Chapter 79

Clatter! Clatter!

Biting her thumbnail, Sink looked at the chessboard before her with a face full of frustration. All her escape routes had been blocked, and she was about to face her ninth consecutive defeat.

"I surrender."

Gritting her silver teeth, Sink looked at Riku, who was once again setting up the chessboard, and complained, "I'm done playing! I'm done! I'm just one step away from telling you the color of my underwear!"

"Oh, finally giving up?"

Hearing Sink's outburst, Riku smiled and said, "Since we both got the information we wanted, let's end the game here."

"Alright, let's go."

"Hey!"

Seeing the two rise and leave without looking back, Sink called out loudly to Riku, "Are you a friend or an enemy?! What is your purpose?"

Turning to look at Sink, Riku thought for a moment before saying calmly, "We're neither enemies nor friends. I just hope that in the world to come, there will be fewer deaths."

Hearing Riku's response, Sink stared at Riku's back as he walked away and asked, "And the information you got, are you going to interfere with how I use it, Mr. Ghost?!"

"Do as you wish."

With his back to Sink, Riku waved his hand and walked out.

"Hey, Mr. Ghost!"

With a mysterious smile on her face, Sink raised her hand and shouted at Riku, "My name is Sink Nierbalen. Can you tell me your name, Mr. Ghost? I don't want to have someone so unforgettable in my memories and not even know their name."

Without replying, Riku simply retracted his raised hand and disappeared into the darkness with Vanir.

Watching the two vanish, Sink's lips curled into a smile, and the petals in her eyes began to bloom once more.

"Don't underestimate the elves' ability to hold grudges, Mr. Ghost who made me lose nine times in a row. Someone as powerful as you will one day step onto the world's stage, and when that time comes, I won't let you off so easily."

On the other side, Riku and Vanir were quickly making their way along the path of return.

The wind howled in his ears as Riku looked up at this increasingly dark world, and the hope in his eyes grew even stronger.

"Riku, the stage is already beginning to form. Soon, it will be time for you to step onto it."

Vanir, whose eyes reflected Riku's spirit beside him, looked at Riku with anticipation and smiled, asking, "Are you ready to face the world?"

"Is that even a question?"

Riku grinned, pulling down his mask and looking at the swirling black-gray in the heavens and the earth.

He stopped, standing in this lightless world. Riku gazed at the huge explosions slowly decreasing in the distance.

Spreading his arms wide, Riku's lips curled, and he smiled. "This kind of world isn't the one I want. Since that's the case, let me be the one to change it!"

Watching the young man laugh freely, Vanir smiled in satisfaction. This was the expression of someone prepared to fight the gods and save the world.

As Riku and others took action, this world, which had long been shrouded in war, saw a brief calm.

The beastmen and goblins both left the war-torn continent and moved to other lands to rest and recover.

Due to the beastmen forcibly breaking into the Marrow Burst laboratory and losing their trump card, the goblins actively changed their previous strategic model, forming alliances with the giants and most of the fantasy species. Under the witness of the god of forging, Okan, the three races signed an alliance agreement, forming the Earth Faction.

The actions of the beastmen and goblins caused other races to raise their guard.

The alliance formed by the goblins, giants, and fantasy species also alarmed the elves.

Upon learning what kind of trump card the goblins had, the elves abandoned their old ways, allying with the fairies and dragons under the witness of the god of the forest. They signed an alliance agreement, forming the Forest Faction.

The appearance of these two factions, along with the already existing Heaven Faction, quickly changed the direction of the world's wars. Races that failed to form alliances were directly eliminated from the battle for the One True God, leaving only the three most powerful factions to stand against one another.

Other scattered races wanted to replicate the actions of the Forest and Earth Factions, but their gods had long since fallen asleep. Without divine guarantees, who could ally with enemies they had fought for thousands of years?

As for the most powerful faction, the Heaven Faction, they paid little heed to the sudden changes in the war. It was ultimately meaningless; the world's strongest belonged to their creator, and he was indeed the most powerful.

The formation of the two new factions instead pleased the Heaven Faction. After all, the bugs that had been scattered everywhere had now gathered together, making things simpler. A single divine strike could exterminate them all like insects, and they could then offer the Star Chalice to their creator, who would ascend as the One True God.

The situation changed rapidly, a shift not seen for millennia. The Star Chalice, representing the One True God's throne, might also emerge in the coming conflicts.

The elves and goblins, once mortal enemies, temporarily ceased hostilities under the immense power of the Heaven Faction and the lure of the One True God's throne. They now stood on opposing sides within the Heaven Faction, forming a tripartite standoff.

The Heaven Faction might have quickly eliminated one of them, but facing two factions simultaneously—even if the Heaven Faction's angels could win, it would be a Pyrrhic victory.

The strongest faction, the Heaven Faction, had no desire for such a hollow victory. They sought a perfect, overwhelming victory, one that could serve as an offering to their creator along with the Star Chalice.

Thus, the three factions converged at the borders of three continents, amassing their strength and waiting for the right moment.

The continent that had once served as the battlefield had become the most desolate area in the world. Apart from the humans—who were not even recognized as a species—there was no other trace of any other race.

Far from the site of the three-way standoff, in a new cave bathed in bright light, people were making final adjustments and tests on the god-killing weapon.

Looking at the live stream displaying the situation among the three factions, Riku patted the busy Hiroshi. Pointing to the unoccupied area on the screen, he said, "The time has come. Now it's your turn."

Setting down the components in his hand, Hiroshi swung his head from side to side, stretching after a long period of work. He looked at the screen, stretched, and said, "Finally, it's ready. I can't believe it took them so long. Three whole months to get to this point. If it weren't mission time, our group might have added three more people by now."

"So it's all up to you now."

Watching Hiroshi twist his body, Riku smiled and asked, "No problem, right?"

"No problem!"

Twisting his neck, Hiroshi smiled, giving Riku a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, I'll bring Schwi back safe and sound, not a hair harmed."

"Schwi has no hair."

Pulling at Hiroshi's sleeve, Schwi raised her arm, explaining in earnest.

"Uh..."

Looking down at Schwi's serious face, Riku and Hiroshi exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Riku hugged Schwi, smiling as he explained, "Hiroshi meant that he will keep you completely safe. It was just a metaphor."

Holding Schwi close, Riku spoke softly, "Once we're done with this Distbord matter, I'll take you to see other worlds, okay?"

"Mm, Schwi wants to see them with Riku."

Burying her head in Riku's embrace, Schwi whispered softly, eyes closed.

"Hiroshi."

A gentle voice called from behind as Kuroneko hugged Hiroshi from behind.

"It'll be okay."

Holding Kuroneko's hand tightly, Hiroshi spoke softly, a smile on his face. He turned and hugged Kuroneko, kissing her gently on the ear.

"Brother Hiroshi! Klee wants one too!"

Klee ran over from the side, hugging the two of them. Looking up at Hiroshi, who had just kissed Kuroneko, she said, "Klee wants one too!"

Holding Klee in his right arm, Hiroshi kissed her on the forehead. Looking at Klee, who laughed happily, and Kuroneko, who held him, Hiroshi smiled. "I'll be back soon."

In the bright light, Hiroshi and Schwi waved goodbye to everyone and walked outside.

At the same time, Luo Xiao Hei, who had received the message, gently moved through the depths of space, beginning his withdrawal. The surveillance mission was complete, and with the large gathering of the three factions, he could no longer remain undetected if he stayed.