This is a monster’s fairy tale, told since long before the sea was even a memory.
In a certain place, there lived a serpent hailed as the strongest beast.
The beast's body was beautiful and powerful, possessing a peerless physique. Its heart was as hard as stone, its belly like a mosaic of pottery shards, and its back was armored with dense rows of shield-scales. Terrifying teeth filled its maw.
A single sneeze would emit light, and its eyes were like the morning sun. Flames erupted from its mouth, smoke billowed from its nose, and its very breath could ignite coal.
It made the sea boil like a pot, swimming through the deep abyss while leaving behind streaks of light like white hair in its wake.
No weapon could pierce or wound her. There was no equal upon the earth, for she knew nothing of fear.
None could fight and subdue her; merely looking at her was enough to strip a man of his will to fight.
Once, the bored monster spoke:
"I shall grant the wish of whoever manages to slay me."
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As Poseidon guided us through the temples of Oceanus—sending Lumia and the others back to conserve mana just as we stepped into the first one—that story flickered through my mind. It only lasted for a moment, but it was—Levi-san's prologue.
"Hey, best friend... you okay?"
"Ah—yeah, I’m probably fine."
Looking at the others, none of them seemed to have noticed anything, but my best friend was worried because I was acting strange. It had happened so suddenly it startled me, but I wondered why I was the only one who saw it.
"Oh? From the look of it, you did indeed synchronize. As expected of a Hero."
"...What did you do, you Trash God?"
"Vampire girl, I did nothing. At most, it was a confirmation. Besides, this will be useful for your conquest, so shouldn't you be praising me instead?"
Poseidon let out a boisterous laugh.
Inside the blue, exquisitely beautiful temple, he peered at me while I nursed a throbbing headache. He wore a triumphant expression as he began his explanation.
"This Oceanus originally belonged to me, but it has already been encroached upon and altered by the serpent's divine authority. In place of the trials I prepared, it has somehow become her [Record Archive]. Normally, there would be no need to see it, but as a Hero, surely you find it intriguing?"
I felt as if he were seeing right through me, as if my very soul were being peered into—and yet, I couldn't find the words to argue. I felt a pang of guilt for unilaterally witnessing her records, but there were too many things I needed to know.
"Still, even if you can synchronize, you truly are insane. No matter the content, a normal person couldn't possibly endure the records of such a monster. I thought you might at least suffer some erosion, but I suppose I should say 'as expected'?"
He said it lightly—dangerously lightly.
This male god spoke as if my potential destruction was just one of many possibilities.
He was probably trying to praise me, and there was likely no malice in his words. But because of that, I realized once again the sheer gulf between the perspectives of humans and gods.
"Hey. Did you just make him do something that dangerous without any warning?"
"Hm? Why are you angry, human? He's alive, isn't he? That should be enough."
The situation turned volatile instantly. Shiki's mana was leaking out as flames of anger, and Ayane was overflowing with a cold air she seemingly couldn't suppress. Excluding Laura, the two of them had gone expressionless, and even Yamato-san's face was devoid of any humor.
"Ah, that's right. Since I seem to have offended you, I shall share some useful information. Regarding that serpent... if you do not kill her soon, this planet will be washed away."
"...Is that true?"
"What reason would I have to lie? That serpent is a [Pillar of the Apocalypse]—a monster that erodes the world simply by existing. Her nature, to the very end, is to invite ruin; she is a gear of the [Doomsday Mechanism]. Even as we speak, her influence is likely reaching the outside world."
He stated this as if it were a simple, inevitable fact.
For a moment, I doubted him, but the phenomenon that occurred immediately afterward proved he wasn't lying.
For just a split second, a massive surge of mana pulsed through the dungeon itself, and I felt Levi-san's presence.
"Perfect timing. What you just felt was a phenomenon caused by the serpent's presence increasing. That serpent has not yet fully manifested in this world. As a form of retaliation, I have turned Oceanus into a barrier to suppress her, but if she fully regains her status, this Divine Realm will shatter, and the world will sink into the sea."
My companions remained silent, likely trying to digest the weight of his words, but Poseidon just looked amused. Finally, Shiki broke the silence.
"What exactly do you find so funny?"
"I'll ask you instead! This is the ultimate setup! This is a top-tier monster, even compared to other mythology systems! She harbors the potential to end the world, and the Hero of the Discarded World is in a predicament where he has already lost to her once! How could this not be interesting!?"
His words didn't feel like they were intended to cause despair... no, I’ve seen people with this kind of personality among my summoned beasts, but this guy was in a league of his own when it came to being unhinged.
But I felt like that wasn't the whole story.
I'd been thinking this for a while, but this god didn't have a drop of malice.
In fact, I felt as if there was something like... expectation embedded in his taunts. That's why I asked a simple, genuine question.
"Hey... why did you really turn Oceanus into a barrier?"
"Hm? Is that all? It is simply because I came to know of you."
"In a Discarded World where no Hero should be born, in that terminal world ruled by the Demon Lord of the Heavens—I read of the Supreme Hero who never gave up, who challenged every trial, and who moved forward no matter what. That is why."
His words were heavy with emotion and expectation.
He looked like a child talking about his favorite story, full of pure admiration.
There was a sense of envy in his voice, and above all, a terrifyingly straightforward passion.
"You saved those who were never meant to be saved. You sublimated a monster into a Hero—I was exhilarated by the 'Monster of Goodness' who stood by others more than anyone else. I admired you. That is why I wanted to make you shine brighter, and decided to become your trial. My role was stolen from me, but if that is the case, it is only natural that I would grant my divine protection and assist you."
...This time, the entire group was genuinely speechless.
I was... well, I didn't even want to process the weight of those expectations.
I didn't know exactly what the others were thinking, but I was sure we were on the same page. I had no idea what to say to this... whatever Poseidon was.
When I looked toward my friends for some kind of lifeline, they spoke up one by one.
"So basically, he's like a troublesome producer who’s too into his work."
"I think you're right, Shiki. Yeah... to put it very bluntly, he’s creepy."
"Uwaah... Um, Reima-dono, shouldn't we go for an exorcism? de gozaru."
"Honestly, we should probably slay this god first. He's worse than a Magatsukami... I mean, how does a divine being even end up like this?"
"My friend, I'll listen to your troubles later, so let's just finish this dungeon and go home..."
Pitying gazes were directed at me from all sides, and I could feel a similar sense of revulsion radiating from countless presences within my soul world.
What a mess. I really didn't want to spend any more time with this god.
"Now then, let us proceed! I feel wonderful now that I've had my say!"