and they got weapons that seemed to symbolize the four gods. Genbu is equipped with jade gauntlets. Byakko holds a pure white giant axe. Suzaku had a crimson spear. Seiryū weilds a huge blue bow. They were clad in white cloth like the Greek gods, and like emotionless dolls, their expressions didn’t change at all.

Gohma glanced at Naoki beside me, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

“I see, you guys have come from the future. In that case, this unexpected situation makes sense. I was lured out huh.”

“Gohma, your ambitions fall through! My Dad here is the next generation God of Destruction!”

“God of Destruction…… Kukuku, he is quite a big shot then.”

Gohma keeps his fearless smile and doesn’t even seem ready to draw the sword at his waist. This doesn’t seem like an attitude of someone who’s cornered. Then….I think it is safe to assume that he has a secret weapon we don’t know about.

“Eugrapia please take care of Naoki and the others. I am going to settle the matter with Gohma.”

“I understand. Good luck.”

Eugrapia takes Naoki, Kurohime and Liberto and the others outside the barrier. Liz continues to protect the other Naoki.

“D-dad!? You are my dad, right?! W-why are you here!?”

“We’ll talk about it later. Stay still and just watch from there.”

The other Naoki tries to run to me but Liz restrains him with dark matter. I feel bad seeing him like that but I don’t have time to sit down and talk to him right now.

“Now then, hey Gohma, now that this is the case, I suggest that you surrender. What do you think?”

“What a fool. I’d consider doing it the other way around, but why should I have to bow down to the likes of you? Especially to a God of Destruction who’s like a baby and hasn’t even lived for a hundred years.”

What is he saying? How can he afford to be so calm?

For a bluff, he is strangely very confident with his words. Is he confident that he will win? —No, maybe he is confident that he can get out of here.

But how?

They are getting closer and closer. We also have our weapon at ready, waiting to see what they’ll do.

“I have one question. Did my future self get the proof of the Creator God?”

“No, you couldn’t even see it, let alone touch it.”

“Mmmm. Either way, it looks like this plan has been in vain.”

The next moment when we relaxed our guard, Bam! With great impact, six pillars of light appeared, forming a hexagram. The area around Shinjuku Station, which is the center of the city, had a huge hole and caves in.

Along with Eugrapia and the others, we fell down.

Darn it! Was this what he was aiming for?

The unexpected event caused the barrier to flicker and crack. Gohma and the others broke through that gap, swiftly charging towards the free-falling Naoki.

Damn it! I won’t let that happen!

I regained my balance and attacked Gohma, but my sword was quickly blocked by the Zodiac Gods who stepped in between. I kicked Genbu away, grabbed Suzaku’s spear and threw it away, and deflected Byakko’s strike. However, my movements were stopped by the countless arrows that were instantly fired by Seiryū.

“Aaaaghh!”

Gohma’s arm pierced Naoki’s chest.

“Naoki!!”

“Fool! Did you really think I was unprepared?”

He took the Creator God’s token from Naoki’s pocket and threw my son in the trash. He stares at the proof in his hand with a grin before disappearing from the spot together with the Four Zodiac Gods.

I ran to Naoki who had fallen to the bottom of the hole and hugged him.

“Naoki, Naoki! Pull yourself together!”

“Da……ad..”

“I-, I’ll heal your wounds right away!”

I tried to put the Rainbow Mushroom I took out of the ring into Naoki’s mouth. But he smiled weakly and shook his head.

“It’s no……use….. I-, I’m so….rry.”

“Can’t we do something about it!?”

Naoki placed his weak hand on mine. Unstoppable tears began to spill. No matter how much I tried to hold it back, it just kept spilling out. My emotions were raging and I couldn’t get my thoughts together.

The other Naoki approaches and touches Naoki’s face.

“P-past me…… I……leave Dad….to you….”

“Okay, my future self.”

Pero ran up to him and took Naoki’s hand.

“Oniisan! I don’t want you to die!”

“Pero…… My cute little brother……”

“Naoki-niisan, don’t die!”

“Sorry…… Support… Dad.…”

After touching Pero’s face, Naoki ran out of strength.

“Naoki!”

Flashbacks of events from the day we reunited till today came flashing to me. We are just finally reconnecting as a family. I never thought it would turn out like this. He was the only Naoki I had spent that time with. And yet I couldn’t protect him.

I’m sorry, I’m really sorry Naoki.

I stand up with Naoki’s body in my arms.

“Eugrapia, cover the Earth with a barrier at once. They should be launching an attack soon.”

“Certainly!”

Leaving the cleaning up of the angels to my comrades, I left the place with Naoki in my arms.

　◇◇◇

The angels disguised as monsters were safely cleaned up. After returning to our mountain house for the time being, we decided to spend time together and sort out our minds.

To tell the truth, I was prepared to some extent. I had expected someone to die in this battle. But even so, when it actually happened, it’s still upsetting. Especially when it’s my son. The explanation of the situation to the other Naoki was done by Erna and the others. It was something that I should have done but my wives and comrades who cared about me did it for me.

Once again, I felt a deep sense of gratitude that someone was by my side.

“Naoki..…”

My frozen son lay in the basement. I tried to bring him back to life over and over again but his soul was nowhere to be found. The souls of the gods disappear after death. That story was true.

The door opens and Erna and Liz enter.

“Shinichi-, are you okay?”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Mmm, I’ve calmed down now. I’m sorry I made you guys worried.”

I put Naoki’s body in the bangle. After this battle is over, I’m going to let him sleep in Tanaka family’s graveyard. Until then, I’ll have him bear with it for a little while.

When I went up to the first floor, everyone was there. On the table is a bento box they made for lunch. Right, we missed the chance to eat.

“Dad-, I’ve heard about the situation. It appears that it was tough in future as well.”

“I guess so. But I’m relieved you’re safe.”

“It’s kinda weird, having two Dad I mean.”

For this Naoki, it’s our first reunion in decades. I hugged him tightly. The only saving grace is that Naoki in the past is here safe and sound. Thanks to that, I didn’t have to despair.

“I’m hungry so let’s eat first.”

“Right.”

I untied the bag that covered the heavy bento box, open the lid and looked inside. It was filled with rice balls and omelets made by Naoki.

“U,uuu……”

As soon as I took a bite on the rice ball, my tears spilled out.

Naoki, your cooking is really delicious.

After eating, I drank coffee and the others had tea as we watched the news. The program is all about the unknown monsters that suddenly appeared and the huge wall that covered Tokyo. It also talked about the mysterious black human skeletons that protected the people.

Then the breaking news comes in. The newscaster hurriedly read out the form he had received. Apparently, countless unidentified life forms are heading to Earth. At the moment, it is still in orbit around Mars, but due to its unusual speed, it is expected to approach Earth in the next few days.

“They’re here.”

From a quick glance through my far vision, their number is about 300 million. He is underestimating me. Sending such an army against me, the God of Destruction.

Or, is he just waiting to see what happens? See how will we respond?

“As originally planned, we will leave Naoki and Eugrapia here on Earth, and we will launch an all-out attack on the heavenly realm at once.”

“Can we really win? I’m starting to get a little worried.”

“Don’t be fooled by their numbers. Angels are nothing more than winged worms to us now. If they stand in our way, don’t hesitate to get rid of them.”

I stood up with a new determination in my heart.

Naoki also stood up and then he handed me something from his pocket.

“I want you to keep it for me Dad.”

“Isn’t this the proof of the Creator God? But—”

“Gohma will probably try to get this other one. He knows otherwise that it will get in the way. But if I keep it with me, something unexpected might happen. So I’ll leave it with Dad, who I can trust the most.” He added with a smile, “It could also be used as bait to lure Gohma.”

Conversely, that is how much Naoki is betting on this battle.

I only said, “I will try not to use it as much as possible.” and put it in my pocket.

Before the decisive battle, we teleported to the surface of the moon. The main reason was that I wanted to see Earth one last time.

“Earth is blue and so beautiful.”

“What a nice view. I want to see it again.”

Erna and Liz look at Earth in a daze.

“This is space huh. It’s fluffy.”

“If you’re talking about fluffy, it will lose to Pero-sama’s fur!”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Pero and Freya seemed to enjoy the low gravity.

“I’m going to avenge Master’s son!”

“For sure! I’ll show him what we are capable of!”

“That’s right. It would be a pain to leave it like this.”

“Leave everyone’s defense to me.”

“I’m going to beat them all, gods and angels alike!”

With their fighting spirit burning, Liberto and his team formed a circle.

“I’ve come this far, this is the sight I’d like to show Moore someday.”

Kurohime narrows her eyes as she looks at Earth.

“Come forth, my familiars.”

My skeleton army emerges from the bangle. All of them got down on one knee in unison.

I unsheathe my sword and raised it.

“In the name of Tanaka Shinichi, the God of Destruction, I command you! Use your power to the fullest and overwhelm the enemy forces! Show no mercy! Don’t allow them to beg for their life! Step over their corpses and take control of Heaven!”

“At your will.”

Suketarou replied.

Then the others clattered their jaws.

“Let’s go!”

I teleported everyone. Our destination is the center of the universe where Heaven Realm is.

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

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