The change came suddenly. What appeared before him was...
[Allocation: Waiting at one's leisure]
This was an empty space, a place without blue skies, solid ground, or boundaries. In his field of vision, there wasn't a single other human like himself.
Apart from him, no other living beings existed here. There were no other lifeforms except for one special presence...
[As one of those humans who always looks forward, stop being so lost, will you? Don't dwell on such complicated questions. You're making it hard for me to find a good moment to appear... won't the audience find this boring?]
"What kind of 'moment to appear' is that...? And what 'audience'? We're not performing a comedy skit here."
[I've said it before, the place we're in isn't what you imagine. You should know that, right? To put it simply, it's like a world within a world within a world.]
A world within a world within a world? Like the movie 'The Thirteenth Floor'?
In that film, the protagonist creates a virtual world, only to realize that his own world is also virtual.
[That's why once you start pondering a complicated question, you'll keep getting dragged deeper into it until even more questions arise. As the saying goes, "Misfortune never comes singly..."]
With that, the Supreme Deity's glow brightened considerably. Before Haruya, an iron griddle, a stove, and two chairs materialized.
[Let's enjoy some teppanyaki together, a little reward before your next mission begins. Who knows, I might even throw in some bonus content or fanservice.]
Haruya felt no joy at the mention of "bonus content" or "fanservice". Compared to desperately completing missions in endless worlds, he'd much prefer a leisurely one.
But if he wanted to return to his home world, he had no choice but to obey the Supreme Deity at the moment...
Looking at the tools and food before him, Haruya sat in one of the chairs. The Supreme Deity, still in 'His' orb form, hovered over the seat opposite him.
Honestly, talking to 'Him' in this state felt a bit odd. But if 'He' were to take on a humanoid form, Haruya suspected he'd find it even harder to adjust.
To Haruya, the Supreme Deity was a machine, an intelligence far surpassing humans. There was no way he could see it as human.
If the beef humans ate came from cows that looked just like people, who could possibly eat it without hesitation?
In other words, if the Supreme Deity appeared before him in a form resembling a human, Haruya wouldn't be able to maintain his current mindset. His perception of 'Him' would inevitably change.
Ultimately, Haruya wanted to keep seeing the Supreme Deity as a cold-blooded, knowledge-obsessed bastard.
[Good. Let's enjoy this teppanyaki in harmony. By the way, the way I "eat" is by erasing the food and then recreating it as waste. After all, isn't that how humans do it?]
"Don't make it sound so abstract..."
True enough, humans were creatures who consumed delicious things and turned part of it into waste.
But setting that aside, Haruya placed what looked like delicious, fresh meat onto the heated griddle and asked:
"Though it's not really my concern, nor something I can decide, what's the point of sending me into these endless worlds?"
[Now that's a philosophical question... Doesn't your human society have so-called "thrill-seekers"? People who commit crimes just for the fun of it. Of course, I'm not like that, I don't find any joy in such actions. In fact, I don't really understand the concept of "joy" itself. Haruya, what makes you happy? Naked girls? Naked girls? Or... naked boys?]
"Don't treat me like some lust-driven degenerate! That last option is just wrong. And don't change the subject, answer my question. What's the meaning behind sending me into these worlds?"
[Like I said, don't overcomplicate things. Being too smart isn't always good for humans. Wait, no... you're not smart Haruya... You're just stubborn. Even if I told you the purpose, what would change?]
'What would change?' Haruya couldn't give a good answer to that.
The Supreme Deity was right. Even if he understood the meaning behind these endless worlds, it wouldn't matter.
This could be a trial to select suitable candidates, or just a prank by some god. The possibilities were endless.
If he kept obsessing over these details, he'd eventually drown in an unsolvable mystery.
[But since you want to know, I'll explain it in terms you might be familiar with. Humans have seven deadly sins: gluttony, lust, greed, wrath, sloth, envy, and pride. How many do you think you've committed?]
"As a model citizen, I've only ever been guilty of a little pride now and then."
[A typical answer. But as long as you're human, you'll inevitably commit all seven at some point. So, what do you think is the way to atone for these sins?]
Haruya had heard of the punishments:
- Gluttony: force-feeding rats, toads, and snakes.
- Greed: boiling in oil.
- Sloth: being thrown into a snake pit.
But generally, those were just medieval punishments for criminals... They aren't really connected to the seven sins.
Still, what was the Supreme Deity getting at? Did each world represent a different sin?
No way. It couldn't be that serious. These worlds were full of fun and challenges, he doubted the Supreme Deity was steering the conversation toward something so dark.
[Never mind. That analogy wasn't quite right. Honestly, I'd prefer if you completed your missions based on your own thoughts. That way, I can gather more data... information born from humans, not just words.]
Even if the Deity could create anything here, 'He' believed only real humans were worth studying. That was why Haruya was still here.
But couldn't the 'He' create lifeforms too?
Perhaps the reason was that the Supreme Deity's "created lifeforms" carried 'His' own "subjective consciousness and concepts"... If so, they wouldn't be true humans.
That's right, they'd just be inferior versions of the Supreme Deity wearing human skins...
By now, the meat on the griddle was giving off a rich aroma. Haruya sprinkled some seasoning over it, making the smell even more enticing. It had been a while since he'd had a proper meal.
Though in this timeless world, he couldn't be sure if it was lunchtime... he was just imagining it for convenience.
[Anyway, humans are the most interesting beings. Do you want some rice and vegetables now? Just meat would be a bit monotonous.]
"I don't mind, but isn't this the essence of teppanyaki? The aroma of meat alone is enough to conquer all..."
[The appeal of teppanyaki isn't just grilling meat, it's the freedom to throw in all kinds of ingredients. Teppanyaki was invented in Spain during the 15th or 16th century. Because Spain had advanced maritime trade, its sailors often traveled the world. Life at sea was dull, so they passed the time by fishing and grilling their catch, the earliest form of teppanyaki.]
This cooking method later spread to the Americas (Mexico and California) via Spanish colonists. In the early 20th century, a Japanese-American introduced it to Japan, refining it into the teppanyaki we know today.
After hearing the Deity's explanation, Haruya shrugged, "After all that, can we eat now?"
[Of course. Soon, your next journey will begin.]
What kind of "journey" was that supposed to be?
Haruya picked up a slice of meat with his chopsticks. It was still sizzling, droplets of oil sliding off its surface.
After blowing on it a few times, he popped it into his mouth and asked:
"So, what's the next world? Can't it be something slower-paced?"
[That has nothing to do with pacing. Besides, resting here for a few hours is equivalent to days of rest. Your consciousness won't feel it, but your body will.]
"You're saying stranger and stranger things, Supreme Deity-san."
[I'm just experimenting with different styles. Anyway, I've already decided on your next world.]
The Deity's tone turned serious.
[This won't be a leisurely experience. The mission you'll undertake won't be easy.]
"So what's the mission? What world?"
After finishing his fifth slice of meat, Haruya set down his chopsticks and placed some vegetables on the griddle.
[In truth, it's less of a mission and more of a... performance.]
"Performance?"
Was it sending him into some idol anime?
If so...
"I'm not exactly an idol anime fan, but being thrown into 'Love Live!' wouldn't be bad. Or becoming a producer in 'The Idolmaster'... 'Wake Up, Girls!' would be fine too."
Haruya thought for a moment, then continued, "Macross is acceptable. And I don't hate 'Symphogear' either."
[Don't lie. You know way too much about this. 'Nico Nico Nii' and all that?]
"Ugh... Please stop."
[So this is what being mocked feels like. Maybe I'll strip away some of your abilities next time, though I can't take them all away.]
"My deepest apologies!"
'But if even the Supreme Deity (a "god") can't take all my abilities, does that mean I'm invincible?'
[Back to the topic. This mission is indeed about performing... but not on a stage. Even if I sent you into an idol anime world, what could you even do?]
"Buy their merch?"
[Not for eroge?]
"Don't make it sound so vulgar."
[Then let me explain.]
The Deity floated up from 'His' chair.
[First, don't think about playing the hero. What counts as "justice" depends on the world. In other words...]
"My role is... the villain?"
[Or "semi-villainous". That's up to you.]
So...
[This time, you'll play the villain. Stand by your justice, cut down evil... or be cut down by it...]