“Oh, I’m truly sorry... I’m reflecting deeply on my actions, I really am.”
Inside the barrier, Gwen spoke with a somber expression.
Her apology was directed at me.
She reached out and touched the barrier, lightly pushing and stroking the surface. Of course, the barrier remained unchanged.
With an anxious look, Gwen pleaded with me.
“I promise I won't defy you anymore, so won't you please let me out?”
“You aren't to be trusted. There is no chance I will ever release you.”
“No, you don't understand! I was just following orders! I was told I’d be killed if I didn't obey... If anything, I’m the victim here,” Gwen claimed, her eyes welling with tears.
She eventually covered her face with both hands, and the sound of sobbing drifted through the room.
I pointed out the truth with cold detachment.
“That’s a lie. It's immediately obvious.”
“Tsk. Even a beautiful woman’s tears won't work? Well, I’m stumped then.”
Lowering her hands, Gwen gave a wry smile and shrugged her shoulders with a sigh. As I had expected, she hadn't shed a single tear. It was all a performance.
(Honestly, she’s a handful...)
I felt like nursing a headache. I tried to let out a sigh, only to realize that I couldn't.
The arms visible in my field of vision were nothing but black bone.
This was the Real World.
I was currently in a room in the basement of the Research Institute—a completely sealed chamber without a door. It was a restricted sector that could only be accessed by me through teleportation or by the Research Institute Director, who managed the facility.
The barrier imprisoning Gwen was positioned in the center of the room.
After defeating John and Barulk, I had fought Gwen within the Mental World. To put it simply: I had overwhelmed her.
With the support of the Will of the World behind me, I had been able to nullify her abilities one after another. With the odds stacked so heavily in my favor, loss was simply not an option. The battle had concluded so swiftly that I had even suspected a trap.
By conducting an Analysis of Gwen during the fight, I had succeeded in pinpointing her location in the Real World. The identification had been difficult, but I had eventually achieved Perception by tracing the source of her Spiritual Body.
At that point, I had exited the Mental World to launch a surprise attack on Gwen, who had been lurking far away. She had immediately returned her mind to her body, leading to a second confrontation.
Though the stage of the battle shifted to the Real World, the flow remained largely the same. The balance of power never shifted; I continued to dominate her until I had cornered her, leaving her half-dead.
It was a moment that made me keenly aware of just how much influence the Will of the World exerted.
Nothing particularly noteworthy had happened in the aftermath.
First, I had stripped the vast power from Gwen’s body and isolated it. Once she was almost completely neutralized, I had transported her to the Research Institute, where she remained today.
I likely would have won even without the intervention of the Will of the World, but it certainly wouldn't have been such a one-sided slaughter. Gwen was truly that strong. The title "Beast of the Outside World" was no mere exaggeration.
Given that multiple entities like her had supposedly appeared, it was understandable why the world’s Defense Mechanism had been triggered. As I suspected, the world was facing a crisis of survival.
Naturally, I intended to prevent its destruction. I would devise whatever strategies were necessary to achieve that end. Now that my Mental Contamination had been fully cured, I could prepare for what was to come in peak condition.
Gwen sprawled out inside the barrier. She continued to let out listless, uninspired groans. Lying on her back, she stared up at the ceiling.
“To be captured like some experimental animal... I wonder how long it’s been since that last happened? For the record, this is quite a feat, you know? You’re welcome to brag about this for the next thousand years!”
“......”
I looked at her with blatant exasperation.
Even in this situation, she refused to drop her act. She surely understood the gravity of her circumstances. And yet, she showed no sign of despair; if left to her own devices, she would do nothing but crack jokes.
Since taking her seriously was mentally taxing, I had decided to simply let her nonsense wash over me.
The cage holding Gwen was a Dedicated Barrier specifically designed for her. Escape was impossible, and she could not project her Spiritual Body outside. The same applied to her soul.
The Absolute Coordinates of her existence were fixed; should she attempt to move away, she would be forcibly pulled back. Even if she were to somehow breach the barrier, she could do nothing to change those Fixed Coordinates.
A short while ago, Gwen had been making a show of trying to escape. She eventually seemed to realize it was futile, and those attempts had ceased. Now, she was content to pass the time in quiet laziness.
That said, I wasn't so at ease that I could take my eyes off her. Even with the majority of her power confiscated, she was still a Beast of the Outside World. She was an unknown entity that had struck without warning.
One could never be too cautious.