My status is immense.
Originally, an unfathomable amount of power, which I couldn’t source, has now been revealed to be made absurdly strong, thanks to the Goddess pouring all her “plausibility” into it.
My power is phenomenal. This fact not only enhances my original strength but also plays a crucial role in allowing me to transcend the limits my form possesses.
However, it’s not just a bed of roses.
“It’s also true that I cannot transform into a human.”
The so-called power is like wind. It implies the wind violently swirling around inside an endlessly thin balloon.
If this power exists, the balloon may grow larger at once. It could expand beyond its original size and puff itself up even more.
If only I could control that wind.
But what if that wind were to grow uncontrollable, swaying wildly on its own?
No matter how much I try to regulate it, if the power that inflates the balloon surpasses the threshold, it could very well pop.
That’s the situation I’m in right now.
Naturally, the colossal vessel I was born with, the firmest body compared to any material, won’t even get scratched by such rampant power.
“But humans are different.”
A human body is delicate.
Their skin is so tender that it gets wounded from just brushing against a tree, and the structure deteriorates as they walk. Their muscle limitations aren’t that great either.
Moreover, it’s incredibly intricate.
Everything operates in a methodical system, moving with precise structures.
If I carelessly embrace this overwhelming power, it might burst, unable to withstand it.
Thus, unless the newly accepted divinity stabilizes further, and unless I explore humanity to enhance my understanding, polymorphing into a human is impossible.
“It might be possible in the distant future, but certainly not now.”
Therefore, the form I have chosen is this.
My regular body, measuring 300 meters long, is the minimum size capable of accepting that power.
It is the absolute smallest size that can accommodate all that massive power.
So, I can live my everyday life without changing shape or growing larger, without any issues at all.
But things change when the size shrinks.
Of course, this sturdy body won’t pop, but I would certainly feel stressed and unstable, as if trapped in a tight shell.
Especially if I were to shrink down to the size of a human palm.
“Ahhh! So cute!”
Thus, the form I chose is this.
Unlike my natural sharp features and the subtle sheen of my scales, which glisten like muted silver, I’ve grown whiskers on my face.
Wisps of whiskers serve to dissipate my overflowing divinity. They allow me to delicately disperse the divine pressure that is always on the brink of bursting by spreading it very thinly into nature.
This way, I can blend in with the environment. After all, the divine energy I spread out will be absorbed by my main body when it returns, so there’s no need to worry much.
And then, the ears. These are sensory organs.
They help me pick up the surrounding environment much more acutely, allowing me to continuously optimize my form according to the natural conditions around me.
By doing this, I can change into this petite shape without maintaining my 300-meter form.
So, every seemingly cute aspect has a very crucial reason behind it.
As I nodded, my body was suddenly lifted.
Before long, my view rose higher and higher until I found myself staring into a pair of blue irises, much like my own.
Those blue eyes met my gaze and softly curved into the shape of a crescent moon.
“You’re so adorable!! Lord Jörmungandr!”
“Uh…?”
Then, she pressed her cheek against mine.
It was a gesture that screamed, “I simply cannot resist something this cute!” As her soft cheek brushed against my slick, cold scales, Jörmungandr sighed momentarily but then decided to leave it at that.
I could feel the emotions emanating from Elly.
I had no idea why she found this form so endearing.
To me, it seemed like nothing had changed except for the size.
When I looked at Belial with an expression questioning that notion, she stared at me blankly.
“Cute, so cute… I just want to bite you…”
Hmm.
I chose to ignore the tiny voice I heard from behind.
*
In the Holy Empire, Eiros.
The Holy Empire, Eiros, is generally blessed with a warm climate, a stark contrast to the comparatively cold temperatures of the Trelinia Kingdom.
Of course, the climate of this world doesn’t merely change due to proximity to the equator or the sun’s influence. However, if the weather can vary that much, it’s safe to assume that a significant distance exists between the two places.
Thus, it would require several days of walking to reach the Holy Kingdom.
As much as he wished to teleport there instantaneously with his abilities, doing so would likely raise alarm bells, making it too easy for the remnants of the Demon God to notice.
With the Goddess’s movements being closely monitored, maintaining stealth is paramount, and avoiding detection by the Demon God is essential.
A journey was unavoidable, no two ways about it.
Fortunately, thanks to Elly being a princess of a kingdom, they could count on ample support. They had a small yet practical horse-drawn cart that could move on its own, camping tools, and plenty of provisions.
When the king heard Elly’s tale, he insisted on sending guards along with her, but Elly firmly refused.
“No way! Lord Jörmungandr said the Demon God might notice!”
“That’s true, but…”
“Besides, Lord Jörmungandr is with us, isn’t he?”
The king’s gaze turned towards Jörmungandr.
To be precise, it was directed at the tiny serpent coiled like a cobra on her shoulder.
He had a question bubbling up in his throat about just what in the world that was supposed to look like, but he swallowed it back down. There must be a grand reason behind it, one that a mere human cannot comprehend. The king was convinced of that.
“Indeed…”
Though small now, no one in Trelinia Kingdom remained unaware of Jörmungandr’s might.
The colossal serpent that could pierce the heavens.
As he recalled that magnificent form, the king nodded.
“Well then, I am counting on you.”
While bowing, the king unexpectedly reflected on his current situation.
To think he would be thanking the very dragon he once held such unique animosity towards while offering his daughter as a sacrifice and deeming Jörmungandr a divine being to be cherished by the kingdom.
Life truly has a way of surprising people.
What would have happened if he could convey this fact to himself just a few months ago?
Would he have slapped himself and called him a liar?
“Do not worry.”
Jörmungandr bobbed his head.
He is the only deity born of the True Goddess.
Even if the God of Death sought to claim him, he would consider devouring death itself.”
Understanding Jörmungandr’s mindset, the king dropped his head in acknowledgment. After all, he was certain this was all for the greater good. While the fact that the Demon God intended to invade the planet didn’t hit all that strongly, the king understood the sheer weight of the burden Jörmungandr had to bear.
He wished him good luck.
May he safely eradicate the remnants of the Demon God.
May he embed the mark of the Goddess deep within the Holy Kingdom and salvage the land tainted with magical corruption.
“Well then, safe travels.”
The king earnestly wished him well.
*
A thick, impenetrable darkness loomed.
The dark side of the Holy Kingdom, which had once been so bright.
This residual evil, black as ink and fueled by self-destructive desires, was gradually rooting itself deep in the kingdom’s center.
[…….]
The black magic spread like dark ink, staining the holy water black.
The once-pure holy water, which had been infinitely white, fought against the blackened magic but soon began to flicker intermittently, losing its shine.
Darkness danced upon the holy water. This liquid, now a sustenance for the black, amorphous entity, grew larger.
[More, more, more, more….]
Only instinct remained.
The primal urge to destroy everything in the world was all that was left.
The remnants of the Demon God.
He no longer had coherent thought.
Could this also be attributed to the Goddess’s influence?
Having fed on divinity right before disappearing, he lost sight of his original purpose.
To engulf the Holy Kingdom and manifest one of his main forms.
He lost his reasoning.
Normally, he would exercise caution against other foes that might seek him out, growing his power slowly. However, deep underground in the Holy Kingdom, he writhed restlessly.
Wriggling to consume more, to corrupt further, and lead to ruin.
His long, black tendrils stretched out.
His tentacles, coated in black mucus, aimed for the kingdom’s lifeblood.
Drip, drop.
Incessant black mucus.
One drop, two drops.
It began to taint the water supply.
[Swallow it all.]
The remnants whispered.
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