Let's Talk

Higashino Makoto stood on the city wall, arms crossed, gazing at the spreading black mud in the distance.

Tiamat's body had emerged from the Imaginary Number Sea, and black mud flowed down from her body, falling to the ground and transforming into countless black magical beasts.

The monsters surged toward the city like a black tide, wave after wave, without end.

At this rate, the black mud will spread here in three to five days.

Utaha stood beside Higashino Makoto, staring at the patch of black mud, her dark red eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Are you planning to keep watching?"

"Otherwise what? What's the benefit of just going up there and taking care of Tiamat? I'm thinking about how to use her power for my own purposes; after all, I'm quite envious of the power of the creator goddess."

Utaha glanced at him but didn't ask any further questions.

Higashino Makoto has the ability to directly resolve Tiamat.

She is currently in a self-sealing state. All we need to do is use the Michael to open a door next to her and throw her back into the imaginary space.

Or you could sever her connection to the world entirely with the Garden, placing her in a lifeless realm, cutting off her immortality, and then kill her.

But he didn't want to do that.

He needs her abilities.

Transform the ecosystem, create life.

He desperately wanted that power, but what Tiamat had created so far was disgusting.

It was crooked and twisted; he didn't want to look at it a second time.

He needs to talk to Tiamat and suggest a different species, something more attractive.

For example, Elf Kingdom, angels, or those furry things that won't give you nightmares.

His little world was still empty.

Most of the land is wasteland, with only the small amount of land taken from the Overlord World and the water borrowed from the sea.

Mountains, rivers, forests, and oceans are all there, but the time is too short. The transformation of the Seed of the World Tree is still in its initial stage, so it needs life to accelerate this process.

Footsteps could be heard coming from below the city wall.

Higashino Makoto looked down and saw Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash Kyrielight walking up the steps.

Fujimaru Ritsuka walked ahead, her white uniform stained with dust and blood, and she had a shallow scratch on her face.

Mash Kyrielight followed behind her, her purple armor of good quality and her shield boasting astonishing defensive capabilities; she appeared to be in good condition.

The two walked up to him, Fujimaru Ritsuka stopped in her tracks.

Higashino Makoto took a deep breath and asked.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka's fingers clenched slightly at her sides, then relaxed.

She looked up and met his eyes.

"Well, we came to thank you. If it weren't for you, Mash Kyrielight and I would most likely have been killed by Goetia."

Higashino Makoto looked at her.

She had dark circles under her eyes, and her lips were chapped.

Honestly, aren't you pushing yourself too hard?

He's just an ordinary person, yet he carries the future of humanity on his shoulders, forcing himself to move forward, which makes Higashino Makoto feel a little sorry for him.

If it were him, he would most likely have given up long ago.

So he quite admired Fujimaru Ritsuka.

"Goetia only intervened because of my appearance. You were the ones who were influenced by me, so there's no need to thank me."

"But he is an enemy of Chaldea."

Fujimaru Ritsuka's voice was soft, but firm.

Higashino Makoto fell silent. That wasn't wrong; after all, Goetia was one of the final bosses Chaldea had to defeat.

"In that case, I'll accept your thanks. Is there anything else?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka gently rubbed her fingers against her side.

She turned her head and glanced at Mash Kyrielight nodded slightly.

She looked at Higashino Makoto again.

"Um, I just wanted to ask if you have a solution regarding the goddess Tiamat."

"Yes, I will handle it. You just need to wait for the results."

Do you need any help?

"Need not."

Fujimaru Ritsuka's lips parted slightly, then closed again.

She seemed to want to say something more, but in the end, she said nothing.

Higashino Makoto looked at her face.

That face held worry, anticipation, and a sense of relief, as if one could finally catch their breath.

He looked away and turned to Mash Kyrielight.

Mash Kyrielight stood behind Fujimaru Ritsuka, her shield resting against her legs, her hand still gripping the shield's handle.

Her breathing was more steady than Fujimaru Ritsuka's, but her face was equally pale.

"By the way, your health isn't great, is it? Do you need my help?"

Mash Kyrielight's fingers tightened abruptly on the shield's handle. Her knuckles turned white, and her nails dug into the leather grip.

Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes widened and her mouth opened.

"Huh?! Can you fix Mash Kyrielight's body?"

Her voice rose slightly, tinged with barely suppressed excitement.

Higashino Makoto looked at Mash Kyrielight. Her face was expressionless, but her shoulders were trembling slightly.

"Sure."

Fujimaru Ritsuka clenched her hands tightly around her clothes.

The fabric crumpled between her fingers, and her breathing became rapid.

"You... you're telling the truth? Thank you so much!"

"I don't usually lie, so I'll accept your thanks."

Mash Kyrielight's lips were trembling.

She was designed by Chaldea through artificial insemination and genetic engineering to create a Master candidate.

Therefore, she is not a mechanical puppet, but a real human being whose genes have been modified and who has an extremely short lifespan.

As an artificial human, its designed lifespan is only eighteen years. It's already nearing its limit.

Fujimaru Ritsuka turned around and grabbed Mash Kyrielight's hand.

Her hands were cold and trembling slightly.

"Mash Kyrielight, that's great! He said he can heal you!"

Mash Kyrielight looked up. Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying.

She looked at Higashino Makoto, her lips slightly parted.

"Mr. Higashino, thank you very much!"

Higashino Makoto looked into those purple eyes.

"No need, it was just something I did. You're a good person. Good people shouldn't die so young."

Her tears finally fell.

She didn't wipe them away; she just stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto her armor.

Not only Mash Kyrielight, Fujimaru Ritsuka also cried, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears just wouldn't stop flowing.

Higashino Makoto looked at them without urging them on.

He only spoke after Fujimaru Ritsuka's breathing had calmed down a bit.

"Once this singularity is resolved, I'll go back to Chaldea with you, and we'll deal with your matter then. Don't worry, handling these kinds of things is a piece of cake for me, there won't be any problems."

He could actually solve it right now, since the Seed of the World Tree's power to modify life is quite domineering.

But he decided to wait, since there was no rush.

Wait a little longer, and your favorability rating should increase more, right?

Mash Kyrielight nodded, her hand still holding Fujimaru Ritsuka's hand, without letting go.

Fujimaru Ritsuka took a deep breath and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Higashino, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Higashino Makoto turned around and looked again at the black mud in the distance.

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at him and took a deep breath.

"Mr. Higashino, are you sure you don't need our help?"

"No need. You all stay here and keep watch."

He stepped forward and jumped off the city wall.

Utaha watched his retreating figure, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Fujimaru Ritsuka stood on the castle wall, watching his receding figure grow ever more distant.

"Mash Kyrielight."

"Um."

"That's wonderful!"

"Yes, this is wonderful, it's like a dream."

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded.

"This must be Mash Kyrielight's reward for your hard work in saving the world!"

Mash Kyrielight watched the figure that had become a tiny dot, her hand still holding Fujimaru Ritsuka's hand, without letting go.

Higashino Makoto walked towards Tiamat.

Black mud flowed down her body and spread around his feet.

He chose to fly.

After a long while, he stood in front of Tiamat.

Her body had completely emerged from the Imaginary Number Sea, her enormous form blotting out the sky.

She was asleep, but he decided to wake her.

Tiamat.

His voice wasn't loud, but it traveled into her mind through magic.

Her eyelashes fluttered, and then her eyes opened.

Higashino Makoto looked at her and remained silent for a moment.

"Let's talk."