Chapter 1
Inside the swaying carriage, there was a slightly heavy atmosphere.
The next destination is the World Tree Yggdrasil.
It is the last of the Seven Great Dungeons located in Lilia's hometown.
The carriage speeds toward the destination with agility.
The end of the journey is near.
「Let's enjoy ourselves without getting gloomy!」
「――The world may be on the verge of destruction, you know?」
Lilia responds with a serious expression to Hazuki, who remains unchanged in her usual cheerful demeanor.
Another reincarnator they met in the underwater city of Critias, "Jet-Black," declared to become a God and reset everything in this world.
He would kill all living beings and create a new world from there.
Of course, Mars and the others are not exempt from the reset. Their lives might disappear at someone else's whim. It was nothing but fear.
「It seems unlikely that we can persuade "Jet-Black" to abandon his actions.」
He simply hates the world. That was the underlying emotion behind his lighthearted tone.
A brash and reckless child has grown up and been granted the power to embody such foolish ideologies, being reincarnated into this world.
Just like a child throwing a tantrum and flipping over a shogi board, this world is on the brink of destruction.
Ordinary people would give up on changing the world and adapt to it. That's how people become adults.
However, when someone with power desires it and the circumstances align, the world can easily be turned upside down.
He obtained an invincible power without losing anything.
There is only one way to prevent it, by conquering Yggdrasil, the final section of the Seven Great Dungeons.
When they conquer more than half, in other words, four of the Seven Great Dungeons, they will gain the right to reshape this world.
They will be able to create a new world with the power of a God.
If Mars can obtain the right first, they can prevent the world's destruction.
They will also achieve the immortality they desired. That kind of world would be ideal.
As a God, anything should be possible, Mars thought.
As a chosen reincarnator, "Jet-Black" heard that from the previous God during his reincarnation.
Mars didn't hear anything. Perhaps because he was not chosen.
However, Mars didn't envy "Jet-Black."
He knows better than anyone that the place where "Jet-Black" is now is a summit that cannot be reached unscathed.
He was surely chosen because he has been hurt more than Mars.
And so, Mars revealed the truth he had kept hidden from Lilia and the others.
Maybe it wasn't necessary to say it, but he wanted them to know who he truly are.
Mars's past, which has been kept hidden until now, and the concept of being a reincarnator cast a dark shadow over everyone's hearts—or so it should have, but there is surprisingly little change.
From Mars's perspective, although there is a sense of relief, not being excessively concerned in the opposite way makes them anxious in a strange direction.
It's the anxiety that they might not fully understand the meaning of reincarnation.
The meaning of having two lives and the extraordinariness that comes with it.
In terms of being humans with completely different values at their core, both Mars and "Jet-Black" are unchanged beings. In a sense, they possess an otherness that should be more avoided than being a different race.
Even if they are different races, the people of this world do not possess the same worldview.
To be precise, they do possess it, but it is something they learned after birth, not a deeply ingrained set of values.
In a way, it's like an alien that lurks within a human's self and learns. Even if they are avoided, Mars cannot complain.
Having said it with such resolve, everyone's attitude remained unchanged.
「He said he takes shortcuts, but he's not the kind of guy you can trust.」
While Mars said that, strangely, he didn't feel any disgust towards "Jet-Black."
There was resistance to the idea of killing Lilia and the others, but he also thought that if he was in the same position as "Jet-Black", he would probably do the same.
Because Mars had nothing but resentment towards a world that didn't accept him. Even in a different world, if he could manipulate the fate of others in his hands, he would surely do it.
In the end, there is no essential difference between Mars and "Jet-Black."
Before and after reincarnation, Mars and the others are outsiders.
Unwanted in the previous world, they were called to this world by a faint, dark gravity.
What determined their fate was whether they were given power or not.
Whether they had an aggressive sensibility or not.
Whether they met someone important like Lilia—or not.
「But Nemu thinks he will keep the promise-nya~. Those kinds of people keep the promises they make-nya.」
Nemu said while rolling around on the carriage bed.
Mars also thinks the same thing.
Since he has nothing, he will protect only the freedom of his own ego.
Nemu used Sion's belly as a pillow, the mermaid they had brought along.
The two of them often stick together like mother and daughter.
Nemu is very attached, and Sion seems to be stimulated by her maternal instinct and spoils her.
Sion is currently in a state where her magic power is almost depleted.
Therefore, she cannot constantly regenerate her legs and spends most of her time in a semi-bedridden state.
Mermaids are born with immense magic power, but it is synonymous with their lifespan, and the moment they exhaust it, death comes.
In other words, it is a type of magic that consumes their physical strength, in other words, their HP.
Resting will gradually restore it, but unlike humans who fully recover the next day, the pace is considerably slower.
Currently, she is forcibly holding on to her life and dedicating herself to recovery through immortality magic.
In other words, she has withdrawn from the frontlines.
「As the cat says, he is a man who will never break a promise made by someone else but will keep a promise made by himself, that's me.」
As if wanting to say, "I've been here from the beginning," Jet-Black joins the conversation with an air of indifference.
He had somehow appeared in the carriage bed.
No one even noticed his presence.
Mars stops everyone who instantly assumes a combat stance. They cannot avoid a fight, but not now.
「Nyaa?! Why are you always behind Nemu-nyaa?!」
「Ah, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, though. I end up in the back when teleporting, for some reason.」
With a clanking sound, "Jet-Black", wearing armor, sits cross-legged.
"Jet-Black" had used Nemu as the destination for his teleportation coordinates.
「What did you come here for?」
Mars says coldly.
He knows that the path to reconciliation doesn't exist. He has no choice but to fight and silence him.
Reconciliation can only be achieved when there are mutual benefits.
Since they cannot offer any conditions that would satisfy "Jet-Black", reconciliation is impossible.
「Not to sound like a "congratulatory greeting," but congratulations on clearing the undersea dungeon!」
"Jet-Black" gives indifferent applause with his metal gauntlet.
No one accepted his compliment sincerely.
They feel not gratitude but rather resentment, as if they were being condescended to.
「Anyway, aren't you hungry? Before we talk, can you make something for me? Even with cheats, I can't cook. You see, I'm the type who has lived on instant food.」
「Huuh!?」
――What the hell is this guy!?
Can someone with such strong mental really commit suicide!?
Mars is shocked by "Jet-Black"'s behavior, behaving as if he has come to a familiar friend's house.
「T-This is the most awkward meal we've ever had, isn't it?」
Hazuki shrunk and spoke to Mars in a voice as small as a mosquito, despite already being small.
「Well... considering we're here with someone who wants to destroy the world...」
Mars and the others decided to follow the proposal of "Jet Black" and have their meal.
Of course, it wasn't because they wanted to eat together. They wanted to gather as much information as possible.
「Those genuine cat ears are so rare. And they're more like humans than beastmen. Seriously, those are ears?」
「Stay away! Nemu hates you!」
Nemu showed a fierce rejection as if she wanted to say she'd kill him. Her tail fur stood on end.
"Jet Black" was teasing Nemu playfully.
Seeing Nemu's reaction, Mars felt a certain level of fondness for him from the beginning.
At least she didn't reject him to this extent. However, it seemed that Hazuki was relatively disliked.
It must be a matter of personal space.
Despite being shy, Hazuki suddenly closed the distance between them.
She was touching her body out of nowhere.
「This mermaid over here is amazing too! It's completely different from a male mermaid!」
「――A male mermaid?」
Sion muttered softly.
Although Mars didn't say it to Sion, Sion's husband, Georg, had clearly been killed.
The other mermaids died in accidents caused by the combat aircraft that "Jet Black" used to invade the undersea dungeon, but Georg's head had been severed.
The culprit who killed Sion's husband without a doubt was "Jet Black".
After all, besides Mars and the others, he was the only one there.
Still, Mars had no choice but to say it. Don't fight.
「Sion-san, this guy is your husband's killer. But, I'll be the one to avenge him.」
Mars knew that Sion didn't have much attachment to her husband, but she shouldn't be so unaffected when facing her husband's killer.
It was hard to believe that she had no sense of responsibility when confronted with the enemy of her husband and her clan.
However, revenge was not for now. Besides, Sion couldn't do anything in her current state.
There were also practical issues at play, but Mars had a vague reason, something he couldn't put into words, for not wanting Sion to fight.
Sion nodded silently and looked down.
No one understood better than herself how powerless she was in her current state.
When it came to meals, they all sat in a circular formation. Next to "Jet Black" were Nemu and Mars.
Since they were the fastest to react in direct combat, they sat together.
「So, what are you planning to make? I want something that reminds me of Japan. Can you make hamburgers?」
「I don't care about your request. You're being presumptuous. And hamburgers are not Japanese...」
「How cold. It's like a reunion, right?」
「What's the point... I don't know what I'm saying, but could you please act a bit more like an enemy? It's too awkward to handle.」
Even though Mars gets that he's definitely an enemy, for some reason, he can't get into a combat stance.
The fact that something terrifying is not terrifying.
Mars doesn't know the extent of "Jet Black's" cheat abilities, but he can use magic that even 【Forbidden Magic Books】, like teleportation, can't accomplish. There must be a considerable difference in power.
Besides, he has single-handedly conquered three of the Seven Great Dungeons.
If it were Mars alone, he wouldn't have been able to conquer even one.
Not only the bosses but also many suspicious situations occurred along the way.
Mars's power is focused on short-term battles.
It's not an all-around ability that can easily handle everything along the way, let alone bosses.
Even ordinary dungeon monsters can easily kill an average person.
The monsters are much stronger than the bears of the previous world.
The bosses are threats on a global scale.
"Jet Black" boasts power that surpasses even them alone.
There is no chance of winning, even if everyone takes them on. That's why "Jet Black" can invade so defenselessly.
And yet, it's not frightening.
Instead of hostility, he approaches them like friends.
「Let's say, for argument's sake, that we acknowledge your presence here. Still, what is your purpose?」
Without letting her guard down, Lilia shows her hostility openly.
The knife in her hand looks like a weapon.
「It's for the announcement. The World Tree Dungeon, I've rebuilt all of it.」
「Rebuilt!?」
「Yeah. It's the last one, you know? You want to make a grand exit, right? And I've already laid off the boss. So, in the end, it's me. I had to say this; otherwise, it might have been a useless preparation.」
"Even from now on, I'll occasionally come, so prepare my share of the food as well," says "Jet Black" with a smile.
Mars doesn't comment on that topic.
「Laid off, you say...」
In short, it means that he has already completed the conquest without opening the treasure vault.
Even if he defeats the boss, the dungeon won't collapse until he opens the treasure vault and activates the teleportation magic circle.
「I didn't set up any weird traps or anything because I didn't want to deal with accidental deaths. In fact, I even broke them. Walk with peace of mind. But my dungeon is vicious, you know? It's a boss rush. The final dungeon has to be like this, after all!」
"Jet Black" speaks about his dungeon with great excitement.
It sounded like a child boasting about their toys.
In reality, he probably only thinks of it as nothing more than a toy.
「Oh, and by the way, elf girl, poison doesn't work on me. Make something delicious for me, alright?」
Lilia, who was secretly planning to poison him, was taken aback.
If she were to kill "Jet Black" right here, they could finally relax.
However, it didn't seem to be that easy.
Lilia hadn't thought about poisoning him before in her previous actions.
She had pride, and she should have chosen to confront him head-on.
She must have a personality that would choose death over taking actions without caring about consequences.
From Mars's perspective, the current Lilia seemed anxious.
It was likely because her goal was approaching.
And it was also evidence that she believed that Mars couldn't defeat "Jet Black."
Lilia didn't want Mars to choose a future where he would fight against "Jet Black" precisely because she knew Mars well.
Perhaps she felt that Mars would not only lose in terms of strength but also in his mental state.
「Lilia, it's fine for now. Besides, somehow, I feel like I have to be the one to deal with this. No... I don't want someone else to settle it.」
「I thought the same. That's why I went through the trouble of preparing for the situation. The fact that the two of us are called to this world is fate, right?」
Under his helmet, "Jet Black" was seen smiling.
「According to what I've heard, there have been other reincarnators before, but they don't exist at the same time. Once one dies, the next one doesn't come until then.」
「Did the previous one create this world...?」
「I don't know about that.」
"Jet Black" spread his arms as if to dismiss the matter.
――Could it be...
Mars recalls the traces of the previous reincarnator.
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