The Arrogant King of Ten Thousand Demons
Ren, deciding to speak with Ian alone for a moment.
"I see... You too have lost someone precious..."
Having heard his story, Ren realized they were in the same situation.
"So the Akashic Archive truly holds the power to resurrect the dead and elevate them to godhood."
It was just a game, but its influence was overwhelmingly vast—far beyond what anyone could have imagined, capable of reviving the departed and granting them ascension to divinity.
This couldn't be explained by the powers of dreams alone.
"To be precise, it's only possible in very special circumstances."
Magitech energy flows from the bracelet on Ian's finger, forming a hologram.
"As you know, your constellation name has changed. From Sacrifice Drowned in Sloth to Sacrifice who Overcame Sloth. Mine shifted from Magitech Engineer Consumed by Wrath to Magitech Engineer who Cast Off Wrath."
The hologram displayed their constellation names in arranged text.
"But here's the thing. Haven't you ever noticed something strange?"
"What do you mean by strange?"
"In life, neither of us had anything to do with sloth or wrath. You never lived lazily a single day, and I rarely showed anger. Yet our constellation names, which should symbolize us, include sloth and wrath."
"......"
"And the other gods called us by Sloth and Wrath, as if that defined our identities."
Ren nodded slowly.
Even she had felt a sense of dissonance about her former self after overcoming sloth.
"Before casting off my wrath, I never once questioned the anger that occasionally eroded my mind. It was as if I'd been brainwashed."
"Are you saying...?"
"Some transcendent being, with deliberate intent, slipped concepts like sloth and wrath into us during our ascension to godhood. There's no other explanation."
Sloth...
It struck her as odd too.
In her human days, she had always lived diligently, starting training at dawn—yet as a goddess ascending to constellation, she lazed in bed, wasting time.
If someone had twisted the essence of her divinity during ascension, inserting sloth before sacrifice, it made sense.
...In that case, I owe that girl and her apostle yet another debt.
They had allowed her to reflect on herself, enabling her to overcome sloth.
How many favors did she owe them now?
She was at a loss for how to express her gratitude.
"Who is this transcendent being?"
"......I don't know. We lack information for now. But judging by those who did this to us, they clearly disapprove of us overcoming our respective sins. That's certain."
"So they might interfere with us or the Akashic Archive."
"Exactly. That's why I said I'd protect it. In case that transcendent being targets our benefactor."
"......Understood for now. But what do you mean by resurrection and ascension only in special cases?"
"To revive my beloved, I researched countless methods—from time reversal to consciousness synthesis. None worked. My final gambit was embedding Kate's consciousness across the continent via the Akashic Archive, then condensing divinity around it to birth a god."
"Like creating an artificial god born from worship, as with me."
"Precisely. But it failed. That part couldn't be forced artificially."
"Then why were my comrades and your lover able to return?"
"That's the key. According to my theory, it was thanks to the sins we conquered."
"......What do you mean?"
"The words in a constellation's name hold power. Your 'Sacrifice' signifies one of the virtues of the Seven Heroes. My 'Magitech Engineer' represents a facet of the Three Sages. Thus, 'Sloth' and 'Wrath' must hold power too."
"So you're saying a transcendent, malevolent being implanted sins to suppress us, and overcoming them granted us new power that enabled our loved ones' resurrection... Is that it?"
"Exactly. ...Though it's just a theory, and my case involves sequencing issues needing refinement. Meaning, the Akashic Archive can't manifest just anyone into reality."
"I see... Is that a relief, then?"
There were limitations, after all.
If any game character could manifest, all the others would have appeared too—but they hadn't.
"Fascinating conversation you're having."
A massive surge of pitch-black demonic energy engulfs Ren and Ian with an unfamiliar woman's voice.
"......A unique domain."
The ultimate power of gods: unfolding their unique domain as a barrier.
Inside, it's completely isolated from the outside unless the domain's master permits it.
Help from their comrades outside was now practically impossible.
"Indeed. My unique domain, Pandemonium."
The darkness rippled, revealing a woman with distinctive demonic horns floating in the air.
She conjured a throne with a seductive gaze and lounged upon it.
Constellation Name: Arrogant King of Ten Thousand Demons
Demon God Huphnis.
She defeated her predecessor, the continent's worst mass murderer Perlerina, fostering harmony between demons and other races.
Among the Five Lords, the strongest demon king ascended to demon godhood.
Looking up at her, Ian and Ren swallowed hard.
Even equating the Seven Heroes, Three Sages, and Five Lords, her caliber was different.
With immense divinity from all demons' faith, innate demon king combat sense, and inherited experience from past kings, she was unmatched in one-on-one combat.
Even after overcoming their sins and growing, victory in her mental world was unlikely.
"Why are you here? This is my domain."
"Something piqued my interest."
Huphnis smirked.
"Those who should stay dead have ignored the world's fundamental order and returned."
!!!
Ian and Ren's eyes widened.
"As a lord above all demons, how can I claim the title of demon king if I can't even discern this much?"
Demonic flames ignite in Huphnis's hand as she crosses her legs.
"I have business with the dead. Reveal who resurrected them."
"......"
She hadn't expected a threat to her benefactor this soon.
Exchanging glances, Ian and Ren nodded.
"Sorry, but no."
"We can't repay grace with enmity."
"......Ignorant fools overstepping their place—common enough."
"Are you sure? Fighting in the divine realm is forbidden. Harm us, and the entire divine realm will demand retribution and execute you."
The demon god sneered.
"Execution? Retribution? Amusing. Who dares demand retribution from me?"
Huphnis's mental world shakes violently.
"I'll teach you the difference in our calib ers."
KABOOM!
* * *
[The right magitech mechanical arm of the Magitech Engineer who Cast Off Wrath has been severed.]
[The abdomen of the Sacrifice who Overcame Sloth is struck by a demonic energy blast.]
[The Sacrifice who Overcame Sloth temporarily loses consciousness and crashes to the ground.]
[The Magitech Engineer who Cast Off Wrath transforms his left arm into beam weapon form.]
[The Magitech Engineer who Cast Off Wrath's energy is depleted.]
[The Magitech Engineer who Cast Off Wrath's left arm transformation halts midway.]
I snapped awake.
Those powerhouses—a top Seven Hero and Three Sage—were being utterly demolished.
Reading their thoughts, the opponent was a Five Lord: the Arrogant King of Ten Thousand Demons.
Her strength defied imagination.
I had to do something.
If this continued, our investors might be killed.
To protect my identity, refusing to reveal it even unto death.
As the person involved, I couldn't just watch.
"Constellation! Can you project me into the divine realm in dream form?"
[The Dream Storyteller startles in surprise.]
[The Dream Storyteller asks if you intend to go to the divine realm.]
"No time. Our investors are in danger."
[The Dream Storyteller says it's possible but dangerous.]
[The Dream Storyteller explains she can leave your body here and send only your mental body in dream form, but if that dream body is killed, you could become a vegetable in reality.]
"......"
Hearing about becoming a vegetable, I hesitated briefly.
A game director for a continent-wide hit, but utterly incompetent without my constellation's help.
Me, blocking a demon god that even upper gods struggle against?
"I-It's... fine."
My body trembled violently.
"I'll come back safe, so don't worry."
But I couldn't abandon those two gods.
They were among the few who had treated me kindly since arriving in this world.
Above all, I could still hear their heartfelt resolve to risk their lives protecting me.
How could I stand by?
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
Flash!
"Gaaahhh!"
"My time is precious, so spit it out already."
Opening my eyes again, I saw a black-haired woman torturing the magitech engineer.
Behind her lay the fallen goddess Ren.
"Hold it right there."
As I spoke, her head slowly turned toward me.
Her yellow eyes pierced straight through me, seeing everything.
"B-Benefactor?! No! This woman is danger—Guhk!"
"Don't interfere. Stay quiet."
The demon god slammed the magitech engineer's head into the ground; he went limp, unconscious.
......Come to think of it, this wasn't just any transcendent—she was a fully mature constellation, a god.
Had I acted too rashly?
[...Dream powers, perhaps... That would explain it, I think.]
Then—
[...Indeed, if it's dream powers, it might be possible.]
Thoughts flowed into me.
[The Arrogant King of Ten Thousand Demons thinks that if it's dream powers, you could manifest her predecessor demon king.]
The demon god's thoughts... I could read them?
From Ren and the engineer, now even the demon god...
What the hell was happening?
"Apostle of Dreams. A proposal."
The demon god lifted the unconscious magitech engineer by the throat; his body dangled limply.
"Craft the dream I desire. Do so, and I'll spare them."
[The Arrogant King of Ten Thousand Demons is certain you'll comply to save them.]
"......Very well."
No choice.
A mere human apostle couldn't overpower a god physically.
Refusing and fleeing would endanger my investors.
They hadn't uttered a word about me even as death loomed.
I couldn't let them die.
"I accept."
No other way.
Constellation. Lend me your power for a bit.
I unleashed dream powers.
A pitch-black veil unfurls like a curtain, swallowing me and the demon god into a dream.
[The Arrogant King of Ten Thousand Demons thinks this is dream power... She could escape if she wanted.]
Can't trap her with this alone, huh.
No matter.
My real target was something else.
"Tell me the dream you desire. I'll craft it for you."
A dream you'll never wake from.
Being tossed around by others isn't my style.