Chapter 46. Black Name

「The auras of the three Constellations intertwine.」

-Ding!

「You have successfully created a new Divine Power!」

“Yes!”

I struck a fighting pose, basking in the sense of accomplishment.

“Whoa, dizzy.”

Then, a sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and I stumbled for a moment.

It felt strange to experience discomfort in this form, but even that was amusing.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...I think I'm going to die.」

「Child of the Lost Star: My existence is fading.」

If I'm struggling, how much harder must it be for ordinary Constellations?

As a reward, I bestowed a portion of my Faith Level upon them.

「Child of the Lost Star: Oh, ohhh...!」

“Tasty?”

「Child of the Lost Star: A sensation I've never felt before, exhilarating. What is this? It doesn't feel like any other Divine Power. Such a pure energy source is unprecedented-」

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Shut up!」

The Star Child did a somersault, and the Black Sun marveled.

‘Is it that delicious?’

I wouldn't know, since I'm just transferring it through the System.

It's a power I've handled as naturally as my own body, after all.

「Please name the new Divine Power.」

“Hmm.”

A name.

Since the auras of the three Constellations are mixed together, their individual identities are considerably blurred.

The Constellation's rank itself is insignificant, as intended, and its properties are so twisted that it's impossible to tell whose it is.

-Saaa...

Flickering on my hand is the newly created Divine Power for my future plans.

“But does it really need a name?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: A name is as important as life itself to a Constellation.」

“Isn't that just for show?”

「Child of the Lost Star: A name is the Star itself, its very essence. To wield power, this name is absolutely necessary.」

How bothersome.

I don't want to come up with a grandiose name just for the sake of it.

I can't reveal my embarrassing chuunibyou naming sense with a straight face.

“Can't 'nameless' itself be a name?”

The two Constellations were silent for a moment at my words.

They're clearly speechless.

But it feels weird, you know.

I already dislike Constellations, and I didn't want to give it a similar formal name.

Therefore.

“Nameless.”

No name.

I wanted to create symbolism in itself.

“No, Black Name.”

It's so dark and gloomy, adding "Black" to the front fits perfectly.

“Your name shall be Black Name.”

In this trend of Western names and cosmic horror, I decided to rebel.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: B-Black Name...?」

“Yeah.”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: That's it...?」

「Child of the Lost Star: An intriguing name.」

“It's a temporary identity anyway, so why bother putting so much effort into naming it?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Even so! It lacks dignity...”」

“Wow.”

The concern in his tone makes it clear that we've truly become friends.

“Are you thinking about me?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: It's not that, it's just that a Constellation's name is-」

“So you *are* thinking about me? Thanks, really.”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ....」

The Black Sun became silent again.

I was about to tease him a bit more when a notification sound rang from somewhere.

-Ding!

“...Huh?”

「Event Occurring!」

Then, without warning, unfamiliar locations and unfamiliar people appeared before my eyes.

As I looked at the screen to grasp the situation, a woman who looked to be in bad shape was limping away.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...An Elf?」

At his words, I focused on the image to get a better look.

Two of the Elf's most prominent features were missing.

One of her long ears was cut off, and her beautiful appearance was marred with dirt and grime.

“She looks like she’s having a hard time.”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: I see the mark of a slave. She seems to be a runaway.」

“Hmm.”

It's not surprising.

It's an era where Magic thrives and various races are active.

Elves, a non-human race, and the status of 'slave' are familiar elements of this world.

‘Our Lisia was a slave too.’

The Mad Dog of the Arena.

A gentle nature and a harsh past.

But the present is what matters.

“Lisia rips people apart when she’s angry.”

The reason being that she’s very rough and survived a place where life is cheap.

I offer my condolences to the hostile Religious Order who are probably dealing with an enraged Lisia right now, and focused back on the screen.

“Who dares harm our Half-Elf.”

I spotted the fleeing Elf and the Assassin chasing her.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: She’s dead.」

A simple remark from the Black Sun, who didn't seem to care about a single human life.

“Is dying that easy?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Uh, no... I didn't mean to…」

A flustered response returned.

-Huff, huff...!

The slave Elf is on the verge of collapsing.

She’s at the point where she’ll die on her own even without the Assassin’s blade.

She’s so different from the typical image of an Elf in my mind, the disconnect is jarring.

“Shouldn’t she be all haughty and building up her villainous character?”

A long-eared Beauty character looking down elegantly from a treetop.

Always calling others "inferior species, inferior species" and treating them like dirt.

“This makes me feel bad.”

Even if it's a complete stranger, I don't feel good seeing someone treated like that.

“So what is it?”

I checked the triggered event.

「The new Divine Power is named 'Black Name'.」

「Your created Divine Power will be linked to a new Quest!」

「Quest (new!): Aptitude Holder

-You have stumbled upon a dying Elf.

Originally, this Elf was destined to be brutally murdered by an Assassin.

Will you help her?」

A simple matter that boils down to yes or no.

Saving her is saving her, but the quest title kept catching my Eye.

“Aptitude Holder.”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Huh?」

“New Divine Power. New Follower.”

In other words, an alt account.

A lightning bolt flashed through my mind.

“Holy shit, this is it.”

This is a heaven-sent opportunity.

A chance to truly purify this rotten world.

“Destitute, Elf, and normalization.”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...What?」

“Dungeon. And dungeon.”

I briefly lost my reason in the face of transcendental calculations.

“Listen to my story.”

This chilling timing. I decided to share it with the two Constellations from now on.

“Why are they showing us this Elf at this particular moment?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Uh... entertainment?」

“Get out.”

「Child of the Lost Star: Since you created the Dungeon Core, you'll need someone to clear it.」

“Exactly.”

I'm throwing out bait in the form of a dungeon to lure the Constellations.

But those Constellations are so damn suspicious that they'll start to doubt if there's only a dungeon.

In other words, I needed a stage prop to breathe life into it.

Monsters, and the Followers of the Religious Order who exterminate them.

In Ragnarok, the Constellations' Followers can also act as adventurers.

“So, that Elf is my prospective Follower, right?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: That insignificant Elf...?」

She does look like she's about to die.

But who am I?

“This is the time to use our Black Name.”

A freshly made, unique Divine Power.

Perhaps they chose a new Follower befitting the new name created for my alt account activities.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Well, well... since we have Divine Power to spare, even if it fails, we just need to find the next Aptitude Holder.」

“Let's say it succeeds on the first try.”

I don't want to see innocent lives being lost before my Eyes.

I just want to look at the bright side of the world.

***

Lagnis was an Elf, and a runaway Slave.

“You’ve been running for a long time. As expected, blood will tell.”

The Dark Elf Assassin readjusts his dagger, aiming at his sacrifice.

Even with her mangled body, she tried to resist somehow, but the outcome of the battle was predetermined from the start.

“I will free you from this painful world.”

“...Ugh.”

Even through her blurry vision from blood loss, Lagnis forced the corners of her lips upward with all her might.

“Crazy.”

Honestly, the Assassin was tired of the spirit she displayed, burning her life away like this.

Malice aimed at inflicting harm on the opponent, not for survival.

Quite different from those who pretended to be noble, prioritizing character.

Raw spirit, as it is.

“I, Curse. Everyone.”

Lagnis cursed the world while spitting out a clot of blood.

Her kin who sold her out.

The despicable Constellation of her race who turned a blind Eye to her suffering.

And to everything else that had eaten away at Lagnis's life—

“Go to hell.”

Looking down at Lagnis, whose breath was fading, the Assassin felt a strange chill.

‘...What is this?’

「Someone is watching you.」

A gaze from a much higher dimension, undetectable by a mere minion.

Lagnis's gaze was directed towards the black flames that had risen at some point.

-O one consumed by hatred.

Someone spoke to her.

Blurry vision, frozen time.

Only she and the unknown person who spoke to her remained in the space.

‘...Who?’

-O pitiful one, abandoned by your kin, about to be toyed with until the very last moment of your life.

‘Who are you?’

Lagnis could perceive, but could not take any action.

As if the reins of the entire situation were in the hands of the owner of this voice—

She could only listen and be crushed by the cold reality.

-Do you desire power?

Power.

Lagnis never had that damn power.

「Do you wish to appoint the target, ‘Lagnis,’ as a Follower of ‘Black Name’?」

She didn't bother to answer.

The unidentified being had already offered her ominous power, as if knowing everything.

“...!”

Before the Assassin, who had sensed the anomaly, could pull back, the black flames Lagnis conjured swallowed him whole.

“Ah.”

He was surprised by the impossible reality.

“Aahh....!”

But before that, a pain that felt like his mind was about to collapse overwhelmed him.

“Kyaaaaa....!”

Instantly engulfed in flames, the Assassin screamed like a madman and rolled on the ground.

However, the flames imbued with Divine Power were not so easily extinguished.

Including his flesh, until the last fragment of his life.

After faithfully performing its role, in accordance with Lagnis's hatred.

Only the traces of a burnt-out life remained quietly.

-Swish.

“.....”

The bedridden Elf sits up.

Her body is still a mess, and her mind is completely blank, but.

“...Ugh, fuck.”

She gave a cold sneer at the pathetically dead Assassin's corpse.

-Hello.

A chill permeates the air.

At the end of her instinctively turned Vision, stands a masked man in unidentified attire.