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TL, ED: Pascal’s Wager

１

It was freezingly quiet.

The wind in the plain stopped blowing.

The chirping of birds and the sounds of insects disappeared.

And no one spoke under his or her breath.

It was so quiet that I thought I could hear the sound of the elf shrine maiden Reirin clenching her teeth──

「Aa, annoying.」

A furry beastman, reminiscent of a blazing fire, swung one leg up in the air.

「Machines are deafening.」

Aiming at the engine of the still moving armored personnel carrier, he kicked the car from below.

The casually applied force blew the overturned armored car into the air. While spinning like a leaf, it crashed into the ground far behind me.

『Team 1?! Respond!』

The mercenaries jumped out of the remaining nine vehicles one after another.

The first to jump out was the Lion King Balmung, whose men had just been attacked.

「You!!」

「Hmm? Uh, you. It’s hard to identify humans because they all look the same. Is this a federation’s humanity rebellion resistance?」

「Balmung, commander of South Yurun, remember it.」

「Yurun? Finished?」

The cryptid hero「Rath=IE」.

The flame-colored beastman closely observed Balmung while dexterously twisting his tail.

「Why are there humans from South Yurun here? Have you finally been defeated by the holy spirit race and fled?」

「Who will be defeated? We came here to hunt down these annoying beasts before the holy spirit race. You’re the one who has invaded our land!」

「……You humans.」

*twitch* The beastman raised one eye.

「Who told you that?」

「……!!」

「Only the holy spirit race noticed that I invaded the Yurun border. There were no humans there. Did you hear that from the holy spirits? But the holy spirits can’t speak human language? There’s only one individual who can speak human language. That means Rikugen Kyoko is alive.」

「……*gulp-*」

「You’re so careless. And because you underestimated me as a mere beast.」

Huge eyes like a cat.

He opened them until they became almost perfect circles, and stared at Lion King Balmung.

「That wise person, talking to humans. But I guess that’s another sign that she’s weakened. Don’t tell me don’t tell me, there isn’t a horde of holy spirits coming here, is there?」

「Unfortunately, I have no mercy or reward to give you b*st*rd.」

「Hmm? You still don’t know who is『higher』? See, look at this.」

More than ten meters behind──

The armored car, blown away like a pebble by Fang Emperor Rath=IE’s kick, lay on the ground, completely silent with black smoke billowing out of it.

「The one who overruns is me.」

A beastman with a gigantic Earth Mother Dragon as big as a hill.

「Humans, you have only two choices, to decay or obey.」

「Let me turn this around for you. The vehicle you kicked over was the one my subordinates were in.」

「So?」

「Thanks.」

The commander with a strong fierce face lifted up the edge of his mouth.

「You kicked the car closest to you. That is the end of your luck. Now my subordinates won’t get caught in the gunfire.」

「!」

Fang Emperor Rath=IE did not notice.

All the armored personnel carriers in front of us were parked with their batteries facing us.

「Fire!」

『Firing!』

Short-range fire from anti-aircraft guns.

They were large caliber weapons that could pierce a tough dragon’s skin, which was stronger than steel, and shatter a wall if pointed at castle walls. And they were only a few meters away.

The flames that erupted like a pillar of fire immediately engulfed Rath=IE and the Earth Mother Dragon.

「Oh, just barely……」

Kai would have been burned in flames if he had not evacuated behind the armored personnel carrier. The same was true for Balmung, the Lion King.

……But the strategy was to cut down as much time for the body to move as possible.

……The reaction speed of the beastman could not be outdone.

Beastmen were one of the species with the best eyesight and reaction time.

He was also very cautious. If we had shown the pretense of setting something up, he would have definitely noticed it.

『Commander, the Earth Mother Dragon went to the ground──』

「Don’t mind it! Aim at the beastman on the surface! 」

In the midst of the huge amount of flames and smoke, the Earth Mother Dragon, which had slipped in and out of view, dove into a large hole.

However, the aim of the guns was only on the ground.

The first priority was to finish off Fang Emperor Rath=IE.

『Behind us! The march of the cryptids is still approaching!』

「Don’t mind them, as long as we can take out this leader, the humans will win.」

『First round, all shots fired.』

「Hurry up and load. Complete the refilling before the things behind us catch up!」

Balmung ferociously roared with fiery emotion.

「Jeanne-dono, over there?」

「Sorry to keep you waiting, Balmung-dono. All five of your subordinates have been rescued. We’re treating them in our car, but there’s nothing life-threatening.」

In the cloud of dust, it was Jeanne who came running with his men.

──The Lion King stalled Rath=IE.

──Behind the scenes, Jeanne and his friends rescued the injured from the overturned car.

Neither of them proposed it.

The two commanders were moving on their own judgment.

「……Did you take them down?」

「I don’t know. I heard that the toughness of the cryptid race is hardcore. If it was a normal beast, it would have been burned to a crisp, but don’t let your guard down, Jeanne-dono.」

Balmung took a step forward.

While carefully observing the swelling black smoke, he held his favorite sledgehammer in his right hand.

「But as you could see from the Earth Mother Dragon, that huge dragon fled into the ground at full speed. In other words, not even cryptids would be safe from being hit directly by a cannon.」

「From what I could see, Fang Emperor Rath=IE was hit by a shell.」

「Mhm. He was definitely deeply wounded──」

Zu-, the sound of the ground sinking echoed. (TL: sliding sfx)

「*Haa* Is it over?」(TL: Like yawning sfx)

The dense black smoke broke, and a deep red beastman leapt out. He was covered in black soot, but he had no wounds on his body.

「What?!!」

「You’re misunderstanding.」

In front of Balmung’s sight.

The golden eyes shined like a full moon.

「The reason I sent the Earth Mother Dragon back is because you are my prey. I want to monopolize my prey. Do you get it?」

「Don’t get carried away, beast!」

A huge sledgehammer was swung down.

A dull thud echoed through the air as it pierced the brain of Rath=IE who had approached defenselessly.

But.

Crack-, it was the sledgehammer that shattered into pieces with a dry sound.

「……You b*st*rd. Are you a monster?！」

「You’re the next to go. The weak are pathetic.」

The beast’s arm was thrust out at the base of Balmung’s neck. Balmung, who had lost his sledgehammer, tried to retreat.

The voice came from behind him.

「Don’t move, Balmung──Break,『Moon Crossbow』.」

A single arrow sliced through the wind.

A flash of light emitted from the elf’s magic tool 『Moon Crossbow』shot through the forehead of the beast who had just attacked Balmung.

「!!」

The deep red beast stopped in his tracks.

Without missing that moment of rigidity, Kai ran as fast as he could.

「Burst open.」

He dove into the space between the demon’s chest and outstretched arms and slammed the Drake Nail into the demon’s side.

──Explosion.

The sparks of the short-form drake bullet bloomed at the tip of the Drake Nail. The super high temperature and impact generated by the explosive bursts completely destroyed the enemy’s outer shell.

It was a destructive blow that could defeat even a behemoth if it hit a vital point.

……It was a short-range destructive projectile created in the canonical history.

……If it’s a bomb you’ve never seen, there’s no way you can dodge it.

「Nostalgic, I must say.」

A chill like an electric current.

A kind of chill ran through Kai’s body that he had never felt before.

It wasn’t just the threat of Rath=IE getting up uneventfully, but also the words────

「In the Five Races War, the subordinates around Sid had similar weapons.」

「Rath=IE! Don’t tell me you……」

「Aren’t we like each other?」

The beastman without a scratch on him chuckled.

「You’re the one with Sid’s sword, aren’t you? You’re on the same side as me.」

「Do you have the memory of the canonical history……!」

「Quite nice. I’ve been looking for Sid all this time. It’s been unbearable not being able to take revenge on Sid. Can you relieve that frustration?」

「Unfortunately you’ve got the wrong person!」

Kai swung up the Drake Nail.

The deep red beastman did not make a move. He was struck on the top of the head with the blade of the Drake Nail, and his face and shoulders were dyed with explosive flames.

「Done? My goodness─」

In the midst of the fire, Fang Emperor Rath=IE stood there unconcerned.

Anti-aircraft guns that could make a dragon fall.

An elf bow that slayed demons.

And even with the firepower of the canonical history’s weapon, not a single scratch could be made.

「Are you possibly reluctant to show your plan, human? Where’s the Code Holder? I know you have it. Why don’t you use it?」

「I’m in the middle of analysis.」

「Hm?」

「That unfair durability of yours.」

Pointing straight at the dark red beastman, Kai raised his voice.

It’s not just for Rath=IE. It’s for the sake of communicating with Rinne, Reirin, Balmung, and others who were standing by.

「I know you’re a red manticore. The problem is that you’re not just a red manticore.」

「Heeh.」

「Mutant.」(TL: Also says “singularity” in furigana)

The red manticores were legendary flame-eating lions.

It was said that they turned their entire body into flames and attacked, but their physical strength was rather low among the cryptids. They couldn’t withstand the destructive power of anti-aircraft guns and short-form drake ammunition.

However, Fang Emperor Rath=IE was an exception.

……There was an assumption that was speculated in the canonical history.

……Rath=IE was a mutant born during the process of evolution.

「Over-evolved individuals」were born at a rate of one in thousands or tens of thousands.

Most of them could not adapt to the environment and were eliminated, but in rare cases, extremely 「combat ready」individuals could be produced.

「The strongest of the cryptid race is the dragon species. There’s a very clear reason for you to be able to push them away and reign at the top.」

「…………」

The beastman laughed.

He peeked out his canines, which were sharp as knives.

「Nostalgic, I must say. I remember when Sid told me the same thing.」

「You didn’t want to conceal it. You have the hypertrophy and super resilience of a mutant. Furthermore, you’ve also overcome the red manticore’s weakness,『cold air』, haven’t you?」

These words were all directed at the people behind me.

Don’t think of this beastman as a 「strong red manticore」. He’s a completely different species. He should be considered a new species that was more dangerous than a dragon.

……However, it’s so unfair.

……The data showed that the durability was exceptional, but when it came to how much, it was an order of magnitude greater.

He was almost invincible.

Whether submerged in a sea of lava, trapped in a frigid iceberg, or thrown into an extremely dry desert, this beast will probably not die.

「Balmung-dono!」

Jeanne’s cry pierced the tense silence.

The Holy Knight of Light looked up at the drakes gliding in the sky and the basilisks running on the ground.

「There’s no time left. Behind us!」

「Retreat! All of you, get in the cars. Prepare to retreat!」

「Sorry.」

The beastman kicked at the ground toward Balmung.

In an instant, he flew high into the sky over Kai and Rinne’s heads and went behind them. He was a carnivore with his eyes on its prey. He leapt at the Lion King standing in front of the armored personnel carrier.

「I’m not interested in other humans. But you are no commander.」

The Lion King who had lost his sledgehammer was defenseless.

The claws and fangs of the red manticore tore through his body’s bulletproof vest as if it was a thin sheet of paper. At that moment, all of the mercenaries were prepared.

「Commander, there is no survival in your future.」

『Do as you please.』

Piki…… (TL: apparently “anger” or “vein popping” sfx)

Rath=IE’s footsteps kicking the ground made the sound of something shattering. What the sole of the beastman’s foot stepped on was a small pendant that had fallen on the plain.

What is this?

The beastman stopped moving for a moment as he felt a sense of discomfort. A group of bright blue mucus was flowing out of the decorative part of the crushed pendant under his foot.

『It doesn’t matter to Rikugen Kyoko if the humans are alive or dead──is what I want to say.』

It stuck to Rath=IE’s feet.

The group of mucus climbed from knees to the thighs as if it had a will of its own. It crawled up the neck of the manticore.

『I made a mistake in seeing them as mere humans. There is no reason not to take advantage of this opportunity.』

「Rikugen Kyoko!」

It was the first time the beastman had shown any signs of agitation.

He widened his eyes and clawed at his body to try to forcefully peel off the group of mucus that stuck to his body. However, the holy spirit’s technique had already been activated.

──Universal Mirror Change『Drop』──

Many would think of raindrops or splashes of water from that word. However, the holy spirit race’s 「drops」were not that gentle.

The ultimate dissolving liquid.

It was a decomposition technique that destroys the cell membranes of all living things and even erodes and dissolves steel.

『It works on all living things. Even a cryptid’s skin will dissolve.』

*sizzle-* White smoke rose.

Just like how the human skin that comes into contact with a strong acid turns white, pure white smoke rose from the red manticore.

『If that’s the case──』

「Haha! Rikugen Kyoko, are you still unable to measure me?」

The response from the red manticore was a sneer.

Even though his entire body was slowly being eroded, there was no sense of impatience in the way he stood calmly. He looked at the mucus covering his neck and below.

「It works for living things. I see, yes. But I’m a mutant, not a common living thing. I lost to Sid because of his sword. That’s the only exception.」

It was regenerating.

While the body surface was being dissolved by Rikugen Kyoko’s technique, body surface tissue was being created one after another at a rate that was rather faster than the dissolving rate.

「And you haven’t been able to revive yourself at all, have you? The vitality I felt from your technique was very small.」

『…………』

「That’s why it’s useless, Rikugen Kyoko. Come on, retreat. Do you want to continue to consume your body?」

『It makes sense. You can’t move a step during the trick.』

「What?」

It was as if the entire body was hardened with spider silk.

Even when he tried to move his feet, the group of mucus that stuck to the ground prevented him from doing so.

「Rikugen Kyoko, what are you planning?」

『You just asked「where’s the Code Holder?」I misunderstood that there was no Sid’s sword here.』

「Ha, I will not overlook that sword. There is no other sword with such a dazzling light.」

『The world has been overwritten. What you said to Rikugen Kyoko.』

「…………」

『As a result, the Code Holder has also been altered. You have no idea what it’s like to become only being able to exist through possessing a human’s sword.』

Silence.

With his entire body entwined in the group of mucus, the red manticore looked behind him with only his head.

“Are you possibly reluctant to show your plan, human? Where’s the Code Holder?”

They were all hints.

By daring to attack with the Drake Nail, it would make him think this bayonet was not Sid’s sword.

「The Code Holder!」

The sword of the Hero Sid.

In response to Kai’s call, the Drake Nail transformed into a divine sword in the blink of an eye. A black-painted bayonet became a clear, sunlight colored sword.

「Rikugen Kyoko is quick-witted.」

「Did you have it all along?!」

The beastman’s entire body fur stood on end.

The fated defeat Rath=IE suffered in the canonical history ──The cause that had defeated the strongest creature, Rath=IE, reappeared in front of us.

『Do it.』

「Stop!!」

Pushed by the words of the two heroes, he swung down the shining sword. Rikugen Kyoko’s group of mucus was slashed and cut off. I aimed for the back of the red manticore, which had invincible durability, with all of my might.

────Scream.

「Ah!……ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!」

The invincible beast received a wound.

The wailing of Fang Emperor Rath=IE, who had received pain on his back that should not have been there, echoed through the plain in a strong tone.

And.

At the same time, changes appeared in the cryptids beyond the horizon.

「Kai, they’re running away!」

「That howl now……Did they flee after realizing Rath=IE was defeated?」

Rinne and Reirin.

The two who were glaring at the cryptids at the end of the armored personnel carrier shouted. The drakes, sub-dragons, and basilisks all scattered away beyond the horizon.

「Jeanne-sama!」

「Don’t let your guard down. Focus only on the enemy in front of you.」

The only one left was Fang Emperor Rath=IE.

On the other hand, there were the mercenaries in their vehicles, as well as Kai, Jeanne, and Balmung on the ground.

「Have you been abandoned by the cryptid race? It seems like the tyrant has gone too far.」

With a cold gaze, elf shrine maiden Reirin glared at the beastman.

「When I think about it, Heavenly Lord Alfreyja was the same. He lost the trust of not only the elves but also the angels because of his oppressive decisions.But that was because he was brainwashed by your minion, the rasterizer. Isn’t that right?」

「…………」

The deep red beastman did not respond.

Of course, Reirin must have not expected an answer to her questioning.

「You were abandoned by your cryptid companions in the end. It’s a fitting end.」

「────You don’t understand.」

The beastman’s voice was filled with hatred.

Fang Emperor Rath=IE’s eyes still glowed brightly as he slumped forward from being cut by the Code Holder.

Because of the light in his eyes, Kai and Rikugen Kyoko couldn’t help but hesitate to pursue.

「They left because I ordered them to. Didn’t they just scream? Did you think that was my scream?」

「……What’s going on. You deliberately made your subordinates run away?」

Reirin raised her eyebrows.

Jeanne standing in front of Balmung and her had similar expressions. I don’t get it. Wouldn’t you be completely isolated if you let your companions retreat in these circumstances?

「I don’t want this form to be seen. I’m just trying to look good as the cryptid race leader.」

*Pop-*

A huge piece of flesh swelled up from the beastman’s back, making a sound like bubbles bursting.

Not only did it close the wounds caused by the Code Holder, but it also grew larger, forming a shape that resembled the upper half of a human body as it stuck out from Rath=IE’s back.

A girl like a broken doll──

A distorted monster that didn’t belong to any race grows out of Rath=IE’s back. The sight reminded Kai of something he didn’t like.

「……Rasterizer……？」

『It looks like that to Rikugen Kyoko. Yes. I was wondering where the rasterizer was hidden, but it was fused. Even so, it was considerably easily shown.』

「I have no intention of hiding it.」

Fang Emperor Rath=IE spread his hands.

In addition, the upper body of the rasterizer that grew from his back also spread its hands in the same way.

──Two bodies are one.

Different races fusing?

「Ahh, I’m glad I came. Hey, human with Sid’s sword?」

Rath=IE had a crooked smile.

His sharp talons were pointed at me. (TL: Talons as in the claws on feet, feel like this makes sense)

「You are the true singularity. You must not be in this world. Your presence is shifting the purpose of this rasterizer from mine.」

「……Your purpose?」

「I’m similar to you. In the sense of『those who follow Sid』. But……haha! You still haven’t realized Sid’s mistake.」

A harsh sigh spilled from the beastman’s mouth.

「What do you mean. What about Sid? What did that hero do?」

「Hero? That man, a hero? No way, that man is the greatest sinner in the world. That man broke the history of the world. The evidence is the rasterizer!」

Magic circle.

The whirlpool of power that appeared Kai’s feet shined.

「……Gu!」(TL: heavy breathing sfx)

In a daze, he swung the Code Holder.

Slashing fate──The magic that was about to be launched at Kai was cut in half by a sunlight-colored blade and fell like a storm of cherry blossoms.

「Yes. With that sword, Sid broke history.」

Rath=IE didn’t move an inch.

The beastman must have predicted that the Code Holder would prevent the technique.

「The rasterizer was a tempter. It approached the four heroes who had received Sid’s atonement and tried to befriend them. You know what I’m talking about, Rikugen Kyoko?」(TL: atonement possibly referring to that of Jesus Christ’s, by dying on the cross.)

『…………』

「But all heroes except me were incompatible with the rasterizer.」

For the rasterizer──

Dark Empress Vanessa looked down on me.

Heavenly Lord Alfreyja rejected me.

Original Spirit Lord・Rikugen Kyoko had doubts.

Therefore, incompatible.

Only Fang Emperor Rath=IE accepted.

『Cannot understand.』

The deep blue living creature slime said lightly.

『Why did the cryptids accept such a thing?』

The holy spirit hero pointed to the monster that stuck out from his back.

『What in the world did you want to do with it when you took it in? Rikugen Kyoko can’t understand.』

「Because I know now.」

『?』

「Why did I want this reasterizer? Because I needed power to resist the『Great Founder』.」(TL: It’s hard to tell if this is singular or plural, but I’ll assume it’s singular. Gender is also unclear.)

Resentment spilled out of the mouth of the red beastman.

Kai inwardly raised his eyebrows when he heard the constructed words “Great Founder.”

……Great Founder?

……What is that? Are those words that refer to someone?

It’s not Sid in this context. Sid would have named it that.

「The Great Founder tampered with fate. For revenge, I needed the rasterizer.」

「……Rath=IE! What is this Great Founder?」

『Rikugen Kyoko doesn’t even know. No idea.』

Kai and Rikugen Kyoko matched their words.

But the cryptid race leader just silently sneered.

──Pathetic.

With such a gaze of mixed contempt.

「Being banished from the canonical history, you’ve been looking for the source of this world reincarnation, haven’t you? The answer is the fool who calls himself or herself the『Great Founder』.」

「…………What?!!」

「I don’t know where he or she is now. But I’ll definitely find him or her. That’s why I need the rasterizer.」

『What do you mean by revenge?』

As serene as the water’s surface in winter──

It was the holy spirit hero who coldly replied.

『Rikugen Kyoko doesn’t remember the world reincarnation. Or the canonical history. Therefore I do not understand. Rath=IE, are you unhappy with the current cryptid race? Do you hate the Great Founder?』

「He or she is abhorrent.」

The red beastman spread out his hands.

「He or she was the one even you didn’t know about, Rikugen Kyoko. Do you understand? He or she is the ruler behind the scenes of history. Without showing any shadow or form in the Five Races War, he or she manipulated the world as he or she wished from above. As the apex of your species, don’t you find it repulsive?」

『…………』

「Even if you don’t, the Great Founder is a hindrance to the cryptid’s true domination of the world. I need to find and eliminate him or her. And I need to do it immediately.」

『Immediately? Why?』

Kai also understood the question of Rikugen Kyoko.

Why immediately?

It’s true.The cryptids invaded North Urza, East Io, and South Yurun. While the other races continued to stare each other down, they continued to make the most belligerent choices.

「The Great Founder made a mistake.」

The rasterizer on his back slowly tilted its head.

As if it was a servant who defended Rath=IE by restraining the mercenaries with guns.

「The world reincarnation he or she caused was beyond his or her control. I got myself caught in a small fire that I started. Ultimately────」

Rath=IE raised one hand.

He pointed to the human Kai in front of him.

「No one can stop the world reincarnation that has left control of the Great Founder. It will soon reach the second level.」

「Second level?」

「What, you didn’t notice? The world will『mutate』around this place.」

The beastman looked down at his feet.

Kai had no idea what that meant.

「……The world mutates? Isn’t that something that already happened?」

「The effects of world reincarnation are huge. Hey human, you know about the canonical history’s Five Races War. Didn’t you think it was strange? 」

「What.」

「The areas the humans called Unclaimed Lands. Weren’t they such prominent places in the canonical history?」

「!！」

My heart started to beat faster.

I remember asking that very question that you pointed out.

……But what does that mean?

……It’s not surprising that there are Unclaimed Lands that had been tampered with in the world reincarnation.

In this world where the results of the Five Races War were reversed──

What surprised me anymore?

「What about it. I don’t see how it has anything to do with this conversation right now!」

Rath=IE said「immediately」.

The Great Founder must be eliminated so the cryptid tribe could take control of the world immediately. There didn’t seem to be any connection between that subject and the subject of the second level of world reincarnation.

「It’s a big ant.」

「……What did you say?」

「I’ll take care of the others before the sixth arrives. That mechanical steel species is troublesome.」

What that meant──

No one understood the words Rath=IE spat out.

Kai, Jeanne, and Rinne too.

The sidhe Rinne and the holy spirit Rikugen Kyoko too.

「Most──」

Rath=IE’s voice sounded terrifying.

In response, a strange roar came from the rasterizer that grew from his back.

「You will be finished before you see it.」

“Higher order ability『Zero-Coordinate Tampering』.”

Ji!……Jiji!…… (TL: apparently SFX like matches being lit)

『Noise』was born in created in the sky over Kai’s head in his vision.

Dozens of thin black streaks like lightning fell from the sky, blocking his view. It was not noise, but an optical disturbance of vision.

「……This is……!?」

「What, I just advanced it a little bit.」

The surrounding landscape began to change color rapidly.

The outline of Balmung and Reirin standing next to each other blurred and turned into a strange purple color. Mottled patterns appeared on their skin. Their entire bodies began to discolor as if it was affected by a strange fungus.

「Balmung, Reirin?! Your skin──」

「It’s useless, human. Even if you can recognize it with the Code Holder, no one else will be able to notice this tampering.」

Red beastman Rath=IE──

The beastman, who himself was turning into pure white fur, said so.

「Isn’t it the same with the world reincarnation? You’re the only one who can recognize it. But you can only see it. You can’t stop the tampering.」

That’s right.

This was the exact same situation as the manifestation of the world reincarnation.

The scene that came back to my mind──Everything was sucked into an empty vortex in the sky. That nightmare passed through my mind.

……The canonical history had been overwritten. I thought that was the world reincarnation.

……Is there still more?!

The world reincarnation wasn’t over.

This was how all the humans and sidhe Reirin’s appearances were changing color. It wasn’t just history that was being overwritten──

「No! Balmung, Jeanne! Stop Fang Emperor Rath=IE!」

「Eh?」

「Hm? Wh, what do you mean?」

The two of them who were dyed in a mottled pattern don’t notice.

For the「alteration」that was happening to themselves.

「Rikugen Kyoko, Reirin! Can’t you see it too?!」

「Wh, what Kai?! Suddenly.」

『……What are you looking at? It looks like nothing is happening to Rikugen Kyoko.』

Not even the holy spirit hero was aware of it.

Rikugen Kyoko, seen from Kai, was becoming a faded sepia color rather than a bright blue living creature slime. (TL: Sepia is a reddish-brown color)

「Anyone who doesn’t have a Code Holder will become『another thing』. I don’t know or have any interest in how they will change. And this will make the Great Founder panic. After all, the world he or she tried to control is breaking down.」

「Rath=IE!」

In the midst of the black lightning noise pouring down, I grabbed the Code Holder.

……Not yet.

……The situation was similar, but the circumstances were completely different than what they were at the time of the world reincarnation.

This event was triggered by Rath=IE.

If that’s the case, then defeating the sorcerer himself should be enough to stop the activation.

「If I beat you, then this will stop. That’s right!」

「Delightful.」

The beastman stared at Kai, who held Sid’s sword in his hand.

His gaze radiated with fearlessness, but his tone was nostalgic for the past.

「Can you beat me? By the end of the tampering? That day, I fell behind Sid, but miracles don’t happen twice. I remember my defeat in the canonical history.」

「Unfortunately──」

I bit my lip.

Kicking the discolored earth, Kai challenged the cryptid race leader alone.

「I’m not a quitter!」

「No way, no way. Even without fighting, humans can’t keep up with the leg strength of a beastman. I’ll just run around stalling for time and you won’t even be able to touch me, will you?」

The beast sprinted.

With enough leg strength to shake the ground, Rath=IE leapt down powerfully.

Far out of the range of the Code Holder.

「Hahaha! That look. I hope you feel the same anger I do, Sid’s successor. Despair when you see the broken world──────!……?」

The leap stopped.

Kai did not catch Fang Emperor Rath=IE.

But there was a girl who grabbed him by the shoulders and forcibly stopped him with the same brute strength of the cryptid race.

「You……I see, you can see the Zero-Coordinate Tampering.」

「Rinne?!」

「……I don’t know what you mean, but I hate this magic of yours!」

Rinne grabbed the leader of the cryptid race.

In the midst of the discoloring world, a girl’s blonde hair began to twirl and shine. It was not the light of the sky, but the hair itself that was transparent, creating an infinite amount of light from within.

──The color of sunlight.

──Like the Code Holder.

In addition, on her forehead and two arms, a faintly glowing pattern rose to the skin.

Factor awakening.

The essence of Rinne, who was once called a「chaotic species」by Dark Empress Vanessa, was materializing.

「What are you doing with the rasterizer!」

「Ha! That hatred should be directed at the Great Founder!」

Rath=IE howled as he was grabbed by the neck.

The cryptid race leader grabbed Rinne’s neck back, which had the factor of the cryptid tribe.

「The world has already been destroyed by world reincarnation. I am only accelerating the erosion of that world reincarnation. In order to drag out the panicked Great Founder.」

「I’m telling you to stop it! Your power……I hate it! I really hate it!」

Rinne’s facial expression twisted in agony.

She was being strangled by the strongest creature, Rath=IE. Even though she had the factor of the cryptid race, his arm strength was overwhelmingly superior.

「Rinne, hold on for a few more seconds!」

Kai ran towards the beast that stopped moving.

A moment later, a hand of the rasterizer stretched out like a whip.

『Release of Authority「Race Tampering」』

「……It’s not letting me get close!」

I was able to hold onto a paper-thin margin.

If I had taken one more step, or even half a step, my「shadow」would have been stolen and a strange alter ego would have been born, just like what happened before to Rikugen Kyoko.

……It moved independently of Rath=IE’s will.

……You’re not going to let me attack him! (TL: Referring to Rath=IE)

At the same time, it means it won’t get close to Rinne.

But.

「──────Never mind that, your power, I said I hate it!」

At that moment.

For a moment, Kai saw tenma wings flap from Rinne’s back.

Orbie Clar “Phy I lu, Ez nes r-cela Deris.”　──Mantra『World Purpose』

The downpour of black noise around them disappeared.

The discoloration that had been progressing stopped. No, it didn’t just stop. The sky, which had turned brown, slowly returned to its original blue color.

「Interrupted?!」

Fang Emperor Rath=IE’s voice shook.

With a look of anger, astonishment, and joy that was beyond Kai’s comprehension.

「This power surge……as expected, is from the『Blessed Survivor』the rasterizer fears. You should have been destroyed a long time ago, but you have survived.」

「What are you talking about.」

「I’m talking about you, you pathetic orphan────Do it.」

The rasterizer moved.

It grabbed Rinne’s forehead, which was still in Rath=IE’s grasp, in a tight grip and lifted it up. (TL: I’m not sure how we went to the forehead, but I suppose Rath was grabbing her by the neck and the forehead at the same time)

「……N, no?! Wh, what are you doing!」

「The world will not change with you. So go sleep at the end of the world.」

A thick fog stagnated before Rinne.

As if it had a will of its own, it covered and enveloped Rinne.

「Kai, save me…………」

「Rinne?!」

He held the Code Holder.

He raised his sword to cut away the fog that surrounded Rinne. Kai bellowed when he saw the rasterizer reaching out to interfere.

「Get out of my way and return Rinne!」

He swung Sid’s sword down.

In that moment, Kai lost consciousness as he was swallowed by the torrent of light that swelled up in front of him.

(TL: Text: Secret Area『Zero Coordinates Boundary・After Mutation Phase 1』)

I sort of find it weird that Rinne and Kai are just fighting and Rath=IE and then everyone else is like “huh I don’t see what’s going on.” Like, you think they’d trust their homies or something that Rath was up to no good. Anyway, email me at pascalswagerofficial@gmail.com w/ comments, or just comment down below. Also join the NeoSekai TL Discord and help me cover raw costs on Ko-Fi if you want (or, even better, support the author by buying the Japanese originals). I’ve started posting my TL schedule for this series on there, so you might find it useful for that as well. I also stream on Twitch sometimes, and wouldn’t mind answering questions about TL work or other stuff on there. Finally, we’re looking for new translators and editors for LN/WNs and translators/cleaners/redrawers/editors/proofreaders for manga, so if you’re interested in that, please join the discord and ask. Experience is not a determining factor for admission. I’m planning on getting World 5 out on 6/30 and the rest of Volume 4 out by 7/10, apologies as I know I have deviated far from my original goal of 6/25. I realized that full time work and learning Japanese has left me with a lot less time for translating than I thought I would have. This is still good for my goal of one volume every two months though, considering I started volume 4 on 5/11.