238. Otherworld ③: Foreign abilities
“All-Creation…? That’s a pretty broad term, but it basically means ‘everything that exists,’ right?”
As expected, Orn didn’t seem to fully grasp the meaning of his ability’s name.
“That’s right. I don’t know the full extent of it either—I only have bits and pieces from what I’ve heard and what the old you was capable of. But to put it simply, if it’s something a person can do… then you can do it too. Of course, there are apparently restrictions.”
“Being able to do anything… That’s ridiculous…”
Orn muttered in disbelief after hearing my explanation.
“It is. And that’s exactly why the cult sees you as a threat.”
“If what you’re saying is true, then it makes sense why that man called me ‘an absolute menace.’”
Orn let out a weak chuckle.
What was he thinking right now?
From his words and actions, I couldn’t quite tell what was going through his mind.
But I did know one thing—Orn was strong.
“You probably don’t fully understand your ability yet, and that’s fine. Just listen to what I have to say. In the end, this will lead to the answers you’re looking for.”
“…Alright.”
Once Orn gave a small nod, I began my explanation.
“[All-Creation] can even allow you to use other people’s abilities. I believe that your so-called Gravity Manipulation is actually based on the ability Attraction-Repulsion Manipulation, which belonged to the Hero.”
Orn’s eyes widened in surprise, but he remained silent, listening intently.
“Abilities are foreign entities to humans. They can alter a person’s very nature—not physically, but mentally and functionally.”
As I searched for the right words, Orn, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.
“So, it’s basically a form of rapid evolution. A person who originally couldn’t perceive mana awakens an ability like Mana Convergence, Spirit Domination, or Mana Tracking, and as a result, they gain the capability to ‘sense mana.’ That kind of thing, right?”
“Yeah, pretty much. I guess I didn’t even need to explain that part.”
“I had already suspected as much. Though I didn’t know abilities were considered foreign to humans.”
“If we go deeper into that, we’ll get way off track, so let’s set it aside for now. What I really wanted to say is that when someone awakens an ability, a sort of foundation is created within them that allows them to use it.”
As I resumed my explanation, Orn continued to listen in silence.
“And—I’m an ability user too. My ability is Time Reversal. Because of that, I’ve developed a certain level of adaptation to the flow of time. For example, I can tell exactly how many seconds have passed without looking at a clock, no matter how much time goes by.”
“That’s impressive. Any Enchanter would kill for that skill.”
Hearing Orn praise me made me genuinely happy.
Enchanters have to keep precise track of time to manage their buffs. Even among high-ranking explorers, the best of them can only estimate with an accuracy of about five minutes—ten at most.
Well, in the middle of battle, being able to measure time that accurately is more than enough.
“Thanks. …It took a bit of time to explain, but now that I’ve told you everything you need to know, let’s start piecing it all together.”
Hearing Orn give an acknowledging hum, I continued my explanation.
“We’ve been calling this place Otherworld, but the world we were in before coming here is currently in the middle of being rewound by Kavader Evans. And I believe that only the two of us—who can adapt to the flow of time through Time Reversal—are able to remain conscious through it.”
“W-Wait a second! That’s way too much to process!”
Hearing my hypothesis, Orn clutched his head in confusion, raising his voice in protest.
I couldn’t blame him. Even I thought my theory was a bit far-fetched.
“Like I said before, Orn’s ability is [All-Creation]. And the Orn I knew as a child had already gained the ability to use Time Reversal. It wouldn’t be strange if he, like me, could adapt to the flow of time. In fact, that’s the only explanation I can think of for why the two of us are here and no one else.”
“…Fine. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you’re right. But what do you mean when you say my grandpa rewound time?”
“You know that Kaveser Evans’ ability was Equivalent Exchange, right? He was a true genius—losing him was practically a loss for the entire world. That’s why I believe the trade was made: his life in exchange for the world’s time.”
“…”
Hearing my theory, Orn fell completely silent.
His face was downcast, his expression a tangled mix of emotions.
Even so, what shocked me the most was the fact that Kavader Evans had still been alive—and that he had stayed by Orn’s side all this time.
According to the records, he had taken his own life nearly ten years ago, just days after Orn’s village was attacked by the cult.
…Chris must have known about his survival.
And if he had been hiding that from me, there was a good chance he was keeping other secrets as well.
I needed to confront him.
A moment of silence passed.
“‘Listen carefully to your own heart. That’s where you’ll find your answer’… Grandpa, thank you.”
Orn murmured the words as if savoring them, placing a hand over his chest.
His voice carried the weight of countless emotions.
“…”
That must have been something Kavader Evans once told him.
The bond between them was probably far deeper than I could ever imagine.
And for some reason, I found myself envying it.
When we were children, Orn and I had a bond too.
But now, that connection was gone.
“…Thanks, Shion. If I hadn’t met you here, I would’ve stayed broken. I would’ve trampled all over Grandpa’s wishes.”
Orn looked straight at me, his expression clear and unburdened, and spoke his gratitude.
(That expression should be illegal…!)
I could feel my face heating up all the way to my ears as I silently protested in my mind.
“U-Um… If you’re ready to move forward, that’s good. So… what do you plan to do next?”
Desperate to hide my flustered state, I quickly shifted the conversation.
Orn’s expression grew serious as he responded.
“…I have a lot to think about for the future. But one thing is already decided—Stieg Strom, Rakshasa, the Eighth Seat of the Cyclamen Order, I’m going to crush him.”
His voice was filled with an icy rage.
We currently knew of five executives within the cult.
That meant there were at least eight of them in total, which was shocking enough—but more importantly, Stieg was likely the one who had personally slaughtered Orn’s disciples and comrades.
“That said, the situation isn’t in my favor. Right now, I’d just end up being killed in return. That’s why I need to grow stronger—starting with mastering my ability. We don’t know how much time we have here, so every second counts.”
(Yeah… Orn is still Orn. No matter how much time has passed, his core hasn’t changed.)
Seeing him looking ahead once more brought an uncontrollable smile to my lips.
“Shion, will you help me?”
“…Huh?”
Completely caught off guard, I let out an embarrassingly dumb-sounding noise.
“You’re the only one who knows about my ability. So… I’d really appreciate your help.”
“O-Oh! If there’s anything I can do to help, I will! …But honestly, I don’t know enough about your ability to teach you. Abilities are something you learn to control through instinct.”
Even though I was excited that Orn was relying on me, I quickly realized my own limitations and slumped my shoulders.
“—Then, how about I teach you?”
A sudden voice rang out—a man’s voice, different from Orn’s.
Orn and I turned toward the source of the voice, our eyes widening in shock.
Standing there was a man in his early thirties, with black hair streaked with red highlights.
This was Otherworld.
The only reason Orn and I could maintain our consciousness here was because of our ability, Time Reversal.
No one else should be able to exist in this place.
So… who was this man?
“Who are you?”
Orn asked cautiously, his wariness clear.
Judging by his reaction, he didn’t recognize the man either.
“Haha! Can’t blame you for being on guard when a complete stranger suddenly speaks to you.”
The man chuckled before continuing, “Just so you know, I don’t mean you any harm. No hostility, no ill intent. You can relax on that front. As for my name—Augusto Suns. That’s what I go by.”
“—What!?”
Both Orn and I gasped sharply, stunned beyond words.
But our reaction was only natural.
August Suns—that name was known to everyone.
It was the name of the Hero of Legend, the man who had slain the Dark God that once plunged the world into chaos centuries ago.
——.