Ubermensch – Chapter 164

Chapter 164

For the next few days.

“…There’s no news.”

The Oztalon Pantheon, led by Mason, was essentially a task force dedicated to rescuing places attacked by the Destroyer.

However, whether he had reduced the frequency of his attacks or changed his tactics, no worlds under attack by the Destroyer had been detected.

Wondering if it was a difference in information gathering capabilities, Mason visited Nodens and asked, but Nodens also said he hadn’t found any signs of attacks.

“Well, let’s think positively.”

Deroa said, sipping her whiskey.

“The Destroyer must have been hit hard this time, right? Maybe he needs some time to lick his wounds.”

Cú Chulainn shook his head.

“There are two reasons why a beast crouches: when it needs time to heal its wounds, or when it prepares for an attack. Either way, a beast that has tasted human blood does not change. The current peace guarantees only one thing: the fight to come will be harsh.”

Teshub seemed to agree with Cú Chulainn.

“I don’t know about the Destroyer’s personal character, but if he were the type to give up easily, he wouldn’t have walked the path of slaughter until now. We have no choice but to be vigilant.”

Mason nodded.

“That’s true…”

However, it was also true that there was nothing they could do at the moment.

“I’ll go look around.”

“Yes.”

The Solar System.

That was the name of the star system Nodens had given to Mason.

The difference from the real solar system was that people could live on planets other than Earth.

This was thanks to the terraforming done by the Worldship Nymphassil.

“How are you all doing? Anything you need?”

Mason visited each planet and settlement, asking if they needed anything. But the answers were mostly similar.

“Ah, I received it through prayer last time…”

The main deity of the Solar System was Oztalon. If one prayed to the statue of Oztalon and made a wish, it would be granted as long as it wasn’t evil or dangerous.

To be precise, it wasn’t Oztalon who granted the wishes, but the faith in Oztalon that created them.

‘…Well, it’s not bad to be thanked.’

Mason needed power, and people were giving it to him. He wasn’t deceiving or taking anything away. He saved their lives and gave them a place to live. Receiving trust and faith in return was a mutually beneficial transaction.

However, it was also more than just a transaction for Mason.

Mason’s desire was to help and protect people.

Looking at his people living their lives gave him a sense of pride, like an artist facing his masterpiece.

The god prayed.

‘May people’s lives be happy and peaceful.’

He boarded the Champion and returned to his flagship, located near the sun.

Arriving at his room, Mason looked at his hammer and armor. Chong Daolong. Armor and weapons made by a friend from a planet that had now vanished. As Mason’s rank rose, they had become artifacts worthy of a deity, but that didn’t erase the gratitude and longing he felt when he received them.

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Chong Daolong…’

It was at that moment when Mason was stroking his armor.

<...Please protect me... Oztalon...>

It was a small, faint voice, more like a whisper than something he heard. Mason instinctively realized it was a prayer.

Someone, somewhere, was offering a sincere and desperate prayer to Mason.

As Mason listened more intently, a rough coordinate came to mind.

“…Hmm.”

He didn’t feel the presence of the Destroyer.

His anti-Destroyer work was off duty. Then, there was no reason to ignore the person praying.

Mason spoke to Teshub.

“Teshub, I’m going to another dimension for a bit.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Someone’s praying to me.”

“I understand. I will pray if anything happens.”

“Okay.”

Mason put on his armor and grabbed the Lion’s Great Hammer.

That was all the preparation he needed.

As his divinity as the Guardian Deity Oztalon grew, he could now travel between dimensions without relying on the Champion.

“Well then…”

Mason closed his eyes.

Flash!

The next moment, he was standing on a golden heptagram magic circle.

“I have come in response to your prayer. Speak, you who seek my blessing. I am Oztalon, the Guardian Deity Oztalon.”

Mason spoke in a solemn tone, and the nerdy young man standing before him just blinked.

“…Huh? You really came?”

“…What do you mean ‘You really came’?”

Mason grumbled.

“I came because your wish was sincere. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Uh… well… you see…”

While the young man scratched his head, Mason looked around. Roughly the 21st century? The bed had some relatively clean clothes thrown on it, and dusty underwear and socks were scattered everywhere. A typical man’s room.

An ordinary room of an ordinary person. And ordinary people usually don’t experience things that require Oztalon’s blessing.

This is because Oztalon’s domain is protection from evil and violence, not wealth, glory, or health.

Mason looked suspicious.

“…Are you really in danger?”

“Me? No. I’m not in danger.”

Mason grumbled.

“Then why did you pray?”

“There’s this idol I like, and there’s been no news from her for five days. Something must have happened to her.”

“…You’re not in danger yourself, and you prayed because you’re worried about an idol? Desperately enough to summon me?”

“Yes!”

Mason pressed his temples.

‘Is the problem him praying for something like this, or me showing up for something like this?’

Mason felt both anger and self-deprecation at the same time.

However, the young man’s prayer was sincere and earnest. His worry was genuine, at any rate.

Mason tried to reason with him as kindly as possible.

“Maybe the idol is on vacation? Since she’s human.”

“No way. She always gives a notice before going on vacation. There’s no way she’d take a break for this long without any notice.”

“A break?”

“Ah, she’s a VTuber.”

Mason didn’t really want to know. He had a feeling it would be ridiculous. But he had to ask.

“What’s a VTuber…?”

“It’s a YouTuber who uses a character avatar instead of their real appearance.”

The young man operated the computer and opened a file.

There, a small and cute character was singing in a childish voice.

“This is my favorite VTuber, Maisy-chan. She’s a super idol who’s complexed about being 155cm tall and having an A-cup.”

“…”

Anger was starting to well up, but Mason spoke as kindly as he could.

“…Do you have to add ‘-chan’ to her name?”

“Yes. Her full name is ‘Maisy-chan’, so I have to add it.”

“…Sigh.”

After letting out a deep sigh, Mason tried to reason with him.

“Okay. I understand your concern, but wouldn’t it be better to report it to her manager or the police instead of praying to a god?”

“I already did that. They threatened me, saying that being overly interested in someone else’s private life is stalking! I’m sure Maisy-chan is in some kind of serious danger! It must be the work of international Jewish capital or the Freemasons!”

Mason thought seriously.

‘Should I go home?’

This was a blind spot in the prayer system.

Even if it was a conspiracy theory or delusion, if the person truly believed it, it would sound like a sincere prayer to the god listening.

Mason made up his mind.

“…I’m leaving.”

“Huh? Why are you leaving? Weren’t you going to help me?”

“I’m a god. I think the best way I can help you is to schedule a psychiatric appointment…”

“No, I’m telling you, something must have happened to her!”

“Fine. Before I go home, explain why you think that.”

“Maisy-chan is a diligent girl. She wouldn’t take a five-day break without notice.”

“Anything else?”

“And… well…”

After a moment of thought, the young man opened a file.

“Look at this. She usually sings her ending song and ends the stream like this, right?”

“So?”

“But in her last stream, it just suddenly ended without the ending song. Someone must have forced her to turn it off.”

“And?”

“That’s it.”

“I’m leaving.”

Mason attempted to teleport.

At that moment.

Clank!

His body was held back. The heptagram magic circle drawn on the floor held Mason as if it were glue.

“…What did you do?”

“I cast a binding spell on the summoned being. It’s basic, you know? To prevent being attacked by the summoned being.”

“Hey, you summon your god and cast a binding spell on him? Do you think I’m some kind of evil spirit? To have this cast on me?”

“If you don’t help after being summoned, you’re a bad guy.”

Mason was dumbfounded.

This nerd was a ‘wizard’. And a pretty competent one at that.

“Release the binding spell or I’ll get angry.”

“I’m not afraid of you getting angry. The ancient texts say that Oztalon is a noble god who doesn’t harm people.”

“I warned you.”

Mason clenched his fist.

And he punched the magic circle on the floor.

Bang!

The magic circles sparked and resisted Mason’s divine power.

But it was only for a moment. They vanished, along with the magic circle itself.

“Uh…?”

The spell itself had been successfully cast. The problem was, it wasn’t some ordinary evil spirit, but a god. And Oztalon, who received faith across multiple dimensions.

Especially since the wizard himself was a follower of Oztalon.

Trying to confine a god with a spell was no different from trying to stop a wave with a sandcastle.

“Uwaaa…”

“Don’t be scared. I’m not an evil god, am I going to beat up my own follower?”

Looking at the trembling young man, Mason sighed.

“This is my last piece of advice for you as a follower. If you’re worried enough to summon a god, go out and do something yourself.”

Mason grumbled as he got up.

“I guess I’ll have to listen more carefully to the content of the prayers from now on.”

It was at that moment.

“…Hmm?”

Crackle! Crackle!

Something sparked near the window.

An evil spirit? Or a yokai?

It was a spiritual being with malicious intent.

“…Looks like someone’s targeting you?”

It vanished before it could even touch Mason… but conversely, it meant that it had enough power to react to Mason.

If it were an ordinary person, it would have been more than enough to kill them.

“Huh? Me?”

“Would they be targeting me?”

Mason crossed his arms.

Things had gotten strangely complicated. Strangely complicated, but…

“Looks like you’re involved in something dangerous?”

“Huh? Me?”

Mason sighed.

Although the young man hadn’t prayed for his own safety… Mason couldn’t just leave knowing that his follower was in danger.

Especially since he had answered his prayer.

“There’s no helping it. I’ll have to take care of this quickly and go back.”

“Are you going to save Maisy-chan?”

“I’m going to save you. You!”

Mason sighed.

He had a feeling.

A feeling that it was going to be a long day.