Chapter 133: The World

There were no signs of the seal breaking, and the crystal encasing her was as solid as ever. Roland was merely witnessing scenes of the past through the memories within Revis's soul. Yet, the girl inside the crystal seemed to sense this, slowly opening her eyes.

Her crimson, crystal-like pupils held a coldness that was absolutely inhuman, as if she were a god looking down from on high. She felt more like a true deity than any god Roland had encountered in this world, for in those frigid eyes, he could see no trace of intellect.

The next moment, Roland’s vision returned to the present. Before Revis could even let out a wail, her entire body was covered by murky purple stones, and she was thoroughly pulverized. The special spirit that had possessed Revis actively extinguished her soul, severing Roland's connection.

Subconsciously clenching his empty hand, Roland rubbed his chin, lost in thought. By now, the true nature of that spirit was clear.

"The Apocalypse Virus from *Guilty Crown*, and the Virus Queen who truly controls it, is that it?"

The Apocalypse Virus—also known as the Revelation Virus or the End-of-the-World Virus—was technically a product of science, yet this power was deeply intertwined with mysticism and religion. Those infected would crystallize, but this symptom was essentially an external manifestation of the materialization of the soul. The "Void" was the culmination of this expression, transforming the soul into an armament akin to a Noble Phantasm.

In truth, aside from the Virus Queen—the consciousness of the virus itself—and those she chose, the Apocalypse Virus was a lethal poison to others. The lives of the old world would perish, their human consciousnesses preserved and imprisoned within crystals to live on in this eternal utopia.

While it sounded similar to the Third Magic’s materialization of the soul, the essence was entirely different. The Third Magic turned the soul into a perpetual motion machine, achieving a form of immortality, whereas the Apocalypse Virus crystallized and absorbed the souls of others, turning them into its own energy and nourishment.

Apart from the Virus Queen’s own immutable consciousness, the other humans were merely changed in form.

Before the seal was fully broken, the original protagonist could use the Void to slice buildings and cut down satellites in space, all based on the strength of his heart. By the later stages, approaching the point of full release, he could destroy an entire modern fleet in a single blow. Even when sealed, the virus’s destructive power was evidenced by its rampage, which razed an entire city. Once the Virus Queen was fully unsealed, with the souls of all humanity as her foundation and nearly endless Voids at her disposal, she would be a natural disaster in the truest sense.

Whether she could destroy the world was debatable, but as a mobile catastrophe capable of annihilating humanity at any moment, there was little dispute. A complete Virus Queen could manipulate the Apocalypse Virus to infect all of humanity in a short time, then, amidst a world of crystal, bring about the end of days and the destruction of the old world.

"Hmm..." Roland mused for a moment, reaching a conclusion. "I feel like our character archetypes clash a bit, though she’s got more style than I do."

As one of the Evils of Humanity, the Beast of Revelation, Roland also possessed the ability to achieve results similar to the Virus Queen, though their paths differed. Yet, in the act of destroying the old world and bringing about the apocalypse, there was no difference between them.

"In that case, this spirit might just be the thing to complete me..."

As a larval beast, Roland was far from his complete form, nor had he reached the limit of his authority. After all, just as the world had yin and yang, the Evils of Humanity could be multifaceted. The Apocalypse Virus, so similar in its origins, might allow him to become a true Evil of Humanity prematurely—a beast capable of summoning the apocalypse.

Roland closed his eyes slightly, reflecting on the events of the past few days. The Apocalypse Virus was indeed a rare treasure regarding the heart, fitting the requirement to fill the gaps in his own spirit. Yet, for some reason, he felt a lingering sense of incompleteness. Was it because the combination with the host in the dungeon had caused a stronger mutation? Roland could not say for sure.

"The fifty-ninth floor..."

Roland looked down at his feet, his gaze seemingly piercing through the vast distance. Regardless, once he reached that level, everything would be revealed.

By the time the rest of the Loki Familia arrived to provide support, Roland had already emerged from the burning ruins with Ais.

"You’re back. What about the attacker?"

Seeing that both were unscathed, Finn breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward.

"Self-destructed. That purple crystal wasn't just a dungeon mutation; it was the result of human interference. It seems a special monster is causing trouble in the deeper levels."

Roland gave a brief explanation. After hearing his account, Finn relaxed slightly, but his expression soon darkened.

"While it’s reassuring that there’s a mastermind behind this rather than the dungeon itself acting up, we’ve discovered this far too late. So many days ago, people were already being infected. With the mobility of Orario, I fear now..."

"It’s already spread to the whole world, hasn't it?"

Roland provided the answer that made Finn falter, yet he showed no panic, speaking with composure.

"Things have come to this point; there is no other way. We must do what we can to salvage the situation before a greater disaster emerges."

Finn bit his thumb, his worry deepening. "You're right. In such a dire situation, we must do our best. Roland, you’re planning to return first, aren't you? Could I ask you to report this to the Guild? Our plan remains unchanged; to deal with the potential disaster ahead, the Floor Boss must be cleared out early."

"Of course. I need to confirm a few things myself anyway."

—

"You did it."

As Hestia stepped down from Roland's waist, she removed the parchment that had just been imprinted. "Roland, you’ve successfully leveled up!"

"I can feel it. The limits of this body have grown... or rather, should I say I have more power at my disposal?"

"Eh? Shouldn't you be wondering why there isn't a surge of power? Other gods say that even if they warn their children, they still sneak off to experiment with their new power after leveling up."

Not seeing the expression she expected, Hestia hugged Roland, feeling somewhat frustrated.

"It would be strange if there were a drastic change. Leveling up increases one's capacity; it’s not an enhancement spell. If you insist on a reaction..."

Roland sighed helplessly and said, "I suppose it feels as though something inside me has been unlocked. The balance of yin and yang has converged once again. At this rate, the essence of that power will truly fuse with me. If I am to be completed, now is the time..."

Roland’s growth in his realm was significant. Whether it was the finer control of energy or the fluid, artistic instinct to use every ounce of strength to its limit in battle, these were his most direct changes.

"Roland, you say things I don't understand sometimes. But this is still something to be happy about. Plus, you’ve gained a Developmental Ability I’ve never seen before."

Developmental Abilities were a type of power added to a Falna, part of an adventurer’s status, and could only be learned upon leveling up. Unlike basic parameters, these abilities provided enhancements in specialized areas, much like how a Servant receives a bonus when acting in accordance with a Command Spell.

The conditions for acquisition were tied to specific actions, and some abilities only awakened at specific times. For instance, the Developmental Ability [Hunter] required [Leveling up to Lv.2] and [Defeating a large number of monsters in a short time]. Blacksmiths often gained [Smith], allowing for superior equipment or even magic swords, while apothecaries gained [Mixing] to create potent elixirs.

Ultimately, one's Developmental Abilities were a reflection of their past actions. However, unlike standard abilities, special ones could have effects rivaling magic. For example, [Mystery] could not only create magical items but, if mastered, could even create a Philosopher's Stone to grant eternal life.

For Roland, who had experienced so much, the number of choices available left Hestia stunned. Aside from the standard [Hunter] and [Swordsman], even [Mystery]—which fewer than five people in all of Orario possessed—was among them, and there was even [Luck], an ability that signified incredible fortune. Yet, none of these were Roland's final choice.

Taking the parchment from Hestia, Roland imprinted the status he had already memorized into his mind in a more intuitive way.

Roland
Lv.2
Strength: I (0)
Endurance: I (0)
Dexterity: I (0)
Agility: I (0)
Magic: I (0)
World: I (0)

Magic —
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]

Skills —
Thousandfold Wisdom
Incarnation of Possibility

[World]. This was Roland’s Developmental Ability. Based on his existing skills, Hestia had guessed many of his options. With [Incarnation of Possibility] and [Thousandfold Wisdom], [Mystery] and [Luck] were rare, but certainly matched Roland's history.

But [World] was different. Even in Hestia’s life, she had never seen such a miraculous ability, and this unknown piqued her interest deeply.

"This rare ability might be yours alone. It would be a shame to miss it."

With that attitude, Hestia gave her recommendation, and Roland had no reason to refuse. Watching Roland unconsciously open and close his hand, repeating the motion, Hestia asked curiously, "Well? Do you have any sense of what this ability does?"

"Aside from a vague, profound feeling, I don't know what it can actually do."

Roland shook his head, leaving Hestia a bit deflated.

"I see. Did you choose wrong? If you don't know the specific effects, it might be troublesome to improve it later."

Developmental Abilities, like basic parameters, were ranked from I to S. Their growth followed an independent system—they did not reset upon leveling up, nor did they upgrade automatically; they improved through similar actions. Thus, it was normal for a Lv.2 adventurer to have a higher-ranked Developmental Ability than a higher-level one.

"No, that is the one thing I am certain I did not get wrong."

Roland wasn't discouraged by the unknown; instead, he patted Hestia’s head, as if to put her at ease. "I should head to the Guild to register the level-up now."

Hearing this, Hestia frowned slightly. "Reaching Lv.2 in just six days... many gods will surely be suspicious. Being so flashy..."

"That is exactly the result I want. With an unknown disaster lurking beneath Orario, if I don't quickly become a living legend, it will be troublesome when something happens later..."

Roland smiled and walked toward the door. Even then, he did not stop the motion of his hand as if grasping something. Even if Hestia hadn't recommended it, he would have chosen [World], because it was unique.

Roland’s mind stirred, and the divine text panel on his back began to change quietly. [Luck], [Mage]—one by one, Developmental Abilities appeared. For Roland, who could fill his own panel, these abilities were already etched into his body; he had simply hidden them to avoid causing a stir. Whether they were displayed or not was entirely up to him.

But [World] was different. Its appearance had far exceeded Roland’s expectations. The moment he touched it, he understood.

If Developmental Abilities were a professional summary and extension of past experiences, then [World] was a unique grace of this world, a reward for Roland’s infinitely extending possibilities. It did not belong to the Holy Lord or Kamukura Izuru; it was a reward for the possibilities of the current Roland.

It was less of an ability and more of a special sense. Even without updating his status, Roland knew that the experience for this Developmental Ability was constantly growing.

The flow of magic, the veins of the earth, the movement of the planet—everything was so clear in Roland’s eyes. He could even sense when the surrounding brick walls would collapse and when a branch fallen in the dirt would decay.

This vision made even the [Thousandfold Wisdom] of the Holy Lord marvel. Even a child of the world might not possess such a perspective; one had to stand on an equal footing to jump outside the box and overlook everything in the world like a god.

This was the change brought by the Developmental Ability [World]. He even had the illusion that he could touch it if he reached out.

In the end, Roland did nothing. He simply looked at the beautiful scene within this new vision and offered the greeting he should have given long ago.

"Hello, World."