[Idoragia Continent Southern Region—Unexplored Territory]
A man knelt alone in the middle of a barren wilderness where nothing grew.
"S-SCARYYYYYY!!!"
He screamed.
His face was contorted, seemingly strained under severe stress.
No—his demeanor made it blatantly obvious he had just been through some unwanted situation moments ago.
In terms of age, he appeared to be around 16 to 18 years old.
Dressed in a black school uniform, a vibrantly decorated sword hung at his waist.
This man was not from this world.
As he recalled the exchange he'd just had, he shouted toward the ground once more, "SCARYYYYY!", then, having seemingly calmed down, he staggered to his feet.
After defeating the Demon Lord, he remembered the circumstances of his own earlier intrusion and cursed the heavens for making him endure such an ordeal.
"What was that 'Please go help the innocent beautiful girl in trouble right now!' nonsense! She wasn't in trouble at all—I got yelled at instead! That idiot god!"
He shouted at the sky, stamping his feet and clamoring—his posture was almost comical, clownish even.
Yet his words contained phrases that should not be taken lightly, and their content would leave anyone who heard them wide-eyed with shock.
Yes, gods existed.
The god was the being who had sent him to this world.
It had named itself a god and granted him a second life, giving him immense power as atonement for some mistake it had apparently made.
His memories of the past ended abruptly, cut off by the light of two glowing lamps before his eyes.
He had likely died due to some circumstance—he didn't even need to understand this before the god told him the truth, and as an apology, he was given extraordinary power and a second life. That was how it all began.
After that fateful encounter in the endless white expanse, he had followed the deity's instructions with reluctance.
They were mostly incoherent tasks—commands like "randomly defeat some monsters that appeared in the distance" or "try dashing at full speed"—as purposeless and disjointed as a child's first play with a new toy.
Of course, possessing free will, he could have easily fled. But a certain respect for a being calling itself a god, combined with lingering anxiety over the boundless wasteland and the utter absence of any human presence, kept him reluctantly indulging in this divine amusement.
He had thought, at the time, that this was the first request that held meaning.
The one who urged him to defeat the Demon Lord was none other than the entity calling itself a god.
But opening that box revealed this state of affairs.
It seemed his participation had been entirely unnecessary meddling. The three girls he encountered greeted him with sharp, hostile gazes and harsh treatment.
The old him would have been trembling, apologizing with a strained smile.
He briefly felt a flicker of gratitude toward the god for granting him greater mental fortitude, then shook his head vigorously. Ultimately, this mess wouldn't have happened if that ridiculous god hadn't spouted those pointless suggestions.
Every move he made had backfired.
"Well, sure, I had some blame too. If you're asking if I didn't imagine a scenario where I help a girl and maybe... something happens—yeah, I can't say I didn't. And I didn't observe closely enough before jumping in, partly because of that."
He was an avid reader, and through that, he consumed anime, manga, and films.
One of the popular genres among them was "Isekai Reincarnation."
The protagonist, suddenly transported to another world for a second life, would overcome hardships and adventures to achieve great deeds and rise to prominence.
Accompanying such a protagonist were many beautiful women and girls.
As he recalled several hit works, the thought that perhaps he might be in a similar situation was his downfall.
"But that useless god was egging me on too, saying things like 'The girl you save will fall in love with you at first sight, and you'll be all lovey-dovey!' Ugh—I was set up perfectly. The way those girls looked at me with such cold eyes... I've never experienced that even in my previous life. Seriously."
Regardless, reality was a bit harsher than he expected.
The girls who should have been rescued didn't need saving at all. Instead, they shot him killing glares as if he were nothing but an unwanted nuisance.
It seemed that women in this world were rather sturdier creatures than those in the stories he knew.
Whether he was entirely to blame for that, however, was debatable.
"I've had it!"
He shouts.
Because he suddenly remembered that the god was the root of all his problems.
"Hey! You piece-of-crap god! Get out here! Get out here right now and explain this whole damn situation to me properly! I'm not satisfied with this, you hear me?!"
He shouts even louder.
But as if his words weren't reaching anywhere, there was no reply.
As soon as things got inconvenient, it was always like this. He recalled the god's glib attitude as usual, and his anger intensified further, making him stomp his foot.
"Master!"
In the midst of that, someone called out to him in the middle of the uninhabited wilderness of Idoragia's uncharted territories, where no one should have been.
"Hm? Oh--"
"Yes! Your slave, --"
It was the first girl he had met after coming to this world.
This girl who seemed to be the slave the god had obtained from somewhere followed him as her absolute master with unwavering loyalty, like a chick following its parent.
Despite his endless complaints against the god, this slave girl was the reason he tolerated the deity to some extent.
After all, he was a man too. He was particularly weak to cute girls.
"Come to think of it, you've been hiding this whole time, right? You aren't hurt or anything?"
"I'm fine! I was protected by, like, the god's mysterious power, or something!"
"He said that? And he didn't do anything weird to you?!"
"Um, I received a message. It's... 'Sorry, okay?' they said."
"If I see him again, I'll never forgive him..."
Perhaps sensing his master's anger, or maybe just exasperated by the gods' carefree nature, the slave girl gave a bitter smile and gave a small nod in agreement.
"Well... I do honestly thank him for giving me the cheat ability. But yeah, things just don't work out as smoothly as in novels, huh?"
"A cheat... ability? What's that, Master? Ah! That's dangerous—"
*Chin—* A faint sound was heard.
By the time the girl recognized that sound as a blade sliding back into its sheath...
The Hill Giant that had been peering from behind a rock, glaring fiercely, had been sliced into pieces and was collapsing to the ground.
"Ah, it's fine, it's fine. It's already over."
An action so swift it was nearly imperceptible.
Before the slave girl could even spot the Hill Giant behind her master and shout a warning, everything was finished.
A strike so swift it could be called either a peerless or a mystical technique, perhaps even a secret art, had been unleashed with casual ease.
"A-amazing! It's amazing, Master! As expected of Master!"
"Haha, it's nothing, really. It's a cheat, after all."
He scratched his cheek at the excessive praise. But having caught a glimpse of his master's seemingly infinite power, the girl was so excited she couldn't help but bounce up and down.
Watching her adorable, innocent manner, the anger within him naturally subsided and was replaced by a feeling of "Well, whatever." He did have plenty he wanted to say to the gods, but being with this girl alone was enough for him.
He quietly turned his gaze toward the horizon.
The vast wilderness stretched endlessly, with only large boulders scattered about, not a soul in sight.
But even without a clear destination, we had to keep moving. There was no reason for us to be here, after all.
"Where should we go, then?"
"I believe north would be best, Master."
The slave girl given by God offered that suggestion with a soft smile. We had no particular plan, and the god who might explain things to us apparently refused to contact us, being busy fleeing. Since either direction was as good as any, he accepted the slave girl's input.
"That's right... we'll do that!"
"Yes! I will accompany you, Master!"
Eventually we'd reach somewhere if we kept going. And if there were problems, the god would surely make contact then. After all... the god and he had a purpose.
"That annoying shit god is getting a 10,000-hour lecture next time I see him... saving the world. Yeah, right, like I can do that."
"You can, Master! Because you're so strong!"
The girl praised him without hesitation. Despite feeling a slight burden from her expectations, he gently stroked the beautiful black hair the slave girl held.
"I've thought about wanting to be a cheat protagonist in an anime or novel, but actually becoming one is just one big hassle after another..."
At his words, the slave girl simply smiled her carefree, radiant smile. She likely never doubted his victory and glory for a moment. There was no basis for it, but somehow it gave rise to a feeling of infinite strength.
"Though still, why not give it a go!"
He moves forward.
His covenant with the god is to fill the world with the light of justice.
To command all the sky, all the sea, and all the earth, to eradicate evil from this world.
That was precisely what the "goddamn god" desired of the man who had reincarnated into this other world.
[Holy Kingdom of Quolia, Northern Province - Witchcraft Incident Occurrence Zone]
A world entirely sealed by snow.
The earth freezes, the streets freeze, and things that were once human are frozen solid.
In the ruins of this town, designated as a first-class disaster area by the Holy Kingdom of Quolia and the epicenter of the Witchcraft Incident, living presences are virtually nonexistent.
"..."
One was the radiant Holy Maiden, Soarina.
Clad in a unique sacred vestment adorned with floral motifs, her golden-thread-like hair reaching her feet, she was a decisive weapon gifted with the miracle of incinerating an entire area with a single sweep of her staff.
And the other was one who writhes with malice in this frigid land.
"Tick-tack ♪ Tick-tack ♪ God doesn't roll the dice ♪ Dreams and hope are nowhere to be found ♪"
A singing voice was heard from afar.
Strange and brimming with malice. Soarina probed with her superhuman hearing and memory, but the lyrics were unlike any she knew.
...The song was drawing closer to Soarina.
"Life is but a pastime ♪ A board game made by God ♪ Die, die, die, and let's have fun dying again ♪"
Before long, a shadow poked its head out from a gap in the rubble of what was once a cathedral, buried in snow and ice.
"Run-tat-ta, run-tat-ta ♪ Erakino doesn't roll the dice. All results are in God's palm."
If the girl had to be described in one word, she was an anomaly made flesh. Unlike any race or tribe Soarina knew, she was clad in pink-based garments and wore garish, clown-like makeup. Bells seemed to adorn her entire body, producing a dull, peculiar chime with every skip she took.
"Run-ta-ta-ta."
The saint did not move. The girl, as if that was only natural, stepped forward until she stood before Soarina. Eventually… after the peculiar sounds and strange song ended, the girl stopped in front of the saint.
"Hello, hello, nice to meet you, long time no see. Miss Saint—have you been doing well??"
"Witch Erakino…"
This girl was the witch Erakino. The great calamity that had been wreaking havoc in the northern reaches of Kree, shrouded in snow, destroying countless towns and their people. The number of lost lives was immeasurable; even the count of holy knights who had fallen was now so great that new memorial churches and graveyards had to be built.
The damage inflicted upon the Holy Kingdom of Kree, which should have been in its prime, was far too unrealistic and devastating.
"Today, I will unravel your secret."
Raising the holy staff in her hand, Soarina declared quietly. Any further words were unnecessary.
No—it was dangerous. Saint Soarina held a tactical advantage over Witch Erakino. Soarina understood that Erakino's abilities were essentially what was called "Slurping," which allowed her to reshape people into convenient dolls. Resembling zombies brought back to life, they could wield strength far beyond what they had in life, and could only be stopped by destroying the head; superficial attacks were useless.
Conversely, Soarina's ability was called "Funeral Flowers," a technique that could summon massive flames across a wide area.
Those sucked dry could unleash a furious assault, yet a single miracle can turn them all to ash.
If one excludes the heartache Soarina herself endures, it could be said she is the most efficient Saint at sealing a Witch's techniques.
That is precisely why Erakino can never defeat Soarina.
Because she can never win, Saint Soarina confronts Witch Erakino with the utmost vigilance.
After all, Erakino has already been killed twenty-one times...
"Wow, it's the momentous 22nd round, Saint! Erakino is starting to think she really wants to win against Saint~!"
She definitely kills her.
She has completely incinerated the corpse, applied sacred sealing rites, and recently, she even went so far as to bring the body back, dismember it, and salt-cure the pieces.
In every instance, Erakino has revived with an oblivious expression and appeared before Soarina.
She is not a different person. It is no copy made by some dark secret technique.
Naturally, the notion of there being twenty-two sisters is absurd.
In other words... every Erakina Soarina has killed until now has been the same individual.
That fact is what makes Soarina so wary.
More than anything...
"Are you wary because the previous Saint lost??"
Witch Erakino has defeated the "Face-Down Saint."
While her life was spared, that Saint is currently in a state of absolute rest. Other Saints are attending to emergency treatment, but Quolia's characteristic power struggles are hampering information, and no details have reached her yet.
The reason why the Face-Down Saint, who should have held the advantage, was defeated remains unknown.
Everything was already one step behind.
That fact, along with the lives slipping away, gnawed dully at Soarina's heart.
But...
"No matter what tricks you employ, I shall only strike down evil in the name of God."
She was a saint.
If even one fallen soul remained, how could she hesitate to endure hardship in order to save them?
She... had to save them.
"Ugh! You're so stiff as always, Miss Saint! No good, no good—you've gotta loosen up way more~"
Erakino raised her hand slowly, her speech filled with broken slang.
The battle was about to begin.
It always ended in an instant.
Erakino would activate something, its effect nullified before God's Grace, and then Soarina's holy staff would pierce the witch's heart.
In a sense, this fixed sequence had been the entirety of their last few fights.
But on the twenty-second day, something was slightly different.
"Well, honestly, Erakino here is getting close to being in trouble if she doesn't win soon. —So..."
For the first time, Erakino wore a serious expression.
It held a hint of resolve, yet the accompanying look of impatience signaled she too had her own circumstances.
But here, Soarina made a fatal mistake.
She had grown overconfident that God's Grace would protect her no matter what.
And indeed, the Grace she possessed had, until now, deflected all of Erakino's invisible malice.
Even as it was subjected to various attacks, it had eroded their power before it could reach Soarina.
That was why.
"I’m rolling the dice again today, you know."
Perhaps that was why she had missed the omens.
"That again? The outcome will not change. No matter what vile schemes you attempt—"
A rattling clatter sounded.
=Message===
Erakino’s Slurp Check
1d100 = [100] Result: Critical Hit
―――
"Oh—"
The twenty-second battle ended without ceremony.
Soarina let out a small gasp of surprise.
That was it.
Before she knew it, the Holy Kingdom Quolia’s decisive weapon had drained its strength, the light of will extinguished from its eyes.
It was proof that Erakino’s ability had claimed her soul.
"Wha, what... Did I crit?"
For some reason, Erakino stood stunned for a while.
Wearing an expression of utter disbelief, she walked unsteadily right in front of Soarina and waved her hand before her vacant gaze, as if to confirm it.
Eventually, seeming to reach some certainty, she trembled all over and bowed her head...
And then.
"Woohoo! Erakino girl did it!"
Letting a shout ring across the earth, she punched her fist toward the sky.
"Man, after twenty-two characters! With all the setting changes I begged for, Erakino girl can finally reign as the strongest of the strong!"
Erakino skipped around Soarina in circles, her expression so bright and girlish it was impossible to connect her with the being who had plunged countless people into abysmal misery.
The blizzard intensified.
Yet this spot alone was filled with a strangely spring-like, cheerful aura—and it emanated solely from the witch, Erakino.
"Master! Master! You're watching, Master? I did it! Erakino girl did it! Praise me, praise me!"
Something strange happened.
Erakino began speaking to something in the sky.
Her gaze was directed upward. Naturally, nothing existed along her line of sight, yet she was conversing as if with someone not present here, through some unseen technique.
Her conversation partner was addressed as "Master."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I see, I see. That's true! Verification might be needed, needed? As expected of the Master! ...Eh? Ehhhh!? W-wait a minute! With Erakino girl, that is, your PC right here, how dare you get distracted by a holy maiden! That's a total betrayal!"
Erakino screamed toward the sky.
Her face was flushed with excitement, and though she was accusing someone, a grin of sheer delight broke through, impossible to hide.
It seemed her conversation partner was someone quite familiar. Moreover, Erakino was clearly subordinate to them.
The content suggested they were discussing forthcoming operations, indicating Erakino belonged to some organization.
"So... what do we do now, Master?"
The consultation continued.
Leaving the Saint, Soarina, standing in silent stillness, the witch received her orders from someone unseen.
She nodded in deliberately theatrical gestures, but eventually seemed to notice something and clapped her hands together.
"Oh? That's right, that's right, Master! There was a wish from the god, wasn't there? Isa! Isa!――"
"Isa! My Game Master♪"
And Erakino, to make sure her words reached the being she placed utmost trust in, performed a curtsy like a young girl would.
"Hehehe... Mynoghra, huh. Now I'm getting excited!"
When Erakino raised her head, what was there was that of a witch.
She had already received her mission.
The beginning was smooth, and this time fortune favored her.
That was precisely why she had to decide here. For if she didn't, she would have no future left.
"Come, come, Erakino! This is the time to give it your all! By the will of the 'Dice God'! As the dice rolls declare! Erakino shall press whitherto!"
Erakino spread her arms wide and jumped with excitement.
As if responding to her resolve, the souls-drained husks shuffled into view, trailing behind the Witch Erakino and her accompanying Saint Soarina like a parade.
She had a wish. An absolute dream she would pay any price to achieve.
For that, she absolutely could not lose here.
"World conquest it is! Yaa-hooo-oy!!"
Erakino turned her course south.
For the sake of the one she called Master, for the pact with the "Dice God".
To conquer the world...