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“Oh, what a cute little boy. Are you lost? It’s okay, come here. Where are your mommy and daddy? Uncle here will guide you… to the world of death—!”
“The Bishop!? Impossible! This kid? Huh? Wait, where’s my head?”
“The Trial of Death! Ah, beloved Goddess of Death! Grant us the trial of your—”
“There was supposed to be someone from the Black Hand! Call them, quick!”
“No, it’s no good! Even when I rang the summoning bell, there’s no response…! The kid!? What!? On the ceiling!? Clinging to it!?”
“W-What is this creature!? An apostle of a foreign god!? How did they sniff us out!?”
“AAAAAH!? Rats!? Rats are eating me!?”
“A summoned beast unaffected by a 3-verse spell!? Ridiculous! Only a first-class mage could pull off something like that!”
“A magic knight assassin!? Is the church regretting letting those three go now!?”
“That’s why I told you! We shouldn’t perform the ritual near Holga Village! The Seven Gods will come to crush us!!”
“Fools! The Seven Gods are—! Ah, damn it! Who betrayed us!?”
“…Could it be? Are they here to rescue those three!? You filthy dogs of the Seven Gods! Servants of death, arise! To fulfill the end of the Seven Prophecies, we are—!”
“…Reincarnated hero. It’s too late. Control, war, famine… all have embraced the Goddess of Death’s hold. The prophecy shall be fulfilled by us, the Cult of Worms—”
“Ah! The deputy bishop is dead too! Damn it…! Activating Gift, ‘Agents of Death’! Come, my skeletal soldiers! Wha—why!? Why are they coming towards me!?”
“The Gift has gone berserk! The skeletal soldiers are coming this way! NOOOO!”
“No… This kid isn’t the reincarnated hero! They weren’t in the cathedral at that time—”
Splat. Crack. Squish.
Squeak squeak!
《All personnel of the Cult of Worms inside the cave have been exterminated》
《Points have been added to your Skill Tree for the occupation: Shaman》
《Due to your occupation as a Shaman, all your magical power has been converted to ‘Curse Power’》
《The skill ‘Magic Manipulation and Enhancement’ has evolved into ‘Curse Manipulation’》
Inside the cave, there were bodies of people in black robes lying around. They attacked as soon as they saw me, so I dealt with them…
“Hmm. That creepy pretty guy earlier was the strongest. The rest were nothing.”
Snort
Squeak
The boar was gulping down the dead bodies of the ones I defeated. The rat, well… while I wasn’t looking, it had multiplied like crazy. The swarm of rats was cleaning up the bodies neatly.
“Hmm… This mask, the shaman occupation, and this Gift… Could this be related to the ‘Formula Creation’ skill from Life Field?”
I considered the power that was becoming more and more familiar to me.
The ability called ‘Formula Creation’ is something that exists in Life Field.
But, Zodiac Exorcism Ritual?
This was a power that had originally existed in my Gift…
Was this in the game?
There are a lot of things I don’t fully understand. Why do Life Field’s skills and occupations exist in this world anyway?
But then again, in light novel stories about game reincarnation, most don’t address that stuff too deeply…
Wait a second.
Unfamiliar powers, a world that feels off…
“Hmm… That’s kind of cool in its own way. Makes me feel like an untouchable rogue villain.”
I looked around again. The people in black robes, zombies, skeleton-like figures—they were all grinning as they attacked me. I hunted down all these creatures and arrived here.
“…Is this some kind of black magic occult ritual?”
What a gruesome sight.
A bunch of dead animals. Creatures I’d never seen before, maybe monsters? In a large hall-like space, there was something that looked like a magic circle, drawn in blood.
But the worst thing of all—
“Ugh.”
“…”
“……”
“………”
I had found something terrible.
Three eerie crucifixes made of something that looked like bone.
“…Ah, finally, we can die.”
“Heh, heh heh… My theory wasn’t wrong…”
“…I want to drink blood, but if I do, I’ll live again…”
“Ugh, ugh.”
I muttered to myself twice without meaning to.
What are these things? People?
Three humanoid figures were crucified on each of the three crosses. Their condition was horrible.
If this were a movie, it’d definitely be rated 18+.
If I had to say whether they were alive or dead… barely dead.
Their arms and legs were starting to rot, and… ugh, the cloth around their eyes, it’s drenched in blood.
…Were their eyes gouged out?
“…Is someone there?”
“…Ah, at last… it’s over…”
“…I want to die.”
“Wow.”
There’s a tragic air about this.
As expected of this terrible world where bandits and thieves constantly cross your path.
It’s packed with revolting, gut-churning events.
“This reeks of Life Field…”
This unflinching cruelty.
That game, where almost every quest had a death route or a total party wipe ending, feels just like this.
That game company really has no regard for human emotions when it comes to their storylines.
“…The smell of death, you’ve finally come for us…”
“…It’s a shame I can’t see it, but I know. Something terrifying has come…”
“…Ahaha, finally we can die, Goddess of Death… Hmm, strangely, you smell kind of masculine.”
What are these guys?
From what they’re saying… it seems like they want to die.
Hmm.
It’s not like the black robes or bandits earlier, where I could just kill them off with a curse.
Maybe I should talk to them?
I, wearing an elder’s mask, quietly spoke to the crucified ones.
“Hear me, crucified ones.”
What am I even saying? My vocabulary is embarrassing.
“…Who are you?”
“…You’re not the Goddess of Death…?”
“Heh… Wh-What… A case of mistaken identity…”
The Goddess of Death…? That sounds… very villainous.
So, these guys have been waiting for that?
Hmm.
The rule in Life Field is to kill all enemies in a cave once it’s been cleared, but…
“…Kill me.”
“Huh?”
“…You’re there, aren’t you? In front of me. I don’t know who you are, but… I can’t hear the cult’s voices anymore. You killed them, didn’t you…?”
“Heh… There were a few Black Fingers, but you took care of them, huh. Not bad, traveler…”
“Are you going to kill me?”
Oh. They started talking all at once.
…It’s hard to follow when three of them talk at the same time.
Whatever.
“Very well, I already know what you wish for.”
“…Huh?”
Life Field Commonality Number One.
“There are hopelessly depressing events strewn about like pebbles.”
Beginners take each of these depressing events seriously and end up breaking their hearts. The veterans, however, are different. All things are impermanent. Not getting too emotionally involved can be one way to pay your respects.
“…Good. There’s no need to say anything. Your wishes will be granted.”
“Player. It is time to choose. Before you are pitiful souls who wish for death. Show them the answer from your world.”
Even the mysterious voice seems to be getting into it.
Hmm… In truth, I’d like to help them, but… if I have the Omen Mask, maybe I also have the healing items I acquired in the game inside my item box… But ever since then, it hasn’t responded.
Even in this week of training, I haven’t done anything like healing someone else.
To give peace to someone who can’t be saved, who whispers that they want to die… Yeah, that’s the real bad guy’s move.
“Sleep now, pitiful souls…”
I gather magical energy into my hands and touch the crucifix.
That life I used to have, getting beaten by my former classmates, the would-be heroes, while being homeless…
I’ve practiced magic control quite a bit. And its nature as well.
“It seems you possess Cursed Power, player.”
…Is that so? Well, whatever.
It seems like someone else’s cursed power would harm the body. They’re already this weak. Simply channeling cursed power into them, not as an attack, should be enough to finish them off.
“…Ah.”
“This is… magic power… no, it’s different…? Denser, smoother…”
Bwoooom.
The girls crucified are enveloped in a black light, cursed power as dark as ink.
I suppose they had their own personal hell. Not that I have any way to know or any reason to empathize.
“Farewell.”
I increase the cursed power further and close my eyes. I hear no screams or cries of pain. There’s nothing more I can do for them but at least end it without suffering. That’s good enough, right?
“I see, so that is your choice. Not a simple death, but to walk a harsh life. Hm, you truly are fascinating, player.”
Huh? What’s with the weird reaction from the guide?
Snap.
Huh. What was that noise?
I stop manipulating the cursed power and open my eyes.
“…Seriously?”
All three crosses have broken. And right in front of me—
“…Huh?”
“The marks… they’re gone?”
“No way… the Seal of Death… it’s, g-gone…?”
Before me are three incredibly beautiful girls.
White hair, red hair, black hair.
From their long, flowing hair peek out faces, small, and so unrealistically beautiful they seem like dolls.
“The wounds… they’re gone?”
“Impossible… Wounds inflicted by the power of death are supposed to never heal…”
“A-ahaha… I-I’m… I’m no longer… undead…”
The raggedly dressed girls stand there in disbelief. The wounds they had while they were crucified… are gone?
Wait, what? This isn’t how it was supposed to go.
I was trying to play the role of a villain, coolly granting their wish for a peaceful death.
Well, I guess if they’re alive, it’s fine.
Hmm, in a way, this feels like a whimsical villain move. Having control over life and death, even deciding whether others live or die… Not bad at all—
“WHY?!!”
“Whoa.”
The cave shakes. Their voices stir the very world, as though it’s trembling.
“—Why are we still alive?! Why did you save us!!??”
“Hahaha!! Hahahahahaha!! So, is this what the world has in store for us?! Even death won’t be granted to us?! We’re not allowed to rid ourselves of this cursed fate—is that it?!”
“Ahh, the hunger returns… the craving grows… I wanted to die… I just wanted to dieeeee!!”
Boom.
Their magic power swells. So thick and intense, it’s now visible.
White, red, black.
Their magical energy erupts like a volcanic explosion.
Glimpse.
White hair, red hair, black hair. Two eyes each—six golden eyes in total—glaring right at me.
“—Why did you heal us?”
Uh-oh.
This situation just got a whole lot more complicated.
