The method I came up with was simple.
Malo had originally been human, yet after becoming an artifact left behind by that creator, it displayed overwhelming power.
Then if I made an artifact using a human who had originally been a god, wouldn’t that naturally make something ridiculously powerful?
After a bit of trial and error, I managed to use the Authority of Creation to knead Nightchaser into the shape of a sword.
As I admired the sharp, violet form of the blade with satisfaction, Nightchaser let out a sigh full of resignation.
"Damn..."
"Hey. Don’t you dare say anything once we go out.”
I warned Nightchaser, who could apparently still talk even in sword form, then walked out of the forge carrying the blade.
The dwarves, who had been passing the time joking around while waiting, examined Nightchaser curiously, wondering just how good of a weapon I had made.
"...Hmm."
"Not bad. For a human, anyway…What materials did you use?”
"That’s a secret.”
They admired Nightchaser for a while before confidently picking up the sword they had forged.
"Well, you can't know just by looking at it. Lad, I wonder just how far that confidence of yours goes."
"I’m curious too."
In truth, the result had already been decided.
The dwarves confidently struck their sword against Nightchaser.
'Ow!'
A tiny, little cry echoed out. Fortunately, nobody except me heard it—
-Crack!
"...?!"
"Wh-what in the…?!”
The sword forged by the dwarves split apart miserably.
Meanwhile, Nightchaser didn’t even have a single scratch on her. I stepped into the crowd of murmuring dwarves, took back Nightchaser, and spoke politely.
"Oh my, I suppose I just got lucky."
"A-ahem. Seems that way. Ah, I just wasn’t in very good condition today…”
"I knew something was wrong the moment you poured the molten metal weirdly, you idiot. A dwarf losing to a human-made sword?”
"What? When did I ever do that?!”
Ignoring the bickering dwarves, I asked gently,
"So then, would it be possible for you to make another sword?”
"...F-fine. A promise is a promise.”
The dwarves nodded, though they seemed slightly reluctant.
There wasn’t really any reason to refuse. All they had to do was forge another sword.
"Ah, of course, it will have to be better than the sword I just made.”
"Hmph, naturally."
With an expression of wounded pride, the dwarf walked back into the forge with his hammer in hand.
"Be grateful for your luck and wait three days. I’ll show you what a supreme weapon truly is.”
"I’ll be looking forward to it.”
I answered with a bright smile.
Of course, there was one unfortunate twist in store for the dwarves.
-Clang!
"...?"
"Ah, would you like another three days?”
"...Give me another week.”
No matter what kind of sword they brought—
They would never be able to kill a demigod in the form of a sword.
*t*t*
The dwarves’ feelings changed far more rapidly than I had expected.
"Ahem, human techniques are more useful than I thought.”
That statement, which had started as light acknowledgement, turned into suspicion in only 2 months.
"What in the world?! What did you do?! This is impossible! This thing was made in just 10 minutes?! What material did you use?!”
"I’ll tell you once you make a sword that satisfies our agreement.”
"..."
In the end, all the dwarves could do was continue forging endlessly.
Not that it was meaningless. Thanks to their effort Nightchaser was slowly dying in quite the spectacular fashion.
It was dawn. Just as I entertained idle thoughts such as ‘So even this artificial sun sets at night, huh?’ Nightchaser started to complain.
"My very existence is being sliced away…by nothing more than those pathetic lumps of metal..."
"Is it that painful?”
"You defined me as a sword! As my durability drops, so does my life! If your goal was to kill me, congratulations. I probably have about a week left.”
"Hmm…”
Apparently tools created using life didn’t simply recover after being hammered a few times on an anvil.
"How long are you planning to keep doing this meaningless nonsense? If you’re going to persuade them, hurry up and do it already. Look at those guys. They’re practically wrecks.”
"True. But it’s not time yet."
That was one reason Nightchaser could speak her thoughts so openly right now despite it being dawn.
The dwarves were apparently deeply shocked by the fact that they couldn’t surpass a sword made by a mere human, and one that was forged in only 10 minutes at that, and had drowned themselves in alcohol.
Of course, tomorrow they’d wake up with splitting headaches and go right back to forging swords again. It would probably end with Nightchaser screaming in agony again as well.
"What exactly are you waiting for? I seriously don’t get it.”
"For them to come to the negotiation table. If I approach them first, it’ll make my intentions seem suspicious.”
I smirked and slid her back into her sheath.
"Why not just tell them your goal and give them a choice between cooperating or simply dying? Didn’t they say they don’t even have a king?”
"It looks like being a former god has left you ignorant. A group without a leader can’t exist.”
"...What?"
Nightchaser looked at me like I was talking nonsense, but it was simply the truth.
When living beings gathered together, they needed a leader.
Even a pack of starving wild dogs, once their numbers grew past two or three, established an alpha and obeyed its commands with absolute loyalty. It’s not because the alpha is some overwhelmingly superior existence capable of subjugating the entire pack.
It was because the pack itself needed a leader.
And if we’re talking about intelligent beings—
"They’ll approach us soon enough… Ah, right on time.”
I lightly tapped the hilt, signaling her not to say another word, then leaned against the nearby wall.
For a moment, it looked like no one was coming, but my Tide Sense had already picked up someone standing against the wall on the opposite side.
"Human. Are you awake?"
The voice was lighter than I expected.
The dwarf who had been the last to leave the forge quietly called out, as if hoping not to wake anyone at this ungodly hour.
I lowered my voice as well and answered.
"Yes. I’m awake. Is something the matter?”
"Hmm..."
The dwarf trailed off for a moment before slowly speaking.
"There’s something I want to ask, but let’s settle one thing first.”
"And what would that be?”
"Are you really human?”
"..."
"I went to Brimdal first. That fellow absolutely refused to tell me anything about you. That’s quite strange. It’s one thing that he got captured by a human, but trying to hide information about you?”
"He’s a vicious criminal. So it makes sense, doesn’t it?”
"Before that, he’s a dwarf. And I'm certain no human could ever persuade Brimdal. Naturally, something else comes to mind. That thing causing all the chaos in the world lately. What are they called again…?”
His implications were clear.
Scarlet Abyss. I scowled deeply and denied it immediately.
"You're completely mistaken. I’m about as far removed from those bastards as one can be.”
"To be honest, I don’t care whether you’re one of them or not. Just leave. We can give you as much gold as you want. Gems of any kind as well.”
"Hmm. That’s certainly a tempting offer, but…”
When I deliberately trailed off, the dwarf sighed and slowly walked around the wall toward me.
I had already seen it through my Tide Sense, but there was something strange in his hand.
An iron stake. A chunk of steel covered in bizarre, incomprehensible symbols. Holding it tightly, he looked at me indifferently and muttered in a colder voice.
"We will not get involved.”
"Could you explain that in a bit more detail?”
"It means that even if every living thing outside dies, even if the world turns upside down, even if the Outer Gods swallow the entire world and not a single breath of air remains, we will never stand on anyone’s side.”
I rubbed my forehead.
Apparently, this dwarf understood not only my purpose but also the situation outside with terrifying accuracy.
"Why?”
"Because we desire neither the process nor the result.”
The dwarf closed his eyes while gripping the iron stake.
"For us, making a sword capable of splitting the heavens even in the hands of a child or a crossbow capable of bringing down dragons isn't difficult. We accepted it as the heavenly duty given to our people. But not a single one can be allowed outside.”
"I don’t understand."
I asked out of genuine curiosity.
"So because of your racial traits, you create powerful weapons, yet you refuse to let anyone use them? Why live that way?”
"If a human were to lose their family through the hands of a bandit, upon whom would their grudge fall?”
The sudden question made me tilt my head before answering.
"It would go to the bandit, obviously.”
"Then why not resent the bandit’s swords? That sword was what killed their family.”
“Because that’s just wordplay. The bandit killed people by swinging the sword. Why would anyone hold a grudge against a tool?”
"But what if the bandit had been controlled by the sword?”
"...What?"
"What if he had actually been a weak human who could have been stopped by simple farmers with spears, but because he held a weapon capable of killing hundreds, simply by swinging it, the village was destroyed?”
The dwarf glared at me and pointed the iron stake my way.
"Then where would the resentment be directed towards? Answer me.”
"It still wouldn’t go toward the sword. That’s just a tool…”
"You would come to hate the ones who created such cursed objects.”
"..."
"Our nature gathers resentment. No matter how we intervene, regardless of which side we take, even if we support both equally, as long as we create supreme weapons, resentment will inevitably pile up.”
The wrinkles on the dwarf’s face had gone pale with age. He had probably lived a very long time.
Long enough to have personally experienced the exact example he was describing.
"In the morning, we forge swords. In the evening, we melt them back down. That’s how we preserve our nature and continue living. Go back. Whatever it is you want, all you’ll get from us is gold and treasure. Take it quietly and disappear.”
"Let’s get one thing straight first.”
I stepped back from the strange iron sake and shrugged.
"I did ask for a sword, but I don't really need one. You’ll probably keep suspecting me forever if I don’t tell you the truth, so I’ll be direct. I want to commission a job.”
"A job?”
The dwarf seemed to lower his guard slightly and lowered the iron stake.
"A city? A palace? A dam? Whatever it is, we’ll finish it within 3 days. But you’ll need to sign a contract promising never to interfere with us again.”
"It’s a city. A planned city to be precise.”
"That’s hardly difficult. Why didn’t you just say that form the—”
Just as the dwarf was about to get annoyed, I smiled lightly and added.
"However, it has to support every living thing currently in existence on the surface."
"?"
"And you’ll need to build it within 3 months. Yes.”
"Hmm..."
The dwarf seemed to think for a moment, then lowered his guard, but for all the wrong reasons.
He was looking at me like I was completely insane.
"Have you lost your mind?”
"Just to be clear, it doesn’t have to be particularly magnificent. It only needs to be livable. Enough to sustain life.”
"You’ve definitely lost your mind.”
Before the dwarf could finish his conclusion, I casually turned the world upside down.
For less than 0.001 seconds, the world became the Abyssal Sea.
Several drops of water dripped from the dwarf’s beard. The expression on his face had become the complete opposite of before. Now it looked like he had become the madman.
"—A-an Outer God.”
"So you know what I am?”
Instead of answering, the dwarf immediately threw the iron stake.
Apparently it wasn't an ordinary object. The moment it left his hand, it unfolded, and from within that tiny iron stake burst countless weapons no one could have imagined fitting inside.
Each one moved as though alive, targeting only my vital points. Had an ordinary human, wizard, or Knight been struck by that attack, they would have died instantly.
-Tatatatatatatata...
"Sigh…See, this isn’t by my will.”
But every one of those weapons simply passed through my body, clattering onto the ground.
If it were up to me, I would’ve liked to take the hits directly and pretend to be hurt, acting like I had been truly struck, but staying alive with weapons sticking out of my entire body would probably terrify him even more, so I had no choice.
"Why has an Outer God come here?”
Even after realizing I was an Outer God, the dwarf tried desperately to remain calm, though his trembling legs betrayed him.
I moved farther away from him and reassured him once more.
"As I said before, I have absolutely no intention of harming you. To begin with, I’m not even a complete Outer God. I’m only half of one. I’m half human as well.”
"How am I supposed to…?”
"Because that’s simply the truth. And I already told you why I came. I need an ark to put humanity into.”
"And why?”
"Because the opponent I have to fight is up there in the sky. But if I fight without any preparation, most living beings will perish meaninglessly. You’d also agree that such a tragedy has to be avoided, right?”
"...You certainly don’t sound like a proper Outer God.”
Though the dwarf still looked suspicious, he at least accepted that I wasn’t a full-fledged Outer God.
"To think you’d concern yourself with the lives of mere humans. And if we refuse? What then? Will you simply slaughter us because we’re not human?”
"I’ll just turn around and leave. I’ll say it again, I truly want your help, but I have no intention of forcing you. If I did that, the results wouldn’t come out properly anyway.”
"..."
After a moment of thought, the dwarf replied in a gentler tone.
"Seeing that you don’t plan on forcing us despite having the means to shows the consideration you hold for us. So I'll answer clearly from my perspective as well. Your request is impossible. The time limit is too short. And I don’t have the confidence to persuade the other dwarves to take part in such a task."
"Aren’t you their king?”
"I already told you, we don't have kings. They merely listen to me. People tend to respect the elderly.”
“Then if I solve those two problems, would you consider accepting my request? We are really desperate.”
"Very well, let’s hear it first.”
"I’ll give you assistants.”
I took out a cloth I’d tucked into my pocket and threw it over the empty space beside me.
But instead of falling to the ground, the cloth stopped in midair as though there were a ghost standing there.
"What is this…?”
"A deep-sea fish—Hm, no, a bing that will listen to your commands and carry them out. For now I gave it some basic settings like endlessly chewing through stone, melting metal with its gaze, and devouring soil and debris. If you’d like anything added, please let me know.”
"That sounds like a creature straight out of legends. But methods alone aren’t enough. You know that too, don’t you?”
"Of course, but the price necessary for persuading the dwarves is something you need to see with your own eyes.”
I grabbed the dwarf’s hand and moved us into the Abyssal Sea.
He flinched in surprise, but quickly calmed down once he realized only the location had changed and that he wasn’t in danger.
Then I showed him countless islands submerged beneath the sea that I’d prepared beforehand.
"Where is this…? I suppose that’s a foolish question to ask. Is this the world you govern?”
"Yes."
"Why—why would an Outer God who rules over such a majestic world even bother with..."
He trailed off when his attention drifted toward violet crystals protruding from the sides of distant mountains.
"What’s this?”
"Fragments of organic matter left behind by creatures of the Abyssal Sea. One thing I can guarantee. You’ve never seen anything like this outside.”
I called over several anglerfish, lighting up the surroundings so the dwarf could see clearly.
Now he could witness the same scene I had been observing through Tide Sense.
"What in the—”
A breathtaking sight unfolded before us.
Countless deep-sea creatures were gathering materials from the seabed, from the shells of gigantic creatures, and from the remains and discarded organs of dead companions, tearing off anything that could be called "ore" and piling it up higher, higher, and even higher.
Thus, a mountain of metal that should never have existed had been formed inside the Abyssal Sea. Every single one possessed a different color.
"Since I was unsure of what you’d want, I prepared everything. I think it would take at least 10 years just to determine the properties of all these metals. It should be enough material to persuade the dwarves, don’t you think?”
-Snap.
With a flick of my fingers, we returned to the dwarven settlement.
The dwarf had unconsciously stretched out his hand as though entranced but quickly coughed awkwardly and hardened his expression again.
"Ahem. There’s still no justification.”
"Justification?”
"Even if it can be done, even if the others can be persuaded, we still have no reason to do it. Why should we abandon the traditions that have allowed our people to survive all this time?”
"Hm, I suppose that depends on how you choose to look at it…”
At this point, things were pretty much settled.
Because I still remembered what the dwarf had said earlier.
"How about you just treat it as a weapon test with absolutely no resentment attached?”
