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I was sent to the cave where I was once raised by the Great Devil Beglagud.

The world was created small, and I was explained that I can’t leave the Nether and that there’s no other living beings aside from me.

There’s no change at all in this world aside from the sun and moon appearing alternately.

I was counting the passing days, but I stopped doing that after thinking it pointless.

I might have been able to forget the massive passing of time if I moved my body and trained so that I could feel tired, but I was forbidden from using an excessive amount of mana in this world.

Blue and the others are remaking my body in the real world.

This is in order to not bring about any discrepancies with the updating situation of my body.

I exited the cave and checked the scenery outside.

It is because having a change in scenery was better, even if it is this barren place where only the Mejis Nether has been recreated.

But I got bored pretty fast of this too.

I don’t get thirsty or feel hungry. Don’t get tired, and don’t feel sleepy either. It didn’t take long for me to continuously walk through the whole Mejis Nether in that state.

I stopped moving and got more time to think.

A lot has happened until now, so I thought it wouldn’t be bad to think back on what has happened before.

If I had done this at that time, if it had gone this way; I was imagining scenarios that served to kill a decent amount of time.

I repeated this over and over, and noticed that I couldn’t remember the faces of some of my acquaintances.

What kind of face did they have? What voice did they have? No matter how much I wrung my brain, I couldn’t clear out the haze in my memories.

I immediately began drawing on the ground the moment I noticed this reality.

Everyone’s faces, so that I don’t forget the memories I spent together with them. I tried to maintain their form.

But the things that I drew on the ground were being erased by the blowing wind.

That’s why I decided to carve them onto the walls of the cave.

I split the rocks and carved statues so that I could remember them more clearly.

I thought one wasn’t enough, so I would carve several of the same person.

There were countless statues lined up in the barren land of the Mejis Nether by the time I noticed.

I forgot the passing of time, but don’t forget everyone.

I continued doing this, and…when I thought this, I suddenly compared the statues.

They were somewhat different despite them being supposedly the same person.

This one, this one, this one as well; they are all a tiny bit different from each other.

There might have been a discrepancy in my memories, so I compared them with the statue I made at first. But I couldn’t tell which one was the correct one even after comparing them.

I couldn’t remember the correct memories anymore. I had no confidence in my own memories.

I can’t remember everyone clearly even when looking at the statues. Even when I call out the names carved on them, my memories of them are not flashing in my mind.

I trailed my memories of everyone over and over and over, so that I don’t forget about them. Despite all those efforts, the memories I thought precious slipped through my hands like scooped water.

I realized there was a limit to the memories I could keep, so I gave up on the memories that I wanted to keep one after the other.

Blue, Melia, Leishia… The remaining memories could be counted in one hand.

Their memories were also hazy, and I couldn’t remember their appearances anymore.

But what’s ironic is that only Comrade, I could remember clearly even without even trying.

It is because I didn’t know his name, so it was fine just remembering the meaning of the word Comrade.

I couldn’t remember the appearance of even Comrade now and only remember the name.

His voice, the words we exchanged. The only thing that was tying my memories with Comrade that was only a haze in my mind was ‘Don’t change’.

“Don’t change…huh.”

At the time when I was repeating my remaining memories in my mind to keep them there…I felt conscious about the voice that came out from me.

So I could still speak. So this is how it sounded.

It has been a while since I have spoken something, so I think about the meaning.

When was it that I thought that I wouldn’t change in this world where there’s no getting old or growing?

I have completely forgotten about everyone.

I do remember my objective for being here, but I barely remember the process that led to this.

Is there really a point in me staying in this world now that I have lost my drive?

The passing of time is taking away the heat in my heart.

I have changed completely.

I at least am aware of this.

“Why…do I stay here?”

I should just leave if I can’t endure being in this world.

The way to do that has been left deep inside my mind.

The Demon Lord that created this world implanted this in me so that it would remain.

I open my eyes that I haven’t opened in a while and look at my own body.

Chains are wrapped around my body… It is easy to get out of this world if I use these.

My mind will be driven out of this world if I kill myself, and I can return to the real world.

I was pouring mana into my chains by the time I noticed.

I must have been sick and tired of being in this world. There’s no reason at all to stay here. I have already lost that reason.

That’s what I thought.

“…!”

But I could feel something from my whole body when the mana welled up.

This mana is not mine.

There’s no way my mana would have this much warmth as someone who doesn’t remember anything.

I now remember the reason why I am staying in this world after so long.

Right, my body is being remade in the real world, and the ones who are providing me this mana are…them.

I may not be able to remember anything, but I still have my greed.

I entrust my consciousness to my own mana, and bask in the emotions imbued in them.

“…Blue, Melia…”

I managed to clearly voice out their names.

The memories I should have forgotten were certainly there.

The memories I had were shaved away because of the long time here, but the mana overflowing in my body was being granted to me by them right at this very moment.

— “I want to see you again. I want to see you as soon as possible. That’s my only wish.”

The voice I could hear from the mana flowing in my body…this must be the emotions Blue put into this. It is not only Blue, I can also hear the voice of Melia.

I read the past memories from there.

I match them with my own heart and reform the memories I lost.

“…Haha, I really did a lot of pointless stuff.”

I would daydream, draw on the walls and ground, mindlessly carve statues, and many other things, but it was nothing. What was linking me to the real world was my own heart…my body.

They are currently thinking about me.

They are condensing their feelings as wishes, putting those wishes into their mana, and sending them to me.

I slowly get up.

I had forgotten about moving and I lost the sensation of my body a long time ago.

But there was now heat in me, and I am confident I can move more than before.

“So this is the feeling of facing myself, huh.”

I am now certain the answer is inside of myself. In that case, I bring out the answer I want from the mana inside of me.

Now that I think about it, I know the technique from the very beginning.

I just have to read the memories of the mana just like that time with the demon that turned into a snake monster in the Mejis Nether.

My body is now that of a demon.

I can clearly see the reason, objective, and the path ahead. The factor that defined me as a demon.

The fear that was etched in my body.

The trial I have to overcome in order to awaken is to understand that fear and overcome it.

What I need for that is the self-awareness that I overcame it. I must have my demon body understand that reality.

“Yeah, there’s no issue. I already overcame it. I should be able to get used to it then.”

It felt as if I was putting a hand on a door that doesn’t exist.

I understood that this is me stepping into the realm of altering the laws of the world, and opened that door without hesitation.

◇◇

“…So you have done it.”

The power related to that finally sprung forth in the middle of recreating the body of Ekdoik.

This is the show of will that he has become perfected and won against the flow of time.

There’s no need for me to interfere anymore.

There should be no need to call back Gold. He should be able to come back by his own power.

“…Eh, what’s the matter?”

Blue opened her heavy eyelids and noticed the change.

She can’t hide her fatigue, most likely because she has been pouring mana the whole time even while putting breaks in between.

“The steps are done. He is waking up.” (Green)

“Eh, ah, w-wait a moment!” (Blue)

“As if he would wait, you idiot.” (Green)

He finally answered after calling him to hurry up so much.

As if he would stop even if I were to tell him to wait.

I adjust the burden on the body to the bare minimum for the time when his mind returns to his body.

This is cheap charity for the finishing touches, but there’s no need to treat someone, who is standing up and trying to move forward, as an infant.

“…How long has it been?”

Ekdoik spoke these words while opening his eyes.

His mind should have been burdened with centuries, and yet, there’s not one bit of wavering in his will… No, it has become even stronger.

Gold and Purple, who were taking a nap, woke up, most likely because they heard the voice of Ekdoik.

“Don’t worry. It has been around 3 days. The state of the war hasn’t changed. The last invasion will be happening soon.” (Green)

“So I made it in time. That’s a relief.” (Ekdoik)

Ekdoik checked the state of his own body and made his mana flow around his whole body.

He must be confirming whether what he obtained in the simulated world is reflected in the real world.

But there’s no need to even confirm it.

I could already feel it in my skin.

Ekdoik has turned.

It is just as I imagined. No, he has stepped into a state far more outstanding than that.

“…E-Ekdoik?” (Blue)

“Hm, you are looking awfully bad, Blue. The one sleeping over there is Melia? You were providing me mana for quite a long time.” (Ekdoik)

“Y-Yeah… U-Uhm…are you…okay?” (Blue)

“…Yeah, I am okay. I haven’t changed at all… But…” (Ekdoik)

Ekdoik got up, approached Blue, and looked at her face up-close.

Blue was surprised at that sudden action of his and was about to take distance with a red face, but Ekdoik grabbed the head of Blue with both hands and kept it in place.

“W-W-W-What?! What is it?!” (Blue)

“It has been a while since I have seen your face… Yeah, the bags under your eyes bother me a bit, but I am relieved that you still look lovely.” (Ekdoik)

“?!”

Gold and Purple were looking over here for some reason.

What’s with those faces as if saying ‘you did something unnecessary, didn’t you?’.

As if I would know.

“Now then, Ekdoik, I can tell at a glance that you have already turned. But we should do one more thing before the decisive battle.” (Green)

“Something we should do?” (Ekdoik)

“Excessive use of mana was prohibited in the simulated world after all. You can’t go to the real deal just because you have obtained the ability to alter the laws of the world. I will personally teach you how to fight.” (Green)

He can alter the laws of the world deliberately and can turn into an awakened state.

But that would only be enough to reach the backs of Black’s demons.

I have already finished preparing the other means.

Now what’s left is to increase the power of Ekdoik as much as possible.

“Right. Allow me to borrow you. You have my gratitude, Green Demon Lord.” (Ekdoik)

“—Thank me with results.” (Green)

I looked at the straightforward gaze of Ekdoik and felt a bit of noise mix in my own mind.

The people who directed the same gaze as that in the past. If they had reached this realm… That was the naive thought that got mixed in.

One of them remained even if incomplete. Not being satisfied with that would be greedy.

I snorted at myself for letting such lingering regrets like that of a human peek their heads into my mind.

I have been influenced quite a lot.

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