012: Tentative Cooperation?
Does everyone know this?
Actually, if you stack stones on the banks of the Netherworld River, a monster called a ‘Riverbank Oni’ appears and comes to knock them down.
If you use the stacked stones as bait at this time, you can get behind the Oni’s unguarded back, and then you can safely level up by finishing it off with a Backstab, you know?
“Can’t you just honestly repent?”
“Praying doesn’t raise my faith level. So, I’ll prioritize worldly benefits (leveling).”
I once tried praising all the gods I knew, thinking I could get a bunch of experience points for my faith skill, but it was completely pointless.
It’s terrible, considering I went to the trouble of making a completely original, all-deity-mixed avant-garde idol. Well, it was bought by a passing artist, so it wasn’t completely pointless, I guess.
Well then, everyone, how do you do? I’m Sakurai Toru, a leveling enthusiast.
Right now, I’m in the ‘Netherworld,’ a major entertainment facility for the dead, or rather, an additional stage of downloadable content.
In the original story, it’s a place where the protagonist’s soul, wounded and unconscious after a battle with a demon in the middle of the story, gets lost. He then climbs the ‘Tower’ that connects to the real world with an additional heroine who lives here, and succeeds in being revived.
The reason why I’m in such a place is mostly because I got tangled up with Higaki Ao (a psycho bitch) next to me and got killed, but I never thought the afterlife would be implemented.
“By the way, Higaki-san, you were killed by a delay attack after thinking you had the upper hand on the person you thought you killed.”
“Hmph.”
“Aaaaaah!!! My mountain of stones I stacked to kill the Oni is goneee!!”
“Your disrespect for life is beyond extreme.”
Damn it, I was about to have a constructive conversation, but this bastard! That’s why you’re obsessed with old men!!
And what’s with that ninth Serpent Flame?! That wasn’t in the game! That’s cheating!! Unfair!! Teach me too!!! Idiot!!!
“So? What did my number one disciple, who went forward so coolly only to be turned into charcoal and become a stepping stone for my growth, want to say?”
“I think you should stop dissing people all the time, you know?”
“Are you a boomerang master who throws and immediately returns? Get to the point.”
“There’s a way to be revived in the real world, but it’s a pain to do alone, so let’s team up for a while.”
After agonizing for a little over an hour, she finally agreed with a terribly disgusted face and a croaking, hesitant voice like a toad. I will never forget this woman’s appearance for the rest of my life.
And so, Higaki and I left the riverbank and headed towards ‘Niflheim,’ the ice castle where the lord of the Netherworld resides.
We arrived at ‘Niflheim’ outside of business hours and were promptly caught by the guards and thrown into the reflection room.
“Well, at least we secured a safe place to stay.”
“It’s a place to escape the rain and dew, but the fact that it’s a ‘cage’ ruins everything.”
It can’t be helped, we barged in outside of business hours.
It’s just a cage, everyone who dies is a sinner, so don’t worry about it. Besides, we’re both murderers, so it’s a good match, right? I’m claiming self-defense, though.
By the way, the operating hours of the Ice Castle Niflheim are from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. If we take a nap now, we can line up first thing in the morning. How’s that for a perfect schedule!
Other facilities also have operating hours. That’s why users treat it like an entertainment facility. What exactly is the Netherworld…?
“Haa, fine. If you have a plan, I’ll follow your lead for now… I’ll come with you.”
“You don’t have to make such a disgusted face.”
“I hate what I hate. So? What are you going to do at this Niflheim place?”
“To get a point card… wait, put down your sword and listen. Why haven’t your weapons been confiscated?”
“I politely asked for it back, saying that if I’m going to sleep in the same room as a man, I need something to protect myself.”
You’re using your female privilege to the fullest, aren’t you? And why did you emphasize ‘politely’?
Well, I guess I should explain properly, or she won’t be convinced.
If we’re going to form a temporary alliance, we need to share information.
Let’s explain it according to the original story.
First of all, the ‘Netherworld’ in this world is a ‘rehabilitation facility’ where the dead with strong regrets gather.
According to the explanation given to the protagonist in the game, souls with regrets are tainted for various reasons, and if they enter the cycle of reincarnation in that state, it puts a strain on the system that creates the cycle of souls.
Each stain is small, but like dust accumulating into a mountain, if left unattended, the souls newly sent to the real world will weaken, and their bodies will become frail as a result.
If the body becomes frail, the cycle of death and rebirth will accelerate, and the lifespan of the species will be shortened. The end result is the extinction of the species, which is bad for the gods who establish their existence by gaining faith from not only humans but also various other species.
Therefore, Anubis, the god of the Netherworld who manages human souls, created a place to remove the stains from souls in advance to solve this problem. That place is here, the ‘Netherworld.’
I understand that you want to point out the fact that the concept of reincarnation (Buddhism) is thrown into Niflheim (Norse mythology), and on top of that, the administrator is an Egyptian god, but please accept it as it is.
“I see. So, how does cleaning the soul’s stains connect to our revival?”
“The soul’s stains are basically ‘regrets.’ So, Anubis thought that resolving ‘regrets’ would clean the stains.”
“That makes sense, but… can that really work?”
That’s a valid question.
If it were simply about providing pleasure corresponding to regrets, people would endlessly seek it, and as a result, their regrets would only grow larger.
“That’s why he came up with the ‘Tower’ you see outside that window. Here, get on.”
“Ah, ah… I see, that’s it.”
Higaki, who was on my back on all fours, looked out the small window with iron bars and muttered in agreement.
She must be seeing the huge tower that stretches to the sky.
“That ‘Tower’ collects people’s regrets and creates Divine Constructs. Anubis created a system where he has the dead defeat those monsters and gives them rewards accordingly, thereby cleaning the stains on their souls.”
“I see. So, you have the dead wipe up the mess of their regrets, and then you give them rewards for ‘cooperating with the gods by cutting off their regrets’ to resolve them.”
“That’s right. You’re surprisingly quick on the uptake.”
“The ‘surprisingly’ is unnecessary.”
As she said that, Higaki got off my back and gently patted my back, which she had been using as a stepping stone, to brush off the dirt.
She’s fundamentally a good person, judging by how naturally she does that, but why does she become so twisted when the Bonus Uncle is involved? Is this what they mean by a woman’s heart and the autumn sky? No, that’s definitely not it…
“I’m starting to get it. The point card you’re talking about is a record of how many monsters you’ve defeated in the ‘Tower,’ and the reward for the accumulated results includes revival in the real world, right?”
“That’s right. So, first thing in the morning, we need to meet Anubis and get the ‘Virtue Card’ and permission to enter the ‘Tower’.”
“‘Virtue Card’…? ”
“Complain to the gods (the manufacturers) about the naming.”
In the original story, you could also earn points by playing mini-games at event facilities scattered throughout the ‘Netherworld.’
However, the increase in points is like the difference between the moon and a mud puddle compared to the ‘Tower,’ and in reality, it’s just a place to take a break and get unique items. I might go if I feel like it, but I don’t have any plans right now.
“Well, I’m going to sleep.”
“There’s only one bed.”
“Who else would use it besides you? It’s obvious.”
I didn’t get to level up much today, so I’m feeling unsatisfied. In times like these, it’s best to sleep and forget everything.
I lay down on the blanket that was randomly pulled out and closed my eyes.
While I was falling asleep, I was slightly wary of the sound of Higaki shifting in the bed behind me, but I slowly gave in to sleep.