Glorious Vanity (SI LitRPG)

A breathtaking view. Above, an endless starry sky. On all sides, clouds drifting past. And then below, entire the Earth, slowly turning.

Sitting on a towering obsidian throne, I tapped my fingers along the arms and then muttered, "This should be fitting for a Demon Lord, right?"

[A Trickster God is shocked at your abilities.]
[A Phantom Thief is curious about your Sponsor.]
[A God of Wisdom asks if you are truly human.]

[Many gods marvel at your skills.]
[Many gods curse your potential.]
[The Inviolable Morning Star nods and says this is the minimum to defy the heavens.]
[A Nahobino smirks.]

...There were a couple of troubling messages mixed in there, but I ignored them for now. Instead, I shifted my gaze off to the side towards a certain dark-winged angel leaning against a pillar. Smirking, I said, "So what do you think?"

Alice gave me a blank stare and said, "You realize that we are absolutely going to be the target of everyone in existence after this scenario, right? Especially with all the bullcrap you're pulling right now?"

I adjusted the purple cloak around my shoulders and double-checked the billowing shadow particle effect I was wearing.

Flowing shadows, non-existent wind... Yep. Definite final boss vibes.

After that, I stepped off my throne and swept my right hand through my hair. "And so what? It was already my fate to defy the heavens from the beginning."

[The Inviolable Morning Star approves.]
[Many gods laugh at your insolence.]
[Many immortals applaud your bravado.]
[A few goddesses blush.]
[A Goddess of Wisdom crackles with magic.]

...These messages aren't going away any time soon, huh? Well, not like I'm one to complain.

[Many gods are wondering about the identity of the Heaven Defying human sponsoring you.]
[Many immortals are inquiring which of their martial brothers or sisters have decided to play at being a god.]
[<Apocalypse Eschatology> has become a hot topic among those who live beyond the limits.]

[Your actions have generated causality. The points have been added to your account. Please view the balance at your earliest convenience.]

It was a bluff. Right now, because I was so weak, the only thing I could do was put on a grand play. Fortunately, my abilities let me do just that.

<World Creator (Minor)> to create anything I wanted from my imagination, an ability boosted by my current role as the world's enemy.

<Loki's Blessing (Minor)> that cleaned up any doubts in the actions I took.

<Man of a Thousand Faces> that let me play the part with ease.

And most importantly, <Hero Creator> which let me create the actors I needed to act on this stage.

Alice's eye twitched and she said, "Why did I have to get stuck with someone like you?"

"Blame Fate."

"I would. But Fate doesn't work on you, bastard."

I chuckled and then swept my gaze around.

It was a beautiful scenery. Tall windows and a glassy ceiling showed both the clouds around and the stars above. Although the floating castle <World Breaker> that I made had walls of polished dark steel, the insides were black marble.

Fancy architecture reminiscent of Dark Souls and the final boss areas of other games that I definitely didn't take inspiration from. Crystal chandeliers, golden torches, a lush red carpet...

I never really got why people enjoyed living such fancy places in the past, but now that I had a place of my own, I could definitely see why. There was a certain feeling of power from knowing that it was all yours...

Well, that plus the fact that this entire place was floating in mid-air and looking down on literally all of Earth. Pretty sure that would give a minor god complex to any normal person.

I shifted my gaze back to Alice and started walking over. "Where are the others right now?"

Alice sighed and then said, "Just ignoring my complaints, huh? Well, whatever."

[Many goddesses empathize with the poor angel.]
[The Angel of Justice expresses her sympathy, reminiscing upon the past.]
[The Inviolable Morning Star states that you are quite suited for the role of a villain.]

No one asked you! Especially you, Lucy!

[The Inviolable Morning Star chuckles.]

And stop using your cheap ability to read my thoughts!

[The Inviolable Morning Star smirks.]

I decided to stop reading the messages and instead focus on the important stuff. Like prepping for a group of heroes trying to do a Demon Lord rush. With that in mind, I kept walking, heading out of my throne room.

Alice walked with me and said, "Aqua is still pretty pissed about you being a whole Demon Lord. Since you made <World Breaker>, she's holed herself up in a training room and letting loose with her new firepower."

"Understandable."

Being classified as an Archfiend of Fire when she was originally supposed to be water was apparently the most blasphemous taboo ever according to her religion. The fact that I was responsible for that... Well, I guess I should be thankful that she wasn't trying to burn me to a crisp instead?

Not that it would work, of course. Right now, Aqua probably had more raw firepower, both in terms of flames and damage output, but I still had the whole extreme hot/cold immunity thing from my skills.

[<Lesser Flames of Muspell> proudly preens.]

Alice continued talking and said, "Gale holed himself up to train as well. After mentioning something about how he has to work hard to fulfill the role you gave him, he grabbed a few crates of ammo from the armory and then headed back to the city."

"...Isn't that dangerous?"

The system had designated us as enemies of the world, after all. While we could still get experience... probably at an accelerated rate due to our roles, it would definitely be risky.

Alice gave me a blank stare and said, "Did you forget about your own skills already?"

[Many gods lean in.]
[A Trickster God snorts.]
[<Loki's Blessing (Minor)> has been empowered.]
[<Loki's Blessing (Minor)> evolves to <Loki's Blessing>.]
[<Loki's Blessing> synergizes with <No One's Story>.]
[<Information Concealment> has been acquired.]
[A Trickster God's eyes widen in surprise.]
[The Nameless One rolls his eyes and calls you a cheat.]

An immediate effect.

The moment I got those flurry of messages, a faint ripple spread around me and I became aware of something else. A soft tingle on my skin, along with countless gazes.

I couldn't see who exactly they were, but I could see vague shadowy figures in the distance, staring down at me. But at the same time, a thin tinted veil emerged, filtering out exactly what they could see.

"...Huh. Neat."

Alice blinked and then facepalmed. "You make *no* sense. No wonder I became sentient. No rational being or object could hope to interact with you without going insane."

I'm not that bad!

...Is what I would like to say.

But I was aware of how many people were watching now, so instead I hammed up the part of a Demon Lord instead.

I chuckled and said, "Of course. If someone could be read so simply, would a Heaven Defying Human be interested in them, let alone acquire a fragment of that strength?"

Alice looked off to the side, as if reading something. And then she rolled her eyes and kept walking. "Whatever. Just hurry up and go see your wife and kid already before they burn down the kitchen."

"Freyr isn't my wife yet- Wait. Burn down the kitchen?"

xxx

Avalon was happy.

She had already been happy when she learned that Alice was her big sister, but now she was even happier because she had a Papa and Mama. Not only that, but she had a Papa and Mama that she could finally hug!

Glancing at her reflection in a shiny silver bowl, Avalon let out a happy giggle.

Light brown hair that was in-between Papa's dark brown hair and Mama's pretty silver hair. Bright blue eyes that matched her Mama. And then a cute face that was a bit from Mama and a bit from Papa...

"Do you like cooking that much, Avalon?"

An elegant female voice filled with warmth.

Avalon looked over to see her Mama Freyr staring with an amused expression.

Avalon nodded and said, "I do!" She smiled and said, "Anything with Mama is fun!"

Freyr's eyes lit up, but then she immediately bit her lips as if suppressing a scream. But only for a moment. After that, a warm smile crossed her face and she pulled Avalon in for a hug. "Oh, why do you have to be such an adorable daughter?"

"Because I'm Mama's and Papa's daughter!"

Freyr made a weird high-pitched sound. But then she cleared her throat and stepped back, putting on a serious expression. Though, that couldn't hide her bright and happy eyes. "Yes. You definitely are. So... let's hurry and cook something for Papa then, my cute and adroable daughter."

"Kay~!"

Freyr's serious expression cracked, replaced by a giant smile. But then she shook her head and grabbed Avalon's hand, leading her to a nearby table.

As Freyr led her, Avalon took a look around.

It was a big room. There were lots of shiny silver things around as well as a lot of ingredients laying around. Then there was a big stone box with a warm fire flickering inside, cool-looking black tiles and pillars...

"Papa always makes cool things, doesn't he, Mama?"

Freyr giggled and said, "He always outdoes everyone's expectations, yes." After that, she let out a wistful sigh and said, "Even now, when we should be worried, he's taking it all upon himself to let us relax..."

"Hm?"

Freyr patted Avalon's head and said, "Nothing. Now..." She grabbed an apron hanging from a shelf and then put it on. After that, she started rummaging through the pantry and muttered, "Baking some treats should not be too difficult, should it?"

"Ooh!" Avalon smiled and said, "Can we make cookies?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. And since your Papa is so weak, we can add some useful nutrients to strengthen him as well. Meat for sure, perhaps some greens..."

xxx

I stared at the black blobs displayed on a silver platter in front of me. Then I glanced off to the side at the smoke filling the kitchen and still emanating from the oven. After that, I looked at the source of all this mess.

Freyr shifted her gaze to the side, giving me a shy look and said, "I-I hope you enjoy, Husband."

Avalon smiled next to Freyr and said, "Yeah! Mama and I worked really hard on the cookies, Papa!"

While I blankly stared at the black blobs- No, the cookies on the table, I heard Alice stifle a laugh from beside me.

[Many male gods express their sympathies.]
[Many female gods are curious as to what you will do.]
[A Phantom Thief says he will send his regards on your way to the underworld.]

[<A Different Path> declares that this might be beyond its capabilities.]
[<Lesser Flames of Muspell> says that such material can no longer be consumed by flames...]
[<No One's Story> states that it will do its best to help.]
[<Hero Creator> declares that you will only grow through trials and tribulations.]
[<World Creator (Minor)> declares that all material can be consumed and utilized as a resource in the future.]

I glanced at the messages. I looked at Freyr's bashful expression and Avalon's expectant gaze. I ignored Alice's amused stare.

[Many gods wonder if the Demon Lord will perish before the story begins.]

...Well. I was a <Shameless Flirt>, so I guess I might as well flirt with death a bit more while I'm at it.

Letting out a bright smile at my beloved unofficial wife and my cute daughter, I picked up a 'cookie' from the platter and-

xxx

Seoul, amidst the rubble of collapsed buildings. There, a ragtag group of individuals did their best to hold back a monster tide from a glowing portal floating in the sky.

Yura Shin clicked her tongue and then blasted an ogre with lightning before falling back to avoid a car being thrown at her. Unfortunately, she was the only one who managed to dodge.

Screams echoed before being cut off by disgusting sounds of squelched flesh.

Taking a quick look around, Yura saw that she was alone. The friends and survivors who went to help her clear the S-ranked Portal had died, leaving just her.

Realizing that, Yura laughed. "I guess the world really is ending, huh?"

The portal pulsed and then more monsters emerged. A horde that she couldn't hope to stop by herself.

But...

"You have to do it, Yura." Muttering to herself, Yura forced her tired arms to raise and roused up what little lightning she still could.

It couldn't end like this.

There were still people alive. And as long as there were still people alive, there was a chance everything could turn around.

So she had to do it.

Even if she died, as long as a few people lived, in the long run...

Yura grit her teeth and clenched her fists. Her fingernails cut into her palms, letting blood run and dye her lighting crimson. "...Sorry Oppa. I'm a bad younger sister after all. But..."

She stepped forward, preparing herself to use all she had to defeat the monsters...

And then a surge of crimson flames erupted, sweeping them all away.

"Good job, Yura. But let Oppa and his friends take it from here."

A cliched scene. An ordinary young man arriving in the nick of time to save a maiden in distress- No, the big brother saving his little sister when she needed him the most.

Lee Shin grinned as his tattered hoodie billowed in the wind behind him.

And he wasn't alone.

Standing behind Lee were a group of ragtag survivors. The powerless who fled in fear and desperately hid away trying to survive.

Yura recognized most of them. How could she not when she and her friends helped them try to evacuate?

But instead of fear and despair in their eyes, those people had gathered with anger and determination. Not only that, but...

"Screw you, Demons! You think you can take our home like this?!"

A salaryman who had run away in fear had returned holding a glowing light sword.

"I won't forgive you! I'll kill every last one of you!"

A middle-aged woman who lost her children and collapsed in tears stepped forward, shadows wreathing her entire body.

"For Mom and Dad...!"

A quiet young boy who lost his parents in the beginning came back leading an army of toys glowing with mana.

Ordinary people who had been powerless and forced to run. Now, they had returned stronger than ever.

And leading them all...

Lee held up his hand, grabbing the hilt of a sword that didn't exist. And as he did, the crimson flames swept back towards him, forming a glowing orange blade.

"This is our world, you bastards. Get out."

xxx

[SYSTEM: Lee Shin has earned the title <Seoul's Savior>.]
[SYSTEM: Lee Shin has earned the title <Miracle Worker>.]
[SYSTEM: Lee Shin has earned the title <Leader of Champions>.]

[SYSTEM: Akira Kadashi has earned the title <Satsujinki>.]
[SYSTEM: Akira Kadashi has earned the title <Serial Killer>.]
[SYSTEM: Akira Kadashi has earned the title <Death Dealer>.]

[SYSTEM: Gale Tempest has earned the title <Archfiend of Explosions>.]

[SYSTEM: Sufficient causality has been generated.]
[SYSTEM: Constellation priveleges confirmed. Changing Scenario.]
[SYSTEM: Proposed scenario <Rally against the Heavens> has been accepted.]
[SYSTEM: Portals connecting the countries of the world have been generated.]
[SYSTEM: Objective has been changed to clearing all the boss monsters to unlock the portal to <World Breaker> and the Demon Lord.]
[SYSTEM: World Message <The one who seizes the throne shall decide the fate of the world> has been sent out.]
[SYSTEM: The first wave of 'Bringers of the End' have arrived and designated as Boss Monsters.]

[SYSTEM: Warning. Failure to generate causality will result in the scenario reverting and a counterpush to be activated.]

[SYSTEM: The Overseer expects much from you.]