Author: Yume Neiji

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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Chop, chop, chop.

I can hear the brisk sound of vegetables being chopped. I woke up and got out of bed. The bedroom is simple with just a king-size bed. I checked just to be sure, but Erna and Liz are not in the room.

Yawning, I left the room. When I went down the stairs, I could already smell the delicious aroma of miso soup on the first floor. There is also the aroma of coffee mixed in the air. Even with my still sleepy head, I recognize that morning has come. When I opened the door to the living room, everyone is already there except for me.

“Whoah, you guys are up pretty early.”

“I haven’t gotten used to this world yet. No, I mean it feels like I’m traveling.”

When I get to the table, Erna serves me rice and miso soup. In addition, Liz placed a fried egg and spinach salad on the the table. In front of me, Pero and Freya are already eating, munching on a heaping bowl of rice. Leaning back a little, I can see Kurohime and Liberto eating while watching TV on the sofa. In the kitchen, Erna, Liz, Eugrapia and Naoki are busy and each of them seemed to be doing their part.

Suddenly, as I see Freya eating, I blurted out,

“Have you gained a little weight?”

“!?”

Clang. She dropped her chopsticks with a pale face. At the same time, the women of the Sword of Glory party also became restless.

It’s not an illusion as they had definitely gotten rounder. Since we came here, they’ve been eating a lot of high-calorie foods without doing any decent exercise so this was only natural. In addition, their bodies are constitutionally excellent at absorbing nutrients. It’s no wonder they would gain some weight.

“It’s not my fault! It is because the foods and sweets here are too delicious!”

“Coming from the one who was completely absored in playing games while eating pizza and drinking coke, that’s quite something for you to say.”

After I finished my meal, I opened the newspaper on the table and took a breather. The coffee served by Erna was fragrant and calming. This place is deep in the mountains far east of Tokyo. After leaving the abandoned factory, we bought a mountain and built a two-story house on it. Moreover, this time, we put up a barrier and casted an illusion on top of it so that they could not even tell that there was a house here. It is also unlikely that the other Naoki will find us here.

“Have you finished your breakfast?”

“We’re just about to eat. We are making lunch boxes for everyone you see.”

Naoki and Eugrapia are busy preparing food for everyone. What was surprising was that my son was able to cook. It seems that Miyuki taught him a lot about cooking and I am impressed that his hobby is cooking. The pasta I ate the other day was so good that it could put a professional to shame.

“It’s done.”

My son smiles as he wrap the three heavy lunch boxes in cloth. I casually checked the clock in the room. It’s now 7 a.m. My heart flutters when I think about today’s schedule.

Today is “that day”.

—The day that me, Shigeru-san and Kanzaki died. I get nervous when I think that this day has finally arrived. After they finished cooking, the four of them sat down in the place where Pero and the others seated before and began to eat breakfast.

In the garden, Freya and the Sword of Glory ladies are beginning to train in preparation for battle. But strangely enough, they have a terrifying air around them though.

“So have you decided on what to do?”

“Yeah. That said, it’s not that difficult.”

Here’s the plan. We will attack the army of angels that attack Tokyo and defeat the main god Gohma. Even if they escape, I plan to leave Eugrapia and Naoki here on Earth, and we will attack the heavenly realm at once in pursuit. In the first place, the angels follow Gohma because he rules the heavenly realm, not because of Gohma himself. The quickest way to stop the angels is to take back the rule in the heavenly realm.

“But the damage in the battle would be enormous. What do we do about that?”

In response to Liz’s question, I placed the wrist-watch-type mobile phone digital fit on the table. When she sees it, she tilts her head in confusion.

“You guys don’t know this, but this thing have a built-in system for notifying its user of disasters. For example, if there’s an earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency will send an emergency report to the mobile phone company’s server, and from there, via the base station, an alert will be sent to mobile phones in that area.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means that we can issue evacuation orders.”

But this can’t be done right before it happens. This is because even if they received news that an unknown creature has appeared, it will only be dismissed as a mistake. Therefore, I concluded that it was best to release the message immediately after the incident occurred. It pains me a little knowing that some people will be sacrificed because of this.

I returned to our room and got ready. I dressed myself with my usual outfit and armor. I wore a black robe over it and a black ring on my finger. It’s still unclear what the ring can be used for, but it’s certain that it’s special because Zefa once owned it.

When I went down to the first floor again, my well-equipped companions are already waiting for me.

“Are you guys ready?”

Everyone nodded quielty.

I came back for this day. I want to finish this without leaving anyone out. With conviction, I slammed the door open.

◇◇◇

“It’s tall.”

“I wonder how it is built.”

Erna and the others look up. There is a towering building in front of us. It is the White Ring Co., Ltd. It is generally known as a mobile phone company. Well, to put it simply, it is the company I created. Kanzaki has already stepped down as CEO at this time so it is now run by another person. Compared to the early days when we started in a small building, it’s amazing to think that we have grown so much.

We then entered an alley and teleported. We moved to the roof of the company and took in the view.

“We are going to wait here until the scheduled time. In the meantime, you guys can have free time.”

“Speaking of which, Dad, don’t you want to go see Shigeru-san?”

“Hn……”

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see him. However, I felt that if I met him, I would definitely want to stop what is going to happen. Then Moore would not be born. If that happens, history will change drastically. I wanted to keep history unchanged as much as possible.

“I’m not going to see him.”

“I see.”

Naoki lay down and looked at the sky. There is a lukewarm breeze blowing here, and it feels good. Before I knew it, Pero and Freya were asleep next to us. A short distance away, Liberto and the others continue their training. Kurohime and Eugrapia were unfolding the map and discussing how to build a base after the battle started.

Not long after, the sky became overcast with clouds. Humid air flows in, and an unpleasant atmosphere seems to cover the whole of Tokyo. I finally understood the feeling that Shigeru-san had when he said that his back was tingling.

“Here you go, Shinichi.”

“Thank you.”

Erna poured coffee from her flask and handed it to me. Liz also offers me a cup of coffee.

“Could you please not get in the way.”

“It’s Erna who’s in the way.”

“I’ll  drink it both so don’t fight.”

The moderately hot coffee warms me to the core. I drink the coffee as I look down at the city from the rooftop.

It’s about time it start.

“I’ll go to the server room. Everyone, prepare for battle.”

“Got it.”

“Understood.”

I opened the door on the roof and went down the stairs. Locks isn’t a problem for me. One after another, the locks were unlocked and I proceed deeper inside the company. Of course, I am using stealth so that they could not see me.

Suddenly, I passed a certain person.

“I told you to find Tanaka Shinichi! Why can’t you do something as simple as that!?”

“He has disappeared and we don’t know where he is…..”

“What about Kanzaki? Ask him! He might know!”

“He also disappered. I couldn’t follow his whereabouts.”

“Damn! Just find them quickly! Right now, our company needs innovative products like the digital fit! If this continues, we will be acquired by foreign capital!”

I recognized the man who yelled at his subordinate without any regard for what others think. He had put on a lot of weight and is now completely obese. Back then, he was a slim and good-looking young man. Time can really cruelly change people.

(Dad, the angels began to gather.)

I quickened my steps at Naoki’s message through telepathy. When I get to the front of the room where the server is located, I unlocked it and quickly went inside. There was a row of servers running. Here’s just a small part of the picture. More servers are running in other locations. I uncovered the server and placed my hand inside.

(We’re all ready here. We can go anytime.)

(Got it. One minute left until the scheduled time.)

Just wait a bit.

(The attack has begun!)

(Okay. I’ll start evacuation guidance to everyone.)

I interrupted the program with magic. From here, I forcibly intervened at the base station and sent a warning message to everyone’s mobile phone with Tokyo Metropolitan Government as the sender with a message, “Evacuation order: An unidentified creature has appeared in Tokyo, please immediately start evacuating to the nearest evacuation center.”

It is a delicate point whether people will believe it and take action or not. But at least this will prevent the damage from spreading further due to a state of confusion.

Then from the server room, I teleported to the rooftop. Plumes of black smoke are already rising in the city. Meteorites are also raining down from the sky.

“Let’s go!”

We flew to the scene. In Omotesando, a huge beast was attacking people. Screams and horror filled the city.

“Kyaaaaaaahhhh!”

A 15-meter-long, red-black wolf-like creature attacks a woman. I drew my sword and in an instant, I cut the wolf in half.

“Hurry up and run.”

“Y-yes!”

The woman gets up staggerinly and then she starts running. When I looked at the back alley, I saw my old self there. He made an eye contact with me, but he can’t comprehend the situation and is dumbstruck. At that moment, Shigeru-san rushed over to him and taps him on the shoulder. Then the two of them ran to the back of the alley.

“Shinichi”

“O-oh. Sorry.”

Beasts overflowed on the street. They trample cars and eat people. Meteorites rain down on the building, destroying it and causing an explosion. I never thought that I would be seeing the scene that I had seen before again.

“Come forth, my familiars.”

In an instant, the skeleton army appears in the city. My army lined up in a row. Seeing them, the beasts stopped moving.

“Get rid of the angels!”

“Katakata!”

Rubbles. Cars. Corpses. Stomping on everything, the skeletons rush towards the enemy like wave all at once. They were scattered throughout the city and expanded the field of battle. I deployed a defense force in places where people gather to prevent the enemy from entering. After giving instructions, I entered the alley.

Two dead bodies are lying there.

“Seeing my own corpse is quite weird.”

When I go further, I came to a slightly wider road. Kanzaki’s corpse was lying there, and a familiar being was floating nearby.

“Gugigigigi”

“I finally met you.”

He was wearing a black cloth and only a pair of yellow eyes peek out of the gap of the cloth. A hand with green skin can be seen holding a large sickle as he float in the air. That’s right, he was the little Grim Reaper who once killed me.

Woosh! He swung the sickle in an instant. I effortlessly blocked it with my sword.

“Why don’t you stop pretending to be a monster, second-class angel Zazi?”

“!?”

I could see his yellow eyes widen. The grin on his face disappeared and he broke out in a cold sweat.

“Who are you? How do you know who I am?”

“Asking who I am is a strange thing to say you know. Didn’t you just killed me earlier?”

“Killed??”

I don’t think he would understand even if I told him that I traveled through time. The scythe and sword crossed again and again. Sparks flew and harsh metallic sound rang out. Each time, the billboards and posts fell. Deep sword marks were carved into the walls of the buildings and even the asphalt was scraped.

The opponent is desperately attacking, but I easily fend it off with one hand. It’s completely different from that time when I was easily killed. I came back stronger and came back to this day.

“You—, so you’re a god!”

“Guess. You’re free to think what you want.”

“Damn! I’ve never heard of someone like you!”

“I never informed you guys, that’s why.”

For a split second, our speed increased and we passed each other.

—Zazi’s head dropped to the ground. He looked daze. His wide open eyes told me how stunned he was. I lightly brushed the blood off my sword and walked away without looking back.

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

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The dinner was sumptuous, made with an abundance of mountain delicacies. It had been decades since I had eaten such a feast. I used to eat it often when I was the president, but now that I think about it, I used to have a very extravagant life.

“Hey, your glass is empty. I’ll pour some for you.”

“Thanks.”

“There’s still some left. I’m going to pour it, so drink it quickly!”

“Okay.”

Sandwiched between Erna and Liz, I am busy drinking beer. Whenever I emptied my glass, it will be instantly refilled, then I had to drink again. I kept doing that cycle.

Ugh, my stomach is about to reach its limit.

I don’t even know how many bottles were opened.

“The food in this little pot is delicious! Yum!”

“Aaaaahhhhh! Fluffy! Fluffy!”

Pero, who is enjoying the food, wags his tail vigorously. Freya responds to it excitedly. She is chasing his tail like a cat with a toy being swing to it.

“I can’t drink anymore!”

“Come on, come on!”

“N-no more (Shaking his head)”

“Just drink it! Here you go!”

“Hiiiiiiiii!”

Liberto opens his mouth after being threatened by Margaret. A bottle of sake was shoved into his mouth and he is forced to gulp it down. Not long after, Liberto crawls on the floor and comes to me for help.

“M-Master…… help.”

“Liberto~ Where are you running off to? Hmmm~”

“W-wait! Aaaaaahhh!”

Margaret grabs him by the leg and forces him back to Dominique, Layla, and Tina, who are smiling darkly again. I have to be careful not to be like that.

“I’ll be the first to sing!”

Kurohime took the microphone and stands in front of us. The song that is played is “Tsugarukaikyō fuyu rei-shoku (津軽海峡・冬景色)”.  I was surprised that she started off with this song so suddenly, it was cool, or rather, she knew it well. What’s more, I was even more surprised by how well she sang it.

The second is Eugrapia. She sings an American song in fluent English. Moreover, her beautiful voice, befitting a goddess, stirred up intense emotions. I even suspected that there was some magic in her singing voice.

The third is Naoki. He performed a song that is currently popular. His singing voice is neither good nor bad. However, it is quite good and it feels quite good to listen to.

“Fourth, I, Erna will sing!”

Erna took the microphone. That alone made everyone anxious. The melody that flows is that familiar masterpiece, “Okuro Kotoba (贈る言葉)”. Of all things, Erna put magic into her voice and began to sing. Not only was it a strange choice of song for this timing, but her singing voice was just awful. And yet, there is a heart-wrenching emotion.

Crash!

I heard the sound of something falling from outside the room. When I opened the door and looked down the corridor, I saw the waitress who has been carrying food, curled up on the floor crying. Many other guests are also sobbing in the hallway. Thinking that this is not good, I asked Erna to stop singing.

“Why can’t I sing?”

“Go and look outside!”

“Eh? Outside?”

Erna, who had seen the situation in the hallway, returned and laughed awkwardly, “Ahahaha……”

Looks like putting magic on our voice is a dangerous act. We’ll be very careful in the future. After the banquet was over, the men decided to take another bath.

“Phew.”

It is best to see the night sky in the open-air bath. I leaned my body against the edge and enjoyed the moment.

“I think I understand why Father wants to save this world.”

Pero says as he wipes the moisture from his face with a towel. Finally, he lightly wiped the tip of his nose and then he put the towel on his head.

“This country is so cozy. The service is good, the food is delicious, so I like it here. It does feel a little bit small compared to the one over there though.”

“That can’t be helped. This is an island nation with a large population after all.”

Shortly after, Liberto and Naoki joined us and soaked in the hot spring as well.

“So Master, do you think we can beat Gohma?”

“I have a plan prepared. But to be honest, I don’t think we have a 50/50 chance of winning. From what I’ve heard, their military strength is in a different league. We’ll be at a disadvantage if we fight them head-on.”

“Maybe we could try to get the other gods on our side.”

“I thought about that as well. However, according to Naoki, the gods who are still resisting are no longer reliable as they lost their spirit to fight. They are now only doing their best to protect themselves.”

I’d rather they continue to attract the enemy forces like that. It will be convenient for us because in that way, the enemy will be dispersed.

By the way, according to Eugrapia and Kurohime’s prediction, the first opponent will be about 100,000. We believe that the number of enemies joining from there is between 100 million and 200 million. It’s such a ridiculous number, but it’s only normal because we are fighting against the entity that controls this vast universe. The good news is that they are just angels, not gods.

“Angels aren’t the only problem. Don’t forget that there are also the Four Zodiac Gods.”

The Four Zodiac Gods are the four powerful gods who serve Gohma. They are subordinates who have sworn absolute loyalty to Gohma. Unless we defeat them, we cannot face the Chief God, Gohma.

“We’ll take care of the Four Zodiac Gods, Father can just fight Gohma.”

“That’s right. If master can defeat the big boss quickly, it will be easier for us.”

“Gohma doesn’t have the proof of the Creator God so he is no match against Dad now. Let’s get rid of them quickly and live together again.”

The three of them spoke powerfully. Well, that is right. If we defeat them quickly, this battle will be over sooner.

　◇◇◇

The next morning, after taking a bath, we ate sumptuous breakfast and went out to town.

“Hey, Shinich, look, look. This is cute!”

“This one is not bad either.”

Erna and Liz are having fun with drawstring purses. The two of them in yukata looked really sexy and I can’t help but look at their breasts instead of their drawstrings purse. When I came to my senses, the two of them made me buy drawstring purses and a few other items.

“Dad!”

Naoki, who has returned in a hurry, hurriedly hides behind me. Several policemen ran past him. When I looked closely, I can see that their figure is blurry. They are angels.

“Did they find you?”

“No, I don’t think they found out because I didn’t show my face. But I might have gotten suspicious because I suddenly ran away.”

They even stationed angles in places like this. The other Naoki, who continues to run away, must be having a hard time. It’s so frustrating that I can’t help him.

“Gather everyone, we’ll get out of here right away.”

“Understood.”

The hot spring trip ended after only one night. After that, we returned to the abandoned factory while being wary of the angels. I was relieved that no one was missing.

『Next news. Last night, a prisoner escaped from prison. He is still on the run and police are pursuing him.』

As I was watching the news in front of the sofa, my eyes widened when I saw Naoki’s face projected on screen. When I switched to other news programs, a special feature on Naoki Tanaka’s upbringing and criminal record is being broadcast.

“That’s right. Around this time, angels had infiltrated the government and a major crackdown was underway. It was all nonsense of course. I remember being pissed because it even affected Dad.”

“Hmm, but if you knew this was going to happen, why didn’t you tell me? We could have been a bit more careful.”

“Don’t worry. By this time, the police had already tracked down my hiding place. They were paying attention to that, and I’m sure they never dreamed that there would be another me here.”

He sat right next to me, opening a bag of sweets and watched the news. In other words, time is flowing smoothly as before.

But in the end of all this fuss, Naoki could not be found. So Gohma, who had been fed up, attacked Tokyo in an attempt to draw him out.

“Gohma is going to go in person, right?”

“That’s right. Well, if history hasn’t changed, he will come after me. He even injured me then after all.”

It can be assumed that he sustained some serious injuries. It is also a special attack.

“Gohma has the skill to reduce healing power. He can also copy his own skills and give them to others. Plus, he has the skill to kill gods. He’s an expert at fighting gods.”

“That’s why he kept the Creator God close at hand huh.”

“Un. That way, it can keep the other gods in check. It became even more important after the God of Destruction was sealed away. Rumor has it that Gohma was the one pulling the strings behind the denouncement of the God of Destruction.”

He is well-prepared and shrewd. The battle ahead will undoubtedly be fierce. It will be far from the peaceful days like now.

Knock. Knock.

Someone knocked on the shutter. Everyone was on guard and gripped their weapons. I don’t think there is anyone in this world who would come to a place like this. Moreover, since Eugrapia had put up a barrier, the angel should not have known where we are. I put my index finger to my mouth and signaled them to be quiet.

Erna approaches the shutter and calls out to the other party.

“Who is it?”

“Well, uhm, my name is Tanaka Naoki. I don’t know how to explain why I came here….. this place is veiled, and I can’t see it clearly at all even with my far vision. I came here thinking that maybe you are one of my kind.”

Uh-, the other Naoki came?

I exchange glances with Naoki. He shook his head as if to tell me to chase the other Naoki away. I instructed Erna with a gesture to ask him to go back. If we made contact here, our plan would fall apart. I feel bad for using him as a decoy, but I can’t meet him now.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you please go back?”

“—Please. Even if I try to teleport, I can’t get in. There is a strong barrier here. I beg you, please let me in. Help me.”

“Go back. I don’t know who you are, it has nothing to do with us.”

“No— ….Aren’t we from same race!? Can’t you protect me at least for a little while? Just a little while is fine!”

I gritted my teeth. This is terribly heartbreaking. When I tried to stand up, Naoki grabbed my arm and stopped me.

“Bear it Dad. If we are found out, Gohma won’t show up and a larger army will be sent to us. Our advantage now is that they don’t know about us.”

“Damn!”

That’s absolutely correct. I sighed heavily and sat quietly.

“Please go back.”

“Why!? Why don’t you take my side? Are you so scared of Gohma!?”

“Please go back.”

“Fine! I don’t know what kind of god you are, but I was foolish in trying to rely on you!”

The sound of footsteps recedes into the distance. He seemed to have given up. Everyone exhaled heavily.

“I’m sorry. But at that time, I was mentally exhausted. I was worried because of the shadow of the angels looming every day and the uncertainty of the future. The place where I lived was in the sewers so I was looking for a place to escape as soon as possible.”

“I see…… You must have a really hard time then.”

“It’s okay. I’m with Dad and younger brother now. Oh, and my stepmothers too.”

However, it’s painful that this place has been discovered. The other Naoki will definitely come again. In addition, the angels may also pay attention to this place. It is time to move.

“Kurohime, do you still have the money?”

“Ufufu, actually, I increased it.”

Huh? Increased it?

With a thud, three chunks each worth 100 million yen rolled out.

“Why are there so many?”

“That’s because I won. If you’re as good as me, you can see through cards, and I can put out the fastest horse in history. If you want to make money, there are plenty of ways to do it.”

“You bet the money I had deposited to you without permission?”

“It’s a surprise. That will make it twice as fun, right?”

Kurohime laughs so loudly that I lose the desire to get angry. My goodness…… But really, I’m thankful that she took an initiative. I’ll use this money to buy a new place to live.

“Everyone should prepare to move. Leave the facilities here as it is, in case someone who comes here uses them.”

“Then do you want to leave some food?”

“It would be better that way.”

Naoki should still be around here anyway. I’m sure he’ll come back given the pinch he is in. When I asked Eugrapia if it is possible to set up multiple barriers remotely, she replied that it was possible.

We will continue to maintain the barrier here, and we will hide somewhere Naoki and the angels can’t see us. As we tried to keep a low profile, it wasn’t until midnight that we left the abandoned factory.

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

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Slurp. Slurp.

I slurp the noodles in one go and gulps down the broth. The distinct saltiness and umami flavor made me let out a blissful cry.

“Everybody’s looking at me……”

“Don’t worry about it. No one is looking at you.”

Pero, who was wearing a coat, was eating udon noodles with a timid look on his face. There are no magical beasts or demons here, so he probably think that he is standing out too much. Unfortunately, it is the women who are receiving curious gazes. A group of beautiful women and beautiful girls are slurping noodles at an udon restaurant after all. With them in the front, Pero looks like nothing more than a teen cosplayer. It’s doubtful that they even notice him in the first place.

The men passing by are in a daze, as if they were floating cause of a fever.

“They are staring so much, I’m a little embarrassed.”

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped because I’m a beautiful girl.”

“I’m a little embarrassed too. It’s the first time I’ve been looked at with such curiosity.”

““That’s not true.””

Erna and Liz replied to Freya with a straight face. All three of them are dressed casually, which feels fresh. Erna and Liz look pretty good like this too.

Click.

Then I heard a sound that sounded like the sound of a camera shutter. When I looked around, I found a man taking images with a wristwatch-type mobile phone. There are also people who are secretly filming with glasses-type terminals. Hidden cameras don’t go away no matter how many years pass huh. In fact, it has gotten worse as time passes.

Spark! Crash!

I glared at those gadgets and then their gadgets shattered. A male customer even dropped to the floor and screamed.

“Thank you Dad. I couldn’t tolerate that either.”

“Right. Well, if our faces are photographed and posted on social media, the other us would be able to find out.”

“Yes, I don’t want to make contact with my other self if I can. After all, I won’t be able to use him as a decoy to lure Gohma if that happens.”

Our plan is simple. We surprise Ghoma and his army, who are invited by Naoki in the past. In order to do so, we have to create the same flow. It is very painful to have to silently watch Shigeru-san and Kanzaki being killed, but if I think that it is to save the earth, I have no choice but to endure it.

“Mufufu, this is delicious! My decision to become Master’s familiar was right!”

“I know right. What about Liberto-san and the others?”

“It’s incredibly delicious! Master, can I go and order another one!?”

Kurohime seems to like Kitsune udon as she gobbles the noodles with enthusiasm. Eugrapia savores a bukkake udon, and Liberto and the others are full of youth as they enjoy kamadama with various tempura dishes.

I’ve always thought about this, but the inhabitants of that other world seem to go well with Japanese food. Before I know it, Erna and the others are eating their second set of udon.

“What should we do now Dad? I don’t mind staying in that building.”

“No. I’m going to look for a more comfortable place. Preferably an abandoned factory or something.”

“An abandoned factory huh…… Maybe there is one around Saitama.”

I looked far away and search for a place that looks good in Saitama. If possible, it is better if it still have a door that can be closed. Mmm, good. There is one that fits those criteria. The size is moderate and it is not bad. It’s decided, we will stay there.

I checked the address of the real estate agency on the sign.

“When we get out of here, we’ll head directly to a real estate agent in Saitama.”

“I understand, Dad.”

Naoki and I slurp our udon noodles.

　◇◇◇

Whoosh. When I opened the shutters, a large amount of dust flew up. It seemed to have originally been a warehouse somewhere as it was very spacious. The entire space is large enough to park over a hundred compact cars.

“Tina, close the shutters.”

“Got it.”

Once completely closed, I placed my hand on the floor and used a skill. I used the Restoration Space. The interior quickly returned to being as good as new and sparkling.

“It looks a bit dull, doesn’t it?”

Erna used her magic to turn the interior into pure white. Liz creates a piece of furniture that she has seen somewhere, and in no time at all, a huge living room is created. Then the latest furniture was put in place one after another, and when the kitchen island was placed, Erna began to squirm.

“Is there a second floor here?”

“Yeah. The second floor is like a one-story office and there is one outside as well.”

“Hm~”

Erna and Liz smiled meaningfully. They must be thinking about their own room anyway.

Naoki turns on the OLED display and sits on the sofa. He called out to me while watching the news being projected.

“It was a stroke of luck that we were able to buy such a property for 50 million yen.”

“That’s right. It’s also convenient because it’s not popular around the neighborhood.”

“It’s inconvenient that there are no convenience stores near here though.”

I replied with a “Yeah”. After a while, Pero came running back from the second floor.

“Naoki-niisan, what room do you want?”

“I’m fine with sharing it with Eugrapia. I can’t sleep in peace unless I’m inside her barrier.”

“Hmmm, I think it would be better to make it soundproof.”

“N-no, you’re mistaken! I’m not in that kind of relationship with her! I didn’t mean it in a weird way Dad!”

I gave my son a warm look as he hurriedly corrected me. I see, Naoki likes Eugrapia huh. As a father, I will try to help as much as I can.

“Don’t look at me like that, Dad! It’s not like that!”

“Yes, yes. I know, I know.”

“No listen, you definitely got it wrong!”

Naoki then goes upstairs, saying, “I’m going to make my own room!”

The only ones left on the first floor were me and Kurohime.

“How do you plan to spend the remaining six days, Master?”

She opens the tab on a can of beer and crosses her legs. She looks young but on the inside, she’s an old woman. It’s feels a bit weird, though. I also opens the tab of a can of beer and took a big gulp to quench my thirst.

“I’m going to kill time as I please. I know where and when the enemy will appear, so I’ll get something in return for doing what I need to do.”

“I mean, since you’re back here, I’m asking if there’s anything you want to do.”

“Something I want to do huh……”

I’ve already done most of the things I wanted to do over there. So I don’t have anything in particular I want to do.

“……Come to think of it, there is one thing.”

“What?”

“A hot spring trip.”

“Hot spring?”

Yes, I dreamed of going on a hot spring trip with my family. I often talked with Miyuki and Naoki about wanting to go there someday. I guess it’s time to make that dream come true.

“Let’s spend a few days here and then go to a hot spring inn.”

“If that’s what Master wants to do so, I have no objection to it.”

Then she continues, “I want to play a game, so can you buy me something that looks interesting?”

“Okay.”

I stood up without hesitation. I then teleported to Akihabara. As usual, this is a mecca for Otakus. I entered a suitable building and purchased a suitable body and software.

On the way back, I stopped by a ramen shop. For the first time in a long time, I felt that the taste of ramen was much stronger.

As I walked out of the store towards the station, I saw something strange. It’s a man in a suit, but he is slightly blurry. It’s probably a disguise skill or something. Because of the eyes of truth, it was obvious to me that it was an angel. A third-class angel is observing every passing person. It was as if he was looking for someone.

I guess he is one of Naoki’s pursuers. When I passed the angel, he turned around and called out to me.

“Excuse me for the sudden interruption. It’s like this, I want to ask you something. Have you ever seen someone like him around here?”

The angel shows me a notebook and holds out a photo. It was a photo of Naoki that was secretly taken.

“This is the first time I’ve seen him.”

“I see. Thank you for your help.”

The angel bows and walks away. Apparently, he didn’t realize my true identity. Well, a third class angel like him won’t be able to see through my disguise.

Then I take the train home. On my way back, I ended up seeing many angel in disguise many times. There must be thousands of them roaming around in Tokyo. This is troublesome. I’ll have to make my companions aware of this.

When I returned to the abandoned factory, there is a strangely nostalgic smell. In the kitchen, Naoki, Erna, and Liz are cooking in aprons. However, he seemed to be guiding rather than cooking with them.

“Okaasan, put a pinch of this and this as a secret ingredient.”

“Really? Something like this?”

“Element of surprise huh. Does it really taste good?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll guarantee the taste.”

Naoki is eagerly teaching the two of them how to make something. Judging from the smell, it should be curry. Come to think of it, Miyuki used to make it a lot.

In one corner of the living room, Freya was looking sloppy as she brushed Pero’s tail as he read a book.

“Oh, I’m so glad that Pero-sama has evolved! I can’t believe you’ve become much more fluffy! I can eat ten meals with just this fluffy tail! Mufufufu!”

“It’s scary so please calm down.”

Haa~haa~, breathing heavily, Freya strokes Pero’s tail even more. Wherever these two go, this is the usual.

When Erna and Liz come over to me, they fidget.

“Welcome home, Dear. Do you want to take a bath? Or eat? Or(blushing)…?”

“I’m ready to do it all at once perfectly.”

“Hey, don’t get in my way!”

“You’re the one getting in the way, Erna. You should get out of  the way as soon as possible.”

The two of them grappled each other. I don’t know where they learned it, but I don’t want them to gain any more weird knowledge.

“By the way, where are Kurohime and the others?”

“They are making room upstairs. The bath is already done.”

There was a small door in the direction Erna pointed. Apparently, it was created by expanding the space. When I opened the door, there was a large dressing room equipped with the latest equipment. There are even washing machine and other items, and beauty-related items are placed on the shelves for each individual. There was a bathtub that could fit ten people in the bathroom. Hot water has already been added and steam is rising. There was a glass wall in front of it, and the view overlooking Tokyo was reflected. The Sky Tree is shining in the distance, and it is a truly wonderful night view. It’s probably just an illusion pasted on the wall, but this is fine.

I immediately took a bath and took a breather.

　◇◇◇

A few days have passed since I returned to Japan.

“What do you think of this? Does it suit me?”

“Un.”

“What about this?”

“Not bad.”

In front of me, Erna and Liz were holding a fashion show while looking at a magazine. The judges are me and the other women. Everyone is looking at the same magazine with a serious expression and writes with a red pen. It seems that they are thinking about the combination of clothes based on what the two of them wears. However, spending a few hours with them, make me feel sleepy.

Tina and Freya, who are not interested in fashion, are playing against each other in a game. Pero paints silently, and Liberto makes plastic models. Naoki was reading at the bar counter in the corner of the room.

I check the clock on the wall.

It’s time to leave.

“Are you all ready?”

“Ready.”

“All set.”

The women changed into their assigned clothes and carry their luggage. The men also came with their luggage that they had left nearby. We are going on a trip. Of course, the purpose is to enjoy a hot spring.

We exit the abandoned factory and close the shutters. From there, we walk to the station and take the train to our destination.

“It’s nice to be laid back.”

“Mmm. It’s peaceful.”

We enjoy the scenery while the train moves. Occasionally, a man would secretly take pictures of us, but since Naoki was wearing glasses and mask, I judged that the angels would not notice him. In addition, Kurohime and Eugrapia are not a problem because their faces were not seen by the low class angels before.

It took several hours to reach the destination. The hot spring town excites our spirits.

“Hey, did you book the lodging here?”

“It’s the best place around here.”

It’s a prestigious old inn. The quaint gate made our excitement higher.

“Welcome.”

We were greeted by a woman who seemed to be the proprietress, and we were led through a corridor with a view of a beautiful garden to our room. A Japanese-style room with a view of a large garden. The building itself is relatively new, and I don’t feel much anxiety in terms of functionality.

I entered our room (with Erna and Liz).

“Thank you very much for coming today.”

The landlady bows and looks up. It’s only for a moment, but her eyes move as if probing for a relationship between us. It’s troublesome, so I’ll say it first.

“These two are my wives. They look like this because their nationality is overseas.”

“Oh, oh! I see.”

She nodded repeatedly as if she was convinced. It’s better than being scrutinized. When the landlady leaves the room, I placed our luggage in the corner of the room, and the three of us immediately head to the hot spring. The two of them stop in front of the red and blue curtain.

“What does this say?”

“If you use the power of God, you will know for yourself.”

“That’s true. But it’s boring to rely on power for everything. Enjoying these small discoveries is part of traveling isn’t it?”

I couldn’t help but be impressed by Erna who’s smiling mirthfully. Exactly. Traveling is fun because you discover something new.

“This one says male, this one says female. It’s the red one that you enter.”

“What’s the green one over there?”

“…… It’s a mixed bath for private use only.”

“Mixed bath!”

The two of them grabbed my hand and pulled me closely. The destination is a mixed bath covered with green bricks.

Is this going to be a mixed bath? 

No wait, since we are husband and wives, there is no reason to refuse…….

While I was dazed, I was taken to the dressing room, and I was undressed by two people, and before I knew it, the three of us were soaking in hot water.

“Fuu~, that feels good.”

“After all, we have to go in as a couple.”

“I agree vehemently.”

They both make slovenly expressions. We washed off our sweat and went back to our room.

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

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After a few leisurely days, we sent the participants to their respective homes and then we returned to the hideout.

Afterwards, it is time for a major clean up.

“Do we need this?”

“You can throw it away.”

“What about this?”

“We need that.”

We are sorting out what we can take with us and what we can throw away. I plan to keep our luggage as light as possible. From here on, we only need to take the things we needed.

“Father, I’ve developed the pictures.”

“Really?”

Naoki comes over and gives me an album. When I opened it, the state of the wedding was firmly preserved. The back page contains a DVD disc, and the footage taken by Naoki is edited and stored.

“Sorry for bothering you.”

“It’s okay. I was bored and had nothing to do.”

“In that case, I think you can help clean up too.”

“Ge-”

I grabbed Naoki’s clothes as he tries to escape and grinned at him. I told him to mop the floor before leaving. We spend several hours cleaning the hideout and draping dust-proof cloth over the furnitures.

That’s right. We returned the hideout to the same state as when I first came here. The room that had been added had now disappeared and is back to its original size.

“We’re done. Is this okay?”

“It’s perfectly back to normal.”

I felt nostalgic. I remember the day I came here alone.

“But, was it really necessary to restore it to the original state?”

“Well, it’s a sentiment. Because of this place, I’m able to stay here, and I’ve always decided that when I leave, I’ll leave it properly clean.”

We stare at every corner of the hideout. Maybe it’s a sight we will never see again. That’s why we wanted to burn it in our memories.

“Tanaka-dono, it’s about time.”

“Yes.”

When we came out of  the hideout, I pressed the lion’s eye. The chains rolled up and the door was slammed shut. Freya and Pero walk first, followed by Liz and Erna.

I am still looking at the door with a feeling of nostalgia, but I followed the four of them with firm resolve.

　◇◇◇

We came to a stop in a grassland dozens kilometers away from Mana. The skeleton army was already gathered there in full force. Skeleton Division. Angelton Division. Magical Beast Division. The total number is more than 800,000. This number is the result of gathering together the skeletons of this world and making them into my familiar.

General Suketarou activates his Demonic Divine Attire. A large amount of darkness spewed from his mouth and envelops his entire body.

—A woman clad in armor appeared from the darkness. Contrary to the sinister armor based on black and gold, her face is that of a beautiful young girl who is dainty and fragile. Long silver hair and eyes closed. At her waist was an impressive sword. Then she opened her eyes. Her open eyes are filled with darkness, and the voice she utters does not seem to belong to a person.

“Master, the entire army is here.”

“Un.”

When Suketarou appeared in this form, I was genuinely surprised. It is one thing that the skeleton now has a flesh body, but what was even more surprising is the gender. I had always thought Suketarou was a man. However, it was now too late to change Suketarou’s name so I decided to keep it as it is. Of course, if he, well she-, wants to change her name, I’ll do so.

By the way, I’m going to explain what the Soul Eating skill is. Soul Eating is the act of dropping the target’s soul into a lower dimension. In other words, a simple and incomplete reincarnation.

The creatures that become skeletons continue to grow by feeding on negative emotions, and eventually depart for the Abyss, a lower dimensional world. However, my familiars have begun to express other emotions and feed on things other than negative emotions as well. The best example of this is Suketarou. She has succeeded in raising her soul to a higher dimension, and as a result, she has acquired a flesh body.

“…… Apparently, there are still reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements?”

There were countless black shadows in the sky in the direction Suketarou was looking at. It was a herd of griffons. About 300 heads. The herd landed on the grassland and looked at us. Two gigantic black griffons stepped forward from among them.

“I didn’t expect the familiars I left behind in Dartan to come back.”

““Gururu””

The griffons had grown considerably larger under my influence. Is it easy to understand if you imagine its size that is on par with a large truck. Their eyes were purple, the feathers were as hard and lustrous as metal, and their heads now had something like decorative feathers.

“You rushed to me with your companions huh.”

““Kurururu””

When I touched them, they rubbed their heads on my face whit a whiny sound. Even so, it is surprising that they have grown to a point that they have formed such a flock. I turned their herd into my familiars and incorporates the griffons into the Magical Beast Division.

Kurohime and Eugrapia arrived late. They got down on one knee and bowed their heads.

“Pardon us, we’re late!”

The five members of the Sword of Glory party finally arrived. They had also become my familiars and their appearance had changed. All of them now have black hair and purple eyes. On their back were wings of black light. Their wings can be erased at will, so even if we go to the other side, it seems that they will be accepted. All five of them got down on one knee and bowed their heads.

The last one is my clone. I already absorbed Tanaka β, so the only thing left is α who is acting as King Logas.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

Ten minutes later, my clone appeared. We shook hands and as I absorbed him, the days he spent as the king flowed into me at once. It seems that he also had a reasonably enjoyable life as a king.

“Looks like you’re ready.”

Naoki appears and smiles at us. I nodded before putting the skeleton army and the other familiars in the bangle.

“Alright, we can go anytime.”

“Then let’s get started.”

Naoki’s body begins to glow and turns into particles of light. Then Erna, Liz, Pero and Freya. My party members also ascends to the sky as particles of light. Then the Sword of Glory party, Kurohime, and Eugrapia disappeared. And finally, my body began to disappear as well.

As I gradually disappears from my feet, I stare at this other world. I’ll surely come back someday. Until then, goodbye.

I also completely disappeared from this world.

　◇◇◇

Bang! Crash! Priiiing!

““Gyaaaaaaahh!?””

I woke up with a shock. All I can see is a white wall and several frightened women.

Wrong. I’m now lying on the ground. When I slowly got up, I realized that I had been lying down on a broken table. Nearby were broken plates and there were scattered pasta everywhere. There were other broken  glasses and mug that should have contained coffee lying around.

I checked my surroundings. There are only female customers in this small shop. A young man, who was probably a waiter, looked at me in shock and was frozen in his tracks.

“Did it work? But why can’t I see my companions here?”

I tilted my head in confusion and placed my hand on my chin. Then screams rang out again.

Hmm? This-?

When I posed, they screamed. I posed again and then they scream again.

I see, they were frightened by my sudden appearance.

“Don’t be scared. I’ll leave right away.”

“W-what is this guy talking about? Hey, does anyone speak English?”

A question mark appeared in my mind and I tilted my head in confusion again.

They don’t understand the language?

Oh, I got it. It seems that I was inadvertently speaking in an otherworldly language.

“Ahem.”  I’m speaking in Japanese for the first time in a long time again. “Don’t be scared, I’m going to leave right away.”

I repaired everything I broke with the divine qi. In addition, I cast a spell on the people in the store to erase their memories. Now everyone is standing in a daze, but there is no problem because soon their consciousness will become clear.

Should I leave the store now?

Just as I was thinking so, I noticed that someone is knocking on the window. It was Naoki dressed casually. He wears headphones around his neck and looks like a teenager. He immediately walked into the store.

“You finally arrived.”

“Finally? What do you mean?”

“We’ll talk about it later. But first, we need to do something about that outfit.”

Hmm, that makes sense. 

I removed the robe and put it inside the bangle, I then transformed my clothes into a suit. I didn’t wear a tie because it was in the way.

“That’s an outfit that Dad would wear indeed.”

“I used to wear it often you see.”

We left the store before the customers regained consciousness then a familiar sight jumped into my field of vision. There are countless skyscrapers. Cars were coming and going on the road, and people were walking busily and briskly. Tokyo Tower can also be seen in the distance. Without a doubt, this is Tokyo.

“This way.”

Guided by Naoki, we walked for a while.

“What about the others?”

“There are already there, Dad is the last one to arrive.”

“Why was the time shifted?”

“My skills are meant to be used by one person, and I used them with a lot of people, so it seems that the arrival was uneven. But there’s still plenty of time, so there’s no need to rush.”

I see, that’s why I didn’t have any comrades nearby huh.

However, judging from Naoki’s attitude, it seems that the gap is not more than an hour or so. He led me to a small building, we went up the stairs and then he opened the door. It seems to be the office of a company that has collapsed. There was a table and two sofas in a small room. Sleeping bags are laid on the floor, and my comrades are playing games or reading manga on the sofa and doing whatever they want.

“This is so delicious. I can eat as much as I want!”

“Erna, you’re eating too much. Give me some.”

“No! This is mine! I’m not going to give you any!”

She holds up a bag of potato chips to protect it from Liz. I reached into the bag and took out one.

“It’s calbee huh. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten it.”

“Shinichi!!”

Erna and Liz rushed to hug me. When I hugged them, I felt my heart soften.

“Father!”

“Pero arrived safely as well huh.”

When I looked for Freya, I saw that she is playing a certain famous puzzle game with falling objects. Since the computer is stronger, stones are dropped one after another and gradually piled up. As she can’t get rid of it, it’s soon game over.

“Uwaaahhh! I lost again!”

“Freya, Father is here! Freya!”

“Eh? Oh, Tanaka-dono!”

When she finally noticed me, she stands up and bows as if nothing had happened.

“Naoki, I don’t seem to be able to find Eugrapia and Kurohime, and the five of the Sword of Glory members.”

“They’re getting some cash, and the others are doing some shopping.”

Getting cash? Are they robbing a bank?

As if reading my thoughts, Naoki answered,

“Dad, do you know that there is quite a bit of cash buried here in Japan?”

“I’ve never heard that before. Is there really such a thing?”

“When there’s a lot of money that hasn’t been publicly disclosed, people want to hide it somewhere you see. But knowing that if they put it near them, they’ll be found out for sure so they bury it in a secluded place.”

When he said that, I was convinced. It made sense.

“The people in this world are too weak. Just a little push can make them flip over.”

“Please remember to go easy on them though.”

Liberto and the others are back. They smiled as soon as they saw me.

“Master! You’re finally here!”

“Yes, just a while ago. Did something happen?”

The five of them put down their shopping bags and took a breather.

It was Dominique, rather, Catherine —who answered.

“Please listen, Master. When we were walking around city, this strange guy suddenly approached us and said some weird stuff like, if we formed a group, we’d definitely be a hit, and he tried to ask us where we lived and our names. I wonder if it’s because we’re too beautiful.”

Catherine wriggled and looked happy. That guy should be a scout from an entertainment agency or something. All four of them had good looks, so them walking around city together must have caught their eye. However, the solicitation was so bad that Tina drove him away.

“We’re back.”

Kurohime and Eugrapia emerged from a hole in the space. I was impressed by the square lump that she dropped to the floor. It was a pile of bills covered in a transparent plastic bag. It is likely roughly around 100 million. If we have this much, we can spend as much as we like.

“Oh, so Master has arrived huh.”

“You’re quite late, aren’t you?”

“Mmm.”

I noticed a newspaper on the desk, I sit down on the sofa and opened it.

The date is…… February 20, 2041. No mistake. This is the time I’m aiming for. I’m sure I died on February 26^th that time.

Wait, wasn’t the supposed arrival time on the 19th?

“Dad came a day late and it seemed like the location missed a bit as well.”

“So that was why I ended up at the café huh.”

Well, I was a little bit surprised. I would have liked to have appeared in a less crowded place. I quickly stand up and put on a serious expression.

“Alright, let’s go to 〇Kame Seimen!”

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

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