"One word—do you agree or not?"
The casually poised man, emanating an intense aura, questioned me sharply.
Hmm...
It appears I don't have the option to refuse.
Judging from his presence, he's certainly no ordinary person. Even though I possess the ability to "negate my opponent's abilities," I dare not recklessly engage him.
The illusion-like technique or scene-switching move he used earlier wasn't nullified. This implies that the effect wasn't directed at me.
It seems it wasn't an illusion but an actual shift in the surroundings.
Assuming that was a spatial manipulation ability, then he's undoubtedly a formidable opponent.
It seems I can only nullify abilities that target *me* directly, meaning that as long as his abilities are aimed at something other than myself, they won't be nullified.
In the previous world, I hadn't encountered particularly troublesome abilities, so I didn't feel the threat.
Now, I'm forced to take this seriously.
"Unwilling? Given your current situation, joining us should be a favorable choice."
He's right; right now, I do need a reliable affiliation, which is certainly better than wandering aimlessly.
Still, this all came too suddenly.
"It seems I don't have much of a choice, in more ways than one."
"So, you agree?"
"I don't exactly have a reason to refuse, do I?"
"Heh… Of course not."
A sinister glint flashed in his turquoise eyes. If I had refused outright, he'd likely resort to force without hesitation.
After all, I'm a mysterious stranger; letting me go easily wouldn't be wise.
"Well then, please follow the designated personnel to the registration area. Don't even think about wandering off midway, alright?"
"Who would dare run off..."
I muttered softly under my breath.
"This way, sir," a woman's voice sounded behind me, prompting me to reflexively throw an elbow.
"Hey… that's dangerous."
In an instant, the aura surrounding her flared up, taking the form of flames that spread rapidly.
The hall was instantly enveloped in a searing crimson, yet despite the heat, I felt a chilling sensation at my neck.
Am I being held at blade point?
"If you intend any mischief, then I, Savorne Stephens, will not hesitate to eliminate you."
"Come on now, Savorne. He was likely just startled by your sudden voice, wasn't he?"
"Tsk…"
With a click of her tongue, the flames engulfing the hall extinguished completely, and the strange sensation around my neck disappeared.
Addressing each other by surnames and stopping her with just one line—it seems they have a superior-subordinate relationship.
Still…
Oddly enough, his voice was reassuring in this situation.
"Now, hurry and report to the registration office. I don't like inefficiency."
The strange man winked his left eye at me, then vanished without a trace in a gust of strange wind.
Hmm—I agree with him. If possible, I'd like to get this done as soon as possible.
But this woman won't allow it.
"What is your purpose in coming to this city?"
"To find a place to stay."
"How did you get here?"
"I was suddenly teleported to this world, then walked here."
"Then, what is your identity?"
"Probably what you'd call a 'transmigrant.'"
The endless stream of questions was starting to wear my patience thin.
"An unknown person can't just enter through the main gate, so what brought you here?"
"…"
"Answer quickly."
"…I was thrown into the city from the sky."
I feel a bit sorry for that mysterious woman, but something tells me I shouldn't lie here.
"Understood."
Her reaction was unexpectedly calm.
"It's nothing unusual. This happens sometimes, and we generally permit it."
My earlier irritation vanished, replaced by complete surprise at her words.
"Am I not the first person to be sent into the city like this?"
"To be precise, only reincarnated individuals have arrived this way before you—there have been six cases before you."
The white-haired woman who had just been prepared to attack me a moment ago now calmly explained.
Upon closer observation, her cute features didn't quite match her powerful presence.
With a gentle, cat-like aura, her petite, refined face and carefully styled ram horns crafted an immaculate appearance.
But her mechanized armor slightly disrupted the aesthetic.
"…So, when exactly are we going to set off?"
"Ah! Right!"
What's this? She forgot?
Seems like she's not as sharp as she looks.
"Ugh, I'm going to get an earful from Lord Criz again for this…"
She pouted in annoyance.
"Lord Criz… Is that the man from earlier?"
"Who else would it be? Oh, right, since you're a transmigrant, I guess you wouldn't know."
Saying this, she pulled a booklet from her coat and handed it to me.
Then she began to speak:
"Lord Criz Calderon is one of the three founding generals of the Heavenly Judgment Empire. Highly esteemed for his unparalleled talents, he currently ranks seventh among the 'Fourteen Generals.'"
"Of all the generals, Lord Criz's past is the most enigmatic. Legend has it that he has existed since the mythological era."
As she spoke, I opened the gilded book, and a series of accomplishments filled my view.
'Criz Calderon, one of the greatest founding heroes of the Heavenly Judgment Empire, has served the throne since the nation's inception, with a history spanning over 2,400 years, making him the most senior of the current generals.'
'It is said that in the mythical era, celestial gods from beyond the heavens waged a fierce war against humanity, led by the original king. Humanity was ultimately defeated; most humans were wiped out, and the original king was sealed within the planet's blazing core. Enraged by humanity's resistance, the celestial gods cloaked the sun with black clouds and unleashed calamities upon all beings.'
'The world was thus deprived of divine blessings, plunging into endless darkness for the next 20,000 years. The one who finally changed this was Criz Calderon, who came from beyond the stars.'
'Criz Calderon crossed the cosmos. By a twist of fate, he answered a call for aid from a royal commander and, after enduring four trials, successfully freed the original king. The two then formed an alliance with the scorpion god and launched a renewed attack on the celestial gods, ultimately securing a hard-fought victory after seven days and six nights.'
Beyond the cosmos? Is he from outside Earth?
'After their defeat, the celestial race made a pact with humanity to lift the dark veil and vowed never to invade humanity again. To safeguard humanity's peace, the three heroes established a new kingdom—the Heavenly Judgment Empire.'
"Anyway, Lord Criz is a truly remarkable figure. Just remember that."
There was a touch of pride in her reverence; it was clear she sincerely admired that man.
And—
"Uh… So when are we going to report in?"
"Eh?"
That was the second time I had to remind her.
"I forgot… again?! Ahhhh!!"