Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Hill suspected that AO had already lost his grip at this very moment.

After all, that channel had become pretty useless ages ago, long since switched over to Lansendel’s Celene channel, yet suddenly it lit up again, and a fourth giant screen rose inside Hill’s Magic Tower.

What surprised Hill wasn’t that Celene was even sharing this camera with AO... after all, Shaer had just more or less spelled that out between the lines.

But clearly William and the God of Time and Space had also tacitly accepted AO and Celene’s little secret backdoor arrangement, so Hill didn’t dwell on it.

Even if it’s a lacework version of a padded jacket, it still blocks a bit of wind and rain, right?

What shocked him was that AO, who usually kept his cool, who’d clearly heard his two headache-inducing daughters and that even more troublesome stepson muttering about him without showing any reaction at all, had now completely forgotten to hide the fact that he’d been eavesdropping this whole time.

For AO, who came from Heavenly Mountain and loves putting on a show, this was basically a historic first.

Back when Shaer and Celene practically broke Toril’s knees, he probably wasn’t this rattled.

Apparently, this God Above Gods who delights in toying with fate and plotting from ten steps ahead was, for the first time, tasting something truly inconceivable.

Even Shaer, for a moment, could only show a gaze full of absurdity and a face full of bewilderment.

But Celene didn’t feel anything at all, just glanced at the giant screen that was technically hers, then turned back to the edge of the pool to keep watching the people.

Hill, on the other hand, was much more interested in what AO wanted to watch—or rather, what he wanted to record.

After all, AO couldn’t possibly be unable to see what was happening on Heavenly Mountain; using Celene’s camera had to be for the sake of leaving an imprint for Eternity.

Places as special as Heavenly Mountain used to be impossible to capture with those memory Crystals; even if some powerful beings could send their eyes in, they absolutely couldn’t extract their memories out, let alone do what Celene does—stuff a recording into some Divine Artifact replica and play it on loop for mortals.

That was a pleasure only one’s own self could enjoy... and for many things, just talking about them doesn’t convince people.

Of course, for someone like AO, even a random offhand remark would be enough for most people to believe it.

So Hill suspected AO was simply trying to leave an Eternal memento.

For something that could make this God Above Gods, who normally acts as steady as an Old Dog, this impatient and this gleefully schadenfreude... Hill understood that the speculation which had just nearly scared them stupid had, at this instant, solidified into undeniable reality.

Then, on that giant screen that had automatically unfolded, swept around quickly, and finally froze on a rather remote corner outside the Pool of Life, the most important starring roles finally made their grand entrance.

This should be where the control Core of that complicated Magic Array was hidden.

Even though those densely packed spell lines looked like they were radiating from the center of the Array in all directions.

It was obvious that part of those Light of Magics had been specially concealed... for someone like Hill, who could only observe through a screen and had no direct contact, it was really impossible to judge whether this was where the light ended or where it began.

Even if these God of Order types don’t have much in the way of Alchemy fundamentals, they’re quite good at the art of erasing their presence.

Which, you could say, is another kind of ”like owner, like pet,” right?

Their actual skills might be questionable, but the façade is always flawless.

Hill knew his own train of thought was a bit ridiculous, but right now this kind of random rambling was the only way he could cover over the chaos in his mind, so he didn’t blurt something stupid in public.

For example, Celene at this moment was speaking out without the slightest restraint: ”Old man, did you just mark out all the potential candidates?

There are four or five of them here, aren’t there?

Which one is it?

Hey, old man, how come you’re so diligent this time?

Is one of them some old enemy of yours?

Ah, or an old flame?”

Celene’s bullshit didn’t get any response.

Hill couldn’t help but feel a deep sympathy at AO’s utter calm... even knowing that this God Above Gods didn’t deserve sympathy in any sense, Hill still felt that ”raised useless kids, now the Elder has no one to rely on” kind of vibe.

Just how much must he have gone through, to be able to treat his own daughter’s abnormal speeches like air?

Sitting on the other side, Shaer let out a soft laugh: ”Enemy probably doesn’t count, does it?

By the time the old man left Heavenly Mountain, all his grudges should’ve been settled.”

Hill sat there quietly, not daring to make a sound, just like Lansendel at that moment, sitting perfectly straight, even his paws placed extra neatly.

The two of them weren’t scared of AO, of course.

But nobody wanted to leave that God Above Gods with a horrendously bad impression over this kind of crap.

And nobody wanted to get dragged into this face-off between the two sisters and their own Dad.

Of course, Hill and Lansendel both more or less understood now why Shaer and Celene, after hating each other for so many years, could still work together with such perfect tacit understanding when they needed to.

Most likely, they’d honed that teamwork on AO.

Shaer’s clean wrap-up was clearly not some sudden inspiration, but sheer habit.

And AO’s total lack of reaction only further proved just how routine this ”habit” really was.

But looking at it from another angle, Hill suddenly realized something: in AO’s mind, using things from the God of Time and Space and William is perfectly normal.

That old man is not someone who relaxes his guard easily.

No matter how powerful those Divine Artifacts outside are, even to the point of affecting his Tablets of Fate, he remains completely unmoved.

Even if he only wants to make use of them, he’ll choose to have other Deities take charge of that Divine Artifact.

If he really can’t find a suitable candidate, he’d rather waste Divine Power to temporarily elevate someone on the spot than casually let his own jade-like hands touch those foreign items.

His paranoia is the worst Hill has ever seen among both mortals and Deities, far surpassing even Asmodeus.

Only the eternally Neutral Star Spirits seem able to earn the slightest bit of his trust.

Hill has always felt that only the absolute Neutrality of the Star Spirits is true Neutrality... they have no feelings toward anything at all, won’t support some evil just because goodness has the upper hand, and won’t think that balance is the great way of the Mortal World.

They really don’t care about anything.

Even when it comes to worlds they themselves created, when they leave, they never look back.

But that doesn’t mean they lack curiosity.

It’s just a kind of curiosity that carries no desire; once they’ve seen it, that’s that.

Anyway, whatever good thing it is, once they’ve seen it they can have it.

At least, in all the time the Multiverse has endured till now, Star Spirits have never shown any character drift.

So, in a situation like this, where AO personally uses Strange Objects made by other Deities, even Deities from other worlds, besides the fact that he really is in a hurry, it also has to do with his level of trust.

Hill pressed his lips together and suddenly thought of himself.

Although his feelings for Alice are rather complicated... people who’ve never raised a cat probably can’t understand his mood, but he’s that kind of doting maniac who keeps switching between ”older brother” and ”Dad”... yet no matter how many Elements are mixed in, he did indeed accept Merkel because of Alice.

Granted, that’s also because he could tell that black Leopard really was sincerely grateful to him, but it’s obvious that if it were just Merkel himself, Hill would never accept someone like him as a friend.

But because he trusts Alice—no matter how much private selfishness she has, how much infatuated devotion—she would never do anything that endangered Hill’s safety, Hill could naturally allow Merkel to step into his domain.

Whatever AO may be thinking in that heart of his, Hill believes he must have similar considerations.

This God Above Gods actually trusts Shaer and Celene quite a lot... even though the two of them are always making a huge mess and forcing him to frantically patch things up afterward.

Moreover, Hill suddenly had a feeling... that Shaer and Celene really did inherit many traits from AO.

For example, curiosity, and a nasty love of sowing chaos everywhere.

That giant screen was practically shoved right up into the faces of these Gods of Order.

”Yikes~” Celene let out a strange interjection. ”Old man, you think these old faces look good?

At least show their hands!

Only then can we see who’s actually doing the dirty work.

Why are you staring at their faces? Huh? What for!

Got yourself an old flame there, have you!”

”The Undead Tribe’s language is quite incisive.” A gentle yet low elder male voice sounded inside the Magic Tower. ”Unfortunately, people who don’t understand things can never use it right.”

”Heh heh~” Celene laughed carelessly a few times. ”But you’re triggered~

Otherwise why would you respond to me?

Which means what I said is...”

”I’m only reminding you: when you encounter these guys later, don’t say the wrong thing.” AO drawled. ”After this, they won’t be giving anyone a chance to explain.”

Basically, they’ll be so furious and humiliated that whoever dares bring it up gets killed.

Hill understood at once.

Of course, someone as clear-headed as he and Shaer, even without this warning, would never allow themselves to appear anywhere near that pack of old codgers.

After all, you can’t hide the giant screen; sooner or later they’ll find out that for this disgrace of theirs, someone watched from the very beginning to the bitter end.

And it’s precisely because the ones who acted were Toril Deities... Hill suddenly had a flash of insight as to why AO was willing to temporarily trust the God of Time and Space and William.

With this incident, William and Shaer are practically bound together in front of the whole Universe.

One of them provided the giant screen, the other took it out and used it on the spot.

When the enemies are Demons and Devils, they can still play mind games and stir up internal conflicts.

But if the ones who don’t like them are Gods of Order, then... even a slight lapse in attention might prove disastrous.

These are beings who can effortlessly mobilize the immense power of many God Systems... even if their reputation takes a severe hit and they lose some followers, Gods of Order are still the former big bosses.

In that case, the mystery of why the God of Time and Space so readily agreed to help the Greek Gods can be considered solved.

But... why?