This was a world with gods.
No matter the past, present, or future, whenever humans were helpless, they would always pray to the gods.
Unfortunately, of the three gods existing here, one never interfered, another cared only for the world and its order, and the last stood firmly on the invaders' side.
Because these weren't gods of humanity; rather, they belonged to those who invaded the human world—the Crimson Denizens from the Crimson Realm.
Thus, even if humanity offered fervent prayers, these gods wouldn't hear them.
Humanity had no gods of their own.
This was the bustling commercial district of Misaki City.
Even at midday, each street hummed with liveliness, as everyone's energetic spirits merged into a single, vibrant whole.
Cars passed swiftly down the roads.
People intersected along sidewalks, chatting cheerfully over car horns and scattered conversations, creating a lively urban symphony.
"Hehe～hm～hm～hm～"
Hirai Yukari was very happy today. Every step she took felt so light, as though she were walking on clouds.
"You seem really happy today, Yukari."
"Of course! Papa finally agreed to take me and Mama to the amusement park today! I've been excited ever since last night!"
She had spent so long begging and wheedling her father for this chance.
Her father held a somewhat important position at his company, always busy and coming home very late. Usually, only her mother stayed with her.
Confident in her own cuteness, Yukari had relentlessly acted spoiled with her father, hoping he'd take a day off work and accompany her and her mother to the amusement park. It had always been her dream to visit the park as a complete family of three. Every time she saw other children smiling happily beside both their parents, envy would involuntarily seep into her gaze.
"That excited, huh? Did you get enough sleep last night? We can always rest somewhere inside the park."
"I slept great! I'm at my absolute best! The amusement park isn't for resting, it's for playing! This time, I'm going to ride every single attraction!"
"Alright, alright. Today, Papa and Mama will listen to Yukari all day long…"
You could say Hirai Yukari had an ideal family. Her parents adored her deeply. Though her father rarely expressed it outright, it was merely because his job left him with limited time, making him less practiced at showing affection compared to her mother. Yet, his love and devotion were no less.
If only Kuse Shizuka and Kirarazaka Marina from Takopi's Original Sin had parents as caring as Yukari's, maybe so much pain could've been avoided.
Compared to residential areas, this district was far livelier and crowded.
Precisely because of that, it was the perfect hunting ground for beings who viewed humans merely as tasty food.
Boom!
The abrupt sound of burning flames erupted into existence.
People bustled up and down the streets, oblivious to the glowing geometric circle of mystic runes that had suddenly appeared beneath their feet, spinning slowly while expanding rapidly, covering several blocks, until flames consumed everything.
Those engulfed by the flames weren't set ablaze; instead, their colors drained away. The sky turned a sinister, blood-like crimson.
Under that blood-red sky and atop the flaming magical formation, everything froze in place instantly.
A busy salaryman, phone pressed to his ear mid-stride, froze mid-step.
A basketball tossed by a student in an arcade froze inches from the hoop.
A child's lollipop froze in mid-air just before hitting the ground.
Even the birds in the sky froze suddenly, suspended like statues within this darkened space.
Malice imperceptible to the human eye began to writhe restlessly as a pale monster appeared at the far end of the street.
A giant puppet-like thing, its body stitched together grotesquely, emitted sharp, grating laughter.
As soon as this monster appeared, pure white flames ignited simultaneously on every immobilized human's body.
With a wicked laugh, the puppet-creature opened its huge mouth and greedily devoured these white flames, seemingly extracting some kind of force from them.
After their power was entirely drained, the people silently disappeared, dissolving into nothingness as though burned away into ashes scattered by the wind.
Unquestionably, they had died.
All traces of their existence vanished from this world along with their lives.
The puppet-like creature knew no satiation. After emptying the surroundings of humans, it simply marched toward another densely populated area. Its stomach was a bottomless pit, endlessly swallowing more of the white flames.
Among those consumed were Hirai Yukari and her parents.
Death overtook them so swiftly, they hadn't even realized what happened. Even if someone survived by pure chance, they would never retain any memory of the incident.
Their end would arrive silently, unnoticed—a mercy, yet also a tragedy.
But there was no helping it. Compared to Crimson Denizens from the Crimson Realm, humans were simply too fragile. To the Crimson Denizens, humans were mere nourishment, posing even less threat than cattle or sheep did to humans.
This puppet creature was merely a pawn created casually by a Crimson Denizen. Called a "Rinne," it was weak and incapable of existing independently from its master, yet it was still overwhelmingly lethal to ordinary humans.
Quietly, Yukari's parents also disappeared, their flames swallowed effortlessly. The monster didn't even notice. Having killed so many, it harbored no particular thoughts.
Just as humans don't bother counting slices of bread they've eaten, this creature cared nothing about how many people it consumed. It had done this repeatedly before; its only thought was to keep feeding, endlessly feeding!
At last, Hirai Yukari's flame also burned out, her face still bearing a bright smile filled with anticipation for the amusement park trip.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, the puppet-creature halted, ceasing its feeding as though noticing something unbelievable, mechanically twisting its neck around.
Behind it, where Yukari had vanished, a single white flame hovered quietly in mid-air, flickering gently.
"Strange? Why can't I eat that flame?"
It was merely a small residue of Power of Existence; ignoring it would hardly matter. After all, plenty more food awaited.
Yet, the creature stubbornly persisted, turning around and walking toward that lingering white flame.
If I can't draw it over, then I'll just go over myself.
A simple Rinne like this was easy to make and lacked intelligence. It wouldn't even consider what the abnormality might signify.
But as it reached out toward that white flame, a thread of grey suddenly appeared within it.
That grey was the chill wind of the desert night, the silence of the dark Underworld, the divine judgment of Death upon sinners.
Boom!
In a blink, grey engulfed the white flame entirely, erupting into an immense blaze that sent the startled creature flying.
"W-Whoaahh! AAAAARGHHH!!"
The monster screamed not in pain, but in pure terror—because it had just witnessed Death itself.
From within the dull grey flame of death emerged a figure: "Hirai Yukari."
Though her appearance was Yukari's, another existence dwelled within her now.
Eyes gleaming gold with divinity, atop her head were two elongated animal ears, accompanied by two long, ribbon-like ahoge trailing behind.
"I am Death. I am Sleep. Bearing the dim night of the desert, I arrive. Beneath my feet lies the Underworld."
Golden eyes, brighter than pure gold, fixed upon the puppet creature.
With just that single glance, the monster completely lost control of its body—as though it had already died physically, only consciousness desperately lingering.
Though it could neither see nor hear, her voice echoed directly into its consciousness like an emperor's decree, impossible to defy.
"I declare thee guilty. Therefore…perish."
Expressionlessly, she stared forward. The puppet monster had vanished utterly, leaving behind a mass of white flames.
Then, with sudden annoyance, she murmured aloud:
"Seriously…how badly damaged is this world to be unable to contain even my full Spirit Origin? Forcing my true manifestation would wreak havoc here, leaving me to temporarily possess another…"
She inspected her borrowed body with a frown, her jackal ears twitching slightly atop her head.
"So even the most suitable vessel can only endure this tiny bit of my power? No wonder this world is so miserable."
"Still, for a girl unconnected to the supernatural to hold my power, she either has extraordinary talent or tremendous karmic significance. Could she be this world's protagonist? Hirai Yukari…why can't I remember her? Isn't Shana this world's heroine?"
She quickly identified this world. After all, Shana had been famously moe for years; that tsundere "Urusai!" had become countless otaku's alarm clocks.
Huh, was this Yukari important somehow? Did someone make or destroy a small world for her?
"…Oh well, just trivialities."
Then, "Yukari"—or rather, Nitocris—raised her hand toward the flames.
"I decree…their deaths premature. By the name of Anubis, God of the Underworld, grant them feathers of life, dispel the eternal night of death!"
The power of death obeyed, and one by one, every innocent life extinguished earlier returned instantly.
Afterward, Nitocris returned the body quietly to Yukari, lifting the sealed space.
Finally, humanity had a god of their own.
---
T/N: woahhhhh (WORLD IS SHAKUGAN NO SHANA)
[Nitocris (Alter)]
Class: Avenger
Level: 90
Personal Skills
Pyramid Text: Funeral Records A
Arbitration of the Netherworld God A
Winds of the Desert Night A
Class Skills
Mad Enhancement E
Avenger D++
Oblivion Correction A
Self-Replenishment (Mana) B
Divinity EX
Parameters
Strength: D
Endurance: D
Agility: B
Mana: EX
Luck: EX
Noble Phantasm: A
Noble Phantasm
Neferu Swen Anubis — Rank A
...
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