Chapter 272: Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster 『 Part Thirteen 』
「 "The War of the Star Gods has begun?" Stelle felt her mind go blank for an instant, and in the next second, she materialized in a world devastated by the Swarm—a landscape of utter ruin.
An uncomfortable, sticky sensation transmitted through the soles of her boots—not soil, but some deposit of semi-digested organic matter, like Swarm secretions that had been chewed, swallowed, and then expelled, emitting a nauseating, putrid stench.
Stelle hurriedly queried Herta about her current location, but Herta was not with her at this moment.
She waited there until a laugh emerged.
The first golden spark skimmed past her ear, carrying a snicker of successful mischief. Then came the second, the third—they erupted like shaken sparkling wine, bursting in the air into countless jubilant points of light. One speck of light grazed her cheek, and her heart truly felt a kind of dance, a sensation as if someone were using a quill to write jokes directly onto her nerve endings.
"Akivili!" Aha appeared just like that, bold and unashamed. "My Akivili! Was the die I gave you fun? I have a question: How many faces does my die have?"
"But your die is a sphere." Stelle hadn't expected conversing with a Star God to be so easy; this was a first, even within the Simulated Universe.
"Correct answer! I want to use the sphere to knock Tayzzyronth unconscious!" Joy, like sparks, danced around Stelle as Aha laughed uproariously and clapped, His rubber ball and playing cards embracing one another. "Everything I do is for Ena! Aha is always happy to help; helping other gods is my joy—"
Then Aha shifted They gaze to Stelle.
"Won't you join in? Fake Akivili? Won't you accept my idea? Regarding the [Astral Express] and [Tayzzyronth]." His stare carried a smile that made one's blood run cold.
For a split second, Stelle felt only her hackles rise. But fortunately, Aha vanished rapidly, and the world beneath her feet disappeared along with Them, leaving only darkness before her eyes.
"You got swept in. I'm initiating protective measures." Herta's voice.
Stelle let out a long sigh of relief, her blood, which had frozen moments ago, beginning to thaw.
"In short, the Path of 『 Propagation 』 has threatened the 『 Trailblaze 』. In this war of the gods, Akivili of the 『 Trailblaze 』 may have been involved." 」
「 ..... 」
〜Akame Ga Kill World〜
"Did Aha just now… see Stelle?"
Mine felt her breathing stagnate.
She suddenly remembered Sampo's backward glance on Jarilo-VI—that guy who should have been just a profiteer seemed to break the sky curtain, speaking to all of them. Recalling it now, every instant was bone-chilling.
"Nee… say, do you think the truth is like this?"
Leone swallowed, speaking with a dry throat:
"Is this so-called 'sky curtain' just a manifestation of Aha's power? We can see the outside world through the sky curtain, and other worlds can likewise see us through the sky curtain… Our reactions… are the amusement for 『 Elation 』 Aha."
The moment the words left her mouth, Leone saw the faces of Tatsumi, Mine, and the others turn as pale as paper.
Lubbock's voice trembled slightly:
"You're saying… we're like goldfish in a bowl, thinking we can observe the outside through the transparent glass, but in reality, we're nothing more than playthings for the room's owner?"
Leone nodded slowly.
"That possibility cannot be ruled out."
Najenda exhaled a puff of smoke slowly, her tone solemn.
"However, Leone… ask yourself, this sky curtain hasn't brought us any harm. The Star God Aha might find amusement in us, but that doesn't affect our performance of a rebellion—'raising the flag of revolt against the Empire'—in the slightest."
"If it is truly as you say, and our world is but a drop in the cosmic ocean, that also means everyone here has the opportunity to tread upon different Paths and master powers more miraculous than Teigu."
"When the day comes that our revolution is fully victorious and the Empire is overthrown, we too shall unify our faith, just like that lonely city in the snow, Belobog, and believe in a Star God. In that case, perhaps we might even receive a glance from a god."
Najenda's words were like a ray of morning light dispersing the fog, causing the few who had been dispirited just moments ago to lift their heads one by one.
"But we must also understand the history of the universe to determine which Star God is truly worth following."
Najenda looked up at the sky curtain.
"Therefore, this war of the gods is crucial to our future choices."
( Translator-kun: I think Night Raid is aligned with the path of 『 Hunt 』, mostly with Galaxy Ranger. And the Revolutionary Army as a whole would be 『 Trailblaze 』 )
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〜Naruto World〜
"Oh oh…! Is this Star God Aha also planning to help 『 Preservation 』 and 『 Order 』 beat up 『 Propagation 』?!"
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly; it was clear that this kind of group battle drama really caught his attention.
"Naruto, 'Aha's credibility' isn't exactly a complimentary term in the galaxy. He gave those Masked Fools a revelation; maybe He's the one who told the Fools to run away in advance. In this great war of the Star Gods, what They does is probably not much different from the Fools."
Shikamaru sighed helplessly:
"The difference is, one group hoodwinks factions of different Star Gods, while the other directly hoodwinks the Star Gods themselves."
Based on his observation of the Masked Fools, these guys often operated from a stance of "Chaotic Neutral" in conflicts. They wouldn't try to extinguish the flames of dispute; instead, they would try every means to make the fire burn even hotter, preferably setting the entire universe ablaze.
And they would dance within the inferno; even if the fire burned their bodies, every single one of them would die laughing.
…A bunch of incomprehensible lunatics.
However, through this exchange between Stelle and Aha, he unexpectedly felt that 『 Elation 』 and 「Trailblaze」 were both the type of gods who were communicative and conversational. Although the former viewed humanity, and even the universe, as a source of amusement, they at least fell within the range of beings one could talk to.
『 Voracity 』 and 『 Propagation 』 were different; They acted entirely on instinct. He couldn't even determine if these two Star Gods possessed intelligence.
"Looking at the results, at least Aha counts as adding a general to the 『 Preservation 』 faction's side,"
Naruto said.
"What Aha wants has never been the ending, but the dramatic process."
Shikamaru gazed intently at the sky curtain, recalling the 'revelation' mentioned by those Masked Fools, and finally concluded:
"The way I see it, Aha probably won't just drag the 『 Trailblaze 』 into the fray. He will drag more and more Star Gods into this divine war. He wants this spark to burn across the entire universe."
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