When Balmung first spotted Heliope among the crowd, he had the barrel of his gun pointed right at her.

He had been fully prepared to shoot. After all, she was going to become the disgusting new master of the Nibelung. It would be better to eliminate her now.

And yet, for some reason, he didn’t pull the trigger.

Why did he hesitate?

Maybe... it was because of the anxious look on Heliope’s face.

The Matriarch always issued missions to people with crystal-clear rewards and punishments.

The closer you were to her, the harsher the punishment. If you were a low-ranking member, you might just get a scolding. But the higher the responsibility, the worse the punishment—executives would sometimes get their fingers cut off.

And children—they received the most brutal punishments of all.

That’s why even now, Balmung sometimes thinks about it. Strapping the aging Matriarch Nibelung to a carrying frame... and hauling her up to the mountain out back......

...Right around the time he was entertaining such thoughts—

Light exploded.

── .

In the face of light, darkness expands its form. The aura of the Black Star⚉ revealed itself.

Having lost the advantage of spotting her first, Heliope charged forward.

The two fought using thrown weapons and magic, then ended up grappling with fists—their strength weakened by the light.

They pushed and kicked and punched each other, until finally, Balmung had Heliope pinned down on the ground.

“Hey!”

Inside a space filled with the noise of that blinding light, Balmung shouted at the growling girl.

“Run away from there!”

“What?!”

“Run away from the Nibelung! While I’m giving you the chance to live! You dumbass girl!!”

“You psycho—what the hell are you even saying?!”

He pushed her off with his knee, then kicked her chin with his foot.

Just like that, Heliope managed to escape.

***

By the time Gray and Kendreik were almost at the basement—

the light exploded.

── .

“Eek!!”

“Whoaaaah!!”

Even a wasp sitting on his nose could endure his sneezes just fine—

But that light,

that radiance,

was so overpowering that Kendreik gasped in shock, shielded his eyes—

then gasped again and grabbed the rope.

“W-whoaaa!”

He quickly looked down into the basement passage.

There was Gray,

wedged between red wires in a ridiculous pose,

contorting his body any way possible to avoid electrocution.

It was incredibly flexible,

but still looked ridiculous.

“Ugghhhahaha.”

And then their eyes met.

“What the hell are you staring at, you crazy bastard?!

Don’t look—just lower the rope!!”

“Y-yeah!!”

He almost actually became roasted meat this time,

but in the end, they made it down safely.

They used the [Master Card Key] to unlock the door—

At last, they stepped onto the corridor that led to the underground vault of the casino.

***

Right as the light exploded—

Dante’s elephant, Eve,

after circling around the alleys of Goldenfield for about two days,

finally came to a halt.

Because she realized one thing.

“......”

She had no sense of direction.

***

In the battle with the Dominion❆ assassins, I showed the most exaggerated version of myself possible.

Because I already knew.

【 Kaiser: ‘The Matriarch’s black eyes are still watching me. If she even senses a hint of betrayal, not just the Dominion—but I’m finished too.’ 】

【 Kaiser: ‘Still, I don’t want to cause trouble for the professor, so I have to pretend to be a threat while actually not being one at all.’ 】

And so Kaiser continued to play the part, always putting forth the best possible move within the bounds of reason.

Darkness.

That was the Matriarch’s domain.

She could ride darkness, or sense through darkness. Even now, she was doing just that.

As soon as it seemed like her last line of defense—Kaiser—might fail, the Matriarch began rushing through the air in a panic. Screw war—first, she was going to hunt me down and beat the crap out of me.

The moment that Stigma ability called 『Abyssal Leap』 was activated—an “uninterruptible” ability—there was no way to stop it. Except by extinguishing the darkness itself.

And so, I engraved the Stigma of Luminous Star⁺₊⋆ and blasted her darkness away with a gentle yet solid light.

With the assassins completely frozen in place, I slowly approached Kaiser.

“Professor...”

I didn’t have much time left, but there was one thing I had to ask.

“Did you survive?”

At my question, Kaiser’s eye twitched.

【 Kaiser: ‘!!!!!’ 】

【 Kaiser: ‘Professor... you knew everything about my situation... You did all this to save every one of us...’ 】

Kaiser was reeling internally.

Of course, it’s not like I understood all of that because I’m some deep judge of character—I just saw it all in the 【Script】.

But that was enough for me to be sure.

“I’m leaving.”

“...Please wait a moment.”

“You have something to say?”

“...These ones gathered here today, though still far from mastery, are the jewels I’ve personally selected. Each of them is someone who will become a pillar of the Dominion❆ in the future. So, here and now, in front of them, there is something I absolutely must say.”

Inside the forest still overflowing with soft light, Kaiser leaned on his cane and stood up. He gestured to everyone.

The assassins, confused, glanced at one another, then gathered behind Kaiser.

From what I’d read in their inner thoughts earlier, they’d been wondering who I was this whole time.

“I apologize for appearing before you in such a disgraceful form.”

And now.

Those standing in a circle around Kaiser—the moment their lord raised his hand and brushed back his long hair, the moment he adjusted his garments—one by one, they began to realize.

【 Number 1: ‘Ah!!’ 】

【 Number 6: ‘Wait, this can’t be...’ 】

【 Number 15: ‘That professor’s identity is...’ 】

Their expressions began to harden one after another.

Tension started to rise across their faces.

“Professor Dante Hiakapo. As Guildmaster of the Dominion❆, I greet you.”

Kaiser leaned on his cane.

And lowered his head to the ground.

“I humbly ask that you become our god.”

At the same time, every single assassin behind him followed Kaiser and bowed their heads.

And me?

‘...You crazy bastard.’

I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond.

Kaiser.

He really is a lunatic.

Back then, he felt like a fellow weakling—a comrade I had to survive with.

But now... I think differently.

If I survived because I was lucky, then this guy survived because he was nuts.

In the first place, the stars the world worships are the stars up in the sky.

I’m not even a star. I’m just a pitiful professor flailing around trying to avoid even one Constellation.

And now I’m supposed to be a god? What kind of bullshit is that?

I’m such a fragile person......

【 Number 5 trembles in awe. 】

【 Number 7 is deeply moved. 】

【 Number 12 is so shocked, they stop breathing. 】

And yet, just by standing still, they looked at me like they were seeing a god...

Like North Koreans looking at Kim Jong-un...

The impact was overwhelming.

Yes. Right now, I was Supreme Leader Dante Hiakapo.

This guy may be a total maniac, but he’s doing this in front of his subordinates, so I have to preserve his dignity, don’t I?

He was waiting for my response.

I slowly walked up to Kaiser. Every assassin raised their heads and watched me.

Like a noble knighting a knight. Like a priest anointing a lamb.

I placed my hand on Kaiser’s head.

And then, with no other choice (😭), I spoke like a god.

“ I grant thee permission. ”

***

What followed happened in the blink of an eye.

Everything was resolved instantly.

At the location Gray had opened, I used [Illusion] to confuse the guards stationed there. I opened the [Underground Vault] and secured the item—「Peacemaker†」.

“This is it! I went through all this goddamn hell just to steal this piece of shit?!”

Gray jumped up, cheering with delight.

“Professor, let’s get out of here. Hurry.”

“You......”

“Huh?”

“...No, nothing.”

A portion of Gray’s glossy gray hair was burned, but I pretended not to notice.

< Dante: Elize! >

< Elize: Mung! >

Elize returned, having driven the car over and picked up Balmung nearby. At this point, the gentle light of the Luminous Star⁺₊⋆ Stigma was still covering the entire casino zone, so even the Black Star royal guards couldn’t chase us.

But there wasn’t much time left. The light would soon fade. Darkness would take its place again.

The casino’s security force kept calling for help from the outer guards, but those outside were still trapped under the effects of the Luminous Star⁺₊⋆’s 『Infinite Mirage』—and wouldn’t move.

Now the ones we had to pick up were Hero Glory and Kendreik.

“Professor, the car’s too cramped.”

Right. The car was too damn small.

But that was fine.

That’s exactly what I’d been saving those Star Fragments for.

『Stigma Engraving I: 「Clockwork Fortress⚙」 ⊂ 「Sedan」』

< Star Fragments Held: 437 (▼20) >

Clockwork Fortress⚙ represents a Star of technology, innovation, progress, and competition.

When I lightly engraved its [Stigma], the vehicle began to clack, creak— and expand. Its chassis, body, and internal structure all visibly grew in size.

What had just been a small sedan—now took the form of a massive freight truck.

“Woooooow......!”

Great Truck Driver Elize GTE. Driving—On.

“Kendreik! Get in!”

“Uuahhh!”

And just like that, we picked up Kendreik, who was being chased by casino security.

“Kendreik, Balmung. Bring that guy.”

“Yes.”

“Uuh!”

As for the Hero, we found him among dozens of security guards—not killing anyone, not going anywhere, just stuck.

(For the record, all I told him was, “There's a holy sword in the casino basement,” and the bastard went charging in like a moth to fire, screaming all the way.)

“Let go of me!!”

Even as Balmung grabbed him, he flailed and kicked. But the moment I said,

“We secured it. The holy sword,”

he turned back into a depressed lamb and let himself be dragged along.

Then I used [Illusion] to cast smokescreens, placed mirrors around the area, and blocked the rest from following.

Was that everything?

‘Rebecca—I’ll return her to the church. Kaiser—he’ll figure it out on his own.’

But as long as there’s a Main Story, I’ll have to keep running into them anyway.

For now, this was it.

“Elize. Speed up.”

“...Huh?”

“What.”

Elize blinked.

“Speeding is bad, Professor.”

...Fair point.

But after we’d just robbed the place...?

I was starting to get a little annoyed when—

“...It’s you again.”

Mumbled the depressed Hero, staring at me. But this time, he didn’t look at me like I was a chicken and he was a cow. That was thanks to the 「Peacemaker†」 lying in the back of the van.

There was no [Script] prompt, but his expression made it obvious he was stunned.

“That’s mine.”

“...I’m the one who has to use it.”

“Sure, I got it for you. But I’m not giving it up that easily. From now on, you’ll only be able to wield that sword if you listen to me. We’ll talk more about it later.”

“......”

I was saying all this casually from the front passenger seat.

But then the Hero leaned his head forward from the backseat—suddenly.

What the—was he going to strangle me?

I turned to look, and froze.

The Black Star⚉ was staring right at me.

With a face mangled and torn like some goblin.

“Uh—?! Uhhh?!”

“KYAAAH!!”

“W-what the fuck is that—!!”

The group screamed in panic. Her neck extended like a snake, danging down along the shadow on the ceiling.

Had she traveled through the shadow?

“...How did you get here?”

I asked calmly.

She tore her cheek apart with a grin and spoke to me.

— Professor. You know this, right? The moment there's a “person” inside the light, darkness will always be there too.

Ah. So that’s what it was.

She came through my shadow.

I didn’t miss the fierce disturbance in Balmung’s face reflected in the rearview mirror.

— I’ll be taking that.

In the next instant, the inside of the vehicle was swallowed in darkness.

When the darkness disappeared—the 「Peacemaker†」 was gone.

“Wait—hey! Hey!! Where is it?!”

“No fucking way—did the Matriarch just take it?!”

The others freaked out.

At the same time, the Hero suddenly opened the rear doors of the massive truck.

“What the fuck are you doing, you crazy bastard!!”

“I have to go! Don’t try to stop me!”

“Wait! Don’t you see we’re going 150km/h right now?!”

Balmung grabbed his legs, Kendreik grabbed his torso—but the Hero used brute force to shove them off and tried to jump out.

As everyone descended into chaos and struggle—I remained completely calm.

“It’s fine. Glory.”

The calmness in my voice seemed to reach everyone.

“...What?”

“I said it’s fine.”

I had a thought.

Right now, I’m at a pretty high level in terms of combat power. The Matriarch had used my shadow to slip in.

But throughout the casino, the light was /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ so strong that the shadows would’ve been faint—barely a wisp.

Even for the Black Star⚉, riding something like that would have been a burden.

To move an object in that state—to leap dozens of kilometers with it—she must’ve burned through an enormous chunk of her [Stigma].

Meaning, she couldn’t do it twice.

The Black Star⚉ took our item using her last resort.

“...How is that fine?”

Glory asked gloomily.

Because—

The real one is in my [Inventory].

***

Goldenfield Auction House, Central Security.

Some of the staff, slacking off and smoking, pointed with their chins.

“Look at that. Skeleton guy.”

The bony, leather-skinned security officer—the “Scout”—was wobbling toward them.

“That guy’s still alive?”

“Hey, someone grab him a spoon. Tell him to eat something already.”

“Pffft, hahahaha.”

But the Scout’s expression was strange.

“...Why does something feel... off?”

Something was missing. Something that had looked like a hammer—wasn’t there anymore.

The replica 「Peacemaker†」 was gone.

“Hey! Hey, over there!! Did none of you see it?! The 「Peacemaker†」 I recovered?!”

“How the hell would we know?”

“AAAAAAAH!!”

The Matriarch’s royal guards examined the 「Peacemaker†」 and realized something: the sword, still embedded in its slab of stone, only weighed about 15kg.

It was an incredibly precise replica created with all of Dante’s strength and detail.

Startled, they turned to the Matriarch—and she gave a seductive smile.

“...We’ve been had.”