Appointed as Truth's Proxy

Suppressing the boiling rage in his heart for the moment, the Dimensional Mage God hurried after the head of the Wind Family walking ahead. The oppressive auras pressing in from all sides were brutal, but the gazes that kept staring at him like some exotic animal only fanned his anxiety even more.

The Wind Family member leading the way pointed toward an antique-style house situated in a relatively quiet part of the forest and spoke. “That is the Spiritual Being Revival Hall. You naturally won’t die from Grandfather Jinri’s Sword of Ruin and Soul, but you’ll be left in a completely near-death state, so even a slight impact could cause your body to collapse. Keep that in mind. Also, if you die here or in the Otherworld, the gods from the Absolute Realm or the Main Universe will have their divine spirits automatically sent there.”

“Ah—! Yes! Understood.”

The Dimensional Mage God had no idea why he was suddenly being given a tour of the Spiritual Being Revival Hall, but he answered obediently. The Wind Family member continued the explanation.

“The right side is the office that issues requests, the left is the training room. Personal quarters are in the back, so remember that.”

“…Yes.”

The continued building tour only heightened his unease. He had come to file a report, yet it felt like he had been dragged off to basic military training.

“Um… excuse me? Why are you suddenly telling me all this? I only need to make my report and head straight to the Otherworld.”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. Just trying to cut down on annoying chores. It gets noisy when someone who doesn’t know the layout wanders around and bumps into the children.”

Though he couldn’t see the face from behind, the man was clearly grinning from ear to ear.

They continued walking between black-monolith-like structures until a large gate bearing the plaque Wind Family came into view. A cheerful voice immediately followed.

“Still, you really do have tremendous courage.”

“Pardon?”

As they spoke, they arrived before the entrance. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The man pushed both doors open with raw strength.

Thud—! Thud—!

With heavy, dull sounds the doors swung wide, slowly revealing the scene beyond.

“No one except blood relatives comes to see Grandfather Jinri of their own free will. Most are dragged here for punishment. The exceptions would be the 1st ranked among the 10 Mainstays, Gold, who comes for progress reports, or perhaps the Creator God of the 499th Main Universe who challenges him so often. Even they usually end up sparring after a few words. That’s why even those powerful beings end up staying here quite a while to recover. Yet here you are—a mere Spiritual Being with only that level of strength—coming here on your own? And just to make a report? Kk kk kk kk—! As expected of something those children created, it’s quite reckless.”

“…….”

Whether one was an Eternal Being or a Spiritual Being, regardless of status, anyone who displeased Jinri would be endlessly beaten by the Sword of Ruin and Soul. It was an undeniable truth that almost no one who met Jinri came away unscathed. Everyone knew it, and everyone feared it.

I didn’t want to come here for exactly that reason. But the children—does he mean the Dimensional Mage God and the Origin of the Mage God? Just how ancient an ancestor is this person?

The fact that he had come running the instant the Dimensional Mage God was judged an illegal intruder suggested he was a very old ancestor, yet he looked surprisingly young. Age held little meaning for gods, but his movements and speech overflowed with vitality.

Still, calling the Origins of the Wind Family—who act as the clan’s representatives—children means he must be an extremely ancient ancestor indeed.

While the Dimensional Mage God pondered the mismatch between behavior and status, a torrent of light poured through the gap in the open doors like a baptism of radiance.

Whaaaaaaaash—!

Boom—! Boomboom—!

Deafening roars that had been absent until now shook the air. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hundreds of figures were hurled through the sky and across the ground, slamming into walls and earth. The front gate was no exception. Countless fragments of authority and shockwaves surged forward. The highest-tier authorities of Eternal Beings—destructive power that Spiritual Beings could not even hope to block, let alone look at—came crashing in like a tidal wave.

The instant he realized evasion or defense was impossible with his own dimensional authority, a scream tore from his throat.

“Hik—!”

The Wind Family member who had opened the door swung the absolute weapon in his hand in a light circle, deflecting the incoming attacks.

Sliiiide—!

Crashcrashcrash—!

Despite their vicious momentum, the attacks were redirected with ridiculous ease. The deflected force slammed into walls and ground, producing thunderous booms.

Having barely escaped erasure while frozen in place, the Dimensional Mage God heard a gentle voice in his ear.

“Ah—! You’re still a Spiritual Being. Then even these aftershocks are dangerous for you. At this rate you might get erased before you even get to meet him. I’ll erect a barrier, so stay behind me and don’t step out. Be careful.”

“Yes…”

The moment a circular protective shield enveloped him, the Dimensional Mage God finally relaxed. Still determined to meet Jinri alive, he followed cautiously. The Wind Family member issued another warning.

“One more thing. As a Spiritual Being, if you look back from now on you will die. Keep your eyes forward only.”

“Huh?”

He couldn’t tell if it was a joke or deadly serious, but he lacked the courage to turn his head. So he kept his gaze fixed on the back in front of him and continued walking as the Wind Family member listed more precautions.

“Once you’ve stepped inside, you cannot retreat or stop. You must advance forward without pause. Violate this and you will be annihilated immediately.”

He had no idea what was happening, but it wasn’t a lie. Some kind of authority coiled around his entire body was constantly measuring and verifying something. It brimmed with destructive intent that promised instant annihilation the moment he fell outside the criteria. The explosive roars and shocks vibrating through his whole body proved exactly where he stood.

“Never rest. Endlessly change, evolve, and grow stronger. That is the Wind Family—the Martial House.”

Thousands of Wind Family members could be seen nearby, launching coordinated assaults on a single target. Yet the instant they attacked they were countered and sent ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flying mercilessly in every direction.

Boomboomboom—! Thudthudthud—!

The sight of supreme Eternal Beings—opponents he couldn’t possibly face—coughing blood as they were blasted away was utterly grotesque.

Having taken the warning to heart, the Dimensional Mage God stayed glued to the man’s back. His vision suddenly brightened. The Wind Family member leading the way had bowed deeply at the waist, finally revealing the scene ahead.

“Grandfather Jinri. The Spiritual Being scheduled for dispatch to the Otherworld has come to make his report.”

“A report to me? How novel. You’re saying he came here on his own two feet?”

From Jinri’s perspective—someone who had become an object of terror through absolute, impartial fairness regardless of whether one was Spiritual or Eternal, high or low in rank—visits from non-blood relatives were almost unheard of. Anyone who came recklessly could never leave in good condition, so such a being should not exist.

The Wind Family member smiled at Jinri’s natural reaction.

“Exactly. It was quite entertaining.”

“Entertaining, coming from someone as old as you? Very well. We’ll end the joint training here. Everyone worked hard. Rest.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the ten Wind Family members who had been surrounding the area all lost consciousness and collapsed. They had endured Jinri’s authority and the aftereffects of his actions with pure willpower until they had finally exceeded their limits.

Thud—! Crash—!

Among the ten who fell like felled trees, the Dimensional Mage God spotted a familiar face and nearly gasped. A very familiar face was mixed in among them.

Hik—! The Origin of the Mage God? Then all of them…?

There were ten in total, and their faces were known to him. The only time he had seen the Origins of the Wind Family directly was when the future Grey Absolute had forcibly dragged him along. That meant these were the Wind Family Origins—beings comparable to the 10 Mainstays, powerful enough to be permitted to intervene in reality.

They were the highest-level powerhouses aside from the 10 Mainstays themselves. The surreal sight of all those beings lying unconscious and collapsed left the Dimensional Mage God frozen. Jinri looked at him and nodded.

His unstable mental state was unusual for a high-ranking Spiritual Being, yet in the current Otherworld it was instead an advantage. Even his once-trivial and insignificant power had been supplemented, which satisfied Jinri.

A smile naturally formed on his lips as he spoke.

“As expected of the Dimension Creator God Coa who possesses Unresting Rampage. It seems you received plenty of help, but you’ve improved remarkably in such a short time. Yet you came to report directly to me in person? Trying to do what others avoid? Well then, are you prepared? First, make your report.”

At Jinri’s command, the Dimensional Mage God tensed and delivered his report in a booming voice.

“Reporting! The Dimensional Mage God, ranked first in the 499th Main Universe, has from this moment onward been honorably appointed as the Dimension Creator God Coa and Truth Deputy. I swear on my everything to give it my absolute best.”

…….

The smile vanished from Jinri’s face after hearing the report the Dimensional Mage God had desperately rehearsed in his head on the way here. Instead, he wore a slightly troubled expression.

“Hmm. You’re still young. A high-ranking Spiritual Being who values honor and achievements over stability? This should prove very entertaining.”

At Jinri’s reaction, the Wind Family member who had escorted him burst into laughter.

“Kk—! Pfft—! Puhahahahaha—! Look at him. For a high-ranking Spiritual Being, this guy is seriously entertaining. Ahem—! As expected of those children’s handiwork. If you entrust him with the entire Otherworld matter, it will surely be interesting.”

“Indeed. Worthy of you—an old one—bringing him personally. Moreover, since the other children seem to have reinforced it considerably after much deliberation, it would be awkward for me to meddle directly. Take these.”

Thud—! Thud—!

Jinri pulled two sheets of paper from the air and revised portions of their content. After erasing quite a lot, he flicked them toward the Dimensional Mage God.

“This is the official order appointing you as my proxy in the Otherworld. Since that is your will, do your best and enjoy the task.”

It was the appointment letter the gods of the Otherworld had insisted he submit. The appointment letter! Because I didn’t have this, I was treated as an illegal intruder and ended up in this situation.

The Dimensional Mage God hurriedly caught the documents and quickly scanned their contents. The first was the official appointment he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had just heard. The second document was densely packed with titles. Yet something felt very wrong. No matter how he looked at them, they didn’t seem suited for combat or administration.

Title of Nihility? Title of the Weak? Title of Instigator? Title of Bandwagoner? Title of the Disobedient? What the hell are these? More importantly, are these really titles? Why are they all so bizarre? What is this?

Titles were a type of authority bestowed by higher beings upon lower ones. Like authorities, they could strengthen or distort reality to grant transcendent power. The title itself represented that transcendent power. Yet according to everything he knew, these meanings were completely off.

While the Dimensional Mage God stood lost in thought, Jinri spoke lightly.

“That is the roster of your subordinates. I occasionally created fitting titles for those in the Otherworld who showed usable qualities and granted them. If you truly intend to give it your all, working alone will be difficult. I will grant you command over them, so use them well after you find them.”

“Thank you.”

He had come prepared to die if necessary, yet Jinri had not only offered encouragement but even granted him forces. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the Dimensional Mage God bowed even deeper.

Then Jinri’s smile deepened as he pointed at the sky with his right index finger.

“Since I have given them, shall we see how you handle them? Deal with that in your own way. I want to see your disposition and ability directly.”

At Jinri’s words the Dimensional Mage God urgently lifted his head and looked where the finger pointed. There he saw the barrier that had bounced him here earlier.