Chapter 15: The Infinite Dragon God, Ophis!
As she finished processing the information, the way Yasaka looked at Akira shifted completely.
Her status was now that of a member of the "New World," while Akira was the absolute ruler of that reality. The two of them now existed on entirely different planes of existence.
"My Lord..."
Standing before Akira, Yasaka lowered her head in a gesture of total submission.
Even though Akira was clearly hiding many things, if the Yokai could truly relocate to that new world, it would be an incredible boon for her kind. A vast, fresh world with more than enough space for them to thrive.
"So, what is your decision, Yasaka?"
Despite the fact that she was now "one of his own," Akira didn't intend to force her hand.
"I will lead the Yokai of Kyoto to submit to you, my Lord, and we shall help expand the reach of your world."
"I don't need you to expand my territory, but your joining does solve a pressing issue for me. In my world, there are many human children and orphans. Your task will be to raise those humans until they reach adulthood."
"Raising humans?"
"That's right. In my world, there won't just be Yokai. Humans, Gods, and Devils—eventually, they will all coexist there."
"Understood. Yasaka shall see it done."
Yasaka bowed her head. The Yokai were the first group to join, which meant they had secured an advantageous starting position. As Akira said, that world wouldn't stay exclusive to them. Since they were the first ones there, her job was to make sure her people picked out the best spots to settle. As for raising humans? That was a small price to pay.
"Very well. Kingu, take Yasaka back to Kyoto. From now on, you have my permission to decide matters like this on your own."
"Okay, Onii-chan."
Kingu nodded in agreement. Akira had already given her the authority to enter and exit the "New World" freely and the permission to bring others in. Even so, when it came to something of this scale, she had still chosen to bring Yasaka to him rather than making the call herself.
With that, the matter was settled. Gaining the Kyoto Yokai was a win for Akira. The beginning of any endeavor was always the hardest, and these Yokai would serve as the perfect workforce to break ground.
As for whether anyone with ill intentions might slip through, Akira wasn't worried in the slightest. Once they had consumed the leaf of the World Tree and been marked by his world, their very lives and souls were under his automatic control. If anyone tried to betray him or cause chaos, he could destroy them with a single thought, plunging their souls into the endless abyss to be devoured by the Tide of Chaos.
Click—
Thump—
Suddenly, a very faint sound reached his ears. Akira reacted instantly. A massive amount of Mana surged outward, blanketing a ten-thousand-meter radius. Space itself was locked down, sealing everything within the boundary.
"Oh dear, it looks like I've been caught eavesdropping. That was a bit of a blunder, nya~"
A familiar, playful voice drifted through the air. Akira turned his gaze toward a nearby roof. Sitting there was a cat-girl with a very well-defined figure. It was none other than Kuroka. And beside her stood a small, short girl with a completely "emotionless" aura.
"Kuroka... were you actually spying on me?"
Akira's brow furrowed. Even if she was Koneko's older sister, the fact that she had the nerve to listen in—and likely heard quite a bit—made him very displeaged.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, nya. It's just that my Boss wanted to meet you, so I came along."
Following Kuroka's lead, Akira looked at the small, black-haired girl. She was dressed in Gothic Lolita fashion, though the top half of her outfit was remarkably sparse, leaving her mostly exposed save for two "patches" that gave her a somewhat bizarre appearance.
Her identity, however, was something Akira couldn't ignore.
The Infinite Dragon God, Ophis. Although she was called a "Dragon," she was technically a "Snake"—the Ouroboros that symbolized the infinite cycle. She possessed limitless power and was born from the void within the Dimensional Gap. Since the beginning of time, she had held the title of the "Strongest," a position that hadn't wavered for eons.
Her power was on par with the God of the Bible; in fact, even that God had feared her. In the past, she was the only being the God of the Bible didn't dare to attack. In the world's power rankings, she stood above all—the true "Strongest" Dragon God.
However, having been driven out of the Dimensional Gap by Great Red, she had founded the Khaos Brigade with the goal of returning to the gap, defeating Great Red, and reclaiming her original silence.
But that was only on the surface. Behind the scenes, Ophis was little more than a mascot being exploited. The members of the Khaos Brigade each had their own hidden agendas, using the name of the "Infinite Dragon God" to sow discord for their own gain. The only person who might actually want to help her was Vali, who simply wanted to make Great Red his target.
"You are very strong. If you are willing to help me defeat Great Red and reclaim the silence of the gap, I can give you a 'Snake'."
As she spoke, she held out her hand. Resting in her palm was a mass of Infinite Power. Almost everyone in the Khaos Brigade possessed one. The "Snake of Infinity" was a fragment of Ophis's power. Since she herself represented "infinity," no matter how much she gave away, it never diminished her own strength.
"I'm afraid I'll have to pass. Rather than joining your side, I'd much rather just take you away and make you mine."
"Impossible. I am invincible. So, do you want a 'Snake'?"
"Invincible? In this world, who dares claim to be invincible? You don't have to look far—weren't you defeated by Great Red and kicked out of the Dimensional Gap?"
"Ugh..."
Ophis went silent. She wasn't angry, as she didn't possess such emotions. However, Akira's words sent her spiraling into a moment of self-doubt. The phrase "I am invincible" did seem like a total contradiction, considering she had, in fact, lost.
Beside her, Kuroka remained quiet. Classic Ophis. It was true that aside from her raw power, she was pretty much at the bottom of the barrel in every other category.
"And what's more, I just happened to acquire a 'weapon' specifically to deal with you, and now you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep. I'm quite grateful."
As he spoke, Akira smiled and spread his arms wide. A second later, beneath his feet, a "wave" of deep black and red began to manifest out of thin air.
The tide surged forward, instantly drowning the surrounding area. Then, from the depths of this Chaos Tide, massive figures began to rise.
They were grotesque, alien beings with the upper bodies of Fallen Angels and the lower bodies of dragons. As she stared at the monsters, their identity flashed through Kuroka's mind.
The Dragon Eater, Samael. The natural enemy of all "Dragons."
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