D.I.O

[Should I know those two?]

Looking at the still thoroughly-befuddled Merlin, Person laughed.

[I’m fairly sure you know them.]

[Wait, are they… no way, right? They’re a completely different race….]

In truth, Merlin had heard of reincarnators and saviors before, and some of those beings popped into his mind when he learned the children’s titles. Even so, it was hard for him to believe.

A reincarnator? Reincarnation was a primarily Buddhist concept, but it wasn’t exclusive to just Buddhism. So, how could one be definitively titled the Reincarnator?

Besides that, the Reincarnator was blonde and white, not a Middle Easterner or Central Asian figure. To be specific, the Reincarnator should’ve been a Galilean Semitic, to be exact, so how could he be caucasian? Was the Reincarnator’s image created by later generations?

[What does one’s outer shell have to do with anything? What you know of them is not their true selves. Anyway, those two have visited my civilization several times as well.]

[… Huh?]

When Merlin expressed his confusion at Person’s incomprehensible words, the little monk boy got up from his seat.

And then, the young monk stepped forward.

Step.

He walked. And according to his movement, lotus flowers bloomed. By the time the number of lotus flowers reached ten, then eleven, and twelve, the young monk had escaped the spatial realm that contained the tree and was facing a being [outside].

- Screech! Screech!

The outside being was an indescribably ugly monster. It wasn’t large enough to tower over the monk, but it was by no means ordinary.

[… What is that?]

The monster’s gaze shone brightly. Countless stars came to life and disappeared inside its eyes, and innumerable galaxies swirled around its body like blood.

Merlin realized that the monster, which stood before the child monk, could destroy an entire universe. The non-universe conforming monster was no different from a universe in and of itself.

Yet, at that moment, Person grabbed Merlin’s shoulder and said,

[That being is just an unfinished toy. Look behind it.]

[Behind… it?]

With a dazed look on his face, Merlin looked up.

And there…

[She] was there.

Whoosh!

A steel tower stood directly across the giant tree, and Merlin saw a black-haired girl sitting in front of it.

Unlike her surroundings, which looked neatly drawn as if everything was part of a still-life portrait, the girls’ surroundings were turbidly distorted, as if drawn by a mad expressionist artist.

[Consider yourself fortunate.]

Since it was difficult for him to face her, Person spoke in a slightly weary tone.

[If you were a lower-rank god, you would have gone crazy the moment you laid eyes on her. Just like how an ignorant ghost doesn’t recognize a detrimental talisman, you’re okay because your level is so low. In fact, it’s hard for even me to look directly at her.]

[That… That’s…]

Merlin’s entire body trembled. He trembled because he felt an endless sense of innocence from her. However, there was a sort of malice in that innocence, like an innocent child smiling while tearing off a dragonfly’s wings.

[What the hell is that?]

[That’s Her. She’s the beginning of all problems.]

[The beginning of all problems?]

Person nodded at Merlin’s question.

[Yeah. She’s the only Other Being.]

When He first opened His eyes, there was only Him.

Feeling lonely, He made a universe.

Since that was the case…

If that was why He created the universe, because of His loneliness…

Perhaps…

[The war 400 years ago, was it due to…]

[Oh! You’re smart enough to immediately figure that out, huh? Yesterday- no, as you said, the war that spread throughout the universe 400 years ago should’ve been impossible. He loves his creations and creatures, which is why He always managed His universes with care.]

In the past, there was an existence called Asura responsible for maintaining order throughout the entire universe. This being was called the other side of the Creator God. It was said that Asura’s power of control was so strong that, aside from using a few limited means, even transcendent gods couldn’t interfere with the fate of the universe.

[You’re saying that’s no longer the case?]

[Right. He is not as interested in His own works and ideas as He used to be. In fact, that is the reason He promptly got rid of His ‘other side,’ Asura. Moreover, He…]

Person smiled bitterly.

[He is not alone anymore.]

Merlin looked at the girl. She was laughing.

Obviously, she wasn’t laughing at Merlin. In her eyes, she saw only one thing.

Merlin turned his head to follow her unshakable gaze.

[He] was there.

“You’ve arrived, bug.”

A man so massive that Merlin didn’t even reach His knees sat and leaned against the trunk of the tree. This man had such a presence that Merlin couldn’t understand how he didn’t notice Him when he first arrived and laid eyes on the tree.

There were all kinds of animals around Him: a dazzlingly bright bird and a bird with colorful feathers, various kinds of dragons, including Flame Dragon, a cute monkey, Poong-ho, a lion, and even a snake and a cat.

Other than that, several human-looking boys and girls were present as well, but they were all fast asleep against His body.

[Who are you calling a bug?]

Merlin asked involuntarily, but He didn’t even look at Merlin. No, to be precise, His gaze never left [Her] for a second.

“I will give you a little authority. And some qualifications.”

When He spoke these words… Boom! A thick booklet appeared over Merlin’s hand and fell into his grasp. While still maintaining his gaze on Her and not looking toward Merlin, He continued,

“Move according to the Rules.”

That was the end.

He didn’t explain anything. Why wasn’t He punishing Merlin? Didn’t He just call Merlin a [bug]? He didn’t even seem inclined to fix the situation Himself.

Perhaps from now on, even if Merlin fell to his knees and begged for His attention or went so far as to attack Him with burning resentment, He would no longer show any interest towards Merlin.

‘Has… He gone mad?’

Merlin was shocked.

‘My heart hurts.’

Even when he came here, Merlin had no reverence for Him. The Creator? So what? Father of all things? Was there anything He did that helped Merlin?

Yet, even so, when Merlin realized He had no interest in Merlin, a feeling of extreme sadness washed over him. Merlin prioritized His feelings over his own. Hence, Merlin felt a deep sense of anguish that seemed to originate from the depths of his soul.

[Person.]

[Yes, junior. You’ve come a long way.]

[There is no need to say that. That thing, no, I mean She…]

[I know. Dangerous, right?]

Merlin looked at Her. Beautiful, yet ugly. Good, yet evil. Pure, yet corrupt. Huge, yet thin….

It was impossible to describe Her in one word. However, a single word came to Merlin’s mind as he looked at Her.

Destruction.

[Why isn’t He having Her removed?]

[Who would dare? Us? Even if we have become singular beings, She is more than that.]

At his words, Merlin looked back at Person.

[What if it was Him?]

[Of course, if it was Him, it might be possible to remove Her. He also knows that She is dangerous.]

It was impossible to remain ignorant of Her wickedness and malice. After all, weren’t all these monsters, her creations, currently trying to erode and infiltrate His creation? All of Her creations went [outside] and wreaked havoc on the physical universes, leaving barely any of the highest-ranked gods, if any at all, behind.

However, nonetheless…

[Alas, why would He do such a thing….]

Person sighed deeply.

[… when all of His attention is solely centered on Her.]

***

“Don’t be ridiculous! Something like that… What kind of realization is that?!”

Merlin opened his eyes to the sound of Shen’s defeated and disapproving shouts.

“That’s so obvious and simple!”

Merlin felt as though his head was blank. His surroundings, which had changed from 2D to 3D, felt foreign and awkward. This was likely because, just as abruptly as he’d entered that space, he was kicked out suddenly without warning.

“Merlin, are you okay? What is that above your head?”

“Above my head?”

At Arc’s unexpected words, Merlin looked up.

And there, he saw the following text floating in the air…

[GM Merlin]

“What the heck is this….”

As Merlin grumbled and got up, something fell to the ground and cracked open. When he looked down to see what it was, he saw red scales.

“It was hair originally… ah, whatever. It doesn’t matter.”

Merlin gave himself a quick once-over. His body was in optimum condition. Moreover, he had completed that [method] he tried to deploy when Lancelot was buying him some time. He succeeded in creating a miracle that no one could imitate, something that would mark the history of spiritual power and talent studies.

But why did he not feel happy?

“The size and scale of what I received are so monstrously immense….”

Merlin looked around with a blank expression. The three great enemies of the Union were besieging him and his party members. They were transcendents with powers that would allow them to be worshiped as gods in any low-stage civilization.

However…

‘Were they always this small and weak?’

[Stop.]

[Wait. Please pause.]

The two Legion members called out to him, but instead of answering, Merlin started walking with a thick book in one hand and a jeweled sword in the other. After about four to five steps, the jeweled sword in his hand, the Editor Blade, turned into a circle-shaped pattern and was engraved on the cover of the book.

“It’s a book of rules… so I’ll call it a Rule Book,” Merlin murmured to himself.

“What the hell are you? How can you handle such power without a divine position, divinity, or divine status…?”

“Hahaha, you’re going to have to stop right there- huh?”

The Grotesque tried to block Merlin, but he ignored the two and passed between them. In the end, Volcano tried to step in front of Merlin but couldn’t stop him either.

“What… What the hell is going on? Why can’t I attack him?”

Volcano was confused, as he was unable to wield his sword, even though he had made up his mind to sever both of Merlin’s legs. There was nothing wrong with his body. He didn’t suffer from some sort of mental attack, nor was he disturbed or interfered with in any way. For some reason, he could not fulfill his will.

“Well, I guess it makes sense…. He has big muscles and is good at fighting….”

Merlin turned the pages of the Rule Book. The rustle of paper being flipped could be heard. Countless amounts of information were being sucked into Merlin’s head.

“A Rank 9 public official shouldn’t be able to beat up a minister rank official.”

This was the effect [He] had on Merlin. After all, every being was a mere thought in His imagination. As such, they couldn’t deny the effect of the qualification He bestowed upon Merlin. It was quite a vicious force. One would probably be unaware of Merlin’s qualifications even while they suffered from its impact.

[Turn it off… I hate it… I hate it….]

Then, as it lay collapsed on one side like a colossal mountain range, Leviathan’s body began to shake. It wouldn’t have been strange if Leviathan were to die right now, but Leviathan moved from its desperate will.

And that wasn’t all.

Crack! Pop!

Leviathan’s gargantuan body started to get smaller and smaller. Its body was being compressed, not destroyed. In addition, Leviathan’s skin color, which was close to black, started changing to red.

‘… I see.’

As he witnessed all of this, Merlin realized something.

‘He became interested in me not only because of my Editor Blade but also because of this guy.’

He, someone who could be considered the universe’s law itself, had sat idly by and only observed as the rules governing Earth were broken several times. Furthermore, Earth wasn’t facing any sort of Apocalypse or end of days scenario. As such, His reaction meant that [He] had mostly turned His interest and focus away from His work. It was also proof that the entire universe had become [loose].

[She] was born between 400 and 500 years ago, based on the flow of time in the physical world.

This was the point where other beings in the great universe, not just those bound by His [Rules], began to change.

‘Tan isn’t the problem. The real problem is….’

Merlin felt a chill run up his spine.

‘The real problem is the Planet Gods.’

However, Merlin didn’t have time to think about this for long.

Whoosh!

Leviathan was continuing to shrink, and its color was also getting redder. It looked like it was on fire.

[Hate it.]

It was Apocalypse, an existence that announced the end of everything in a world that had entered the end stage.

It was Satan.