Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 8 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – And Then the Beginning of the World Again

Part 1

A sea of cloud that continued without end.

The summits of the mountains that were like alps covered in snow showed their faces from that sea of cloud.

They looked like a chain of islands floating on the ocean. At the summit of a mountain that was conspicuously high among them, there was a castle.

A sky sanctuary shining white. It had a close resemblance to the sanctuary of Greece, the Parthenon, but this sanctuary was far bigger and far resplendent than that. From the slope of the mountain until far above the summit, a sanctuary of a total of twelve floors was built, its height reached even higher than a kilometer.

At the highest place of that sanctuary, was the Deus ex machina Thanatos.

Thanatos had the figure of a beautiful girl with long golden hair and blue eyes. On her forehead was a hair ornament attached with gems. White wing ornaments were at the sides of her face. The clothes she wore was a white one piece, resembling the clothes the gods of Greece were wearing in paintings or carvings. There were wings like a sculpture on her back. And then leg parts that were like pillars. She closely resembled a goddess enshrined in the sanctuary of the gods.

However the space that goddess lived in was exceedingly simple.

There was white as far as the eye could see. There was nothing other than that.

Whether the ceiling or the floor or the walls, everything didn’t have any ornament, it was just a white space. One could see the outside from the windows at the four directions, but even staring from there, there was only the continuing blue sky above the sea of clouds.

This white world with continuing sea of clouds was the world Thanatos created. White, silent, the miniature garden of Thanatos where everything was perfectly created beautifully. However, even this beautiful world didn’t give its creator’s heart any consolation. Thanatos was directing her eyes that were filled with sorrow as usual to her guests.

Only that space where the guest was at had vivid color spreading, there was a foreign feeling there like paint dropping on a white canvas by mistake.

Osiris of yellow and Odin of blue.

Osiris with her light brown skin smiled gracefully.

“Thanatos is making sad eyes just like usual. How are you? Come visit my created world sometime. It’s a really calming and pleasant place you know. Surely your heart will be comforted there.”

Osiris’s figure was the very image of Cleopatra that was told in history. She was a beautiful woman with charm that would make any man go mad. Her light brown skin, and the black hair that was cut evenly in bob hairstyle. And then the simple clothes her body was clad in, with the decoration of gold and jewels, gave the close resemblance with the royalty of ancient Egypt.

That body wasn’t that of the Deus ex Machina, but an appearance that had no difference at all with a human. But, in place of a machine body, a falcon and lion made from machine were standing by at Osiris’s side. The two animals were sitting quietly, moving with autonomy as if they were in possession of life. Occasionally they would lift their face and did things like paying attention to Osiris, they could only be thought of as living things.

In contrast with the calm Osiris, Odin was being irritated the whole time.

“You don’t understand don’t you, Osiris. Things like tranquility will only make a grieving heart worsen even more instead. At this kind of time fighting is the best thing to do. Thanatos, won’t you come to my world? If it’s an enemy then there are many there!”

Odin was a girl with shining silver hair. Her beauty that was like ice was something that humans wouldn’t be capable to reach, it was a crystallization of beauty only a god possessed.

As if to compete with Odin’s beauty, the armor enveloping her body was also beautiful. It was exactly an armor of a dragon. The beautifully shining blue armor that was like gems was dragon scales. On her back were wings like ore of jewels spreading, Odin’s long silver hair pranced on her back, bending like a tail.

The silver hair and white skin painted out a beautiful vibrant contrast with the blue armor and the scales, enhancing Odin’s sensual body. Both her arms and legs were protected by tough armor that were like a dragon’s limbs, but the equipment from her head until her torso was exceedingly thin that it was nearly defenseless. It was even like it was for showing off her voluptuous but trained body.

But there was only one point where Odin was lacking in.

――Odin didn’t have a left eye.

Her left eye was covered by an eye patch and confirming what was below that was impossible. Perhaps it was regretful for the one seeing her that the beauty wasn’t perfect. That lacking gave birth to unbalance and uneasiness and made Odin a dangerous existence.

But on the contrary, the built that wasn’t perfect also created presence and beauty. Different from simple harmony, there was beauty characteristic of Odin that even made one feel ghastliness.

The two Deus ex Machina, Osiris and Odin. Even after hearing the proposal of these two gods, Thanatos was only showing a melancholic expression.

At that time, from the left open window there was one more color flying in.

“The data of the experimental world that was lost before this, I found it!”

Hokuto who was a wearing vivid red China dress finally arrived while laughing. Odin glared severely at such Hokuto.

“What did you say!? Where!”

“Aah, it’s no good anymore. They ran away.”

“Wha……-?”

Odin stomped her foot in rage.

“Don’t screw around! For us, the creators, to be outwitted by our creation, is something that couldn’t possibly happen!”

“Now now, please calm down. After all they won’t be able to escape from us anyway, so let’s think of our next step here leisurely.”

“Osiris! You are too relaxed! I cannot take this anymore. I cannot leave this to you all. I’ll take care of it!”

Hokuto stood in the way of Odin that was going to head to the window.

“You must not! That is my prey. If I don’t get even with that bunch, I won’t be able to feel joyful!”

Odin’s right eye was lit with the flame of madness.

“Interesting. You want to have a go at me?”

Odin waved her arm and unnoticed that hand held a spear. Hokuto also brandished her sword Hakke Kirin.

It was an explosive situation.

The two gods were going to start a war. Between them who were like that, Osiris tilted her head while smiling faintly.

“You won’t stop them Thanatos?”

Thanatos lowered her golden eyelashes and sighed.

‘――We are the existences that accomplished the ultimate evolution. But it also seems to appear that we are still far from perfection. Why is that? And then, from now on what kind of evolution is it that we should reach?

In the first place what kind of transition we underwent that we became our current existences, there are too many unclear points in our database. For that reason we created new worlds and carry out experiments, yet despite so……are we, unable to even do just a proper experiment?

Or else, is this the correct experiment result?’

Thanatos raised a voice tinged with sadness.

“Even if we argued, nothing will result from it.”

Just that much mediation was enough. Odin lowered her spear reluctantly, and Hokuto who saw that lowered her sword too.

“But, nevertheless there is no way we can leave this alone. It is only a little amount of data but there is no question that we need to collect it. Let each of us search for it freely. It’s fine like that right?”

“Very well.”

The moment she answered so, Odin’s figure vanished.

“……Then I’ll go home too. Well then, see you later.”

Hokuto turned around her body on the spot and then her body vanished too. Inside the white sanctuary, only the master that was Thanatos and Osiris were left remaining there. Osiris showed no sign of leaving and caressed her mechanical lion composedly.

“Osiris, you are not going?”

Thanatos called with a tired voice at Osiris who didn’t look like she would move from that spot.

“Fufufu, please don’t chase me away like that.”

Osiris got her lazy butt to move and headed to the entrance. The lion also stood up and followed behind Osiris. The falcon spread its wings and flew towards the sea of clouds from the window. Osiris came to a stop at the door and turned to Thanatos.

“Even so, Thanatos is really having a gloomy face all the time.”

“Is that so.”

“Each of our origin is different. I said that just now, but actually, I don’t understand what kind of method that can resolve your worry.”

“That’s right isn’t it.”

“What are you wishing for, Thanatos?”

“……”

Thanathos didn’t reply. If she was like this, then surely no reply would come even if one waited for several millenniums.

Osiris floated a faint smile on her lips and closed her eyes.

“We too, it will be great if we can suicide isn’t it?”

Thanatos raised her looking down face. However Osiris’s figure was already gone.

“……Suicide is it. Actually that sounded sweet.”

A faint smile could be seen on Thanatos’s lips.

“Being able to do something like that……what a story of dreams.”

After whispering that, Thanatos’s eyes looked down sadly.

Part 2

“Well then everyone. How about I start explaining.”

In the central control room of Nayuta Lab, the core members of Ataraxia were gathered. Having said that, the majority of them were sent to hospital from the battle with Hokuto the other day.

The people in this place were, from Lemuria side were Kizuna, Reiri, Kei, and Himekawa, from the Vatlantis Empire was Zelsione, and from the Kingdom of Baldein was only Queen Landred.

Kizuna was also ordered to rest by the doctor, but he forced himself to participate. It was because he thought that he had to hear the story at any expense.

No one was sitting on the prepared chairs, they were looking down on the small young girl standing in the front. Her upper body was wearing a red furisode, but her lower body was wearing a mysterious clothing that looked like tigh tights, the little girl was showing a cherubic smile.

The name of that girl was Hida Nayuta. The owner of Nayuta Lab, this was her return home after a long while.

There were people who were staring at her appearance looking dumbfounded, but most of the people were glaring at her with eyes filled with killing intent that wanted to kill her when there would be a opening. However for Nayuta herself, that kind of killing intent didn’t even feel like a breeze, she was smiling sweetly.

“Surely you all also have things you want to ask, so first how about I accept the questions. Regarding this world overflowing with mystery and the chain of destiny that is mysteriously revolving.”

The master of Nayuta Lab who became a young girl raised a theatrical voice in front of all present. Her face was young, but in that expression there was an age which had been piled up for long years.

“We don’t understand where to start asking here.”

Kizuna’s murmur that was leaked out unconsciously was something that everyone who gathered here agreed on inside their hearts.

Himekawa asked with a perplexed state.

“Then, that enemy called Deus ex Machina……what are they? No, rather than that are you really that Professor Nayuta?”

“Yes. You all met me once in this appearance, rather we were even fighting to the death before.”

“There is no way such thing……no, certainly……?”

Himekawa’s eyes were trembling from the situation that was increasingly growing chaotic.

Kei also thought and thought, then she typed on her keyboard totteringly.

{Before that, the fact that we and also the people of Vatlantis, all of us becoming staff and students in Ataraxia with good relationship, that in itself is strange.}

Queen Landred tilted her head with a troubled look.

“Haa……even if you told me who is just a mere school nurse, that I was actually a queen in another world……I really cannot follow with this nonsense.”

“Wrong. It’s the reverse. Rather, please feel doubt about being the school nurse.”

Zelsione retorted without hiding her irritation. And then she crossed her arms with a meek expression.

“Even so, who ever thought that this me will be deceived until this far……”

It was Zelsione who had her forte in mental attack. She excelled in controlling the minds of her opponent, precisely because of that she received a shock from being manipulated herself.

Kizuna glared at his own mother with a sharp look.

He was still unable to understand the situation. But, Kizuna finally noticed the true identity of the out of place feeling he had from his doubt since quite some time ago.

This world where the students of Ataraxia and the magic knights of Vatlantis were jumbled in messily. Although their standpoint and social status were changed, everyone was here.

――With the exception of two people.

“Kaa-san. Where are Aine and Yurishia?”

Zelsione also raised her face in sudden realization and leaned her body forward.

“That’s right. Where is our emperor! Depending on your answer……”

Towards the threatening Zelsione, Nayuta shook her head in regret.

“They are not here.”

“Not here? What’s the meaning of that!”

Kizuna held back Zelsione who looked like she was going to equip her magic armor even now.

“President, calm down! First we need to get out the information from her.”

“Yeah……I understand. However, the students of my academy are……hm?”

Zelsione’s face flared up red.

“Don, don’t mess with me! Who is the student council president! I am the imperial guard captain Zelsione! Are you making fun of me, Hida Kizuna!”

Kizuna too scratched his head by reflex.

“Sorry! I wasn’t doing that on purpose but, the setting until just now is still remaining inside my head!”

“Calm down you two.”

Nayuta took out her fan and sent wind at the two.

“ “Just whose fault do you think it is!” ”

Kizuna and Zelsione yelled angrily in unison.

Nayuta spread her small hands in front of the approaching two and stopped them.

“They are not here, but I know where they are. I will explain later.”

Towards Nayuta who was keeping her cool, Reiri who was staying quiet until now spoke with a voice brimming with killing intent.

“Honestly speaking, I want to kill you first before looking for an explanation. Even though it would be best if you just die quietly, why are you reviving back here so shamelessly.”

Nayuta lightly warded off Reiri’s naked killing intent.

“That’s so isn’t it, being killed by you is also fine, but the first priority is to resolve the problem at hand right? After all I don’t know when the Deus ex Machina will pin down our location again and come attacking.”

Kei typed on her keyboard.

{Our mind cannot follow the events. First we want to know the outline of the situation.}

Nayuta touched her cheek with her index finger going ‘I see’. It was a lovable gesture that was like a child, but that wasn’t something she did naturally but a movement she did by purpose.

“That’s so isn’t it. But the outline huh, so that everyone can come to understand the situation……the one who appeared before this is the god who created Lemuria and Vatlantis. Atlantis and Lemuria were terminated once, but with the configuration information of the world that I have――”

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Reiri waved her hand while speaking loudly.

“I don’t get what you are talking about right from the start! That was god you say!? And then what do you mean by terminated!”

Nayuta sighed in an intentional gesture.

“Good grief really……Reiri really is a kid with a slow brain.”

The mother with a young girl’s appearance looked up at the daughter with an adult’s body and lamented.

Veins appeared on Reiri’s forehead.

“……How about I snap and kill you with this hand.”

From the back, Kizuna pinioned the arms of Reiri who was reaching out her hand to Nayuta.

“Nee-chan, calm down! I understand your feeling, but we have to get information from her first!”

“Eei, let go! Getting rid of the mother who took the wrong path is also the children’s responsibility!”

Putting aside the quarreling siblings, Kei typed on her keyboard calmly.

(Our memory is also unclear. But I can declared with confidence that previously we weren’t going to school together with the people of the other world. In my awareness, there was a conflict with the AU in the previous world, where our world was suppressed by the magic weapons of the Vatlantis Empire of AU. We who took refuge in a megafloat above the sea and invaded Vatlantis Empire from the Entrance. We reached amicable settlement with them and repaired Genesis……is that matched to what happened?)

“I think that awareness is fine. However, after that Deus ex Machina erased the worlds completely, both Lemuria and Atlantis altogether.”

“What did you say!?”

Himekawa leaned her body forward with an expression unable to believe the situation.

“Well……it was that kind of major incident. It’s like a movie.”

It seemed that inside the head of Queen Landred, she was still a school nurse.

“This is because the one who confronted the Deus ex Machina were only Kizuna and Aine……this is a good chance. It will take time, but let’s talk about the sequence of events in chronological order.”

After saying that, Nayuta took out a short and thin stick from somewhere. She drew a rectangle with that stick and a shining red cube appeared from that track she drew. It was unclear what kind of mechanism that was, but they understood that it was something Nayuta produced. Nayuta then thrust at that cube with the stick in her hand.

“This is Atlantis.”

And then from the inside of her furisode she took out a shining blue cube. With that there were two cubes now.

“This is Lemuria. These two cubes represented the two worlds respectively.”

The two cubes were floating in the air like dice. One of the cube, the red cube stabbed by the stick was losing its light.

“Atlantis’s magic power was decreasing.”

Thereupon the cube that became dark was being sucked closer to the cube that was shining blue. And then finally the two cubes bumped with a clunk.

“This is AU collision. The world called Atlantis tried to supplement its lacking of magic power and so it got drawn in towards Lemuria.”

Everyone present there opened their eyes wide. The cause of the mysterious phenomenon AU collision that they didn’t understand until now was easily told. However, it was hard to believe it so suddenly, the fact hardly entered their heads.

Zelsione asked with a hard voice.

“You are saying that to supplement the lacking magic power, our Vatlantisworld was approaching Lemuria? Can you prove such a thing?”

“In the First Another Universe Conflict, the time overlapped with the period when the shortage of magic power in Atlantis was worsening. However the Another Universe Conflict was ended in around one week. Why do you think that is?”

However no one could answer that. Nayuta looked around at the faces of the gathered members and said.

“It was because the magic power was sufficiently replenished. The magic power that is called life force.”

The temperature of the room felt like it was going down in one go. The floating red cube which was losing its light shined once more. In exchange, the blue cube’s light became dull.

“The magic weapon sent for investigation received attack from Lemuria’s side and took defensive action. And then it became a war and lots of lives were stolen. At that time the produced life energy was flowing in to Atlantis from the Entrance. With that the Another Universe Conflict was ended for the moment.”

The cube that recovered its light was taking distance from the other cube.

After confirming that there was nobody asking questions, Nayuta continued her story.

“At the time when that magic power was used up again, the Second Another Universe Conflict occurred.”

The cube that lost its light again bumped into the other cube. It sucked the light, but this time the cube’s light didn’t really return. Before long, the stick stuck on the cube was cracked.

“This stick is governing the magic power of Atlantis. In other words?”

Nayuta stared at Zelsione’s direction.

“……You want to say that’s Genesis right?”

“Exactly. That stick was used when creating this cube. That’s what Genesis is, the tool used by the gods when creating the world.”

However, that tool was cracked. And then together with a dry rupturing sound, it snapped into two.

“It broke completely. When it comes to that, Atlantis and then Lemuria too which collided with it are deleted.”

Cracks entered Atlantis’s cube. Those cracks also got propagated to Lemuria.

“In order to prevent that from happening, I taught a certain method to all of you.”

Queen Landred narrowed her eyes.

“Project Babel……isn’t it.”

“Exactly. But, this is the tool of the gods. Using it as we pleased is a violation of the rules. In the first place it’s not something possible. However this time AU collision that even the gods didn’t predict occurred. Due to that, something that shouldn’t exist got mixed into Atlantis.”

Kizuna put his hand on his chest.

“My Core, Eros came from earth in the first place……Kaa-san said that right?”

Nayuta nodded as if to say ‘you did well’.

“Exactly. Originally using Eros with other Cores at the same time wasn’t something planned. Magic power supplementation to excessive degrees and ability expansion, that is to say the functions of Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid, by nature weren’t something that were in the specifications. It is a way of using the Core that is outside the expectations even for the creator.”

Himekawa nodded in comprehension.

“So the miracle that Kizuna-kun caused is something that came from that kind of origin……”

Himekawa stared fixedly at Kizuna who was standing beside her. Noticing that stare, Kizuna also stared back.

“I guess……even miracles have proper reasons.”

“Heart Hybrid, Climax Hybrid too, that’s why……ah”

Perhaps Himekawa remembered about the specifics of the act, her cheeks blushed and she averted her gaze hastily.

Kizuna recalled numerous mysterious phenomenons that Eros caused. That wasn’t something in the rules. It surpassed the original function, something that was exactly a Limit Breaker.

“Repairing the tool of the gods that is Genesis is possible using the functions of Eros. However, there is another problem.”

Nayuta looked over all present like a teacher waiting for her students to react.

“If the Genesis is repaired, the creator that is the god will notice, that’s what you mean. It might be okay if it’s just a trivial matter, but restoring the destroyed Genesis, furthermore it was done not by god’s hand, such phenomenon would surely be reported to them as a serious error. In that case, the gods will surely come without fail.”

Reiri crossed her arms and scowled.

“And that’s the fellows who introduced themselves as the Deus ex Machina then.”

“Exactly. If Deus ex Machina know about the fact of Heart Hybrid and Genesis’s restoration, then surely they won’t tolerate us as a blasphemy towards the gods.”

Inside the heavy atmosphere, the typing sound of Kei’s keyboard was resounding.

{Professor Nayuta, you knew about the coming of Deus ex Machina. Despite so then why did you make us carry out Project Babel?}

“It’s for the sake of calling them, the Deus ex Machina.”

All present were shocked hearing that sentence. Kizuna lost his head and pressed his question at Nayuta.

“Wha……just wait a second! Kaa-san said just now that Deus ex Machina coming is a problem. Yet despite so, just what are you planning by calling them here!”

Nayuta closed her mouth for a while. She looked as if she was hesitating of what to say, such condition was something really rare for Nayuta.

Kei’s complexion changed and she hugged her keyboard on her chest. Before long Nayuta opened her mouth reluctantly.

“……I lost to Kizuna and the others. I planned to hide myself after that, but that defeat wasn’t something I did on purpose. I made use of Genesis’s functions and succeeded in remodeling myself. However, it was inadequate to obtain the same abilities like the creators……it was imperfect.”

Nayuta closed her eyes after saying that reluctantly.

“……The cause was obviously a lack of data. If that’s the case, I can get close to perfection if I obtained the authentic data. That’s why, there is a need to have their existence that is the original to come here.”

Zelsione directed a hateful gaze at Nayuta.

“For something like that! You are saying that our world was destroyed for that!?”

Towards Zelsione who glared at her with an angry look, Nayuta answered with a composed face.

“If at that time Project Babel wasn’t carried out, Genesis wouldn’t be repaired and Atlantis would surely collapse together with Lemuria. In that case, carrying out Project Babel left behind a survival chance even if just for a little.”

Reiri spoke as if spitting out.

“But the summoned Deus ex Machina erased the world. In the end it’s the same thing.”

However Nayuta shook her head left and right.

“No. There is a large difference. It was only a part, but I touched the Deus ex Machina and accomplished my objective of gathering data. This is a fact that greatly changed the development from now on.”

Even while feeling fed up, Kizuna couldn’t help but being in admiration.

“So you pretended to be dead and made us take on the Deus ex Machina. While that happened, you accomplished your objective successfully……that’s what happened.”

Nayuta tilted her head and smiled sweetly.

“Yes. Kizuna really did well. You were no match at all for the Deus ex Machina though.”

“It’s just as you said but, how irritating……”

When he looked back, even when he was fighting Hokuto, it became something for buying time so that Nayuta could take countermeasures. In the end, although that saved them, he couldn’t be fully satisfied of that for some reason.

“But, thanks to that I was able to browse their data without braving any risk. Among those, I found an interesting data.”

{Interesting……you say, what is that?}

“The configuration information of Atlantis and Lemuria.”

Kei’s expression stiffened in shock. However the other people didn’t understand the meaning of that sentence.

“To make it easier to understand, it means that all the existences that are making up the world are converted into numerical form and preserved as data. Do you understand what kind of thing this is?”

Nayuta looked at the faces of all present once more. Reiri opened her mouth with a loathing face.

“If that information is used, the world can be reproduced exactly like before you mean?”

Nayuta clapped her hands with a shocked expression.

“My, Reiri-chan. What’s the matter? I wonder if you suddenly grew wise?”

“I’ll kill you!”

“Ne, Nee-chan-!”

Kizuna restrained Reiri once more by hugging her.

“Let go Kizuna! Tha-……I, idiot-, don’t grope my breasts using the confusion!”

“Eh!? I don’t have any intention like that but it’s easy to grasp……wait, that’s why don’t struggle!”

Looking at their situation, Nayuta chuckled in amusement.

“I understood from that data. They are doing experiments. I don’t understand what is their objective, but they created our world, and observed what kind of evolution and development we accomplished. That observation is preserved as data.”

{And you obtained that data?}

“Yes.”

While restraining the struggling Reiri, Kizuna yelled.

“Then, quickly return the world just like before!”

“Didn’t I do it already? It’s this Ataraxia.”

All present looked at each other.

Kei typed on her keyboard and projected a bird’s eye view of Ataraxia on the wall.

{Currently, this is everything of the world we are in.}

That was the image from the drone launched to the sky. It was in tragic state from the attack of Hokuto, but there was no doubt that it was Ataraxia. However there wasn’t Megafloat Japan, other than Ataraxia there were only sea and blue sky.

Kizuna looked up at the screen and felt dazed spontaneously.

“You call this just like before! There is nothing except Ataraxia here.”

“But, this is not a dream or illusion. It existed physically, this place is really the authentic Ataraxia just like in the previous world.”

{In other words……this is all the data that Nayuta Hakase obtained?}

Nayuta shrugged her shoulders at Kei’s question.

“Exactly. What I could do was only recovering the data of this Ataraxia. That was already the best that I could do.”

Nayuta pointed at Ataraxia on the screen.

“I created this world from the data that I recovered. Like that, I gave fake memories to all of you and made you to live here.”

Kizuna frowned and showed a dubious expression.

“Why in the world did Kaa-san do something like that?”

“First reason, is that I needed time to recover from the damage that I bore.”

Kizuna recalled the damage that he inflicted on Nayuta by his own hands.

The final decisive battle in Vatlantis. Kizuna had beaten up Nayuta who had evolved into a different living thing black and blue until she looked nothing more than a corpse. Even for Nayuta who became an existence close to the Deus ex Machina, it was doubtful she could endure that without any problem.

“Second reason, there is a need to have everyone fight Deus ex Machina as a single solid group. It was a training period so that everyone who until now were fellow enemies could fight together in combination. Also, there is the need to spend time and gently make everyone to be aware of the fact that the Core is something that shaves off life.”

Nayuta then clapped her hands together as though she remembered something.

“Aah, also. Until now you have continued to fight in succession, so there is also my intention to express appreciation for your hard work. This is my spirit of service to make you all to have fun in an enjoyable and leisurely vacation.”

Zelsione spoke as if to spit out.

“Messing around like that……”

However Nayuta didn’t even pay that any mind and instead continued to talk brightly with theatrical gestures.

“This world is a place of rest in order to take a brief breather. An emergency refuge for the sake of escaping from the hands of the Deus ex Machina……this is a world where you won’t be bothered by the outside world and you can obtain a peaceful and calm mind. That is to say, this is Ataraxia.”

However, Nayuta’s shoulders suddenly dropped.

“But, this place was found out by the Deus ex Machina too. It’s unfortunate, but the rest is over.”

Landred crossed her arms, lifting up her large breasts.

“And so, that……the Deus ex Machina, you say? They will soon come?”

“I moved Ataraxia’s coordinates so it’s safe for the moment. I also prepared several traps. However it’s only a problem of time before we are discovered.”

“……What is the way for us to survive?”

Zelsione’s question made Nayuta direct her gaze at Kizuna, and then to Reiri.

“Kizuna, Reiri. Won’t you join hands with me?”

However, Reiri kicked away that invitation without a single moment’s delay.

“Don’t screw with me! You are someone that cannot be trusted the most. Who can cooperate with you after all this!”

“My objective and yours are different. However, although our objectives differ, the means to accomplish those objectives are common.”

‘――What?’

Kizuna told himself to not trust what Nayuta was saying. However, he was strangely bothered by what Nayuta was trying to say.

“What’s……the meaning of that?”

“In order for me to obtain all truth, I want to become a perfect life-form, the existence that achieved ultimate evolution. For that I need more of the configuration information of the Deus ex Machina. And then the objective of you all is to take back the previous worlds. It’s possible to recreate Lemuria and Atlantis like before if it’s with my power. However, for that, the configuration information of the previous worlds are needed.”

{The configuration information of the erased Lemuria and Atlantis, is in possession of those Deus ex Machina.}

Nayuta nodded at Kei’s words that were typed in the window.

“That’s right. I’m thinking that most likely one of those four is preserving the data of the configuration information. And then, they are supposedly preserving the data of Aine and Yurishia too.”

“What!?”

Kizuna unconsciously leaned forward.

With a pale face, Zelsione also roughly yelled with a force that seized at Nayuta.

“Like that, doesn’t that mean that they are the prisoners of those machine gods!”

Zelsione gritted her teeth and her shoulders trembled.

It was a rage towards an unreasonable fate. Kizuna also understood well that feeling.

‘――We reunited after overcoming many difficulties, the fight with Vatlantis was also finally over, I thought that we can live happily after that, yet.’

Kizuna clenched his fist and let out his voice as calm as he could.

“Aine and Yurishia……they are still alive?”

“Yes. If their data is taken back, it can be resolved.”

“I see……”

Kizuna desperately pushed down the anxiety spreading in his heart.

Aine and also Yurishia were still alive. They could meet again. That was how he convinced himself.

“Then, what is the way to save Aine and Yurishia?”

“It’s simple. It’s fine if you just defeat the Deus ex Machina.”

Nayuta calmly answered, as though it was nothing at all.

Everyone held their breath.

‘――She said to defeat those monsters, no, those machine gods that are actually worthy to introduce themselves as gods?’

Reiri crossed her arms and looked down on Nayuta.

“You said those Deus ex Machina are gods right? That they are our creators.”

“Yes.”

“Then, isn’t it impossible to do something like defeating the gods?”

“Even if they are gods, they are nothing more than existences that evolved further than us. We too will reach that territory eventually, even they are not perfect. In reality, they even committed a miss to have their data stolen by me even if it was just ten percent of the whole. Also, as far as we can see from their communication, they also have inefficient emotions. Even they, who are in possession of ability beyond imagination, might have unexpectedly childish weaknesses or flaw, that’s what I think.”

Kizuna suddenly remembered Hokuto. Amidst the burning Ataraxia, she was strangely showing human emotion even while displaying overwhelming power. Something was shedding dark shadows in her heart, it was like Hokuto herself was worrying about that. Her expression at that time certainly looked far removed from the existence of an omnipotent god.

While Kizuna was thinking of such thing, Reiri was also falling into a deep valley of thought. She frowned and racked her brains regarding the proposal of Nayuta.

She understood the logic.

However, her emotions couldn’t tolerate it.

But, after being showed an overwhelming power of that much, it was evident that they couldn’t do anything by their own strength.

“Reiri. You have completely given up haven’t you?”

Nayuta sighed in provocation.

“Whether I give up or not, this talk is not something on that kind of level! I’m asking you whether there is any realistic method or not!”

“Reiri.”

Suddenly the tone of Nayuta lowered down. Something shuddering was creeping up Reiri’s spine. It was a tension as though a blade was pressed on her throat.

Yes. This was the feeling that she always felt when she was facing her mother since she was a child.

“To summarize, you are saying that a child cannot win against their parent. Are you fine with that?”

Reiri was taken by surprise. Reiri’s expression became defenseless for an instant.

But that was only for an instant.

Whether it was from rage or maybe shame, Reiri’s face was dyed red and her teeth were grinding audibly. And then, she yelled as if she was going to cry.

“Children will surpass their parent!”

Nayuta accepted Reiri’s piercing gaze right from the front.

“That’s obviously provocation, but I’ll take it on! If you said that you are going to become the same existence like those machine gods then bring it on. We will defeat Deus ex Machina, then we will defeat you for the last! Just prepare yourself!”

Nayuta smiled in satisfaction.

“I’ll look forward to that, Reiri.”

Part 3

Islands were floating in the world where there was nothing but sky.

There were islands of various sizes, big or small. Soil was piled on rock and from there plants were growing. On the big one there were mountain and river. The water flowing down from the island was pouring down the sky.

On that island, long and narrow mountains were standing tall in row. The mountains that were like reversed icicles had trees clinging on them like growing moss. At the feet of those mountains was a beautiful lake like a mirror surface and sacred forest surrounding it. And then there was a plain below the mountain where there was a huge city.

The city that was orderly divided into districts looked like an integrated circuit if one looked from the sky. In each of the districts there was a town, there were streets and houses, there was everything needed for people activity.

There was a large street going through the center of the city. A single girl was walking on that street.

“A―, as I thought here is where I can calm down the most―”

Deus ex Machina Hokuto showed a wide smile and looked around the world she created once again.

High buildings and low buildings were mixed disorderly. Most of the buildings were two or three storied, but among them there were also buildings with more than twenty floors. All of the building’s rooftop was roofed with red tile and had their ends curved. The wall’s color was white, giving beautiful contrast with the roof, a coloring that made one feel warmth.

“Thanatos’s world is empty, it’s not interesting at all. Osiris’s place is dusty, and hot. But it’s still better compared to Odin’s place I think.”

What could be seen from the disordered town was not only beauty. There were buildings there so old that it was going to collapse, there were also buildings with repair repeatedly performed on it that the shape became strange. However, such things from all those could be thought of as the result of the people living here searching for a convenient way that was easy to live.

Hokuto really liked this city where such temperature of people could be felt.

Hokuto was walking while peeking at the stores facing the street. The two sides of this main street became a shopping street. In order to support the livelihood of a great number of citizens, various shops were standing side by side. Even among them, the kind of shop that had the most number were restaurants and shops for drinking tea.

“Right! No matter what people say the best thing is cooking. Even Thanatos and Osiris cannot match the cooking of my world. Especially Odin, she is just out of the question!”

While speaking delightedly, her feet stopped in front of a store that was lining up cooking. Meat and egg roasted on iron plate, stew filled with a lot of noodles with steam rising, the aroma was wafting from there.

“Whichever of them are proud delicious cooking!”

After talking at the front of the store where there was no one, she began to walk again.

There was no one on the wide street.

A huge and gorgeous city. In this metropolis where millions of people could live, there was no figure of humans.

Suddenly, smile vanished from Hokuto’s face.

“Something delicious……how does it feel I wonder?”

Hokuto advanced through the main street with tottering gait.

After walking for a while, a huge palace surrounded by a tall fence could be seen. When Hokuto approached the gate, the door with height of ten meters was naturally opening. She passed through the gate and walked on stone paving road. She advanced with sure steps inside the palace where there wasn’t a single human. Before long she came out to a wide courtyard.

Once, a large number of people gathered here.

Such thing flashed inside Hokuto’s head. She climbed the stairs inside the courtyard where a throne was put at the highest step. Hokuto sat down there.

And then she stared at the vast city, and whispered.

“Yup……today is fun too! I am happy everyday! That’s why……”

Hokuto smiled.

“Everyone……you are all happy too right?”

That smile, was a smile that seemed sad somewhere.

Translator's Notes and References

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