Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku

17-6. To Realm of Gods (2)

Satou here. I imagine the world of gods to be like a place with lots of Parthenon-like temples in a carpet of clouds, with gods relaxing around in toga. This might be influenced by the fact that the first western myth I read was a Greek one.

◇

Realm of Gods was a world filled with lights.

An intense glimmer of rainbow colored lights that changes its form every moment like a kaleidoscope, creating a torrent of undulating lights.

Since I don't physically have eyes, I'm able to enjoy such an intense light.

I feel like I can spread my consciousness as far and wide as I want and still be able to perceive things, it's quite an odd sensation.

A world of countless glimmers is spread near the intense light.

When I try to spread my consciousness, I feel a weird sense of omnipotence, like I can grasp every inch of this world.

『Aah, I want to melt inside this light.』

That idea is filling out my head along with euphoria.

--Keep yourself together, my hero.

Someone's voice slipped in my mind.

That voice secured my consciousness from trying to melt into the world.

--For you are my partner.

My awareness became clear as I recalled the soft sensation on my lips.

Looks like I was saved by the mysterious little girl's protection.

◇

"--Tou, Satou of man."

As I came to my sense, I could hear a voice of someone besides the mysterious little girl's.

I look around and find no one.

Come to think of it, I don't see Sillmufuze-san who came here with me.

--Or rather, I can't even see myself due to the rainbow-colored lights.

"--Tou--light--"

The faint voice I've been hearing for a while sounds similar to Sillmufuze-san's.

I try to look for Sillmufuze-san inside the light since she's saying something about light.

Wonder where she is?

"--Suppress--"

--Hm? Suppress?

I concentrate on the Sillmufuze-san sounding voice.

"Satou of man, suppress the light!"

Her voice suddenly became clear like I had tuned in the right radio frequency.

"Is this light, maybe, caused by me?"

"It is. Suppress it quick! At this rate--"

Her disappearing voice sounds pained.

This situation doesn't seem good.

Suppress the light huh...

I try to suppress the light like I did with Spirit Light.

The light gradually gets weaker.

--Oh, it's working.

My focus seemed to have loosened up due to that as the light regained its intensity in an instant then.

"KYAAAAAAAA"

The scream is becoming distant.

--Whoopsie.

This time I carefully squeeze down the light.

It's harder than with Spirit Light, maybe because of I'm in astral body.

I wasn't able to completely suppress the light to zero like I did with Spirit Light.

"Satou of man, it appears that have succeeded suppressing the light."

A small light with a green outline came closer from a distant while blinking weakly.

"Sillmufuze-san?"

"Yes, it's me."

As I stared at the light, a half transparent body of Sillmufuze-san looked like it was overlapping the light.

I'd better not look too much.

◇

"This place is quite dreamy, isn't it."

Maybe it's due to the disappearance of the intense light I emitted, the world seems a bit darker.

There are countless glittering small lights beyond the clouds of faint lights.

Those clouds change form while undulating, the whole things are made to look like it's comprised of a single flow.

There is no land, we're standing on top of a section of that flow.

I opened the Map and as expected it was, [Area without Map].

I can still use Unique Skills in Realm of Gods, but my level and status have been grayed out.

Auto-mapping and Radar also work, let's prudently proceed ahead while hoping that the gods haven't prepared a grand trap for me.

"Follow me, Satou of man."

I follow after Sillmufuze-san's light.

Out of curiosity, I tried taking out a little wooden bird craft from my Storage.

I wanted to see what would happen to physical objects here--.

Unlike in the physical world, the wooden bird transfigured into what looked like a cubic painting before instantly swelling up all the while transforming into bizarre shapes, and eventually ruptured off into nothingness.

"--What are you doing! Satou of man!"

Sillmufuze-san got mad.

"I will leave you behind if you keep needlessly acting up!"

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

Sillmufuze-san finally agreed to continue leading the way after I promised her to never do it again.

Yup, let's test other things out on my way back.

◇

After passing through interweaving veils inside mist of light, we arrived at what looked like pitch black waters.

"It's the barrier wall of the God's Realm."

"Do we have to go pass this?"

"A god not cannot pass through this."

Then will the gods come meet me here?

As I thought that, I could see a golden light coming closer from beyond the waters.

"That's the God Ark coming to fetch you."

Sillmufuze-san told me what that golden light was.

It looked like a golden dot of light from afar, but I understood that it was actually cylindrical shaped as it got closer.

I'm not sure if it's a trait of this world or something, but the ark's shape keeps changing even while the impression of it being cylindrical stays on my mind. It kind of looks like soft animal shaped candy, I bet it's tasty.

The ark is bigger than I thought.

If I use myself as the basis, the God Ark's total length might reach several kilometers.

Apparently, it's having a musical performance while sailing, I could hear an elven-like melodious tune conveyed to my hearing-like sense. It sounded quite solemn.

As I enjoyed the tune while gazing at the ark, three white light orbs that were orbiting the ark like satellites drew closer.

"Somethings is coming."

"Those are nymphs who serve under gods directly. Mind your manners."

As they got closer, I saw that these three light orbs had a different outline each, which were bitter orange, blue and yellow .

"Is this the man who cleared the trials?"

The bitter orange outlined light murmured.

The voice sounded dignified somehow.

"He's bearing the marks of gods, so he must be."

This time the blue outlined light replied to its comrades after orbiting around me while blinking.

"What seedy light. Nothing compared to my master."

The last yellow outlined light orb moved like it was turning away after saying something rude.

"High elf, purify him at least."

"Good grief, what would you do if he sullied God Ark with earthly impurities."

"Eww, what a lowly high elf."

Even though she was being haughtily ordered by the nymphs, Sillmufuze-san put me under a light shower without looking particularly bothered.

Though I don't feel anything different in particular, the nymphs seem to be satisfied with that.

"Come, human."

"Be grateful to our great gods as you board."

"Be grateful for god's mercy."

I follow after the nymphs toward the God Ark.

When we got to a certain distance, some kind of invisible force field wrapped me and carried me to orbit the God Ark. It was like how the nymphs were like when the Ark was coming.

The music changed and the God Ark embarked once again.

--Huh?

Only the nymphs and me are boarding the God Ark, Sillmufuze-san is standing by on the waters' bank.

"Is Sillmufuze-san not coming with us?"

"You are not allowed to ask questions."

The bitter orange light denied me of questions.

"Oh fine, since I'm kind and all, I shall tell you."

Despite the content, the blue outlined light orb's word had maliciousness in it as it turned toward me.

The part with a patterned bright light on the orb seems to be its face.

"High elves are the administrators of spots that come into contact with the lower world, hence they cannot come."

"She's got lots of dirts on her, of course she can't board God Ark."

The yellow outlined light orb added to the blue outlined orb light's explanation in mean spirit.

Looks like discriminations exist even in the realm of gods.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be a paradise or heavens where everyone is happy.

◇

"Guess we've arrived?"

The God Ark stopped moving, and the valiant sounding tune slowly changed to a more calm tune.

The force field that was wrapping me disappeared, the thin light membrane cleared away.

"Hee, incredible."

Countless star-like lights have gathered together to form a great number of geometrical-shaped structures.

"Come, human."

"Stop dawdling around."

"Come quick or we'll leave you behind."

The nymphs are calling for me.

I went after the nymphs and landed on a floating monorail-like corridor.

The same force field like on God Ark wrapped me again here, then it gently put me on the rail line before carrying me forward. The locomotion feels like I'm on a linear motor train.

Although I expressed it as monorail earlier, the rail line turned into what looked like a jet coaster created by an innocent child along the way, the track was quite acrobatic.

Felt like I would get motion sickness were I was not in astral body.

I saw a Moebious strip like ring at the end of the rail line.

"--Ring?"

"Be silent, human."

"This is the great God Gate."

As I muttered, the blue outlined orb ignored me, the bitter orange outlined orb responded in irritation, and the yellow outlined orb told me what it was. That ring seems to be a gate.

The scenery underwent a complete change after we passed through the ring.

That ring seems to be a teleport gate.

The Map's name has changed as well.

This place that's flooded with lights appears to be the [Garden of Gods].

It feels like the morning sun coming down stained glass in a temple or a chapel, makes me feel solemn. The music playing in the surrounding area has changed into something heavy like it's jolting my body.

The rail reached the terminus of [Garden of Gods] and we had to go ahead in the air by ourselves once again.

We passed through several rings along the way.

This time, they were not teleport gates, they were just for accelerations.

The fact that I enjoyed moving like I was in the masterpiece game of Mega Saturn [Nights (YoRU)] when I got through them is a secret.

Every time we accelerated, I was made to witness wondrous scenes of getting lines of lights in the surroundings zoomed past me.

It's like seeing the SFX of [Watching the stars as the space ship entered a warp] in an SF I saw in the past.

While slightly enjoying the journey, I passed through a dense wall of light thing together with the nymphs.

◇

"""THOU WHO HAVE CLEARED THE TRIALS"""

Before I knew it, I had arrived at a place with seven giant floating lights.

Each of the seven lights have mysterious flower-like geometrical patterns that gradually change shapes as if pulsing.

Innumerable lights are orbiting around them like satellites.

Curiously, just looking at the seven lights prompt me to offer my prayers in solemness.

I checked the Log just for sure, but I had not received a mental attack or anything.

"""O HUMAN, ONWARD"""

Countless silver lights with stern geometrical patterns float between me and the seven lights.

These aren't nymphs, I believe they're the apostles I saw during the divine punishment.

As I go forward, the geometrical patterns turned sharp-pointed, silver thorns formed one after another, forming a passage-like thing.

I think it kinda looks like a saber arch?

"""O HUMAN, TO THE RING OF AUDIENCE"""

There's a 3D magic circle-like area at the end of the passage.

That seems to be the [Ring of Audience].

"""YOU ARE BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF GREAT GODS"""

Those giant lights seem to be the seven pillar gods.

Since AR readings display [UNKNWON], it's not clear which is who, but I could hazard a guess from comparing their colors to the lights I saw during the trials.

A force field gently stuck on me as I arrived at the [Ring of Audience].

"""OFFER YOUR PRAYERS"""

I almost took the pose of a certain confectionery company character, but they'd get mad at me if I joked around here so I offered my prayer like I would at a Shinto shrine.

The [Ring of Prayers] I sat on shone golden. Quite pretty.

"""OFFER YOUR PRAYERS"""

Apparently, it's not enough.

I wouldn't have met with Liza and the girls if I didn't come to their world, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to offer my thanks.

The light on [Ring of Audience] changed into golden light with a tinge of rainbow colors.

For some reason, the pulsing lights differ from that of gods.

The orange and yellow colors are especially conspicuous.

"""OFFER YOUR PRAYERS"""

Alright, this time let's thank them for Aze-san.

After all, I wouldn't have met Aze-san had they not arrived in that world riding the World Trees from the Realm of Gods.

My gratitudes seem to have been transmitted, the [Ring of Audience] begins to emit glimmering golden particles while vibrating intensely.

Now then, let's give it my all to offer--.

"We have received your prayers, Satou of man. Any more than that is unnecessary."

An echoing voice from the gentle-looking light green light stopped me from praying any more.

I've got a feeling that the owner of this voice is God Tenion.

Having numerous images transmitted along with words seem to be the standard fare, thankfully I've gotten used to it during the trials.

"Tenion, gods we are do not heedlessly call out to those of lower world at 『Temple』."

"Yeah, yeah, Tenion! Heraruon is right! You're dragging down our level."

The orange light that shines like the sun--God Heraruon--shot out ripples of lights containing words toward the light green light--God Tenion.

I believe the psychedelic yellow light that rode on God Heraruon's coattail is God Zaikuon.

"Silence, Zaikuon. Why have you not understood that your manner of speaking degrades our dignity."

The blue light rebuked the yellow light--God Zaikuon.

It kinda sounds like a character from a classic masterpiece robot anime that's still running even today.

Their tones are different than during the trials.

I guess this one is more like how they are originally?

"Shut up, Garleon! This great me is not wrong!"

"That's exactly why, you!"

Between the quarreling God Zaikuon and blue light--God Garleon, a wave of indigo light vigorously ran through the space between the two.

"Garleon, Zaikuon, both of you quiet down. Right now is the top seat, Heraruon's turn to speak. We ought to watch in silent. Karion said so as well."

The serious indigo light mediated between God Garleon and God Zaikuon.

"I don't. Urion's delusion."

The vermilion light with a very complex shape--God Karion--denied God Urion's acclaim while pulsing slowly.

These gods sure have striking personalities, more than I imagined.

By process of elimination, the light blue light who's snuggling to God Tenion must be God Parion then.

Now then, I should get down to business as to why I come here.