NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 56
Chapter 56. Zenith
Strong. Each individual ability is terrifying, and together, they synergize to create an even more horrifying force.
However, even so—
“So, what of it?”
Removing the left hand covering my face, I state resolutely.
[Probability Manipulation], [Magnetic Manipulation], [Existence Dilution], [Drunken Rage]—each is an abnormal, S-rank level monster ability, fitting for beings said to be capable of destroying nations.
And yet,
They are not absolute.
They are not invincible.
They are not insurmountable forces of absurdity.
Throughout all eras, in any place, there is only one entity synonymous with absoluteness and absurdity—
――God.
A transcendent being that brings forth calamities as effortlessly as breathing, eradicating entire species on whims. Attempting to measure such a being by human standards is utterly laughable.
For all creatures—not just humans—there is only one action possible before a god: pray. They either remain still to avoid incurring wrath or act unnoticed to evade divine punishment, lest the cleanup called “divine retribution” begin.
If a god were here, what would it feel toward these enemies?
No, it likely wouldn’t feel anything at all.
To such an entity, everything other than itself is insignificant—whether it’s an infant or an S-rank monster, it’s all the same.
“Heh.”
A laugh escapes me.
Ah, unbearable.
Whether it’s because they wield half-baked powerful abilities, or because they’ve formed allies and believe themselves without blind spots, they look at me with absolute certainty of victory in their eyes. How insufferably arrogant.
――Rejoice. You have incurred the wrath of a god.
I lightly clench and release my hand.
(It’s been a while.)
The War God’s form would take too much time.
The matchups are unfavorable.
I must crush them without allowing even a glimmer of hope, overwhelming them with absolute power.
Their inflated arrogance—I’ll settle it here and now.
“Fuu~.”
Exhaling, I suppress my emotions.
Ensuring not even the slightest ripple surfaces…
“He’s about to do something! Overwhelm him now!”
Perhaps sensing danger instinctively, they rush in all at once, trying to strike me down before I can act.
“I’m sick of you already!”
I parry and dodge the barrage of Shuten Doji’s fists raining down like a storm.
(Suppress your emotions… Don’t think of counterattacks; just dodge. For now, silence your mind to nothingness.)
Countless blades of iron sand begin to form around me, too many to bother counting.
“Pierce.”
The mechanical monster swings its arm down, and the swords simultaneously lunge toward me.
[Hundred]
And with [Probability Manipulation] added in for good measure…
Each blade adjusts slightly in its trajectory, ensuring with near-absolute certainty that it will strike me.
It’s impossible to block them all in my current state.
Then… I’ll ignore all but the fatal strikes.
“…Guh!”
Countless blades pierce my unguarded body.
Blood gushes from my mouth, and my vision blurs.
“This is the end.”
I sense the misty figure preparing to plunge a dagger into me.
Yet, I lift the corners of my mouth slightly. It took some time, but at last…
――Ah, I’ve finally reached it.
“[Takemikazuchi]”
A bolt of lightning descends from the heavens before me.
“What?!”
The monsters retreat, startled, taking up guarded stances.
◇
As the dust settles, the first thing visible is a lone blade.
Sheathed, it crackles with purple electricity, embedded deep into the ground.
Hayato grips the hilt and uses his left hand to steady the sheath at his waist.
The swords that had impaled his body are gone, as is the combat aura that once enveloped him.
Yet his eyes now shine a clear, serene blue, resembling an unclouded sky, and his face betrays no hint of emotion.
From this Hayato, there is no aura of strength.
If anything, he seems weaker than an ordinary person.
Faced with such abnormality, the monsters remain frozen in place.
The man they had fought as an equal moments ago now inspires no threat. This fact confounds and terrifies them.
“…Tch, what’s going to change just because you grabbed a sword?!”
Beads of sweat form on Shuten Doji’s brow as he gulps down his sake.
Finishing the bottle, he tosses it aside.
The aura enveloping Shuten Doji grows into something closer to divine energy.
The ground quakes beneath him, and structures collapse just from his presence.
“This is my full power. A strength rivaling even Leon’s. Against a small fry like you, this isn’t even a contest.”
His eyes glint with confidence.
Convinced of victory, he steps forward.
“Don’t interfere, you guys. After all the disrespect this punk has shown, I won’t be satisfied until I personally crush him!”
The misty monster sighs but steps back.
He knows that no one here can stop Shuten Doji now. That certainty is a kind of trust in Shuten Doji’s power.
(I’ll rip off his arms first, break his bones one by one, and… huh?)
It’s then that Shuten Doji realizes Hayato’s figure has disappeared.
(Where did he—)
That was as far as his thoughts went.
Click.
The sound of a sword being sheathed echoes behind Shuten Doji.
Without sparing him a glance, Hayato silently begins walking.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Shuten—?! What?!”
The misty monster’s eyes widen in shock.
Surprised as he was that Shuten Doji had his back taken, he assumed it was to toy with him.
But the reality is—
Behind Hayato, Shuten Doji’s neck… shifts.
Next, his arms, then his legs, and finally, his entire body splits vertically.
(Impossible! That movement, not even the unsheathing… I couldn’t see any of it!)
The mechanical monster conjures a dragon of iron sand, launching it at Hayato.
With a light touch to his sheath, Hayato splits the dragon vertically.
Of course, splitting a sand-formed dragon is meaningless.
It immediately reconstructs itself and lunges again.
Hayato remains calm.
No anger, no panic—just an emotionless gaze fixed on the approaching dragon.
“[Thunderclap Flash]”
His voice, devoid of emotion, quietly resounds.
The dragon is split once more. The same as before… or so it seemed.
In the next instant, lightning arcs through the dragon’s body.
The lightning devours the sand and reduces it to nothing.
Hayato lowers his stance and assumes a posture.
“[Spider Lily of Death]”
With a sound like thunder, he closes the distance to the cloaked monster in an instant.
He leaves sound behind, scorching the ground as he passes.
――Can you alter probabilities against an invisible slash?
[…Zero]
The monster utters its final words as its body is torn apart.
Blood sprays, blooming like a flower.
Hayato does not stop.
Upon landing, he envelops himself in lightning and accelerates further.
Appearing before the misty monster in an instant, he draws his blade.
“[Eight-Headed Lightning Slash]”
(If you can’t grasp my form, I’ll just cut through all of space.)
In a single breath, eight slashes descend upon the mist.
“!!”
The monster barely reacts to one of them.
Its dagger shatters without resistance.
The spectacle of flying blades is the last thing the monster sees before its body is sliced into eight pieces.
Finally, Hayato turns to face the last remaining foe—the mechanical monster.
The mechanical monster has prepared a railgun, aiming it at the facility.
It must have concluded it cannot match Hayato’s speed.
A direct hit from the railgun would obliterate the barrier and incinerate everyone inside.
“[Railgun]!”
The blinding shot is fired once again.
In a blur, Hayato positions himself in front of the facility and fluidly takes his stance.
The distance: 150 meters.
He focuses entirely on the blade.
In response, lightning intensifies, raining down violently.
100 meters.
The blade begins to emerge from its sheath.
The sword—Chidori—shines brilliantly, eagerly awaiting its moment.
50, 30… and then 10.
With godlike precision, Hayato unsheathes his blade and speaks its name.
“[Lightning Cut]”
The strike slices through both the railgun’s projectile and the monster, its remnants streaking behind.
Click.
As Hayato sheaths his blade, the entire scenery before him shifts horizontally in a perfect line.