[56] Twisted III

As everyone went their separate ways, each with a brighter future ahead, different dimensions trembled with intrigue and tension. In the fourth dimension, in the realm of the gods, a humanoid entity shrouded in white mist gazed down with sharp eyes. This entity was Hitogami, the God of Humanity, whose body had been seized by beings from the void—an entity masquerading as a god to deceive and manipulate the beings of the Six-Faced World.

Hitogami, a master deceiver who took pleasure in the despair and ruin of his targets, watched anxiously every movement occurring in the world. His penchant for witnessing destruction and suffering had fostered an enduring grudge from the past. With the [Future Sight] ability allowing him to see future timelines, Hitogami had once glimpsed his own future, and what he saw was an unavoidable death.

As a cowardly being who shunned death, Hitogami worked tirelessly to prevent that grim fate. "How unfortunate," he lamented in frustration, "I cannot make a deal with that being from another world. Besides Rudeus, there is another who has reincarnated into this world—someone who lives with remarkable achievements. He possesses an innate ability of great value. It would be advantageous if I could make him my pawn to defeat Orsted."

Hitogami was deeply vexed and enraged at his inability to contact Ash for a transaction or to manipulate him to act according to his will. His usual method involved entering someone's dreams, speaking with sweet words, and then tricking them into actions that suited his desires—such as committing murder or causing disaster. However, this time, his efforts had proven futile.

In the dimension of pure white where Hitogami resided, he sat cross-legged, furrowing his brow as he pondered ways to manipulate Ash. After repeated failures, he even began to consider killing him, despite knowing that Ash was already too powerful. Only a handful of people in this world had the ability to defeat Ash, and the unique abilities Ash brought from his origin made him exceptionally difficult to handle.

As Hitogami felt cornered, he suddenly sensed a shift in the timeline. Using his [Future Sight], he checked his own future, and what he discovered was startling.

---

"No, you cannot do this to me! I am the god of this world!!" Hitogami screamed, bound in a crucifixion-like position by a young man with black hair in a white suit. Hitogami felt excruciating pain as a lance of light pierced through his body.

"For goodness' sake, you are so whiny. You are just a mass of sins that needs to be purified. To ensure the world proceeds as it should, I will erase your soul and use this godly body as a reactor to drive this system," the young man said darkly, his face obscured from Hitogami's view.

The young man withdrew the lance of light with force, piercing through Hitogami's body, and aimed it directly at his bound eyes.

"Hmmm…?" The young man tilted his head slightly, glaring intently at Hitogami's eyes. "So, you saw this moment from the past, did you? Hey, you from the past, do whatever you like to disrupt this future. But know one thing: you will never be able to change your fate," the young man said sharply and resolutely. The tip of the lance then pierced through Hitogami's head with tremendous force.

---

"Ack!!" Hitogami snapped back from the chaotic vision. He bit his finger in anger, regretting what he had just witnessed. "Damn, damn, damn! What did I just see? Why is it so different from what I saw before?!" he yelled in frustration and rage.

The young man's words still echoed clearly in his mind, like a message from the angel of death. "Why can't I see his face? Why do I feel so powerless against his presence? Damn, how can I prevent this from happening?!"

Hitogami felt trapped and confused, his inability to alter his own fate adding to his frustration. He now had to carefully consider his next move, devising a new strategy to confront this unforeseen threat and prevent the predicted downfall.

"I don't know which timeline I saw. What matters now is how I avoid that death," Hitogami muttered in frustration. After a while, he grew increasingly agitated due to the lack of information about the mysterious young man. "He didn't even tell me his name! How can I prevent this from happening?!"

With mounting frustration, Hitogami realised he needed to seek further information from the people of the Six-Faced World. Although this process might take time, it was still better than waiting idly for the impending doom.

---

In an inn in East Port, the atmosphere was calm until it was suddenly broken by a sneeze.

"Achoo!" Ash sneezed as he continued writing his scriptures. "Eh, can I catch a cold too?" he muttered, wiping his nose with his hand. "Why am I sneezing all of a sudden?"

[There is a report that it is unlikely this is happening given Michael's ability to detect and address any abnormal status.]

"Oh, I see. So, why am I sneezing? Is something wrong?"

[Answer: Someone is talking about you.]

Ash looked around the room with curiosity, as if trying to read any hidden messages in the calm atmosphere. His curiosity surged—was someone trying to reach or influence him from afar? This sudden information added a layer of mystery to unravel, but it was something to address later. For now, winter had arrived, and East Port would not be operational until spring.

Meanwhile, Ash redirected his attention and energy towards social work. In recent months, he had also taken on a new pupil, an orphan named Levi. When Ash first found Levi, the child's condition was tragic—his emaciated body barely had any flesh over his bones, sitting among the ruins of poverty and clutching his knees in front of his deceased mother's skeleton.

Levi was a picture of sorrow and poverty but also had impressive potential. Now, Levi had made significant progress under Ash's guidance.

"Master, I have finished my assignment. May I continue my sword training?" Levi asked, his voice full of enthusiasm and determination. Although his body was still frail, his eyes sparkled with a desire to learn and train more.

Ash smiled gently, "Levi, don't call me master. Just call me teacher or Ash, it's more comfortable."

"Alright, teacher," Levi replied respectfully, his smile appearing despite the lingering traces of hardship on his face.

Ash reviewed the results of Levi's arithmetic assignment and was surprised by the child's intelligence and talent. Levi's skill in swordsmanship was also impressive. Ash remembered he could not suggest the Wind God's stream to Levi due to his still unstable condition. Therefore, Ash decided to create a new sword style, inspired by the Water God's techniques.

This new sword technique was designed to handle attacks exceptionally well, but it focused more on countering the opponent's strikes with speed and precision. Ash named it Water Flow, a technique that combined defensive and offensive principles into one harmonious movement.

With this technique, Ash hoped Levi could reach his full potential, despite his background and past suffering. Behind every movement and training session, Ash saw not just a pupil but an individual striving to rewrite his fate with his own hands.