<867 – Possibility of the Adversary (2)>
When the doppelganger of Oknodie rises to the status of Demon King, the doppelganger is recognized as a separate entity, breaking free from the fate of fusion.
The information provided by the Staff of the Lake is certainly valuable information.
The problem is finding that doppelganger.
“God of Surveillance Nuadan, with your eyes piercing through dimensions, please find the location of the doppelganger of the Dark Princess.”
God of Surveillance Nuadan answered.
[You have the precious memory of a cherished one. Offer it all.]
The Dark Princess is strong.
The importance of the world is very high.
The price demanded by the gods can only be exorbitant.
Although the Man’s Representative still has more gods that can aid in the search, there is no assurance that any god willing to help will still remain with a price that he can afford.
The Old Gods are greedy and cruel, never satisfied with their own situations, even if they understand the troubles of others and live off them.
“God of Nature Tarania, Goddess of Secrets Selene, God of Destiny Karthas, God of the Mirror Mirak, please find the location of the doppelganger of the Dark Princess.”
[Offer one of the cherished treasures from the Seven Great Woods.]
[If you don’t mind your location always being revealed to the Dark Princess.]
[Hey! I told you not to send prayers without knocking first! Get out now!]
[Pitiful human. If you pay with Faith Points, I shall gladly share the cost.]
God of Nature Tarania scoffed.
Goddess of Secrets Selene laughed from behind her veil.
God of Destiny Karthas, hiding behind a “Kind Child, Scary Child” sign, screamed in rage.
Only God of the Mirror Mirak responded in an amicable voice.
Luck was on his side.
At least one god was on his side.
But the fact that it was that god was quite unexpected.
‘God of the Mirror Mirak.’
Mirak is not a god that easily shows favor.
Mirrors are vessels that reflect the essence.
He was a god that thoroughly collected the price corresponded to greed.
Why would such a god be merciful?
The Man’s Representative is one who has communicated with many gods.
He realized that the Mirror God had a desire of his own and was revealing impatience, unable to suppress that desire.
‘There’s a follower related to her.’
But now is the time when it’s necessary to shake hands with the hidden god if needed.
The Man’s Representative willingly paid the Faith Points and obtained the location information.
‘The heart of Gift Academy. The Boss Room of the Mirror Dungeon. Above the gigantic throne, the body of the Dark Princess’s doppelganger, Oknodie.’
He was deceived, Mirak.
The Man’s Representative grasped in an instant that the Mirror Dungeon is a dungeon of doppelgangers, and Oknodie is the Doppelganger Queen.
The former followers of the God of Mirrors are doppelgangers.
This is a scheme of the God of Mirrors to make contact with his followers.
However, since the price proposed by other gods was too harsh to bear, the Man’s Representative could not afford to let go of the hints he had received.
But he had to say something.
“Make him regret what he did today.”
[Let any god be able to do that, I’ll laugh it off.]
As he began to lose control as the sole representative of the Temple of Demigods, this could lead to many gods turning away or to a power struggle.
‘Infiltrate the world’s best academy and strongest fortress, Gift Academy, and make contact with the Doppelganger Queen.’
At the same time, he would face the God of the Mirror Mirak, who began to openly reveal his nefarious plots while dodging the many gods who were targeting the Man’s Representative.
It’s a path fraught with hardship, but the Man’s Representative packed his things without hesitation.
He genuinely aimed for the Achievement of God Slayer.
What’s different about Gift Academy?
Challenging the impossible is the same.
“Even if it costs my life, I must succeed.”
Infiltrating Gift Academy.
Contacting Oknodie.
And discovering the ‘real doppelganger’.
Furthermore, elevating the Demon King and creating a rival for the Dark Princess to repay all this toil!
*
Gift Academy has not been free from attacks by villains in the past.
From the Wahyhiemhai Foundation that regularly sends scholarship students to cause disasters, to the Beastman Resurgence Society, a subordinate organization holding grudges against the academy, to assassins with their eyes on Oknodie even now.
“Such arrogant humans. How dare a wretched race that burned and corrupted our World Tree appear before us. I shall turn you into fertilizer for saplings!”
Elven Lord Roelheim, the center of the Elves who have managed to survive even from humanity’s watchful eyes, substituting for the fallen World Tree with new forests and strongholds.
As a race dealing with the mysteries of history and tradition, resisting was quite bothersome, but the Man’s Representative unleashed a devastating strike enhanced by the [Divine Blessing] of many gods.
[PUSH!]
The myriad blessings revolving around that one function became 2x stronger, 3x farther, and with a 25% chance of being lethal, 5x faster, 4x stronger, all amplified by countless blessings.
The expansion of that day reached far enough to engulf the new World Tree of the Elves, instantly pushing aside not only the physical form of Roelheim but also the Mana Techniques, Domain Expansion, and even the Spirit Body, causing an out-of-body experience.
Returning from his momentary daze, Roelheim, filled with fear, could not bear such humiliation and shame, raising his staffs high.
“Perish!”
“Disband.”
The simultaneous manifestation of the multi-mysteries bound by a single keyword.
The numerous spells, carefully preserved for the future of the Elven race, combined together and were shot forth alongside the wide-spread fingers of the Man’s Representative, scattering wildly.
Countless gods greedily reached out, snatching and grabbing at the mysteries and magic of Roelheim, until nothing remained.
What was left at the end was a withering, shriveled branch, once a proud staff that represented the Elven Lord but now nothing more than a dried twig.
“Oh blessed lord of the Elves, who receives nature’s love and is immortal, I have not come to harm you.”
“Is this not enough to give me this humiliation… what more is there to be said…”
“I know that your Elven Brotherhood’s assassination group holds grudges against the Dark Princess.”
Weakly sinking down, Roelheim now had a revived glint in his eye, formed from the revenge of a vengeful spirit.
“I will help you torment the Dark Princess. Be used as an operative for my mission.”
“What could torment her?”
“The deaths of those she cherishes and holds dear.”
With the Elven assassins who regularly infiltrate the academy and sacrifice their lives like suicidal rodents, and the Man’s Representative who must now storm into Gift Academy.
The two parties’ intentions aligned.
The Man’s Representative would lend strength to the assassins, and the assassins would execute their revenge with their mightiest force.
However, this time the assassination target is not Oknodie.
It is the people around Oknodie.
“The friends of hers are under strict protection from the foundation’s butlers and maids…”
“Common acquaintances might be, but she can’t protect everyone.”
They would start chopping off the limbs of those unreachable by Oknodie and carve fear into the organization, shaking its very order.
Though the Elven race crumbled overnight, Oknodie’s organization would steadily collapse over a long period.
In front of the operation conveyed by the Man’s Representative, the Elven Lord smiled with satisfaction.
*
Assassins always used the same method to borrow the power of the branches of the World Tree, breaking through the dimensional barriers of Gift Academy without using the standard gate.
The World Tree, capable of crossing dimensions, can exert this much power solely from the efficacy of its branches.
“Until now, the targets of our Elven Brotherhood’s attacks have been the likes of Jezel, Arcadia, and Isabel, who have done great work for Oknodie’s backup.”
Experts like Titosso or Son Ohchun, Andersen, were not even on the targeting list as it would be impossible to assassinate them.
Naturally, they are not targeting those likely to fail this time either.
But Oknodie has many more collaborators.
Contract couple organizations [Camela’s Organization], which pairs men and women together, basing their growth on the high loyalty of couples.
The [Hector’s Retainer Group], the prince of the Small Country Troy, which provides support on a national level.
The [Jigoku Pirate Group], with its leader’s strength overshadowing their individual power compared to land.
Low importance collaboration organizations regarding Oknodie.
However, the ties of their relationships are certainly maintained.
This was an indiscriminate assassination operation aimed at them.
“Divine Suppression.”
Once the Elven assassins discovered the core members of the three organizations on the list, they deployed their domains.
Students, startled within the shielding of the Old Gods’ power, hurriedly armed themselves, but even with no reinforcements, there is a limit to how long a student can withstand.
“For the sake of the World Tree, burn away. Wretched humans.”
“Get away, Camilla!”
“Russo?! No…!”
With explosions erupting throughout the campus, desperate assassination raids began.
[Emergency Event [Rescue Camela's Organization] has begun.]
[Emergency Event [Rescue Hector’s Retainer Group] has begun.]
[Emergency Event [Rescue Jigoku Pirate Group] has begun.]
A surprise event that could startle even the real Oknodie and the rapidly declared divine tokens from the vibrations occurring in the distance drew the instructors and professors.
After watching that scene for a while, the Man’s Representative gracefully penetrated the surveillance and headed toward the Dungeon Theme Park.
One ancient divine entity, defeated in emergency by the principal guarding the Dungeon Theme Park, rose with the resentful spirits of countless monsters deep within the abyss of the Dungeon Theme Park.
[This overflowing divine power, it’s been ages since my special dish.]
Then, behind the Man’s Representative’s shoulder, the spirit bodies of the gods blossomed like gigantic faces, thousands of them.
[Are you talking about me?]
[Is it me?]
[It’s me!]
[It’s definitely me!]
[Call me.]
[That’s right.]
[It’s my turn.]
[No, it belongs to me.]
[Step aside, it’s mine.]
[You’re annoying. Don’t drool over what belongs to me.]
While looking up at such an overwhelming multitude, the ancient god designation for the academy’s emergency protocol melted away like a glacier, disappearing back into the abyss-like deep darkness.
With each step the Man’s Representative took, countless blessings activated, disassembling the magic, and destroying the security systems.
Reaching the deepest part of the Mirror Dungeon wasn’t that difficult.
“You, I recognize. You’re the Man’s Representative?”
“What’s with that? I’m just a mob.”
“The scent is different. There’s no smell of sweat. There’s no shy scent. A fresh… yes. Newbie. By that kid’s words, there’s no smell of a newbie.”
Oknodie quickly uncovered the disguise of the Man’s Representative, who had taken the guise of a mob.
Despite receiving myriad protections from blessings, he could not deceive the bond of true feelings.
The fake armor flowed away like a shadow, and the Man’s Representative returned to his true form.
“My identity doesn’t matter. I just ask for your cooperation.”
“Sure~!”
“If you don’t, the mob might get sad… hmm?”
“Since you said it’s fine?”
“…It’s not that you agree?”
“Yep, sure~!”
“You mean to say that you, who follows Oknodie so much that you’d mimic her appearance, would willingly collaborate with me to harm her?”
“That kid loves this stuff. So I love it too.”
The cooperation was established so simply that the resolve seemed trivial.
