◇
Guided by Beria, I arrived at the woodland behind the mansion of the Shinonome House, the family that had once ruled this land.
The locals refer to these woods as the "Sacred Mountain."
Ever since a nation was first established on this island, the mountain had been under the stewardship of the Shinonome House. It served as a Forbidden Land that, under normal circumstances, only members of the Shinonome House and its branches—the Tendou and Asagiri houses—were permitted to enter.
The only reason we were able to set foot here was that the Cult had seized control of the country following a civil war several years ago.
While the area was typically off-limits to outsiders, commoners were allowed to enter the mountain on the final day of a state-sponsored festival held every summer. I couldn't help but wonder what the point of such a tradition was.
As we followed the stone-paved approach, a large Torii Gate came into view.
Continuing further, a massive and solemn shrine revealed itself beyond the gate.
If one were to trace the roots of the people living in Kyokutou, they would eventually find their way back to an island nation in the Orient, located in the Outside World. I had heard that this country had undergone its own unique development, distinct from any other nation.
Apparently, their belief system revolved around the idea that gods dwelled in all things—from the forces of nature to every aspect of human life. Since there were so many gods, it was only natural that countless shrines were built across the land to worship them.
Perhaps as a remnant of that culture, several shrines still stood in Kyokutou.
Centuries had passed since the creation of this world. By now, the people of Kyokutou had forgotten the original purpose of these shrines. Even so, the reason they remained standing and unblemished was likely because that ancient ideology was still rooted deep within their subconscious.
...If so many gods truly existed, I would dearly love to ask them why they had abandoned such imperfect creatures as humans.
"Is this the Phoenix Shrine?" I asked Beria, looking up at the shrine towering in the distance.
I had been searching for the Phoenix Shrine for years. It was as clear as day that this place was suspicious—a shrine protected for generations by the descendants of the Sword Immortal and the Princess Priestess, companions of the Fairy Tale Hero August who had helped create this world.
After taking control of Kyokutou, I had investigated this shrine first. However, I hadn't found a single clue. While magnificent, the structure appeared to be nothing more than an "ordinary building" even after a thorough search. I simply couldn't believe it was related to the Principles of Magic.
That was why I had assumed it was merely a decoy intended to divert attention away from the real Phoenix Shrine.
"Yeah. This is the entrance," Beria replied, stopping right in front of the Torii Gate.
He reached out toward the gate, and the space enclosed within the frame shimmered like the surface of a pond.
"……This is—"
"Like the interior of a Labyrinth, the Phoenix Shrine exists in a space separate from this world. This Torii Gate is the portal connecting the two. The shrine you see in the back is nothing more than a dummy building meant to help this gate blend into the surroundings."
A separate space... I see. No wonder I hadn't found it through conventional means.
As Beria prepared to pass through the Torii Gate, I moved to follow him, but he held up a hand to stop me.
"I can't let you go any further, Philly."
"And why not? Surely you have nothing left to hide from me after we’ve come this far?" I felt a flash of irritation at his stubbornness.
"It’s not a matter of trust. The environment inside is effectively identical to the Outside World. To someone like you who isn't a Transcendent, that space is filled with lethal poison."
"……I see. If that's the case, then it can't be helped."
It was a logical point, once I thought about it. While I had wanted to confirm the conditions inside personally, I couldn't exactly step into a place that would kill me instantly. I would just have the Thunder Emperor investigate the interior later.
Beria stepped through the Torii Gate, his figure vanishing into the void.
"……Well, knowing the location is enough for now. Still, it certainly took long enough."
From the moment I had begun taking serious action until today, the time had felt incredibly long. Currying favor with Beria had been a tedious chore.
But that was finally over.
"You’ve fulfilled your role, Beria. I have no further use for you personally. It’s time you made your exit."
It was a good thing no one else was around. My lips had naturally curled into a smirk; it would have been difficult to hide my amusement otherwise.
◇
While I spent some time mulling over how best to neutralize Beria, he eventually returned from beyond the gate.
"Welcome back, Lord Beria. Was it a success?"
"……Yeah. I’ve rewritten the Labyrinth rules. Even as we speak, Stampedes should be breaking out in Labyrinths across the globe. Additionally, I confirmed that someone just used a long-distance teleportation from Celest, the capital of the Hitia Duchy, to the island where the Second Farm is located. Ten to one, it’s Orun."
Labyrinths were spaces that produced magic beasts. Under the Principles of Magic, it was a fundamental rule that magic beasts could not move between floors. While various factors occasionally caused a lapse in that logic—resulting in a Stampede where beasts appeared on the surface—these were rare.
Even the Cyclamen Cult had been forced to exploit specific loopholes to trigger artificial Stampedes. Usually, once a Stampede occurred, the Principles of Magic would eventually correct the Labyrinth's functions, bringing the chaos to an end.
However, Beria had manipulated the Principles of Magic to completely remove the restriction on magic beasts moving between floors. Consequently, these Stampedes would continue semi-permanently.
It was an act equivalent to fundamentally altering the state of the world.
Until now, only Explorers fought magic beasts, and they did so exclusively within the Labyrinths. That would no longer be the case. Now, a struggle for survival between humans and magic beasts would erupt in every corner of the world.
It was now a world where the weak, whether human or beast, were the first to die.
(Fufu. What an interesting world this is going to be. This chaos is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Since humanity is doomed to perish soon anyway, you might as well entertain me for the brief time you have left.)