I fixed my gaze on the Great Spirit.
Ever since the Beasts emerged, her primary form had begun to manifest more frequently. This was because the conditions required for the world’s defense mechanisms to activate had finally been met. Typically, she only inhabited her avatar, Yura, during periods when her main body was unable to act.
Therefore, her current presence contradicted that established pattern. When I questioned her on the matter, the Great Spirit offered a further explanation.
"My main body is currently engaged in combat elsewhere. I am merely splitting a portion of my consciousness to inhabit Yura."
I was impressed by the revelation. It was a feat of immense dexterity, though I suppose such a thing was well within her capabilities. Having accepted the explanation, I brought the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"You said there is no God. What exactly did you mean by that?"
"Precisely what I said. The 'God' who descended upon the other continent is a fraud. In truth, it is likely one of the Beasts of the Outside World."
"I thought as much."
I had more or less expected as much. My sensing magic had already locked onto the entity claiming divinity. It possessed a unique energy; while the signature mimicked a Holy Aura, its core was unmistakably miasma. In other words, my opponent was a Beast. It was merely masquerading as a deity through clever camouflage.
This raised a certain question.
"Is this False God slaughtering its own kind?"
"Indeed. They appear to have shifted their strategy, executing weaker Beasts to win the trust of humanity."
"I see."
The Great Spirit's assessment followed a natural logic. The forces of the Beasts were by no means a monolith. They were clearly willing to endure minor losses to ensure the success of their grander scheme—a confrontation between a humanity backed by 'God' and the 'Evil Demon King.' They were steering the world toward a collision between those two factions.
(But why would they go to such lengths to gain human trust and form a collaborative relationship?)
From the perspective of the Beasts, humans were fragile, insignificant existences. It was hard to imagine them sacrificing their own kin just to join forces with such weaklings. If that were the case, the benefits of siding with humanity were limited.
The answer flashed through my mind, and I muttered it aloud.
"—Is their target the Will of the World?"
"Most likely. They understand the world's mechanics and have gathered the support of the people specifically to trigger its intervention."
I thought back to my conversation with Gwen in the mental world. The Beasts of the Outside World were clearly aware of the system's nature. She had hinted that they had been hostile toward it many times before. This time, after assessing my power, they must have decided to use those world specifications against me.
I asked about another point that concerned me.
"And what of the other defense mechanisms?"
"For now, they seem content with merely culling stray Beasts. I see no sign of them moving against the False God."
They were being strangely passive. I had assumed a defense mechanism would respond to such a threat immediately.
"Why is that?"
"Because the False God has explicitly declared you alone as its target. Since your survival is not directly tied to the world's continued existence, their Annihilation Obligation remains dormant."
The Great Spirit's answer was utterly unacceptable. I pressed further, pursuing the logic to its end.
"If I fall and the Beasts seize my power, they will become a threat to the entire world. Do the mechanisms intend to remain idle even then?"
"Most of the defense mechanisms have seen their emotions eroded by the passage of eons. Many view themselves as nothing more than automated systems, leaving them incapable of flexible judgment."
The reality the Great Spirit described felt like an admission of her own inherent defects. I could not gauge her true inner feelings, but I doubted it was a fact she took any pride in. I fell silent, feeling a pang of awkwardness before confirming the situation.
"…So, I shouldn't count on assistance from any other defense mechanisms."
"Correct. You must resolve this using only the strength of the Demon King’s Army."
"I understand."
I nodded and organized my thoughts. I had a firm grasp of the situation now.
Regardless of the circumstances, the False God was the primary target. Judging by the feedback from my sensing magic, it was the most powerful Beast encountered thus far. Having ascended to the pinnacle of human society, this invader now championed a crusade for the Demon King's Subjugation.
I didn't know its ultimate plan for my miasma, but I was certain it would lead to nothing but ruin. It had to be stopped here.
My course of action was decided. All that remained was to take action, weighing the timing and the situation carefully. The hour of the final battle drew closer with every passing second.