“<Clean>.”
The spell Sally unleashed caused the Silver Rats in the area to falter. Some of them turned black and dissolved into nothingness. It was an area-of-effect purification spell. I wasn't sure when she’d mastered it, but she appeared to be using it without a magic tool.
“That’s odd,” Sally remarked. “It’s working, but I can't seem to wipe them out all at once.”
“Agreed,” Shara added, speaking for the Petit Golems. “Probability indicates they have developed a resistance.”
Only a handful of rats had vanished despite being caught squarely in the purification field. The Petit Golems triggered their own purification a moment later, but the results were the same.
『It is likely the result of the worlds merging,』 Garna explained. 『The essence of that magic is cleansing. You have been repurposing it to ‘purify’ these abominations by defining them as foreign objects that don’t belong here. But now that the two worlds are connected, they can no longer be categorized purely as foreign.』
“I see! Take this!” Lowell shouted, swinging his sword.
A flash of lightning erupted from the blade, carving a path through the swarm. It was a linear strike, but it covered enough ground to sweep away a significant number of rats. About half of them vanished; the other half continued their advance as if they hadn't felt a thing.
“We can kill them if we land a direct hit! Everyone, use area attacks and catch as many as you can!”
Following Lowell’s lead, the group adjusted their tactics. These silver creatures had Cores that moved rapidly within their bodies. Since the rat-types were small, their Cores were easier to hit. It was a battle of attrition now—keep attacking until you hit something vital. Halfa’s Shock Voice, Spira’s Ice Storm, and Shiroru’s Wide-Range Lightning Strike held the swarm at bay. Meanwhile, Sally and the Petit Golems focused entirely on area purification to thin the herd.
Still, some rats managed to survive. Fortunately, Ren-kun had deployed a barrier-like field that drastically slowed any enemy that managed to get within close range. Rei and Mil worked in tandem, using their shields and swords to peel them off and finish them.
As for me, I was occupied with the constant production of Haniwa Knights. I wanted to summon something larger and more powerful, but I didn't have the mental bandwidth to decide on a specific design. The knights were holding their own—thanks to their inherent antibacterial properties, they weren't being corrupted—but several had already been smashed to pieces. We were trading casualties, and the battle was deadlocked. I was walking a tightrope; one careless move could ruin us.
The stalemate broke with the roar of an engine and the clatter of treads. The Haniwa Tank—which had been flipped over and incapacitated when the Silver Head first appeared—was back in the fight. It tore through the ranks, crushing rats under its treads and providing heavy fire support for the Haniwa Knights with its cannons. Because it had been stationary until now, the enemy had completely ignored it. With the tank rampaging across the battlefield, the tide began to turn steadily in our favor.
Just as I thought we might actually win, the Silver Head let out a venomous scream.
『You are surprisingly persistent!』 it bellowed. 『Very well! Behold a greater power!』
Its behavior shifted. Its eyes began to glow with an eerie light. Instead of weeping Silver Tears, it swept its gaze across the ground.
In an instant, the pitch-black void was flooded with color. Vivid, perhaps—but grotesque. The entire floor turned a deep, visceral red, reminiscent of blood or raw meat. It throbbed and rippled with a slow, sickening pulse. It felt as if we had been swallowed whole by some titanic beast.
“Ugh... damn it...!”
“My strength... it’s fading!”
Rei and Mil stumbled, their coordination failing. They weren't the only ones; everyone looked suddenly drained. Even the Haniwa Knights lost their precision, and the Silver Monsters began to push them back.
“The Principles! It’s distorting the Principles of the world!” Ren-kun shouted.
『The space is being eroded!』 Garna added, her voice laced with urgency. 『If this continues, we will be ruled by the laws of their world!』
Strangely, I understood exactly what they meant. This transformation into a fleshy interior was the physical manifestation of the God of the Outer World’s dominion. We were being consumed by its reality.
“Can’t you fix it?” I asked.
“We’re trying! But our power alone isn't enough to push back!”
『Does a God of the Outer World truly possess such might!?』 Garna cried out.
Even with Ren-kun and Garna working together, they were being overwhelmed. The fleshy floor beneath us pulsed violently, as if mocking our desperation.
“Ugh... ah!”
“Halfa! Hold on, I've got you!”
As the Silver Faction seized control of the area, our movements grew even more sluggish. A Silver Rat lunged forward and sank its teeth into Halfa. Silver began to creep across her right hand, eroding her flesh. I rushed to her side, pouring the Power of Purification into her.
It was noticeably less effective than usual. I had to rip the silver energy away by sheer force of will. I didn't have a second to waste on incantations. My power had already grown to a point where it could affect the world through intent alone. I focused every fiber of my being on the singular desire to strip the silver from her. Slowly, the color returned to Halfa’s pale face.
“Ah... Tort...”
“You’re okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Halfa’s eyes were wide and trembling. I brushed away her tears with my left hand while channeling more power through my right.
“No... Tort... stop,” she whispered. “At this rate... you’ll become a god.”
“It’s fine. I need this power right now. I promise I’ll be okay. Just trust me.”
“...I understand,” she said softly. “I’ll trust you, Tort.”
“Thank you.”
Halfa gave a weak smile before her eyes drifted shut. My heart hammered in my chest, but she was still breathing. I had stopped the erosion. The process had been violent, and the strain had clearly taken a toll on her stamina. She had simply fallen into a deep sleep.
I was worried about her, but I couldn't look away from the bigger picture. The God of the Outer World had already seized the Principles of this space. If I did nothing, he would achieve total mastery. Lowell and the others were already at their breaking point. If we fell here, the world would be forfeit.
I couldn't allow that. Not just for my friends, but for every living soul in this world. We could not lose.
What I needed wasn't just to fight back; I needed to seize the Principles myself. I had to overwrite the rules that had been twisted to suit these invaders. My task wasn't to purify. It was to restore the world to its proper state. I would reconstruct it.
“<Rebuild>.”