I open my eyes.

It takes a while take all of it in and organize my thoughts before I sit up.

"So, how was it?

You alright?"

En, the cat with two tails, is sitting not too far away from me.

But his question made me close my eyes again before replying.

"I have never felt better."

But I didn't plan to discuss anything with him at that moment.

There was something I had to to right away.

[Database]

Before all the information could overwhelm me, I already filtered it.

Name is Renar, race is black wolfman... no, shadow wolfman.

Location...

After getting that information, I opened my eyes and left the house I was in.

En seemed to follow me as I looked in the direction where the signal was coming from.

The direction was the one I came from.

The one where that ocean monster attacked me.

Probably all the way across the ocean in the continent where I once did the first 'extra stage'.

[Database]

Name - Kinua, race - nouria foxman.

Also in that direction.

Name - evil root.

He is there as well.

...

I checked all the people I remembered from my memories.

And most of them were located in that direction.

Except for one...

Name - Will, race - black wolfman.

Does not exist.

I know what that means...

And I already expected it...

But I still can't help but feel upset.

...

"I see you are eager to rush off, but how about we talk a bit first?"

Once again, my thoughts are interrupted by En.

I turned around and looked at him.

He was right...

I finally remembered what my purpose was.

I wanted to go and fulfill it.

But I already checked that Kinua and uncle are still alive.

And the Evil root will be easy to find with database even if he tries to hide.

There is no need to rush.

Moreover, even though I tried to minimize it, using database was still quite exhausting.

"Alright."

|= A little while later =|

We settled in the palace from before.

Just like before, there were a few other people around.

"So, did you notice when it started?"

"...

Was it when I tried to kill Kinua?"

To that he simply closed his eyes and shook his head before replying.

"No, that was already the peak of it."

His response was quite surprising.

It seems that it was in me for a long longer than I thought.

"It was actually way back when you got into a fight with the other kids.

That's when he implanted that parasite into you."

Back then...?

"I'm actually surprised you resisted it and didn't kill any of them..."

...

So that's how it was...

Does that mean I wouldn't attack them if there was no parasite?

That seems hard to believe...

"In fact...

You did a really good job resisting all of its temptations...

That in itself is already a rare occurence.

I wonder what is so different about you..."

Different, huh?

Who knows...

|= The next day =|

"That 'database' of yours sure is handy though..."

"It really is."

We are staring at the ocean as we talk to each other.

"I wonder...

To give you this powerful tool...

Just who is that girl that even god fears so much?"

En asked the same question I had on my mind at some point.

I have a feeling she won't be a pushover at all.

The god said she is the only person not in the database.

Since I barely know anything about her, I can't even check...

But if I just take his word for it, it just leaves me with more questions.

Everyone and everything else is in the database.

Even Dan, who was summoned from another world, is in there.

Why is she the only one missing?

Anyhow...

I still don't have any means to defy the god.

I have to fight her.

There is no other option right now.

"Why don't you try to negotiate with that girl when you meet her?"

...

That's...

I didn't think of that at all...

So far, I have just been fighting monsters, who I couldn't talk to.

But I guess it could work with her.

"I can try it..."

I nod to him and smile.

"Thanks for all the help.

I'll be going now."

Since I don't know where that girl is, I will be going toward Kinua and uncle, as well as Evil root, my other target.

I might even meet her on the way...

Well, I guess that wouldn't happen.

"Good luck."

With a simple goodbye from En, I started walking forward.

It gradually turned into a sprint.

And finally, I used magic to increase my pace as I ran onto the seabed.

Filled with determination, I left En's settlement back in the direction where I came from.

But of course...

There was a certain problem when I was coming this way, wasn't there?

'The terror' of which I read about in the 'patience' trial in the temple.

Since I got most of my memories back, I hoped to recall reading about its weaknesses.

But the books were actually all about how scary and strong it was.

I can't remember anything pointing out its weak points.

Useless.

As I thought these things, I noticed the water around me move in an irregular way.

I knew what that meant.

[Air blast]

I blasted myself forward just in time to avoid a tentacle that shot up from the water.

Unfortunately, since the belt got lost in my last fight with this thing, my mobility became quite limited.

But despite that, I still managed to dodge the monster's attempts to get me by jumping from side to side.

I thought it would all go well if I just did my best avoiding it, but something unexpected happened.

A big bulge appeared on the ocean floor.

It caused even stronger waves and almost made me lose balance.

And a second later, the bulge burst open to reveal what was causing it.

It was the monster's main body.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

For some reason, it has decided to come up instead of safely resting at the depths.

Maybe it remembered me and wanted vengeance?

Whatever the reason, its attacks suddenly got much quicker and more accurate.

I couldn't even think about counterattacking.

That's how much I had to focus on not getting swept up by it.

But even that wouldn't last long.

After its tentacles kept barely missing me, it got enraged and let out a loud roar.

With that, its tentacles stopped assaulting me and instead, its entire mass hurled toward me.

There was no direction in which I could dodge, it was simply too huge.

I had to face it on with a large-scale spell.

But... I didn't have the sword anymore since I lost it in our last encounter as well.

And without a weapon, phantom annihilation will be much weaker.

However, in that moment I remembered there was something else I could use.

A different weapon I acquired way back at the temple, which I completely forgot about.

Reaching into the 'storage' of alpha plane, I pulled out a really long spear.

It had a shining tip and was of a length that was easily twice of my height.

The calamity.

That was the name of the angel I got this from.

But I never really used a spear.

And this one was extremely long at that.

Nonetheless, I gathered mana and prepared my stance.

[Phantom annihilation]

And with a stab forward, a hole appeared in the beast's skin.

It didn't penetrate all the way through, but it did put its charge to a stop.

It roared and slammed around from pain, which bought me even more time for my next move.

After storing the spear back, I started running straight for it.

Wind magic at my feet to keep going.

Fire mana forming on my left hand.

Dark mana swirling on my right hand.

My teeth biting into my lip to get my blood flowing.

It was all ready.

[Air blast]

As I formed the magic circle and merged the gathered mana into one, I jumped toward my foe.

And when I got close enough, I released the little ball of mana toward it while creating a blast between me and it.

[Armageddon]

[Air blast]

I flew straight into the water and sank down.

[Air bubble]

I secured myself a way to breathe right away.

And after that...

I felt a surge of intense vibrations, that shook my whole body.

During all of that, a shadow of something massive slowly sank down.

After a little while, since I couldn't really sense that monster anywhere anymore, I decided to swim up again.

Luckily, I didn't sink too deep, so I emerged again in no time at all.

And all I saw was the seabed burning with black flames and no signs of the squid.

Victory...

But it probably isn't dead.

I better get out of here as soon as I can.

[Air blast]

With that, I boost myself above the water's surface and start running again.

Since I couldn't really run where the flames were, I ran in another direction.

[Database]

While doing that, I opened up the database to find the direction in which I need to be going.

But that was a mistake...

As soon as I redirected all of my focus toward the database, I felt a stinging pain in my chest.

At the same time, my feet stopped touching the water and I was lifted up in the air.

When I opened my eyes and checked what was happening, I saw a very thin tentacle connecting the water's surface and my chest.

My first reaction was to use my claws and tear it off.

But it wouldn't let me.

More of these thin spear-like tentacles shot out and hit my arms and legs and restrained them.

I couldn't rely on my claws anymore.

So what I did, was release dark mana around me in hopes of burning the tentacles away.

And it worked.

The tentacles were dropping one after another.

However...

There were as many new ones still shooting up from the water.

And in the end, one of them hit the middle of my face and...

...

....

.....

I open my eyes.

I'm standing on a little island in the middle of an ocean.

While looking out at the water, I close my eyes again and sigh.

So this still works...

Every since I got thrown into the alpha plane, I was quite worried...

And on top of that, the god, who is the source of this, was acting strange...

...

Well, I can't complain.

Anyway, I know where I am...

The question is, when am I?

Hmm...

I then realized something and looked at my waist.

And there, I saw the belt that I should have lost in my first fight with that monster.

Following that, I reached into the alpha plane and there I found the sword I lost as well.

So, this is even before I met En?

Does this mean my soul hasn't been mended yet?

Is the parasite still there?

I then tried to remember various things in the past.

Making sure I'm not forgetting things again.

Following that, I made sure the second personality was still part of me.

...

And luckily, it seems that there was no problem.

My soul wasn't in disarray like it should have been before I met En.

That's a good thing but...

I still don't get it.

Sometimes, things stay with me even after dying.

And other times, they get reset to what they were.

I never know what to expect...

My half-opened eyes stare at the ocean once more as another sigh leaves my mouth.

Maybe I should just really avoid dying...

Hmm...

Yeah, let's do that.

This is the last time I die.

The last time this happens.

----------------------------------------

Bonus:

<...What?>

<...>