Chapter 104: The One Who Returned from Death (2)

I didn't know the reason, but as a result of the blood-red ruby dice, which I had never seen before, showing a ‘6’, I succeeded in an unknown resistance that I didn't even know the difficulty of.

Then, suddenly, the ‘Fragments of Memory’ filled my head all at once.

In fact, it was not an exaggeration to say that finding the fragments of the ‘Malevolent Star’s memory was a process to reach the final memory.

And that final memory is the truth that the ‘Malevolent Star’ was actually a doll created by Luce.

The memory that revealed that the process of the ‘Malevolent Star’ being born into this world── that is, the ‘character creation screen’ that players see when they first create a character── was actually a scene showing the process of Luce making this body.

Originally, it was a memory that would be obtained when the ‘Primordial’ was forcibly taken by Luce, but since I had dealt with Luce before that, it seemed that even that memory was injected into my head all at once.

The problem was, even when only one fragment was stuffed in, it felt like my head was being gouged by an awl, so what would it be like if about ten of those were injected at once?

Of course, I couldn't bear it.

How could I?

So I lost consciousness.

Honestly, at first, I thought I had died again.

Because as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar altar again… the ‘inner world’ I had come to when I had died once today.

No.

You’re not dead, you foolish fellow.

But listening to the ‘Primordial’s words, thankfully, that wasn't the case.

Well, it was a relief that I wasn't dead.

If I had met a futile death in bed after just being revived, I wouldn't be able to face my companions.

Ibi might really chase me to hell and kill me.

You just fainted.

No matter how weak you are, would the vessel of this body break with just that?

This body won’t allow it!

Complete 「Resurrection」 was a task that even the gods struggled with.

Of course, there was the problem of ability, whether they could do it or not, but it was also an act of interfering with the netherworld, similar to 「Spirit Talk」.

They dislike even interfering with the present world by bringing a being that should be in the netherworld, so what would they do if you just took it out of the netherworld and revived it?

It was a problem where the God of the Netherworld might take direct action.

So, under the pretext of maintaining balance, they might try to fill the empty spot in the netherworld caused by the 「Resurrection」 by taking the one who had cast the 「Resurrection」.

The reason why it is considered a miracle that even level 20 clerics, who have reached the limits of humanity and are a rare existence that appears only a few times in a century, can only perform it about once in their lifetime.

It's like saying that since you've dedicated so much faith to them and they've given you strength, they'll take on the wrath of the God of the Netherworld for you just this once, as a price.

Like getting into trouble and having God cover for you.

For that reason, it was almost impossible for even the gods—even if they could—to resurrect someone several times a day.

Hmm?

No, I can, though?

Of course, the ‘Primordial’ might be able to do it several times.

In the first place, my 「Resurrection」 was a kind of a loophole.

Because the ‘Primordial’ had spirited me away to this inner world before I even went to the netherworld.

So, strictly speaking, it meant that I had already been revived the moment I came here.

The reason I was kept here was just so that I would praise it for saving me from a crisis.

In fact, it was said that in my companions' eyes, I had gotten up almost simultaneously as I had fallen.

Well, no matter how you look at it, if you resurrect someone several times a day, you're bound to get caught eventually.

Kuhuhu.

I like that expression.

You’ve finally realized how great this body is, haven’t you?

But the ‘Primordial’ seemed to think that I was surprised by the fact that it could resurrect me several times, but in fact, the reason I had been dazed for a while was different.

“…You've grown bigger?”

Yes.

The ‘Primordial’, which had looked to be about 10 years old at most when I first came here today, now looked to be in its mid-teens, similar to my memory.

…You bastard, did you really think that that appearance was my true form?

Do you think this body was really just a child!

Wasn’t the mental age similar… I shouldn't say that, right?

Well of course, it was because you, the vessel, were weak!

Ah.

I see.

As you grow, this body is also finding its true form!

So it was because my level had gone up.

Well, usually the first time you meet the ‘Primordial’ is around this level.

Do you understand?

So hurry up and grow even more and offer your body to this perfected body.

That is the only way this body can go to reclaim this land.

“…You’re still planning to conquer the world?”

Conquer?

Isn't that what you say when you take what belongs to others.

How is it a conquest to take back what was originally mine?

“Well, let’s talk about that difference in perspective later.”

For now, the worry of having to give up the ‘Primordial’ was gone, so I could take my time to reach an agreement on that part.

Agreement?

Don’t tell me, you bastard, are you trying to persuade this body?

Hmph.

A futile effort.

I already told you that your beauty doesn’t work on me at all.

“Anyone who hears that would think I’m someone who lives by his looks.”

Then are you not?

“I’m not.”

…Probably?

All you have to do is offer a useful body to this body.

I am giving you the glory of becoming the ruler of the world, you foolish vessel.

You should be grateful… tsk tsk.

“So? Did you call me here even though I wasn’t dead to say that? Or what, did you really get lonely and appear in my dreams?”

What do you take this body for?

And, you were the one who called, you idiot.

“Me?”

I crossed my arms and briefly retraced my actions before I lost consciousness.

And the conclusion I came to was.

“…I didn’t do that?”

I don’t even know how to do it in the first place.

Is there a call bell or something?

Then did some other guy call?

In the first place, there’s only you and this body here……

“…….”

The ‘Primordial’, which had suddenly stopped talking, and I, who was looking at it, probably had the same expression on our faces.

…Are we really the only two here?

Because the question, had just flashed through my mind.

Yes.

I had seen it before I lost consciousness, hadn't I?

The new, unseen dice that had suddenly appeared before my eyes.

A soul stone is a proof of a soul, in fact, the soul itself.

As you can see, since we are in a situation where two souls are coexisting in the same body, we were able to roll both my dice and the ‘Primordial’s dice at the same time.

But the fact that another dice had appeared…

“…Is someone else here?”

Means that another’s soul exists in my body.

No, that can't be…

But if so… where?

It was no exaggeration to say that we were currently talking soul to soul.

So if another soul had entered my body, it should have naturally appeared here.

“No, they're not here.”

But, I couldn't see them.

And there was nowhere to hide.

With only an altar, a throne, and a black ‘background’, where and how could they hide.

…In fact, there was an event in the game where a new dice was created.

But that was in the very late game, an event that could only be seen after the ‘Primordial’ was taken by Luce.

In the body of the ‘Malevolent Star’, which had become an empty doll without a soul after the ‘Primordial’ was taken, a new soul awakens and a new soul stone is obtained.

Although it was a doll-like existence that carried the ‘Primordial’, it had developed a new self while traveling as a hero… it gives you a soul dice that means the ‘player’ and allows you to have a final battle with Luce, who has become a demon god.

But not only is that not the situation now, but I won’t see that situation, and above all, the dice you get then is not a blood-red ruby dice like now.

So I had no idea, but.

Perhaps…

The ‘Primordial’, which had been lost in thought, opened its mouth again.

“Do you have any idea?”

…Well, didn’t we drag that impertinent brat here and deal with him?

“…You mean Luce?”

He’s the only one I can think of…

The ‘Primordial’, who said this, sounded as if it were not very sure itself.

“…Wait. Then, because Luce died here instead of outside, is his soul trapped here and can’t go to the netherworld?”

That possibility… is not zero, I guess.

I unconsciously pressed my temples.

I don't know if that makes sense… but for some reason, I think it really might be.

If it's possible to spirit me away here before I go to the netherworld, then it might be possible to keep the guy who died here, tied down here…

Besides, it's a blood-red ruby.

It just, somehow… the image of it, definitely seems to symbolize his soul, from its appearance.

“…Could it be a threat to us?”

No.

It wouldn’t dare.

This time, the ‘Primordial’ firmly dismissed my concern.

It’s not even properly formed like this body or you, is it.

As if it were absurd that I was worrying about something so useless.

Besides, even if it does, what can it do?

If it tries to play any tricks again, we can just burn it up so that not even its soul remains.

As if to say, do you think I would lose to that guy, the ‘Primordial’ crossed its arms and snorted.

“Well. That's true.”

I immediately agreed.

Because that would never happen.

The ‘Primordial’ is a god-like being, and Luce can never be a match for such a ‘Primordial’.

In the original story, he was able to take the ‘Primordial’s power not by facing the ‘Primordial’ directly, but because he could control his doll, the ‘Malevolent Star’.

So, there was no need to worry about any possible threat from Luce.

“Then… what about the God of the Netherworld?”

But this one was different.

The God of the Netherworld is one of the gods with the strongest divinity.

Therefore, even if it were the ‘Primordial’, the God of the Netherworld was by no means an easy opponent.

Moreover, it might be different when it had its own body, but now that it was parasitizing my body──

──?! Hey! You bastard!

Didn't you just think something incredibly rude!?

“No, I didn’t.”

This is not a, ‘Excuse me’ and is no different from a freeloader living in someone else's house, so it's even more so in the current situation.

…Hmm.

That damn bastard is certainly tricky.

As you can see from the fact that even the arrogant ‘Primordial’ readily showed this reaction.

If a being that was supposed to come to the netherworld after dying, keeps not coming, they might eventually find it and take action.

But you don't have to worry about that bastard either.

“Why?”

If he had died in the real world, he would have naturally gone to the netherworld right away.

But if he's still wandering in the void here… that damn master of the netherworld won't be able to find him.

“Aah─”

Indeed.

“That, also makes sense.”

If you resurrect someone several times and spirit them away, you might get caught, but since you killed them while they were spirited away here from the beginning… the ‘death’ itself would not have been observed.

Because this place is not the present world, nor the netherworld, but the ‘Primordial’s inner world.

……Wait a minute.

In short, does that mean that you can keep the guy's soul, which is shattered and still wandering here, locked up here… and use it like a machine that rolls dice (?), with the feeling of just having another dice added?

So, from this moment on, you can roll three dice without any risk?

“That’s…”

……Isn’t that just a huge gain?