Dealing with the Small Void

Seventeen thousand seven hundred and eighty-four kilometers, that is the diameter of the small world now.

It has already exceeded the diameter of the Earth in its previous life.

As the small world strengthened once more, Higashino Makoto stood directly beneath that artificial sky, looking up at the sun formed from magic.

The warm light shone on his face, making his golden eyes shine even brighter.

He stretched out his hand, his five fingers spread, and a pale golden light appeared in his palm.

That was the manifestation of his condensed magic.

The light flowed, compressed, and expanded in his palm, like a miniature star, burning quietly, containing enough energy to raze a city to the ground.

He clenched his fist, and the light faded.

"You've gotten stronger again."

His voice was soft, carrying an emotion that even he himself couldn't quite describe.

Shinano stood behind him, her nine enormous fox tails swaying gently in the still room.

Her long, silvery-white hair cascaded down her shoulders, the pale cherry-colored tips shimmering softly in the artificial sunlight.

Her purple eyes were half-open, with a hazy, sleepy look, but they remained fixed on his back.

"Sir, are you unhappy?"

"Happy, but not enough."

"Not enough?"

He turned around and looked at Shinano, at those half-open, half-closed purple eyes, at those long hairs that gradually changed from silver-white to light purple.

Compared to the protagonists or villains in the anime I remembered from my past life, the Unassailable single or even multiple, my own power was still not enough.

However, I think I should now have enough resources to go toe-to-toe with Saitama, right?

Although it's highly unlikely they'll win, if they choose to run away, it seems the opponent has no way to stop them.

But it's uncertain, after all, the One Punch Man manga I remember isn't finished yet, who knows how much the power levels will inflate later on?

"I'm thinking of challenging Saitama to a duel, but I'm worried that the 'god' on the other side is stronger than I imagine. As for other worlds, I can't think of any that require my personal intervention for the time being."

"So, I'm going to deal with Ainz's problem."

Shinano's fox ears twitched slightly as she thought of the Overlord and the Great Hollow where Nazarick was originally located.

"Has the adult managed to resolve that Great Hollow?"

"Yes. Because of the Creator's evolution, I can now solve it."

He walked back to the armchair, sat down, picked up the black tea Rem had just brewed, and took a sip.

The black tea was at the perfect temperature, with a subtle fruity aroma and a hint of honey sweetness.

Rem stood by the door, her blue eyes looking at him, a faint smile on her lips.

She was wearing a black and white maid outfit, the hem of which reached her knees, with a white bow tied at the neckline, and her short blue hair shimmered softly in the sunlight.

It looks delicious!

I guess I'll have time to eat those sisters up!

Oh, and the head maid too.

"Sir, do you need to rest?"

"Just woke up."

"Then you need to relax."

How to relax?

Rem thought for a moment, her ears turning slightly red.

"Rem can give you a back massage."

Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds, then chuckled softly.

"OK."

Rem walked up behind him, reached out, and began to gently pat his shoulder.

The force was light, the rhythm even, and the sound of knuckles touching skin was clearly audible in the quiet room.

Shinano walked to the other side, reached out, and began to massage his other shoulder.

Her strength was lighter than Rem's, carrying a cautious gentleness.

Higashino Makoto closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

The massage from the two beautiful girls improved his mood considerably.

But the problem remains.

He opened his eyes.

"Any new developments regarding the Nazarick site in Shinano?"

Shinano's fingers paused slightly.

"Yes. Miss Gokusai Kaibi sent a message saying that the spatial turbulence has stabilized considerably."

Higashino Makoto's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, the rhythm sometimes fast and sometimes slow.

What about the One Punch Man -Punch Man world?

"Doppelganger's infiltration of the Hero Association is progressing smoothly. Adam Miller has been promoted to a mid-level management position and has access to the files of some S-class Hero. Hanzo's infiltration of the Monster Association has not been exposed, and he continues to provide the guild with Monster Cells, but has not obtained any key intelligence. The cyborg's contact with Genos is going relatively smoothly, and Dr. Kuseno has shown interest in the strange modification technology."

Where's Saitama?

"Still in Z-City. Eating instant noodles every day, occasionally going out to buy groceries. Hasn't encountered an enemy worthy of his serious attacks."

"Any clues about 'God' from the Monster Association?"

"No, for now. The Monster Association also lacks clear information about 'God.' It seems only monsters at the Dragon level or higher can vaguely sense His presence, but no one has ever seen Him."

Higashino Makoto remained silent for a moment.

"Huginn."

"Exist."

A raven flew out from the tattoo near his ear and landed on his shoulder.

Its black feathers gleamed with a bluish luster in the sunlight, and its golden eyes sparkled with Wisdom.

"Help me predict whether there will be any negative consequences if I use a small world to absorb the spatial turbulence of the Nazarick Ruins."

Huginn closed its eyes. A few seconds later, it opened them.

"Based on intelligence calculations, barring unforeseen circumstances, the success rate is 100%. The spatial turbulence has stabilized, and you have experience devouring voids, so the process shouldn't encounter much resistance. After the devouring is complete, you will obtain a door to the new world where Nazarick is located."

Where are Ainz and the others?

"Uncertain. The situation on the other side of the spatial turbulence is unknown, the situation at the Great Tomb of Nazarick is unknown, and the situation of Lord Ainz is also unknown. The enemy is also unknown."

Higashino Makoto's fingers stopped.

He looked out the window at the man-made sky, at the floating islands suspended in the clouds, and at the white buildings shimmering with golden light in the sunlight.

Novas Etier.

His home.

His back Garden.

"Ainz is my friend. I can't pretend I didn't see him disappear. Besides, that space itself is a unique landscape in my Garden, offering me a new world."

"Anyway, after the connection is established, we'll still let the mercenaries explore first; there won't be any danger."

At worst, we can just abandon that door.

To reiterate, if there truly is a force on the other side of space that one cannot resist, the other side can simply come through the Great Hollow.

Whether or not one is connected to something has no causal relationship.

Actively exploring New World can actually give you control over the situation.

He turned around and walked towards the door.

"Shinano, Rem. Get ready, we're going to the ruins of Nazarick."

"Yes!"

They both responded simultaneously.

Higashino Makoto emerged from the spatial rift and stood on the edge of the Nazarick ruins.

Beneath my feet was withered, yellow grass that crunched softly underfoot.

In the distance, the turbulent currents of space spun slowly in the morning light, like an eye that was slowly closing.

The diameter of the fissure has shrunk to less than 100 meters, and the spatial patterns at the edge are much clearer than before.

Those broken layers, those twisted folds, were clearly visible to him.

Gokusai Kaibi stood beside him, her golden curls swaying gently in the morning breeze, her crimson eyes gazing at the turbulent space.

"Sir, this is the void now."

It's much smaller than before.

"Yes. At the current rate of contraction, it will shrink to about ten meters in about three months, after which it will stabilize..."

"What's inside? Did anything come out?"

"No. Nothing has fallen out of it since last month, and the spatial turbulence has become very quiet."

Higashino Makoto nodded.

He stepped forward and walked into the hollow.

Shinano followed behind him, while Rem stood still, her blue eyes gazing at his retreating figure.

"The Small World Unfolds--"

He closed his eyes and opened his arms.

A purple-gold light surged from his palm, spreading in all directions. Wherever the light passed, the spatial turbulence began to tremble.

The distorted spatial patterns began to disintegrate under the impact of the purple-gold light, like ice and snow exposed to sunlight, dissipating layer by layer.

The broken layers began to heal, and the wrinkles began to be smoothed out.

The rules of this small world are now engulfing this chaotic space.

Higashino Makoto opened his eyes, his golden pupils reflecting the turbulent spatial currents that were being swallowed up.

The process of absorption went more smoothly than expected.