Merus said that he had destroyed the world many times.
　This was a world where God existed in harmony and where he would press a reset button every few tens of thousands of years if he could no longer help himself.
　That meant genocide of the people, and Merus says he had a hand in its execution.

　While his companions were mortified, Allen had other things on his mind.

(Every few tens of thousands of years the Great Reset. I wonder what my previous life would have been like after all.

　Civil wars and wars, religious and racial problems, famine and poverty, the gap between rich and poor, and environmental problems all over the world, humanity has been wrestling with its wits while the problems have been growing and showing solutions.
　However, due to the agendas of various countries, it was not easy to get it right, but were we able to prosper over the next tens of thousands of years?
　Maybe a few thousand years or even hundreds of years later, the world of the previous life will have been destroyed.

You said you brought Lord Aren from another world.

　Merus continues as Allen tells him to talk.

"I guess so. I'd say it's pretty forceful, or maybe it's just a matter of perspective.

(About setting up a character to play the game, and when you start, you find yourself as a baby in another world.

"Master Elmere had no problem coming to this world, he would have chosen what he wanted.

"Sure. Hmm?　The Eight Heroes, does that mean you were planning to call eight people from another world with the same requirements as me?

"There are eight Allen's in this world!

"Cecil, what's that word?

I just thought, "Oh, well, that sounds like a lot of work.

　Since Allen has filed a complaint to Elmere and has heard stories of Merus struggling with the fast-growing Allen's summoner setup, Cecil wonders if the divine world is okay.
　Cecil also fantasizes that it might be fun to have eight Arens.

I was going to call eight people, that's the right word. That is, if I didn't make a mistake in calling the first one, Allen.

The story of how I almost chose the Demon King?

Yes. I prepared a Summoner for Allen, who was about to choose the Demon King. He had to have eight stars. No more calling in the right person from another world.

"So you've consumed all the power that Master Elmere prepared for you to call, or something like that.

　Allen first tried to choose the profession of "Demon King" in a previous life when he was Kenichi.
　Elmea hurriedly prepared a 'summoner' for this, but the spirit god told her that she had to reduce the number of stars to eight.

That's right. I had originally prepared to call eight people, but now I've put the power of the god into one. It's easy to understand how much this was, considering the situation on the battlefield now and what Allen has done so far.

"That's because Allen was trying so hard.

　Krsna, who had been silent, spoke up.
　Allen knows that even before Krsna invited him to play knightly, he was throwing stones at trees and doing his best.
　Talk about how it's not just a God-given power.

Indeed. Allen's behavior was out of character ....... No, crazy. ....... No.'

""......"

　Merus tries to rephrase it to be the right words to describe Allen's actions, but he doesn't seem to find a very positive expression.

"Anyway. It's rare for a demon to become a demon god. It was said that one would be nice to have one. Please understand that it is not normal for Allen to defeat them with such a foolish strategy.

"So you're talking about the beginning of a plan to replace the Eight Heroes Project.

　Allen tells Merus that he understands.

"Yes. The plan has changed. We can no longer bring in the right person from another world.

　Hearing this far, I understand if this is the answer to the question you've been wondering about.
　It seems that this world should be in normal mode most of the time.
　Even those in extra mode, which gods and demons call liberators, are almost non-existent in this world.

　I tried to call eight people with six stars who might choose Extra Mode or Hell Mode.
　But I lost all my powers to call Allen.

(The way this story is going, I wasn't going to be able to defeat the demon king on my own, was I?

　If we can't call the fittest from another world, where do we call the fittest from?

　The companions also have some idea of what they're talking about.
　Allen said something like, "We've got a well-balanced party composition.

So I've gathered my talents around me.

　And then I said what I've been thinking for a while.
　Somehow I feel like I have an answer for you.

"Well, I guess so. Well, I guess the right way to describe it is that I made it easier for the talented ones of my generation to be born. Too much of it and the demon king's army will surely react.

　Allen's childhood friend had the talent of a swordsman.
　And the lord's daughter had the gift of being a mage.
　This was no coincidence.

''The gods want me to fight the Demon King's army.

I thought, "Well, the choice is ultimately his. I just thought it would come naturally if we got to know each other and become friends. This is all a matter of possibility. It's not a definite plan, even if you invite eight people from another world to fight the demon king. This is also a possibility.

　Cecil's question is answered by Merus.

　It is his own free will to become a mate.


　And even if they called for eight Extra Mode or Hell Mode, it was not a definite plan that they might all fight the Demon King together.

　At least it seems to be a plan that they would fight the Demon King.

"So that ridiculous talent of Peromus with the 'balance' was also a talent prepared by the gods?

　Allen talks about Peromus, son of the Krsna village chief.
　In the same year as Allen, there were other talents besides Krsna and Dogora here at the Krsna Village Appraisal Ceremony.
　One of them is Peromus.
　The Extra-Skill Balance is able to compare the value of all things.

Pelomus. Is that why there were so many funny ones in the village of Krsna?

　Kiel remembers and speaks of Peromus.
　This member knows the merchant Peromus well, who did not attend the school.

That's rude. I'm not.

""......"

　You're the weirdest thing in the world, and people look at Allen

Speaking of which, Peromus is going to marry Fiona.

　Cecil mentions Pelomus as if he just remembered.

Yeah, I'm not so sure. Viscount Granville said that Mr. Chester was very keen on you.

So it's not a done deal. Did you say you wanted to get married?　You're going to invite me too. I'd like to see Fiona's ceremony.

　Cecil, who hasn't seen Viscount Granville lately, asks Allen, who has placed a contact summoner in the capital of Latash Kingdom.

　Before Allen and his friends went to the school, it seems that Pelomus fell in love with Fiona, the daughter of merchant Chester.
　Chester is the richest merchant in Granville, and he owns several luxury lodges in the capital and the city of Granville.

　There's a big difference between him and the son of the pioneer village chief.

　When he went to Chester to ask for permission to marry him, he was told to be a merchant who would be recognized by me or something like that.
　Peromus went to the trade school in King's Landing and started a store to be recognized by Chester.

Perombs is getting married!

　Krena also happily joins in the conversation.

　The reason why they all know about Pelomus is because Allen and his friends used to occasionally come to the school to get advice from him during the two years they attended the school on the magic ship.

"No, so even if my father approves, Fiona herself is not 'yet' interested or something like that.

　Allen says sadly.
　After years of hard work as a merchant and being recognized by the great merchant Chester, Peromus has been dumped by Fiona.

"Huh?　Peromus is going to the dungeon now, right?

　Merle reminds me of what Allen had said months ago about Peromus' recent condition.
　After being dumped by Fiona, Peromus didn't know how to give up.

"That's right. Fiona said, 'I'm only interested in strong men,' and I heard that you've been attacking dungeons. I've heard that Raven has been helping you.

(Because I lent you a ring and equipment. For a fee. Well, I did let the Ravens mediate for free.

　Apparently, Peromus goes to the dungeons with Allen's advice on how to become stronger as well as more successful in business.
　When Allen was in the city, he also lent some of the items and equipment he obtained for a fee.

　Raven, Rita, and Milsy, who have helped him in Granville, are with him, and he has also hired several other mercenaries to help him conquer the dungeon.

　Allen was impressed by how typical of merchants to use money to solve problems with friends and equipment.
　I'm going to have the merchant's child named 'Popolo' to help him conquer the dungeon.

Well, it's nice to do that for the woman you love!

　With flushed white cheeks and sparkling golden eyes Sophie is so-so excited.
　And among all of the Arens who have turned 15 years old and grown up, the merchant Pelomus is the one who is going to be the first to get married.
　He's planning to get married this year, and we've been talking about his love life.

Oh, hey!　You guys have had enough!

　The potato-faced Dogora turned bright red and became angry.
　I felt sorry and listened silently, because I'm using the time for my story, but it seems that my patience is running out.

"All right. Don't stare at me so much.

(Sorry that Merus didn't stop him. Well, where were we? You're talking about buddies, buddies.

"......

　The companions reluctantly decide to get back to the subject as Dogora glares at them with all his might.

Hmm?　So you couldn't get seven brave men in the village, or saints and swordsmen to come together.

　I'm sure the demon king's army gets information from the human world in its own way.
　As expected, if they did that on a large scale, they would only be found.

"There's just that. I understand you can't use Dogora's extra skills.

　Merus also looks like he can finally talk about the heart of the matter.

"My extra skill?

"Yes. You can't get more stars. So I decided to change my extra skill.

"You think he chose the extra-powerful extra skill?

　Allen understands and proceeds.

That's right. Of the almost infinite number of extra skills, I think I've picked a winner. Except for Dogora.



"Huh?　Hey!　I was the only outlier?

　Potato face is going to burst.

No. Master Elmere decided that choosing the right one would not be as effective as choosing the right one to join.

(Hmm?　(Which, oh, did you hesitate to tell this story?

You've said before that you can have up to three extra skills?

"...... Yeah. In fact, Dogora's extra skills are king-grade.

""King-class!"

　That's a new word.
　Everyone's voice hums in unison.

　And so Merus goes on.

　Extra skills have a number of effects, and they can be hit or miss.
　You can have up to three such extra skills, but only one extra skill of a different rank fits into each of the three slots.

　That's General, King, and Imperial levels.

"Everyone except Allen has extra skills. They are all General level and only Dogora is Wang-kyu.

(Is Cecil's petit meteo also a general level? Petit Meteor and breaking through the limits is a given among the generals, while Dogora's extra skill is one level higher).

"How come I'm the only one who's a kyu?

　Somewhat happily, Dogora asks.

The goal is to defeat the demon king. The Elmera master says that even if it's a good idea, the axe warrior is not strong enough to win, and forces Dogora to take the king's class, which is one rank higher.

　It seems that there is someone here who has been manipulated by the creator God Elmea.

Hmm?　So, you have to know how to use it.

"That's the way it is. People have king-class extra skills from the start. They're rare. But few have mastered them. At least I take it for granted that I won't be able to use it right away.

　Merus explains further.
　King-grade extraordinaire skills are extremely effective, but even for those who are masters or have been in battle all their lives, it is said to take decades.

　It seems to have seen Dogora struggling to be useless as a merus.
　When he heard that Merus had activated it once, he thought miracles do happen.

"Isn't there an easy way to use it?

"It doesn't mean that it's triggered under any condition. This doesn't mean it will never happen after you take it. Extra skill is the skill of one's life. It uses your life. I honestly don't know when I'll be able to use it at will.

　It's handled differently by different people and is quite difficult to trigger.

What makes me special?

(Oh?)　Tell me that's so . (Melus)

　Allen shares and puts in the will of Merus, but gives him a look that says yes.
　Merus replies with a look of relief.

"Dogora. Just as Lord Elmea gave Helmios the power to hunt demons, you have the power. But it's up to you to master it.

The power. . like you gave to a brave man.

"It's a force worthy of a heroic story.

"Hero. Can I be a hero?

　It's up to you, said Merus, but Dogora looked at his hands and was overcome with emotion.