Chapter Twelve: Victory Tastes Like Strength

After that battle with the outer being, my mind was blank. I could neither see nor hear anything at all. It felt as though I was drifting through empty space.
{You must awake, my savior. My children have been saved because of your bravery...}
This voice... it wasn’t LV.
{Your courage has reshaped humanity’s history... You’ll be the one to lead them to glory... rise above all else and stand at the top of all beings.}
The voice faded, disappearing into my dreams. It felt monumental — as if the world itself were thanking me directly.
Lying in bed and feeling utterly helpless, I tried to open my eyes.
My eyelids were leaden; everything was heavy. The god... what happened to the god?
It took a huge effort before I could finally open my eyes, only to find myself lying flat in bed.
"Huh? Where am I?" I asked immediately.
I glanced to my left — no one. Then I turned to my right — still no one.
Then I heard the sound of someone eating.
At that noise, I sat up and looked behind me, only to find LV shoveling food into her mouth like she hadn’t eaten in days.
I’m in pain all over.
I just fought a god, yet I’m... still moving? Being a god myself sure has its perks.
“I shee chu’ve jokin up (I see you’ve woken up).”
There was nothing godly about the creature before me; she had food smeared across her face.
“Gulp! Whatever. I’m busy... and that’s no way to talk to your hero.”
My hero...?
“Who do you think brought you back home? Who do you think has been looking after you for the past week?”
A week?! Was I out for a whole... week!?
...Somehow it made sense — I no longer sensed that oppressive atmosphere.
After that battle, I had expected to be swaddled in bandages.
“Don’t forget you are not human. You wouldn’t even need to rest if it weren’t for the rules.”
Rules?
“Yes... why do you think none of your wounds healed during the fight? Because gods don’t have healing powers? No. In a normal battle, a god heals himself immediately after an attack. The deciding factor in a god’s fight is not the amount of damage; it’s the energy. A fight can last for weeks or months until an opponent’s energy is depleted. But as I told you before... this is all for their amusement, so rules were set.”
I nodded. So that was why — the rule that prevents me from knowing an opponent’s moves.
“Exactly. Think about it... what will happen if you all keep healing during the fight? It would last longer than a week at most. And what do you think would happen if you were left with your ability to know anything?”
The fight would end... in less than a minute.
“Not just that. Without the feeling of having accomplished something, your power level will not increase... Your strategy was actually not bad.”
“Hmph!” I wanted to end it as quickly as possible... then I would send a clear message... to the gods.
I had been terrified when I felt his presence, but more terrifying was the fact that I couldn’t predict his next move.
At first I wanted to rely on you telling me about his attacks. If I knew what he planned... it wouldn’t matter if he changed his mind — in the end I would already know the true attack.
I did have hope, though.
“Hope?” She stopped eating and looked at me.
Yes, hope... it’s the “Name.” Why was I allowed to know his name? Names are important even among humans — so why...?
I figured it out during the fight. His obsession with “becoming a higher god” confirmed my suspicion. There had to be a reason the lower gods were sent in first — they are the “lower” gods, obviously... a god is still a god, but why did he want so desperately to become a higher god?
“Higher” sounds more glamorous than “lower,” but the real question is: what matters most to a god?
“Pride?”
Exactly. So the name became my hope.
Thinking I wouldn’t be able to know anything about him, and seeing his reaction when he learned I couldn’t, and finally witnessing that I didn’t use Zinertia, convinced him... I was nothing.
I had to cling to that.
The second hope came when you told me about his last attack... changing the structure of your opponent is a flashy finishing move. If I had used Zinertia before he started molding me, it would have made him cautious about standing close.
“But how did you know he was going to mold you, not turn you into gas or a piece of paper?”
Hmm. I was ready for everything — except I wasn’t sure about the gas phase. If he had turned me into paper, what would come next?
“Hmm, what is it?” She finished eating and turned to face me properly.
It’s obvious, isn’t it?... I wouldn’t leave an opponent alone after turning him into paper.
“You don’t mean?”
I would tear him up into a million pieces!!
To tear me up disgracefully would require him to actually hold me. I thought about using my Zinertia at that moment, since I can bring it out from any part of my body.
Even if he managed to tear me... I wouldn’t be lost.
“I see. Using your Zinertia on him would definitely make his brain pause, more especially after thinking you couldn’t use it. So what would you have done if he turned you into gas?”
It was a gamble.
“A gamble?”
Gas is still a phase of matter... after a while I would mix with the air. I thought of doing something before that... but even if I dispersed, I wouldn’t be completely gone. Just as elements in air can be separated, my gaseous state could be collected.
I wouldn’t die even if the wind blew me away — because in the state I’m in, as long as I remain alive, I thought I could “re-summon” the gas together after he let his guard down... coat myself with Zinertia... and attack.
“I see. Since you are in a gaseous state, your low-level Zinertia can coat your body... Amazing — that would definitely work! And then all you have to do is graze him and the shock will turn you back to normal... You are amazing, I didn’t think of that!”
Of course you didn’t...
“I just praised you and that’s what I get? Then what about where you yelled his name?”
Figure that out for yourself.
“I know you are going to think about it, and when you do: it’s just like telling me to my ear.”
Sigh... at first I thought, “Lower gods don’t hear their names mentioned often and his obsession with ranks has something to do with that.”
“Then you changed your mind?”
No. I stuck with that belief... but then another clue presented itself — his reaction when I used Zinertia.
He didn’t think I could use Zinertia, so he was surprised... and because he thought I couldn’t know anything, he started to doubt.
When I yelled his name he probably thought, “He even knows my name? What if I was fooled and he already knows everything about me!?”
That made him pause and stare directly at me, trying to read me... but that was his mistake.
...“Amira!! How is she!” Amira suddenly came to mind, and I pushed myself out of bed to ask.
“Finally feel like opening your mouth to speak? Don’t worry — thanks to you she’s fine. Ha’e’rrut was ordered to stop attacking immediately after we showed up. That is one of the rules for the gods’ side: they are to stop any destruction and fight us when we respond. If we take too long to respond the damage will only increase. He slowly dropped all the buildings that were in midair after we left the city.”
I see. That’s good.
It’s actually quite nice... communicating with my mind.
“Hmm?” I stared intently at LV.
You’ve been out ever since I woke up... and I can see you very... clearly. Does that mean?
“Yep! We’ve gained a lot of energy after the last fight. Your Zinertia should be twice, if not three times as strong.”
Really?... but my body aches right now. I’ll try it later.
“Oh! I forgot to tell you, come with me!” She grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the main entrance.
“Wait! I’m so tired!” I protested, but she paid no attention and kept pulling.
We stopped at the main entrance and she reached for the door.
“TADAA.”
The door opened slowly and the hall flooded with light.
...I was speechless.
“What do you think?”
I—It’s snowing...? And it’s... raining? Not to mention... it’s hot out here.
I shouldn’t be surprised after fighting a god, but what had happened to nature?
Snow had piled up while rainwater slid across it without melting. The sun blazed high in a cloudless sky, yet rain fell in shimmering sheets. I had never seen anything like it.
“It’s a message from the gods, as well as congratulations.”
I see. They are showing the humans their power.
“What’s the damage like to city 1?” I asked, voice tight with concern.
“2% of academia’s population lost their lives.”
Two percent, huh?... that’s about 60,000 people.
If Ha’e’rrut had been left unchecked, he could have destroyed everything... what now?
Light began to gather in one place.
BAD-UMP. BAD-UMP.
“What is going on!? Is it another god!?” I took a fighting stance instinctively.
“Don’t worry, they are not as cruel as you think. They would want you in the best condition for their entertainment.”
As the light grew brighter, wings started to form. Beautiful white wings unfurled before me, and a soft, resonant voice echoed.
“Greetings my lords... I’m a first class angel sent to deliver a message to our new god.”
A message? An angel?
“I see. Sounds like fun.” LV looked excited.
The light dimmed, and the angel dropped to one knee, bowing before us.
“As a reward for your victory: the gods have sent me to deliver to you ‘Rai.’” She bowed deeply and handed over a glass vial that looked like a potion bottle.
“Rai” — {it’s a potion used to heal all wounds and replenish all energy lost in battle. If you take it, it would be like you never fought Ha’e’rrut.}
LV communicated through telepathy.
“You have to be... kidding!” I glared at the angel and shouted.
“Huh? What are you saying!?” LV replied, surprised.
The angel did not flinch. She kept her hand extended, offering the potion.
“I won’t take it... I don’t need help from my enemies. Take it back. You are lucky I’m depleted; otherwise I would have... plucked those wings.”
“So be it... I’ll take your message to the gods.” As soon as she finished, light wrapped around the angel and she vanished.
“Why did you do that!? Do you know the amount of energy we could have gotten!? Stop being so arrogant!!!!”
“HAHAHA. What are you saying...? Of course I wanted the potion... I would have declined if my opponents were humans... I’m not as stupid as you think.”
“Then... don’t tell me...”
“Exactly... I’ve been wanting to test some things out.”
She should have returned to the gods by now.
“Summoning!” I imagined the potion and...
POOF.
It appeared in my hand.
“Amazing! I was actually very impressed... with the summoning ability. At first I was skeptical... but it proved to be of more use during my battle. If I can summon things from the gods’ dimension... think of all the arsenal I can have.”
“You were thinking that far ahead? Impressive... there are some things I need as well.”
...Hmm? How do I use this potion?
I stared at it, trying to steady my trembling hands.
“Just place it on your chest.” LV moved closer and gently tipped the bottle.
Oh — I see.
With LV leaning against me, I placed the bottle on my chest and it slid in smoothly.
BAD-UMP. BAD-UMP.
My blood surged like wildfire.
“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”
I FEEL SO STRONG!!!!