Chapter 252: He Is Here, He Has Always Been Here

He is here, He has always been here.

Although Kotaro's words weren't wrong, the perspective tainted by 【Chaos】 was a bit too heavy—at least for 【Order】, human orderliness still has meaning; otherwise, why would He shelter His believers?

Putting on an act?

Hilarious, no way.

But if understood from a perspective transcending humanity, Cheng Shi still agreed with that statement, so he nodded and opened his mouth to praise:

"As expected of the one who stands guard for me, your level of faith is truly high!

However......

I thought I came to pay homage to Him, but turns out, you're the one who summoned me?

But I clearly just heard voices resembling 【Them】, was that you too?

Doesn't seem like it.

He...... isn't here?"

Kotaro smiled and shook his head:

"He is here, He has always been here."

"!!!"

Cheng Shi froze abruptly, cold sweat pouring out in a whoosh.

What the heck? He's here?

He's here and you still dragged me here to stand around?

Huh?

Are you trying to harm me, bro?

I didn't say anything just now, did I?

The backbone Cheng Shi had just barely managed to hold onto for a few seconds vanished instantly; his legs went weak, he staggered forward with a lurch, while his eyes swiftly glanced behind him.

But on that divine throne, there really was no one...... no 【God】.

Kotaro's face turned solemn and he quickly steadied Cheng Shi, propping up his arm as he comforted:

"Careful, my lord, there's no need to be nervous. My Lord is everywhere, and this temple itself is part of Him."

"......"

Part of...... Him?

Bro, thank you so much, before you said that I really wasn't this nervous......

Looking at the shape of this temple, could this be His mouth?

Oh, probably not, according to the will of 【Chaos】, this place could be any part except the mouth.

Cheng Shi stood up shakily, gave an awkward smile, then released Kotaro's hand and piously called out toward all directions:

"Praise the prelude of 【Chaos】, praise the madness of disorder, praise You, the great 【Chaos】."

As Cheng Shi's words fell, Kotaro quietly stepped aside, and the entire temple suddenly began to twist. Countless points, lines, and planes peeled away from Cheng Shi's field of vision, transforming into completely disordered symbols, flashing and leaping wildly. Innumerable colors likewise dispersed into the air, rising and shifting with no pattern at all.

Amid this dazzling, nauseating visual chaos, a giant hand evolved from chaotic yellow mist appeared out of thin air. He casually arranged these symbols and colors, as if tidying everything up.

Yet with His gentle touch, everything in view seemed to become even more chaotic.

Symbols turned into colors, colors became symbols, twisting disassembled into flickering, flickering collapsed into twisting.

Cheng Shi felt his gaze plunging endlessly downward, and just as his consciousness was about to burst from being stuffed with vast, redundant disorder, a deep, resonant voice pulled him back into the void.

"Cheng Shi."

"Yes!" Cheng Shi jolted awake and answered nervously.

"Still Ultraman?"

Cheng Shi's body stiffened—he hadn't expected this to be a baited-breath question.

Why is it this question again!?

How should I answer?

I was just standing in Ultraman's position, I can't possibly still say I'm Cheng Shi now, can I?

His peripheral vision secretly glanced at Kotaro, only to see Kotaro staring at his own nose, motionless, also quietly awaiting his response.

"......"

I'm dead, I'm dead, two benefactors, save me! Save me again!

But clearly, no one could save him now, so Cheng Shi, with a bitter face, hesitated for a moment, then resolutely chose to be himself.

It wasn't that he didn't want to be Ultraman, he just didn't want to choose between the identity of Cheng Shi and the identity of Ultraman.

Same old saying: I'm greedy, I want it all, but the premise is, you have to acknowledge that I am Cheng Shi.

This recognition was extraordinarily important to Cheng Shi.

Perhaps to others a name is just a code, but not to Cheng Shi—he didn't want to change it, nor was he willing to.

【Chaos】 hummed for a moment, and the temple continued to twist. By now, Cheng Shi's field of vision no longer held any trace of a palace—only shifting colors and stretching symbols, making a single glance feel like being trapped inside a kaleidoscope.

And that giant chaotic hand stood "quietly" there, casually adding and subtracting fingers, disorderly shifting its palm lines.

"Then who is the one standing beside you?"

Cheng Shi clenched his fists and answered: "Kotaro."

"Mm, very well. Then where has my envoy Ultraman gone?"

"......"

So that's what He meant. It seemed 【Chaos】 didn't intend to make things difficult for him—He was simply waiting for him to acknowledge an identity, one that shouldn't have belonged to him yet somehow did.

Having figured out this layer, Cheng Shi wrestled for a moment, then looked up and said:

"Standing right here, I am Cheng Shi, and I am also Your envoy, Ultraman."

Ketaro stood to the side and laughed, but 【Chaos】 did not seem to like that answer. With a cold snort, the disordered gale He whipped up sent the two in the hall staggering.

"Greed is the dominion of 【Corruption】. You dare offer worship to 【the Fallen】 in My hall — what gall!"

The moment Cheng Shi heard those words, his head nearly exploded, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his collar.

That's not what I meant, bro!

He had only just started to argue his way out when 【Chaos】 spoke again.

He always seemed to be gasping for breath.

"But a measure of greed is beneficial.

Yet as My Emissary, you must learn restraint."

"?"

What does that mean?

Cheng Shi was baffled; he felt 【Chaos】 might not have finished speaking yet.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the other picked back up.

"Ultraman!

I can bestow upon you the name Cheng Shi; you, too, may stand in that position, take back everything that should have been yours, and earn the qualification to attend upon His Highness.

But greed has its limits.

Once you accept My bestowal, you will no longer be a Walker of 【the Void】, but a servant of 【Chaos】.

Do you understand?"

"!!!"

Oath-breaking! Another oath-breaking!

【Chaos】 had been remarkably plain-spoken — so plain-spoken, in fact, that Cheng Shi had never imagined a god of 【Chaos】 bearing the divine name 【Confusion】 could actually talk to him this directly.

This was no order, no coercion, but a "magnanimous" return of the choice to his own hands.

Cheng Shi was dumbfounded.

He could hardly imagine what virtue or merit he possessed to actually be granted the chance of becoming an 【Emissary】 outright!

This Emissary was no historical laughing matter, but a genuine, bona fide Emissary!

A sub-god of 【Fate】, one of those 【Thems】 who stood above the game, high and aloof!

But what Cheng Shi felt first was not joy — it was fright.

He was wondering whose scheme this was now!

【Fraud】? 【Destiny】? Surely not 【Death】!

If he really broke his oath, besides 【Chaos】, who else would be the second beneficiary?

On the surface, no one — but in truth... there really was one!

The god of spectacle!

He would probably love this kind of scene, and might even be looking forward to it happening.

Lord Patron — no, former Lord Patron — surely it's not you again?

Huh? Isn't this spectacle a bit too over the top?

An 【Emissary】!

Do you have any idea what that means!? Aren't you afraid I might not hold back and defect from 【the Void】!?

You have to know how many 【Chosen Ones】 toil and hustle just for a few scattered shards of 【Divinity】!

Even when Hu Xuan struck it absurdly lucky, all she hit was the qualification to possibly become an 【Emissary】!

And now, the choice to become an 【Emissary】 was laid right before him — as long as he was willing to change his surname!

What a temptation! Who could resist it!?

No wonder turncoats fight so hard — if I changed my name to Lü Shi, forget top-tier players, even the 【Chosen Ones】 themselves — what would they use to fight me?

How to choose — is there even any suspense left?