Ambition to Seize the Divine Kingdom

"So, your brother saw this world’s future."

"One day, this world would be utterly destroyed by a battle between an unbelievably powerful bald man and someone known as Fatalism."

"That was why Shigeo Kageyama decided to build a divine kingdom in the Spirit World, bringing every soul into it to survive that Kalpa…"

Ritsu Kageyama nodded with difficulty. His spirit body had become somewhat more translucent. Clearly, he had still mustered the courage to try fighting, but the man with his palms pressed together was simply far too powerful.

You have absorbed a weakened spirit

You have absorbed a twisted evil spirit *1

Your Energy Attribute +1. Current: ?

Bai Cangshu still maintained the Yin Spirit Possession stance. The spirits within him had not fully returned yet, and that pull continued to emanate from him.

By now, he had absorbed more than half of the nearly thousand spirits created by the slaughter of the Sages behind him.

He pondered the information he had just received.

At this point, he felt himself drawing ever closer to the truth.

Clearly, Eternal Destiny was not the petty sort he had imagined. The other party possessed an utterly terrifying ambition.

Bai Cangshu had said that if one wanted to create the Black King, one should choose someone like Saitama.

But in truth, he had never had a particularly mature plan.

At most, it would have gone a step beyond the Sages’ plan—making Saitama suffer a social death, bear infamy, and completely lose the foundation of the very concept of being a hero.

No, he probably could not even accomplish that.

Uchiha Madara’s soul currently could not activate the Rinnegan, nor could it cast Infinite Tsukuyomi. Thus, he could not use such a large-scale technique to directly hypnotize everyone.

He could only use the media and Reincarnators to portray Saitama as a villain who aided evil, subjecting him to society’s scorn.

Yet Saitama’s ideal of heroism was exceedingly pure. It was the most fundamental goodness, rooted in the radiance of human nature.

Like when you saw someone who needed help and instinctively wanted to help them.

When you saw someone drowning, you instinctively wanted to pull them up.

That simplest good intention born from the heart was the very foundation of his being a Hero for Fun.

He became a hero only because he wanted that feeling, not because he wanted anyone else’s approval.

Without the aid of special abilities, Bai Cangshu simply could not make Saitama reject the concept of being a hero.

And Eternal Destiny, whom he had initially considered a disappointment, had unexpectedly laid out an enormous game.

He had made elite Reincarnator teams like the Sages spend the time of an entire mission world thoroughly steering Shigeo Kageyama toward darkness, turning him into ???, and eventually into the current Spirit World Evil Lord.

But the goal was not to make Shigeo Kageyama into the Black King, nor to make him fall completely.

From the very beginning, Eternal Destiny believed that Shigeo Kageyama would not be devoured by evil either. He believed Shigeo Kageyama could overcome the ??? state and reclaim himself.

Of course, Bai Cangshu did not lack malicious speculation. If Shigeo Kageyama had failed to turn out as expected and instead completely retreated into darkness to become a monster, then Eternal Destiny would surely have played the hero in this mission world.

In the end, he would have joined forces with Saitama, Tatsumaki, and the others to kill Shigeo Kageyama, completing the whole world-saving act.

That path might not produce the Black King, but in terms of the rewards from a single world, it was still almost at the very highest tier—enough to let a third-rate Reincarnator team like the Chaos Sages make a fortune.

But…

Whether it was ability or wisdom, Eternal Destiny had made the right choice. Shigeo Kageyama truly was also a World Protagonist. His goodness had overwhelmed evil and brought him to the present situation.

He was saving the world under the guise of destroying it.

"All of that depends on one premise… the future your brother saw was real…"

Bai Cangshu continued probing. As the greatest Supernatural Ability Users themselves, what abilities people like Shigeo Kageyama and Tatsumaki might develop was entirely unpredictable.

And there truly were Ability Users with prophecy-related powers in these worlds. For instance, Shibabawa from One-Punch Man had successfully foretold the arrival of Boros and the others.

Boom!

A terrifying tremor suddenly struck. In the distance, the dark Spirit World shook violently as if it had been hit by a hurricane.

In an instant, countless spirits were blown out of the Spirit World and into this pure land outside the divine kingdom.

Bai Cangshu seized the chance to catch two of them and absorb them into his body.

Ritsu Kageyama could no longer spare any attention to stopping Bai Cangshu. Seeing the Spirit World outside trembling and warping, his expression changed drastically.

"Oh no, my brother must be in danger!"

Only if the Spirit World Evil Lord, who now controlled the Spirit World, encountered immense danger and difficulty could the Spirit World possibly show such symptoms.

Ritsu Kageyama immediately turned and rushed toward the Spirit World. Bai Cangshu’s eyes shifted, and he spoke up on his own initiative.

"Idiot. If your brother can’t beat them, what use are you?"

"What you should be thinking about is what else here can help him!"

Bai Cangshu’s cold mockery halted Ritsu Kageyama in his tracks.

That was right. Even if he went over, he probably would not be able to help much. He might even become a burden. What should he do now…

If there was someone his brother could not match in this world, who else could help…

He immediately thought of the legendary strongest Supernatural Ability User, Tatsumaki the Terror.

"We should find a way to reach the outskirts of the Spirit World, find a psychic phone, and contact Miss Tatsumaki. She’s a hero, so she’ll definitely…"

Bai Cangshu did not receive the answer he wanted, and coldly crushed the Shōnen’s hope.

"Heh. I saw Tatsumaki fighting your brother earlier. The danger he’s in right now might have been caused by Miss Tatsumaki herself."

Ritsu Kageyama froze. His mind was in chaos. If Miss Tatsumaki could not help…

"I should find Shō’s father—the boss of the Claw Organization!"

That was still not the answer Bai Cangshu wanted, so he continued to dismiss it.

"That sort of man is probably out there searching the whole world for someone who can kill your brother. And you want to ask him for help? Heh…"

He turned and looked at the enormous broccoli plant.

Bai Cangshu’s movement finally drew Ritsu Kageyama’s attention. It was as though he had only now remembered his brother’s divine kingdom.

If his brother had not needed to maintain this divine kingdom, then with his abilities, he might not necessarily lose to Tatsumaki…

He did not notice that a certain desire within his heart was being stirred.

"I have to go… to the divine kingdom…"

Bai Cangshu finally smiled.

"That’s right. The only one who can help your brother now is you."

"Of course, if you need it, I can also offer what little help I have…"

His smile was radiant. As a white-haired spirit body was swiftly pulled back into his Consciousness Sea, he dispelled his stance, rose to his feet, and pitched himself like that.

As though he had not just ruthlessly driven an elbow into this Shōnen moments ago.

"Tsk, tsk. Looking at you now, you’re really becoming less and less like a good person, Mr. Host."

Satoru Gojo returned to the familiar Consciousness Sea. Looking at the somewhat empty white Consciousness Space, he saw that the cracks along its edges had become even more obvious, while the Yellow Springs seemed to be flowing faster as well.

He put his blindfold back on and lay down in the Yellow Springs.

He merely teased Bai Cangshu over his actions. At this moment, every Yin spirit in this Consciousness Sea had already been tied to the other party’s chariot.

After all, Bai Cangshu had made a vow: once he gained an ability capable of releasing all the Yin spirits, he would free every one of them to reincarnate, just as… a Yin Emperor making a promise to his people.