Chapter 269: Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster 『 Part Ten 』
〜Gintama World〜
Kagura stared at the swarm of insects ceaselessly emerging upon the Lightscreen, tilting her head as she asked,
"Gin-chan, I still don't quite get what that Herta lady was saying. Does 『 Propagation 』 just mean birthing bugs without stopping?"
"Mmm…"
Gintoki lay on the sofa, lazily picking his nose.
"Let me give you an example. Suppose I were the Star God of 『 Milk 』, walking upon the Path of 『 Milk 』. My authority would be the manipulation of all milk in the universe—whether it's strawberry milk or expired milk, it would all have to listen to me."
Shinpachi pushed up his glasses, unable to suppress a retort.
"What kind of nonsense analogy is that?! And why 『 Milk 』 of all things?! You just want to drink milk right now, don't you? Who could possibly understand a metaphor like that!?"
"Don't interrupt me!"
Gintoki continued.
"Anyway! Under the manifestation of my authority, not only would cows produce milk, but any living creature in this world—including Sadaharu and humans—could be milked. Not only that, but I could also twist the very concept of 『 Milk 』. As long as it's something squeezed out by hand, be it toothpaste or shampoo or whatever… eventually, it would all turn into milk."
"—Ooooh!"
Stars practically sparkled in Kagura's eyes.
"Then that Star God is really super—super amazing, aru! So if I were the 'Star God of 『 Pickled Seaweed 』 could I turn all the snacks in the world into pickled seaweed?"
Gintoki nodded.
"Of course. As long as you wished it, even the miso soup those shogunate geezers drink in the morning would be floating with pickled seaweed."
Though with a Path like that…
It's so narrow that you'd probably be swallowed up by another Star God in a second…
—
「 "Let us continue, and hear what Ena the 『 Order 』 had to say." Herta, unable to wait, shifted Stelle's position once more.
Beneath Ena, an empire roared, its faithful erupting in a harmonious chorus; though He seemed to float, His form possessed a heavy gravity, His countenance bearing the radiance of a sacred hymn; every word He uttered seemed to possess vertically aligned syllables, carrying hues that ranged from dim to resplendent.
He descended, embracing Qlipoth's colossal and fragmented cranium in a gesture of amity; He seemed to draw near… and Stelle finally heard His voice clearly. It was the simultaneous, thundering harmony of imperial weapons, scattering beneath Him like rays of light—
"Thou shalt answer mine invitation… Qlipoth, the disruptor, possesses no law nor prudence, and its conduct shall not be forgiven."
"Will that governs transmutation—Amber Lord, thou wouldst bear this heavy burden in vain." 」
「 ..... 」
〜Shingeki No Kyojin World〜
Armin held his breath, gazing up at the magnificent silhouette in the Lightscreen.
He had never imagined that absolute order could possess a beauty so terrifying. Within that majestic and holy radiance, He seemed to be articulating the ultimate answer to cosmic civilization; the resonance of that myriad harmony drew him in uncontrollably…
"—Armin!"
Eren's voice interrupted his thoughts at just the right moment. Armin snapped back to reality, realizing he had been lost in a daze for quite some time.
"No matter how long you stare at Them, 『 Order 』 isn't going to answer you."
Eren shrugged.
"It seems even the mighty power of a Star God has its limits. Otherwise, They wouldn't be seeking cooperation from 『 Preservation 』."
"Then, do you think the Amber Lord will accept Ena's invitation, Mikasa?"
Armin looked toward the girl beside Eren, who was clutching her scarf.
"Probably… not,"
Mikasa shook her head. She lowered her gaze, glancing at Eren beside her, and spoke cautiously.
"The Amber Lord's mission is to build walls. Only by building walls can the 『 Preservation 』 of the Path be practiced, right?"
"But if this crisis is ignored and all They does is build walls, what difference is there between the lives inside the walls and livestock?"
Eren stared at the distant, fallen Wall Maria, gritting his teeth.
"What meaning is there in such 『 Preservation 』? It's nothing but lingering on one's last breath…"
"So, Eren, you mean to say the Amber Lord will agree?"
"Yeah."
Eren nodded with certainty.
"The way I see it, the true meaning of 『 Preservation 』 is to kill every last enemy outside the walls, leaving none alive. Whether it's 『 Voracity 』 or 『 Propagation 』, only by utterly exterminating all enemies can 『 Preservation 』 be truly realized."
—
「 The scorching sun poured down like molten iron, and Stelle's back burned under the heat. She blinked her dry eyes; her rough fingers were caked with grayish-white mud, and the blisters on her palms had burst, mixing with grit and sticking clammily to her skin.
"Herta, what is this…"
"The time for observing 『 Order 』 up close is over. If you want to know more about Them, remember to come test more often~" Herta's voice spoke in her ear. "This time, you are roleplaying as 『 Trailblaze 』Akivili. It looks like you are currently situated among the Architects, a faction of 『 Preservation 』."
"Akivili was an Architect?"
"Stelle, once you're out of the Simulated Universe, I really need to have Himeko give you some remedial class," Herta said huffily. "Akivili was the Star God closest to humanity; He adventured, fought, and lived alongside mortals."
"Alright." Stelle lifted her head, looking around blankly—towering city walls extended to the end of her vision, with countless Architects in ragged clothes clinging to them like ants. She was sitting beside a section of unfinished foundation, and next to her lay a middle-aged man.
The man was as thin as a piece of dried firewood, a straw hat covering his face, his chest rising and falling slowly—clearly fast asleep. His hands and feet were covered in calluses, his fingernails packed with wall ash, yet a sliver of untimely contentment hung at the corner of his mouth.
This guy is slacking off—Stelle immediately kicked him awake, asking why he was here building the wall.
"How should I know? Those Architects said they received a revelation from the Amber Lord's hammer strikes, and now they're urgently constructing walls across a multitude of star systems."
"What revelation?" Stelle pressed.
The man looked blank. He lazily placed the straw hat back over his face. "Unclear, don't know. Whenever the Architects decide to tell me the revelation, I'll start working again."
"It appears 『 Order 』 has indeed reached some sort of deal with 『 Preservation 』," Herta said, sounding somewhat puzzled.
"…I am curious how the Architects obtained a revelation from a Star God. To glean such precise information solely from hammer strikes—to build high walls against external enemies in advance… Qlipoth doesn't usually concern Them with mortals. Looking down upon all living things seems more like the behavior of 『 Order 』, Ena."
"But it's normal for these two Star Gods to have a connection, after all, the domains of 『 Preservation 』 and 『 Order 』 do intersect. Honestly, I would rather admire Ena; They radiates the glory of an ancient empire, like solemn marble. This bears some resemblance to Qlipoth as well—They both possess the shadow of a guardian deity, merely in different forms." 」
「 ..... 」