Jess P.O.V.

"Jiminy Cricket, Nith?! What's going on?!" (Me)

I'll be honest. I didn't want to come here. Right from the beginning, I had a bad feeling about this place and everything that could welcome us. It hasn't even been that long since we have been forced to live through our most traumatic experiences right here.

I don't know why Nith insisted on coming here so vehemently. He is not stupid, so he should have a solid reason.

"Just say "fuck" like a normal person, you British cunt." (Nith)

And, as I expected, the feeling in my gut was right.

Even though the unknown, second version of the friend I admittedly cherish much sits in front of us leisurely, I can feel a certain emotion with a shocking intensity.

A primal fear.

Cold sweat runs down my back as soon as I set my eyes on him... it. I had assumed I've been in enough fights to at least keep a minimum degree of composure in any situation, but it all breaks down in front of this imitation.

"You like the cat? It was actually pretty difficult to get it here..." (???)

Even his speech pattern is similar to Nith's. The tone of his voice, how he carries himself... it's really like I'm seeing double. But, without a doubt, they're different.

Not once have I felt like this in front of Nith. A dominant, aggressive pressure keeps me from moving any muscle in my body. It doesn't even have to take action for me to know that I can not defeat it. It's so grotesquely different from Nith's usual, playful dominance that just barely makes you play along with his shenanigans.

"Nith?" (Risa)

'Fuck, Risa is here as well.'

Her expression tells me that she feels the same as me. It hasn't even been a few seconds, but we're paralyzed, at the mercy of whatever the doppelganger might do. And the worst thing is that I don't even know why.

There's only one thing I'm certain about.

It is the reason why we were trapped in that illusion.

The whisp of golden light I saw before we were transported now surrounds us in a choking fog. It's like the difference between a small puddle and a vast ocean.

My hands tremble.

I try to break free from the spell I'm assuming... hoping was cast to create this fear artificially. If that's not the case, I might as well wet my panties right now.

Time seems to slow down to a tiring degree. Only a few seconds pass while Nith and the imitator stare at each other, both smiling kindly. To me, and probably Risa as well, it feels like hours. As I suspected, they know each other. It can't be something like a shapeshifter just taking Nith's appearance. Not with this degree of accuracy.

The scenes in the illusion pop into my head again, forcing me to hope that he won't do the same trick again.

It has only been a few months since the apocalypse started, and we already have to face such an opponent.

I curse my luck.

'Come on, you stupid wench. This is your time.'

Despite all of my instincts screaming to stand still, I try to at least shuffle towards Risa. Each movement I make feels like it could agitate the thing that has been staring in Nith's eyes for a weirdly long amount of time now, ending our lives in consequence.

Each muscle contraction makes me flinch in fear as I make my way towards Risa with the aim to at least serve as some kind of meatshield. I'm not hoping that I'll serve much of a line of defense, but it's the will that counts, right?

'Wait, meatshield?'

That's when my own mortality hit me.

I could die here. The possibility is in no way low. The only memory in my past that could compare would be the lonely scene in my old classroom. My chest constricts.

I hesitate. My natural survival instinct now works against me even more than before. I don't even know what Nith is thinking right now, after all. I don't know if there is a plan or countermeasure against that thing. I'm sure that Nith didn't expect such a monstrosity to come out as well.

My eyes wander over to the two again, carefully daring a glance.

They're still just looking at each other.

At this point, I can't even be sure how much time has passed.

There are only a few steps left between Risa and me. She trembles in fear just as much as I do. My heart wants to protect her, but my body doesn't comply.

That's when the silence breaks.

"You might not want to hold eye contact with me for that long. We're this close to a passionate kiss." (Nith)

Suddenly, I manage to gasp for air, as does Risa. Fresh air fills our lungs as we desperately try to get the used oxygen out of our systems.

The pressure around us seems to have disappeared without a trace abruptly, and all it took was a few words from Nith.

My foggy mind clears up from one moment to another. It's bizarre how my state can switch so quickly, but it only makes it clearer that there's something unknown going on between Nith and the other thing.

I always knew that there's much more to Nith than I've already seen, but in times like these, it just gets even more apparent how deep the rabbit hole goes.

It doesn't matter right now, though. Now that I can move freely, I hurry in front of Risa. She seems to have recovered to a certain degree too, as her mana is moving around in an attempt to protect herself. I haven't seen her do that before so it must be her instincts kicking into play.

Or rather, her counterpart's instincts.

"Are you really flirting with me right now?" (???)

Its calm voice seeps into my bones, sending shivers down my spine.

"The real question is if you like it." (Nith)

Even if their conversation seems to be calm, there's still a tension in the air that physically affects Risa and me. Slowly, I try to make the metal in Nith's pouch resonate with my mana. It might be futile for me to struggle against such an abomination but I can't just sit still.

From behind me, I can feel Risa getting ready to fight as well. Her cold flames manage to cool down my sweat-drenched back to a certain degree, which I'm grateful for.

'Careful now.'

For situations like these, I should really have some spare metal on me. Even the tiniest amounts could help me feel at least a bit safer. Although it wouldn't amount to much here.

The uncertainty of its strength gets to me. I have never been nervous to let any of my mana be sensed before, making this a trial-by-fire situation. Gradually, I try to get my magic inside Nith's pouch.

Creeping.

Quiet.

Once more, this time voluntarily, I hold my breath in an attempt to not catch its attention.

At that moment, its eyes fall on me.

The identical emerald eyes that I became so familiar with now make my muscles freeze again. The fear I felt just a second ago seems childish in comparison.

My mana retracts instinctively. I can see that Nith noticed its gaze wandering but despair still takes over.

"Just cause he looks like me, doesn't mean that you can fall for him just as quickly. My personality is much more loveable." (Nith)

His usual joking words enter my ears but I can't process them. As soon as I entered the imitator's line of sight, I felt like a deer in headlights, ignoring every other sensory input.

A voice inside me tries to calm me down but to no avail.

The urge to run away becomes stronger. I shouldn't be in any danger as long as I trust in Nith, but something that looks exactly like him is giving me other signals.

The voice becomes more distinct the longer that thing stares at me.

I feel my heart beating through my chest. I can't even be mad about the fact that I went through this cycle just a few seconds ago already.

Louder and louder, the voice tries to convince me that it's going to be alright.

Until...

'Calm down already, child.'

The foreign voice I thought to be my will to live becomes... real.

And even then, there's only one thing on my mind. Finally, I manage to get the words out that were burning on my tongue for the last few, horrifying minutes.

"What the fuck is that, Nith?!" (Me)

'You cursed in front of the other child.'

*

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

*

Nith P.O.V.

"What the fuck is that, Nith?!" (Jess)

'Oh, shit. Trick, I need an excuse.'

'Still not sure which I'm supposed to use... Maybe this one fits better?'

> [https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/023/397/C-658VsXoAo3ovC.jpg]

'Ignoring me is worse.'

I follow my Divine Shard's line of sight, which has been fixed on Jess for a few seconds now. I admit, he's got taste, but fat chance I'll share the thighs I worked so hard for. Even if he's in a certain sense me.

Jess and Risa stand right behind me, frozen. I should've already expelled the pressure he was creating artificially with his heavenly divine energy, so they must be overwhelmed by his natural charisma.

That, or the bloodlust he's exuding with every fiber of his... body? Soul? It's complicated.

Anyways, first, I have to cover this whole situation up.

"MY STARS! Is it really you!? Oh, how I've missed you, my long lost twin broth-" (Me)

"Don't." (Jess)

"...At least let me finish. I was about to give him a whole backstory." (Me)

The term "twin brother" actually isn't that far off in this case. It's just that more than an identical copy of me and my soul, he's rather a derivative.

"Come on, eyes up here." (Me)

I lead his eyes away from Jess, who's barely able to stand. It's impressive how she's able to even speak in front of a divine being, now that I think about it. That's by no means an easy feat for a mortal human.

'They grow up so fast...'

Probably because I'm his target of interest anyways, he quickly switches his attention to me. I can practically hear Jess's relief as soon as he takes his eyes off her.

Once more, the air between us fills with electricity. We haven't been BFFs for a while now, so it's no wonder that it gets a bit uncomfortable between us. And let me tell you, the breakup was an ugly one.

Now, while I may seem cool as a cucumber, this situation is actually, even for me, a bit...

'It's... difficult.'

I've had my fair share of fights, and this would definitely be one of the most dangerous ones.

I might get killed. No, it's a given that I'll die here. I just have to make sure that the other two survive.

Mind corruption continues! 18% corrupted!

'At least I don't have to get to the end of this progression.'

"Now! What might bring you to my humble abode? I hope you're not here to rob me since, as you can see-" (Divine Shard)

He spins a full round in his chair, pointing at everything in his surroundings.

"I got fuck all! Sorry to disappoint ya.~" (Divine Shard)

The smile on his face is a bad way to cover the anger he feels as soon as he looks me in the eyes. The fact that he chose my exact appearance doesn't make it easier to explain this situation to Jess and Risa without losing my charm as the mysterious guy.

I see his hands twitching with excitement. He must've waited for this moment a long time. My eyes follow his every gesture, trying to defend any surprise attack that might come our way.

My body immediately enters a state of fight or flight in front of him.

"Would we ever! We just wanted to go around the neighborhood and introduce ourselves.~" (Me)

His divine power flares up again in suppressed rage.

It takes every cell in my mortal body to defend Jess and Risa from this pressure not suitable for anything below a certain level. Even my body would've broken down by now if it weren't for the fact that he was him. While he's the worst kind of heavenly being we could've encountered, I'm at least the most accustomed to his divine power, enabling me to influence it to some degree. My title as "Envoy of Mana" serves as a tremendous help as well since the mana in my body goes haywire.

Although this doesn't mean that I'm immune to it.

"Well then, hello, old friend. And companions of old friend! My name is..." (Divine Shard)

He looks at Jess again for a second before switching back to me.

"Nith? Apparently?" (Divine Shard)

'Wow, that's your name as well.'

'That's so fucking scary.'

We've gone through a lot of names together, so it's no wonder he chose the one Jess just addressed me with. Names are pretty much arbitrary to us by this point.

I can feel my body giving in under the constant barrage of divine energy. To be honest, this is partly why this situation is problematic. Even if I can control his energy in a certain way, my body is still not fit to endure this kind of attack.

It's my fault that he's acting this way, but that's a story for another-

'Would you fucking explain him already?'

'I actually wanted to describe the awkward atmosphere for another 15 minutes or so. Way to interrupt me, though. I thought we talked about this?'

In the end, who am I to deny Trick's quest for knowledge?

'Just get on with it already. Looking at that guy is making me feel shitty for some reason.'

As I already covered before, the mana circle is tightly connected to the soul. That's how this whole merging thing worked in the first place. Counterparts from the other world were assimilated into this world and its people, as were their circles. In conclusion, everyone who merged with someone got the ability to cast magic.

Sadly, only parts of their power can be transferred to the receiver. The whole process is a mess, scientifically speaking, so it's no wonder only a small percentile will make it through. That's why everyone starts with such low strength.

But that's the case for normal people being merged with normal superhumans. A percentile of their power will only amount to so much.

I, on the other hand, am a hunka-dunk more than a regular superhuman.

Well, I was.

That poses the question: Why was I so weak after merging? The system doesn't care how many skills you receive, the aspired equilibrium will be upheld as long as you don't receive any classes.

The answer to that question is the friend in front of us.

Who's actually getting impatient, it seems.

"So are we just gonna stand around all day, or is something gonna happen?" (Divine Shard)

"I don't know about you, but I like standing. What about you guys?" (Me)

I turn to the two, who are scared shitless.

"Standing is fine!" (Jess)

Risa nods enthusiastically in agreement.

Once again, I'm surprised how Jess can speak in this situation. It should literally be impossible. Risa has an advantage with the origin of her powers, but Jess shouldn't be able to do anything without her beloved metal. Although that's not my biggest worry right now.

"Votes are 3:1. You're kinda at a disadvantage here." (Me)

"We live in a society." (Divine Shard)

Before the conversation turns to a tense stare-down again, my Divine Shard continues talking.

"So! What did ya think of the tower? Don't be too harsh now, it was my first time!" (Divine Shard)

Him being the creator of this tower explains several things. Why the dryads had a monument with me depicted on it. Why their heart was threatened with the runes of heaven. How the succubi were summoned here and became submissive.

And how this tower got here in the first place, although no other apocalypses had any.

We both love drama. It's no wonder he's seeking attention. Additionally, it would be the perfect bait to lure me in.

All of this would be child's play for a Divine Shard of mine.

"Not really a fan of the interior design. Ever thought about a houseplant?" (Me)

"And I even said not to be too harsh!" (Divine Shard)

"I care about you, so I'm honest!" (Me)

'It's fun if it's you who does the jokes, but it's annoying when both do it.'

We could go on and on with this loop of heartfelt jokes if we didn't know that, soon, this whole thing won't be as wholesome.

It'd honestly be easier without Jess and Risa here. I'm confident in my ability to at least protect myself, but if I have to take them into the equation it'll be much more difficult, as much as I adore them.

That's why I have to prepare myself. I won't get out of here unharmed.

And I don't mean that in an "Ouchi boo-boo" way, where I lose an arm or a few bones sticking out.

Irreparable damage to my soul is guaranteed, which isn't quite as simple.

"I'll be damned! You know what I just remembered? I left the stove on back ho-" (Me)

"Yeah, not working here, big man." (Divine Shard)

'Did you really think that'd work?'

'Shush, you. I'm acting my heart out here.'

The conversation halts once again, uncomfortably. It really doesn't get better between us. The atmosphere reminds me of that one time when my Uncle Eric got drunk and danced on the table naked...

...

'I'm waiti-'

...while threatening me with a screwdriver and fucking me up the ass.

'There it is.'

"Silly me! Where are my manners? Have a seat! I'm sure we have a lot to catch up on!" (Divine Shard)

With a snap of his fingers, the flesh below us transforms into 3 chairs. They don't look as inviting as the revolving chair he's on, but declining would be rude at this point.

He snaps his fingers a second time, teleporting us inside the chairs. This feat might seem simple enough, but inner mana naturally resists any interference from the outside as much as it can.

"Is there room service?" (Me)

"If you mean the succubi a few floors below us, they'd kill to meet you again." (Divine Shard)

"Is that a figure of speech, or-" (Me)

"Both." (Divine Shard)

"I've taught you better than to interrupt people." (Me)

There's an upside to this whole situation, though.

I can try out my mana domain in a few minutes! In a fight that will most likely cost me more than just a life.

"Alright then, now that we're done with pleasantries, let's cut to the chase." (Divine Shard)

"I'd actually just love to have a tea party right now." (Me)

"I don't have any tea leaves. Sorry, buddy." (Divine Shard)

My gaze wanders over to Jess.

It doesn't take long for her to notice my stare, to which she replies with a silent frown that screams "Why the fuck would I have tea leaves on me, you cunt?!".

"She's British, you have to know." (Me)

"Oh, cool. Does she have tea leaves with her?" (Divine Shard)

"That's what I've been thinking!" (Me)

This could've been a nice conversation if it weren't for the deep hatred he feels for me. He's just a better Trick in that aspect.

'If you tried to hurt me, I want you to know that you succeeded.'

"Now, I regret to inform you that none of you will leave here alive." (Divine Shard)

Immediately, Jess and Risa hold their breath again. I haven't explained to them what's going on and who he is yet, but they already know that this is a promise easily held for him. It hurts me to make them go through the thought of an untimely death, but I will do anything in my power to prevent that.

Even if he's me, I still have some aces up my sleeve, and he knows that.

"But in my endless wisdom and grace, I have decided that I'll at least fulfill 3 wishes of y-" (Divine Shard)

"My first wish is that you let us go." (Me)

"I'll answer 3 questions of yours!" (Divine Shard)

'He's good.'

'Like father, like son.'

I move my ass around in the surprisingly comfortable chair. A quick look at Jess and Risa tells me that they're not quite as cozy as I am.

"I don't know. Don't you think that just a cozy chat would be a bit boring?" (Me)

He ponders over my question a bit.

"You're right." (Divine Shard)

He snaps his fingers a third, and last, time.

A set of golden chains burst from the ceiling, snapping shut at my wrists. I should've activated my buffs as soon as I came here, now that I think of it.

Not that they would've helped me anyway. These chains aren't that easy to dodge.

"NITH!" (Jess)

"NITH!" (Risa)

With a quick motion, the chains retract, yanking me a few meters off the ground with a high-pitched rattle. Jess and Risa look at me with panic in their eyes. I'm probably their biggest hope to escape from here, so seeing me like this must be shocking.

'Why would you even- He's you, numbnuts. You could've expected that.'

The tight locks singe my skin in a matter of seconds. The smell of burnt flesh tickles my nose, reminding me that I still haven't had breakfast.

Everything is going wrong today.

"Don't know if this is kinky or unfair." (Me)

My Divine Shard breaks out into happy laughter, clapping his hands as if he was in a circus.

Stolen novel; please report.

"What? You don't like it?" (Divine Shard)

"I just find it kind of unfair that you didn't chain up the other two as well." (Me)

The two girls I'm talking about don't really know how to react to my plea for equality. I can only sense one thing from them.

The heartbreaking feeling of betrayal.

Oh, and also Risa's flames traveling towards me.

"I can't just go and hang up girls, can I?" (Divine Shard)

"That's kinda sexist, don't you think? Isn't this the era of equal rights?" (Me)

I'm sure he's already noticed the black flame secretly flying towards my chains, which is unexpectedly shrewd of Risa, but he seems to underestimate her. I didn't expect the source of her powers myself when I first saw them, so I can't really blame him.

"Well then! What might be your first question?" (Divine Shard)

While Risa's trying to be as stealthy as possible, I ponder what question I should ask first.

I can already guess the reason for the tower, namely attention and a general tendency for drama, but there's one thing I don't understand yet.

"I hope you guys won't mind if I just go ahead." (Me)

Both shake their head.

Not that I would've taken their choice into consideration. I'm really just being polite.

'What if they had asked really nicely?'

'I would've thought about it!'

But before I ask the question you all are waiting for, it's time for "What is a Divine Shard? Part 2"!

'Oh boy! I sure am excited!'

At this point, I would've liked to change into a teacher's uniform, but alas this atmosphere makes the whole endeavor difficult. I'm sorry to disappoint, my hands are tied.

'HA! Chains.'

'You got it!'

In the previous episode, we left off with the question "Why is this divine shard responsible for the loss of my powers?"

It isn't!

See you next week, friends!

'Stop stalling.'

Well, it really isn't. The cunt above is responsible for it. It's just that my divine shard... this divine shard held a major part of my power inside him. As much as I curse it, heavenly divine energy once made up a big part of what I was and how I fought. It's just one of the perks of being actually born in heaven.

Although, even if you're born there, you're not born with divinity. You still have to get to the required strength for it. Your soul has to be strong enough to control that power, after all.

And as soon as you graduate from mortality, the "derivative" I mentioned before forms.

That's your divine shard. Your soul forms a branch where your divinity resides and then you can cultivate it. Not in the form of that Chinese martial arts bullshit. Your divinity increases as-

'Doesn't matter. I digress. Happens when I'm excited.'

The important thing to know is that I spent most of my time with the divine shard of heaven.

'Now! Trick! Surprise quiz! What happens when that divine part is ripped from your soul with brute force?'

'Just an educated guess... You lose your power.'

'You lose your fucking power.'

'I said it first.'

'I said it better.'

And that's the exact case here.

In the last battle I was in, some things lead to other things, and the cunt above robbed me of all of my divinity.

Every single branch I had was torn from my soul, resulting in me becoming far weaker than I ever was. That's also the last way I got into hell.

'You're not gonna tell what happened at the ba-'

'No.~'

I had assumed that the cunt above destroyed my divinity or locked it away somewhere secure. They're not really low-maintenance, after all.

However, it seems I was wrong.

The most important shard I had is standing right in front of me.

Now to the simple question that interests me with a burning passion.

"Why are you here?" (Me)

The face of my Divine Shard lights up as soon as my question hits his ears. He's obviously seen it coming, considering we've shared the same headspace for a couple billion years and some change.

"You're so predictable." (Divine Shard)

I bet he doesn't know that I didn't change my pants after I shat myself 30 minutes ago.

I won't just say that out loud, of course. I don't want Jess and Risa to know I need a diaper change.

It'll be our little secret.

"But I did promise to answer your questions to the best of my ability, so here I go!" (Divine Shard)

The black flame Risa tries to free me with has reached my back by now. If there is one person here, who could break these chains, it would be her, so I've got my hopes up.

Although the result won't matter much. It's about the spirit she shows.

"My honest answer is: I don't know!" (Divine Shard)

"Figured." (Me)

There seems to be a pattern of nobody knowing shit, and I don't like it.

"It's not like I don't know anything, though." (Divine Shard)

"Listen, I know you like drama and all that, but I'm running on a tight schedule." (Me)

"I can't go under pressure." (Divine Shard)

'Yeah, still don't like it if someone else makes the jokes.'

The cold flame behind me tickles my back, forcing me to suppress the little giggle sneaking up my throat.

"There are two things I remember: First, right after this whole fun time started, my memory was deliberately erased. I managed to retain some bare slivers, but it isn't much. Sadly, it's barely anything relevant." (Divine Shard)

'Another third party? How fun.'

My mind immediately tries to get the fragments of knowledge I have about this apocalypse to fit, failing miserably in the process. His statement just now just means that another unknown party is involved.

If you want to get smart with me and say that it might've been the cunt above who erased his memories, you better jog the fuck on. He clearly stated that it was "after this whole fun time started", meaning after the barrier around the earth was established. If the cunt above had the power to manipulate memories despite the barrier, my new life would've been infinitely more uncomfortable.

"And secondly, I retained one vague memory. Well... it's more like I remember a feeling I had." (Divine Shard)

"If we put on our pajamas, we can talk about our feelings all night long!" (Me)

The shackles tighten, tearing through my flesh.

"Fair, but I don't regret nothing." (Me)

I can't wait for Risa's flame to burn through these shackles.

"I at least think... there was someone else." (Divine Shard)

Unfit for any one of the two of us, uncertainty is written over his face. There hasn't been much we could've been uncertain of in the last few million years, showing how rare this occasion is.

"Someone I had to watch over. Someone important." (Divine Shard)

My eyes follow his every movement, looking out for any kind of attack. I've already activated my skills just to give me at least a slight advantage in the upcoming fight.

There are only 2 questions left before I have to make a difficult decision. I try to figure out anything that could help me here.

The only thing that could come to mind is the "Envoy of Mana". I'm sure I haven't figured out all the aspects it contains in the first 30 minutes, taking into account the number of cryptic clauses it contained.

"That's all! What about the second quest-" (Divine Shard)

At that moment, Risa's plan goes into action.

The dark flames meet my shackles, executing their most significant attribute. Destruction.

As if deleting it from existence, the heavenly energy ceases to exist in front of her magic. The shackles that once burned through my flesh disappear, much to his surprise, liberating me from the self-cestuous S&M play I found myself in.

"That's not very nice!" (Divine Shard)

The timing could've been better, as I still had questions I wanted to ask him, but I'll take even the slightest chance right now.

"It's been a pleasure, but I have a dental appointment." (Me)

'Didn't you say you left the stove on?'

'Right, can't have plotholes in my escape.'

From the ceiling, another set of chains bursts with insane velocity.

Jess moves her arm. A sheet of the Spaticecta's metal intercepts the cuffs by redirecting them with their space magic.

We have to escape from here as soon as possible. It might not be very elegant to exit the premises like that, but I won't let anyone die because of me again.

Mind corruption continues! 19% corrupted!

With my newfound expertise in mana, I'm able to activate my boots quicker than ever before. Even he shouldn't expect that.

The capsule we entered in forms around the three of us, promising our escape.

'And this is where it all goes to shit.'

*POP!*

"..." (Me)

A single snap of his fingers.

The dome around us bursts, and the boots I made just a few minutes ago disappear. Faster than I can react, I'm back in chains, and the two girls are back in their seats.

It's not like he was just really fast.

It's not like I could've done anything about it.

He's a divine entity.

He just reversed time on a whim.

"W... what just happened?" (Jess)

We failed. Our only chance to escape as safely as possible vanished.

At least as safe as possible for me.

They will be safe no matter what. I will make sure of that.

"Oh, you know, he turned back time a few seconds." (Me)

"You liked it? I can do even cooler shit." (Divine Shard)

The fear in the eyes of the two girls I brought here widen in terror. They probably knew that something unbelievable was standing in front of them, but not to such an extent.

The firm concept of time was shattered in a fraction of a second. While magic was prevalent these last few months, they didn't experience real divine miracles yet. Magic is just a gateway to much bigger wonders.

"See what I can do?" (Divine Shard)

He does the trick where he pulls his thumb off and puts it back on, just to mock their shock.

'How the fuck did he do that.'

'Divinity is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.'

"However, I can't just let naughty kids go unpunished! You lose the right to one question!" (Divine Shard)

"You can't blame us for trying, can you?" (Me)

One question left. One question left until he starts going on a killing spree.

If you think he can turn back time only once, you're mistaken. His divine energy won't run out as mine did. His divinity will continue to produce energy until something interferes with it, or he's too weak to do it.

None of these options are available to me right now.

"We can't just let our boy Nith hog all the questions though, can we?" (Divine Shard)

His eyes fall on Jess and Risa again, who are at a loss for words. My bindings tighten, trying to convey that any struggle is futile.

He knows that I'm not powerless. He tries to provoke me.

A specialty on our part.

"He still hasn't explained me to you, has he? Dodging the question once again.~" (Divine Shard)

A sadistic smile appears on his face.

"Let me guess? He hasn't explained anything about his past yet either?" (Divine Shard)

The shackles are as tight as ever, even tighter.

He gets closer to the two, trying to build up some kind of ill-defined connection.

"Aren't you curious? This would be your best chance? Don't you want to know how he became known as the worst person in history? How that fucking hypocrite got the nickname 'Plague' and 'Harbinger of Death'?" (Divine Shard)

'Sounds edgy.'

'It was a weird time. I don't want to talk about it.'

It's evident that both of their interests are piqued.

Even in such a situation, you can't help but be interested in what you're interested in. I have my reasons for being secretive about my past, but maybe I did so a bit too excessive. Neither Jess nor Risa know anything about me and have shown signs of immense curiosity.

Jess more so than Risa. However, even Risa must want to take a peek or two inside my past, especially after the last few minutes.

The problem is that he's probably the worst source to hear it from.

"Come on, are you really about to spill all my secrets? No one likes tattletales." (Me)

"Silence from you." (Divine Shard)

He fuses my lips together in an attempt to shut me up.

Not very effective since I just rip them apart again, but it's the gesture that counts.

"Do you have some lip balm? Mine are a bit chapped." (Me)

"Touché." (Divine Shard)

Round two. This time, another chain descends from the ceiling in the form of a cliché gag. It stuffs itself in my mouth, shutting me up for good.

Not much I can do about that, is there?

'Now it's just getting weird. I was on board with the whole chain thing, but this is just kinky.'

'Does this count as masturbation? Man, I got so far in no-fap.'

Now that he dealt with me, he switches his attention over to the girls again. Their state of mind has improved since we entered, so I'm sure they're able to make a decision like this.

To be honest, I wouldn't blame them for actually taking him up on his offer. If they were to wait for me, it'd take them a lot longer to find out anything.

"So? You just have to nod once, and I'll tell you anything you want to know about him! Even his search history!" (Divine Shard)

'He wouldn't dare.'

This would be the point in any story where the main characters exchange meaningful glances, showing their trust in one another and forming a bond stronger than temptation. Immediately after, a heart-wrenching scene would follow where they refuse his offer with an iron will.

And that's exactly what happens.

Clichés became popular for a reason, you know?

Jess turns her head, looking at me with her silver eyes. I can see that the slightly sadistic thought of actually accepting crosses her mind, just to spite me, but it vanishes shortly after.

A melancholically tiny smile appears on her face. She knows what will follow after she declines. The person in front of us won't just accept things as they are.

Nonetheless, she resolves herself.

Despite her fear and survival instinct begging her to do the exact opposite, she decides to look my divine shard in the face for the first time since we met him.

I would say that I didn't expect this, but that's the girl I've known for the last few months.

She's stubborn to the core.

"Fuck off, cunt." (Jess)

'Could've chosen her words better to fit the mood.'

Her gaze falls on Risa.

"Yeah! What she said!" (Risa)

Risa leans forward, waving at me with a bright smile on her face. Her natural disposition with purgatory makes her more resistant to pressure from divine beings, but this must've still cost her an immense amount of willpower.

Mentally and physically, the incident with the illusion is still affecting her.

'How nice...'

'Brings a tear to my eye...'

"How nice..." (Divine Shard)

'That's what I said.'

It really is wholesome that Jess and Risa wouldn't give in to such temptation to dig around in my past. Really shows how much we bonded.

It's just that what follows still isn't really something to look forward to.

'Well, it's been a nice try.'

There's no scenario where I get out of this alive.

The feeling of loss once again resurfaces in my heart. There's no reason for me to start getting all emotional. It's just a bit of a shame to give up after struggling for so long.

I've sworn that this would be the last attempt. I barely have anything left I'm attached to. Jess and Risa should be strong enough to survive the apocalypse without me as well.

The fire of revenge is barely holding on after all these years.

Trick's the only one I'm really sorry f-

"I'm just gonna tell you anyway. It's much more fun that way." (Divine Shard)

'Oh, that bitch.'

'Watcha thinkin' about? How to piss him off more?'

'...sure. Let's do that instead.'

If I have anything to hit his funny bone with, I should use it, right?

Your Mana Domain expands!

Mana follows your will!

'I'm gonna go full protagonist on him.'

Whatever I expected the Mana Domain to be was dwarfed.

Similar to the moment I got my authorities, a certain sense of omnipotence overwhelms my mortal body.

My mana fills the environment. In a small radius, everything seems to be under my control.

No.

The omnipotence I experienced during several lifetimes doesn't hold a candle to this phenomenon. Unlike a power surge that creates an artificial feeling of authority, this is true control.

Every cell, every molecule, every atom seems to abide by my will driven by mana.

I didn't think it was possible. It shouldn't be possible, but even the chains I'm hanging from seem to be filled with... something inferior.

The heavenly energy that dominates each and every universe looks so primitive in this small radius I have.

My power isn't enough to rival it yet, but I get a feeling in my domain that tells me that there's much more behind the divine energy I thought I had understood completely.

"Nith? Didn't you take your contacts out already?" (Jess)

'HAHAHAHA OH SHIT, ARE MY EYES BLUE NOW?!'

Tired of being gagged and robbed of my freedom of speech, I make the mana in my domain manipulate the heavenly divine energy.

Only a few cracks. That's all I managed to inflict on the gag and chains, but it's more than I had ever anticipated.

"Oh, cool. What's all that about?" (Divine Shard)

My "Authority of the Body" gives me a sufficient stat boost to break the damaged devices. Luckily, they weren't made with much care in the first place, enabling me to rip them apart with physical force.

By letting more of my mana fuse with my domain, it expands in my desired direction. Just these two moves cost me nearly half of my newly acquired mana, but they were worth it.

"How did you do it again?" (Me)

I snap my fingers. Momentarily, Jess and Risa get teleported outside the tower together with my pouch. They should be able to care for themselves.

With that, another quarter of my mana is gone.

A single quarter is left.

A single quarter to somehow survive against the divine shard that helped me fight against millions of divine beings. The source of my power that carried me through countless battles with foes that some might find ridiculous.

You might think it's impossible to get out of here alive.

'But it isn't.'

'Yeah, it kinda is.'

'...What?'

Even within my Mana Domain, I can't do anything against his nearly unrivaled strength.

I might've been able to inflict some damage on his magic before, but it's not because I rival his power or anything. I'm barely able to get Jess and Risa out of his reach, which should be the confines of this tower.

If I hadn't done that, he could've just turned back time and the two girls I sacrificed myself for would be right where they were just a second ago.

Hadn't he been careless, there wouldn't have been anything I could've done.

That's it.

These two things were my last actions. My job is done.

Still, a shame to let this chance of a life slip away.

'Ai yo, don't fuck with me.'

'Sorry, buddy. I'll make sure you get the body you want. It might just... take a while.'

It pains me to postpone the desire I created to an undefined date, but I still have some favors left. Even if he breaks my soul into thousands of pieces, a simple message should be possible before I'm... well... done. I just hope the barrier around Earth doesn't interfere with it.

'Suck a fat one. This is just one of your jokes again. You're gonna bust out a fat technique of yours and escape from here. Then I'll look like an idiot for being worried, and we'll have a good time.'

I wish.

Sure, I have some tricks up my sleeve.

I could burn my soul in exchange for power. I might even be able to escape from this tower if I really gave it my all. There are heaps of methods for me to lick every last ounce of power out of my mortal body.

But who's gonna make sure he doesn't follow me?

Just because his current divine domain contains this tower, doesn't mean he can't move it.

The only reason he's still here and not chasing after the two girls is me. I still am, and always will be his primary target. Even now, I'm certain he could just teleport the other two back here if he wasn't distracted by me.

And isn't a self-sacrificial death something nice at the end? It ain't much, but it's honest work.

'...'

'Nothing? Could've at least given me the last honors.'

I take one last look at the divine shard that I've mistreated so harshly in my past.

He didn't deserve any of it. I was just searching for an outlet.

Overly dramatic, he's searching for the two girls I just made disappear before his smiling eyes meet mine.

"Give Papa a hug." (Me)

*SPLAT*

And just like that, his hand is buried in my chest.

Again, there was no time to dodge or defend. It wouldn't be too far off to say he was at two places simultaneously.

I look down. Scarlet blood runs down his right wrist, my literal heart in his grasp.

My Mana Domain can't do anything here. I'm sure it holds the potential to become incredibly powerful. Even in its early stage, it's strong enough to damage the energy of a divine being, which shouldn't be possible under any circumstances for someone mortal.

It just isn't enough right now.

I cough up blood.

The hemorrhage won't be a problem here. I've had worse on my journey here these past few months.

Good times.

The real threat is what comes after.

"Look into my eyes. I want to see your last moments till the end." (Divine Shard)

"Wanna give me a good night's kiss as well?" (Me)

A grotesque noise exits the cavity in my chest.

He crushed my heart between his fingers with ease.

I instinctively continue to pump blood through my body with mana. Old habits die hard.

And there it comes.

The only way he could destroy me forever. Make me vanish. Interrupt the endless cycle of life I've been in for the past couple of billion years.

Heavenly energy enters my soul, wreaking havoc. It attacks each corner of defense I built up these past million years, strategically attacking the weak points he knows best.

I would describe how painful it is to have your soul ripped apart, but that's really not how I want to spend my last moments.

I'd rather have some last moments of fun.

"You're breaking my heart, son." (Me)

"..." (Divine Shard)

"Quite literally, I might add." (Me)

This is probably the moment he's been looking forward to for who knows how long. It's a bit cruel not to give him the satisfaction he needs, but I can't just leave this world without getting everything off my chest.

"A bit too literally, for my taste. Almost gratuitous." (Me)

My muscles tense up from the indescribable pain I'm experiencing. Just stammering these last words took everything out of me.

"What goes around, comes around, huh?" (Me)

Death is close.

My life's been riddled with mistakes, and he's definitely one of my biggest ones. It's only fair that my last breath is taken in front of him.

I would like to say that I can see at least some type of remorse in his eyes, but there's none. He's long lost any kind of positive opinion about me, resulting in the sadistic smile plastered on his face.

I pity him in some way.

Or is it more accurate to say that I pity myself? He is me, so it's- fuck me, I'm not getting philosophical before death. Really doesn't fit my style.

"Man, I just wish I could've enjoyed Jess's thighs more. Risa would've been nice in a pouch, too." (Me)

I might've lived a long life, but that doesn't mean I'm without regret.

Second wind!

'Don't ruin my moment. It’s not always about you, system.'

'THANK FUCK! PLEASE TELL ME WE'RE NOT GONNA DIE!'

Suddenly interrupting the melancholic monologue I had prepared for years, my mana starts to react to the alien energy poisoning my insides.

In a last struggle, my pure energy starts to partly annex the sea of golden magic in my soul.

A fierce clash breaks out between my mana and my counterpart's. Completely incompatible, they repel each other.

It can barely be called a fight. The sheer amount of heavenly energy overwhelms my mana easily,

Quality over quantity doesn't always hold its own.

However, it's not a complete loss.

"Getting real tired of your shit. Just die already, man." (Divine Shard)

"Uno moment, por favor." (Me)

There's just a slight trace. A slight trace of heavenly energy that's being changed.

It's being converted to my own mana.

"Would you look at that?" (Me)

Your authority as the Envoy of Mana is executed.

A part of the foreign mana is integrated.

The Mana Entity views the amount as sufficient.

A new part of your Authority is unlocked!

And that's the end of it.

I can feel that my mana won't be able to struggle any more. There's barely any left now anyway.

My Mana Domain deactivates.

From deep within, I know that the new Authority won't be able to help me in this situation.

'FUCK!'

'So much for a second wind, huh? Where was I?'

Right, melancholic death speech, close to death, regret about Jess's thighs.

However, completely ignoring my meticulously planned farewell poem, my divine shard seems to have noticed something.

In my blurry vision, I can see his green eyes widen in surprise.

He remembered something.

Something important.

"Hold that thought. I'm this close to finishing-" (Me)

"How the fuck did I forget all that?!" (Divine Shard)

"Or just interrupt me again." (Me)

His eyes dart from side to side, rapidly. His sadistic smile slowly devolves into a dirty cackle, disregarding any kind of "How not to laugh like a fucking lunatic" lesson I gave him.

The more important aspect here, though, is the timing.

I'm sure I would've noticed if he stared at me like that while he had my heart in his hands, so it must've happened while our energies had a little dance in my soul.

In a nutshell, the fact that I absorbed some of his mana reminded him of something.

His head snaps back to me.

"You don't know, do you?" (Divine Shard)

"Gotta be more specific than that." (Me)

He points at the sky... well, at the roof of the tower but I doubt he meant that.

"We playin' charade now?" (Me)

'Don't fuck this up.'

"About the barrier. Why it's here." (Divine Shard)

"Well, that would've been my second question." (Me)

And that's when something unexpected happens.

His bloodlust vanishes.

To say it more accurately, he hides it. The bloodlust that's been trying to suffocate me since we entered, the bloodlust that built up over years of hate and mistreatment, the bloodlust he had every right to have, he just called it back as if nothing ever happened.

As if his goal isn't to kill me and everyone dear to me.

"Let me guess. You won't tell me about it." (Me)

He gestures hard thinking for a second, just to really get the point across.

"Nope! But in exchange, I will let you live!" (Divine Shard)

'THANK FUCKING CHRIST!'

While others might find this something to be relieved about, it's the opposite for me in this case.

Don't get me wrong. I like living just as much as the next guy, but it can't be anything good if he lets me live.

There's barely anything that my divine shard wants more than to kill me, and anything else isn't really a good time for me either.

The only alternative to my end would be an end with suffering.

So what could be awaiting me right now?

"Listen, I know this might be a bit inappropriate, but I don't really like neglect-play." (Me)

'Do you want to die?'

He starts pacing around the room, whispering to himself. In his excitement, he forgets to speak English and instead switches between several languages, both modern and ancient.

'Something must've really clicked when our energies battled. Haven't seen him this excited since we betrayed little Jesus for 30 silver.'

'Bro, what?'

'Long story. Elaborate prank gone wrong.'

'Gone-'

'Sexual, yes.'

His pacing stops. He does the thing again where he appears in front of me out of thin air, staring into my eyes quite romantically.

"I'm really getting mixed signals here. Do you want to kill me or take me out for candlelight dinner?" (Me)

"You don't know anything about the show that's about to unfold." (Divine Shard)

"Is there a trailer?" (Me)

The tense atmosphere from just a few minutes back now seems so far away. I can sense that he has no intention to attack me anymore. It's just the reason for it that's making me suspicious.

'Talking about suspicious, I'm very proud that we didn't make a single am*ng us reference in this situation.'

"You could just tell me what this is all about. You're acting like a real sussy baka right now. It's not like you to beat around the bush... Almost like we got an impostor among us."

'Cheeky bitch.'

Even Trick seems to sense the switch in mood, as she's not brooding over death anymore.

Just the fact that I'm apparently dancing in a play I'm not aware of is really not sitting right with me.

"Yeah, don't wanna. It's much more fun this way." (Divine Shard)

Instead, he lets his divine energy seep into the environment again. The surrounding mana is disturbed, filled with a sudden force.

I didn't imagine it. Mana really is incompatible with divine energy.

"However, there is something I want to show you. A bonus-present, if you will." (Divine Shard)

"Better make it quick. Close to death here." (Me)

Miraculously, I have just about enough mana left to simulate blood flow and activate "Regeneration" a single time. If he really intends to let me out of here, I might just survive.

'Plot armor is incredible.'

"It's been a long time since we were one, hasn't it?" (Divine Shard)

'Ew.'

The problem with someone who's the exact same age as you but with a completely different train of thought is the fact that you never know what's going on inside of their head.

Once overjoyed over our parting, he now welcomes me in his envelope of divine energy.

I lack any kind of strength to resist him at this point.

My mana and his intertwine, my conscious and his merge for a split second.

My vision fades to black as we reunite temporarily. I can sense him with me.

"I don't swing that way, man. I'm flattered nonetheless." (Me)

In a flash, our minds are linked together again. My restrained ocean of consciousness expands into a much larger picture as my battered soul leaves my even more battered body involuntarily.

Thousand thoughts race through my mind while he takes my mind outside the tower.

I can see Jess and Risa banging their fists on the tower, desperately begging to get back in.

I can see London, still in flames and carnage even after months had passed.

I can see England and how its shape changed after the merge.

Even further, my divine shard takes me into the sky and above the clouds.

Until we stop.

We stop at a certain structure.

A pink barrier covers my mind's eye.

It's the barrier that's been protecting Earth ever since I came here. A mana structure I've never seen before is in front of my inner eye. The sheer strength is immeasurable.

I can't stress it enough in this situation.

I've been alive for far longer than most creations in every single universe. I've seen billions of worlds be created and disappear in the sands of time, uncountable civilizations crawl out of the primal dust only to fall in front of my eyes. Not even divine beings were invulnerable to the flow of time.

I've seen every variation of magic.

Or so I thought.

A barrier like this isn't something I could've ever accomplished, even in my prime where I created life with a single snap of my fingers.

I don't know how long it has been that I've been astonished by anything done with magic.

'...fuck me.'

"You like it?" (Divine Shard)

This barrier that even I can't wrap my head around.

This barrier that serves as my only protection against the cunt above.

This barrier that's supposed to hold the army of heaven at bay.

This barrier that's making all the difference in this life.

Even if they're only small.

It has cracks.

"Love it." (Me)

It doesn't seem like it'll give out any time soon, but there's definitely a timer.

And I'm not even close to ready.

"And that's where my bonus present ends! I've got some stuff to take care of!" (Divine Shard)

But that's not where the fun ends for me.

I can feel that my divine shard has cut the connection, quite anticlimactically. To be honest, I never would've thought that this whole situation would turn out this way.

As I sense his presence disappear, my mind is being sucked back into my body.

My soul descends again. The tower falls into my line of sight.

It's slowly melting away.

Immense amounts of divine energy flood out of it into the atmosphere.

And there's only one place for it to go.

The world is now entering its second phase!