— — — — — —
Ryo tore open space with telekinesis and stepped through, landing on-site. He looked around at the gathered figures with a hint of amusement.
"Looks like I'm the last one here, huh?"
Standing near a northern marble pillar, Scáthach raised a brow. "How interesting. Thousand Eyes actually sent you."
"Because someone offered me a deal I couldn't refuse," Ryo replied with a light smile.
Someone? Uesugi Kenshin looked at him, momentarily at a loss.
Hercules hesitated—he seemed to recognize Ryo but wasn't entirely sure.
Highness and Rin were a beat late before their expressions finally shifted into curiosity—they clearly didn't know who he was.
"Scáthach, this one is?" Uesugi asked.
"A recent topic of conversation on the upper floors. The new subordinate god under the ShiroYoruMaou."
Scáthach gave a brief explanation.
"Ohhh, you," Uesugi murmured, recognition dawning. "The kid the Canaria picked up."
At that, Ryo only glanced at her in mild puzzlement.
'Another one tied to Canaria, huh…' he thought inwardly.
Having pieced together his origins, Uesugi let out a small sigh.
"Looks like things are just as chaotic in Thousand Eyes lately. Even Shiroyasha is sending her 'private soldiers' on major missions—must mean resources are stretched thin."
Of course, the same was true for the Heavenly Army.
Otherwise, a three-digit God like her wouldn't descend and reincarnate into the lower realm just to carry out assignments.
She sighed for a moment, then exhaled and swept her gaze across the group.
"Well then, with this, all representatives are accounted for."
Everyone briefly announced their affiliations, and without anyone explicitly saying so, a subtle formation formed—Uesugi Kenshin naturally became the focal point.
Without a word of protest, even Hercules, who had sent out the initial signal to gather, accepted it.
A three-digit existence becoming the provisional leader was to be expected.
Even if Uesugi currently only had four-digit combat capability, no one could ignore her true nature—or the Heavenly Army behind her.
As the strongest military force in Little Garden, the Heavenly Army's name alone carried weight.
Seeing no objections, Uesugi let out a tired half-sigh, half-laugh.
"I'd love to say something cheesy like 'Let's all work together', but I know damn well that getting you lunatics to cooperate is impossible."
Uesugi didn't believe these people could act as one.
Force cooperation, and she could guarantee they'd pretend to agree while acting like brain-dead monkeys behind her back.
There was already history proving that.
Unlike Hercules, she wasn't fond of playing commander or scapegoat. Better to dodge that role early.
Narrowing her eyes, she spoke seriously.
"Our mission: investigate the true name of the King of End, and locate the so-called 'trickster group' that's been popping up recently. You all received the same objective, yes?"
"Nope. I'm just here to stir shit…" Ryo muttered in his heart.
With no one voicing dissent, Uesugi continued. "My only request is that we share intel openly."
"…"
Silence. But silence could be an answer of its own.
"Not even that much, huh?"
Uesugi rubbed her forehead, exasperated.
"Fine then. The Heavenly Army can ignore the King of End's true name if we have to. But intel regarding the tricksters—if any of you uncover it, it must be handed over."
The 'tricksters.'
That was the term used by the upper floors for the unknown god group that kept observing other worlds and stirring chaos in Little Garden.
The World War incident and this emerging Godslayer unrest were clearly their doing.
An organization that intentionally triggered god-level events that could even backfire on themselves—what else would you call them but troublemakers?
Of course, that was just the nickname used in private.
The official term issued by the Heavenly Army was Gremlin.
A name Ryo found absolutely ridiculous.
Uesugi's tone grew firm. "No objections there, I assume?"
"That's not happening, miss." A voice of objection rang out.
Uesugi turned her head, eyes narrowing at Ryo. "Just call me Uesugi. Then? Thousand Eyes has an issue?"
"Sharing intel isn't on the table."
Ryo gave a subtle, mocking glance at everyone present. "After all—if we end up investigating ourselves, that'd be awkward."
'Classic reverse accusation. Amused,' Ryo noted inwardly.
For a moment, the entire group fell silent.
Uesugi opened her mouth but couldn't refute it.
She herself suspected that one of the tricksters might already be within the Heavenly Army, maybe even among the upper ranks—perhaps even one of the Twelve Heavenly Generals.
Otherwise, after a full week of searching, how had no prime suspect surfaced? That was far too convenient.
Observing another world—especially one that wildly distorts probability—would normally cause a significant shift in spirit rank.
At their scale, even a random human exposed to that could climb straight to four digits—and not a weak one either.
And if a four-digit being was behind it, their spirit rank spike would be impossible to miss, especially with Heavenly Army central privileges.
After all, the Heavenly Army's commander, Indra, was one of the original creators of Little Garden's central system.
Wait—Indra…? Uesugi felt a chill of foreboding.
But on the surface, her expression stayed perfectly calm. She even pressed on.
"Sounds like Thousand Eyes might already know something?"
Her slightly narrowed eyes hid a mocking smile.
And you're saying you're not a professional spy? You're clearly holding cards.
Ryo chuckled. "Miss Uesugi should know the rules, right?"
She blinked.
Ryo paused, thinking she hadn't caught on, and deliberately raised his right hand, rubbing his fingers together in the universal sign for cash.
Only then did Uesugi realize what "rule" he meant.
The rule commonly known as: Pay up. Also known as: Bleed the rich!
Even Scáthach, who knew Ryo, couldn't help but laugh and curse.
"Thousand Eyes recruiting you as external support—what a scam they pulled."
"Oh, come on. You flatter me." Ryo smiled like a fox and added, "But since Miss Uesugi seems to be acquainted with my organization's former chief strategist, I'll offer a premium deal. A five percent discount this time."
Uesugi's mouth twitched.
"Very generous." She sighed, "But honestly, I didn't bring much cash."
Saying that, she slowly turned her head and cast a meaningful look at Highness and Hercules.
The Heavenly Army ran on near-zero funding, with the Buddhist side occasionally tossing them a pity contribution. They were broke. Especially with stingy Indra at the top—money was a myth.
Unfortunately for two people present… there were two very rich targets on-site.
Highness: "???"
Hercules: "?"
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