"Akusa-sama, are you really sure about this?" asked my subordinate.
"You know which god dominates this land. That god despises mages and demons, fearing their power might someday threaten his rule. Though he is the strongest being in the universe, he struggles to maintain his place in the world. Simply put, he wants to remain the sole ruler."
If I use this power, he will likely intervene in the war. A foolish reason for such a powerful god, but that's the reality. I stepped onto a small clearing, preparing to cast the spell.
Using the spell Reon, I intended to obliterate the army of the undead. Focusing on the center of their horde, I summoned a magical circle, from which a fiery beam struck the earth. Moments later, a powerful explosion erupted at the center of the army, accompanied by a shockwave that I amplified and concentrated into a destructive ring. The undead were torn to pieces, and the earth's crust cracked for tens of kilometers around.
Back at our camp, the shockwave's wind and a mild earthquake could be felt.
"Well, that's that. The undead are no more," I said, satisfied with my work.
"Yes, I can see that," my subordinate replied, staring at me in astonishment.
"Now, we can say victory is—"
"Akusa-sama, look!" my subordinate interrupted with a shout.
I looked up at the sky. The clouds parted, and something indistinct descended from above. Its aura was overwhelming.
"Akusa-sama, what is that?"
"I think our worst fear is coming true."
"You mean… it's a god?"
"That's right. Most likely the very god who loathes foreign power. But why would such a powerful god descend to kill a weak mage like me?"
"Akusa-sama, what should we do?"
"We could use Tasume's help, but it's better not to involve him."
"But there's no way you can fight a god!"
I knew that, but there was no choice. To be honest, I didn't particularly cling to life. I thought about this with mild sorrow.
At that moment, Aver Akadzo appeared beside me—a god who rules over our world and, most likely, betrayed humanity. He grabbed me by the neck and lifted me into the air.
"Akusa-sama!" my subordinate shouted, only to be flung back dozens of meters by a gust of wind magic from the god.
"So, you're the mage who managed to stop my subordinate's arrow and easily annihilated an army of ten thousand zombies," Aver said.
"And nearly destroyed our world!" he added.
"…." He knows about that too… I had forgotten this might attract his attention. My thoughts briefly drifted to the past.
"You're correct," I said with difficulty.
"Then I wasn't mistaken."
"So, what do you want? Why are you here?" I asked in a slightly hoarse voice.
"It seems you still have lives to spare, judging by how you speak to a god."
Did I anger him?
"Why am I here? It's simple: your mana and your potential!"
"What about them?" I shouldn't have said that… He can likely sense my mana, though not completely.
"You're not being honest? Then I'll explain, since I've been watching you for a long time."
"You sealed most of your mana to hide your true strength during school tests, didn't you?"
Truly a god! He even knows that…
"Akusa? What's going on? I heard an explosion, and then something in the sky…" I heard Tasume's voice growing fainter.
"It's a god. They told us about him in school."
"Ah, now I remember," Tasume said, glancing away to prepare a surprise attack.
"So, the snack has arrived," Aver said, releasing me.
He doesn't deserve the title of a god. He's more like a demon.
Meanwhile, Tasume swung his sword at Aver from behind.
"Do you really think that'll work?" Aver said, turning at incredible speed and catching the blade with his hand.
He then effortlessly snapped it like a twig.
"You're very weak," Aver said, delivering a punch to Tasume.
"Tasume!" I shouted.
Tasume managed to raise a barrier, but it shattered, and the punch struck his arms. He partially protected himself but was thrown into a cliff over a hundred meters away. The cliff crumbled.
"What power…" my subordinate murmured.
"Tasume, are you alive?!" I shouted.
"Seems so, but that hurt," Tasume replied faintly.
In the meantime, I removed the mana seal.
"So, you've removed the limiter," Aver said with a smirk.
In that instant, I struck his arm with my sword.
"What?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.
"Hahaha, it's amusing to see helpless mages," Aver laughed darkly.
I attacked with nearly full power, but he remained unharmed. It was incomprehensible… I leaped back, realizing my opponent surpassed me.
"Well then, let's have some fun," Aver said, instantly teleporting to me and grabbing my neck, dragging me into open space.
"Akusaaa!" Tasume's scream echoed.
"How's this? Take a last look," Aver said.
I gazed at the earth, and in the next moment, Avar impaled me with a sword.
"At school, they told you not to chase power—it will destroy you. See?"
Seriously?! Such a foolish justification?!
Avar turned back to the earth.
I quickly pulled the sword out, healed my wounds, and cast Mekisu, granting myself oxygen and warmth in space.
"You can try whatever you like, but you must realize I'm far stronger than you," Aver said.
Aver began approaching me. I snapped my fingers, amplifying the sound impulse to try and stop him. But as expected, it was futile.
"Alright, let's end this!" Avar said, starting to construct a magical sequence.