------
------
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A rapid knocking sounded at the door.
After a moment, a somewhat hoarse voice called out, "Come in."
With that, the door opened, revealing Ivanka's tall, stunning figure. Her expression was grave.
"Your Excellency… we have a problem," she said immediately.
"According to our investigation, it seems that someone else has obtained an item with superhuman power. And the nature of that power… is completely contrary to yours."
Baldr's face changed instantly.
"Impossible. That one was completely defeated by me. Even if a contingency remained, it couldn't have manifested this quickly… unless…"
He trailed off, his expression darkening further as realization hit.
After a moment, he spoke with a heavy, complex tone. "It seems the worst-case scenario has arrived."
Ivanka's heart skipped. She had only reported this because it involved superhuman forces—but hearing Baldr's words, the situation seemed far more serious than she had imagined.
"Do you know why I came here?" Baldr asked suddenly.
Ivanka's curiosity flared. "If you don't mind, I would like to know."
Baldr glanced out the window. "This world… is a magicless one, largely insignificant. In theory, no superhuman should have descended here."
"But I, the chief god Baldr, sensed unusual movements within my adversary, the dark chief god Hodel's forces. That is why I was sent."
Ivanka's eyes brightened. Finally, the speculation she and her father had held was confirmed. This Apostle truly served one of the Norse Twelve Gods—the god of light, Baldr!
"Though the true purpose of Hodel's forces arriving here is unclear, we can make an educated guess. They may intend to massacre this world, refining its life into a Special artifact, or corrupt it entirely, giving rise to a new demigod."
"Either way, if the movement involves divine forces, the target will be one of two things—an Apostle or a Special Child."
"An Apostle is a messenger of the gods, chosen by them. A Special Child is someone recognized as having the potential to ascend to godhood."
"An Apostle's strength isn't necessarily weaker than a Special Child's. Some Apostles are Special Children themselves. But once chosen as a Special Child, they are extraordinary—perhaps possessing a semi-divine artifact, or unique innate talent."
"I had sensed something unusual about that one before, so I risked backlash to forcibly strike them down."
"If they were merely a regular Apostle, there's no way they could recover or manifest a divine sign so quickly. Yet here we are. Clearly, the opponent is a Dark Special Child with special traits."
Baldr paused slightly, letting the weight of his words sink in.
Ivanka, listening intently, asked carefully, "What… what happens with a Special Child?"
Even without knowing the outcome, just from Baldr's first explanation, she felt a creeping sense of dread. This problem was far from ordinary.
Baldr shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know if they have a unique talent or a divine artifact. But one thing is clear: whether by talent or artifact, a being aligned with darkness inevitably brings corruption, destruction, and death. Anyone who inherits their power will likely fall into darkness themselves, growing rapidly in strength, ultimately completing the original plan of their predecessor."
"It's even possible for them to reach first-tier superhuman levels during this process."
Ivanka's heart skipped. First-tier superhuman potential—and with a wholly dark alignment!
Such an individual, pursuing terrifying goals, would be far more dangerous than the most fearsome terrorist—ten thousand times worse.
"Y-Your Excellency…" Ivanka's voice grew dry. Her back tingled with an icy chill.
Baldr let out a long sigh, shaking his head slowly.
"Unless the inheritor is completely destroyed before reaching first-tier superhuman status, this world is doomed. Don't rely on your nuclear weapons. Trust me, they're useless against a first-tier superhuman. Some first-tier beings in the divine realm even bathe in nuclear explosions."
Indeed, one green giant comes to mind.
And Thor—the Thunder God—resisted stellar energy for minutes to forge his storm axe. By comparison, a nuclear blast is nothing.
Ivanka's face hardened. "Your Excellency… even you can't stop it?"
Baldr remained silent. After a moment, a faint glow of divine light dissipated, revealing a terrifying body, fragile and cracked like glass.
No words were needed.
One second, two seconds, three… time passed slowly.
Finally, Ivanka collected herself and regained her composure.
"I understand, Your Excellency. Rest assured—we will eliminate the opponent before they reach first-tier superhuman status, even if it takes the entire Eagles' Empire."
At that moment, the heiress's usual poise gave way to a quiet, iron-blooded determination.
"Good. Go."
"And you, Your Excellency… rest."
With that, Ivanka turned and left.
Watching her retreating figure, Baldr's cold expression shifted to one of playful amusement. At the same time, the terrifying cracks in his body vanished without a trace.
"Heh… now the real clash begins—the collision of technology and the superhuman."
"....."