Dying? Me?!
[Dying? I'm dying?! Have I been in the desert too long? What nonsense is this human spouting?]
"That's no nonsense."
[Hah, this is driving me mad. Kalderet, you're sure I didn't mishear what this kid just said?]
Garon was so shocked that even the flames enveloping his entire body flickered unsteadily.
[I don't know how you got your hands on Titan's Book, but so what? You might've fooled Kalderet, sealed away and clueless about the world, but not me.]
But he soon snorted derisively.
[It's been ages since the ancients vanished. You think you can waltz in now with that relic and threaten a god?]
Whoosh...!!!
In that instant, ferocious flames erupted from Garon's arms.
[No human alive knows how to use Titan's Book. You think shoving around something you can't even wield will work on me?!]
[Tsk tsk.]
That was when Kalderet, watching Garon lunge at Adel, shook his head with a pitying expression.
Titan's Book
Titan's Book was one of the three legacies named after the heads of the Arunasa, who had ruled the ancient era.
The Titan of Regulation.
The Lilion of Extermination.
The Akala of Madness.
"Among them, Titan's Book can repeal all regulations—or establish new ones."
[Even the regulations gods create?]
It was the flow called the world line, and Adel had twisted it to regress through time.
[What...? Regression? This little brat broke the world line, the primordial regulation created by the gods?]
[That's right. Now do you get it? You think I'd contract with just any ordinary kid?]
[...Don't make me laugh!!]
"Yeah, the world's no laughing matter. Starting with how this great book was just sitting in the tribe's storehouse, mixed in with weapons blessed by ancient trees."
To anyone who knew its value, it was utterly ridiculous.
'Well, the other Immortality Books were in even worse shape.'
The other volume, Lilion's Book, had been buried under the outhouse of some dingy back-alley diner.
[Can't be helped. No one knows the ancient tongue, and there are no mages skilled enough to awaken the magic hidden in its pages.]
Adel set the grimoire down.
"Value is created by those who recognize it. The tribe folk didn't know, but you do, don't you, Garon?"
[Grr... grrr...]
"Titan's Book nullifies all regulations. Meaning it can even erase a god's very existence."
[Don't make me laugh. You, starting a Godslay? Even the ancients failed at that!]
"I don't want to either. I just want you to obey so it doesn't come to that. Though..."
Creak...
Adel slowly drew his bow. A faint gray light began condensing at the arrow tip.
[Contracted with an ancient god, has Titan's Book, and aura at that age too...? You really... regressed.]
"Even in my previous life, I was Kalderet's contractor. He recognized me, but you seem to have trouble believing it. Makes sense—you ceased to exist in the world I came from."
[Ceased...? Why?]
"Because those who believed in you vanished. This land will face a great war in a few years. Countless people will die, their blood soaking the earth."
Garon's eyes trembled.
"I returned to change that future."
[How can I believe you?]
"I'm not asking you to believe me. Believe the ancient god contracted with me."
[Twisting the world line is something no human could know. Only gods can intervene. In your previous life, I must've trusted this kid.]
[Who knows? What if he persecuted gods? Or tricked them with lies?]
Kalderet chuckled at Garon's question.
[Can't trust yourself, huh? A god persecuted by a human, talking regulations? Well, you did croak first, as Adel said.]
[Ugh, always with the...]
[Kekeke, I smell thick void from him. And it's no bad scent.]
"One thing I can promise: In the world I lived through, many gods died. Some by my hand, of course."
Garon stared at Adel.
"The future I want to change isn't just for humans. I want to save everyone worth saving."
[...]
"Of course, I need your power, so if you say no, I'll take you by force."
[Crazy... If you have an ancient god's power, why bother with a mid god like me?]
"Your power reigns supreme in the desert. And your contractual treasure, Rundle's Gauntlets. I need those too."
[...Greedy bastard. So you're after the Red Dragonkin? With those, you can command them.]
"Exactly."
Adel answered without hiding it. He knew lying to a god was pointless anyway.
[I heard you loud and clear. You say I ceased in your previous life, and to avoid that, I must help you?]
"Yes."
[But that's a raw deal for me. I've spent ages nurturing the desert, granting my blessing to many.]
"So?"
[Hard to believe they'd all perish, and just taking your word for a contract leaves me with nothing. Having a contractor means creating an avatar. Not a simple task.]
"Fair enough. What'll it take? Rip off Garuda's wings and make you a high god?"
[...C-Could you?]
"Nothing impossible about it. Garuda's no friend to us anyway. You ask if it's possible while staring at Titan's Book right here?"
Garon's eyes shook. Adel could tell he was already half-sold.
[Tempting offer, sure. Trapped here for eons got boring... Venturing out into the world doesn't sound bad.]
He licked his lips as he spoke.
Watching him, Adel thought gods weren't so different from humans after all.
'Gods resemble humans. Or rather, humans resemble gods...'
Humans pursued desires, but to Adel's eyes, gods chased them even harder.
Garon's reaction proved it—biting the bait of becoming a high god over his own demise or the world's peril.
[Fine. I contract with you. Seeing Garuda crawling wingless is fun, but I'm more curious what you'll do.]
"Excellent choice."
Adel smiled faintly at Garon's reply.
[As proof of contract, I give you Rundle's Gauntlets. A treasure no desert tribesman ever claimed in ages.]
He puffed up grandly.
[Your name?]
"Adel. Adel Temir."
[Temir? Descendant of the ghost spirits? Kalderet, you were desperate. Contracting with your sealer's kin?]
[None of your business.]
Kalderet growled as if ready to pounce, but Garon just grinned.
[Heh heh, good name. Very well, I, mid god of conflagration Garon, pledge as kin to Adel Temir.]
Whoosh---!!!!
In that moment, fierce flames bloomed around Adel.
Yet strangely, there was no scorching heat—only a warm, soothing sensation.
[Accept it. My divine fire's heat will expand your veins, smoothing the flow of divine power.]
As Garon said, a fierce power Adel had never felt surged through every corner of his body.
[Thanks to Kalderet, you're a vessel for minimal divine power, but time was short. At just fourteen... Lucky you met me, not some ice or thunder type that'd push your body to extremes.]
Garon emphasized his voice.
[Flames are life itself. My karmic fire will make you stronger.]
Crack.
His veins expanded like writhing snakes, hot divine power flowing into Adel's body.
[Impressive... Kalderet, now I see why you chose him. His veins suck in divine power like they've been waiting. What a specimen.]
Garon eyed Adel with delight.
[The vein expansion's something. Wait till you learn what kind of kid he is—you'll faint.]
[...Hm?]
Kalderet shut his mouth, but Adel knew Garon's face would twist in shock upon learning of his past life.
"Hoo..."
Adel exhaled slowly. Eyes closed, he savored the energy infused with Garon's flames.
"Fits the flames—wild and raging. Settling it will take time."
[How are you so unfazed absorbing divine power? You're a freak.]
Garon gaped at Adel already reining in his power.
"By the way... what happened to your form?"
Adel looked up. The man cloaked in flames was gone, replaced by a small fireball orbiting him.
[Your divine power's still a pittance. Be grateful I can even manifest. Grow stronger, and I'll regain my true form.]
Like a sprite, the tiny flame flickered like heat haze, circling Adel.
[See? That's the gap between a mid god and this weakling. I can maintain myself properly. Ahem.]
Kalderet pawed at Garon's flame like batting a ball.
[Hmph... Gods never had ranks originally. Humans made those up.]
[But those measures create real gaps in strength. Gods grow from human faith.]
[You know that and still mouth off? A forgotten ancient god like you, all talk...]
[Wanna get shredded by a forgotten ancient god? You've lived too long.]
[Try it.]
Grrr...Whoosh...!!!
Garon and Kalderet glared, snarling like they wanted to devour each other.
'Sigh, it'll be noisier now. No helping it.'
Adel clicked his tongue at the pair.
Garon, god of conflagration, embodied flames—which held light. Kalderet, god of creation and void, was close to darkness, or void.
With light and darkness clashing, they were natural opposites, itching to tear into each other.
Thud!!!
Adel smashed his fist on Kalderet's head and Garon's flame.
"Quiet, both of you."
Handling it like routine, he silenced their bickering instantly.
Adel tucked Titan's Book back into his bosom.
[Why carry that ragged scroll everywhere? The three Immortality Books imprint on their user.]
"Do they?"
[...Do they?!]
Contract done, Adel replied calmly as he stowed the book.
"I don't know how to use it yet. Someone else reads ancient tongue."
[...What?]
Adel grinned lightly at the circling fireball.
[Y-You don't know how?! You lying little— Mmph!! Mmmph!!! @#@!......!!!]
As if muffling the racket, Adel grabbed the flickering flame.
"Don't know Immortality Books, but I know how to handle contracted gods. Forgot? We're bound by oath now."
[Hey! You bastard!!]
The flame blazed furiously like shouting, but the contractor felt no heat.
"Looking forward to working with you."
Adel smiled contentedly.
[Kekeke... Serves you right, Garon.]
Kalderet laughed heartily at his fluster.
[...Damn, there's a tougher one than gods right here.]
"Shut it and guide us to the treasure."
[Grr...]
Adel strode into Garon's shrine.
"Ready?"
The planned three-day rest flew by. As the tent flap opened, Harun arrived.
Unlike usual, he wore sleek black leather armor—Gal Black Crow make, Adel noted.
"Kasla passed it on."
Harun held out matching black armor.
Kasla stood at the entrance, weary from the Trial of Grace but bearing a red flame mark on her hand—proof of her blessing.
"Fits perfect. Dressed like this, we look like one hunting party, huh? Right, Kasla?"
"Hmph, whatever..."
Harun teased as Adel donned the armor.
"You two know—after this sweep, I can form my own hunting party."
Adel eyed them with a glint.
"Us three."
He pointed.
"We'll be the hunting party everyone watches. We'll claim the highest honors in this sweep."
"Eh, it's just a sweep."
"Aren't you overthinking it?"
They questioned his pumped-up words.
But Adel smiled faintly, tying his armor straps.
Only he knew the true battle ahead.
"Let's go."
Adel marched toward the battlefield.
To slay the culprit that devoured over a hundred hunters.