As Satoru Yagami stood there, the wyvern’s flames illuminated the darkening forest. At the same time, he saw several of the Heroes turn into golden light and disappear.
‘See? It was fine after all.’
Evacus whispered in his usual, gentle voice.
‘Even if they lose, they won’t really die. They return to their original world.’
“…I see…that’s good…”
He had fought monsters before, but this was the first time he fought against human Heroes.
And so it had occurred to him that he might have to kill or injure them, which he did not like at all. However, if they were just going to vanish into light like that, then it was fine.
“Still, why did they all attack me?”
‘Sorry. I made a little mistake. But it’s all fine now.’
Evacus reassured him.
‘It was decided that everyone would fight here, and gain the right to face off with Sheto.’
“Really?”
‘Besides, there are times when a monster user ends up fighting human characters who form a party. It is like that.’
“…I see.”
While this was a little different from what he imagined, it was true that the others seemed to have formed a party, and were ready to fight him.
Besides, he was a little mad that they had injured his wyvern. They had attacked unprovoked and without saying anything. It wasn’t fair.
‘Try using the mithril golem next. You know, you have that tackle technique. For group attacks.’
“The Rocket Tackle? Alright!”
Satoru scanned the scene and saw a spot where a lot of Heroes were clustered together. If there were that many, then it would be worth using up points for the technique.
“Alright then! Mithril Golem, use Rocket Tackle over there!”
Obediently, its large body shrunk down and…
“Oh!”
Faster than the win, the giant golem shot towards the group of Heroes.
In just two attacks, the majority of the Heroes in front of Fuminori were blasted into the air. Ayano, who he was holding, looked at this with a pale expression.
“You…have to be kidding me…”
“No…it can’t…”
After charging, the golem continued its rampage, crushing those who were slow and wounded and those who were not. Of course, they weren’t really dying. However, Fuminori could not forget the faces of those who had looked at him in their last moments.
Those who remained were trying desperately to attack back, but not a single one hit.
“What the hell is happening! I thought it was only Zephalis’s Hero who had absolute defense!?”
“…MonColo…”
“Huh? What did you say, Ayano-san?”
She muttered with a stunned face.
“Monster Colosseum… The attack he just used. It is from MonColo.”
It was a popular mobile game that was set in a fantasy world.
“Huh!? Wait, I thought you hated those kinds of games…”
“My younger brother was into it. And so I sometimes helped with collecting monsters.”
The wyvern unleashed its breath again, burning the remaining Heroes. This was not a battle between Heroes and monsters. It was a one-sided slaughter. However, the kid did not seem to think much of it.
It would make sense, if he just saw this as another one of those games.
Regardless, the problem was these monsters.
“It’s insane! This wyvern is likely 42 and the golem 53! Why are they attacking a group of people whose average level is around 15!?”
“Besides, the wyvern is using Flight to increase its mobility and breath. And the golem has magic nullification and physical resistance.”
Ayano laughed sadly as she talked about them.
It was clear that she had a very good memory.
The stats of these enemies made this a hopeless battle.
“It’s no wonder our attacks didn’t hit it. That’s a game where monsters fight each other. Player characters aren’t able to attack.”
Even after hunting down most of the Heroes that were there, the wyvern continued to ravenously search for more prey. In the meantime, the golem rose back to its feet after the tackle.
“Are you listening, old man! That god you were whining about! He knows this game in and out! There’s no way that we can win! This whole place is a trap. He set it up to kill us!”
Fuminori didn’t care if he was heard or not. He just wanted to shout. This god was such a typical idiot. Too focused on the power struggle that he didn’t even see his own feet.
On the other side of the mirror, Evacus laughed without restraint.
“Hahahaha! I see, I see. Lord Gardekie, it seems like your Hero was a little too much for you to handle!”
‘You…!’
‘Evacus! How are you able to wield the Divine Law!’
Sydia shouted. Evacus was happy that the question had finally been brought up.
‘The Divine Law grants the Hero various ‘divine rules,’ allowing them to advance the game in their favor. However, it should require even more sacrifices than a divine vessel! There’s no way you, a plague god, could afford to pay for that!’
“You say all of that, but still do not understand?”
He felt complete contempt for the god who understood nothing at all.
At the same time, he felt excitement. Not just excitement, but a sense of fulfillment that he could not describe in words.
“Just now, you called me a plague god, Lord Sydia.”
‘…Wh-what…’
“I suppose one as noble as you, would not know how many years, hundreds and thousands of years…I have played the role of a hated plague god for the others.”
The resentment in his voice rubbed into the wounds of the other god. Increasing despair with a tightening grip on the sea god’s heart.
“Even plague gods have believers. We are disgraced but worshiped. And I have become known across so many worlds.”
At first, it had been loathsome and little else. Everyone hated and laughed at him.
However, even under such circumstances, when you worked hard to build something, you could eventually reach different heights.
“Faith! Believers! I have sacrificed everything that I have in order to bring my Hero here like this!”
‘The reason that your Hero is the master of a high-ranking monster…’
“My Hero played a game. A game where there exists an item that allows you to capture monsters. With the use of that, even a high-ranking ancient dragon can be made a servant to a Hero in a flash.”
He had not expected things to go this well. With the help of the Sage, he would not have made such a bold move.
“…Satoru. There are two of them left.”
He said quietly and without emotion. He needed to be able to control his Hero without moving the strings.
This was a child playing a new monster training game. The more he thought of it like that, the easier it would be.
‘Really? It doesn’t look like they want to fight.’
“It’s fine. Besides, you have to defeat them in order to be the last one standing.”
‘But…’
“Alright then. Just attack. And if they run away, then you can ignore them.”
Gardekie and Sydia heard those last words as well.
But then the rats were crushed, and they disappeared from his vision.
There was no pain.
If anything, he felt strength welling up within him.
“Ah, oh, ohhhh.”
Evacus realized what the source of it was, and he cried tears of joy.
Faith. The result of respect and fear.
“Ah, ahhhh. How…wonderful…”
People from worlds he did not even know the name of, were offering their prayers to him. Not as a plague god, but as a great god who ruled all.
Evacus, our god.
The cries filled his body.
“Ahh… Ahhhh!”
The rat god embraced it all, without letting a single voice escape.
This was his. His alone. No one would take it from him.
“Aha! Ahaha! Ahahahahaha!”
Drunk on the feeling, Evacus descended from his throne, and slipped out of the god seat.
Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome and thank you too