"Much as I'd love to dive into the main topic, lil bro's clever tricks have made it tough for other Outer Gods to track us down right away."
"By the way, how long is 'right away'? A few minutes, tens of minutes, or maybe hours? Hmm, any of those could be possible. After all, the only Outer Gods who'd notice a dimensional shift immediately are us three, the strongest, plus maybe one or two others. The rest would probably have to turn Earth upside down before they'd even think of it."
"Though Daoloth's interference played a part, for beings as ancient as us Outer Gods to be outwitted by lil bro… that's pretty embarrassing."
Surveying the world sealed off by a unique dimension, Nyarlathotep couldn't help but let out a mocking scoff.
"But that gives us some extra time alone."
"Oh, right, lil bro. Before we showed up, you'd already met some Outer Gods, hadn't you? They seemed pretty ill-tempered, right?"
"Daoloth, Yog-Sothoth, and…"
Roy didn't hide anything.
"Heh, Nug and Yeb aren't surprising. Those two are too young, impulsive, and easily manipulated by other Outer Gods. Their reckless, annoying personalities are the worst. As for Daoloth, she probably caught wind of Yog-Sothoth's little scheme and jumped in to stir the pot."
"But, lil bro, haven't you wondered why they treated you so differently from us? Why they're so eager to capture you, unlike our leniency?"
Roy raised an eyebrow, his face pensive. He hadn't considered this.
Since these beings appeared, he'd been too busy fleeing for his life to ponder their motives.
But the answer wasn't hard to deduce. He glanced at Nyarlathotep's half-smiling face, then at the silent Yog-Sothoth, recalling the Outer Gods who'd blocked his path. The answer crystallized in his mind.
"It's about factions… or rather, differing stances, isn't it?"
"Haha, as expected of lil bro! Sharp as ever. Talking to someone clever makes explaining so easy. You're spot-on. I mentioned before that some Outer Gods don't want you to know the truth, but I'm with the faction that believes you should know everything. Others might think you'd be happier, easier to control, ignorant and compliant. Your existence is tricky: we can't harm or force you. This planet's your cage, but no Outer God dares threaten it to gamble with you!!"
Nyarlathotep's tone shifted, firm and resolute, as she turned to Shub-Niggurath beside her.
Shub-Niggurath nodded. "Exactly. Nyarlathotep's right."
"This planet is a cage to restrain you, to keep you from going all-out or breaking everything. But using it as leverage is foolish, laughable. Tying the ark that can carry all Outer Gods to a single planet? It's absurd."
"Your ability to stand here calmly and talk with us is remarkable. Different opinions exist, but any Outer God daring to threaten you with the planet or those you cherish is truly stupid. If you went for mutual destruction, you'd lose a planet and lives insignificant to us, but we'd lose our only hope. The stakes are wildly uneven. Some Outer Gods questioned this initially, but once your status awakened slightly, pulling the planet's timelines toward a single, precise one centered on you, they relaxed a bit."
"At least this planet's unique to you, though the stakes are still far from equal."
Shub-Niggurath's gaze lingered on Roy's wavering eyes as she continued, "You don't need to fear tragedy. To avoid provoking you, we tread carefully on this planet. But as I said, we're split into two factions. Though our goal's the same, our paths to it diverge, leading to conflicting actions."
"Exactly, lil bro. Simply put, some Outer Gods with opposing views want to grab you before we do, hold you in their grasp, and make you comply. They won't truly harm you but will trick or intimidate you into helping. Securing your promise first is their win, settling everything before you learn the truth or choose."
"Originally, I planned to swoop in like a mysterious girl in an anime or light novel, saving the endangered protagonist, fleeing with him, dodging enemies, awakening his powers through battles, and bonding along the way…"
"But that heroine role was meant for me, and Yog-Sothoth stole it! So infuriating!"
Nyarlathotep shot a glance at the quiet Yog-Sothoth, huffing in irritation.
Yog-Sothoth, unfazed by Nyarlathotep's frustration, stared back impassively.
"That's why we made such a dramatic entrance to vent our displeasure. Sorry, lil bro, we might've scared you, but it was mostly to spook Yog-Sothoth. If you weren't here, I'd have thrown down with her for real. Honestly, your wariness of us is unnecessary. You can sense we genuinely care for you, right?"
Roy nodded silently after Nyarlathotep's words.
Though reluctant to fully trust her, he couldn't deny her lack of malice, at least for now.
"lil bro, you know our personalities, tempers, and thought patterns aren't something humans or lifeforms can fathom. Our ability to talk seriously with you is thanks to your body, your emotions gave us true feelings."
Nyarlathotep gestured to her petite frame.
"When you shattered the Holy Grail's core with the Second Magic, touching the Swirl of the Root, your tempting body fragmented across time and space. We, anticipating, or orchestrating, this, seized those fragments, using them as vessels to create our current forms. Your emotions and style infected us, drawing us closer to you. The more we took, the stronger it became."
"So I genuinely like you, truly, deeply. This feeling spans familial, friendly, romantic, and even deeper… indescribable bonds. Shub-Niggurath's the same, hence her intense gaze. Yog-Sothoth's just suppressing her emotions with that perverse rationality. She foresaw this, took measures without telling us, a blatant betrayal."
"Heh, but Mommy doesn't think this love's wrong. The deeper it is, the more thrilling the novel sensation."
Shub-Niggurath took over, answering.
Though aware Yog-Sothoth had outmaneuvered them, she liked the outcome. True emotions and cognition were distinct.
"Outer Gods are merely creations born from energy spilling from Father's dream. As the highest beings in this dream, we can't possess the fiery emotions of mortals or lesser lifeforms. That's why we're so obsessed with you. This unprecedented experience, plus the hope of a new world, lil bro, do you grasp your significance to us?"
"Thanks to you, we're in a peculiar state, straddling Outer God and lesser lifeform."
This state wasn't about body or power but mentality.
Outer Gods are hollow beings or thrill-seeking monsters. Why? Simple.
Their power is infinite, yet in this universal framework, they're immobilized, moving cautiously as if on thin ice. Watching and seeking amusement to ease their prisoner's life is all they can do.
When something sparked genuine care and new emotional experiences, their frenzy and excitement were inevitable.
Nyarlathotep and Shub-Niggurath, being the strongest, claimed the most fragments, deepening their infection and complex attachment to Roy.
So…
If Shub-Niggurath was right, she and Nyarlathotep were absolutely trustworthy, potential allies to counter reckless Outer Gods.
They'd been candid, revealing everything to Roy from the start.
But…
"That's not the point."
After listening to their self-centered ramblings, Roy sighed, countering wearily.
"Huh?"
Nyarlathotep and Shub-Niggurath, mid-emotional tirade, froze, looking at Roy with puzzled expressions.
Not important?
They'd bared the Outer Gods' secrets, yet it wasn't what he wanted? How odd…
Curiosity stirred, eager to hear what crucial intel Roy sought.
"Thanks for laying it all out so clearly, it helped me understand a lot. But can we focus on what I need to know? Save the emotional venting for later. I don't just want your changes or dynamics. Give me direct intel, like how I become this ark to take you to the new world, or what I lose and gain as the ark. Practical, rewarding details, okay?"
"I'm not here for your family drama. I just want solutions, fast."
"What?"
Nyarlathotep and Shub-Niggurath exchanged surprised glances, then turned to the silent Yog-Sothoth.
Seeing her shake her head darkly, they realized she hadn't shared the critical details. They'd been so caught up in showing off for Roy that they forgot to ask what he truly wanted.
Ranting, performing, and venting emotions, things they'd never done before. Given this rare chance, they'd gone overboard, swept away by the thrill, losing focus.
Normally, they transmitted infinite energy directly into minds, conveying complex ideas instantly, like computer data. Expressing themselves through human speech and emotions, veering wildly near the topic's edge, was a feat just to finish coherently.
Being called out mid-rant was, unsurprisingly, awkward…
"Fine…"
"Let me explain."
Nyarlathotep sighed, reluctant to shift gears, but Yog-Sothoth, observing silently, spoke up expressionlessly, ready to deliver the final explanation.
"Wait! Yog-Sothoth, that's my job! Don't steal my spotlight! The heroine's on stage, NPCs should know their place and clear out!!"
Nyarlathotep voiced her fierce objection.
Yog-Sothoth responded with a massive eye-roll.
"…"
Their childish bickering, like kids fighting over a toy, made Roy raise an eyebrow.
He thought: Are these really Outer Gods?
But,
Shub-Niggurath sighed helplessly and said, "Even if we wanted to explain, there's no time. The final decision's here."
"What are you talking about? Dodging the main issue with 'final decision'? Are you all messing with me?"
Roy frowned at Shub-Niggurath's words.
"Don't worry, child. Mommy won't lie to you."
"No, Roy, look over there…"
Arcueid tugged his sleeve, pointing to the artificial lake rippling unnaturally and the trembling Nordic mountains beyond…
Crack… Crack… Crack!!
A low, piercing sound, like shattering glass, echoed in Roy's ears, no, across the Wandering Sea's skies.
Palpable spacetime fluctuations…
And a deadly sensation, as if hunted, made Roy's brow furrow.
"Something's coming…"
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Hi guys, Elenea here! I just want to announce that starting now I'll be trying to focus on my own original fanfic, which I've been thinking about for the past few days (lol I really mulled this over briefly for a few days and decided I'm going to make it a full novel).
[Worse Than the Devil (DxD)]
Synopsis:
Devil.
An evil and chaotic creature, born from hell, which are often a scapegoat for humans. Blamed for the atrocities they themselves commit.
"The devil made me do it."
A phrase always uttered by humans after committing crimes, casting blame and responsibility for their wrongdoings onto the devil.
But not all humans are like that, for there is one man who would gleefully commit atrocities that would be condemned by all of human history and accept the blame and responsibility for those wrongs with open arms.
His name is Michael, but in stark contrast to the meaning of his name 'Who is like God' he is not a devout man who draws near to God's embrace. Instead… he is the one who sends lost sheep to meet God's embrace much faster.
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Btw, a quick note before you decide to read, if you have a heart as pure as glass, I suggest you don't read this because it REALLY gets dark to early. The first chapter will give you a little idea of what I might explore later on in this fanservice harem-themed world like DxD.
Adios!