My Alter Ego's Path to Greatness

The day the Saint and Priestess urgently returned.

Pope Hatian II interacted with many people, hardly resembling the recluse he had been.

He spent time with Liesta, making up for lost time, chatted with those he had connections with, and offered words of encouragement to his successors, whom he hadn't been able to see often.

Many people naturally visited the Pope's residence, creating a lively atmosphere not seen in a long time.

And that evening.

Lying in bed, claiming fatigue, before a small group of high-ranking officials, including the Priestess…

"Heh heh heh, I'll go ahead and rest. Please take your time."

With those brief words, he quietly passed away, as if falling asleep.

A gentle smile on his lips.

However, despite this momentous event, the sadness that spread through the Great Temple wasn't immense.

This was also true of Priestess Liesta, who had been downcast all day.

She shed a few tears, but quickly regained her composure and took the lead in blessing the Pope's new journey.

'It's natural, considering it's the largest religion on the continent, and its upper echelons are practically fanatics.'

To those with deep faith, death wasn't a permanent end but the beginning of a journey to the Lord.

Even if they grieved over the immediate parting, they believed they would meet again in the Lord's embrace.

While the funeral proceeded in a calm atmosphere, Heinrich recalled the Pope's secret message.

The kind voice that had been transmitted only to his mind, so that even Liesta, who was right beside him, couldn't hear it.

'…It wasn't a grand statement. It was just one word.'

A single word.

This was the divine word conveyed by the Pope before his ascension to heaven.

'What am I supposed to do with just that…?'

He unconsciously let out a deep sigh.

Of course, he could roughly guess why it was so vague.

It was referred to as a divine message for convenience, but to be more precise, it was closer to an arbitrary interpretation of a part of a complex and vast will, made understandable to humans.

It was only possible because the Pope's soul was gradually separating from his physical body.

For example, even though he was a Saint of the Lord, he still hadn't felt much of a change from before.

'Worrying about it now is pointless. It's not necessarily bad to be granted permission, whatever it is.'

Whether it was about causing continent-wide chaos, using the Lord's name everywhere, or his long-term stay in Auterica.

In a way, it was a permission to not worry anymore, which was welcomed.

It was time to—

Face another big event.

[Khukhukh— This is ridiculous. No wonder I couldn't find it no matter how hard I searched.]

Hans's sinister chuckle caused the surrounding atmosphere to violently churn.

He was atop a towering spire of the Immortal Fortress.

It was the location where the altar for the tracking ritual using the intermediary was set up.

[To think he was hiding on the border of the Abyss. It's an environment that no living being could endure.]

That place, where the Immortal Army also lay dormant, was a chaotic realm where time and space were intertwined, lacking air and warmth.

Even undead could barely think, let alone move on their own.

'I thought he wasn't ordinary, but this is beyond my expectations.'

But admiration aside, this necessitated a revision of the plan.

He had gathered all the officers of the Immortal Army to prepare to deal with the enemy decisively…

'Unless I can manipulate the Abyss like me, they'll just be a burden. It's better to go alone.'

Descending from the spire, Hans, who could fly, shone with burning eyes.

It wasn't a problem even if he went alone.

The reason he hadn't been able to deal with the Revolutionary was the inability to find his hidden location, not because of his strength.

No matter how strong that guy is, he's hardly as powerful as the Immortal King.

The reason he prepared so thoroughly was merely his desire for certainty.

After all, the Revolutionary was a major figure who had repeatedly brought about devastating calamities.

'At this point, delaying things will only be a waste of time.'

After contemplating for a moment, Hans made a decision and immediately took action.

[Prepare for combat and stand by.]

He would prepare for any eventuality, but only he would enter the Abyssal boundary.

However, he didn't forget to keep the Abyssal Revenants, created from the bodies of awakened beings from Earth, in subspace.

'These guys, heavily infused with the Abyss, might be useful. Even if they're unusable inside, they'll be helpful if he escapes.'

With his preparations complete, he headed straight to the nearby Abyssal scar.

There was no reason to hesitate now that he had made his decision.

'Found it.'

The trace of a fissure detected by Hans's sensitive senses.

It was firmly sealed, having been inactive for a long time, but opening one wasn't difficult for Hans, who could manipulate the Abyssal power.

From his fingertips, a dark aura swirled and stretched out, taking shape.

Soon, a sharply honed abyss split the air.

Zzzzt—

The fissure tore open instantly, revealing a terrifying darkness swirling and churning inside.

[Kukuk, this is interesting. Let's go catch the vermin who bothered me.]

Observing it silently, Hans…

Hesitantly plunged into it.

Glug-glug—

The fissure wriggled due to the impact of his entry.

But in a few seconds, it twisted and turned, quickly closing and disappearing.

As if pretending nothing had happened.

Hans could readily throw himself into the unknown realm within the fissure for several reasons.

First, he thought it would be fine if he could directly manipulate the power of the abyss, and above all, the fact that he could just dismiss the summoning if anything went wrong was decisive.

[Hmm, this is…?]

He had thought he might have to spend some time finding the person inside…

He realized he had overlooked something.

'Intertwined space-time. Existing everywhere and nowhere. I would have had a tough time without the Abyss.'

Hans wrapped himself in the abyss, firmly securing his presence, and looked around.

An extraordinary space where location coordinates and phase continuously shifted even if he stood still.

It was impossible to find someone in a place like this.

[Hoo— This… I can use this.]

If he hadn't had a signpost showing him his definite destination.

This environment would have been like a boundless ocean, but with a firm marker, there wasn't a more convenient place.

Hans took out the finely vibrating piece of metal and looked at it.

And then, slowly taking a step—.

He instantly arrived at his desired location.

Right where the intermediary pointed.

Right where the Revolutionary was.

'Good, this is a sure thing… huh?'

[Huh?]

However, immediately after.

What met his eyes was an unexpected sight.

'I didn't come to the wrong place… It definitely looks like the seed of madness.'

Crack— Crack—!

A gruesome sound reached his ears as he calmly assessed the situation.

Something large and white was diligently working its jaws, enjoying a busy meal in front of him.

'It's a White Giant, no matter how you look at it. This is unexpected.'

Both the eater and the eaten.

They looked exactly alike.

He had thought that there was a lull in invasions, but they were engaging in fratricide here.

'Wait, the size…'

In the midst of this, he tilted his head slightly, noticing something strange.

At first, he thought it was due to the distorted perspective of this space, but even after using the "Abyssal Eye" several times to double-check, there was no mistake.

The eater was about 1.5 times larger than the eaten.

'…The eaten doesn't seem small either. A normal giant was about 30 meters…'

About 45 meters.

It was about the size of a 15-story building.

Unlike the previous giants with ordinary bodies, this one possessed the body of a well-trained warrior, and its tremendous size synergized with its muscles, exuding an overwhelming aura of oppression.

That wasn't the only thing that grated on his nerves.

The enormous amount of 'madness' dwelling within it, and…

"Puf, to think you would actually come here… Yes, it's the Immortal King."

The giant turned its face toward Hans.

The giant glared at him with a pair of black eyes as deep as the abyss, raising the corners of its mouth and sneering.

Eyes, nose, mouth, ears.

There was no seal anywhere.

[Are you that lunatic Revolutionary? This is an unexpected appearance. Did you use the seed of madness to inhabit a giant's body?]

"Puh-huh— What do you think, Immortal King? Isn't it beautiful? This body is the perfect human, the new human race of this world, meticulously crafted by the God of Humanity!"

[God of Humanity…?]

As Hans questioned the unfamiliar term.

Some residue that had sunk to the bottom of his consciousness after being subjected to the White Giant's mental attack began to react with the abyss that filled this space.

And when the things that were shattered and couldn't be salvaged intertwined and transformed into one piece of information.

He finally understood.

Why that giant, the self-proclaimed Revolutionary, caused all that commotion.

[Ho! This is ridiculous. A god corrupted and imprisoned in the abyss, and his servant?]

"Pukukuk— Of course, you wouldn't understand. You, who simply happened to drift into this world! Our creator and parent is suffering at the bottom of the cold abyss, and as his children, how can we stand idly by! Ah— Oh Lord! Forgive this incompetent creature!"

Rumble—!

The giant suddenly went ballistic in the middle of his rambling, his loud cry causing the surrounding space to distort.

The immense energy it contained spread out in all directions, engulfing the area.

'Hmm.'

But Hans merely tilted his head in front of that momentum.

He was thinking about how to respond to the giant's claim that he was from another world.

But that contemplation didn't last long.

'…Wait, it doesn't matter? I'm going to erase him right here anyway.'

He realized that what the giant said was meaningless.

So he casually probed the giant.

[Hoo— So, you are saying I am from another world?]

"Ah? Are you trying to hide it? It's useless, I already know. This space maximizes His power. There's no way I wouldn't have recognized you."

'Power.'

He obtained another piece of information.

He didn't know what it was, but the giant clearly had special abilities.

As he organized his thoughts.

The giant… the Revolutionary, sneered and raised the corners of his mouth.

"Kukukuk— How arrogant, Immortal King. To be captivated by those few words and give me time!"

Creak—

The giant's muscles swelled with a resounding sound.

As he said, his aura, as well as his body, had become much more stable than before.

He had been casually giving out information, buying time to digest the giant he had devoured.

[You have one misconception.]

"Hmm?"

However.

Hans wasn't unaware of this.

He simply judged that obtaining information was more important than dealing with him immediately.

Because…

[Nothing will change even if you do.]

He and that giant were not equals.

Even if he was given a little more time, the result would not change.

Of course, the aura the giant possessed was formidable.

But—

'It depends on who you're facing.'

Despair that descended upon the continent, the fear of the living, and the incarnation who controlled death.

[I shall show you the difference in class, hybrid.]

The self-proclaimed strongest of Auterica, who overlooks the world.

Whoooooosh—!

The death that exploded from Hans's body.

Overwhelming the chaos-filled world, instantly swallowed the giant's domain that had been slowly approaching.