NOVEL NEXT Chapter 176
176. The Shape Of The World
After hearing about the guild and town’s situation from Jinette, we left the branch office.
We planned to stay on standby in case of an emergency—or so we thought—
“An alert has been issued by the Adventurers’ Guild. Citizens, please remain calm and evacuate. Repeat, the Adventurers’ Guild has issued—”
Not even a few minutes after stepping onto the main street, a voice echoed from the direction of the guild branch.
It was Jinette’s voice.
She seemed to be using wind magic to amplify her warning across the town.
The shrill sound of alarm bells also rang out.
“—Again?”
I sighed.
On our way back here, we’d encountered this phenomenon multiple times—that thing was coming.
Honestly, it was getting a little tiresome.
Before long, a small tremor shook the area.
A tiny black dot appeared in the sky.
A Black Phantom Hole—Syrega—a rift between dimensions leading to the demon realm, and from it descended a single demon.
Right in front of us.
“Leave it to me.”
The moment she spoke, Luca dashed forward.
With a single flash of her drawn longsword, Force Greed—the demon was instantly bisected and fell.
A masterful display, as expected.
“The appearances of demons have increased…”
Lilith murmured with a troubled expression.
According to guild investigations, ever since the angels descended, space itself had grown unstable.
Syrega—which used to appear only a few times a month, were now frequently emerging all over the world because of it.
Under the command of the guild leader, Theodora, adventurers had been mobilized en masse, keeping the damage to a minimum.
The reason I’d brought Lilith and the others back to town was to prepare for intercepting these demons, whose appearances were unpredictable.
“For the time being… it might be best to stay here.”
I let out a sigh as I looked up at the sky.
A faint golden ripple stretched endlessly across it.
A sight that had changed—from what it once was.
No, it wasn’t just the sky.
Demons appearing frequently across the land.
Places where the terrain had altered, and the local flora and fauna had taken on monstrous forms.
“The shape of the world—”
Had changed since that day.
That night, I invited Lilith and the others to my house.
My parents had insisted they wanted to meet them.
“Long time no see. And some new faces too. Well, make yourselves at home.”
“My, my… Haruto, you’ve brought even more cute girls with you, haven’t you?”
My father and mother smiled warmly.
They’d already met Lilith, Alice, and Sarome during the battle against the demon D-Eater that had attacked the town, but this was Luca’s first time visiting.
“N-Nice to meet you… I’m Luca Abasta.”
She seemed oddly nervous.
Unusual for her, given how cool-headed she usually was.
“What’s wrong, Luca?”
“It’s my first time… greeting Haruto’s parents, so…”
For some reason, she fidgeted in response to my question.
“Heeh, how maidenly.”
Sarome grinned.
“You’ve got a cute side too, huh?”
“N-Not like I’m conscious of it… or anything.”
Luca only grew more flustered.
“You’re totally conscious of it, mmm…”
Lilith seemed somewhat sulky—or maybe like she was competing with something.
Though I wasn’t sure what.
“Greeting one’s parents is important…”
Luca muttered as if convincing herself.
“For the future’s sake too…”
“The future? You mean you’re thinking ahead, right~? So Luca-chan does see Haruto as—”
Alice leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“N-No, forget what I just said…”
Instantly, Luca’s cheeks flushed red.
“Luca-chan, you’re adorable.”
“No… No, no… That’s not what I meant… Not like marriage or anything… ugh…”
“Fufufu.”
Alice watched with amusement as Luca turned red to the tips of her ears.
“What’s this, a harem?”
“My, my… Haruto, you’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?”
My father and mother smirked as they watched us.
This was… embarrassing.
But at the same time, I felt my heart settling.
The constant battles had kept me on edge.
I couldn’t help but wish these peaceful moments would last forever.
And yet—
I couldn’t shake the premonition that this peace would soon come to an end.
Once the pleasant evening was over, Lilith and the others returned to their inn.
“Phew…”
I went to bed—only to wake up in the dead of night.
I felt restless.
“The power of a god… huh?”
Sitting up, I recalled the battle from a few days ago.
The fight against Jack.
The demons that appeared, the revived Six Demon Generals.
And the power I awakened—
Suddenly, my vision blurred.
“Huh…!?”
My heartbeat grew abnormally fast.
My blood burned as if boiling.
A numbing sensation, like electric currents, ran through my limbs.
It wasn’t pain or suffering.
If anything, the opposite.
An overwhelming surge of vitality flooded through me.
“Gh… ugh…!”
It felt like power was erupting from my entire body.
A euphoric exhilaration washed over me.
Power.
Tremendous power coursed through me.
Golden light spilled from my body.
“Haah… haah… haah…!”
A dizzying sensation, as if I’d become an omnipotent god.
It felt too good—my breathing grew ragged.
I took slow, deep breaths, trying to calm myself.
After a while, the sensation of overflowing power subsided.
—What was that just now?
I glanced at my right hand.
“…!?”
I could see the floor through it.
My skin—my flesh—had turned slightly translucent.
…But the phenomenon quickly faded, and my nearly transparent hand returned to normal.
Something was wrong.
Was something happening to my body…!?
Or perhaps—