Surviving without God

Bright morning sunlight painted the fields in golden tones.

— Gunther! Sleep well?

Gunther silently looked at the girl who had come up to him and nodded.

— Well. And you?

— ...Huh?

Yor froze for a moment at such a friendly reply and widened her eyes, then immediately broke into a smile.

— I slept great. You’re in an unusually good mood today, aren’t you?

— My heart feels calmer.

— When you smile, you’re even more handsome...

— Thanks for that.

...Thanks? Ryan, wondering what had gotten into him, turned toward Gunther and muttered:

— What’s with you being so polite today? Eat something weird?

— What are you staring at, freak?

— Ah, never mind.

At that very moment someone strode up to them sharply. Eddie. On a normal day, it would surely have ended in a vicious exchange. However, he only shot a glare toward Gunther and walked past in silence, leaving behind a bit of grumbling that didn’t even amount to a proper jab.

— Hmph, being polite right up until the very last day. Waste of money spent on mercenaries.

— ...Looks like that gentleman ate something strange too.

Gunther looked in turn at the retreating Eddie, at Yor smiling while leaning on the windowsill, and at the bewildered Ryan. Images from past lives flashed rapidly before his eyes... and faded.

[The King of Ninety-Five Defeats is watching you]

[Alphonse of Red ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Street theatrically wipes away tears]

[The Drug-Addicted Saint says she wants to pat you on the back]

It had been a hard road. Eleven deaths and battles. Even for him, with his iron will, there were many times he wanted to throw everything away. But in the end, he made it.

[Karma Volume: 653]

Far beyond the unreachable number of 500 units. With a storm of emotions on his face, Gunther looked at the status window.

“...Knight-King.”

So it was time to put an end to this damn first chapter of the first act.

“I will offer 500 Karma as a sacrifice.”

.

.

.

[The King of Ninety-Five Defeats wants to make you one special proposal]

***

D-d-d-d-d-d—!

From the sudden vibration and noise, members of the “Silver Compass” merchant guild and the mercenaries all lifted their heads at once. From beyond the hill, a massive cloud of dust was rushing straight toward them.

— ...What is that, bandits?

— Bold bastards, we’re almost at the gates of a border city.

Of course, there was no panic. This was the Badlands. A place where nothing was surprising.

— Let’s drive them off quickly.

However, their calm and fighting spirit didn’t last long. The moment a bluish-black flash flared from the sword of the man who charged into the vanguard, a scream of terror rang out.

— Divine power?!

Chaos spread instantly.

— ...A paladin, it’s a paladin!

— Oh God, it’s the Luthien Army!

— Why the hell are they here?!

Why would the Holy Army attack an ordinary caravan? Sure, everyone knew that believers despised pagans. But such a large-scale attack in a neutral zone was complete absurdity.

— Father... are you okay?

— Yor.

Kalian looked at his daughter with trembling eyes. The Holy Army was coming. That meant only one thing — his identity had been exposed. He didn’t know why. Perhaps there was a traitor in the organization, or perhaps he had left traces somewhere. But the reasons didn’t matter now.

“Why now of all times!..”

This journey had been undertaken to heal his daughter. It was his personal matter, not an operation of the organization, so he had used only the caravan’s forces, not wanting to burden the already manpower-strapped “Night Raven.” That decision, however, led to an irreparable tragedy.

“...There’s no chance of survival.”

Indescribable despair washed over Kalian.

“I have to kill myself.”

He couldn’t allow himself to be dragged into the Theocracy’s torture chambers. He took pride in his resistance to pain, but the Theocracy’s torture was on another level. No matter how firm his spirit, he wouldn’t be able to keep the organization’s secrets for long. If that happened, the organization that had only just spread its wings would suffer a crushing blow. ...He couldn’t be captured. No matter what.

Rustle—

With trembling hands, Kalian pulled a small wooden box from inside his clothes. Inside was a suicide pill. He broke it in half and held it out to his daughter.

— ...F-father?

— ...Swallow it.

— W-what is this?

— Don’t argue, swallow it, now!

Kalian knew too well how cruel the Theocracy’s hounds were. Even his ignorant daughter would be subjected to inhuman torment simply because she was his flesh and blood.

“This is the right thing.”

Giving poison to his daughter... every second turned into hell. Kalian squeezed his eyes shut and thrust out his hand.

— Now!

— Father, calm down first...

— I said, swallow it!

— No, look outside first...

— Yor! 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

At that very moment, Yor knocked the poison pill out of his hand onto the ground.

— NO!!!! Stop shoving this disgusting stuff at me and just look at what’s happening outside!!!!

— ...Huh?

Contrary to Kalian’s thoughts, something utterly unimaginable was unfolding outside.

***

[Skill “Knightly Swordsmanship” Lv. 2 is temporarily replaced with “Swordsmanship of the Knight-King” Lv. 10]

[Stigma “Raising One’s Head” is temporarily replaced with Stigma “Gazing from Above”]

[New skills temporarily acquired]

*Forced Defeat Lv. 5

*Eyes of the Tyrant Lv. 10

*Ninety-Nine Imperial Swords Lv. 1

*Time to Cleanse...

Cold, silvery energy flowed through his bones. The Stigma ignited from his fingertips, up his forearms, shoulders, and throughout his body. His heart pounded as if it were about to explode, his vision dimming and clearing in turns.

But there was no pain. On the contrary, his body filled with heat, and a storm-like power surged from deep within. As if in a dream, Gunther grasped that power in his hands. And swung his sword without mercy.

S-s-s-wsh—!

[Skill “Swordsmanship of the Knight-King” Lv. 10 activated]

Sword energy? A gust of wind? He didn’t know what to call what burst from the blade. An incorporeal force with incredible cutting power swept everything before it away.

Whik—

The paladins of the Holy Army caught in its path all thought at the same time:

“What is that sound?”

It wasn’t the clang of metal or the sharp crash of an impact. The sound was too smooth. Like tailor’s scissors cutting silk, it stood out from the noise of battle and stabbed into their ears. And then—

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Twenty heads rolled across the ground.

“.......”

“.......”

For a moment, even breathing froze on the battlefield. Allies were no exception. Everyone stood still, forgetting to swing their weapons, staring at Gunther with wide eyes.

— ...Gu-Gunther?

— How is this even...

— This is insane...

There was no need to mention the paladins. Those who had expected a one-sided slaughter now only rolled their eyes, glancing at one another. On their faces was the expression of a hunter whose throat had been seized by a rabbit. But Gunther had no strength to pay them any attention.

Ding—! Ding—! Ding—!

Dozens of system sounds overlapped. Gunther began reading the messages flashing rapidly before his eyes.

[The Karma you offered as a sacrifice is being absorbed by the “King of Ninety-Nine Defeats”]

[Changes are occurring within the divine essence of the “King of Ninety-Nine Defeats”]

[His rank is temporarily increased]

[He temporarily regains his former majestic form]

It was hard to grasp. Karma affected a god’s “rank”? And his former majestic form? Then one message in particular seized his attention.

[An exalted divine essence, responding to your call, descends into this world]

“...Descent?”

Only then did Gunther come to his senses.

“What just happened to me?”

Several deep breaths. As the heat and dizziness pressing down on his body began to subside, Gunther finally grasped the situation. Where the center of his consciousness had wavered, “something” had settled. As if guided by an invisible force, he called out:

“...Knight-King.”

[Gunther, you came to your senses faster than I expected]

The voice was low and deep. It didn’t sound in his ears. It pressed directly into his brain, leaving an echo hard to distinguish from his own thoughts. Gunther clenched his teeth at the eerie presence.

“Am I in a state of divine descent right now?”

[Exactly so]

Gunther finally recalled what had happened five minutes earlier.

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats offers temporary descent in exchange for 500 Karma]

Descent was a phenomenon in which a god temporarily incarnated within the body of a mortal. The summoner could temporarily merge with the god and wield its authority. This function existed in the game, but even Gunther couldn’t remember it being used often.

“Because with ordinary offerings, it never happens.”

Such an option only opened after completing special events or finishing that god’s scenario, when you became its “apostle.”

“...And this is possible in the first chapter of the first act?”

No matter how high his affinity or trust with the Knight-King, descent should be impossible at this stage. ...At least, that was what he believed.

“Karma...”

Gunther suppressed a laugh and lowered his head.

“...Just how far do the possibilities of this ability go?”

At that moment, when a dangerously thrilling sensation ran up his spine—

[Act]

Gunther instinctively snapped his head up.

— Dieeeee!

A paladin’s sword, wrapped in black radiance, was plunging swiftly toward his head. There wasn’t a trace of carelessness on the distorted face of the enemy. A blow imbued with all available divine power. In past lives, he would have had to sacrifice at least an arm or a leg to survive. ...But not now.

[Skill “Eyes of the Tyrant” Lv. 10 activated]

U-u-u-um—!

His vision distorted. The world flowed slowly, like in a viscous nightmare, yet everything became strikingly clear, as if seen through to the core. At the moment when the sword strike, once hard to follow, now seemed as slow as a shadow in water, Gunther saw something strange.

“This is...?”

Red lines wrapped around the paladin. Gaps in the armor, joints, the artery in the neck. These lines vibrated faintly, indicating in real time his vulnerabilities and moments of carelessness. They weren’t merely weak points.

“I can see the most fatal flaws this bastard doesn’t even know he has.”

Acceleration of perception and vulnerability detection. What monstrous power. But instead of striking those “lines,” Gunther lowered his sword.

“I can’t let him off so easily.”

Instead of his sword, he had something better.

Tick—!

“.......”

“.......”

A moment of silence. The paladin stared blankly at his sword, clamped between Gunther’s fingers. Gunther finally smiled broadly.

— Peekaboo.

[The Corpulent King hurriedly turns away, avoiding your gaze]

Tzz-zz-zz-zz—

The black radiance enveloping the enemy’s blade faded. The paladin’s face turned pale. He realized that the god’s blessing supporting him, the power he believed to be absolute, was no longer protecting him.

— Oh, God...

It was just a phrase, but it contained everything. The despair of one who has collapsed before overwhelming power. The terror of one who foresees death. Exactly what he had delighted in inflicting on Gunther and his companions in a past life.

— Bastard...

Thump—!

With a blow to the knee, Gunther forced the paladin to drop to his knees and grinned.

— Be glad you only have to die once.

The sword traced a light arc.

.

.

.

Ding—!

[Congratulations! The forces of the Holy Army threatening the “Silver Compass” caravan have been routed]

[Act 1, Chapter 1 — Completed!]

[MVP — Gunther Sirhe]

[Calculating clear rank...]

[Stage reward will be granted shortly]

[※ Due to results exceeding expectations, additional rewards are being adjusted. Calculation may take a little longer]