Author: Yume Neiji

We used the Temple of Teleportation to reach the 30th level. Then we head for the staircase and went down to the 31st level.

“Hmmm, the 31st floor is not that different from the previous floor.”

“Mmm, it’s normal. I was imagining a more outrageous place.”

Erna and Liz looked a little discouraged by the view that unfolded before their eyes. The entire 31st floor was a one-type room. The trees are overgrown, and the ground is covered with moss like a carpet. Since there are many coniferous trees, the environment seemed to be a little different from the ones above. It also feels a bit chilly.

I called out to Moore, the Fluffy Hermit who is walking in the lead.

“I’ve been thinking about it, wouldn’t it be fine if you take us to the bottom level using the Temple of Teleportation?”

“Fufu, that’s quite difficult because I can’t use that temple.”

“What do you mean?”

“It is as I said. I’m just Moore’s clone, in other words, I’m a sham created by skill. Therefore, the temple does not recognize me as I am and refuses to respond to me. It won’t be a problem if I accompany others though.”

Hmm, does that mean that we have to make a steady progress till we reach the bottom?

It’s troublesome. But as we don’t have any other way, it can’t be helped.

Moore continues,

“Don’t worry. The Great Dungeon isn’t as deep as you think, it’s just that the obstacles in the way are troublesome.”

“Is it that hard?”

“No, it probably won’t feel that way for you guys. I meant it’s like that for a normal person. You don’t have to be too nervous.”

He walks quickly through the woods without hesitation. It is as if he knows the 31st floor thoroughly. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and ran to a dead tree lying on the ground to collect something. It’s a brown mushroom-like object.

I was delighted when he saw it, “Whoa!”

“It’s a mushroom called Kikurage, and it’s chunky and delicious.”

Moore smiles and hands the mushroom to me. This is indeed an edible mushroom. I involuntarily cleared my throat. I think I can have a drink with this tonight. At that moment, a response was seen on the enemy search radar in my field of vision.

The number of enemies is five. It is a fast-footed beast that is rapidly approaching us.

“Everyone, brace yourselves. The enemy is coming.”

Then suddenly the enemy split into two groups and began to act separately. One stayed in front and the other four move around our back. This move was familiar. The decoy, presumably the one in front, appears to be the stronger one. It was a blue-haired wolf that was two meters long.

“That’s a Blue Wolf. Its fur sells for a high price.”

“Mmm, it certainly have a beautiful coat.”

—However, the opponent is only a hindrance to the current me. When I activated the Subjugation Skill, the wolf in my field of view began to tremble. It even let out a frightened cry as it lay on the ground. Similarly, the wolves that had circled around the rear seemed to have stopped moving and were lying down.

We left the wolves alone and move on.

　◇◇◇

We have reached the 32nd level.

Like the 31st floor, it seemed to be a one-type room, but the scenery was a little different. There are many craggy rocks, and steep rocky mountains rise everywhere to block the way. A number of condor-like birds were perched on the rocks, and a number of large lizards up to three meters were crawling on the rock walls. When they spotted us, they become murderous.

“Well, I’ll do something about it. If I stay still, you may think I just self-proclaimed myself as Moore.”

Moore summons his staff out of nowhere and uses his magic. The countless needles of light that were released directly hit the heads of all the magical beasts in sight. The beasts died without much damage. It’s a terrifyingly deft attack.

“What kind of magic was that just now!? I haven’t seen such magic before.”

“It’s a magic that uses the light element, which can incapacitate an enemy without damaging the material. Well, I can proudly say that it’s a trick that I can easily do now.”

“But your staff suddenly appeared!? That was magic too?”

“Again, it’s not that hard for me now.”

Moore hides his staff in front of Erna’s eyes. It was like watching a magic trick, and not only Erna, but everyone in the room was amazed.

“I’m just magically creating a subspace and storing it there. And in my case, I’m fixing a doorway on my right hand and my staff can be taken in and out from there.”

“Subspace?”

“I created another space that is contained in the other side of the space.”

He sits down on a random rock and begins to lecture Erna with a branch he has picked up. In the meantime, we collected and dismantled the defeated magical beasts. When the work was finished, it was already around noon.

I begin to cook using the meat of the magical beasts. I rubbed the condor meat with soy sauce, mirin, ginger and garlic and let it sit for a while. When it is moderately pickled, it is fried in oil to complete the fried bird. The meat of the lizard is finely chopped and stir-fried with eggs, vegetables and freshly picked mushrooms. After that, I prepared miso soup and salad. Lunch is ready.

“——Therefore, the space is fixed to the body as much as possible, and the space itself cannot move.”

“Hmmm, the space is fixed to the body…… I see, it’s like Shinichi’s bangles.”

“No, that’s a different magic from mine. It’s close in image but, uh—what’s this good smell?”

Moore sniffs loudly. His gaze immediately stopped at the bowl I was holding.

“…… You’re eating weird things.”

“You mean this? It is called white rice. It is my staple food.”

“Let me see. Oh-, I’ll get one, too.”

The lecture seems to be over, and Moore and Erna sit down in front of the food. She handed him a bowl of white rice.

“Uhm, can you also give me those two sticks that you are using?”

“The chopsticks? I don’t mind…… But don’t you think it’s hard to use?”

Handing him the chopsticks, Moore slurps the miso soup with accustomed movements. He quickly scooped up the white rice and put the miso soup in his mouth again. He looked just like a Japanese guy. As a matter of course, he used his chopsticks to place side dishes on top of the rice as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Oh, by the way, why did Moore-san live in the dungeon?”

“Hmm? That’s a pretty direct question. Well, never mind. It’s something I’ll have to tell you anyway. It is not any different to say it here, isn’t it?”

He resumes eating, saying, “Well, that’s after I’ve eaten.”

His bite was so good that it was hard to believe that he was an old man. He stuffed his mouth full of fried bird and rice, chewing heartily. The pile of side dishes I had made was gone in no time.

Pero and Freya are stunned with chopsticks in their hand as the food disappears.

“Fuhaa, I’m satisfied. I have no regrets if I die right now.”

“I don’t think you have an appetite of an old man. As expected of someone who’s lived for a thousand years.”

Liz looked coldly at Moore, who lay down and rubbed his belly. Apparently, she is angry that her side dishes have been taken away.

“Well, you wanted to hear my story, right? Then I could tell you why I was living in the dungeon.”

Moore sat cross-legged and straightens his collar. We are nervous about what kind of truth will come out of his mouth.

“I was looking for a way to revive the soul.”

“Revive?”

“To put it simply, it’s resurrection. It’s a way to bring the dead back to life.”

“I-Is there such a thing in this world!?”

“You can say there is, but you can also say there isn’t.”

Pero is attentive and makes tea for everyone. Moore took a breath as he sipped his tea.

“Resurrection is the act of scooping up a soul from the cycle of samsara and sealing it back into a body. However, only gods can do that. Humans cannot even witness reincarnation.”

“But you are looking for a way to do that, weren’t you, Moore-sama?”

“Well, with a glimmer of hope in my heart, I continued to search for a means to make it possible for people to be able to resurrect. I even wandered around the world.”

Moore traveled around the world without revealing his name. At times, his identity was discovered, and he received a grand welcome. Then he came to Sarasvati in Naji.

“I had found some useful information that there was a being called the God Tree on the Forbidden Island, who could bestow advanced knowledge. I negotiated with the sailors the route to the island, which was said to have been written by the progenitor elves.”

As a result, I finally made it to the God Tree. But the answer I received was brutal.

“God Tree-sama said that it is impossible for a human being to do it.”

He furrowed his brows deeply.

“So, I begged God Tree-sama to perform the resurrection for me. But she refused, saying that she did not have that power. Apparently, only a few selected superior gods are able to do it.”

Moore sips his tea again. He exhaled and continued talking.

“But she gave me a new hope, she told me that there was a glimmer of hope at the bottom of the Mohed Dungeon. Anyone who went there can be resurrected.”

“Then the reason Moore-sama lived in the dungeon is….”

“To reach the bottom level. Oh, I’m sorry, but can you give me another cup of tea?”

After receiving the teacup, Pero quietly pours tea in a sitting position. Seeing this, Moore nodded, “You have a pretty good son.”

After receiving the tea, he sips and exhales.

“May I ask you one more question?”

“You can ask as many questions as you want. That’s what I intended to do when I agreed to lead the way.”

“Then, let me ask you. What is the dump?”

As soon as he heard my words, the corners of Moore’s mouth raised sharply.

“Did you see that place?”

“Well, it was a very strange place, where corpses were collected and broken down into powder. It felt like they are being digested.”

He pulls out a pocket watch from his bossom and checks the time. The watch was very similar to the one I had. That’s not surprisingly, as the watch I am currently using was originally Moore’s.

He is the legendary great mage after all.

“I think it’s time to leave. I’ll explain it to you as we head down.”

With Moore in the lead, we head to the 33rd floor.

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

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We all left the building. Naoki and Eugrapia also followed us to the exit to see us off.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

“I’ve got things to do here. I’ll leave Dad to you lil’ brother.”

“Okay. I’ll make sure to protect Father.”

Naoki and Pero smiled at each other. Actually, when these two met, they got along so well, like they are real brothers. As a father, I can only be relieved.

“Um, are you sure it’s okay to get something like this?”

“You can find a lot of it on this island, and since you came all the way, please take it as a souvenir.”

Liberto and the others smiled wryly at the sight of what they were holding in their hands. It’s a lump of adamantite.

Adamantite, said to be the most expensive metal in the world, was generously given to them by Eugrapia. It’s a bargain sale for angelic weapons and adamantite. That said, it’s nice to be able to strengthen our forces with these items. When we get back to the continent, I’ll ask Liberto and the others to head to Dartan.

“Nyahoho, it was the right decision to tag along after all-nya.”

Heh~, it seems that even Lena, who didn’t contribute to the strengthening of my force also got a lot of adamantite. If she sells that much chunk, they won’t have a problem with money for the rest of their life. I can imagine the Zañas family laughing together as they are surrounded by piles of gold coins. I hope this doesn’t lead a disaster to them. I’m a little worried.

Eugrapia bowed to me.

“Tanaka-san, it’s all up to you. Please be sure to get the proof of the God of Destruction.”

“I have a lot of thoughts about this, but I intend to do so for now. One thing that has been bothering me is that you support the resurrection of the God of Destruction. Doesn’t that contradict your role?”

“Fufu, think about it. What kind of place is a prison? Even if you become the God of Destruction, if you don’t commit a crime that deserved incarceration, there’s no reason to keep you on this planet.”

“I see. In that sense, I must become the new God of Destruction.”

But will I really become a god? It feels quite strange. I’ve evolved a lot, but when it comes to becoming a God, I’m still confused. I don’t really understand what the God of Destruction is in the first place. It’s very unsettling.

“Oh, right. There was something I forgot to mention.”

Just as I was about to start walking, Eugrapia stopped me.

Is there still something else?

“I’ve arranged someone who is familiar with the Great Dungeon. I’m sure he’ll guide you safely to the bottom level.”

“Huh? That’s strange. The bottom level of the Mohed Great Dungeon was supposed to be an uncharted area that no one has ever seen.”

“That’s not true. In fact, there are people who have reached the bottom level. However, because of the absurdity of the things in there, they could only keep quiet about it. Furthermore, most people who reach it end up dying.”

Hey, hey, aren’t you trying to send me to somewhere horrific then?

Well, the Mohed Great Dungeon is a dungeon that is said to be the most dangerous to traverse.

I hope he is a reliable guide.

This time, we really said goodbye to Naoki and Eugrapia.

　◇◇◇

After that, we returned to the ship, and using the route taught by Eugrapia, we returned to the continent without incident. After thanking Lena and her father, we returned to the Kingdom of Logas.

Liberto and the others left immediately after returning to the Kingdom and set off for the kingdom of Dartan to process the adamantite they had received into weapons. Of course, I gave them a letter written by me for King Dartan, so I don’t think it would take that long.

And so, we are about to return to our hideout.

“Ahh, no matter how many times I eat it, it’s still delicious!”

“If you eat too much, you’ll get diarrhea.”

“Even so. No matter how much I eat, it never gets smaller. I’m sure God Tree-sama is telling me to keep eating this forever.”

“No, I didn’t feel that kind of vibe from Eugrapia at all.”

Currently, we just left the Temple of Teleportation and we are walking through the miniature garden. Freya is enthusiastically eating the fruit of the tree that Eugrapia had given us as a souvenir as she walked.

The size of the fruit is about 15 cm in diameter, and the surface is yellow and smooth. It emits a sweet scent like a peach, and when you bite into the thin skin, sweet juice squirts out along with the soft ripe pulp. It’s a taste I’ve never had before, but it’s so delicious that it’s addictive. Moreover, even if I bite into it, it will immediately restore and return to its original state.

This is the fruit that Lena’s grandfather once obtained. According to the story I received beforehand, this fruit has been restored by the power of Eugrapia, and it is free to disappear or persist at her will. She said she wanted it to help us explore the Great Dungeon. In an emergency when food is exhausted, it can definitely be expected to play an active role.

……However, Freya was completely addicted to the taste of it, and now it has become her snack. Incidentally, while Freya is fast asleep, I witnessed Erna and Liz secretly eating the fruit. Maybe Pero is also eating it secretly.

“Ah, it’s been a long journey and I’m so tired. Let’s take a break from adventuring today and tomorrow, okay?”

“I agree with Rival. I want to get a good night’s sleep soon.”

“You’ve slept soundly on the ship. You really had the heart to say that huh.”

We proceed noisily through the twentieth floors. We are almost at the hideout. Tonight, I’ll relax while drinking at our hideout for the first time in a while.

Speaking of which, Eugrapia said that she had arranged for someone who was familiar with the Great Dungeon, but she didn’t tell me where I could find him. In that case, we may have to search for people before the exploration.

As usual, I pressed the lion’s eyes and opened the hidden door. That’s when I noticed something was wrong. The lights in the hideout are on. Those lights turn on automatically, so they don’t turn on unless a person passes by. In other words, someone has broken in here.

When I activated the search, there was only one living creature reaction in the room. The other members also immediately noticed something is wrong. They drew their weapons and prepared for battle.

“You guys are late.”

There was an old man sitting cross-legged on the table. White long hair and beard. His face is also deeply wrinkled. The old man was drinking something in a glass.

“Hey! That’s my treasured wine!?”

“Fuhaa-, it’s well aged and delicious.”

Damn! The wine that I had bought with a lot of money! I had hidden it, but how did I find it?! I will not forgive this guy. I will make him pay for this grudge with his life.

“Calm down Father.”

“My, my wine!!”

I can’t attack because I’m trapped by Pero with a bear hug.

Let go, my son. This old man is evil. Perhaps he is an angel in disguise!

“W-Why is the Hermit-sama here!?”

Freya gets down on one knee in front of the old man. I stopped moving completely.

Hermit? Is he an acquaintance of Freya?

“Oh, looks like I should introduce myself.”

The old man stands up on the table, exuding a strange sense of tension. Then, he struck a dynamic pose like a kabuki actor.

“I have walked the path of magic and mastered the path of martial arts! I’m the Fluffy Hermit!”

“Well done, Hermit-sama!”

Freya applauded.

Huh? What the hell? What’s going on?

The fluffy hermit jumped off the table and brought his face closer in front of me.

“Are you Shinichi Tanaka?”

“Y-yes…… Rather than that, how did you get here?  Expect us, nobody else know where the hideout is.”

The old man began to laugh wildy as he holds his stomach. However, without warning, he became expressionless again.

“I’m sure there are other people who know about this place besides you people.”

“That can’t be. I haven’t told anyone other than the members here.”

“Think about it, whose house it was in the first place.”

“N-no way……”

I’m stunned. It is impossible. The real owner of this place is a man from thousand year ago. But then again, we never heard that he is dead.

If that is the case…….

“I am indeed Moore, the Great Mage.”

Erna kneels down immediately.

“Ahh, ahhh…my idol, M-Moore-sama is still alive! S-sorry for being rude.”

“Don’t be so nervous. It’s been so long ago that I was called the Great Mage. Now I’m just an old man.”

Moore patted Erna on the shoulder before settling down on the sofa in the living room. Immediately, Freya runs and begins to rub his shoulder. The relationship between the two was refreshing, but for the time being, I sat down on the sofa opposite him.

“Tanaka-dono, he is actually my master. In fact, all the members of the Label family are his students. I’ve heard that Ryan-san, the lord of Mana, was once taught by Hermit-sama.”

“Hahaha, Ryan brings back such a nostalgic name. He had a rare talent for the way of Fluffy, but he was an oddball who wasn’t influenced by it. He might have been able to reach the ultimate level of Fluffy too, if he wanted.”

“Exactly. The way of fluffy is only open to Fluffners.”

Stop, I’m going crazy listening to the two of you.

I deliberately coughed and urged him to continue.

“Of course, I came here because of instructions from God Tree-sama. That is, to guide you guys to the bottom of the Great Dungeon.”

“So you’ve been to the bottom before, haven’t you?”

“Of course. I went all the way to the bottom in search of something. And I’m still there.”

“What do you mean?”

The next moment, Moore’s body shook. Then we were astonished by the sight.

“You’re surprised, aren’t you? I am created by a skill. The true body is still at the bottom level.”

“Could it be the same skill as Eva’s?”

“Yes, it’s the same. The only drawback is that I can only create a clone that is a few steps inferior to the main body. But this is a pretty convenient skill in its own right.”

Then, Moore changes the subject. Apparently, this is the main topic.

“I have been tasked by God Tree-sama to guide you guys to the bottom level, but not unconditionally. There is one thing I want you to promise me in exchange for guiding you.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s about not telling anyone about what’s in the bottom level.”

Not to tell anyone? We all tilted our heads in unison.

“I’ll explain the situation when we get there. So, will you accept this condition?”

There’s something at the bottom. This is for sure Even Eugrapia had said that those who reach there will have to keep their mouths shut because of the absurd details. It’s really intriguing.

“I’ll accept the condition. I’m not going to reveal anything about the things in the bottom level.”

“Very well. In that case, get ready at once.”

Thus, we began to advance to the bottom level of the Great Dungeon.

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

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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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The young man who appeared have some resemblance to his mother.

“….Are you really Naoki?”

“That’s right.”

I reached out to get closer to Naoki but I quickly retracted my hand.

Why is my son who disappeared with his mother here?

First of all, I didn’t know if the Naoki in front of me was real. Naoki answered the question in my head as if he had read my mind.

“It’s understandable that you would think that, Dad. A son who disappeared with his mother suddenly reappeared decades later. In another world, at that. But I have something to prove that I’m Tanaka Shinichi’s son.”

“You have proof that you are indeed my son?”

“Yes. Dad, do you remember the day I went to the amusement park for the first time with you and mom?”

I’ll never forget it. It was the first day we went out together as a family.

On the way home, Naoki started whining that he didn’t want to leave. I convinced him to go home by saying that I would buy him one thing he wanted. After a lot of trouble, Naoki bought a dolphin key chain. At that time, I was still the president of a large company, and I had more money than most fathers. If my son had wanted it, I could have bought the souvenir corner of the amusement park. However, Naoki only wanted something less than 1,000 yen. At that time, I was so happy that I stroked my son’s head many times.

“I still keep the keychain.”

Naoki hands the dolphin keychain to me. It is definitely old and grimy and had loose threads in places. Still, I knew right away that it was the dolphin that my son cherished. The label on the back has the name “Naoki” written in clumsy handwriting. That’s right. Naoki had a habit of writing his name on his belongings.

“So you’re still Naoki?”

“Yes, I’m Dad’s son. You may wonder why I have come to see you only now. But still, I want you to listen to what I’m about to tell you first.”

“That has something to do with why you guys disappeared and why you are here, right?”

“Yes. I have to tell Dad about Mom.”

My heart contracted as if it had been grabbed.  My wife. The woman who disappeared with our son. The woman I loved the most in the world. She was the one I wanted to hate many times, but I couldn’t.

When I turned around, my comrades were looking at me with anxious faces.

They should already know. That I was reincarnated from a different world. That I had a wife and child, and once lived a happy life. Pero looks down, depressed. He must have mixed feelings. After all, a real son suddenly appeared. I would have asked out loud if I were in his place.

I stroke Pero’s head.

“Father?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve always been your father and I will always be. So there’s no need to be depressed.”

“But I’m not Father’s real child.”

“It’s not always about blood connection. Family is connected by the heart. You should be more confident as Pero Tanaka.”

“……Un!”

Pero’s face lit up slightly. However, it will take a little longer for him to come to terms with the fact that he has an older brother who is not related by blood.

I faced Naoki and made up my mind. I don’t know what the story will be about, but I’m going to take it all as it is. The question that has been bothering me for a long time will finally be resolved.

Naoki slowly opened his mouth.

“Both me and Mom are of God race.”

That statement has shaken me. In the back of my mind, the days I spent with my wife replayed.

My wife is…… a God? That’s so absurd!

“It’s a given that you’ll be surprised. But Mom kept it a secret so that Dad wouldn’t find out. She’d been making careful preparations even before you two started dating.”

“W-What do you mean? Please explain it in detail so I can understand.”

Naoki smiles at me and then nods slightly.

“There was once a goddess who fell in love with a human at first sight, but it was a forbidden love. This is because it was strictly forbidden to be united with others by the laws of the gods. But the goddess couldn’t give up. She piled disguise upon disguise, deceiving even the gods. And as a result, the love came to fruition.”

He continues.

“The goddess had a male child with the man, and every day was happy, and it was the best time of her long life. But that didn’t last long. The goddess had to return to the heavenly realm. If she was absent for a long time, the gods would be suspicious, and she had to make a decision.”

Naoki looked up at the sky. His eyes had the gaze of a son who thinks of his mother.

“The goddess decided to take the child back to heaven. Because the child is both a mortal and a god, it was possible to welcome him into the heavenly realm. However, this is not the case with her husband, who is just a human. In the end, with a heart-rending pain, she separated from her husband and returned to heaven with her child.”

“W-wait a second. Is that the only reason why Miyuki disappeared!? What else!? M-maybe she hated me, or… she was tired of a mortal life, right!?”

“Mom never thought of something like that. On the contrary, she wanted to be with you forever. She loved you so much Dad, more than anyone else.”

Tears spilled from my eyes. I always thought that I was betrayed by Miyuki. I thought that her love had cooled. But it wasn’t. The family bond had not been broken. I’ve been blaming myself for decades. I cursed myself for not noticing Miyuki’s feelings and just prioritizing work. I told myself over and over again that the loss of Naoki was a well-deserved retribution.

“After that, the son became a full-fledged god in the heavenly realm, and the goddess and her father rejoiced greatly. Although of mysterious origin, he was a very capable god. Many gods whispered that he would be the next chief god.”

He continues,

“But on the other hand, there were some gods who were not pleased about it. Gohma, the chief god was amongst them. He was scared that his current position would be threatened by a young man who appeared out of nowhere. Therefore, he put into practice the plan that he had been thinking about for a long time. It’s a plot to assassinate the Creator God. If he reigns supreme among the gods, no one can knock him down his position anymore. In fact, he thought that no one would even dare to oppose him.”

“I see…… so he was provoked in a bad way huh.”

“That’s right. Eventually, he succeeded in assassinating the Creator God. The gods are confused by the sudden death of the ruler. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he rebelled and began to conquer the heaven by force. On the other hand, the goddess, who had been suspicious of his words and deeds for a long time, had already fled with her son with the proof of the Creator God before the Creator God was killed. Gohma was furious when he realizes that the proof is missing.”

I organized the information while listening to Naoki’s story. There is no doubt that the goddess is my ex-wife, Miyuki. That son is Naoki. They returned to the heavenly realm where the gods lived and seemed to be enjoying a peaceful life. However, Naoki began to threaten Gohma’s position because he was too good. And feeling threatened, Gohma hastened the execution of his plan to assassinate the Creator God.

This raises the question.

How could Miyuki bring out the proof of the Creator God, which even Gohma could not take away? I don’t know much about the gods, but if it was something that could be easily stolen, Gohma would have already done so. What’s more, she even realized that Gohma is plotting a rebellion. Miyuki seemed to have been able to get close to Gohma then. What kind of status does a person who can hover near the Prime Minister have?

“Dad’s doubt is valid. Even with Gods, the position is never equal. Furthermore, a god without any status would not be allowed to approach someone of higher status, especially the chief god.”

“If that’s the case, Miyuki is….…”

“As Dad have thought, Mom is the daughter of the Creator God.”

How many times have I been shocked? If that’s the case, did I marry a princess of the god race? That’s so ridiculous…..

……Wait a minute, then Naoki is the grandson of the Creator God?

It is understandable why Gohma felt a strong sense of crisis then. It was almost certain that he would be knocked out of his position.

“The Creator God wanted me to be his successor, and if that happens, Gohma will be demoted, then he won’t be able to get close to the Creator God anymore.”

“He needed the status of the chief god to assassinate him.”

“Yes. That’s why he rushed to execute his hidden agenda, but his plan wasn’t a real success. He didn’t get the proof of the Creator God. After that, the chief god, Gohma, begins to search for the goddess and her son, who have taken the proof.”

Miyuki and Naoki’s life on the run seems to have lasted for ten years. They traveled around the universe to hide, and each time, Gohma attacked the planet they went into by sending an army of angels. Still, Miyuki didn’t dare to set foot on Earth.

“Then Mom was deeply wounded by an angel and was left to lie on the floor.”

I understood everything from Naoki’s expression. That’s why Miyuki isn’t here.

“Mom was apologizing to Dad until the very end. She said that she was sorry that we couldn’t be together. After all, she has been watching Dad for a long time. From Dad losing his position to becoming a homeless. Mom watched all of it. That’s why Mom asked me to make Dad happy in his new life.”

“………”

“I was the one who reincarnated Dad on this planet.”

My tears wouldn’t stop.

I…… I have…….

Someone hugged me tightly from behind. I turned around and saw Erna crying as well.

“I can really understand how she feels. Not being able to live with the person she loved must have been so sad she wanted to die. And yet, it’s so cruel that she never got to see him again until the very end.”

“…………”

Miyuki…… I’m sorry. I…… it’s all because I couldn’t do anything.

“Dad, Mom didn’t die sad for sure.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Mom told me just before she died that she was glad to marry Dad. Sure, she might not have been always happy. But she wasn’t unhappy either. That’s why Dad don’t have anything to carry on his back.”

“But I….…”

“Mom also told me that she wouldn’t accept it so easily, so she wanted you to live and be happy for her sake. That’s her final selfish wish.”

Before I knew it, I was breaking down in tears. Punching the ground, I scratched my chest with helpless emotions. She’s a really terrible woman. She told me to leave and die on my own and be happy.

Don’t be ridiculous. Shinichi Tanaka was happy. It was my greatest happiness to be married to you. So, that’s why I…… I will never forget you until I die. Especially those days when we were together.

“Oniichan, here….…”

“Sorry for this.”

Liz offered me a handkerchief. I wiped my eyes and corrected my posture. Naoki’s story isn’t over yet.

“Have you calmed down?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry, I lost composure.”

“Okay, let’s continue then.”

Naoki continued the story. The content was far beyond our imagination.

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

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