"Gasp… what happened?" a familiar voice echoed through the burning crimson flame suspended in an entirely white void, its form flickering as if struggling to stabilize.
"…Eh…? Itsuki… is that you?" another voice followed, trembling from within a golden flame that burned softly against the emptiness.
Itsuki's tone tightened with disbelief, carrying both hope and fear of rejection as he responded, "Wait… this voice… it can't be Mizuki."
"Hahaha… Itsuki, it's me. Mizuki." The golden flame brightened with sudden joy as she confirmed his presence without hesitation.
If Mizuki still had a physical face, a wide, beaming smile would have been unmistakable, her entire presence radiating warmth through the void.
"Mizuki…" Itsuki's voice softened, trembling with restrained happiness as he tried to reach out, but no limbs responded, no body remained, not even sight to guide him.
"I'm so happy~!" Mizuki continued brightly, her flame dancing with excitement. "I thought I was here alone, Itsuki."
"Alone…?" Itsuki's voice sharpened with shock. "Mizuki, where are we?"
"I don't know," she admitted more softly, her tone shifting slightly serious beneath the lingering relief. "But I'm certain our consciousnesses were destroyed… and yet, here we are. We can still share our thoughts with each other."
"That can't be…" Itsuki went quiet for a moment, his thoughts stalling. "You're basically saying our consciousness was brought back after total destruction."
"That's exactly right," another voice cut in, calm and serene, snapping both of their attention instantly toward the source.
"Whose there!" Itsuki demanded, confusion and alarm tightening his voice.
"…A voice," Mizuki murmured, stunned into silence.
From the endless white void, a completely featureless figure stood before them, its presence so pure and blank it felt even more absolute than the emptiness itself.
"There is no need for such primal fear," the figure spoke with quiet authority. "I am the one who brought you both back from nothingness."
(Eh…? Brought us back from nothingness?) Itsuki thought uneasily, his consciousness recoiling at the implication.
"Impossible…" Mizuki's voice trembled despite her effort to remain steady. "Our body, soul, and consciousness were erased. What are you…?"
"How contemptuous of me. Let me introduce myself properly." The figure tilted its head slightly, its presence unmoving yet overwhelming. "I am the universe itself, and not it."
"W-What…?" Mizuki and Itsuki both froze in disbelief, their thoughts colliding in stunned silence.
Itsuki let out a nervous, disbelieving laugh before stopping abruptly. "There's no way… the universe doesn't just—wait… I see now. You're a non-dual being. That's why you can even hold a conversation like this."
(Calling itself the Omnipotent One… but it might actually be true…) Mizuki thought internally, unease settling deeper. (If it is the universe and not it, then it exists beyond what this universe defines as existence.)
"That is not what I want to hear," Mizuki said softly, her voice tense. "What do you want from us?"
"…I will be straightforward." The figure placed its hands behind its back, its presence unshifting. "I want you two to do a favor for me, in exchange for rebuilding you both."
"A favor from you… an all-powerful being?" Itsuki frowned slightly, still struggling to process the situation. "What exactly do you need our help with?"
"My people were rejected by heaven," the figure continued calmly, devoid of emotion. "Even the innocent ones are sent to hell, as that is the only path available for their souls."
"Huh…?" Itsuki's confusion deepened. "This universe… people aren't allowed into heaven after death? I don't understand."
"Quite simple." The figure's tone remained steady. "Our universe is a god-birth universe. It naturally produces powerful beings."
"W-What?!" Itsuki's shock spiked. "That's not right. They can't just do that because we're from a god-birth universe."
"They can." The figure's voice remained unchanged. "The souls of our people are too dangerous, too unpredictable, and capable of evolving into beings that can challenge heaven itself. It is safer for them to be excluded entirely."
(This is too unreal… too illogical…) Mizuki thought in disbelief, her consciousness trembling slightly. (Even normal souls in this universe… are capable of instilling fear into heaven itself…)
"Then heaven is irrelevant. I shall create my own heaven here. Its name will be Dreamland."Said the figure said seriously.
The endless white void remained still around them, yet the declaration somehow felt heavier than it should have.
"Dreamland..." Itsuki repeated, letting the name linger for a moment. "Uh, I see. That's the reason you want us to be part of your little project."
"Good thinking," the figure replied. "I want both of you to supervise Dreamland for me in a way. Guard it, protect it, and make sure everything remains flawless."
Itsuki fell silent.
Mizuki's golden flame flickered once before she spoke.
"It's a kind offer, but what if we refuse?" she asked cautiously. "Our goal from the beginning was to leave this universe. There's literally no reason for us to stay here."
For a brief moment, the void seemed unusually quiet.
Then the figure answered.
"...Unfortunately for both of you, the universe you're from has already reached the end of its story."
"Uh... what the...?" Itsuki blurted out, shock immediately creeping into his voice. "What do you mean?"
Mizuki froze as well.
A strange unease settled over both of them.
"Even if I took the effort to explain it to you, I doubt you'd understand its complexity," the figure said calmly.
"Huh...?" Itsuki muttered, caught completely off guard by the response.
The answer somehow left him with even more questions.
"I've given both of you the treasure of a second life," the figure continued as the white space around him distorted slightly. "Use it wisely. The two of you will be together forever."
"Uh...?" Mizuki's flame brightened slightly. "Together with Itsuki again...?"
A trace of shyness slipped into her tone before she quickly tried to hide it.
Itsuki immediately noticed.
Even in this situation, that part of her hadn't changed.
"Alright then..." Itsuki said after a brief pause. "We accept your offer."
Despite the words leaving him, uncertainty still lingered quietly within his thoughts.
"Wise choice," the figure replied.
As he slowly extended a hand toward them, the surrounding void rippled like a disturbed surface of water.
"I'll grant both of you the power to make your thoughts real."
The moment those words fell, both souls began to change.
Their burning forms stretched outward as humanoid shapes gradually emerged from the flames.
Arms formed.
Legs followed.
Features slowly took shape.
Itsuki watched the process unfold in disbelief while Mizuki stared at her own forming hands.
The sensation was impossible to describe.
As the figure, who was truly Haruto, granted them the skill "Imagination Manipulation", they instantly felt something carving itself deep into their souls.
Power.
Not entering them.
Awakening within them.
"This power..." Itsuki murmured.
His newly formed eyes widened slightly as he raised an open hand before him.
Then he slowly tightened it into a fist.
A faint distortion appeared around his fingers before fading just as quickly.
Mizuki noticed it immediately.
Neither of them spoke.
The reality of what they had received was still sinking in.
"Do your best and make me proud," Haruto said calmly as his body began dissolving into drifting smoke. "I'll visit when I feel like it, so don't get distracted."
"Hey, wait—" Mizuki called out, instinctively reaching toward him.
The smoke scattered through the white void.
Haruto was already gone.
Mizuki slowly lowered her arm before releasing a quiet sigh, while the endless white space stretched around them and the unfamiliar power continued to settle deeper into both of their souls.
Somewhere else.
Haruto stood surrounded by an endless number of self-contained universes as he looked down at a pulsing universe known as Universe 001.
"I'm confused, Partner... what is this place?" Haruto asked as he looked past the surrounding universes and into the empty space around them.
『Incorrect. This place is known as the Void Sea. It possesses no fixed laws of physics, space, time, or causality. These concepts do not originate from the Void Sea itself; they are generated by the individual universes contained within it.』
(Oh... so it's called the Void Sea, huh?) Haruto thought as his eyes narrowed slightly.
The endless darkness around him suddenly felt less empty than before.
『The Void Sea is an infinite expanse existing beyond and between universes. It functions as the foundational medium upon which all realities are suspended.』
"I get it," Haruto said as realization appeared on his face. "If we imagine a universe as an island inside an infinite ocean, then the Void Sea would be the ocean itself."
A brief silence followed before Seraphina answered.
『...Indeed. Master is correct.』
Haruto blinked once as a faint look of curiosity crossed his face.
(Huh...? Why did she sound so subdued all of a sudden?) he wondered with playful suspicion.
"Seraphina. It's time," Haruto said as he ran a hand through his hair. "Let this universe witness divine punishment."
His original appearance slowly began to fade as something far more otherworldly emerged in its place.
His eyes sharpened as he continued looking down at Universe 001.
Inside Universe 001, on a planet covered by countless towering buildings of different heights, life continued peacefully.
Beautiful white structures with angelic designs stretched across the horizon as the giant golden sun illuminated the world below.
Peaceful laughter and cheerful conversation filled the streets where people dressed in white and golden robes walked side by side.
Large white wings rested against their backs while others flew freely through the clear sky above.
Some glided between buildings while others landed gently upon the streets below.
At first glance, the entire world resembled paradise where true peace had finally been obtained.
A group of children suddenly stopped flying as they looked up toward the sky with confusion in their eyes.
"H-Hey, mister... who are you?" one of the children asked while trying to maintain a playful tone.
"Mmm."
Haruto looked down at them with cold, emotionless eyes.
The moment their gazes met, a chill ran through the children's bodies.
The smile on one child's face immediately stiffened while another unconsciously pulled his wings closer.
(T-This is weird...) one of the children thought as unease settled into his chest. (His robes aren't like our white robes.)
Haruto remained silent as he continued staring at them.
The atmosphere gradually became heavier with every passing second.
Then a sharp gust of wind swept through the sky.
The children were instantly torn apart as blood scattered across the air and splattered onto nearby rooftops.
Crimson stains spread across the pristine white buildings while horrified screams began echoing through the city.
A single drop of blood landed on the back of a bystander's neck as he instinctively reached up to touch it.
He looked at his fingertips with confusion after seeing the crimson liquid covering them.
Then another drop landed beside him as more people slowly began looking upward.
Within moments, blood started falling from the sky as countless white robes gradually turned crimson red.
Fear spread through the streets as confusion rapidly gave way to panic.
Before anyone could understand what was happening, multiple gigantic domes of explosions appeared across the planet.
Their blinding light illuminated entire regions as violent shockwaves spread in every direction.
The expanding explosions continued growing larger as their destruction became visible even from space.
In mere minutes, buildings began collapsing onto the people below as fires spread throughout the cities alongside countless corpses of men, women, and children.
The last thing many of them saw before death was a dark demonic figure hidden within the spiraling smoke overhead.
Haruto hovered within the dark sky as smoke drifted around him, and he slowly moved a finger through the air before a line of explosions tore across the world below.
Millions died as the explosions followed the path of his finger and erased everything in their way.
"Hm?" Haruto murmured as he turned his gaze toward something approaching from the distance.
A group of human-made angels rapidly flew through the smoke-filled sky while carrying weapons forged entirely from light.
They stopped a considerable distance away from Haruto as the flames below reflected against their golden armor.
The heat rising from the burning cities distorted the air around them while smoke continued drifting through the battlefield.
Among them stood a pale angelic young man with long golden-blond hair and piercing crimson eyes, and his commanding presence naturally placed him at the front of the formation.
"You there!" Michael shouted angrily as three pairs of wings spread behind him and a radiant halo shone above his head.
Haruto slowly turned toward them as he tilted his head slightly, yet his cold gaze never left the angels before him.
Even Michael felt a faint chill crawl through him as their eyes met across the burning sky.
"Are you the cause of this?" Michael demanded as his fist tightened at his side and his robes fluttered in the wind.
The crimson gemstone resting upon his chest caught the surrounding light while his eyes remained locked onto Haruto.
Haruto glanced around at the destruction below as collapsing buildings continued falling throughout the burning world.
"Yes," Haruto replied softly as a faint smirk appeared upon his face. "I am responsible for it. It is an unfortunate sight."
Michael's expression darkened slightly as he stared at Haruto and struggled to understand the calmness behind those words.
"In my name, I command you all to kill this thing for the grace of Angelic Humanity," Michael declared as he pointed directly toward Haruto.
The human angels roared in response as they surged through the sky with their weapons of light raised toward Haruto.
"Your kind could never hope to kill me with stolen divinity," Haruto said calmly as a sword spiraled into existence beside him.
He wrapped his fingers around the hilt before raising the blade toward the incoming army.
"This is the same blade I used to kill one of your own."
Michael's eyes narrowed as confusion surfaced beneath his anger and unease quietly settled within his thoughts.
(What does he mean?) Michael thought as his wings stiffened slightly behind him. (Has he truly encountered one of us before?)
Haruto's smirk widened slightly as smoke began twisting around the blade in his hand.
"It is only proper that I give you its name."
Then Haruto swung the sword downward as his voice remained calm and unwavering.
"Kill them all, Webcleaver."
A blinding light erupted from the blade and swallowed the incoming attacks before surging toward the charging angels.
The heavens trembled beneath its power as the attack carved a path across the planet below.
The ground ruptured beneath its passage while entire regions vanished within the expanding light.
As quickly as it appeared, the attack disappeared and left devastation in its wake.
A colossal ravine now stretched across the world while smoke continued rising from the ruined landscape.
The place where the human angels had stood moments ago was now completely empty as neither bodies nor armor remained behind.
As the drifting smoke gradually cleared away, Michael remained standing alone behind a flickering golden barrier.
"Impossible..." Michael whispered as shock spread across his face and his eyes searched the empty sky around him.
(I can't let this drag on any longer. Our people are dying by the second.) Michael thought as frustration built within him and he slowly took a fighting stance.
Before he could move, a feminine hand gently rested upon his shoulder and caused him to stiffen slightly.
Haruto's eyes narrowed as he watched the interaction unfold.
Michael glanced over his shoulder and saw a radiant angelic woman standing behind him with long flowing golden-blond hair and striking sapphire-blue eyes.
Three vast pairs of white wings unfurled behind her while a luminous crown-like halo floated above her head.
Lumina.
"Calm down," Lumina said in a gentle tone as she looked directly into Michael's eyes.
"Sister... how can I?" Michael replied angrily as his jaw tightened. "This monster is killing our people, and I cannot simply stand here and watch."
(Another one, huh...?) Haruto thought as he silently observed them.
"Alright then," Lumina said softly as she removed her hand from Michael's shoulder. "Stay here and allow me to see what I can do."
Michael hesitated for a moment, but he ultimately remained where he was.
Lumina slowly flew toward Haruto while her wings moved gracefully through the smoke-filled sky.
"Greetings," Lumina said kindly as she offered a respectful bow. "I am Lumina, daughter of Emperor Shiki. May I ask your name, O Great One?"
The divine light surrounding her accentuated her beauty as it illuminated the dark smoke around them.
Haruto found himself holding his breath for a brief moment before his expression returned to normal.
(Mm...?) Haruto thought as his gaze remained fixed on her. (I sense neither malice nor hatred from her. According to her Essence Thread, she is genuinely kind.)
"I am Haruto Satoru," Haruto replied softly as his gaze softened slightly. "The Empyrean Arachnid Emperor. The One True God."
"I see," Lumina replied with a relaxed smile. "It is an honor to meet a god such as yourself, but may I ask why you are doing this?"
"Why?" Haruto repeated as he looked at her quietly. "I am doing the same thing your people once did to mine, though my own ideals are mixed into it as well."
Lumina's expression shifted slightly as she processed his words.
(I don't remember our people ever being involved with him...) Lumina thought as confusion surfaced within her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Lumina said after a brief pause. "But I have no memory of our people ever crossing paths with you."
"Is that so?" Haruto asked as he tilted his head slightly and looked at her through his bangs. "Does the name Axiom mean anything to you?"
Michael's eyes widened.
(Huh...?) Michael thought as disbelief surfaced across his face. (Axiom...? Don't tell me...)
Understanding slowly appeared within Lumina's eyes.
"Oh..." Lumina murmured as she finally grasped the situation. "So this is about revenge."
Her gaze lowered slightly before returning to Haruto.
"I understand your feelings," Lumina said sincerely. "However, our people had nothing to do with that incident, so please spare them."
Haruto remained silent for a moment as smoke drifted between them.
"I refuse."
Both Michael and Lumina widened their eyes as the answer came without hesitation.
"When a leader guides their people toward evil," Haruto said calmly, "those who willingly follow that path share in that evil."
Michael's expression hardened.
"Sister, there is no point trying to change his mind," Michael said as his fist tightened at his side. "He decided the outcome before this conversation even began."
Lumina lowered her gaze as uncertainty quietly settled within her heart.
(There has to be another way...) Lumina thought as her confidence gradually began slipping away. (There has to be a way to stop this without more killing.)
"You alone may leave. There is no unforgivable evil within your soul," Haruto said softly as he waved a hand and gestured for Lumina to leave.
Michael's eyes widened at the offer while his jaw tightened from the anger rapidly overtaking his judgment.
(No way...) Michael thought as fury surged through him. (Why does she get to leave alive? I'm stronger than him. I'll kill him myself. No one is leaving.)
"Die!"
Michael roared as he shot past Lumina and closed the distance between himself and Haruto at blinding speed.
"Michael, no!" Lumina cried out as shock spread across her face and she instinctively reached toward him.
A sword of light formed within Michael's grip as he raised it high above his head.
"Stand still and let me cut you!" Michael shouted angrily as he swung the blade downward and aimed to split Haruto in half.
"Evil wears many forms," Haruto said calmly as he looked away from Michael and treated him as less than a threat. ""Divine Hands of the Emperor"."
The moment those words left Haruto's lips, Michael froze in place with his sword still descending.
His body trembled violently as he struggled to move, yet not a single muscle obeyed him.
Confusion quickly turned into panic.
Haruto slowly raised a finger and pointed it toward Michael's chest until only inches remained between them.
Lumina's eyes widened as she watched the scene unfold before her.
"Bear witness to how this man's life comes to an end," Haruto said softly as a beam of energy shot from his fingertip.
Michael's eyes widened further as the color gradually left them.
The beam thinned into nothingness a moment later and revealed a perfect hollow through the center of his chest.
Lumina stared at him in disbelief as her thoughts abruptly stopped.
Her eyes remained fixed on the wound while her mind struggled to process what had happened.
"Why..." Lumina whispered as her voice trembled. "Why did you have to kill him?"
"There was no other way," Haruto replied as he looked directly into her eyes. "Creation must be corrected, and that purpose has been entrusted to me."
Lumina's lips parted slightly as she searched for an answer.
None came.
Haruto slowly spread his arms and looked toward the golden sun overhead while satisfaction appeared across his face.
The sunlight illuminated his figure and cast a radiant glow around him.
A soft and unusually rare giggle escaped him before he turned back toward Lumina.
"Only I can accomplish this," Haruto said calmly. "Otherwise, someone else would have already done so."
(Uh...?) Lumina thought as disbelief surfaced within her eyes. (This man is insane. He's absolutely convinced that he's the only god who can do this.)
"I shall become the God of Creation," Haruto declared as his gaze sharpened. "I am justice. I protect the good, and those who oppose my purpose are evil."
Lumina lowered her head as grief and uncertainty weighed upon her heart.
"If what you're saying is true..." Lumina said softly while clenching her hands together. "Then I'll offer you my body and soul. Just bring back all the lives that were lost."
(Just as planned.) Haruto thought coldly as a faint smirk threatened to form.
"I can make that happen," Haruto replied. "But first, take me to your Emperor."
Lumina hesitated.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
(Is this really the right thing to do...?) Lumina wondered as doubt crept into her mind. (I don't even know if these thoughts are my own anymore.)
"Do you promise?" Lumina asked quietly as she raised her eyes toward him.
"Of course," Haruto replied with a gentle smile. "My code does not allow me to break a promise made to a woman."
Something about the smile felt strange.
It looked dishonest.
Yet every instinct told Lumina he was speaking the truth.
"You are a good woman," Haruto said softly as his expression relaxed slightly. "It pains me to see someone like you living in a world consumed by evil."
Lumina looked away as uncertainty continued growing within her heart.
(Who is he really...?) Lumina thought as she struggled to understand him. (It's almost as if there are two different people inside him.)
Haruto quietly watched her while keeping his true thoughts hidden behind a calm expression.
(My plan worked.) Haruto thought coldly. (Killing that man in front of her placed her exactly where I wanted. Now I only need to guide her will in the right direction.)
Few moments later,
Haruto and Lumina landed on an untouched rooftop wrapped in a gust of wind. Michael lay unconscious in Lumina's arms as she carefully lowered him onto the rooftop floor.
(Mmm... I doubt I can bring peace to creation by killing evil. What if I become the Ultimate Evil...? No. That won't do. I'll find another way.) Haruto thought, his gaze drifting toward the distant horizon.
"This way, God," Lumina said quietly, her gaze lowered.
A door suddenly emerged from the rooftop floor. She reached down and pulled it open, revealing nothing but darkness beyond.
Both stepped inside. The door closed behind them and dissolved into sparkling dust. Moments later, they began descending as though standing inside an elevator.
Haruto glanced at Lumina.
Her beautiful face remained hidden beneath the shadow of her bangs.
(Father... is going to kill me.) Lumina thought as she nervously tugged at the ends of her clothes.
"Hey."
Haruto's voice was soft as he gently lifted her chin with a finger, trying to meet her eyes. Lumina immediately looked away.
"You're mine. Everything that belongs to me, I'll protect. Even if it's just a toy," Haruto said with a small smile.
Lumina's eyes sharpened.
She slapped his hand away and crossed her arms defensively over her chest.
"Belong? So I'm just a tool to you, huh?" Lumina asked firmly, though a slight tremble lingered in her voice.
"I'd never use a woman like that."
Lumina's eyes widened when their lips unexpectedly met. She immediately tried to push Haruto away, her palms pressing against his chest, but her resistance was far too weak.
Haruto stepped closer, sliding a leg between hers as the confined space seemed to shrink around them.
(Why can't... I make him stop...?) Lumina thought, her breathing growing heavier as her resolve gradually weakened. Her lashes trembled before her eyes slowly closed, finally giving up on resisting him.
Haruto's hand moved against her chest, drawing a soft, involuntary moan from her lips. The sound only made her face burn hotter as embarrassment flooded through her.
(I'm so disgusting... why am I liking this...?) Lumina thought, completely flustered as she unconsciously began kissing Haruto back.
The quiet space soon filled with the sound of their lips meeting, accompanied by uneven breaths and soft moans that echoed through the descending elevator.
(Ronóva is going to kill me for sure.) Haruto thought inwardly.
Lumina wrapped her arms around Haruto's neck while clinging to him, her body pressing closer without realizing it.
The elevator continued its descent as Lumina's back brushed against the wall behind her.
Soft sounds filled the enclosed space while neither seemed capable of pulling away from the other.
The atmosphere between them remained awkward as the elevator continued downward.
Then, with a soft sound, the doors finally opened.
Haruto and Lumina immediately stepped apart and stood beside one another as though nothing unusual had happened.
Because, in reality, nothing had happened.
(Oh man... did that actually happen in a possible future? I seriously need to control those Spider Senses whenever they activate around danger.) Haruto thought, feeling a headache coming on as he stared ahead.
Haruto walked behind Lumina through the corridor until his steps gradually came to a stop after something beyond a nearby window caught his attention.
Lumina turned her head toward him before following his gaze through the large glass window overlooking another section of the city.
Beyond the glass, countless people were eating with the hunger of mindless beasts as though reason itself had abandoned them long ago.
One man bit deeply into a golden organ resembling a human heart while thick golden blood ran down his chin and stained his robes.
Others devoured lungs, brains, and intestines with disturbing enthusiasm while the sounds of chewing echoed throughout the crowded streets below.
Disgust briefly crossed Haruto's face as he silently observed the horrifying sight unfolding before him.
(So you've been eating angels to obtain power.) Haruto thought as his eyes narrowed slightly at the scene.
"Let's continue," Lumina said quietly as she turned away from the window and avoided looking at the people below.
A trace of guilt lingered within her expression before she resumed walking down the corridor with her gaze fixed ahead.
Haruto followed after her without another word while the image remained fresh within his thoughts.
Before long, they arrived before a massive pair of doors decorated with golden trims and intricately carved angelic wings.
"This is it," Lumina said as nervousness gradually crept into her voice. "Beyond these doors lies the chamber where my father resides."
The massive doors slowly opened inward of their own accord as though responding to her presence.
Lumina immediately stiffened when the chamber beyond came into view, and Haruto noticed the reaction the moment it happened.
"Thank you for your service," Haruto said as he calmly walked past her and approached the opening chamber. "I will proceed alone from here, so leave if you value your life."
"Huh?" Lumina asked as confusion spread across her face. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said," Haruto replied without turning around as he continued walking forward.
The doors closed behind him moments later and left Lumina standing alone in the corridor with uncertainty growing within her chest.
Inside the chamber, towering pillars stretched toward the ceiling while luxurious red marble flooring reflected the golden light illuminating the room.
The entire chamber carried an atmosphere of authority that seemed to press down upon anyone standing within it.
"So you're the one responsible for killing my people."
The voice came from a young-looking man seated upon a magnificent golden throne positioned at the far end of the chamber.
Black shoulder-length hair framed his face while several white strands ran through it, and his completely black eyes stared down at Haruto without emotion.
Shiki.
"Yes," Haruto replied with a small smile as he met the Emperor's gaze without the slightest hesitation. "I am the one delivering justice to your people."
Shiki remained silent for several moments as he carefully observed the man standing before him.
(According to what I saw through Lumina's eyes, this man is unbelievably prideful.) Shiki thought as he quietly studied Haruto. (He believes his judgment alone defines truth, so negotiation would accomplish nothing.)
"You murderer," Shiki said in a dry tone as he leaned forward slightly upon his throne. "Leave this place now and I may allow you to continue breathing."
Haruto's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as annoyance flickered across his otherwise calm expression.
"Do not speak as though you possess the ability to kill a supreme existence such as myself," Haruto replied calmly. "Hearing such arrogance from a lesser race is deeply insulting."
"I see."
Shiki slowly rose from his throne while his gaze remained locked onto Haruto.
"Then the only thing I can offer you is death."
The four towering white statues standing beside the chamber suddenly began moving as cracks spread across their stone bodies.
Each step they took shook the room beneath them while fragments of stone fell from their massive forms.
"Very insulting," Haruto said as a small portion of his aura escaped into the surrounding space.
An indescribable instinct immediately overwhelmed the statues and filled them with terror beyond reason.
The constructs suddenly turned upon one another and began tearing themselves apart as madness consumed their actions.
Stone limbs crashed onto the floor while deep fractures rapidly spread throughout their bodies until they completely collapsed.
Shiki's eyes widened slightly as genuine confusion surfaced beneath his otherwise composed expression.
"What... just happened?" Shiki asked as he struggled to understand what he had just witnessed.
"Even these lifeless objects could not endure my presence," Haruto replied coldly as the shattered remains of the statues lay scattered behind him.
Shiki vanished from his position and reappeared before Haruto as countless punches and kicks erupted from every possible direction.
The chamber trembled beneath the force of each strike while the surrounding floor cracked under the pressure being released.
Despite the overwhelming assault, Haruto remained completely motionless as though nothing was touching him at all.
Not a single attack managed to move him even an inch because of "Physical Attack Nullification".
Shiki immediately realized something was wrong before jumping backward and extending an open palm toward Haruto.
Countless spears of light formed behind him and illuminated the chamber with a brilliant golden radiance.
"Fire Light Spears."
The spears shot forward at the speed of light and rapidly closed the distance between themselves and Haruto.
Haruto calmly raised two fingers as though addressing something completely insignificant.
Just before the spears reached him, they abruptly changed direction and shot upward toward the ceiling.
Haruto had rewritten the surrounding space itself so that upward was the only direction capable of existing around him.
Shiki continued generating more spears while frustration steadily began building within his mind.
Every attack met the same outcome as each spear veered upward the moment it entered Haruto's space.
(My attacks can't reach him.) Shiki thought as stress gradually tightened around his thoughts. (Why?)
For the first time since the battle began, a feeling of helplessness quietly crept into his heart.
"What is a lesser being before a higher god?" Haruto asked calmly as he activated "Stasis" and released its power throughout creation.
The entire universe froze beneath the influence of the ability as every movement and sound abruptly ceased.
Shiki's eyes widened slightly as he immediately realized something had changed.
(I can't move.) Shiki thought as shock rapidly spread throughout his mind.
"I have halted the flow of time throughout this universe," Haruto said as he calmly walked past the frozen spears suspended around him.
Shiki's thoughts spiraled as disbelief and frustration crashed together inside his mind.
(That cannot be time manipulation.) Shiki thought as anger slowly surfaced beneath his confusion. (Such a thing should be impossible.)
"Be grateful that I allowed your thoughts to continue moving," Haruto said calmly as FateCleaver formed within his palm. "At least now you'll know when you die."
Before Shiki could process those words, Haruto moved.
A single slash severed both of Shiki's arms before a second cut removed his legs and head.
The wounds appeared so quickly that even Shiki himself failed to comprehend what had happened.
His body remained suspended for a brief moment while "Stasis" continued affecting the universe.
Haruto then released "Stasis".
Shiki's eyes widened as reality suddenly caught up with him and his body collapsed backward onto the floor.
His severed limbs landed nearby while his head rolled across the polished marble before coming to a stop.
(Mm...) Haruto thought as he walked between the shattered remains of the statues. (Is killing truly the answer to every cosmic problem?)
The massive chamber doors slowly opened behind him before he could continue that line of thought.
Lumina stood within the doorway with unease written across her face as her gaze immediately settled upon Haruto.
He stopped in front of her.
"W-what did you do?" Lumina asked as a slight tremor ran through her voice and she looked into his sparkling golden eyes.
"I've made you Empress," Haruto replied with a faint smirk as he calmly walked past her. "Now guide these people toward a righteous future."
Lumina's eyes narrowed as she looked past him and finally saw Shiki's corpse lying among the rubble.
Her breathing caught.
She immediately turned her head back toward Haruto as disbelief and disgust battled across her expression.
(How is it possible for someone to kill so casually?) Lumina thought as the corners of her mouth tightened downward. (It's as though death means nothing to him.)
Meanwhile, Haruto stood before a figure bound in countless glowing chains deep within another section of the palace.
Both arms and legs were restrained while massive nails pinned the figure's feet firmly into the ground.
(So this is the angel who became the origin of this universe's power system.) Haruto thought as he drove FateCleaver into the floor beside him.
The metallic sound echoed through the chamber.
Uriel slowly raised her head toward him while her body trembled from weakness and exhaustion.
Her eyes had been gouged out.
Her skin had been stripped away.
Sections of her exposed organs hung visibly from her body while dried golden blood covered the ground beneath her.
"Truly a sight that hurts the eyes," Haruto said with a grin as his gaze traveled across her emaciated frame. "How unfortunate."
"You..." Uriel whispered as her body shook uncontrollably. "Wh-who are you...?"
"I am the Empyrean Arachnid Emperor," Haruto replied calmly as he looked down at her. "That title should be sufficient."
The glowing chains binding Uriel suddenly shattered apart.
One after another, the restraints exploded into fragments of light before disappearing completely.
Freed from the support of the chains, Uriel fell to her knees and struggled to keep herself upright.
(So he has awakened once more.) Uriel thought as understanding slowly surfaced within her mind.
Long white hair began growing from her scalp and spilled across the floor like flowing water.
New skin rapidly regenerated across her body while her severed limbs gradually reformed piece by piece.
Her golden eyes slowly reconstructed themselves within their empty sockets until their light returned once again.
(This must be the reason Heaven never came to retrieve me.) Uriel thought as feeling gradually returned throughout her restored body.