"You get that I'm a god from that world and created Rossweisse, right?" Asem asked.

I nodded slightly. "Yeah, but not why you made him. Why create something to destroy your world? What's the point?"

The master told me the gods who made Rossweisse were killed by him. Asem survived but admitted he nearly died. Why make something so uncontrollable and curse it to destroy endlessly?

Asem exhaled a white breath. "Well, other gods came up with the idea. They wanted Ast Aarde's divine hierarchy for themselves. Greedy dream, huh? Maybe because they're gods. I lent them my power. The lack of control was a mistake—we didn't expect something that strong."

"Why help them?" I asked.

"Sounded fun," he said casually.

"What?" I couldn't process it.

He grinned. "Watching others fight is thrilling. A war involving humans, demons, gods—doesn't that sound exciting?"

"You bastard!" I snapped.

"Haha, mad? It's old news. Anyway, after Rossweisse nearly killed me, I fled the divine realm to the mortal world. Otherwise, your master might've caught me."

Yeah, makes sense. After that chaos, capture was inevitable. Even Loki's bound by Odin and other Norse gods.

So that's how he survived—barely, fleeing to the mortal world weakened, unnoticed by the master.

"It was rough down here. My body ached, on the brink of fading. But then, I got a second chance," Asem said.

"What showed up?" I asked. Someone saved him? Treated him?

He pointed to himself. "This body's original owner. Like you, a human sent from this world to that one."

"What!?" I gasped.

Same as me? A human body?

"You possessed that kid!?" I shouted.

"Yup! Lost a lot of power, but I survived. Lucky he showed up. Fate, right?" he said cheerfully.

What a monster! That's why he feels human.

Asem continued gleefully. "That's when I learned about other worlds. This body let me travel here multiple times. Time gaps were tricky, though."

He experimented, crossing worlds repeatedly, swapping body structures to keep going.

Then I was sent to Ast Aarde.

"I was waiting for someone like you. I experimented with this body, but no one else naturally crossed over like you," he said.

"You were waiting for me?" I asked.

"Yup. I watched you from the moment you arrived. When you tried returning, the 'Sword Saint' found a way, right? I set that up to see if you could really return the same way I did."

So that's why the method was found so conveniently. He orchestrated it.

"But I didn't expect you to reach the divine realm," he continued. "Thought you'd come straight back after that scare."

"Leave my comrades behind? No way," I said.

"Exactly! That's why I got interested in you, not just as a cross-world traveler, but as a person. What happens when you face threats? You're curious too, right? How Loki knew about other worlds. How Rossweisse knew about you."

"There's only one answer. You were pulling the strings," I said.

Asem clapped, drawing a circle above his head. "Ding-ding! Correct! Want a prize? Candy? I've got cider flavor."

"Hand it over," I said.

"Really? Didn't expect that!" he laughed.

"I'm pissed. Need sugar, or I'll punch you."

"Scary! Here, just cheap candy from Japan's 100-yen shop. No tricks, no poison," he said, tossing me one from his pocket.

I stared at it, then popped it in my mouth. Normal, tasty, fizzy.

"Japanese snacks are great," Asem said, eating one himself.

Talking with him cleared up mysteries: the convenient return method, Loki's knowledge, Rossweisse's info. Some parts were still fuzzy, but it made sense. Good thing I took the candy—my head was spinning.

After silently sucking on the candy for minutes, I spoke once it dissolved. "Lots I don't get, but I'll let the past slide. Why show yourself now? You've been lurking in the shadows."

"I don't like the spotlight. But Rizevim's planning something fun, so I joined in. Plus, I wanted to chat with you," he said.

Something fun. Nothing good, that's for sure. Asem and Rizevim—two malicious freaks teaming up. Who knows what damage they'll cause?

Suppressing my alarm, I asked, "You wanted to meet me. Now that you have, what do you think?"

He's obsessed with me, both as a cross-worlder and as an individual. Not thrilled about a guy's interest, though.

Asem grabbed cookies from another bag, munching as he answered. "You're fascinating. I don't know what Rossweisse gave you, but earning his trust? Impressive. Sirius entrusted his daughter to you too, right? Miu now? Never thought Sirius would lose. Didn't expect you to win at that stage."

That stage, huh? Yeah, I misjudged Sirius's power until Ignis's space. He was demon king-class in our final fight, but he'd sealed half his power in Ignis beforehand. His true strength was—

No point dwelling on it. He entrusted everything to me. That's enough.

Asem nodded as if remembering. "Oh, right. I need to check something."

"Check?" I asked.

"We'll clash a lot going forward. Before that, I want to see if you understand yourself," he said, pointing at me. "You'll come at me and Rizevim with justice in your heart. But do you understand your sins? Nothing's dumber than preaching justice without knowing your crimes. So, let's have a little test."

He snapped his fingers.

The world turned black.

What the—?

Asem snapped, and everything—sky, ground—went pitch black. The fountain, streetlights, trees vanished. A completely dark world filled my vision.

Asem was gone too.

A barrier? How'd he set it up so fast? I was watching his aura and actions, but there was no hint.

What's his deal? He said a test, but what's he testing?

As questions piled up, something slimy touched my skin.

A warm, eerie wind, reeking of blood, so thick it made me nauseous.

Clang.

I tried moving, and something collapsed underfoot.

Looking down—corpses. I stood in a battlefield littered with bodies, broken armor, swords, and blood-soaked ground.

I recognized every soldier.

A voice echoed from the reddish-black sky. "Know who they are? They're the people you killed."

I scanned around. Every single one—people I'd slain in battle.

Asem's voice rang from all directions. "You fought at the forefront, called a hero by many. You're undeniably a hero. But those who rise in battle, human or demon, are killers. You've killed more demons than anyone. Praised as a hero, don't you think some hate you?"

I didn't deny it. It's the truth.

People call me the hero who ended the war, fought at the front, defeated the demon king. That's true.

But it's also true I've killed many.

Elder Urm said some demons respect me. That's probably true too.

Still, some lost loved ones to me.

Clang, clang. Footsteps approached.

A soldier, dragging his broken body, reached for me.

"I don't want to die," he whispered, tears falling.

His trembling voice hit me hard.

Others rose, weak and groaning, calling out.

"Father… Mother…"

"It hurts… I'm scared…"

"I don't… want to die…"

"I want… to go home…"

They called for family, loved ones, reaching with bloodied hands, pleading. Some cried, some screamed, some prayed.

Their voices, their feelings, all aimed at me. Even a normal person would lose it.

Asem laughed. "Get it? This is your sin. You saved many but took from many. Do you understand—"

"I do," I cut him off.

I exhaled deeply. "Think I don't get it? Don't underestimate me. I know I've killed many in battle. I don't need you to tell me."

I gripped the hands of the soldiers clinging to me. Their final voices reached me clearly.

That's why I kept fighting—to build a peaceful world, to stop this sadness.

I have to protect what they entrusted to me.

Looking at the reddish-black sky, I said, "This is my karma to bear. You don't get to lecture me."

Then—

"No, Issei."

Crash!

The reddish-black sky shattered like glass, and the soldiers vanished. I was back in the original world.

Asem stood before me, smiling.

Behind me—

"It's not just your karma. It's ours," Alice said, gripping a silver spear.

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