Chapter 47: Nazarick and the Otherworld (9)
KU-U-UUUNG!!
A massive impact rang out. The air trembled as if refusing to believe that such force could come from "humans."
People around them could only stare blankly, unable to comprehend what they were witnessing.
Tiinng—!
A sharp metallic note tore through the air again and again.
The meaningless sound was proof of a battle utterly beyond the realm of human understanding.
High in the air, Kaiser's sword and Zesshi Zetsumei's scythe clashed.
Kaiser was smiling awkwardly, yet deflecting every one of her attacks with ease.
Zesshi's brows furrowed as she unleashed blow after blow.
No matter what she did, none of her strikes touched him.
Zesshi was strong — in this world there were few who could defeat her.
If limited to humans, she might very well be the strongest.
Except for a single man: Kaiser.
But perhaps that was simply an unfair comparison.
Kaiser — the true guardian of humanity, who had protected mankind for centuries.
A human who had climbed into divine territory.
Before such a being, titles like the Theocracy's ultimate weapon or God-kin lost all meaning.
Grand titles were useless when overshadowed by overwhelming strength.
"Why don't you stop now?"
"No."
Zesshi grabbed a large boulder beside her and hurled it. Kaiser kicked it apart midair.
The fragments scattered at high speed toward the civilians who were still frozen, staring at the duel.
"Agh—"
Kaiser moved instinctively, but—
Click.
A shadow burst from the ground beneath the civilians and shattered every fragment before it could hit anyone.
"…What."
"N-No."
Kaiser held back a laugh.
She had saved someone of her own will — though her face was full of annoyance.
As if helping someone was the natural thing to do.
For Kaiser, who remembered the broken monster that Zesshi had once become — twisted by upbringing and force — it was strangely emotional.
Perhaps Zesshi felt the same.
When they first met, both of them had been nothing but hollow shells — "Guardians of Humanity" in name only.
Their names had devoured them… and what walked then had been monsters, not heroes.
Zesshi glared at the stunned bystanders.
"Next time I won't save you. So get lost. Unless you want to die."
Sensing the faint killing intent leaking from her, the civilians turned pale and fled wordlessly.
Lifting her scythe again, Zesshi looked at Kaiser with clear displeasure.
A light breeze blew.
And Kaiser sensed that while nearly everyone had fled, there was one person running toward them.
"L-Lady Zesshi!!! What on earth are you— …K-Kaiser!?"
"Oh, the gentleman from before. Good to see you're still alive. You weren't too badly hurt, I hope? I was a bit worried after sending you off like that. The Theocracy is prone to inflexibility—well, the old Theocracy, at least."
Nigun fell into utter confusion.
Why was Kaiser here of all places?
He had often discussed Kaiser with Zesshi—not because he wanted to, but because it was the only topic that could keep her interested long enough for him to survive a conversation.
He had read countless records and legends about Kaiser, even ones he had no desire to read, just to keep Zesshi's mood stable.
And he learned one thing: Kaiser had been betrayed by the Theocracy many times.
Was he here for revenge now?
Panic overwhelmed Nigun's thoughts.
How could he help even one more person survive?
How many seconds could he buy by sacrificing himself?
As these thoughts spiraled, Kaiser spoke with the same relaxed smile as before.
"I don't like this."
Zesshi raised her scythe.
Her expression was blank — reminiscent of Arche, though not the same. Arche wore emotionless expressions as a mask. If you spent time with her, you would see many faces.
Zesshi, however…
Zesshi simply had no expression.
Even after achieving revenge and removing the thorns in her heart, emotions did not suddenly sprout out of nowhere without guidance.
"You were a monster back then."
"I think that was true for both of us, wasn't it?"
"But you aren't a monster now."
"I see."
"Someone turned you back into a human."
In Zesshi's memory, Kaiser's eyes had once held no light.
Empty—nothing but a shell of humanity's guardian.
The Theocracy's mistake — the power of the Six Gods — had been eliminated by Kaiser himself. Even so, the Theocracy had accused him of killing their gods and betrayed him yet again. Still, Kaiser had not shown anger.
He had simply said that his task was done, that killing the power of the Six Gods would ensure humanity's survival, and disappeared from Zesshi's sight.
"I thought… that you didn't take revenge because you were a monster. Because you had nothing left but the shell of a guardian. Without anger, without sadness — how could you feel vengeance?"
"That isn't wrong."
Kaiser had truly been emotionless back then.
His mind had fallen so low that he couldn't even use Starless Night, the ability to bear heavy burdens of thought.
With no hesitation, his actions could seem more like those of a murderer than a guardian.
To kill in order to protect — to do so without anguish — was something Zesshi had believed no true human could do.
Thus she preferred this Kaiser — the one who had regained emotion.
Arche seemed to feel grateful to Kaiser, but Kaiser believed it was he who should feel indebted to Arche.
"But even now, with your humanity restored… you don't seek revenge on the Theocracy. From that clash just now, I saw no hatred in you. I don't understand. Were you always like this? …I can't comprehend it."
Kaiser lowered his shoulders.
"Personally, I'm not particularly fond of the Theocracy either. But those who betrayed me are already dead. Vengeance now would be wrong. Furthermore, the Theocracy is necessary for humanity's survival."
"…You helped with my revenge," Zesshi muttered. "So why won't you take your own?"
"That Elf King had crossed a line. He caused countless elves to suffer, killing lives that didn't need to die, calling it a stepping stone for growth — he was a madman."
Back then, Kaiser acted because he was humanity's guardian.
No hesitation.
No personal emotion for Zesshi.
Just the logical action to save the most lives.
"But why? I don't understand! What has the title 'Guardian of Humanity' ever done for you? You regained emotions — so isn't revenge the natural choice!? Why do you still protect humanity!? What has humanity ever given you!? You saved them again and again, and yet you were forgotten every time!"
Zesshi truly couldn't understand.
She believed Kaiser's lack of revenge in the past was due to his monstrous emptiness.
If he ever regained emotion, the Theocracy would be doomed.
But she was wrong.
Even now, with emotion restored, Kaiser held not a trace of hatred for the Theocracy.
Despite the brutal betrayals — not once, but multiple times.
Was the title Guardian of Humanity worth that much?
Was humanity worth protecting even after what they'd done?
"You're still young."
The words sounded strange to address someone who had lived over a century — but from Kaiser's perspective, even most dragons were children.
It wasn't impossible that no one in this world was older than Kaiser.
"Then let me ask you—didn't the old Theocracy treat you terribly? So why did you protect them? You just protected civilians from the debris."
"…I don't know. I simply did what I had to do."
Over a hundred years had passed since Zesshi first met Kaiser.
Yet his image remained carved vividly into her mind—so deeply that "engraved" was not an exaggeration.
She remembered him protecting others, bleeding as he fought.
That sight had given her something priceless—something that newborn Zesshi had felt for the first time, and something she had never again felt toward humans.
"Kaiser, I don't know what you were thinking back then.…But I fought while watching your back. I wanted to follow it—just a bit. It was simply… yes, imitation. I wanted to chase the back of someone strong."
"Miss Panda, I think it would be good for you to learn more about yourself. Instead of staying in the Theocracy forever, why not see the world a little?"
"The world?"
"You've lived over a century, but being confined to the Theocracy hasn't given you many opportunities to grow. Ah—mentally, I mean."
Kaiser knew her strength well.
She wasn't someone he could defeat casually.
Her equipment came from player origins—rare artifacts one could scarcely find.
And her most troublesome talent was genuinely dangerous.
Depending on how it was used, it could allow her to defeat someone vastly stronger—even Kaiser himself, if conditions aligned.
"That's why I think you should try traveling. For example, the elven homeland, Alvengarde, or the human nation of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Hmm… maybe avoid the Empire or the Holy Kingdom for now."
"…Are you treating me like a child?"
"You don't understand."
Kaiser chuckled.
"At my age, everyone is a child."
"In that case, shouldn't you say elderly, not old?"
"With this appearance? Using the word 'elderly' feels wrong!"
Indeed, he had the face of a boy in his late teens.
Even calling him late-teens was generous—mid-teens was believable.
Zesshi's enthusiasm faded for reasons she could not explain, and she lowered her scythe.
Seeing that, Kaiser exhaled softly.
"If you ever feel like going, I'll take you. You just need to answer a few questions."
"Before that—answer mine.…Are you human now?
And do you remember that battle from back then?"
Kaiser frowned slightly, as if puzzled, then smiled again.
He scratched his cheek as he fell into brief thought, silence stretching before he finally answered plainly:
"I am human now—just as I always have been. And yes… I remember you. If you grew well, I'd even consider letting you succeed me should anything ever happen to me.…Though I suppose, given my title, you might take that as an insult."
For Kaiser, that was the highest praise he could give.
Yielding his title meant accepting his own death.
Zesshi, though half-elf, possessed immense human strength.
Her power was sufficient—the problem was her mindset and heart.
But back then, Kaiser had not been in a state to concern himself with such things… and so he had simply walked away.
"…Fine. I'll take the bait and hear your offer."
"You make it sound like I'm a con artist."
"So? What's the question?"
"Ah—right."
Kaiser hesitated, wondering if he should mention Shalltear Bloodfallen, but instead settled on general inquiries: Whether any high-ranking soldiers had died recently, or if there were any unusual rumors circulating.
.....
"…What is even happening right now?"
Watching all of this, Nigun had no idea what to say.
He simply stood frozen, aware of only one certainty—
Nothing about this situation felt pleasant.
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