In the Sanctuary of Wisdom, where the Chief of Angels once slumbered, their mechanical beds lay empty. They were now used as chairs for Eld Aster, one of the Ten Authorities.
“…”
Seated on the mechanical chair, Eld closed his eyes and remained motionless, his presence eerily devoid of life. The Sanctuary of Wisdom itself was shrouded in a silence so profound, it felt as though all sound had been extinguished. However, this silence was about to be shattered.
“Eld, are you aware?”
“…Hazama.”
Hazama Shemhazai, one of the Three Authorities of Authority. He was a man who spoke with the cadence of an old man, his entire body concealed by a robe. Yet, it was evident that what lay beneath was far from human. Through the fabric, his body seemed to be unnaturally transforming, as if tentacles or something similar writhed within the robe.
“Deceivers, traitors, and many others are approaching this White Wing Land. Their presence is so vague, I suspect they intend to use Holy Stakes to break through the Barrier and launch a surprise attack. …Hazama, you seem to be in an unusually good mood today?”
“Kukaka, you can tell?”
The writhing beneath his robe intensified, more so than usual. Eld noticed this and pointed it out, but he remained expressionless, showing no interest in meeting Hazama’s gaze.
“Even as an artificial body, there exists a talent capable of defeating the Ten Authorities. I will be able to offer the noble souls of such individuals to Adams. How could I not be excited? With my own hands, I will gather all the remaining souls! Kukakaka!”
“…Ah, indeed.”
Hazama laughed jovially, but Eld had already seen through his facade, knowing he wasn’t truly thinking of that at all. Of course, to Eld, such matters were trivial and not worth mentioning again.
“Have the others taken their positions?”
“Kukka— Hmm? Ah, yes. They have dispersed to various locations across White Wing Land, ensuring their Authorities do not interfere with each other. I too will be heading to a place I’ve had my eye on. Eld, what will you do?”
“I will remain here, as it is. Kelvum will likely come directly. Hazama, Rem’s Authority is incompatible with his. I intend to take on that role.”
“Ho, you say? I could fight him if you wished. You needn’t worry; I’m not so senile as to refuse.”
“Hmph, is that so. Well, either way, it depends on them. Defeat the sacrifices before us and offer them to Adams. What we must do remains unchanged.”
“Precisely. To achieve the world we desire, a true paradise for all living beings, we cannot falter in these preliminary matches. To crush our enemies with strength, that is the natural order of things. Well then, I should be going. Kukakaka!”
Hazama turned, intensifying the writhing beneath his robe and his laughter.
“In the great war of the past, we suffered defeat. Despite overwhelming the enemy gods throughout, and reaching the throne of the Main God itself, we were defeated. Hazama, what do you think was the reason?”
To Eld’s murmured question, Hazama stopped in his tracks, his laughter ceasing. The writhing within his robe continued, though its movements had inexplicably slowed.
“…Kukaka, why do you ask such a thing now? It’s simple. It’s all the fault of that hateful Main God. He had a hidden technique to instantly erase the divinity of the gods who sided with us, Adams. Tracing the roots of divine power, all of it leads back to the Main God. And the Main God could freely collect this power. In other words, because we were gods, there was a System where we could never defeat the Main God. We who managed the lower realms were also managed by that tyrant called the Main God. What a ridiculous outcome! Kukaka! What a funny story!”
“Yes, a preposterous funny story. We were defeated because we were gods. That is why we must possess power that does not rely on gods.”
“Indeed. For some reason, in this world, a miracle has occurred where a non-god has defeated a god, something unthinkable elsewhere. This means it is possible to elevate oneself to the realm of god-slayers in this world. To lose our divine bodies has turned out to be so advantageous. Kukaka! It’s all thanks to the Golems! If only we could freely use our Authorities, and we’d be all set! Kukakaka!”
Hazama, resuming his walk, vanished from the Sanctuary of Wisdom. Eld, without seeing him off, stared into the void.
“…The Main God could not fully collect divine power from only Adams. That is why he imposed a thorough seal, different from ours. The Authorities we possess are remnants of the divine power bestowed by Adams, a feat possible only for Adams, who was a god comparable to the Main God himself. …Therefore, Adams, you too must cease being a god.”
Eld’s words disappeared into the void he stared into, unheard by anyone.
***
Leaving the Sanctuary of Wisdom, Hazama inexplicably looked up at the sky and sighed. It wasn’t that the conversation with Eld had troubled him. The issue was that the appearance of the person before him had exceeded Hazama’s expectations.
“Hmm, it seems I got carried away in conversation. I never expected them to arrive here so soon. However, even with my old eyes, that doesn’t look like Kelvum… Now, who are you?”
The vast shadow cast by Hazama’s immense, spread wings began to envelop him.
“…Dorothy.”
Dorothy, the owner of the wings, looked down at Hazama from the azure sky and spoke the bare minimum. She gripped a large staff in her clawed foot, and a book as thick as a dictionary floated near her—clearly preparing for battle, seeming ready to fight at any moment.
“Dorothy? …Ah, the Divine Pillar in question—”
“—I shall send you to the underworld.”
Invisible strings and an invisible arrow materialized on Dorothy’s staff, launching an attack at blinding speed. The arrow, which accelerated time by decades upon contact, struck what appeared to be Hazama’s chest, piercing through his flesh. The meat in the arrow’s path rotted away, leaving a large hole in Hazama’s body. …But.
“Hmm, young people these days are too hasty. They attack without exchanging words. However, I am interested in your power. Meat rotting away, is that some kind of Black Magic? And what is that form? It doesn’t seem like just a bird-man, it’s truly intriguing!”
“I have no interest in you. I would be greatly helped if you would die quickly?”
“Kukaka, to face this Hazama Shemhazai and say such a thing! Give up already!”
From within the hole that Dorothy’s arrow had made in Hazama, new flesh erupted with explosive force. The site of the attack was no longer visible, and the flesh writhed ominously beneath the robe.
