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Chapter 121

– Ark

At the edge of the world, beyond the ancient civilization’s capital.

There was once a city of clergy called the Vatican City.

「But, an ark… Those guys from the past are really out there. 」

「Here… The Ark surrounds the Vatican City with special metals, isolating it from the outside world. It can withstand attacks including nuclear weapons and natural disasters.」

「I don’t get the logic behind it, but it seems like it hasn’t deteriorated over the years…」

「It’s a city with strong religious and artistic/historical value… I suppose there were people who wanted to preserve it for future generations. Well, getting in was quite a hassle.」

「It’s been quite some time since that guy with tons of skills felt a sense of responsibility and started working alone… And finally, he managed to enter the Ark…」

「Yes, we shall indulge in the fruits they left behind. We will create a city of a thousand years… a Millennium here.」

「Haha, but you’re just like Tokugawa Ieyasu in the end.」

「Oda planted it, and Hideyoshi kneaded it… The cake of the world…」

Moses and the silver-haired Holy Knight, Zero, were standing in the Sistine Chapel within the Vatican City.

They shifted their gaze to the paintings on the ceiling with deep emotions.

「Michelangelo, isn’t it?」

「But, the Last Judgment seems a bit overdone.」

「That’s right. We will judge the present-day humanity, and then paradise by a few chosen ones will begin here in the Ark.」

And then Zero shrugged.

「Well, that doesn’t matter. We’ll be fine if we can rampage…」

「By the way, is your job done?」

「Oh, it’s the simulator underground. It’s indeed a calculation simulator of the broken civilization.」

「Hmm. Your work seems to be finished already.」

Zero nodded satisfactorily.

「The battle analysis… the simulation of nearly a trillion… all possible future patterns was completed the other day.」

「But, the special skill: Future Prediction Magic Eye is quite convenient.」

「Well, my skill can only predict a few minutes ahead during battles. But this time, I used it in conjunction with the calculation simulator of the broken civilization, so I could handle such large-scale tasks.」

「But if you can do it with a skill, it means that the original civilization could also do it.」

「That’s right. So, my skill and… the compatibility with the computational machine was perfect.」

「…So, does that mean… in ancient times, they also predicted the future… all possible patterns of the future?」

「I guess so. And the result is what it is now… There probably weren’t any good choices for the future, were there?」

「An advanced civilization… the endgame situation of checkmate, it’s not hard to imagine that they had no choice but to reset everything. So, what were the results of your future prediction calculation?」

Then Zero raised a finger.

「Our victory rate is 100%.」

「As expected.」

「But well, shall we move the chess pieces according to the easiest pattern among them?」

「What about securing Cordelia-san?」

「I’ve made that the top priority in the condition search.」

「Then we have no objections. Please proceed with planning until checkmate.」

「All right, leave it to me!」

「By the way… Plan A and Plan B are our trump cards, but if we didn’t have those, what would our winning percentage be?」

「Almost zero. Even if we played the best moves, there would always be some mistake somewhere that would end it. Truly, Lute McLane… He’s something else.」

「However, aside from Plan A… I don’t want to use Plan B.」

「For now, if we use Plan A, we can neutralize Lute McLane, right? Just by that, even considering the possibility that someone on our side might make a mistake by not playing the best move, our winning percentage jumps to 90%.」

「And if we use Plan B?」

「In any situation, our winning percentage would be an unquestionable 100%. Rather, I’d like someone to tell me how to lose.」

「Yes, I agree.」

Then Zero chuckled happily.

「But… if possible, it’s better not to use it, isn’t it? Well, I’d like to try it because it looks like it’ll be a lot of fun! Hahaha! If we really do it… it’ll be so exciting!」

「Yes, I think you’ll enjoy it, but… I won’t.」

「It’s a double-edged sword.」

「And the Outer God?」

「It is blocking our way home, while quietly waiting in the room. Originally, until its switch is turned on, it’s just a creature that wanders around aimlessly.」

「But I’m truly amazed by the determination of the reincarnators from the past.」

「At the farthest edge of the edge of the land, beyond the boundary where true human survival is allowed…」

「Yes, digging tunnels all the way from the Ark to there. It’s a terrifying determination.」

「Basically, the Outer God recognizes the underground space as the other side. That’s what it’s really doing.」

「Well, as soon as it steps onto the ground on this side, it recognizes it as a ‘place where it shouldn’t exist’ and immediately returns to the other side.」

「But the Ark here… is completely sealed off from the outside world.」

「Therefore, the Outer God’s perception… is that this place is the other side. We’ve proved this hypothesis.」

Then Zero nodded vigorously.

「That’s why Moses-niisan… You’re our general.」

In response to these words, Moses sighed and nodded.

「Disposable… and the worst skill: Parasitism.」

「It can only be used once because the effect is broken, but… it’s a one-time brain hack from the original body to a new body. It’s perfect for capturing the strongest body, which is an Outer God.」

「But… if I parasitize the Outer God and take over its consciousness… I won’t be human anymore.」

「In that case, wouldn’t it be nice to live as the one and only absolute god?」

With a sigh as if saying ‘I don’t want that’, Moses looked up at the ceiling again.

「Well, anyway… preparations for the final judgment are complete.」