"Is this the new world?"
"The situation seems a bit more complicated than expected!"
Several figures materialized in a deserted alley, unnoticed by anyone.
Yami and his companions had barely landed when a deafening explosion echoed from not far away.
The surrounding high-rise buildings had their windows shattered by the sheer force of the blast.
The ground beneath them trembled, signaling that something catastrophic was unfolding in this city—something far beyond the ordinary.
Goddess Hephaestus's words left Yami momentarily stunned.
Without hesitation, his Observation Haki spread out in all directions, instantly revealing the situation to him.
"The situation is clear now."
"It seems someone is wreaking havoc on this city. But this is to be expected. After all, this world is constantly in crisis."
"Disasters are a constant occurrence here, so large-scale terrorist attacks are the norm."
Upon hearing Yami's explanation, the three goddesses all nodded in understanding.
However, while Hephaestus remained calm, both Hestia and Artemis wore more concerned expressions.
"Yami, let's go check it out," Artemis said firmly. "If the situation is as dire as it seems, I want to help."
"Such destructive power—countless innocent lives could be lost. If we can prevent more deaths, we must act!"
As the goddess of the moon, Artemis was inherently upright and just.
She could not stand by idly while innocent people were caught in the crossfire of powerful beings. Even before her 'Familia' disbanded, the Artemis Familia would travel beyond Orario to hunt monsters and help ordinary people.
This was who Artemis was—dedicated to protecting the innocent.
Yami understood her motives. Some might consider her overly idealistic, but each person had their own beliefs. He couldn't deny the righteousness of her desire to help.
In fact, Yami himself sometimes intervened when his mood dictated it.
But since Artemis was determined to help, he wasn't about to stop her. In fact, helping people during this simulation could improve his final score.
After all, this was a real-time travel simulation.
Doing good deeds could increase the overall evaluation at the end. So even if Artemis hadn't suggested it, Yami had already planned to engage in various activities throughout this world to achieve his goals.
Ideally, he would defeat all the heroes in the Hero Association along the way.
The potential rewards could far exceed his expectations.
"Yes, I agree," Yami responded. "But before we act, we need to fully assess the situation."
"I don't want to mistakenly let someone deserving of punishment escape, or accidentally hurt someone innocent."
"So, Artemis, let's get a better sense of what's going on first, okay?"
Artemis didn't hesitate to nod.
"Understood, Yami. Let's move!"
With that, Yami's thoughts stirred.
Using his spatial abilities, he enveloped the three goddesses, and with the aid of his observation haki, he pinpointed the energy signatures in the area.
In the blink of an eye, the four of them vanished from the alley.
---
'I am the omnipotent dividing line'
---
'Boom!'
The explosions continued without pause.
Yami and his group reappeared on top of a high-rise building, surveying the scene.
A gigantic humanoid creature with two tentacles and dark purple skin was strolling down the street.
It casually raised its right hand, sending out blasts of purple energy.
The energy struck the surrounding buildings, causing them to explode and collapse.
"What on earth is that?!" Hestia exclaimed. "It looks so bizarre!"
Although Hephaestus and Artemis remained silent, their expressions mirrored Hestia's confusion.
Was this thing even human?
"So, it's him—the Vaccine Man," Yami muttered, recognizing the creature instantly.
The Vaccine Man was a dragon-level monster, an incarnation of planetary consciousness with the ability to release devastating energy spheres and undergo secondary transformations.
A very dangerous creature.
His energy blasts could easily destroy half of a city if he chose to.
However, judging by his slow pace, he was likely toying with the city right now.
Claiming to be the manifestation of the planet's will, the Vaccine Man's goal was to eradicate humanity, whom he considered parasites.
Of course, he wanted to make these "parasites" suffer before their eventual extermination.
Yami could already guess what was going on in the creature's mind.
"So, this Vaccine Man is no different from the monsters in our dungeon, huh?" Artemis asked, frowning slightly after Yami's explanation.
Like Yami, Artemis had a deep affinity for the people of the lower realms. Even though they were in a different world now, her emotions remained unchanged.
Seeing a monster rampaging like this filled her with anger and determination.
"Yami, should I act now?" Artemis asked, her eyes burning with resolve.
"If we wait any longer, who knows how many more people will die at the hands of that purple monster? We can't allow this to continue!"
The look in Artemis's eyes was clear—she wouldn't take no for an answer.
Yami sighed, understanding her sentiment.
"Don't worry, Artemis. I'm not going to stand by."
"But there's no need for you to get involved. This creature isn't worth your effort. I'll handle it."
"Don't worry, it'll be over soon."