“Where am I?!”
I -Kuromiya Haine- was separated from the group and was feeling lonely.
We found an entrance to the underground at the middle of the desert. Advancing there, we encountered a mysterious shadow.
I was unexpectedly having a tough battle against this guy that is using my name without my permission, and fell down here with it, but…this place are the remains of an ancient city underground.
“It is okay to consider this the Dark Underworld Country, right?” (Haine)
Even if I call it a city, there’s already not a single person living here.
The buildings have crumbled, and because they have been buried deep underground, these ruins have barely managed to avoid weathering.
Just like in that poem, did they really fall into ruin because they worshipped the Dark God?
“Or more like, did they really worship me?” (Haine)
The Dark God that was sealed 1,600 years ago and hadn’t done anything at all?
But that shadow…this mysterious being that calls itself the Dark God Entropy has proved that it has some sort of connection with me and this city.
Until I solve what this connection is about in detail, I can’t just leave.
“What’s this feeling…as if I was told that a baby of mine had been born without me even knowing?” (Haine)
In reality, for a God, believers must be that kind of existence.
If I was told there were, I would feel my self-awareness as a God born inside of me.
“…Anyways, for now, I should prioritize regrouping with Karen-san and Yorishiro.” (Haine)
I ended up separating from them in the chaos of that fall after all.
I was jostling against that shadow in the middle of it, but it escaped.
And so, that’s how I am currently all by my lonesome self.
If I don’t regroup with Karen-san and Yorishiro soon, I might collapse from loneliness.
“But how should I look for the two of them?” (Haine)
From within my baggage, I take out something that looks like a short stick, and turn on the switch of it.
When I did that, it released a shining light.
It is a pocket light that functions with ethereal energy. Ethereal is an incredibly useful energy source. This flashlight apparently doesn’t need to be exchanged for a new one for at least 20 years.
In terms of lighting, I can rely on the hero and Founder of the Light Church, but I am truly glad that I actually brought it with me just in case.
It doesn’t hurt being prepared.
I choose whichever building is the highest among them and climb to the top of it, and from there, I swing around the flashlight here and there.
I feel like I might call something else at the same time though.
“I wonder if those two will come.” (Haine)
I feel like they won’t.
It was just my instincts talking here but, I was close to being sure that was the case.
In the first place, if they wanted to, they would have been able to release a light that’s several times stronger than this flashlight.
If they are not lighting up in this pitch black place -not even a firefly level of light- it must mean that they are trying to hide themselves.
—They are probably cautious of the shadow.
—They are not going to regroup with me until I defeat that shadow.
“They are really strict girls.” (Haine)
Then, I should continue using this flashlight.
The shadow eats light to get bigger, so it has the tendency of heading towards light craving for it.
The reason it was waiting for us at that hall must have been because it detected the light that Karen-san was releasing from the holy sword, and came rushing towards it.
And even if it’s an artificial light that has no divine power, there’s enough possibility that it will be lured by it and once again appear in front of me.
But, do I have to swing this flashlight the whole time until it comes?
‘That would tire my arm, what a pain’, is what I was thinking when…
“Uo?!”
My footing suddenly crumbled and, just like that, I make a direct drop.
The building that I was using as footing had collapsed. I slide down along with the rubble and was about to be buried alive.
“That was dangerous!” (Haine)
As expected of ruins that have deteriorated after several centuries without any humans living in it; once you get a bit rough on it, things like this occur.
“Or more like, am I not damaging a legacy here? I have harmed an asset of human history…” (Haine)