“Shall I teleport you to the first floor of Babylon? Or...” “No, I want to wait here,” I answered as I set down my luxurious Libton black tea. The Mirage-Walking Princess offered a small smile. “Okay. As a bonus, I’ll show you some good stuff.” When the princess clapped, a vast hologram showing the Terras and the Skians appeared in the air. I could look at any city I wanted, and even quickly zoom in on cities far away from the central region of the continent. “Yes, you can even control the play speed from ten to ten thousand!” Like that, we watched the world. On the screen, Terra warriors roared, waving their arms. Surprisingly, they were fighting Uburka. —Ugor! Fuck you, Ancestor. We said we didn’t need your help! —Yes, you did! However, the Skians used the power of their god to fight against you! It put you at a loss, and you couldn’t even continue fighting. You really think you could have overcome that on your own? —That, too, was a trial we had to overcome! —You speak rather eloquently! But the words of the incompetent are empty! If you say you could have overcome this trial on your own without my help, ugor, then you are nothing but lying motherfuckers!” Uburka laughed, holding his ax tightly. He had the same smile on his face when he stood in front of the Shellmounts’ Holy Land. —Fight me, win, and prove that you aren’t bluffing! At Uburka’s taunt, something sparked within the Terra warriors’ eyes. —That’s what we’ve been waiting for! While the Terras were taking their graduation exam, the Skians faced their god after their loss. —I’m sorry. Gods have their responsibilities, and mortals have their own. If I wanted to help you as your god, I should have at least told you my intentions beforehand. From the moment I failed to uphold this basic manner, I lost my right to call myself a god or a warrior. Despite everything I’ve done, I still lost. I really have no excuse... The Viper bowed to his people and scratched the back of his head. A clumsy smile appeared on his lips before it disappeared like evaporating dew. Tears flowed from his eye. —I’m sorry. I just... I should have done better. The handful of Skians who survived the Playhouse on Fire were a mess. At least one part of their bodies was irreparably damaged or cut off. However, they didn’t hold their god accountable. —Don’t do that, God! Keep your chin up! —We haven’t been exterminated yet! —Our horns aren’t broken either! Some Skians even smiled. —We have lost countless times! —Hahaha! God, you better get used to it too! If you take care of us while your head is cluttered with mud, you’ll get yourself killed and sent straight to the heavens before any of us! They were simply consoling their god, not in a form of self-deprecation, but to lighten up the mood. This was evidence that jokes were first created to comfort others, not to ridicule them. The Viper mumbled, his face covered in tears and snot. The Skians bowed to their god. —We lack in many areas. —So there is a lot of room for improvement! —We’ll be able to win eventually! —Please guide us so we can do that. The Viper remained silent. After a while, he clenched his fists and let out a shout. —Shit! Of course! Trust me and follow my directions, everyone!” The Skians’ answer was energetic. The Terras discarded their god’s protection and fought the proudest hero of their history. Meanwhile, the Skians pledged to their god that they would train hard to become stronger. The contrast left a lump in my throat. “Awesome!” someone shouted from right next to me. I was so immersed in watching the contents of the hologram that I jumped in my seat with a squeal. It wasn’t the princess’s voice, but a very familiar one nonetheless. Her dark blue hair swayed in the air, and her clothes matched the color of her hair. My friend, the Black Witch, was also watching the hologram with excitement. “B-Black Dragon Master? Anastasha, how did you get here?” I asked, my voice going up at least an octave. The princess cleared her throat. She looked like a child telling everyone to praise her for doing something very good. “I brought her here!” “Yes, she failed the stage.” The Black Witch shrugged. “I went bankrupt.” “When you say bankrupt—” “I mean it literally. My species points were in the negative. I tried to merge the Bloodborns and concubi into one, so I had to go into debt even though I knew I wouldn’t be able to repay it.” Concubi. It had been so long since I heard the name. “Have you met the concubi again?” I asked. “Yes, those guys have grown quite a bit.” “What exactly happened?” “You’ll be able to see it for yourself soon. Hey, guys! Come here and sit down,” the Black Witch said as she gestured toward me. Guys? When I looked behind me, I spotted the Paladin, the Countess, and the Inquisitor. I hadn’t noticed they were there. The princess cleared her throat again. “I called them because I assumed they were curious about what their species have been up to.” It seemed the princess had deliberately gathered us here. The Paladin sat down on the sofa with a sigh.“Thank you for bringing me. I was wondering if the Fingill are doing well.” “Nice. Didn’t the Fingills dominate logistics? They are on good terms with the Terras. As long as they don’t get too greedy, they’ll be well off in maritime logistics,” the Countess added. It had been quite a while since I last saw the Countess’ specialty—her cat transformation. She curled up on the back of the sofa, stretching as leisurely as if she were a yoga master. The Inquisitor jumped up and down, placing his arms on the sofa. “It’s good to see you again, Master! It’s been so long!” I took a close look at all of the High Rankers around me. The princess offered cup ramen and Libton iced tea to them. “Pure chaos,” I murmured. “Oh, how did you know?” the Inquisitor asked with a beaming smile. “When I returned to Babylon, I hunted down heretics lurking within the Pantheon. Hahaha, I previously prided myself on managing my personnel with utmost care, but the Pantheon was still infested with heretics! Right before I came here, I finished obliterating a secret organization called Chaos!” No, no, I just said that this situation itself is chaotic... As always, the only hero who could calm this chaos was Anastasha. With sparkling eyes, she pointed at the screen. “Guys, look! The Skians requested a duel with the Terras’ Fire Water Council!” Guided by the Black Witch’s fervor, we watched the screen together. Although I had taken my eyes off for only a moment, quite a bit of time had passed in the world. I didn’t know precisely how many years it had been, but probably at least half a century had passed. The mountain peak that Uburka had slammed down was now a tourist attraction surrounded by fences. Within the hologram, the Fire Water Council chairman turned seven Skians into a bowl of mush one after another. “They’re getting their asses kicked, Anastasha.” “That’s not important! You’re a smart guy, Gong-Ja. Why do you become stupid sometimes?” The Guardian chose to comment on her statement. —No, it’s the opposite. This bastard is born stupid, but he’s a good weasel. Fortunately, only I could hear him, so his slanderous distortion of facts didn’t spread to the people gathered around me. Anastasha continued, “The fact that non-Terras joined the Fire Water Council is important in itself! Look, Gong-Ja! Those Skians attended as council members!” “Council members? Uh, the Fire Water Council is part of Terra culture. The Skians—” Suddenly, I had a hunch that the other rankers were acting strangely. “What’s wrong?” I asked. The Countess, who had been watching me blankly, was slightly taken aback. “Ah, I was just wondering if my ears are okay. I thought I heard you and the Black Dragon Master calling each other by your real names instead of your titles.” I nodded. “You’re not mistaken. Anastasha and I are friends now.” I didn’t know how many people had seen a cat in shock, but this was my first time witnessing it. Both the Countess’ mouth and eyes were wide open. It wasn’t a nice sight, so I immediately turned away. “Yes, that’s right. Gong-Ja and I are friends.” The Black Witch’s declaration was the equivalent of pouring ice water over the others. No, saying she poured cucumbers was more accurate since the cat got even more scared.[1] “We decided to call each other by our real names. We even signed a friendship contract.” The Countess arched her back at a bizarre angle. “Friendship contract? Do guys pay something like friend fees?” “Countess, you can’t buy friends.” “But that’s how I got most of my friends!” the Countess countered with a shriek. “That’s not what’s important right now.” While the Countess grieved her friendships, the Paladin and the Inquisitor still wore shocked expressions. As if nothing happened, Anastasha pointed to the screen again. “Gong-Ja, as you said, the Fire Water Council is part of Terra culture, but seven Skians were granted membership. And the Skians challenged the Terras to a duel with their pride on the line.” I crossed my arms. “I see. Instead of starting a war on a large scale, they decided to hold duels during council meetings.” The Black Witch chuckled, pointing at another hologram. “Yes, but the fun part begins now, Gong-Ja.” This chuckle was preserved for close friends only. It had no hidden meaning or intentions, nor was she putting on an act. I had somewhat gotten used to it, but the other Hunters had not. They stood a few steps away, looking at us as if we were one of the Seven Wonders. The hologram that Anastasha brought into view displayed the council’s seats. Green took over the vast majority. The color signified Terras, but pink could be seen here and there. The Countess’ eyes were wide. “They’re Sylvans.” “Yes, that’s right. Cavefire used to be the Terras’ exclusive art, but the Death King involved a Sylvan a long time ago, right? It’s safe to say this is the result of his influence.” Sonia was the name of the Sylvan child who wanted to turn into fire and dance in dark caves. “It’s just a guess, but ever since that child started a renaissance in Cavefire plays, there have been changes in the Fire Water Council. Even Sylvans can be recognized as official council members if they’re strong or good at acting in Cavefire plays.” “I see. That is why the Skians are there too.” “Yes, that’s how the council stopped being the exclusive organization of Terras!” Anastasha was right. Over time, spots of different colors were added to seats, despite the green being the dominant color. There were also blue seats. The Countess squeezed in between us and looked down at the hologram, precariously standing on my right shoulder and Anastasha’s left shoulder. “They’re probably Fingills.” “Yes, your country, or rather the country of Terras, has different approaches when it comes to their economic and military departments. The Sylvans monopolized the economy, and the Terras the military. When it comes to the cultural aspect—Cavefire plays—both species cooperate amicably.” “But Fingills are the ones that make capital and products and transport them via waterways,” the Paladin said. The Countess nodded. “Yes! The Fingills have gifts for logistics. Not only have they become proficient in coastal navigation, but also in longer sea voyages after the discovery of the New Continent. As the country of Terras grows, the more products the Sylvans handle, the more important the Fingills become.” “The Terras can no longer ignore the Fingills’ voice. If they were to throw a strike, the country’s entire logistics is screwed. The Fingills probably sent a few warriors with outstanding aura skills, and those warriors are the council members shown in blue right now.” “The Terras created the council, but—” Anastasha finished my sentence. “Due to the nature of the Terras, which makes them suck at everything except combat, the council is virtually open for everyone, regardless of species.” “The Sylvans first joined the council because they were closely related to the Terras economically and culturally. Next were the Fingills, who solidified their standing in logistics. Now, even the Skians are sending warriors to represent them,” the Countess said with a purr as she licked the back of her paw. We silently looked into each other’s eyes. Anastasha’s gaze was still full of fervor. The Countess nodded, understanding her enthusiasm. The Paladin crossed her arms. “This is a world council.” It was a council in which all species participated. The future was unfolding before our eyes. 1. It’s said that cats hate cucumbers. ☜