The Great Spirit stared at me. I held her gaze, refusing to look away. This was no time to falter; I had to show her the depth of my resolve.
Perhaps my determination reached her, as she finally spoke.
"The Will of the World? What is it you wish to know, specifically?"
"I want to know if my interpretation of it is correct."
"Very well. I see no harm in that," the Great Spirit readily agreed.
I had expected her to be more reluctant, but she seemed almost cooperative. Perhaps she was in a good mood, or perhaps she had anticipated that I would eventually raise this topic. Regardless, it was a golden opportunity. I decided to get straight to the point.
"To put it simply, I believe the Will of the World is the physical manifestation of human desire."
"Do you have a basis for this conclusion?"
"It is the answer I derived from everything I have seen and heard, supplemented by advice from a beast."
The Great Spirit’s expression shifted, a hint of suspicion entering her aura. She questioned me in a probing tone.
"...What do you mean by that?"
I explained my encounter with Gwen and the conversation we had shared. Gwen had told me to consider who truly benefits from the Will of the World—she claimed that if I followed that trail, its true identity would become obvious. I had considered every possibility before finally reaching this conclusion.
"The Will of the World triggers phenomena specifically to protect humanity. Hero Awakening is the most obvious example."
I knew this better than anyone. Every Hero I had killed until now had been chosen by the Will of the World. Driven by destiny, they had come to challenge me. Naturally, this applied to both myself and that person. Because humanity collectively desired someone to defeat the previous Demon Lord, we were given that extra push.
Even the way weapons and spells that should have been impossible to complete suddenly functioned was likely an example of the Will of the World at work. It was all for the sake of restoring peace to the people. Individual wishes might be fleeting, but when they accumulate, they can warp the very laws of reality.
The Will of the World had been operating behind the scenes during the recent crisis as well. The power I was granted as the Demon King only manifested after the beasts appeared. I was chosen to be the hero who would slaughter them.
When the beasts first began their invasion, it seems some people prayed for the Demon King to destroy them. They wished for an overwhelming Great Evil to crush the monsters ravaging their lands. Their prayers likely included the dark hope that we would simply kill each other off. Those prayers acted upon me as the Will of the World.
Currently, that additional power has been revoked. I know the reason why: the prevailing rumor now is that the Demon King is actually the one commanding the beasts. The moment their prayers were withdrawn, my Beast-slaying Ability vanished with them.
However, that wasn't a problem. My Demon King's Power remained intact; I had only lost the specific ability to ignore a Beast Trait. Since I had already developed specialized spells to counter them, it didn't hinder me in combat. Whether my opponent was a Beast of the Outside World or not, I could still massacre them without hesitation.
"I call it the Will of the World for convenience, but it isn't something controlled by a single entity. It is a collective of countless thoughts—a Formless Guardian."
This concept, which has protected the world since ancient times, likely came into existence the moment humanity was born. I have heard that there was a time in the past when even Defense Mechanisms were destroyed. In such a state, the Will is certainly not a World's Ally in the literal sense. If humanity desires it, this force will kill any existence whatsoever.
When focusing on that aspect, "guardian" feels like the wrong word. If I had to give it a name, it would be an Executioner.
"……"
The Great Spirit fell silent after hearing my explanation, seemingly weighing my words. After a moment of reflection, she asked a question, as if testing me.
"The Will of the World sometimes brings about unfavorable results. Had you not intervened, there were many situations where its influence would have led to disaster for the people. This contradicts your theory that it exists to serve them. How do you account for that?"
I organized my thoughts. I had already anticipated this counterargument and carefully articulated my hypothesis.
"The Will of the World is likely an imperfect mechanism. It is specialized solely in granting the immediate desires of the people, with no regard for the consequences that follow. That is why it can lead to tragedy."
This flaw reflected the very nature of humanity. People judge things from their own limited perspectives, acting on immediate desires. Many never stop to consider the long-term fallout of their wishes. The Will of the World functions much the same way.
Because it was so obsessed with defeating the evil I represented, it generated even more violence to counter me. It never considered what would happen to the world after I was gone, because the collective desire was focused entirely on the act of my defeat. It is an inflexible concept, but its raw power is undeniable. When it functions correctly, its impact is peerless. It holds infinite possibilities.
It has likely ensured the survival of the human race since time immemorial, and even now, it seeks the eradication of evil. That is the phenomenon known as the Will of the World.
"That is my view. Tell me—am I right or wrong?"
I went silent and waited for her reaction. After a long pause, the Great Spirit gave a slow, quiet nod.
"You are essentially correct. It seems you have reached the heart of the matter."