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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Rift
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What I told Celeste.
It was none other than the story of the power increase in Phase 4.
The shocking news that all ability users in this world would become much stronger than they currently were.
And.

"So, that's because the Sun God's advent is near?"

"Yes. I believe so."

I said that with a brazen expression.
...In truth, all of this was something Celeste would have realized on her own in the original story. The truth she would deduce after everyone's abilities suddenly grew stronger one day, leading her to wonder amidst the chaos why this had happened.

And that truth... now, the process of her discovering it had changed, with me being the one to inform Celeste.
In other words, it meant I was 'specially' giving her this information.

On top of that...

"The Sun God told you this directly?"

"Yes, that's right. I was sitting idly during the day when suddenly, with a sacred sensation of the world rippling, this information surfaced in my mind as if I was recalling something I had forgotten. I suspect it might be a divine revelation."

"Oh... hmm..."

Celeste's expression shifted subtly upon hearing that.
...Naturally, that emotion was disappointment.
"Wait, the Sun God told *you* information they didn't even tell *me*, their Saintess?" Frankly, even the most devout person would feel a pang of disappointment here. Even a cleric is still human, after all.

Of course, her faith wasn't so weak as to be easily shaken by something like this, so it was highly likely she'd conclude with thoughts like, 'Perhaps I am lacking, or the gods have some other purpose.'

...If it doesn't shake easily, then I just need to cling on and shake it hard, right?

Seizing that brief moment when she unconsciously felt a touch of disappointment, I immediately opened my mouth and spoke with a warm tone.

"...Don't be too upset. Perhaps the gods relayed it to me because they thought you might be confused if they told you directly."

"What? Ha... Wh-who said I was upset? That's not it at all."

She replied with cold eyes, as if slightly stung by my words.
Even if you're not upset, if a third party declares you *look* upset, you inevitably start to wonder, 'Am I upset?'
...Right.
Like this, slowly, very slowly. I'll create a rift between her and the Sun God.
So I can step in and intercept her.

"...Regardless, if what you say is true, it's a serious matter."

She closed her eyes for a moment, lost in thought, then opened them again, gazing at me with her golden pupils as she spoke.

"Indeed. Great chaos will erupt in society. There will be fearless individuals who don't know their place, getting drunk on their own power and stepping forward."

I said that with a villainous smile.
It's good to drop villain-like lines like this once in a while.
...Actually, those "fearless individuals" were meant to be villains, not heroes, but well, it's all the same.

"..."

"Hmm..."

As I watched Celeste pondering my words for a moment, I secretly refined my plan.

The core of Phase 4: power inflation. This power inflation was only good for ability users; for the general public, it was nothing short of a disaster. Weaker ability users would become stronger, and already strong ones would become impossibly formidable. In other words, even Celeste, right before me, would become even more powerful.

And amidst this chaos, Celeste's chosen method was precisely this:
The countless villains proliferated by power inflation. A world turned chaotic as those who were too weak to commit terror before grew strong and awakened as villains.
In that world, Celeste would declare with an overwhelming power that no one could match:

All villains must follow her.
Just as all heroes belonged to the Association, she commanded villains to follow her as well.
That was the true emergence of 'Cathedral'.

This organization was launched with the existing Cathedral members as executives.
...Given that Cathedral was originally composed of the strongest individuals in a country, with all those further empowered by the power inflation joining it, Cathedral became a disaster in itself.
It would beat down rebellious villains, effectively becoming an enormous villain alliance, even larger in scale than the Association.

Although it was an event that portrayed Stardust as a group that absolutely had to be destroyed, expanding the scale of her enemies to a global level.

...By the time Chapter 4 was almost over, the readers' assessment was this:

[Wait. But actually, wasn't Cathedral not so bad?]

The logic went like this:
The world was already on the verge of collapse, chaotic with villains, so wasn't it actually better that Cathedral united them and brought some semblance of order?

Such talk appeared even in the original story, but now, the situation was even better. Because I and my comrades were part of Cathedral.
In other words, I could pull strings from the inside.

Just as I was thinking that, Celeste's voice from in front of me caught my attention.

"...I need to think about this."

She murmured quietly, her eyes closed.
Then, opening her eyes again, she said to me with a slightly haughty expression.

"Well... it was information I would have learned anyway, but thank you for telling me in advance. Ahem, thank you, Egostic."

Watching Celeste say that while slightly avoiding my gaze, I found myself surprised.
Celeste saying thank you? The sun must be rising in the west.
...Still, was she slowly opening up to me? It was a good sign. Though it was a bit funny how my mood swung wildly over a single thank you... But what else could I do? I needed to win her over to prevent the world's destruction.

Anyway, that was enough for today.
I should leave now and approach her again once she's had time to collect her thoughts.

Thinking that, I prepared to say my goodbyes.

"Haha, we're in the same boat, so of course, I should share information like this right away. Well then, I'll be going now..."

"Where are you going?"

As I, momentarily flustered, turned my head, Celeste, who also seemed flustered, cleared her throat with a slightly flushed face, then gestured for me to sit back down and spoke.

"...Ahem. Where are you going? As you said, we're in the same boat, believing in the same god. You should help me figure out what to do. Sit back down."

"...Um, yes."

I sat back down.

'What was that?'

I didn't know what it was, but it seemed best not to upset her at the moment...

'...Well, fine. This is even better.'

I should take this opportunity to propose the expansion of Cathedral myself and secure a position.

Thinking that, I opened my mouth.

How much time had passed like that?

"Let's do that, then."

"Excellent."

It was decided that I would be in charge of Cathedral's Asian division.
...I don't know what it means, but it worked out!

***

'...The Sun God's advent is near, and everyone's abilities will grow stronger because of it...'

Listening to Egostic's words, Celeste quietly sank into thought.
This was extremely important information. Information that could reshape global affairs.
The more she thought, the countless ripple effects that event would cause surfaced in her mind.

Celeste.
As the leader of Aetheria, the villain alliance reputed to be the strongest in the world, she was naturally adept at grasping political situations. To the extent that all sorts of calculations occurred simultaneously in her mind.

"...I need to think about this."

That's why she had murmured those words, lost in thought. What would be the right course of action for the gods in this situation? What should she do?

...At any rate, this information was extremely valuable, if true.
She didn't understand why the gods had spoken only to him, and not to her...

'They never visited me after first bestowing power upon me...'

Feeling a slight pang of disappointment, which she quickly suppressed, deeming it disrespectful, she didn't know. She didn't know that anyone privy to the truth about the Sun God would have exploded in exasperation upon hearing this... Because, to begin with, the Sun God had never visited Egostic, nor was it even possible for them to do so.

At any rate, it was something she learned thanks to Egostic.
Celeste wanted to express her gratitude.

"Well... it was information I would have learned anyway, but thank you for telling me in advance. Ahem, thank you, Egostic."

...Saying such words felt a bit awkward, making her expression slightly odd, but as long as her sincerity got across, it should have been fine.

In truth, even this much was uncharacteristic of her. For someone who had always stood at the pinnacle, this kind of equal relationship was a first, which was why the words came out. To think they were both chosen by the same Sun God.

Anyway, if his words were truly accurate, what should she do...?

It was then, as she was thinking such thoughts.

"Haha, we're in the same boat, so of course, I should share information like this right away. Well then, I'll be going now..."

Egostic's words reached her ears.

And the moment she heard those words.

...She found herself reflexively lifting her head and speaking without thinking.

"Where are you going?"

An informal remark, uttered without her conscious thought.
She was flustered by her own words, which even she felt were cold.

"...Ahem. Where are you going? As you said, we're in the same boat, believing in the same god. You should help me figure out what to do. Sit back down."

Even as she thought that, she felt her insides churning.
"...If you're chosen by the same Sun God, you should help. Where are you running off to?"
For her, who had always stood alone at the pinnacle, he was the first person the Sun God had sent down.

Forgetting that just moments ago she had been too embarrassed to face Egostic, she thus held him back.

"How about expanding Cathedral from its current information-sharing meeting into an international villain alliance?"

At his words, offering an idea after staying behind, she found herself nodding unconsciously.
...It was a good idea. So much so that she felt she would have reached the same conclusion if she had thought about it longer.

'...He really is useful...'

Celeste quietly thought that.

Yes. Perhaps Egostic really was a gift sent by the Sun God just for her. To that extent...

And just like that, without her even realizing it.
Celeste began to trust him, little by little.
A little, but surely.

Chapter 362