The white light that had been burning my eyelids slowly disappeared.

(.........ugh?)

　I opened my eyes in horror.

　All around me was enveloped in white smoke up to my waist, which continued to the edge of the horizon.

　........Huh?
　To the end of the horizon?

Where am I?

　He finally realizes that he is not at the summit of the Caligure Spiritual Peak.

　And.

Uh-huh.

　I heard such a voice from close by.

　I hurriedly turned around and saw Rapt huddled in the white smoke right there.

'Rapt,'
'Oh?　Merle?

　He stood up, holding his head lightly.

　Two horns sprouted from his forehead.

(God body mode.)

　If you're a little surprised.

Nargaiya, are you okay?
Poe says he's fine.

　I heard those voices from behind me.

　I looked and saw that Rectalis and Poe-chan were also standing up behind the smoke.

'Rectalis, Poe,'
Are we gonna be okay?
"Merle, Rapt.
.......................

　Me and Raptor head to their side.

(............)

　A third eye was open on Recto Alice's forehead.

　Poe, too, had dragon horns growing out of his soft blonde hair, and his hands and feet were covered in scales.

　Um.

Why are you guys in God Mode?

　I asked.

　The three of them looked at themselves, scowling.

'Oh?'
Oh, my God, when did this happen?
Poe was surprised.

　........It seems none of the three of them were aware of it.

　Eh.........no way.

　Then it occurred to me and I hurriedly touched my head and buttocks.

"Wow, it's growing!

　I, too, had grown ears and a tail.

　Why? Why?

　I don't remember activating the 'divine body mode', nor did I feel that I was strangely depleted of 'divine energy'.

　What can I say, it's a natural body.

　I can stay in the 'God Body Mode' as it is natural.

(!)

　Then I noticed.

　The 'Fairy Iron Armor' and 'Traveling Clothes' that I should have been wearing were gone.

　Instead, he is wearing the same white short-sleeved shirt and trousers cloth clothing that he once wore when he awoke in the Great Forest and Deeper Layer of Aldoria. The sleeves and collar are embroidered with gold thread.

(What's going on?)

　Confused, my hands touched the cloth clothing.

　And - at that moment - a sweet breeze blows through the world, which is surrounded by white glowing smoke.

　The sky shines.

　The sun's light grew stronger, I thought.

　But it wasn't.

(Oh....)

　The shining light converged into a large human figure, illuminating us.

　The three of us stiffened, too.

　The shining light coalesced around us.

"Welcome, my dear children.

　A beautiful giant of a woman was looking down at us.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


Lady Moa, goddess of love...

　The name played in my mind.

　It must be the memory of the arcane in me.

　The 10-med tall Goddess of Light was so beautiful, dainty, and possessed a beauty that no man could embody.

　The light that she herself emitted illuminated the four of us.

(.........ah?)

　There was an uncomfortable feeling on my cheek, and I touched it with my fingers.

　My fingertips were wet.

　I was crying.

　Just looking at the goddess-sama, I had been crying before I knew it.

'Master Moor........'
'Oh...'
.....

　Three of them were crying, too.

　Even Poe, who was always expressionless, crumpled his face and spilled tears.

　The Goddess of Light smiled.

''--Welcome back.''

　A soft voice.

　I tremble at the compassion that comes with the sweet scent.

　Large, shiny fingertips are stretched out and gently wipe our wet cheeks.

''--I've been watching you guys for a long time.

　Oh......

''-- After overcoming so many trials, you have done well to get to this point. Rapt, Recto Alice, Nagaia, and Marle.

　His eyes stare at the three of us, and then at me for the last time.

'Master More....'

　I looked over at her.

　She called me by the name 'Marle' instead of 'Arkyn'.

　That made me sad as Arkyn and happy as Marle.

　I've been watching him for a long time....

(There's no lie in that word.)

　in one go

　I wipe my arms roughly over my eyes where I've cried.

'Master More, it's so good to see you. But we still have a lot of work to do.

　I told them with a strong resolve.

　The three of them huffed and looked at me.

　Immediately, the three of them wiped their tears as well, and 10med looked up at a certain Goddess of Light.

　I ask, "Why did you call us?

'Why did you call us?'

　The goddess stared at me.

　Then she shook her soft hair and nodded her head.

It's a good thing that you have the spirit of the 'divine dog' in you.

　A gentle, iridescent voice.
　And.

"I have called you to the sanctuary of my love, my dearest friends, for I have a message for you to share with you as you fight in the mortal realm. I have something to say to you who are fighting in the world of men.

　Lady Goddess More continued to do so.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


I'm trying to tell you...

　I looked at the Goddess.

　Moa, the Goddess of Light Giants.

"We, the Gods, have not forgotten the mistakes of mankind 300 years ago.

　I told him.

(!)

　My heart trembles.

　I felt that the words of condemnation from the great being pierced me, who was also a man.

　The Goddess continued.

''- We, who had our children killed, had decided to sit back and watch the sprouting of the 'seeds of disaster' that now attacked the human world. That is also the punishment for the children of man as the God Race. However, some of the sons of the divine race still did not forget their love for man and sent themselves down to the earth.

　That gaze is dropped on the four of us.

　..........

　I was scared, I thought.

　But all four of us didn't look away, and we accepted the goddess's gaze without looking away.



　He stared back at her strongly and quietly.

　After exchanging glances for a while, Goddess More-sama smiled as if she was troubled.

''-- They really are stubborn children, aren't they?

　A small breath.

'-that will, that fight, we've been watching.

.................

Some of the children were wounded and killed by the demon's hands. All of them, we, the gods, and the children who remained in the divine world, have continued to see them with our own eyes.

　The children who were killed...

　Oh, yes. I haven't forgotten the seven children who were killed by the Children of Darkness.

　Three of them look disappointed and sad.

　But still.

　But we won't let them get away with it.

　We've been fighting all along.

　I, too, have suffered many times since I came to earth without any memory of being an arcuin.

　I've been bitten in the arms and legs by evil tigers, shot by thieves with arrows, slashed by skeletons, scarred in many battles, and even my heart stopped in the Great Labyrinth.

　Still.

We can't stop.

　Because there are things in this world that I want to protect.

　As long as Merle here has his hands on it.

　As long as Merle here can reach me, I'll protect everyone.

..........

　Lady Goddess More stares into my straight blue eyes.

　Eventually.

You have lost your divine power, disguised yourself in a man's body, defiled his soul, and yet you fight for others, don't you, Shengu Arcuin?

　A sad voice.

　The goddess's large eyes, down.

　A few seconds later, her long lashes tremble and she slowly lifts her eyelids.

''--Their love has moved our hearts.''

(...what?)

'-- In recompense for Mahr's soul and devotion, and forgiving the sins of men, we, the divine race, after 400 years, have decided to interfere in the human world again.

　The voice of the noble goddess told him so astonishingly.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


Interference with the human world...?

　You don't think that's...

Do you mean you're coming down to earth again?

　It wasn't me, but Rapt shouted.

　Recto Alice and Poe too, their eyes widened in astonishment.

　The descent of God.

　It's a replay of the Divine Demon War four hundred years ago.

　Receiving the gaze of the four of us.

That's right.

　The Goddess of Love, More, affirmed.

　----.

(Ah.....)

　The next thing I knew, my limbs were buzzing and shaking.

　Recto Alice was holding her mouth with both hands and was on the verge of crying again.

　I couldn't help but think.

Oh, really?

　I asked.

'Hey, Merle!'

　gasp

　Rapt shakes me hard on the shoulder.

(Eh........ah!)

　I've just said something that makes me suspect the Goddess of being a liar.

'I'm sorry!'

　He hurriedly bowed his head and apologized.

'I'm sorry, Lady Goddess More!　Merle doesn't mean any harm, either.

　Raptor adds his mouth.

　Poe is nodding coyly too.

　The Goddess of Light, who has ten maids, but keeps a calm expression on her face.

"-Yeah, it's the truth, Merle.

　He smiled at me.

(Oh....)

　A sense of relief.

　Then the anticipation of those words shakes my heart.

　My expression shines, but Goddess More raised one hand and said

But that's not an easy thing to do.

(...what?)

...and I've called you to tell you how to do it.

　I continued.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


We need a giant gate to reveal ourselves to the world of men.

　The gate?

　Is that, uh ... like the stone pedestal I woke up on?

　I thought so, but...

No.

　Goddess of Love Moir denied it.

　Then she told me that the 'gods' were beings with a level of existence and heat that couldn't be compared to the 'household of God'.

　Therefore, in order for the gods to move between the divine world and the human world, they need a gate of correspondingly high power.

(I see.)

　The gates 400 years ago were the best of the magic technology of the ancient Thanatos magic dynasty.

　With today's magical technology, it's unlikely that they could build the same thing.

''Then what should we do?''

"It is a divine spirit stone.

　Goddess More said.

''-the magic stone that was once the core of the gate that passed through us. You must find it.''

(God's Spirit Stone?)

　

　Is that so?

　Only, it was shattered into seven pieces on the occasion of the Divine Demon War.

Gather them together.

　The Goddess More said.

　The four of us nodded.

(The seven divine spirit stones ... if you collect them.)

　The gods will descend upon this world to protect the people from evil.

But it won't be an easy road.

　Goddess Moir-sama warned.

　The Goddess-sama's large palm waved gracefully at the four of us.

(U...?)

　The information is pouring into my head.

　What is this?

　The image is like a world map.

　There are seven shining points on it.

　Two in the Kingdom of Shumuria.

　One was a large sea of sand. In places, jutting rocky mountains grew in the middle.

(Is this the Kerra Desert?)

　The other is a lake as wide as the ocean. On top of the lake is a glowing castle.

　.........Ah, I know this one well.

(The lake in the capital city of Mulia.)

　At the bottom of that sand and water, it is transmitted that there is a 'divine spirit stone'.

　And three, the Arun Divine Kingdom.

　An ancient castle, perhaps?

　One could see a square with an old castle and a magic circle painted on it. But there were many immortals stirring there.

(Ghost Castle....)

　That's what I'm imagining.

　The second one is a forest.

　It's a reference to the interior of the jungle-like world of trees.

Deep in the jungle, right?

　Third, it's a huge cliff.

　It looked like a toggle cliff, and the bottom of the cliff was obscured by a haze. In the middle of that cliff, there was a cave hole in the middle of the cliff.

　It looks like there's a 'divine spirit stone' at the back of it.

(But first of all, getting to that cave seems to be a challenge.)

　And one was the dollar continent.

　There is a city surrounded by large giant trees.

　It's a strange city with trees that have become homes.

　In the middle of the city, there is a castle with a large tree. At the back of the castle, in the treasure hall, it is said that a "divine spirit stone" is enshrined.

　This is a

(The land of the elves!)

　It looked exactly like the picture Natalia, the traveling elf, had shown me before.

　--6 so far.

　And the last one is far, far away, across the ocean, in another place.

　There are no clear images.
　But the image conveys a dark, black, eerie darkness.

(...the dark continent.)

　Somehow I realized that.

　That's seven.

　The goddess of love Moa looks at us with melancholy eyes.

''When we gather these seven divine spirit stones, we, the divine race, will move to the salvation of humanity.

...Yes!

　I replied loudly.

　The goddess looks a little surprised.

　Then she smiled.

　I knew that it was indeed hard to collect the 'Seven Divine Spirit Stones'.

　But.

(So what!)

　There have been hardships before.

　But we've overcome them together. And this time, we're going to do it!

　My blue eyes stared back at Goddess-sama tightly.　

　Goddess Mohr-sama nodded happily.

''- As expected of a godgu, as expected of Marr. Be proud of the strength of your love.''

　I nodded too.

　Rapt, Recto Alice, and Poe were staring at my profile like that, somehow dazzling me.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


There's just one more thing I want to tell you.

　Lady Goddess More said.

　Her beautiful face had a slight sternness to it.

It's about the Devil's Piece. The one you call the Son of Darkness.

　I continued.

(Child of Darkness...?)

"--

I'll be the one to tell you.

　Suddenly, a thunderous voice interrupted the Goddess's voice.
　Huh?

　Gagaan.

　In the next moment, lightning struck the space right next to the Goddess from the clear sky.

(!?!)

　The next thing I knew, there was a giant standing there.

　He was a huge giant of about 30 meters tall.

　It was a rugged male god dressed in white and carrying a long beard.

　Rapt and Recto Alice shouted at the same time.

''Alzeus-sama!''

　The male god laughed gently.

　Alzeus-sama, the god of justice.

　Like Moa-sama, the Goddess of Love, he was one of the three central pillars of the gods in the Divine Demon War.

　Great reverence.

　At the same time, a tremendous sense of security.

　He was such a male god.

　Alzeus-sama stretched out his large fingers and stroked the heads of his own subordinates, Rapt and Recto Alice.

　The two of them looked very happy.

''--Arzeus.''

"More, I'll take it from here on out.

　Alzeus-sama, the god of justice, says so to the goddess.

　Goddess Moa-sama looked up at the male god, who was three times her size, and eventually let out a small breath and nodded, ''--I understand.

　And then Alzeus-sama's huge face turned to us.

The Devil's Piece has a plan to transform itself into a demon.

　And a muscular voice told him the terrible truth.