WORLD: -
BRANCHED WORLD: POSSIBILITY OF EVERYTHING
LOCATION: OMNISCIENT PERSPECTIVE
[Fourth Calamity: But seriously, all that aside, it's been a long time since we've all come together.]
[Fourth Calamity: I remember the first time we physically met was at Luminous' World. Let's set an appointment there again~]
[Vampire Ancestor: …What devilry are you scheming this time?]
[Fourth Calamity: Rude! Do you think everything I do is so calculated? Who do you think I am? Aizen!?]
[Weakest Undefeated: Who?]
[Fourth Calamity: You wouldn't want to know. Anyways, while I do have a slightly ulterior motive which may or may not put us in trouble, I'll say it's nothing too serious.]
[Vampire Ancestor: …]
[Vampire Ancestor: Get a load of this clown.]
[Weakest Undefeated: Guess you really do have ulterior motives. Laurel, spit it.]
[Fourth Calamity: Ugh, come on, we can't have all action episodes all the time. It's been a while since we relaxed in one spot and stopped talking about world-ending plans or power-ups.]
[Vampire Ancestor: …]
[Weakest Undefeated: …]
[Fallen Heiress: …]
[Maeshvara: …]
[Nightmare: …]
[Fourth Calamity: Oh, come on!]
[Fallen Heiress: Laurel, I have to say, those words you just spoke… I believe you just raised what's called a flag.]
[Vampire Ancestor: What's especially suspicious is that this incorrigible idiot suggested my place first. The last time that happened…]
[Weakest Undefeated: Yeah. Laurel doesn't suggest things like that, and you can bet something will happen.]
[Vampire Ancestor: That idiot is so prone to attracting problems that you never know just what might happen.]
[Fourth Calamity: Details, details. But fine! Rejoice, Luminous. A new Demon Lord will be joining the family soon.]
Even Laurel deadpanned as he said that, and almost immediately, sitting on his iced throne, even he cringed at what he said.
And somehow, he could almost feel Luminous, wherever she was, making an exasperated face.
[Vampire Ancestor: Absolutely not! The gates of my world are closed to you!]
[Fourth Calamity: Boo! And what if I said… it's to save a world?]
[Vampire Ancestor: Ghk—! Don't twist my arm with heroism!]
[Nightmare: Now, now, you don't have to be so harsh with Laurel. The situation here really is a little complicated.]
[Vampire Ancestor: Why am I suddenly the villain in this narrative?]
[Weakest Undefeated: …]
[Fallen Heiress: …]
[Maeshvara: …]
Yes. This had Laurel's fingerprints all over it, didn't it? In truth, Kurumi was simply going along with his words.
Since when had Kurumi started…?
No—there was no need to dwell on it. Thus was born Laurel's sharpest one-two verbal combo, with Kurumi as his perfect partner.
Their first victim: Luminous.
[Vampire Ancestor: Tsk. Fine. What exactly are you planning? You, of all people, know the requirement.]
[Fourth Calamity: Trust me. She's already fulfilled every requirement.]
[Vampire Ancestor: What? Is that true?]
[Fourth Calamity: Believe it or not, yes. You'd be shocked how many across the Great Worlds are walking around already qualifying for Demon Lord ascension.]
[Vampire Ancestor: Was this your aim all along?]
[Fourth Calamity: ????????]
Laurel paused, utterly confused. Even he had just thought about this not long ago. Seriously, just what do they take him for?
Sure he might have pulled up some stunts but that was due to his Meta-Knowledge and abilities.
Great Worlds:
A term used to replace 'Omniverse.'
Essentially, the bubble containing a world (story) and its infinite hierarchical layers (infinite dimensions).
If each world (story) exists as a real world, they would each be protected by this bubble so as to not clash with another entirely different world (another story).
Because of this bubble, hence the term, 'Great World'. Instead of the term.
[Vampire Ancestor: Hmph. Then I suppose that's barely an issue. Tsk.]
[Fallen Heiress: By the way… what are these requirements?]
[Fourth Calamity: Hmm. Let's see… obtain a half-human status, and keep a few souls in the bag.]
[Vampire Ancestor: …Do not cheapen a sacred rite by reducing it to your grocery list. The seed acquisition alone cannot simply be "picked up" like loose change, you buffoon.]
[Fourth Calamity: But our resident Nightmare really does meet the qualifications.]
[Vampire Ancestor: If you say so, I don't doubt the qualifications. What grates me is how disgustingly simple you make it sound.]
[Fourth Calamity: Oh…]
[Vampire Ancestor: Because of your meddling, even rituals that should inspire awe have been reduced to… experiments. It's infuriating.]
[Fourth Calamity: That… …Sorry for existing, I guess…]
Somewhere in her throne room,
Luminous's lips twitched again.
Once more, she was being cast as the villain. As expected, he was cut from the same cloth as that damned lizard.
Though they have different personalities, no doubt they both love chaos. Though Laurel only loves chaos he can control.
Still, that doesn't make it any better.
An ascension like that would likely draw the attention of those that rule the world: Demon Lords.
At the very least, Luminous doesn't think the Guild would survive if both sides fought.
Well, Laurel, at the very least, if the worse comes to worst, had the means to quickly pull them away to safety.
But if such a situation occurs, won't that jeopardize her position?
"Damn fool. Backing me into a corner like this…"
Luminous on her throne fumed, gripping the armrest of her throne, her anger doubled over.
She could practically hear him laughing like:
"Hahahaha hahaha," so carefully, arms spread while skipping like some maniac child.
That image alone and the fact that it popped rent-free into her head made her fury triple over.
[Weakest Undefeated: …Wait. Is this… is this what people call gaslighting?]
[Fourth Calamity: No, Lux, no.]
[Fourth Calamity: Regardless of that. We still meeting?]
[Vampire Ancestor: Fine.]
[Fourth Calamity: YES!]
[Fallen Heiress: I'll be cooking then.]
[Fourth Calamity: MEI IS COOKING!?]
[Vampire Ancestor: MEI IS COOKING!?]
[Weakest Undefeated: Wait—MEI IS COOKING!?]
Naturally, the triple-wave of "Mei is cooking?" sent shock through the chat.
The two remaining members could only watch in disbelief.
[Vampire Ancestor: No wonder I felt something was missing. I haven't eaten Mei's food in ages.]
[Fourth Calamity: Now that I think about it… I was too busy to notice. How did I even survive…? What have I been eating? Instant noodles!?]
[Weakest Undefeated: Uhm, is it shameless to admit that just the thought of it has me drooling already?]
[Vampire Ancestor: Pathetic.]
[Fourth Calamity: Shameless. Beyond shameless.]
[Maeshvara: Forgive me, but… is there a reason you're all acting possessed over food?]
[Weakest Undefeated: Huh?]
[Fourth Calamity: 'Possessed over food'? Know your place, Tatsuya! This is the Herrscher of the Kitchen we're talking about!]
[Vampire Ancestor: That's right. Ahh~ one bite and you ascend to paradise. I do not exaggerate.]
[Weakest Undefeated: W–wait! No fair! Mei fed you both behind my back? You traitors!]
[Fourth Calamity: Courtesy of our outing a few days ago.]
[Weakest Undefeated: Then, how has it been "ages" for you, Luminous!?]
[Vampire Ancestor: Because every day without her cooking is an age, fool.]
[Fourth Calamity: She's not wrong. Honestly, I still can't understand how I lived this long without her food.]
[Weakest Undefeated: Gulp… Are you telling me… her cooking has leveled up?]
[Vampire Ancestor: Leveled up? Hah. No. You misunderstand. She hasn't "evolved." She's already at the pinnacle itself.]
[Weakest Undefeated: N–no way. Masaka…]
[Fourth Calamity: Believe it or not, Lux.]
[Weakest Undefeated: Dammit! It should've been me! Not them! Laurel! You invite me to the most random things—but not THIS!?]
[Fallen Heiress: Guys… I think you're overestimating me.]
[Fourth Calamity: NONSENSE!]
[Vampire Ancestor: I second that. Without hesitation.]
[Fallen Heiress: I knew Laurel was weird on his own, but you too, Luminous?]
[Fourth Calamity: W–weird…? Being called that by my own woman…]
[Weakest Undefeated: Bwahahahaha! Laurel, you walked straight into that one!]
[Vampire Ancestor: This is not exaggeration. Your cooking could raise the dead and put angels to shame. Praise is only natural. Mei, I acknowledge you.]
[Fallen Heiress: That feels… far too much. But… thank you, Luminous.]
[Nightmare: No wonder the fuss. I'll be looking forward to it.]
[Maeshvara: Now I'm curious as well.]
With that, it was pretty much a date.
It was scheduled on a weekend, at least for most of them who had undergone World Synchronization.
Across their worlds, time had been synchronized so they had the same days and time, though different years apart.
Except for Luminous, Lux Tatsuya's world which were slightly off bit.
Well, Luminous won't be a problem as she was literally… not busy.
Kurumi, on the other hand, had settled into the Neighboring World with Sawa.
The story of how they calmed the residents of other regions would be told another time.
For now, they restricted bringing others with them. Somehow, Tatsuya said he'll manage.
Regardless, with the hype now built around Mei's cooking and curiosity toward what this ascension meant, members prepared themselves for that date.