Chapter 16: Reunion

Divine Realm.

Domain of the Demon God.

A woman covered in dark demonic energy rose from a black bathtub.

"...Hmm?"

Her demon eyes turned yellow.

'Hey, you idiot! You said this was the right way!'

'Ah, sorry. I got excited thinking about meeting the General again...'

Through her clairvoyance, she saw five or six gods at the edge of her domain, surrounded by a veil of dark magic.

They seemed lost, looking around searchingly.

'...Is this the divinity of sacrifice?'

The woman sensed divinity created from the [Concept] of sacrifice emanating from them.

In the Divine Realm, there is only one with the divine status of sacrifice - [The Sacrifice That Fell To Sloth].

That one is famous for being so slothful they don't even create lesser gods...

'It's this way. I'm sure of it. Just follow quietly this time.'

'Ah, understood...!'

"How interesting."

The woman, without a thread of clothing, rose from the bathtub.

Demonic energy condensed around her body, weaving into clothes.

"Gods that should not exist."

Her body blurred as she folded space to take flight.

The woman followed silently behind them, completely masking her presence.

To her arrogant self, even 10 lesser gods together posed no threat, so she had nothing to fear.

* * *

"It's been a long time, General."

Holy Knight Dave greets Ren with a formal attitude.

"What's this? Why have your cheeks gotten so chubby? Have you not been training since becoming a god?"

Spirit Master Darin clings to Ren freely, touching her face.

"This feels strange. To think that I, who served gods, would become a god alongside the General!"

Priest Gregory examines various parts of the Sacrifice Sect's domain.

There was also Mercenary Hans, Great Swordsman Colin, Mage Christine, Knight Florence, Spear Master Ingrid, Dark Magician Jeffrey, and Magi-Engineer Collins.

Nothing had changed.

They were exactly as the Ten Heroes that Ren remembered.

Her most reliable and dependable comrades.

They had all ascended as lesser gods and been resurrected.

"Everyone...!"

It was hard to contain her emotions.

For her, who had just been freed from sloth's imprisonment of hundreds of years, this wave of emotion was overwhelming as her feelings began to return.

"Well well, we didn't expect our commander to be this happy to see us."

"Even after all this time, still like a child. We really have to take care of you, don't we?"

But that joy soon turned to guilt.

Guilt over the sins she would have to bear for life.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth contorts her face.]

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth begs for forgiveness.]

"Come on, what are you apologizing for?"

The heroes knew why she felt such remorse.

To spend hundreds of years as a god, and a high-ranking one at that, without building even a single monument to them.

When they first learned this, they felt betrayed.

But during their resurrection, they came to understand her thoughts and realized it wasn't her will.

That the [Sloth] someone had planted in her - both sin and concept - had sealed her away.

"General. Did you know? We were able to be resurrected thanks to you."

"...What do you mean?"

"It happened during your process of conquering the [Concept] of sloth... but the story seems like it will be long, so let's continue it later. What we want to say is that none of us blame you, General."

"Hahaha! That's right, Commander! We died following you because we loved you! How could we blame you!"

"Really, that stubbornly righteous side of yours hasn't changed at all."

*Poke-*

[The Spirit Master of Sacrifice pokes The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth's cheek with her finger.]

"...Everyone."

Such warm comrades.

How long has it been since she felt these emotions?

The Sacrifice's domain, cold for hundreds of years, filled with noisy and lively sounds.

"Ah. So you put our names in that medium called games?"

"...I wanted the world to remember you."

"Hahaha. This is too touching, Commander!"

"Hey hey! Look at the Commander's embarrassed expression!"

"Do you all want to get hit by the General again?"

A bustling atmosphere just like back then.

It brings back nostalgia from that past life.

"Pfft."

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth laughs at an atmosphere she thought she'd never feel again.]

"......"

"......"

The male heroes suddenly went quiet.

"...No way, our Commander became a goddess... and even got goddess-level beauty..."

"D-don't say things like that."

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth turns her head slightly in embarrassment.]

"...Wow, really. You're too much. So this is what they call a female genius. This is unforgivable, take this!"

"Wah!"

[The Spirit Master of Sacrifice hugs The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth from behind and grabs her two peaks.]

"Gentlemen, please avert your eyes."

[The Mage of Sacrifice glares at the men with contempt.]

[The Mercenary of Sacrifice blushes blankly.]

[The Great Swordsman of Sacrifice gulps.]

[The Priest of Sacrifice exclaims in admiration while trying to look away.]

Time flew by as they joked and chatted.

"Amazing. I don't really understand this medium called games, but you're saying that because many people play the parts with us in the game each week, we became engraved in their memories? And those memories became the driving force for our resurrection."

"That seems to be the case."

"...But if that's possible..."

[The Spirit Master of Sacrifice pauses.]

"Doesn't that mean whoever makes this game can create constellations as they please...?"

...?

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth ponders.]

!!!

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth's eyes widen.]

The resurrection of all Ten Heroes was only possible because that Dream Girl and her Apostle did something incredible.

Through their game, the heroes became engraved in the minds of the continent's people, causing recognition and faith in them to surge.

If this game were misused, one could potentially resurrect gods at will or turn vanished heroes into gods.

A power rivaling that of creation gods.

But her concern wasn't about the greatness of this ability.

'What will happen if other gods learn about this!'

If it becomes known that such concentration of divinity and faith is possible - enough to not only resurrect the dead but make them gods - quite a few gods will rush to that Dream Girl and her Apostle.

Given how gods will do anything for divinity, the outcome won't be good.

Even gods who pretend to be noble on the outside will lose their minds before such power.

"Did any of you... meet other gods on your way here?"

If that happens, they could be in danger.

"No, none."

[The Spirit Master of Sacrifice shrugs.]

"Since we don't know what this Divine Realm is like, we moved in hiding to avoid contact with others. Jeffrey's wide-area concealment ability became ridiculously strong after becoming a god, so we used that to hide our way here."

[The Dark Magician of Sacrifice scratches his balding head sheepishly at the Spirit Master of Sacrifice's words.]

'No one knows of their existence yet.'

Now that the story of the Ten Heroes has spread widely due to the [Akashic Archive], if other gods meet them as gods, they might learn about the power of dreams.

Should I be glad that I'm the only one who knows of their existence?

*Thud-*

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth kneels.]

"I'm sorry."

"Ah, why are you doing this again?"

"Commander?"

"General. You've apologized enough. Rather, you're our benefactor..."

"No. Even if that's true, I fell to sloth and for hundreds of years didn't announce your deaths, didn't try to resurrect you or even look for you. As your commander and general of the special forces, this is an unforgivable sin."

"Commander..."

"Always such a proper General."

"I'm sorry, but I think I'll have to trouble you again."

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth bites her lip.]

They deserve to be happy now.

Finally free from hundreds of years of binding, yet I'm asking them to be imprisoned again.

It felt too apologetic and regretful.

"Could you explain in detail?"

"Our benefactor... is it?"

After hearing Ren's explanation, the heroes fell into thought.

"It's truly difficult to finally be resurrected but have to hide in corners avoiding others' eyes instead of moving freely."

"But we are the Commander's subordinates and swords!"

"As lesser gods resurrected and bound through the Commander's existence, you don't need to ask - just order us."

The Ten Special Forces who willingly sacrificed their lives to save humanity despite serving a corrupt kingdom.

They all shared the commonality of volunteering for the suicide mission as fans who had fallen for Knight Ren.

"Besides, we can't let our benefactor fall into danger, can we?"

"...You all...!"

Just as Ren's face was about to be overcome with emotion.

"Well, I suppose it's fortunate they all have functioning brains."

"Who's there!"

Ren quickly drew her sword and swung, sending out a blade of divine energy.

*Woong-*

*Paang!*

The quickly flying blade was blocked by a magic barrier that appeared before the man's outstretched hand.

"...That response had no mercy at all. If I were a normal god, I might have died."

"You are..."

Why would that man be here?

He's supposed to be the most famous god for never leaving his domain.

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth tenses up and raises her aura.]

"Nice to meet you, [Sloth]. No, since you've overcome it now, should I call you [Sacrifice]? Don't be so guarded. I'm the same as you after all."

"...What?"

*Click- click- click-*

A woman in nun's clothing emerged from behind the man.

"...Impossible. Saintess Kate...?"

Ren, who had been enjoying the [Akashic Archive], immediately recognized who she was.

And she could understand why he said they were the same.

"Yes. My purpose is the same as yours."

[The Magi-Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath smiles.]

"I came here to protect my benefactor."

* * *

*Woong-*

*Woong-*

*Woong-*

*Rustle-*

"...Ah what is it at this hour."

I woke from an interesting dream to the insanely vibrating terminal.

Rubbing my bleary eyes, I picked up the terminal.

"Who could be contacting me at this hour..."

As I picked up the terminal, I felt something was off.

This wasn't the terminal I usually used as Ian, the Academy student.

It was the terminal connected to the Divine Realm of heaven through Lady Constellation's power.

Could other gods be sending proposals after seeing the success of the Orpheus episode?

Thinking it was quite possible, I picked up the terminal and opened it.

"...?"

But only two constellations were displayed on the screen.

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth] and [The Magi-Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath]

*Woong-*

*Woong-*

Messages kept coming from the two constellations.

[The Magi-Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath declares he will protect his benefactor as he has achieved all his wishes.]

->The Magi-Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath feels infinite gratitude towards you.

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth asks if there is a way.]

->The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth feels extremely immense gratitude towards you.

But it was different from usual communication with them.

They didn't seem to know I could see their status.

Moreover, for some reason I could see even their inner thoughts in message form.