# Fourth Avatar - (2)

—■■■!!

Everyone at the Central Avatar Research Institute felt a surge of emotion sweep through their minds.

No special ability, mental protection, or equipment had any effect.

"—Ugh. Aaah!!!"

"...Hnngh!"

They could only prostrate themselves on the floor in worship.

Among those frantically bowing their heads while muttering blasphemous language was the Institute Director—Vivian, who had fainted with foam at her mouth.

The feeling that something terrible would happen if they didn't worship something great right now.

The emotion that they should offer something and show infinite reverence. The certainty that they should bow their heads and pray sincerely.

The mental defenses gained from contracting with immortal Constellations were torn to shreds.

Worship the Great One right now. It is only natural. O One who watches over us from above! Praise the mercy that reveals emotions to such lowly beings. I want to return to you, the source. I want to be absorbed, melting into your resonance! We are fragments and you are the whole. Returning to existence is everyone's wish. Let us become one. What am I saying? We are already one body. Iä! Iä! O Father, source of the universe and infinitely great!

People stopped all activity and began worshipping someone.

Their eyes rolled back showing only whites, some soiling themselves or drooling.

But no one could point out their abnormal state.

Because everyone in the institute was in exactly the same condition.

[Constellation, Interpreter with a Thousand Eyes admonishes the Avatar to come to their senses!]

[Constellation, Broken Dream Mirror shouts at you.]

[Constellation, Guardian of Shining Radiance is shocked.]

[Constellation, Unextinguished Lamp is very worried about the Avatar's mental state.]

[Constellation, Pale...]

* * *

"Iä... Iä.. Demon S..."

The moment those words were heard, a wave of turbulent emotions erupted.

The temporary vessel I was maintaining to descend into that dimension vanished on the spot.

A part of my long-forgotten memories almost returned, and my mind was sharply honed by terrible emptiness.

The sense of loss from missing something important and the yearning from having almost found part of it but failing made me desperate.

Phrrreeeeaahh–othhhh...!!!!!!

Nameless high divinities, singing unnamed gods desperately tried to soothe me.

But now they were merely irritating songs.

[Get away—]

A massive scar formed in the universe as the singing unnamed gods were flung in all directions. Shub's Galaxy trembled and struggled to escape from my hand.

Yog, who had been examining the dimensional wall, trembled in fear and evacuated his offspring.

Nyala's avatar body that had always been by my side had exploded, leaving no trace.

Everything irritates me.

What did that insect just say? The first sound meant worship. The second sound was a designating word.

That word must have had considerable meaning to me. Something lower beings use to refer to me.

Is it my forgotten name? No. A mere insect couldn't possibly utter my true name.

It's just an epithet. And only part of a forgotten epithet at that.

A deity's epithet—a term used by lowly beings who dare not speak the true name, instead referring to the great being indirectly.

I need to hear from that insect.

It must have found some clue from the Cosmic Power in the mental world of Lee Yuna, my first Avatar.

[Const■, Whispering Constel■tion—]

I pulled in an artificial intelligence information entity and forcibly infused it with power. The totality of authority creaking from the sudden modification.

It probably can't be used anymore, but information entities are abundant near the dimensional wall anyway.

What I want is to deliver a message to those who aren't Avatars.

Apostle contracts aren't only possible with mortals.

With the overwhelming gap between me and an insect, it's entirely possible.

[■■ Dimension's Const■, W■spering Const■■tion offers you an Avatar C■tract.]

[Accept it—if you refuse, I'll annihilate you to dust, insect.]

Swish.

The Succubus Planetary God from that dimension was prostrating herself on the floor.

She looked miserable, bleeding from her eyes, ears, and mouth. Without proper treatment, she would soon die.

But I forced the contract.

Though she still seemed out of her mind, she couldn't disobey my command and raised her trembling finger into the air.

Although she appeared delirious, she followed the command unconsciously.

I don't know what she saw in Yuna's mind to reduce a Planetary God to such a state.

[The contract between ■■ Dimension's Great ■■, ■■■■ and Sweet Reverie has been completed.]

Now it's done. From this moment, you are my possession.

You cannot escape even through death.

Now spill everything you know...

[Father. Fath— Please calm...]

Turning toward the desperate screams around me, I saw one of Nyala's avatar bodies trying to approach before being annihilated.

It seemed this had been repeated dozens of times... the area was filled with traces of high divinity avatars that had been destroyed.

[...Right.]

I calmed my emotions once more.

I grasped the thread-like reason to suppress the emotional turmoil, blocked my vision to calm my mind.

Trying my best to maintain tranquility, I covered myself with thoughts that could maintain composure.

That insect has become my servitor, so she can't escape now.

She's not a fragile mortal so she won't break easily, and I can get information anytime, so I should calm down a bit.

[Are you alright now? Is there anything I can do to help?]

[No. I'm sorry.]

Looking around briefly, I saw countless life forms dead around me.

Planets and galaxies that had existed everywhere. Many things had been annihilated, leaving only dark matter visible.

Shub had somehow escaped my hand and was far away. Yog had holes all over his body, probably from protecting his offspring from the aftermath of my emotions.

[No... it's just something from that dimension. Don't worry too much, everyone.]

Hmph. Don't worry too much.

I found my own words ridiculous.

With just a moment of turbulence, part of the universe was devastated and high divinities died.

What nonsense. These weren't words befitting a cosmic calamity, an existence that could erupt at any moment.

[I merely found part of one of my lost epithets.]

Demon...

* * *

After the emotional disturbance passed, I had to clean up the ripples I had caused.

First, a small scar had formed in this dimension's universe centered around me. The singing unnamed gods were huddled together, trembling.

Shub and Yog had returned to my side, and Nyala's main body had come too, but...

I could see Shub's Galaxy had moved to my fingertip, ready to escape at any moment.

A bit bitter.

[Shub.]

[Father?]

[...I'm sorry.]

No answer came. Judging by her trembling, was she overwhelmed with fear?

Damn. If this keeps happening, I'll be no different from Nut.

But from the beginning, my main body's size was incomparable to other life forms.

Power comparison was completely meaningless. Even top-tier deities like Yog or Nyala were merely the size of my fingernails.

[I should clean this up. I could...]

[...Hic! Hiccup! Hic!]

[F-Father, please stay right where you are! Leave such trivial matters to me, Nyala...!]

I decided to listen to Nyala's words as she hurriedly stopped me.

Hiccupping Shub was now on the verge of leaving my right hand completely. I had nothing to say.

Nyseria couldn't even make a sound, trembling far away.

I'm not sure if "trembling galaxy" is the right expression.

But I can't think of a better one.

The World Tree, Yggdrasil, was clinging to Nyseria's Galaxy, extending only a few branches.

Had it urgently sought protection from a trustworthy high divinity?

Sigh. But I couldn't help it just now.

Though it wasn't my true name, it was part of a lost epithet.

I seem to have had numerous epithets. One of them was Demon... what was it again?

Demon. Demon. Does it refer to a devil?

Lord of Demons? That might be the feeling.

But I am far from being a demon. Aren't demons in fiction usually evil beings with black wings and horns?

Would anyone consider this body a demon? I instinctively recalled that it was another term referring to me...

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find any clue leading to my true name.

After all, it was just one of many epithets, and only part of it at that.

A true name has that much significance.

Everything about me as an Outer God. The very essence representing my existence.

Now that I've calmed down and settled my emotions, I should look into matters in that dimension.

I need to check if Sweet Reverie is alright. Since I've accepted her as my servitor, I should ask her in detail.

But what I saw when I looked at that dimension was utter chaos.

Beep beep beep—

"Gurk... GURK?!!!"

"Hey! Wake up! Hey! Bring more sedatives!"

"We're short here too! Everyone in the institute is having seizures!"

"People across the planet who haven't contracted with Constellations are reporting unexplained migraines!"

"T-This! You should come see this! A Constellation has collapsed unconscious, and their condition is very serious!"

"Did an alien Constellation really attack? Report to the higher-ups immediately!"

Everyone in the institute was having seizures and drooling. An emergency system was activated, sounding a loud siren.

People who seemed to be emergency responders rushed to transport the affected individuals.

In one corner, soldiers presumed to be from the Planetary Defense Force were investigating the scene. My Avatars, Vivian and Lee Yuna, were also being carried away.

"Sweet Reverie is unconscious. She's continuously bleeding from her face, and we can't stop the hemorrhaging."

"Isn't she one of the Federation's top experts in the mental field? Why is this..."

"Damn it! What evil bastard would commit such terrorism!!!"

I've become an evil terrorist.

...Let's stop looking.

———

If I keep observing that dimension and Sweet Reverie comes into view,

I might want to interrogate her about discovering my epithet, so I deliberately turned my attention back to this dimension.

Nyala and Yog were moving around, turning back time. Shub was comforting her direct descendants.

It can't be helped.

When a sub-planetary deity is overcome with turbulent emotions, nearby mortals die trembling in fear.

When a planetary deity feels intense emotions, calamities befall the planet, like the brainwashed Red Goddess just now.

If a galactic deity feels intense emotions, all life forms in that galaxy would perish.

And if an Outer God, who looks down upon all these, becomes extremely emotional.

All life in the universe would perish.

Always be careful. And cautious.

If even one great destruction occurs, I might become a mad Outer God who periodically destroys the world.