Southern Continent, Slane Theocracy.
In a vast, dimly lit hall, the high-ranking officials of the Theocracy, all clad in robes, gathered in tense and heated discussion.
The conquerors from another world had issued an ultimatum.
According to scouts, most of the surrounding human empires had already submitted to the Starsea Empire.
Those few who tried to resist to the end were met with devastating force.
Judging by the sheer power displayed and the starships—unlike anything they'd ever seen—hovering in the sky, there was no doubt. This was a "player."
The existence of otherworlders was no secret to the Slane Theocracy. Ancient texts clearly documented that every so often, people from other worlds crossed over into this one.
Six hundred years ago, they were called the "Six Great Gods." Five hundred years ago, the "Eight Greed Kings." Then came the era of Demon Gods and the Thirteen Heroes.
In the Slane Theocracy, these players and their descendants had a more fitting title: "Godkin."
To the natives, their power was divine.
Those descended from the Godkin inherited part of the gods' power, allowing them to surpass the natural limits of ordinary humans.
Take, for instance, the strongest forces in the Baharuth Empire and the Kingdom of Re-Estize—the Warrior Captain Gazef and the Four Imperial Knights—they had barely stepped into the "Hero" tier.
Level 30 or so, which was the limit for most humans.
Meanwhile, the strongest Godkin in the Theocracy had reached level 88, far beyond human limits.
With proper gear, they could battle max-level guardians.
When a Godkin and a normal human mated, their offspring inherited only a portion of the divine bloodline.
After a few generations, the bloodline diluted, fading into the common populace.
However, if a Godkin were to mate with a player—a true "god" from another world—their offspring could be unimaginably powerful.
"There is no doubt. The one who has declared war on the entire world and seeks to unify this continent is a newly arrived god."
"His power is completely different from the Six Great Gods, the Eight Greed Kings, and the Thirteen Heroes, but equally formidable. Even the Platinum Dragon Lord is no match."
"We must seize this opportunity."
At the head of the meeting table, a high priest in ornate robes shook his head with regret.
"Such a pity, such a shame. Among all our Godkin who meet the conditions for union, only Antilene qualifies..."
The Theocracy's strongest unit, the "Black Scripture," contained three Godkin.
The Captain of the Black Scripture, the Grand Priest, and Antilene.
The first two were men. Only Antilene, an auxiliary member, fit the criteria.
Technically, they could gamble and send one of the male Godkin, but that risked offending the god and getting someone killed. Better not to try.
"If we could unite Antilene with the otherworldly god and form a marriage alliance with the Starsea Empire, then in the future, our nation would have a Godkin army of immense power."
"Their descendants would have even stronger divine bloodlines, possibly nearing true godhood."
Another high priest's eyes gleamed with fanaticism as he imagined this glorious future.
Unlike the foolish locals in the kingdoms and empires, the Slane Theocracy understood the danger these otherworlders posed. They had no intention of waging war.
Only a fool would challenge a "god"—their upper limits weren't even on the same scale.
"We must find a way to forge good relations with the god. Send Antilene to meet him. Didn't she reject all the suitors we arranged for her?"
"Perhaps only a true god will meet her standards. Tch."
The hall erupted in chatter.
"What if the god doesn't fancy Antilene?"
A priest blurted out suddenly.
"Impossible. The line of men wanting to marry Antilene stretches from the Grand Temple all the way to the Baharuth Empire's coliseum."
"Though none of them are truly worthy."
The High Priest dismissed the idea flatly.
As the strongest warrior in the entire Slane Theocracy, she wasn't just going to be handed over to any random pig.
If Antilene didn't agree, neither would the Theocracy.
He paused briefly:
"Or perhaps we can find a few others?"
"Even if one side is just a normal person, their offspring would still carry half the Godkin bloodline. That alone would be an incredible power..."
"Go, have the Black Scripture and the Sunlight Scripture find some suitable girls to send to the god."
...
The high-ranking officials of the Slane Theocracy debated deep into the night.
The meeting finally ended at midnight.
Inside the great hall.
A girl with shoulder-length hair leaned lazily against a wall, idly playing with a Rubik's Cube.
Her features were delicate and flawless, her skin pale and smooth. She wore a light yellow long-sleeved top with metallic bracers reinforcing the gloves and arms.
Below, she wore a black pleated skirt and black stockings, the outfit clinging to her well-proportioned figure with a strength that only a warrior could possess.
Most striking of all was her split-colored hair and heterochromatic eyes.
The right half of her hair was black, the left silver-white, while her eyes were the opposite—one black, one white.
The interwoven colors gave her already stunning face an added touch of mystery.
She was the strongest warrior of the Theocracy, the off-roster member of the Black Scripture, humanity's final guardian—Antilene.
Step—Step—Step—
Seeing the captain of the Godkin team return from the meeting, the girl continued to toy with her Rubik's Cube and spoke coolly:
"So? What happened? All the High Priests gathered at once."
"I should've submitted my report already."
The armored captain sighed.
"Didn't read it. Easier to ask someone who knows the details."
Antilene didn't even look his way, her voice calm.
"Even the Starseer can't divine the identity of the new arrival?"
"No. Our magic tiers aren't high enough. It doesn't work on a higher-level Godkin."
The captain shook his head, then directly explained the situation to Antilene:
"The High Priests want you to marry the Godkin and bear children for the country."
Click —
The Rubik's Cube in the girl's hand paused briefly.
In the Slane Theocracy, the High Priests often proposed a rather peculiar slogan for the Godkin:
"Bear children for the nation."
The idea was that the more Godkin descendants they produced, the stronger the Theocracy would become.
It sounded like they were treating the Godkin as tools. Antilene didn't particularly care.
"Interesting. Finally, a man who can surpass me?"
"Let's hope he doesn't disappoint..."
She reached back and caressed the scythe strapped behind her, a chilling smile creeping onto her face.
Hiss
The captain involuntarily shuddered.
"So... you're agreeing to this?"
He had expected to at least persuade her.
"Of course."
The girl nodded naturally, gently placing a hand on her abdomen.
"As long as he can surpass me, I don't care how ugly he is, how twisted his personality, or even if he isn't human."
"Because if he's stronger than me, then the child we bear... just imagine how powerful they'd be."
...
Two days later.
Shua —
Musashi launched from the Slane Theocracy.
Onboard the ship were Antilene and over twenty young girls.
It was their first time aboard a space vessel, and they looked around with a mix of curiosity and fear.
"So this is the Godkin weapon? It's huge... and weird."
"Totally different from the other Godkin recorded in the texts."
The girls whispered to one another. Judging by their outfits, most were adventurers or clergy from the Theocracy.
"Hey, don't you think the people of the Slane Theocracy have a screw loose?"
On the bridge, Hakuryuu clicked her tongue as she looked at the trembling humans.
"We clearly said we didn't need them. Why send over so many? Do they think we're ancient barbarian tribes kidnapping people?!"
"...Maybe they're just that obsessed with the Godkin bloodline."
Musashi sighed.
When the natives realized the only way to raise their power ceiling was to mate with players—true gods from another world—no absurdity was off the table.
If the Commander were here, the Theocracy's High Priests would probably ship every girl from the Black and Sunlight Scriptures straight to Setsuna's bedroom.
They couldn't wait to have a few hundred descendants of gods for the Theocracy.
Years later, the Slane Theocracy would undoubtedly become the strongest nation on the continent, unmatched even by beings like the Platinum Dragon Lord.
But in reality...
"Has the Commander had children with anyone else?"
Shinano twitched her ears.
"I think... only with Taihou?"
The shipgirls pondered. In the entire base, Taihou was the only one known to have a child.
"..."
Antilene sat nearby, hugging her scythe with one hand while fiddling with her Rubik's Cube with the other.
She curiously observed her surroundings.
These shipgirls seemed to be companions of the one referred to as the Commander.
"Hey, your Commander... what kind of person is he? Strong?"
Antilene asked casually.
"Of course. The Commander could probably beat a hundred of you without issue."
Musashi glanced sideways at Antilene.
"Ho—"
The black-and-white-haired girl dragged out the sound, noncommittal.
"That's good."
"After all, only someone who can defeat me is qualified to be my husband. If he's too weak, it would be quite troublesome..."
"..."
Musashi figured Antilene was probably used to being a big shot in the Slane Theocracy. She'd never been properly humbled.
"Let me warn you, the Commander is surrounded by powerful individuals."
"If we were ranking by strength... you wouldn't even make the top ten."
"???"
Antilene blinked.
"What do you mean?!"
"It means you'll only be a concubine."
"???"
...
Several dozen minutes later.
The ship arrived below the Eternal Snowfall.
Antilene and the girls looked up. The starship stretched beyond sight.
"Truly a strange god."
"You're keeping that giant metal box flying in the sky nonstop—it must cost a lot of magic, right?"
One of the girls asked while craning her neck.
Pfft
The shipgirls chuckled but didn't answer.
To magic-using natives and tech-oriented ones alike, their perspective on spaceships was always amusingly different.
After entering the hangar, they boarded a shuttle and passed through several kilometers of ship interior.
Finally, atop the bridge, Musashi brought Antilene and the girls sent by the Theocracy to meet Setsuna.
"Commander."
"The Theocracy's offerings have arrived."
"Oh?"
Setsuna turned from the main control console and examined the variously dressed girls before him.
Hiss
The moment they saw him, Antilene and the girls froze briefly.
Handsome features, well-proportioned physique, dressed in a dark uniform.
His aura was entirely unlike that of the ordinary people of this world.
Resolute, decisive, radiating the confidence of a true powerhouse.
This was a Godkin from another world!
Fundamentally different from the locals.
Several girls even breathed small sighs of relief.
Thank goodness the god wasn't an old man or some bizarre-looking creature.
"What is this?"
Setsuna glanced over the group of 20 to 30 girls in front of him.
They were all young, mostly adventurers between levels 10 and 20, and they looked timidly at him.
"The High Priest said they hope we can serve the god... P-please take care of us..."
The lead girl bowed nervously.
"Hah?"
Richelieu and Gudako beside him looked utterly dumbfounded.
They'd seen tributary offerings of resources and goods before, but this was the first time a vassal state had offered up girls.
Their expressions were complicated.
"The Theocracy said they wanted to borrow the Commander's Godkin bloodline... so..."
Musashi explained carefully.
"..."
"Is this a tribute to the suzerain state or am I just a breeding tool now?"
Setsuna's mouth twitched.
He was already struggling to keep up with all the shipgirls, Heroic Spirits, and Spirits back at base. Where would he find time for local girls?
He waved his hand.
"Send them back."
"Understood."
Before the girls could protest, Musashi and a few Angeloids gestured politely.
"Let's go."
"Ehh——"
The local girls left reluctantly, in small groups.
Only Antilene remained.
"You're the Commander?"
She crossed her arms and looked up at him.
"Yes. From now on, you will serve me. Any objections?"
Setsuna asked.
He was somewhat interested in this so-called "strongest human."
"Beat me first. A weak man doesn't deserve me."
With a click, Antilene pulled out her scythe and assumed a battle stance.
"You're just like Esdeath."
Setsuna chuckled and signaled the shipgirls to clear space.
He strolled forward, examining this unusually dressed girl.
"Draw your weapon. Don't worry, I won't ambush you."
Antilene gestured when she saw Setsuna empty-handed.
"Don't need a weapon to deal with you."
Setsuna didn't even bother to draw his sword, standing firm as he signaled her to come at him.
"Tch——"
Antilene felt underestimated for the first time.
She scanned his gear carefully.
Plain uniform. No armor. No detectable magic. Not even a magical item.
No visible equipment or accessories.
He looked poorer than a Bronze-ranked adventurer.
Totally unlike the divine warriors described in texts.
"Time Acceleration. Strength Enhancement (Advanced). Agility Enhancement (Intermediate). Maximum Magic Slashing."
She cast a series of buffs on herself.
Boom!
A sonic boom cracked as she launched a sudden strike.
Shua!
Her cross-shaped scythe, brimming with thunderous force, sliced directly at Setsuna's head.
Antilene held nothing back in battle—not even against a so-called "god."
Next moment—
Pa!
Setsuna casually caught the blade with one hand.
Despite being magically enhanced to cut steel, the scythe didn't even scratch him.
"!!!"
Antilene tried to yank it free, but it didn't budge.
"Immune to slashing...?"
She frowned and activated a mechanism on the weapon.
Clack —
Black mist began to swirl around the scythe.
[Skill: Death is the Final End]
DONG!
A heavy chime echoed as a golden clock appeared behind Antilene.
Click. Click.
Its hands ticked slowly toward midnight.
When they completed a cycle, one of YGGDRAL's most powerful instant-death spells would trigger.
"Oh? You know this? Isn't that Ainz's signature move?"
Setsuna was a little surprised.
"But using instant death spells inside a ship full of civilians is a bad idea."
Pa!
Antilene felt his hand touch her arm.
Boom!!!
A massive force surged through her body.
Before she could even react, she was sent flying dozens of meters and slammed into the bridge wall.
Her spell was instantly interrupted.
Cough, cough——
She coughed up blood and took a while to recover.
She stared at Setsuna, eyes filled with disbelief.
He hadn't used any flashy magic or advanced gear.
He defeated her barehanded with just strength and speed.
Was that even possible?!
So this was a real Godkin.
Even with her own divine bloodline, she was nothing but an ant before the true gods.
"I didn't hit too hard, right? Can you stand?"
Setsuna glanced her way.
"..."
"I lost. You're stronger than me."
Antilene wiped the blood from her mouth and struggled to her feet using her scythe.
The fierce look on her face was gone, her voice calm and composed.
Step by step, she approached Setsuna and looked up at him.
In her hundred-plus years of life, he was the first man who had completely overpowered her.
With casual ease, he had defeated her. His power was unfathomable.
"From now on, be my husband. You're the only one worthy of me."
"I will follow your orders. I will bear your children."
Antilene flipped her black-and-white hair and leaned lightly against his chest, her expression a twisted mix of obsession and affection.
"Ah... our children... how powerful they would be..."
"Hold it."
Richelieu interrupted her fantasy.
"Just because you want to marry the Commander doesn't mean he's your husband."
"?"
A question mark popped above Antilene's head.
She looked confused.
"You think one fight wins you the top spot? Get real. There are shipgirls, Heroic Spirits, and Spirits still in line."
"Being a personal maid is more your speed."
Gudako clicked her tongue.
"???"
"A queue?!"
Antilene looked horrified.
"Ahem, the childbearing talk can wait."
Setsuna patted her head and called the head maid.
"Before that... go learn the rules around here."
"Be polite to your seniors, understood?"
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