Wavy black hair. Hair made of something higher-dimensional rather than earthly material shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors as if containing the universe within.
Ignoring gravity, the strands floated through the air like tails following the Evil God’s every movement.
─■■ ■■■.
The Evil God called out to someone. But just as distorted radio waves from a distant star can’t be understood, the words spoken by this higher-dimensional being didn’t reach Kail on the mortal plane.
All Kail heard was static-like gibberish—but somehow, he instinctively knew it was calling him.
“I really, REALLY wanted to see you.”
Ever since that time when, with just one finger, he’d obliterated an entire duchy. Ever since his once-perfect career had not just been tarnished but utterly shredded—
Kail resolved to take down the Evil God, even if he himself became tainted and driven mad by its evil essence in the process. He swore to do it.
And now—now was the time to fulfill that promise.
“‘I’ll kill you’ is what I want to say, but… well, killing this avatar won’t destroy the main body, right?”
─■■■er.
“So instead… I’ll beat you so bad you’ll never dare come back here again.”
The Evil God descended to the mortal realm using the faith of its cultists and the lives of its apostles as sacrifices. Naturally, it couldn’t truly die.
Even if Kail cut off its head or tore its body into a hundred pieces—the Evil God wouldn’t perish. Only its avatar would vanish.
Did that mean there was no way to stop the Evil God? Well, not exactly.
“If you think you’re gonna die from getting beaten up, start praying. Got it?”
The next moment, Kail shot forward. As soon as he lunged, the Evil God extended a single finger toward him.
The instant that finger pointed at Kail, he reflexively swung his sword through the air, feeling something get severed.
‘This bastard—.’
Kail instinctively realized two things: first, that what he’d just cut was the power of the Thief who’d been fighting him moments ago; second, that touching whatever invisible force emanated from that finger would strip away all abilities without fail. With his heart racing, Kail smirked.
Back when he was young—before becoming a Master—death had always been close. Missing a block against an enemy’s blade meant death. Getting hit by stray arrows meant death. Being caught in large-scale magic meant death.
After becoming a Master, those brushes with mortality became rare. In fact, Kail hadn’t felt genuine fear of death in ages. And honestly, he hated that.
‘Now THIS is fun!’
But now, with his life hanging by a thread at the flick of the Evil God’s finger. With everything resting on the edge of his sword.
This pulse-pounding battle was exactly what Kail had longed for.
A life-or-death showdown. The thrill of combat. A once-in-a-lifetime gamble where both sides wagered their very lives.
SWISH! The Evil God’s hair whipped through the air like lashes. Realizing the immense force contained within them, Kail understood that touching those strands wouldn’t end well.
Using his Superior Blade as a shield, he blocked the entirety of the incoming hair. Though the kinetic energy transferred to the blade dissipated completely, the strands themselves didn’t disappear.
Considering how Superior Blades could cut through anything they touched—even dragon scales and Evil God avatars resistant to Aura Blades—this was absurd.
Kail shifted slightly to observe the hair more closely, finally understanding why it resisted his blade.
‘It keeps growing back. Insane.’
The Evil God’s hair regrew instantly wherever Kail cut it. Yet, the Evil God seemed to exert no effort whatsoever.
Observing this, Kail grasped why the hair kept regenerating and why the Evil God showed no signs of fatigue.
Imagine pouring seawater onto a raging wildfire. Would dumping endless buckets of seawater extinguish the flames? No. Because the sea is infinite—or practically so. It doesn’t run dry.
The same principle applied here. The Evil God’s energy, vast as the ocean, continuously regenerated. When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, the latter always wins.
“You coward! Fight me with skill, damn it!”
Fuming at the Evil God, Kail tightened his grip on his sword and pondered his next move. Not only were the strands dangerous, but the Evil God’s entire body was a weapon. Wherever it stepped, the land became corrupted, and its breath polluted the world.
Its latent powers, unleashed at will, each carried the potential to kill Kail instantly—and who knew how many such powers existed or how often they could be used?
An overwhelmingly unfavorable situation. One impossible to overcome under normal circumstances.
“Well then… fine. I’ll cheat too.”
If the opponent operated beyond reason, then Kail would abandon reason as well. Glancing at the back of his hand, he noticed a glowing stigmata blazing brightly, demanding attention.
Stigmata.
The power bestowed by the Sovereign God.
A vaccine countering the virus threatening to corrupt and delete this world.
Earlier, watching the Virgin Saintess fight, Kail had realized something: divine energy was particularly effective against the Evil God.
“Oh great God… don’t expect me to pray, though.”
Kail felt the holy energy coursing through his veins, radiating outward. From far above, he sensed something—or someone—watching over him.
That presence must be the Sovereign God. The absolute being determined to protect this world.
“—If you don’t help me, Earth’s doomed, you know?”
Figure it out yourself. Even with this borderline threat, the Sovereign God responded to Kail’s will.
The holy energy enveloped Kail’s body like armor, wrapping around him tightly. Staring at the golden shell encasing him, Kail let out an impressed whistle.
Power surged through his entire body. Perhaps equal to—or surpassing—the overwhelming specs of the Thief who’d dominated him earlier.
An aura capable of moving mountains and engulfing the world swirled fiercely inside him.
“Leave defense to me.”
In the next instant, Kail charged toward the Evil God. Seeing the divine energy, the Evil God roared wildly in defiance.
─■□◇□■！！
A monster’s roar. At this moment, the Evil God had been reduced to nothing more than a beast. Cutting off one of its tendrils, Kail fully grasped this truth.
As the tendril fell, the writhing Evil God unleashed another power at Kail. The Authority of Greed—a greedy ability designed to steal opponents’ skills.
Unfortunately for the Evil God, the golden armor encasing Kail was itself a form of authority. The clash between the Sovereign God’s and the Evil God’s authorities canceled each other out.
“HAHAHAHA!”
Power.
Overwhelming power drove Kail into a frenzy of laughter. Observing the divine energy flowing through his sword, he realized he could condense it freely.
So he did. The Sovereign God’s holy energy softly wrapped around the concentrated aura of his Superior Blade. Two forces intertwined, rebirthing into a new concept altogether.
Instinctively, Kail knew he couldn’t replicate or describe this power. Swinging the sword wasn’t possible—it simply acted on its own.
But that alone was enough to defeat the Evil God before him. Thrusting the blade forward, the combined might of superhuman and divine authority sliced through the Evil God.
─■One, Ma□er…….
Pierced by the sword, the Evil God glared up at Kail with resentment, raising a hand. When its fingers brushed Kail’s cheek, Kail twisted the blade further, inflicting agony.
But gritting its teeth, the Evil God endured the pain and succeeded in touching Kail’s cheek, linking them together.
─Kail Meyer, you……
A resentful voice. Kail expected the Evil God to hurl insults.
─You’ve been deceived.
But reality proved otherwise.
Moments later—after enduring fatal blows from both the Sovereign God and Kail—the Evil God vanished.
Left alone, Kail frowned deeply, replaying the Evil God’s final words in his mind.
“…What?”
The battle was over.
***
Shortly after the Evil God disappeared, the Academy declared a temporary holiday. Dozens had died, and parts of the Academy were destroyed, making closure unavoidable.
Thankfully, both the Empire and Holy Kingdom recognized the attack as the work of the Evil God Cult, awarding compensation to the Academy.
The Headmaster smiled gleefully upon receiving the funds and liability waivers. Recalling his expression still brought a chuckle to Kail’s lips.
But that smile faded quickly. Kail wasn’t in a position to laugh for long.
‘What the hell did it mean?’
Kail reflected on the Evil God’s last words: “You’ve been deceived.” Was it merely a ploy to sow doubt? Or…
‘What if… I really am being deceived?’
If so, by what?
He needed answers.
