“After all,” Nexus said, “what Scorpio is about to do is probably the biggest provocation towards the Human God ever since the Brilliant Pinnacle came to power. It’s going to be exciting. I predict that at least a Demigod will arrive on the scene. Maybe the Human God might descend on another of his familiar spirits too.”

“The East must know that, right?” Gaius replied. “There’s definitely preparations underway to ambush any interlopers. Like what happened during the Battle of Centoria.”

“You can bet on it,” said the artificial intelligence. “In fact, it’s not going to be the East doing the heavy-lifting. It’s the Northern Continent, the Mortal Light Dynasty. Without their help, setting up venues like this for all to watch would be impossible. I suspect that the current Pinnacle had a hand in distributing these giant artefacts for all to watch.”

“What’s the guy’s name anyway?” Gaius asked. “I might be able to make an educated guess about his or her ideals if I know it. Isabelle, any ideas?”

“Traditionally, the South and the North have been bitter enemies,” Isabelle replied. “We don’t know much about the Northern Continent’s current leader, as a result.”

She picked up a skewer and sniffed it. Her face bloomed after taking the first bite, an expression remarkably similar to Nakama’s own, and for a moment, Gaius wondered what the skewers of the South tasted like. That sign had admitted the superiority of the South’s skewers, after all, and for a moment, a wild impulse to return to the South struck him.

The explosion of flavour that occurred after he bit down on a skewer just made that desire stronger, but before he could voice that particular desire, the screen in front of them came to life. Static — much like the one he’d seen back then on televisions on Earth — filled the screen, and the assembled audience turned to look at it in unison. Chatter began to die out as the black and white fuzziness started to clear up, eventually revealing someone Gaius recognised immediately.

Scorpio.

He was standing on a stage, the only pristine thing in a ruined city. Something that served as a camera was trained on him, before panning left to take in the devastated landscape. As the view shifted, the screen revealed at least a hundred people floating in mid-air, their weapons drawn and on guard.

“That’s the Central Continent,” Nexus said quietly. “It’s Centoria, to be exact. When the North crushed the Holy Temple, they didn’t bother to clear the ruins at the capital.”

“It’s a rather…fitting place to accuse the Human God of crimes against life, isn’t it?” Gaius noted wryly.

After the camera did a long, sweeping shot, it returned to Scorpio. The Constellation’s expression was one of tranquillity. His eyes were closed, the only hint that he was still awake being his right finger, which was tapping at a regular beat. It was evident that he was waiting for the correct time.

His eyes flicked open as Gaius reached out for his fourth skewer.

“Good afternoon.” His voice echoed outwards from the giant, screen-like artefact. “I am Constellation Scorpio, one of the thirteen chosen by the Human God to carry out his will on Orb. There have been rumours about this broadcast flying around, and I would to say one thing. Yes, I am going to make public the actions of the Human God, who was behind the entire Second Extermination all along.”

Murmurs ran through the audience. Gaius could imagine the same reaction throughout the other places that were showing this broadcast — in Mi-Zu alone, there were at least ten such venues.

“There are some things that I can say. There are others that I can’t — and if I try, it looks like this.” Scorpio opened his mouth, and when he tried to speak, a mist shrouded his face. He made some incoherent babbling, and the mist only receded when he stopped talking.

After waiting for a minute or two, he nodded. “This alone should demonstrate that the Human God didn’t have good intentions for us. To avoid this, I’ll be phrasing my words with uncertainties, but this can only work so much. With the preface that I cannot speak in absolutes, I’ll now begin with what Anren had in mind for us.”

Scorpio breathed out heavily. “His intention to wipe out the beastfolk were predicated upon the…possibility that within every member of beastfolk were small amounts of divinity. This accounts for why they are so much stronger than humans, as well as the beast traits. However, it was unlikely that His command would stir the Five Lands to action, even within the South and the Central Continent.”

“Therefore, he decided to summon people from Earth, to replicate the success that occurred a hundred millennia ago. It was likely that he didn’t want us to bring over our own ideals, which happened with the Cardinal Champions back then. To enable what effectively was a genocide, he tried to distort our perception and understanding through the ■■■ġ■ਅ■■ ■Ė■■■■ ■■■■■■, ■√āĀĪ±δ…”

He stopped his words, and shook his head, frustration on his face. The incoherent gibberish had struck him once more, but what had drawn everyone’s attention was the fact that a bright, gold star had appeared in the skies. It was visible through the screen, and the image on the screen zoomed in on the star as Scorpio turned to look at the newcomer.

Golden light gathered around the intruder. In a melodious voice, he said, “I must stop you right there, Scorpio.”

“This presence…the Last Star, Nox.” The Constellation murmured. “Impossible. What is this power coming from you? Even His familiar spirits aren’t that strong.”

“No,” said Nox. “This body is just a vessel of mine now. The Nox whom you speak of is currently in deep hibernation.”

Gold light continued to spill out from him. The ruins of the city were crumbling apart at a speed observable to the naked eye — and when Gaius squinted at the sight, he could see some vague force swirling madly around the Last Star’s body.

“Then who are you?” Scorpio demanded. “And why have you come?”

“It is only right that the accused show up to his trial, no?” The blinding light continued to mount. “I have answered your challenge, mortal nations of Orb. I am the Human God. And I hear your desire to hold me accountable. I…am here.”