Bell had already formed a rough idea of the height he would reach after completing his ascension.
Before ascending, his strength—setting aside all Authorities and Magic, relying solely on raw attributes—was already infinitely close to that of a demigod. Taking one more step to reach the level of a god should have been the natural conclusion.
But this time, the leap was far too large.
He hadn't simply reached the standard of a god—he had surpassed it by an overwhelming margin.
Even so, he still lacked one final step to truly transcend the divine. That step wasn't due to any inability on his part, but a limit he had imposed upon himself.
The "Type-Moon System" had become a flaw within him. Only by stripping it away could he fill that final imperfection and rise beyond what gods were capable of.
Yet before discarding the "Type-Moon System," he had to clarify Artemis's situation. Otherwise, Artemis would remain a source of concern for him.
Thus, meeting with that "World" was practically unavoidable.
And Bell himself didn't object to meeting that being.
"Can the two of you please stop projecting my image across the entire world? I'm really not used to being stared at by so many people."
Yes—Bell had already sensed that countless humans and demi-humans were watching him.
To be honest, he didn't like being in the spotlight. The whole "hero" thing held no appeal for him. Situations like this were exactly the kind he disliked.
After waiting awhile and sensing that neither gaze had withdrawn, Bell covered his face helplessly.
"What a headache."
He ran his fingers lightly across his face. The boy's features blurred into an indistinct haze, impossible for anyone to remember or recognize—as though the mind simply couldn't grasp anything hidden.
Sure enough, once his face vanished from perception, the countless prying gazes dwindled down to just two.
Bell didn't need to be told who they belonged to. Their attention didn't bother him much. Even though he was still one step away, he remained far from their level.
Being visible now didn't mean they'd be able to see him later.
"Well then… let's begin."
The current Bell was almost like a blank slate.
Having discarded everything, untouched by any external force, he crafted a new Authority using only his own hands.
"Order," born from "Hope," and "Chaos," born from "Desire."
The path he had walked condensed into "Concealment," "Cognition," and "Learning."
And the inherent human trait he carried: "Adaptability."
Ordinarily, humans couldn't wield Authority. But "Hope" shattered that impossibility and made it real.
It was also "Hope" that granted "Adaptability" its vast potential, turning near-impossible feats into reality. It was because of "Hope" that Bell instinctively forged the power most suited to him—
"Simulated Star Chart · Binary Theory of Good and Evil."
He forged "Good and Evil in Opposition" into a cosmic worldview. He shaped it into his own power, his foundation, his weapon.
It almost felt like everything had been arranged for him.
Yet after glimpsing fate, Bell understood that none of it was arranged by anyone. "Hope" did not fall within the lines of fate, did not exist within planned sequences. "Hope" moved at its own rhythm—good at hiding, good at avoiding, existing only as points, not lines.
So none of this was someone's arrangement. If anything, it was Bell's own stray thoughts that shaped it.
He believed it was merely a momentary impulse—but "Hope" took it seriously.
Thus, from the moment of his rebirth onward, nothing had been arranged by anyone. It was Bell's own fleeting thought made real by "Hope." Turning the impossible into possible—what a frightening power.
Yet when he understood this—when he realized his rebirth was most likely his own doing—even Bell didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Still, accepting this was far better than accepting a fate dictated by others.
And if everything was like this, then the reason "Hope" had been found by those two was likely because they were searching for an investor.
In a sense, Bell had arranged everything for himself.
He even arranged two investors to fund him, easing his path to growth.
Once he understood this, Bell knew he needed to keep quiet. Some secrets were better left unknown.
Precisely because all the power he now possessed was something forged unconsciously by himself, it fit him perfectly.
"Buzz… buzz… buzz!"
The space around Bell began to fracture, linking to a desolate starry expanse.
It was a doorway to another world.
Without hesitation, Bell stepped through.
The space behind him returned to stability, but Bell now stood within a pitch-black universe.
Raising his head, he saw a sapphire-blue planet.
"Hmm… looks like my first attempt at twisting space to create a spatial tunnel produced a slight deviation."
Bell's brow furrowed.
If not for that small error, he should have arrived in Kanbuzi City in Earth's Far East—not on this moon.
Considering this was his first time using his own power for such a task, some unfamiliarity was inevitable. But he needed to remember this lesson. He couldn't afford such a large deviation next time.
The space around him once again connected to another plane.
He stepped forward.
This time, the result was perfect. Exiting the spatial tunnel, he found himself standing before a nameplate marked "Ryogi," and beyond it, an extravagant mansion.
'I mustn't be disrespectful.'
With that thought, Bell straightened his clothing.
In the next moment, his outfit—once fitting for the Danmachi world—shifted into attire appropriate for this era.
After confirming everything was in order, Bell pressed the doorbell.
A short while later, hurried footsteps sounded from within. As the door opened, a man in a black suit appeared.
He looked somewhat tense and uneasy, though he kept his posture composed, as if trying to make up for his master's absence.
"Sir, the young lady is already waiting for you in her room."