Chapter 204

At the point where the trees disappear and the grasslands begin…

I have a faint memory that they used to clear out trees around the city for safety reasons, so if any monsters came toward the city, they could easily spot them because of the open space.

And like related search terms, I vaguely remember examples of defensive formations or easy-to-build barriers flashing through my mind.

But those are useless now. I’ve tossed them aside. Instead, I’m standing in front of the Twilight Association, holding some machine that looks like it was thrown together haphazardly, all tangled up and messy.

The original founders of the Twilight Association aren’t here anymore. The people I met on the ship who started this group—they’re all dead now.

Some died saving others during the massive fire in Bern City. Others were trampled by fleeing citizens. Some were targeted as examples when protests were suppressed. Others died fighting.

There are even those who were reduced to dust by blind artillery fire.

Even so, right there in front is the Harvesting System.

Since there’s a device that nullifies magic power, only someone with raw strength can operate the harvester.

Above my head, the upside-down sea still ripples, but I didn’t run away—I came here.

Does that mean I’ve accumulated too much baggage?

“You…”

The foremost harvester recognized my face.

“Hello.”

One by one, they stop and approach me.

I thought only harvesters would come near, but surprisingly, even non-harvesters who recognize me are walking over. That’s unexpected.

“Why are you here?”

The harvester standing before me unexpectedly turned out to be someone trying to build a nation. They’re inciting others to create a new country.

What should I say here?

I could keep pretending to be benevolent, but doing so might make me into a god for those seeking religion.

Ideally, I’d prefer they see themselves as gods instead of me, but no one seems to think that way. Of course, when creating a cult, keeping the “god” separate helps maintain the sect longer.

But it doesn’t seem like these harvesters understand that.

Once, Yasurel had been a proper religious sanctuary, but he turned it into a more perfect form of a cult. Those who’ve dabbled in religion know better.

This world, where religion has nearly collapsed, probably lacks such knowledge. People blindly worship whatever’s easiest, then turn their affection into hatred when it doesn’t suit them.

That kind of object is annoying.

So, it’s better to show some humanity here.

“I came chasing after Victoria.”

And it aligns with Polaris’ perspective too.

“Victoria?”

People start murmuring.

“Are you saying you’re on Victoria’s side?”

I glance behind me.

Polaris has Victoria in hand, and Victoria looks furious. If you listen closely to her muttering, she’s complaining about how she just came looking for her parents, yet everyone keeps getting in her way.

That’s right.

Victoria just came to find her parents.

But I don’t point that out.

Instead, I reply,

“Yes, that’s right.”

I add an image of myself being selfish. Fortunately, the situation suits it perfectly.

“Why? Why?! We’ve done all the hard work! We pursued the truth in Bern City, but we were suppressed and called malicious protesters! The army attacked the very citizens they were supposed to protect! Now everyone is the enemy! You were the only one who helped us!”

Their logic is flawed.

The events they went through happened after I created the harvester, right?

But they associate their hardships with memories of the harvester and treat them as the same thing.

So they ask why I abandoned them after helping them back then.

“All of Bern City has been ruined by those who don’t even live there.”

I could let this go and send them off with comforting words, but here I’ll take a gamble. And the first company I mention should be the least conspicuous one.

“Pride Industry.”

I subtly check inside using the harvester’s vision, carefully ensuring no one is moving around.

“Gun and Rufu Company.”

No one’s moving here either?

And finally…

“Rocket Mobile Company.”

Right after that, sharp steel needles fly toward me. They embed themselves into my chest—multiple times. Like a hedgehog, I’m completely covered.

“What, what is this!”

“Who is it!”

“It’s him, grab him!”

“What? They disappeared again! There are several of them! Find them!”

I extend one hand and calm Victoria down.

Otherwise, everyone here will drown from the water falling from above.

“I can heal!”

“Me too!”

Then two harvesters rush over—a man and a woman. The crowd nearby steps aside, believing these two possess psychic abilities to heal people.

Yeah.

That’s right.

But I know something else.

One of them—the woman—is working for a corporation. She runs faster than the man, places her hand on my chest, and with her other arm, she delivers a powerful punch.

Crack.

“What the hell is she doing!”

But the man who yells in shock doesn’t get a response. In fact, no one at the scene can speak—not even the woman.

Because she’s already dead.

A cylinder as thick as two fingers descends from the sky, piercing her straight through the crown of her head.

With a crunching sound, part of her body gets torn into the water. With her brain and heart destroyed, death is instantaneous.

“So, you wanted to see, huh? How many times does Bell need to die? Why do you guys keep clinging to others’ ankles? Do I ask for too much? I just want to check if my mom and dad are safe, so why do you keep stopping me!”

Victoria unleashes the emotions she’s been suppressing, like a dam breaking. Polaris looks startled at Victoria, and those who heard her words stare at her, surprised by her outburst.

But there’s a problem.

Victoria’s scream wasn’t meant to relieve stress.

“Now, I won’t hold back anymore.”

It was the sound of the last dam collapsing.

Her voice, filled with sticky hatred, seeps into the quiet air.

People turn their gaze toward Victoria, alarmed by her words. Victoria glares at them with a wretched expression.

Finally realizing what loomed above, some look up at the sky.

But it’s too late.

“Drown.”

The sea poured onto the ground.

Yet no one dies instantly. The harvesters of the Twilight Association weren’t complete fools.

They came here to fight Victoria, confident they could kill her, knowing they stood a chance even if the sky fell.

Until now, they believed the machines that rendered magic powerless were just that—machines. But they glow, and a purple barrier forms, shielding people from the falling water.

As the barrier covers the area, the water flows harmlessly to the sides.

Not all magic relies excessively on physics. Some strange spells, like those from old fairy tales, exist too.

Apparently, regular water is tough to penetrate unless it’s magically enhanced.

In my faded memory, while crossing the sea by splitting it like in ancient tales, there’s now a wall of water in front of me.

Inside the water, purple orbs shine like clusters of grapes on the ocean floor.

Then, outside the purple orbs, everything turns into pristine white solid.

It’s freezing.

The water unable to breach the barrier freezes instantly, forming a spiky cocoon resembling a hedgehog. A flash surrounds the cocoon, followed by an explosion.

No, it’s not explosives. It’s not some ability causing the explosion either.

Massive amounts of gas expand.

Yeah.

That’s right.

When you electrolyze water, it splits into oxygen and hydrogen, which eventually recombine explosively. Still, ultimately, it produces water, and the gases rise upward.

This applies to the areas closest to the front. While multiple purple barriers emerged, some relied solely on the barrier, while others used their own powers to block the cascading water.

Not everyone survives.

Several warm bodies lie outside the barriers, having drowned after being dragged into the water just as the barriers formed.

I expected Polaris to intervene, thinking this massacre was going too far.

But Polaris stands there with a cold expression, gazing at the fallen sea.

Relief mingles with his features, as if he feels fortunate that the ones who deserved to die did.

Victoria stares at the people trapped in the sea with eyes brimming with murderous intent.

That’s right. Even with superpowers, limits exist.

Back in the first world, when harvesters fought each other, limitations on their abilities mattered. Later, applying those powers creatively became crucial.

Some incorporated martial arts, others fused magic with their skills, and a few manipulated the environment to dodge around.

Perhaps this is Victoria’s limit.

So I approached her.

Or rather, I tried. Victoria raises both hands in a gesture that resembles choking someone.

“Drown. Drown. Drown. Drown. Drown. Drown. Drown. Drown.”

She mutters it like a curse.

Each time she speaks, the water darkens and becomes murky enough to obscure light sources.

Or maybe the water is compressing.

Creeeak.

The purple dome distorts, and various phenomena around it cease. It’s as though there isn’t enough space for anything to happen.

Eventually, a black wall appears in front of me. Its density is so high that no light escapes from within.

Then the wall begins to rotate slowly. Emitting a grinding noise close to me, it slices through the ground—my feet first, then up to knee height, cutting left, then right, then left again, then right…

Like being blended in a mixer.

With an ear-splitting roar, the height decreases gradually.

I urgently rush to Victoria and grab her arms. Sure, it’s bizarre seeing someone with multiple nails pierced into their chest moving normally!

“Stop it!”

But the sounds from behind don’t cease. So I slap both of her cheeks.

My carefully crafted harvester is breaking apart! No, even though warmth is nice, I put so much effort into creating things with the memories I gave them—it’s frustrating to see progress vanish now!

“Stop it, Victoria! How many more do you plan to kill?! I don’t want to deal with this nonsense. Everyone gets it now, so please stop!”

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