Campione: Strongest# 420: A Conversation

As Haru’s words fell, the atmosphere suddenly froze.

The space seemed to have detached itself from the normal world, filled with an indescribable sense of emptiness.

A faint sense of danger emanated from Shiki.

Feeling this danger, the smile on Haru's face vanished, replaced by unshakeable astonishment.

The Ryougi Shiki he knew couldn't pose a threat to him. As a normal young woman who had, at most, learned some family martial arts, she shouldn't be a danger to him, even with her future Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.

“I’ve really caught a big fish,” Haru said, his lip twitching.

The Origin.

The personality born from Ryougi Shiki's flesh, originating from [Nothingness]. This being, connected to the Root at all times, was, compared to a self-made God like him, a being more deserving of the title 'omniscient and omnipotent.'

Though it was only within the scope of the Type-Moon World, this ability was already absurdly powerful.

Was his luck good, or bad? The Origin was supposed to be in a state of slumber all year round, with no desire to wake.

An inexplicable light flashed before his eyes. It was a silver ribbon, its end wrapped around the neck of the awakened Shiki. The source of the ribbon was the head of Nyarko, who had silently appeared on his shoulder. The Outer God known as Nyarlathotep had a rare, serious expression on her face as she looked at the impassive being before her.

“I have no ill will,” the Origin’s voice was very soft, with a strange attraction that perfectly exuded feminine charm.

“Heh?” Nyarko’s lips curved into a faint, sarcastic smile.

Sensing that Nyarko had no intention of stopping, the Origin slowly moved her empty gaze to focus on Haru's face.

“A pleasure to meet you, Outsider.”

“As I thought. Only the fact that I’m an outsider would wake you. So, do you have business with me?” Haru narrowed his eyes, his tone flat.

“I just wanted to see you. A special existence filled with unanalyzable information from another world.” Her lips curved into a faint, gentle smile. “Though I have already been inside your body twice, it wasn't until I was this close that I noticed you. It’s strange.”

Haru looked at the Origin with a strange expression. He knew she was talking about the two times he had entered and exited the Root, but why did it sound so suggestive?

Twice inside your body? Did I leave anything behind?

“I see. The Counter Forces have gained personalities. To escape their predetermined end, they are protecting you,” the Origin’s empty eyes reflected his face as she spoke softly.

Haru raised an eyebrow, looking at her with some surprise. Though he knew she was omniscient, to be able to see that the Counter Forces had gained true personalities after contact with another world’s rules... her power was truly terrifying.

But Gaia and Alaya were protecting him to escape their end? Did that mean the legendary pruning of the world in a few hundred years? The future where they were both fated to die?

“I don’t know of any way to escape that end,” Haru said with a slight frown.

“You do,” the Origin said with a smile. “You desire a body of [Nothingness]. The unanalyzable concepts you bring from another world—both the [Different] and the [Normal]—are foreign elements that can fill the void of [Nothingness]. Perhaps, with them, you can...”

After speaking, she slowly lowered her head, and a soft breathing sound came out. The young woman had fallen back into a deep slumber.

Haru didn't quite understand. What did she mean by ‘you do’? Conversations with beings like this were exhausting. But he had a rough idea of what she meant by the latter part.

“Well, besides the part about not having any ill will towards you being a lie, the rest is true,” Nyarko said in a cutesy, girlish voice.

“Oh? The part about not having any ill will is a lie?” Haru asked, surprised.

Though he didn't have much trust in this Outer God, he was quite confident in her ability to detect lies. According to Nyarko, it was a hyper-intuition one develops after a lifetime of lies. Haru was willing to believe that.

“Are you stupid? I'm with you. The world itself is hostile to beings like us, don't be naive. But her personality holds no personal ill will. It's a common problem for omniscient beings: they see something new and get curious,” Nyarko said with a sigh, as if deeply moved.

“Speaking of which, do you want to devour her?” the Outer God’s whisper sounded in his ear.

“What do you mean?” Haru’s face was strange. He could sense the thick malice in Nyarko’s words.

“A body connected to the world’s Root. If you connect with her body, my secret art is enough to let you connect to the Root.”

“You know that the growth of the Dirac Heart and the refining of your abilities require a direct connection to the Root.”

“Come on, use your big... staff... to enter her void. I’ll help you block the view.”

Nyarko, lying on his shoulder, hugged his neck tightly and said with a grin.

“Don’t worry. With our conversation, she, who is omniscient in this world, must have known. Go on, don't be shy...”

Before her words finished, Shiki let out a soft moan and slowly opened her eyes. She frowned slightly and, rubbing her sore neck, she lifted her head.

Haru’s lips curved into a smile, the arc growing larger and larger until he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

“Hahahahaha!”

‘Damn it!’ Nyarko’s figure flashed and instantly returned to his mind. Having been so publicly proven wrong, she was too ashamed to show her face.

Shiki, who had just woken up, looked at the laughing Haru with a dazed expression, her chaotic memories gradually clearing. She remembered his earlier words, and her dazed face instantly turned cold.

“Get lost!” Shiki’s pretty face was cold, her tone exceptionally grim as she shouted at him.

“Uh—?” Haru looked at the Shiki before him with a strange expression. This inexplicable outburst left him a little confused.

What was going on?

Seeing that he hadn't left, Shiki frowned and stood up. She lifted her heels and, her small, geta-clad feet stepping on the warm-colored tiles, she walked straight out of the hotel.

As she passed him, a cold and beautiful voice sounded in his ear.

“I don’t belong to anyone.”