However, one week after Ash learned that the spider girl was a reincarnator, something strange happened.
Without any warning, a small portal suddenly appeared beside him. It flickered with a mysterious light, as if connected to another unknown world.
Right after that, a smartphone fell out of the portal and landed on the ground with a plop.
In this world filled with magic and fantasy, such a piece of modern technology looked completely out of place, leaving Ash stunned.
What was even stranger was that the phone somehow had a signal. It was already in a call and on speaker mode. A voice soon came from it, and for some reason, it sounded familiar.
["Hello, hello~ I'm Administrator D~ This is our first greeting, right?"]
The voice coming from the phone was clear and pleasant, yet carried an unfathomable quality that made it impossible to grasp.
"I've heard of you."
Feeling that the voice sounded very similar to the one the spider girl transmitted through telepathy, Ash cautiously looked around. Still, he couldn't sense anything at all. Before long, he gave up and sighed.
"You're the one who connected the system to me and has been secretly watching me, aren't you?"
["Yep~ But I don't have any bad intentions, so there's no need to worry~"]
D's voice rang out again. She sounded amused and friendly, yet it was impossible to tell where she stood.
Ignoring Ash's suspicion, D continued on her own.
["Of course, you might doubt me when I say that, but I really don't have any purpose. I just want to observe things. It's simply entertainment~ Though compared to me, the more important issue right now is you, isn't it?"]
"Me?"
["Yep, you~ Even though I'm an evil god, your situation is worse, right? At least from the perspective of the people in this world, you're probably more like an evil god than I am."]
"Will the system collapse because I exist here?"
After learning the truth about the system from Ariel, Ash had already reached a similar conclusion. He just hadn't had it confirmed.
D immediately agreed with a cheerful tone.
["That's right~ By existing here, leveling up, and obtaining skills, you're continuously stealing the very thing this planet relies on to survive~ So from that perspective, you're the real evil god. You're the greatest disaster, unless you die here."]
The fact was difficult to deny.
After remaining silent for a while, Ash asked back, "Then what are you planning to do about it?"
["Nothing at all~"]
D answered simply and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.
Ash almost doubted his ears, "Nothing?"
["Yep~ I just want to watch interesting things. Just like I said before, there's no deeper meaning or purpose. Whether you save the world or destroy it, that's entirely up to you~ You get to decide how the story goes."]
At the end of her sentence, applause could be heard from the other side of the call, as though D was happily clapping nearby.
Her completely indifferent attitude made him ask, "Really? Didn't you create this system?"
["It was just something I made on a whim. To be honest~ I got tired of this stagnant world a long time ago and wasn't planning to bother with it. I just didn't expect it to end up being a little useful at the very end."]
D still sounded casual, as though this world was merely a toy in her eyes.
"The very end?"
Ash immediately caught that key phrase, and a bad feeling rose within him.
["Oh dear? I accidentally said something unnecessary~ What should I do?"]
There was a playful note in D's voice, though she didn't sound concerned about her slip at all.
"Stopping halfway and leaving someone hanging on purpose. Isn't that kind of mean?"
["That's because I'm an evil god?"]
"You actually want to tell me, don't you?"
["Well~ It doesn't really matter if I tell you~"]
D dragged out her words slightly before saying bluntly, ["To be honest, this world is about to be finished. There's no saving it."]
"If I'm not mistaken, the kind of hopeless you're talking about isn't the same hopeless Ariel mentioned, right?"
["Correct. This is the kind of hopelessness even the system can't fix. Whether you speed up the system's collapse or not, the world will still be destroyed. The only difference is whether it happens sooner or later, though it won't be much later. Anyway, it's all up to you~ I'm looking forward to your decision~"]
As her final words ended, the smartphone vanished on its own as though it had never existed, without causing the slightest spatial disturbance.
However, D's voice seemed to linger around him for a long time.
["If you can make this hopeless world shine a little before the end, wouldn't that count as putting waste to good use? After all, the people of this world deserve what they get. But, if your actions become too extreme, Mister Gulie-gulie, the True Dragon, definitely won't sit by and watch, right? After all... he's unbelievably stubborn. Even if he knows there's no hope, he could never give up."]
The information hidden within D's final words troubled Ash for a short while, but he quickly reached a decision.
He wouldn't worry about it.
That's right. He wouldn't.
He would continue living exactly as he always had.
Whether it was the consequences of other people's actions, schemes hidden in the shadows, or plans carried out in the open, he didn't care. He had no intention of getting involved, and he certainly wasn't going to bind himself for the sake of others.
His own goal had always been clear.
The problem was that the lord of this territory, Sophia's father, had long since been overwhelmed by countless matters.
Without realizing it, this once peaceful estate had become like a giant magnet, attracting all kinds of visitors.
Some had been formally invited.
Many more had not.
They came from various countries, and every one of them was a person of status and power.
They had all gathered here for a single reason.
The Nightmare of the Labyrinth, the spider girl.
This mysterious and powerful spider monster was like a treasure, drawing greedy eyes from all directions.
As a result, the lord was now in an extremely troubled state.
He had to do everything possible to prevent the envoy from the neighboring country from meeting Ash.
That envoy had also come for the spider girl.
And his attitude was unbelievably bad.
He was arrogant and rude to an outrageous degree.
"That guy is unbelievably stupid and constantly acts superior. It's impossible to tolerate him. Normally we endure it to avoid trouble, but if it's Lord Ash and the Divine Beast... with their personalities... I'm afraid they won't put up with that envoy."
Standing beside the lord, the butler responsible for his personal protection frowned deeply.
He knew exactly how reckless that envoy was.
He also knew Ash and the spider girl's temper.
If they met, the consequences would be disastrous.
Unable to hold back, he advised, "We have to think of something. If the envoy gets himself killed, it'll cause a major incident."
"That's true, but we can't drive either side away, can we? One is an envoy from a neighboring nation. If we mishandle it, it could create conflict between our countries. The other is our benefactor and a powerful mage who can use spatial magic. We can't afford to offend either side."
The lord looked completely helpless.
Holding his head with both hands, he repeatedly tugged at his hair in frustration.
"Ahhh! Why would the Ohts Kingdom send someone like this? Are they deliberately trying to start trouble?"
He was stuck between two impossible choices.
He wanted nothing more than to throw that foolish envoy out immediately, but the man represented an entire nation.
The only thing he could do now was pray that the two sides never met and that the envoy wouldn't do anything suicidal.
But... things often move in the opposite direction from what people hope for.
———
On the second day after the envoy arrived, Ash happened to return early to Sophia's home because he wanted to spend some time studying Abyss Magic.
Since Ash hadn't asked her any questions lately, the spider girl had naturally relaxed during this period.
In a good mood, she lay on his back as usual.
Her small head swayed with each step he took, and every now and then she made noises expressing her anticipation for lunch.
The sight was both cute and funny.
"Hey! That's the Nightmare of the Labyrinth, isn't it? Why are you carrying my property? Hand that bug over right now!"
Just as Ash was about to step onto the estate's staircase, a haughty voice came from above.
The voice was filled with arrogance and commands, as though Ash were a servant who had to obey unconditionally.
Confused, Ash looked up.
A fat man entered his view.
The man had a strange mustache that looked like two brooms hanging from either side of his mouth.
He was looking down at Ash from above, his eyes full of contempt, as though he were staring at a lowly thief.
"Are you talking to me?", Ash frowned slightly.
The man's attitude was genuinely unpleasant.
"Of course. You stole my bug, didn't you?"
The envoy's expression was full of pride.
His chubby face trembled slightly with anger, and greed shone in his eyes.
At least in his mind, the spider girl was something he absolutely had to obtain.
No one else was allowed to touch her.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Just because I'm being polite, do you really think you can walk all over me?"
"If I say it's mine! Then it's mine!"
The fat envoy was instantly enraged.
Without another word, he strode toward Ash and reached out for the spider girl.
It looked as though he intended to tear her directly off Ash's back.
Ash's headache immediately grew worse.
"What should I do...."
"What?"
The envoy instinctively stopped.
Looking displeased, he stared at Ash.
"Begging for mercy now is too late! You'll be imprisoned for theft!"
"Really? I was wondering whether I should cut off your hand or just beat you half to death and leave it at that. But now that I think about it, I'm clearly too kind."
"Let's just kill you."
Ash spoke calmly.
There wasn't the slightest ripple in his gaze, as though he were merely stating an ordinary fact.
After nodding to himself, he quickly walked forward.
Before the envoy could react, Ash lightly patted his shoulder.
In that instant, the decomposition spell took effect.
The man's eyes went wide.
But he never had the chance to scream.
His body scattered like a sand sculpture caught in a gale.
In the blink of an eye, he turned into ash and vanished completely.
The servants in the estate who had intended to stop the argument, along with the two attendants who had accompanied the envoy, all stared in shock.
They had never seen such terrifying magic.
Nor had they imagined that this ordinary-looking young man could be so ruthless.
"Since this is someone else's house, making a mess with blood or leaving a corpse behind wouldn't be very nice. Yeah, this spell really is the most suitable."
Ash spoke as though talking to himself.
Or perhaps he was explaining it to those around him.
Afterward, he glanced at the frightened faces nearby, but didn't pay them much attention.
The envoy's two attendants finally recovered from their shock.
Their hands trembling, they drew the swords at their waists.
If they returned home without doing anything, they would likely be executed, so they prepared to make at least a symbolic attempt to resist.
Ash looked at them and was slightly surprised by their courage.
Still, he only smiled and quietly said, "You two should go outside the city and kill yourselves."
His voice wasn't loud.
Yet it carried an unquestionable power.
"?"
The moment the attendants heard those words, the light vanished from their eyes.
Only emptiness remained.
Like puppets that had lost their souls, they fell under the control of mental magic and silently walked out of the estate.
Their movements were stiff and mechanical.
The lord's servants and guards present didn't dare make a sound.
They simply watched the horrifying scene in silence.
Every one of them was left with only awe and fear toward Ash.
Someone immediately rushed off to report the matter to the lord.
The news made him feel as though the sky were falling.
But...
"He couldn't even understand the difference in strength between himself and his enemy. There should be a limit to how pathetic someone can be?"
The lord felt like crying.
At the same time, the envoy's unbelievable stupidity nearly made him laugh from anger.
And... while struggling with a splitting headache, he could only place his hopes in Ash to solve the problem.
———
As a border lord, Sophia's father had to consider the interests of the nation.
But... when he heard the news of that unbelievably foolish envoy's sudden death, he almost wanted to applaud.
He couldn't even bring himself to blame Ash for killing him.
That envoy had truly reached the peak of stupidity and obnoxiousness.
He constantly caused trouble outside.
He even caused trouble inside the lord's residence.
He acted as though heaven ranked first, earth ranked second, and he ranked third.
Even the lord had started reaching his limit.
After his brief satisfaction faded, however, he nearly pulled all his hair out.
His only remaining hope was Ash.
After all...
Judging from what the servants had reported, he was extremely curious about how many spells Ash knew and just how much magic power he possessed.
Not to mention Ash himself.
Just the Nightmare of the Labyrinth alone, the spider monster he called Shiro, was said to have destroyed the fortress at the entrance when she left.
If that was the case, then Ash, as her master, could only be stronger.
"That guy must be... the strongest human alive."
Just thinking about the spider girl's rumored combat ability made the lord place all his hopes on Ash.
———
[Inside the Guest Room]
Ash casually flipped through a magic book from this world.
Yet his thoughts kept returning to what D had said.
Although she had called him a disaster, the more he thought about it, the more it felt like D had intentionally tried to mislead him and place a moral burden on him.
Because from the very beginning, when the planet had been on the verge of collapse, everyone on it had repaid kindness with ingratitude.
While being saved by treating the Goddess as a life-support system, ownership of their souls had already ceased to belong to them.
Instead, it belonged to D.
As a result, this world had become a giant amusement park.
Everything belonged to D.
He was merely someone who had entered unexpectedly and received permission from the owner to join the game.
After all, all outsiders would be incorporated into the reincarnation system and gradually worn down on this planet.
In other words... if he won, he would gain everything.
If he lost, he would become fuel for the planet along with everyone else.
Even those who remained alive here indefinitely were simply taking souls for themselves, just like Ariel and her Queen Taratects.
After all, Ariel, those Queen Taratects, and the Earth Dragons all held enormous amounts of energy while remaining alive, never returning to the cycle of reincarnation.
Even the spider girl from another world had merely joined this game.
Calling her a disaster wasn't entirely wrong, but it wasn't entirely right either.
After all, though he was powerful, he was still a participant in the game.
It was obviously unfair from humanity's perspective.
But he had no intention of slaughtering innocents.
In the end, the humans here had no right to object anyway.
Thousands of years ago, they had already lost everything.
Whether they wanted to or not, they could only continue the game.
After all, the god they had prayed to was the evil god D.
And this was the result of their own actions.
They had even begged the Goddess who had always protected them to sacrifice herself in exchange for their survival.
The fact they were still alive today was due to D's conscience and the Goddess's sacrifice.
That was why Ariel was clearly filled with disgust toward both humans and demons.
Although she never said it directly, she seemed to have a deep connection to the Goddess.
As for these souls that were already close to being completely worn down, her hatred toward them ran deep.
As far as she was concerned, their fate as fuel over all these years was simply what they deserved.
Even now, that Goddess was still enduring endless suffering to prolong the world's life.
Giving announcements every day.
Hanging there every day.
The only true victim was probably the Goddess Sariel.
"If I win, then I'll accelerate the destruction. If I die here, maybe this world can keep dragging itself along for a little longer?"
Everything was still the same as before.
It was simply the law of the jungle.
The winner takes all.
"Only one problem remains. That True Dragon. I have no idea what his stance is. He seems pretty dangerous...."
After all, he was a god.
Ash wasn't sure how strong he really was, but he should probably be careful.
Maybe when Ariel appeared again, he should ask her properly.
'Logically speaking, Ariel should know. Probably.'
"Ah, no. Besides that True Dragon, maybe I should also think about... if I end up accelerating the world's destruction, it might be better to choose some people to take with me."
Just as Ash sat alone worrying about what had happened and considering how to deal with the consequences his actions might bring, a heavy knock suddenly broke the silence of the room.