???
Step, step.
A girl walks indifferently across a mountain of corpses. By any measure, it is bizarre, and the fact that the perpetrator of this scene is the girl makes it all the more terrifying. A chaotic war that lasted over hundreds, over thousands of years—the conflict between devils, angels, and fallen angels, and even the Two Heavenly Dragons, who were evaluated to possess power surpassing that of Gods and Satans.
A single individual stopped it.
No, it would be more accurate to say she slaughtered it to a stop.
The girl's body was a mess, splattered with the blood of those around her, but not a single drop was her own. Because for her, who is infinite, the very concept of bleeding does not exist.
The girl, walking indifferently, suddenly stopped her footsteps with a *thud* somewhere.
"Ophis... is that you?"
There, in a tattered state and barely standing, was the God of the Bible.
Devils, angels, fallen angels, even Satans and the Two Heavenly Dragons could not avoid death, but she, true to her name, was the sole survivor in this place. No, one could only say she was barely alive.
For she was in a tattered state, barely managing to draw breath.
Even if Ophis did nothing, her life would soon be extinguished on its own.
"Why... did you do such a thing..."
The Ophis she knew was never a being who would do such a thing. She wasn't emotionless, but she was never an emotionally active being, and thus not one to wield such sudden violence.
Even if she might wield her power temporarily like during the Olympus incident, the God of the Bible did not think her a being who would take such large-scale action.
Was it because she was a 'peer' of sorts? Ophis did not respond indifferently as before and slowly opened her mouth.
"Red was killed by a God of Death from another world."
At those words, the God of the Bible's expression stiffens instantly.
Because the feared event had finally occurred.
"Great Red... was?"
"The otherworldly God of Death was strong. Me, Red, and Trihexa attacked together. No, correction. As time passed, only our side was depleted."
"To think even all of you attacking together..."
The God of the Bible muttered as if she couldn't believe it.
And rightly so, for the three mentioned were literally the strongest in this world. Beings so powerful it would be no exaggeration to say that any one of them running amok could destroy not only all life on this planet, but the planet itself. To hear that even three such beings attacking together couldn't achieve parity, let alone victory, was nothing short of shocking.
"What happened to the God of Death?"
"Red gathered the hopes scattered across dimensions, the dreams of this planet, and the power of scattered life forces to defeat it."
"I see... He did defeat it."
Somewhat relieved.
The God of the Bible, on the verge of death, felt reassured.
Seeing that, Ophis indifferently raised her gaze.
"I, don't understand."
"What don't you understand?"
"Red fought to protect this world. He gave his life for the countless lives living on this planet."
Ophis briefly looked around.
Though most of it is Ophis's handiwork, since the three major forces of devils, angels, and fallen angels clashed, the result likely wouldn't have changed—only the process would have been different. To anyone who knew the circumstances, it was the ultimate farce that they were fighting amongst themselves, unaware they could have been invaded and massacred by beings from another world.
"For this?"
At those words, the God of the Bible's expression clouded.
After all, having participated in this war herself, she could not escape responsibility for those words.
"I..."
"...."
"I intended to perish together with the Four Great Satans in this war. If I, who presides over holiness, and the Satans, who preside over evil, were to die, a bug in the world... a sort of singularity would arise somehow. Hearing your words, I am even more convinced. The invasion from another world cannot be handled by merely gathering the current mythological forces. Power beyond that is needed..."
"Singularity?"
"Yes."
The God of the Bible, exhaling ragged breaths, spoke.
"Sacred Gears... My masterpiece that grows by feeding on the emotions and heart of its owner... I placed my bet on the potential of humans, different from other non-humans."
"Human potential? Non-humans won't do?"
"Other races won't do. They are all caught up in confidence in their own race... no, arrogance. Even if equipped with a Sacred Gear, that would merely be possessing a powerful weapon. They cannot reach beyond the singularity. Just as no matter how many rabble gather, they cannot defeat a being like you..."
If Sacred Gears were equipped by angels, the angelic forces would have unilaterally defeated other devils or fallen angels and ascended to a supreme position. But that must not happen. Such a level would not even scratch an otherworldly invader.
She could be even more certain, hearing that the world's strongest beings, including Ophis, could not win even when attacking together.
The God of the Bible wore a sorrowful smile.
"Though different from the original plan, my objective has been achieved nonetheless. Thanks to you, I was even able to seal the Two Heavenly Dragons—an unexpected harvest, you could say."
Ophis stared blankly at the God of the Bible.
"You're dying for the world too, like Red?"
"...That is my role. In the end, I am one who presides over this world's holiness and goodness. To die for this world is what I desired. Though our values may differ, Great Red must have been similar."
"I don't understand."
The God of the Bible spoke with mixed emotions.
"Looking at us, unable to grasp the situation and engaging in stupid squabbles despite the otherworldly invasion, your sacrifices... you might be angry, Ophis."
"Angry? I, am angry?"
"Is that it. Perhaps you don't even know you're angry yourself...."
At those words, Ophis merely looked at the God of the Bible indifferently with her pitch-black eyes. Their gazes met, and Ophis opened her mouth.
"Red sacrificed himself for this world."
"...."
"I will... watch over the world Red tried to protect. To see if it was truly a world worth it."
Then, slowly turning her body, Ophis continued.
"To see if you were worth protecting."
Thus, time passed.
Sometimes Ophis acted herself, sometimes she observed the world indifferently, and other times she moved her subordinate Ouroboros Cult to interfere with the world. But humans, devils, fallen angels, angels, youkai, dragons, gods—all were merely busy with their own squabbles, unaware of the crisis looming right before their eyes.
"...."
Ophis watched.
For thousands of years.
And she reached a decision.
─────For the grace period had been sufficiently long.
==========================================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 30
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T