Kawashima Toya was glad his recent training had sharpened his intuition.
Otherwise, Sora and the others would likely have been tainted by the essence leaking from Nyaruko and Kuuko.
Nyaruko looked at him, her expression uncharacteristically dejected. "Darling, I'm really sorry."
"We weren't careful enough and ended up being suppressed by another god."
"Another god?" Toya looked between the two with a skeptical frown. "As I recall, both of you are avatars of Evil Gods yourself. How did you get controlled?"
What kind of entity had the nerve to seize control of Nyarlathotep and Cthugha? The true forms of these two were beings residing outside the world, capable of obliterating this reality at a whim. Yet here were their avatars, claiming to have been hijacked.
"The opponent was an Outer God. Since we're restricted to avatar-level power, there wasn't much we could do."
Nyaruko shrugged helplessly. "We originally intended to visit an old acquaintance."
"But that 'friend' didn't even recognize us. He used a Scream of Terror and immediately forced us under his influence."
"Wait, he controlled you?" Toya's expression grew grim. "Is this being a deity currently residing in the mortal realm?"
If the god that had controlled them was outside the world, the true forms of Nyarlathotep and Cthugha would have intercepted it.
Since it hadn't been blocked and had instead followed them back to the agency, it meant the encounter happened on Earth.
That implied a god was living among humans.
Nyaruko's gaze turned somber. "He is indeed on Earth, specifically at the North and South Poles."
"Kuuko and I wanted to talk to him, but we ended up as his puppets instead."
So, an Evil God really does exist here, located at the poles.
Toya murmured to himself, The presence I sensed earlier must have been the one that hijacked them.
"How long until the god at the poles fully awakens?" Toya asked.
He assumed the being wasn't fully awake yet because the moment a chaotic Outer God truly stirred, its presence would immediately unravel the fabric of the world.
As the Savior, he would have felt that shift instantly. Since the world remained intact, the god was likely still in a state of slumber.
Nyaruko thought for a moment before answering seriously. "About a year, at most."
"Though it could be sooner. It won't be less than six months, though."
"Six months, huh?" Toya nodded. "Then we might have time."
"Time for what?"
"A plan to evict an Evil God."
"Darling, how do you intend to drive out a god like that?"
"Just so you know, our true bodies cannot offer help. Those are the fundamental rules."
"We are only here because we arrived before those rules were finalized."
Nyaruko's eyes filled with curiosity. Even Kuuko, the red-haired twin-tailed girl, looked at him with anticipation. They wanted to see what kind of brilliance a human who had only been in this world for a month could display.
"I wasn't counting on you anyway," Toya said flatly. "I can't rely on Evil Gods. I can only rely on myself."
He was the Savior of this era, the first man to lead this generation. Facing a calamity that could end the world required every tool at his disposal.
He had no intention of using their power; If I gaze too long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into me.
Bringing in their true forms might just be trading one apocalypse for another.
"Method one: try to use brute force to kick him out."
Toya's eyes flickered. It was a blunt, perhaps even foolish plan, but it was the one he was most likely to achieve.
If he could harness enough power, he could simply blast the entire landmass where the god slept straight out of the mortal realm.
By sending the continent into the void outside the world, the crisis would be resolved.
Compared to outsmarting an Outer God, this "idiot's method" was actually far more feasible.
Beside him, Nyaruko and Kuuko couldn't begin to guess how reckless his thoughts were.
Their true bodies had simulated thousands of ways to expel that being, but they never imagined a human would try to physically eject a pole from the planet within six months.
First, should I trick a few angels or dragons into helping?
But before that, I need to focus on defeating the Heretic God, Cundi, in two days.
I need to secure an Authority from him—specifically one related to salvation or purification.
After some consideration, Toya had a rough outline of a plan. It was only a start; the details would require immense preparation.
Dealing with an Evil God meant there was zero room for error. One slip-up, and the world would turn into a distorted landscape of madness.
.....
Once the immediate talk was over, Toya looked at the ruins of the Trash Fox agency and let out a weary sigh.
"My new home didn't even last a month."
He had spent a hundred points to exchange for this luxurious three-story building, and now it was gone.
"Hello? Is this the emergency services?"
"There was a gas explosion at my residence. The entire building is destroyed."
Toya dialed the number for the local authorities. "Yes, it's just a pile of rubble now."
Not far away, Nyaruko covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Darling is reporting a house explosion for the first time, yet he sounds so practiced at it.
"Well, it's a classic," Toya said with a smirk after hanging up.
"There's a place called Fuyuki City where they use this excuse to cover up supernatural damage all the time."
"If it works for them, it works for me."
A short while later, a team of professionals arrived to inspect the site.
"Sir, try to look on the bright side."
"At least no one was hurt, right?"
"The inspection is complete. You have permission to clear the site and rebuild."
The workers left, offering sympathetic sighs.
"That's that," Toya said, stretching his arms. "System, I want to exchange for a new agency. Make it a luxury villa style this time."
"Budget is five hundred Origin Points."
[SystemNotice: 500 Origin Points deducted. Exchanging for a luxury villa-style agency.]
[Address transmitted. Please proceed to the location.]
"The new house is ready. Let's move!" Toya didn't spare a second glance at the ruins of the Trash Fox. He hailed a car and headed toward the new coordinates.
As for the items inside, Tohru had already salvaged everything when she evacuated Utaha and the others.
Half an hour later, they arrived in front of a massive, tranquil estate. Toya stood at the gates of the luxury manor, looking quite satisfied.
"Not bad. Those five hundred points weren't wasted."
The estate was a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Its sheer scale offered a sense of freedom, as if he had stepped onto a private prairie.
Tall flower hedges lined the paths, separating various sections of the grounds.
"Tohru! Bring everyone to the new home!" Toya shouted toward the sky.