My Measurement: The Villain Desires a Satisfying Payback

Had it all been a mistake to try the others?

Regardless, the World Tree was the one Transcendent I was most confident in being able to send me back to Earth from the beginning.

I don't think confronting the other Transcendents was solely a waste of time, but it was indeed a little irking how it felt like one.

"We're here. What do you want to do now? We need to get to the World Tree to use its energy to travel to another world, right? No matter what, I don't think elves are the type of people to just let us in and make direct contact with her, whom they revere as a divine being."

Standing on the edge of the seemingly endless forest, I listened to Kolo Tjahn's words.

Although I didn't know anything about this world, and that naturally included knowledge of the elves, there was one time I heard that the elves were a seclusive people; it appears to be true.

Judging by that, it is easy to agree with him that they wouldn't let us in just like that, even if we introduced ourselves as an Archwizard and a Transcendent.

Frankly, I don't think they would care, and it would be surprising if any amount of persuasion made them think otherwise.

Of course, threatening them to let us in wouldn't do as it'd only heighten their resistance further, and slaughtering all of them is far too messy for my liking, not to mention that I don't think Kolo here would let me do that so easily.

Since he is an Archwizard and I don't know the extent of his capabilities, I don't want to needlessly risk him becoming an obstacle for me. It is for the better that choices leading to such a situation be avoided.

In that case, what do we do?

We could infiltrate the forest, but I doubt we would be able to make it all the way to the World Tree without them noticing; I'd assume it to be the most heavily guarded place of all, and even with magic it doesn't seem like much use.

After all, there is a magic barrier strong enough to prevent teleportation―if it didn't include measures to prevent enemy infiltration, then I'd wonder just what their priorities are.

Then, what is the answer...

"..."

In the end, among many things, only one "solution" stuck out in my mind.

Although it may come with a heavy amount of risk, it felt like the quickest and most surefire way to get in―or at least, if I don't make a mistake.

"Kolo. Go meet the elves."

"Hm? Ah, I can, but as I said, I don't think it'll wo--"

"Tell them the Nightmare King is coming."

"...Excuse me? I don't think they'd believe an obvious lie like that..."

Oh, I forgot to question whether the elves even knew of the Nightmare King first, but it seems they do―or Kolo just isn't aware.

Either way, he only had this one job.

"Who said it was a lie?"

"..."

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Kolo Tjahn stared at me for a few seconds with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Cee, how do you--"

"Listen to me."

There was no need to question anything.

Not me.

Not what I said.

Not the implications of it all.

All he needs to do is listen and obey, at least for now.

And even with the target being an Archwizard like him, the current me can make it a reality.

"Will you do it?"

"Yes..."

Good.

"Then get going."

Without hesitation, the blank-faced Kolo Tjahn set off into the forest depths.

He would no longer be present to witness what is to happen.

The method I chose was inarguably cleaner than simply massacring the elves since I would be taking care of the matter myself, and not to mention that it wouldn't result in Kolo's opposition―because the reality is that he won't know that I am the one who will summon the Nightmare King.

He is not here to witness it, so why would he know? It wouldn't make any sense, and therefore, his knowledge of the fact is nonexistent.

Further, if I do it right, then the elves may in fact praise me as a saviour, however unlikely it may be.

Well, something like that doesn't matter anyway; it would only make things a little more straightforward for me.

Now, to get started with the main event... Hm. Calling it like that evokes distant memories.

In the past, perhaps I would've found something like summoning the Nightmare King to cause a bit of chaos, 'fun'. Maybe I would even have laughed.

Well, I know Ruti would, and she was always quite infectious even after I forgot about her.

At some point, though, did I stop referring to things like this, 'events'?

To be honest, I don't really remember.

Making it all sound like a game, like something I was doing for fun... Although it was seldom the case, I'm sure I stopped doing that kind of thing at some point.

When everything became so serious... When was that?

Was it when I found out more about fate?

Was it when I found out about the truth of the world?

Or was it before even all of that?

"..."

No matter how I tried to recall it, I simply couldn't.

All that flashed in my mind were unrelated memories, images and scenes of the twins, Sophie Asanami, and even Emir.

Such useless things...

"..."

Unconsciously, my hand reached for the unnamed smartphone in my pocket.

Before it got there, I stopped myself, however.

"...Tsk."

It was all so annoying.

This wasn't the time for pointless dawdling.

I don't know why those things were so persistently nailed to my mind and engraved there, but I couldn't rid myself of the subconscious images even as I tried to move on.

Turning around, I faced the wide-open, hilly field that neighboured the elven forest.

Gathering my focus, I looked towards the sky in an effort to progress despite the mental nuisance.

It shone a bright baby blue and carried with it pure white clouds dotted throughout, but all that was soon to change.

Raising my hand, I slowly closed my eyes and imagined what I saw in the Magic Tower's 10th Floor Trial.

A pitch-black sky that blotted out even the tiniest light of the sun, like a sea of tar.

That tar drooped like slime and fell to the ground, beginning to bubble and form something hideous.

At the same time, that tarry slime rose up, widening cracks in the earth as it moved on its own, forming tens of thousands of grotesque monsters.

-- Kkrrrriiiiieeeeeekkkkhhh...!!

As if it were a natural progression, I didn't even have to imagine the soul-shaking cries as they sounded out regardless of my will, forcing my eyes open.

-- Krrriiiieeekkh...!

-- Kkrrriiieeee...!

-- Kkrrriiiiieeeeekkkkhhh...!!

I registered the countless screams and howls of the Nightmares that emerged and faced their collective vitality with a slight sense of awe.

In the past, I never could have imagined possessing power of such scale.

Saburou Fushigimi with his Space.

Azaki Kiryuuin with his evolved Time.

Maybe even Haruka Hayashi with her Measurement of Death.

Compared to any of the other Concepts, I held heavy doubt that I could lose.

I suppose those three would be the current top contenders alongside Gravity, but they still wouldn't be able to compete with Reality.

Selina wouldn't be able to stay on her feet if she saw even a single Nightmare before her, but I suppose you could make the case that a similar one, Haruka Hayashi, might stand a chance.

We had a talk a long time ago, though, which makes me think she wouldn't be able to do it.

Even against a, quite literal heartless monster like a Nightmare, would the power of instant death even work? I doubt whether they could even be considered 'alive', after all. Assuming she could do it, it wouldn't really matter anyway.

There's no need to even mention the others.

In any case, I thought it was enough Nightmares. I wondered for a moment if I should leave it at this much since even without their king they seemed like they could get the job done, but it did mean I would miss out on a couple of things.

Specifically, trying to summon the Nightmare King is, in and of itself, an experiment.

After all, if I can confirm I have the ability to do that, then some of my plans might inevitably have to change.

If my previous thoughts of the Nightmare King being the fate of all worlds are true, then it isn't totally out of the question for me to make it to the realm of the Highest Existence.

Because, if I can control the Nightmare King, then... Well, the rest of the story writes itself.

I'll be able to summon it, let it devour the world, then simply move on to the next before I get destroyed myself and repeat.

Eventually, the only world left would be that of the Highest Existence, and I would have succeeded.

It is a plan with holes, yes, but there is always room to fill them in.

The most glaring issue is the fact that I need to be able to freely travel between worlds.

Of course, there is a chance that Reality alone will allow me to do that, but as of yet, I don't know if that will be the case.

Perhaps, if I can maintain the power of the World Tree, then it will be possible.

In that case, I will need to make the Nightmare King disappear just before I return to Earth... Well, I was going to do that anyway since it was the only way the elves would relax and trust me enough to approach the tree in the first place.

The 10th Trial summarised it all with simple exposition.

This vast expanse of shrieking tar monsters in front of me is, in reality, a harbinger of the end times.

Alas, ultimately, I am the one who decides when that end will come.

Like I said, I will become their saviour.

-- Kkrrrrrriiiiiiieeeeeeeekkkkhhh...!!!

And with that, let us welcome the Devourer of Worlds.