System: Wait For Death
As soon as Eriri and the others appeared, the golden-haired boy's system began blaring warnings.
"Warning! Warning! Warning! An entity beyond the host's ability to resist has appeared. Immediate retreat is advised."
The stern female voice echoed in the boy's mind, snapping him out of his daze.
Despite the urgent warnings, the God-Level Enhancement System had only detected the power levels of Arifureta and the others. It remained unable to analyze Eriri's full capabilities and, therefore, had no immediate plans to flee.
From the system's perspective, Arifureta and the others, though powerful, posed no significant threat to a high-mid-tier system like itself. It assumed that Eriri's concealed power was merely the result of some method used to evade detection—after all, such a low-level world couldn't possibly house a being stronger than Level 8, Stage 6.
"What?! Damn it! Wasn't Eriri supposed to have left this world? How could she suddenly appear here?" the golden-haired boy fumed internally.
His thoughts then turned to the people accompanying her. Although their attire differed slightly from the original designs he remembered, he quickly recognized several of them.
"Wait… Isn't that Yue and Shea from the original story? And is that Asuna? That tiny one must be Jibril in her diminished form! Why are they all gathered together? And why are they in another world?!"
He failed to recognize Kato Megumi and Arche due to the former's now-long hair and the latter's minor presence in the original work.
"What are their power levels?" he demanded of his system, both wary and greedy as his eyes swept over the group.
"All individuals are at Level 5, ranging from lower to mid-level. The blonde girl leading them remains unknown. Based on host-provided memory regarding her live global broadcast, her power is estimated to be Level 6 at peak strength."
The boy cursed under his breath. "Damn, they're strong. System, is there any way for me to handle them now?"
"Negative. Immediate retreat is advised. You may expend points to open a dimensional portal to another world."
The system's blunt response offered both relief and frustration. While reassured by the escape option, the boy loathed the idea of abandoning his plans. His Crystal Palace (Harem) ambition was only just beginning, and the sudden setback left him simmering with anger.
Still, with the system backing him, his confidence hadn't entirely crumbled. If worst came to worst, he could simply flee to another world. Surely, Eriri wouldn't chase him across dimensions.
Putting on what he believed was a suave smile, he called out toward Eriri's group:
"Ah, such beauty gathered in one place! Ladies, it's truly a pleasure to meet you. Fate must have brought us together. How about we become friends?"
Though his internal monologue had been rapid, barely a few minutes had passed in real time. By the time he spoke, Eriri and Arifureta had just finished catching up with Shizuku.
The golden-haired boy's words drew the attention of everyone present. His tone and intent elicited the same reaction from everyone, even Eri Nakamura—disdainful stares that screamed, "Are you an idiot?"
The entire world knew Eriri as a supreme goddess, capable of obliterating the empire with a mere gesture. How could this fool speak to her so casually, especially in such a tense situation?
The three male traitors, sensing an opportunity for redemption, immediately sprang forward, furiously berating the golden-haired boy.
"Who do you think you are, speaking to the goddess like that? Have you lost your mind?!"
"Exactly! Just a pathetic native, trying to cozy up to the great goddess! Know your place!"
"If I were you, I'd be groveling at her feet, begging for mercy. Maybe she'd let you live as a dog!"
As the trio groveled, they cast sycophantic smiles toward Eriri, hoping to curry favor.
The golden-haired boy's expression darkened. Memories of his past life as a bullied outcast flooded back, stoking his fury.
"You dare mock me?! You're courting death!" he roared, veins bulging on his forehead.
The three traitors, realizing they had overstepped, turned and fled toward their classmates, praying that Eriri's presence might shield them.
But they weren't fast enough.
With a bellow of rage, the boy unleashed his power upon them, erasing their lives in an instant. Aiko Hatayama's panicked scream echoed through the hall as the traitors crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Through it all, Eriri remained an idle observer, her eyes cold and dispassionate. To her, those who betrayed their comrades were irredeemable. Whether the boy killed them or not, their fate was already sealed.
"Hmph, pathetic fools." Wiping away his anger, the boy's face resumed its practiced smile. He addressed Eriri again, as if nothing had happened.
"My apologies for that unpleasant interruption. Now, lovely ladies, what do you say to my earlier proposal?"
His arrogance and delusions seemed boundless.
"Why should someone as lowly as you deserve to know my master?" Jibril scoffed, stepping forward. Her youthful form only heightened the stark contrast between her biting disdain and her cherubic appearance.
Turning to Eriri, she added, "Master, may I take his head? Although, frankly, even his head isn't worth keeping. Perhaps I should simply erase him entirely?"
Jibril's request left Shizuku and the others visibly torn between bemusement and awe. It was hard to reconcile her childish form with her chilling bloodlust.
Although the small white wings on her lower back and the glowing halo spinning endlessly above her head made everyone think of her as something extraordinary—perhaps an angel—she was far removed from the angels they had imagined.
Despite this, seeing such a young-looking girl, barely six or seven years old, wearing an adorable expression and uttering such brutal words, left them feeling deeply unsettled.
The golden-haired boy couldn't help but shiver. He knew all too well about Jibril's penchant for collecting the heads of her enemies, and for a moment, a terrifying urge to have his system teleport him away surged within him. Ultimately, he suppressed it with great difficulty.
"Wait a moment." Eriri gently pressed her hand down on Jibril's tiny head. With a faint, amused smile, she addressed the golden-haired boy, "You're quite bold, aren't you? Who gave you that courage? Was it that trashy system you're carrying?"
The golden-haired boy's expression changed dramatically. The system was his deepest secret, his ultimate trump card, yet Eriri had not only detected its existence but also dismissed it with outright disdain. Panic immediately set in.
"H-How do you know that?" His face twisted unnaturally, and in his mind, he frantically called out to his system, "System! What's going on here? How does Eriri know about you?"
The God-Level Enhancement System began to realize the severity of the situation and, for the first time, found itself unable to maintain its calm demeanor.
"Well… there are two possibilities," the system explained. "One is that she possesses a system that surpasses me—something like a Advanced, High-Level system. The second possibility…"
"What's the second possibility? Say it already! This is no time for suspense!"
"Well, the second possibility is that Eriri's strength is at least Level 8 High-Tier—likely Level 8, Stage 7 or above. If it's the first scenario, I can forcibly open a dimensional gate and escape. If it's the second scenario…"
"Stop stalling! Just tell me what happens in the second case!" the golden-haired boy practically screamed, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"In the second case… Host, you're doomed. Just accept your fate."
"WHAT?!" The golden-haired boy felt as if his soul had left his body. He swallowed hard, his voice shaking. "S-System, get me out of here! I don't want to stay here any longer! It's too dangerous!"
The system's reply crushed his last hope. "I regret to inform you, Host, that we're dealing with the second scenario. This world has been forcibly locked, and my attempts to open a dimensional gate have failed."
Before the system could finish its explanation, the boy collapsed to the ground, his face frozen in an expression of utter terror and despair.
At that moment, Eriri's voice rang out, a smile playing on her lips. "What's wrong? Did your little system just tell you it can't get you out of here?"
Hearing her words, the golden-haired boy snapped back to reality. Overwhelmed by fear, he scrambled to his knees and prostrated himself before Eriri, slamming his forehead repeatedly into the ground until loud thuds echoed through the area.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I'm just a worthless insect! I beg you—spare my pathetic life!" The golden-haired boy's tears flowed freely as he groveled, his cries filled with abject desperation.
In the month since he'd arrived in this world, the system's assistance had inflated his ego and made him arrogant and overbearing. But the 20-plus years he had spent as a timid, self-loathing shut-in had not disappeared. That buried part of himself now resurfaced with a vengeance, shattering his flimsy façade.
Watching his pitiful display, everyone else, save for the increasingly panicked Eri Nakamura, felt no sympathy. Instead, they were filled with satisfaction. Even Hatayama Aiko, who had been the kindest among them, harbored no pity. The deaths of her students had fundamentally changed her—she could no longer retain the boundless compassion she once had.
Eriri, completely unfazed by the boy's pleas, released her hand from Jibril's head and said, "Jibril, he's all yours."
"Yes, Master," Jibril replied, a bloodthirsty smile spreading across her face. "It's been so long since I've hunted. While this bug is so weak he might as well be dust, I'll make sure to savor the experience."
Realizing that begging was futile, the golden-haired boy screamed in despair and made a run for the grand hall's exit.
But before he could even reach the doors, a crisp snap echoed through the air. Suddenly, the surroundings morphed, transforming the opulent royal hall into an endless grassy plain.
"What's happening? Where is this?" The other students began to panic as they found themselves transported to an entirely different world.
Eriri's voice provided a calm explanation: "This is a world I just created. It's temporary, made specifically for Jibril to play. Don't worry—when she's done, I'll send you all back."
The sheer magnitude of her casual statement left Yaegashi Shizuku and the others utterly speechless. Though they had always known Eriri was powerful, this was an entirely different level. Creating an entire world with a thought—this was nothing short of miracle.
Pointing at the golden-haired boy, Eriri unleashed a faint but sinister energy that seeped into his body unnoticed.
"Jibril," she said with a smile, "to make sure he doesn't die too quickly, I've reinforced his body to endure your attacks. I've also given him enhanced regeneration and multiplied his pain sensitivity hundredfold. You've got half an hour—have fun."
"Thank you, Master!" Jibril beamed, her eyes sparkling with delight. She extended her hand, and with a swirl of dark energy, a massive black scythe materialized in her grasp.
The tiny wings on her back flared open as she launched herself at the fleeing golden-haired boy, her figure vanishing into the distance like a dark streak of lightning.
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