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1
Central District of the Schultz Federation.
The largest freshwater lake of the world 『Opal Lake』 boasted a size that appeared to be endless, even when looking for the other side’s shore through binoculars. And at the same time it was feared as demonic sea since ancient times for its water that looked green and suspiciously-murky even during daytime.
A monster was inhabiting this lake ── Mythical Beast Kraken.
This monster, which resembled a huge jellyfish with its close to hundred tentacles, had such a gigantic body that some ships mistook it for an island and tried to dock on it, whenever it floated on the lake’s surface. Underwater was it unrivaled, causing even other mythical beasts to stay clear of the Kraken.
“It’s here! The monster is here!”
“Full speed ahead! Hurry to the shore!”
And a new ship had encountered the huge figure surfacing from the lake’s bottom as it tried to sail across this lake.
“It’s so damn fast!!”
“No good. It’s going to catch up…!”
The ship was fleeing, backed by the wind filling its sails. But, the Kraken had already caught the ship. Its tentacles shot out of the sea, grabbed the ship’s sail and crushed it while several dozen tentacles coiled themselves around the hull.
The wooden frame audibly creaked and groaned under the strain. In the end, the ship only managed to resist the beast for a few seconds. Many humans screamed as the ship was smashed into smithereens with the force of an explosion.
──The Hero of the Mythical Beasts had decreed: 『No one is to invade these waters』.
Having carried out its duty, the monster sank back towards the dark bottom of the lake.
No, just as it was about to sink back…
“──Where are you running to?”
An abnormality. The Kraken didn’t continue to sink. Far from it, it slowly surfaced, eventually having its semi-transparent body rise into the air.
A monstrosity with a mass of many tons was being lifted up by an invisible force.
『grh!?』
“The ship was bait. In order for you to reveal yourself. Didn’t you suspect anything about the overly loud, human voices? And yet we only played back recorded voices at full volume.”
The ship was fake. It was manned by straw dolls in the shape of humans. A megaphone had continuously blared out loud human voices. And the ship came with another trap which would be fatal for the Kraken.
“The seal of the Fate Dragon. Crushing the ship, you touched the ship. Therefore──”
The one telling the Kraken all of this was a robed, human girl. She was standing on the water. Barefoot.
“──my stigmata have activated.”
A cage of multi-colored glass──that’s how one could describe the grid of light surrounding and locking in the Kraken. The sea monster writhed like a beast that had been captured in a cage, but the light cage shrunk down without minding even such resistance without care. Eventually it exploded, leaving behind a dry poof.
Gone.
Within merely a dozen seconds the monster, which could be counted as one of the strongest aquatic creatures in existence, had disappeared from the lake.
“The sealing is done. Quite an easy job.”
A gust of wind caused the girl’s forelocks to sway. Her lovely countenance and the crescent-moon-shaped pupils were reflected on the lake’s surface. The girl started to walk on the water.
Footsteps of light──
Humans couldn’t walk on water. The mysterious power making that possible was the gleaming crest on her forehead.
──『Stigmata』
Proof of the ones chosen by a God of Prophecy. A brilliant divinity clad her whole body, materializing the miracle of her walking across water.
“Sealing mythical beasts is an easy task. Unlike devils or angels, they aren’t overly cautious and they don’t even realize it when they have a crest imprinted on them.”
『Code Holder’s power is needed for sealing all mythical beasts』
Waves were born on the water surface. Small, small ripples. Those ripples formed a single shape as if to gather at her feet. The shape of a dragon’s head.
The figure of a huge dragon with a size that could rival the Kraken’s gigantic frame ── if someone else were to see this, they’d undoubtedly be afraid of this figure being yet another mythical beast.
『Theresia, your stigmata exhibits invincible strength against those touched by my crest』
“I know.”
Human Weapon Theresia Sid Fake──this world’s Sid was staring at the far shore on the horizon.
“Fate Dragon Miscalcello, you possess the power of the 『Seal』. The power of a God of Prophecy. A power to activate the Graveyard.”
『Without a doubt』
“Can’t you create a Code Holder?”
『……』
The dragon’s figure remained silent. And then, while a mist enveloped the silent water surface, 『Code Holder is a sword only Prayer Child Asurasoraka can create. The 『Graveyard』 is outside my rule』
“I see.”
Nodding, Theresia slowly looked up to the sky.
“Without the power of Code Holder, it will be difficult to stop the Great War of the Five Races, I fear.”
『That sword is indispensable』
“Very well. By the way, I just need to head straight forward from here, right?”
『Correct』
God of Prophecy, Fate Dragon Miscalcello ── guided by its predictions, Human Weapon Theresia Sid Fake headed westwards.
『Rath=IE waits beyond』
2
Around the same time in the grasslands of Lakgarcia, the former capital city.
This ocean of greenery, which looked out onto a nest of mythical beasts, was known as the sole territory in the Schultz Federation where mythical beasts would form packs and prowl the land together. It was a dangerous place where even Resist’s investigation teams hesitated to step in without extensive preparations.
Or at least that was the common understanding of it, but──
“What a let-down.”
A man holding a submachine gun was standing in the grass all by himself, the wind washing against his body. His stabbing look added to the distinct features of his face. The tone of his voice was colored with the dignity of a ruler and he possessed more than enough of a threatening aura to make others submit to him.
“This is supposed to be the most dangerous area, which is less than ten meters away from the nest. I was expecting droves of beasts to swarm me.”
It wasn’t as though he was hiding himself or anything. That man──Mercenary King Archine Sid Collateral majestically stood there as if he was the absolute ruler of this whole area.
“…Did it simply stray from the pack? They sure lack training, don’t they, Rath=IE?”
He didn’t look back at the beast behind him ── a Catoblepas which was still convulsing on the ground. It was a beast of calamity which had razed one western city after the other to the ground while releasing deadly poison which could even work its way through gas masks. Yet, here it lay on its deathbed without even having had the time to spread its infamous poison.
『Archine, Sid of this era, you have mastered the manifestation of my Authority fairly well』
The stern voice of an old man echoed from somewhere. The grass blades swayed as the wind drew a complex pattering into the sprawling greenery. Beneath Archine’s feet a huge head had appeared. The head of a grim old man, similar to a stone statue or ancient sculpture.
『Make sure to not let go of that gun. It’s a Mystery given to the humans by a God of Prophecy』
“I know.”
A submachine gun that could shoot out gunpowder smoke. A magical light as you’d never encounter it among the mechanical weapons of mankind was glowing at its tip.
“Light Emperor IF, are you telling me to take down Rath=IE with this?”
『It should be quite possible for you』, the voice continued, filled with confidence, 『But, you must hurry』.
“Before that guy notices, huh?”
『More Sids are approaching』
“………The human weapon, the errand girl of the Fate Dragon, huh?”
Archine lifted one eye. His eerie face, which hadn’t shown the slightest reaction when he was attacked by the huge beast Catoblepas, now warped in such displeasure that it would be obvious to anyone.
『From the East. They’re trying to cross the Deep Lake.』
“Lake Opal, eh? I heard the Guardian Beast Kraken inhabits that lake, though?”
『They already took it down. But that is no surprise. That human is a Sid chosen by a God of Prophecy, just like you』
“……”
『Don’t worry. You are the Sid of this world, Archine』
“You think I’m worried? You’re wrong, Light Emperor IF. I was pondering about the third God of Prophecy.”
Sid, the one known as Mercenary King, pointed straight north. Towards the northern federation──
“Prayer Child Asurasoraka. Is that one’s power real?”
『It is. Among us three Gods of Prophecy, Asurasoraka was the only one capable of creating Code Holder. And that sword is the sole tool to resist the world’s reincarnation cycle』
“……”
『That is a heretic. Even among us Gods of Prophecy, that one is different from theIt is different from Miscalcello and me. Does it bother you?』
“I’m looking forward to encountering it. I wonder just what sort of monster I will be facing.”
A derisive laughter escaped the Mercenary King’s lips.
“The pursuit is going to continue. Light Emperor IF, the den of Rath=IE is ahead, right?”
『Without a doubt』
“Rath=IE, today your destiny will come to an end in this place.”
Guided by the prophecies of God of Prophecy, Light Emperor IF, Mercenary King Archine Sid Collateral headed west.
3
Urza Federation, border area.
Nothing could be found inside this ancient ruin which had been standing still and deserted for centuries as Megalith. It was a sealed shrine of stone. No light shone into it, nor did wind ever reach this place. Only time kept flowing, slowly but inevitably. However, a means to measure time didn’t exist in this space.
Regardless of how many eons might have passed, morning would always follow on the thousands of ten thousands of nights.
Prayer Child Asurasoraka, one of the Prophecy Gods, has long since stopped counting the time. Yet, the god didn’t know just how many millennia ago she made that decision.
『I waited so long. Long enough for my heart to be completely whittled down』
A voice resounded from a female human’s statue which was entirely covered by a robe.
『…Soon it will all be over. The Great War of the Five Races has ended and my meaning as Goddess of Prophecy as well as the duty of Code Holder will soon end』
Yep. The conclusion of the great war was completely set by now. Now matter the unexpected that might happen from now on, the future wouldn’t change. At this point, Prayer Child Asurasoraka’s will wouldn’t play a role in this anymore either.
『And yet…why did I say something like that…?』
“Rinne, I’m the same as you. Just that I’m an individual who was born in a distant, ancient time, unlike you.”
“It means you shouldn’t use that power too much while you’re unable to control it.”
She hadn’t lied. But it was also true that she had no reason to tell Rinne. She didn’t even inform the other Gods of Prophecy.
Prayer Child Asurasoraka should have simply kept it locked away inside her heart. And despite that──
『Kai』, her voice was overflowing with grief. 『You shouldn’t have obtained Code Holder. …I’ve become weird because you exist. I even ran my mouth about a secret without any need to do so』
A feeling of deep love? No, that’s wrong. Its true nature is hatred.
Prayer Child Asurasoraka ended up disclosing the truth due to her rage towards the human who made Rinne and her meet by chance.
『…No. It’s too late now anyway』
The goddess’s deeply benevolent voice echoed within her stone sanctuary.
『Very soon Code Holder too will finish its duty. The Great War of the Five Races is over, Kai』
God of Prophecy, Prayer Child Asurasoraka was all alone in this place and thus no one would heed to her prophecy. Yet, she continued to talk to the empty space so as to stave off her centuries of loneliness.
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