Surviving without God Chapter 89

Only suffocating darkness reigned around them. A bottomless enclosed space where it was impossible to tell whether there were walls or a ceiling. Air that had stagnated for centuries settled heavily in the lungs like rotten water, turning every breath into tornt. However...

Whoooosh—

A stream of wind slipped into the space that seed frozen in eternal stillness. It was a tiny current, but to the prisoners it felt so refreshing that it instantly washed all the moldy heaviness out of their lungs.

— ...Wind.

As soon as soone murmured the word with solemn grandeur, a cheerfully contrasting voice answered:

— Yes, that’s wind. Fresh air, not that stinking dampness.

Spinning around, he jabbed the elbow of the companion curled up beside him.

— Why are you silent at such a glorious mont? Say sothing at least.

— Sniff... I-I knew Gunther would definitely handle everything.

— Oh co on, why cry on such a good day? Did you skip your pills again?

— Yeah, sniff.

One way or another, the three prisoners basked in bliss, savoring the change. This prison was a space that symbolized the shackles placed upon them. The bonds that had not moved for hundreds of years were slowly loosening as Gunther fulfilled the “conditions.”

— Phew, at least we can breathe now.

Of course, it was comparable only to a tiny pebble breaking off a massive cliff. But the realization that they had taken even a single step forward filled their hearts to the brim.

Clap—

Alphonse of Red Street threw an arm around the shoulders of the King of Knights like a brother and whispered:

— So how does it feel, eting your beloved after all this ti?

— You ask difficult quest—

— In simple terms, your “ex” beloved! Hah-hah-hah-hah!

Bam—!

A fist in a gauntlet slamd down on Alphonse’s head. Looking down at the flattened joker, the King of Knights sighed heavily and leaned his back against the wall again.

— ...Seiran is the sa as ever. Just as headstrong... just as...

— Ch-charming, right? — the Drug-Addicted Saint added with a gentle smile. — It’s a pity she didn’t notice us... I would have liked to speak to her, even briefly. It seems that even with our rank increased, we still cannot cross the barrier.

At her complaint, the King of Knights rely shook his head with a dark expression.

— ...These shackles are not so easy to remove. Everything may change if Gunther fulfills the next condition.

— Hey, why do you all look so worried? — Alphonse grinned broadly without even trying to stand up. — Gunther will handle it, so relax. Don’t you rember what it was like when we were first imprisoned? Compared to that ti, we’re doing great. Light breaks through from ti to ti, and now there’s even wind. Who knows, maybe soon soone will set up a table with drinks.

— That... is true.

— Back then we couldn’t see any hope at all.

At those words, the other two gods inevitably rembered the distant past... the mont when their era was approaching its end. When all their comrades had fallen to the Seven Evil Gods, and nothing remained except despair. Gathering their last strength, they barely managed to leave preparations for future generations, yet even then they were not sure it would work.

“That was terrible.”

All they had been allowed then was despair, uncertainty, and the fear that all those sacrifices would prove aningless. But now small yet certain changes were happening. And they were happening not in soone else’s hands, but in “his.”

Clap—

Alphonse suddenly jumped to his feet and, placing his hands on the shoulders of the King of Knights and the Saint, smiled. The very smile their comrades had loved so much faintly appeared in the light summoned by Gunther.

— Let’s just believe and watch.

.

.

.

— Phew...

Having barely finished his training, Gunther slowly rose to his feet. Brody, who had been watching him anxiously, approached carefully.

— ...Gunther, are you alright?

— ...Sorry for making you worry.

Everything around them lay in ruins. The mana he had failed to fully control had burst outward, scattering earth across the entire wasteland; clouds of dust swirled in the air.

— Oh...

The subordinates’ eyes were like those of frightened rabbits. Yet in those frightened gazes there was also sothing close to reverence. Where else could people from the outskirts of the Lower City witness a scene of soone absorbing mana to the very point of saturation? Roanna and Eddie were more shocked than anyone. As contractors, they at least roughly understood the extraordinary level of mastery displayed before their eyes.

[You have engraved the status “Reverent Awe” into the souls of your subordinates]

[Commander experience increases significantly]

— Handso brother... looks like you were being way too modest with us before.

— ...The skill he used to cut down a paladin in one strike hasn’t gone anywhere.

— Oh? Brother cut down a paladin in one strike?

— Yeah, just like this — swish! Didn’t I tell you?

Gunther looked at his hands. Back then he had relied on the power of divine descent, but now perhaps he could do it with his own strength. Mana 60 — that was exactly that kind of number. Moreover, thanks to reaching the third stage of the Art of the Pure Heart, his other attributes had not rely recovered but made a qualitative leap. Judging purely by raw stats, he was practically already standing at the threshold of the late stage of the third hierarchy.

“The Ruler of the Oceans helped far more than I expected.”

[The Drug-Addicted Saint proudly declares that in their era she was considered the greatest mage]

“I see... Hm?”

Gunther nodded in agreent, then suddenly froze, sensing sothing strange.

“What... Now you can ntion the forgotten era?”

[The three gods grin and nod]

Rembering this, he realized that as a reward for his personal scenario, the status of the old gods had risen.

“So the shackles have weakened!”

Now he would be able to ask them about everything that interested him. Gunther’s eyes flashed with excitent, but he imdiately muttered:

“Ah.”

“Ti...”

Unfortunately, now was not the mont for questions. Just because he had raised his attributes did not an the road was finished. He had beco incomparably stronger, but it was still catastrophically insufficient to face the two “Table Companions.” The preparation had to continue.

— Well then, everyone. See you later.

Gunther hurried away, leaving his subordinates behind.

Rustle—

However, just before leaving the wasteland he stopped for a mont. Turning around, he looked at Brody. Bathed in the rays of the setting sun, she stared back at him in confusion. Behind the perfectly pressed suit and mature manners hid a girl barely twenty years old, who, embarrassed by the ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) sudden gaze, nevertheless gave a small smile.

— Gunther? Why are you looking at like that?

Gunther did not answer.

In the previous life her death had been entirely his fault. In this life he would not allow that sin to repeat. No matter what.

Strengthening his resolve, Gunther continued on his way.

***

As expected, the reaction of the platoon mbers was explosive.

— Gunther...? My god, what happened in these few days? Your mana...

Behind the lenses of his glasses, Levain’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. Unable to explain everything in detail, Gunther simply waved it off.

“I made a contract with a new god.”

Strictly speaking, that was not a lie. Levain and Blanc congratulated him as sincerely as if it were their own success. Although for so reason Blanc looked slightly depressed.

— Un-be-liev-able, rookie! Handling such a heavy double contract! I’m jealous...

— Sincere congratulations. But you checked everything carefully, right? There are plenty of gods who demand absurd prices.

— Le-vi. Lecturing a grown man like a mother isn’t cool.

— .........

After that, things proceeded along familiar lines. Gunther t Seraz, received the assignnt to “clear vacant houses,” and headed to the Upper City.

[Alphonse of Red Street asks why you are going to the Upper City again when ti for battle preparation is already so limited]

Of course, Gunther himself understood that theft would not bring much benefit. But he was not going there solely for profit.

Inside the elevator. Gunther stared out the window with a grim expression, then tapped the communication device at his ear.

— Dimona.

[......]

— Dimona, you can hear .

[......]

— This is urgent. Answer.

As expected, there was no reply. But Gunther did not give up. Dimona should currently be in the Upper City. Even if there was no connection right now, if he kept calling once he reached the top she would certainly respond.

This was not blind hope. She had been observing him periodically. How he fought, what decisions he made — surveillance to determine whether he was worthy of being her ally. No matter how busy she was, soone as calculating as her would not abandon observation halfway through.

“No, she will answer.”

Today he absolutely needed her.

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats asks what plan you have devised this ti]

Instead of answering, Gunther took a deep breath.

“The second step necessary to overthrow the ‘Table Companions’... you could say that.”

Starting an open war with the “Table Companions” would be like stirring a hornet’s nest. Even if you won, it was unlikely the threat would end there. As long as the possibility of the situation worsening remained, chanisms were needed to reduce the risks...

“And this plan is exactly such a chanism.”

Clang—

At the mont the elevator reached the Upper City station, Gunther’s gaze changed. The first thing he needed now was additional ti. Ti in the Upper City was limited. To manage everything, he had to hurry.

— Guys.

— Huh?

— Let’s finish quickly. Just trust .

Naturally, the theft itself presented no difficulty. These were houses he had already robbed once before. Entry routes, alarm placent, blind spots — everything was clearly engraved in his mory. Gunther thodically “cleaned” the houses one after another like a textbook example.

His speed and precision. To the teammates watching from the side, it looked like the embodint of mastery.

— Gu-Gunther! You can’t just barge in like... oh? How did you—

— Do you live here or sothing? How did you know the safe was exactly there?

The ti spent was reduced by almost half compared to last ti. The teammates were no longer just admiring him — they began casting suspicious glances, questioning his forr profession.

— Maybe we should think twice before inviting you to visit...

After Parco’s joke, the final house was successfully cleared. Bringing the frightened Tarsha outside because of the “suspicious traces,” Gunther asked his comrades for a small favor.

— Sorry, could you go to the elevator first?

Naturally, questions followed, but the answer had already been prepared.

— Huh? What about you?

— I need to et soone.

— Soone...

— Rember that Arcane Runner who helped us in the Labyrinth?

Usually, acting alone during an operation was not encouraged, but...

— Ah, that guy? He lives in the Upper City?

The Fourth Platoon were understanding people. Tarsha waved her hand and pushed Gunther in the back.

— Anyway, thanks to you we saved a ton of ti. Go handle your business, and if anything happens — just fire the flare gun. Big sister will co running.

— I-I’ll co too! Don’t you trust your little brother?

— Ha-ha, too of course.

...Judging by their words, they were ready to break through even if they had to slaughter the entire Upper City guard. That was both frightening and encouraging. In any case, the agreent was obtained. Ti to act.

— Phew...

Taking a short breath, Gunther slipped alone into the shadow of an alley. Tense to the limit, he constantly looked around. Even on an empty street, you never knew who might appear and when. Especially since his appearance now did not match the image of an Upper City resident at all. If soone reported a suspicious person, it would not take five minutes before a heavily equipped patrol arrived. And the guards here were far stronger than ordinary adventurers.

“Then the eighteenth life would begin.”

All that remained was to hope for a quick response from Dimona. Blind spot of the magical surveillance devices. Holding his breath, Gunther tapped the connector. The tal chilled by the night air responded with a sharp click.

— Dimona.

[......]

— Dimona, can you hear ?

[......]

No answer. Gunther crouched and checked the entrance of the alley again.

Whoooosh... Step.

Together with the wind ca the sound of patrol footsteps. For a mont his entire body froze... but then Gunther realized that his excessively enhanced mana was detecting signs of movent even at great distances. Exhaling with relief, he made a third attempt.

— Dimona... please...!

At that very mont, when the cold wind rushed past Gunther—

Psssh—

A quiet sigh reached his ear.

[Whew...]

— Dimona.

[Gunther, unauthorized communication in the Upper City carries a high risk of tracking. I cannot maintain the connection for long. I will disconnect in 10 seconds.]

The voice was dry and official, completely mismatched with their level of familiarity. There were even notes of irritation in it, but Gunther continued without hesitation.

— My life depends on this.

[......]

The silence did not last long.

[I will try to maintain the connection for about one minute. How can I help you?]