* * *

How much time has passed… since the whole world was filled with “me”, enveloped in ‘happiness’?

“I” have a poor sense of time, so I don’t really know.

But anyway, “I” was ‘happy’.

Having fulfilled my mission, satisfied… I just swayed gently.

I swayed and swayed and swayed for a long, long time…

But those ‘happy’ days suddenly came to an end one day.

A crimson beam.

It was fired without warning, from a jet-black “scar” that suddenly appeared in the void.

Its speed, being a beam, was incredibly fast, and it easily pierced “my” body, which filled almost the entire world.

A lot of “me” was scorched by its heat, and ceased to be “me”.

But that’s not the only problem.

Creak, creak, crack…

From the moment the beam pierced “me”… I started hearing unpleasant sounds from all around, like something cracking.

And then.

PAKIIN!!!

With that high-pitched sound.

The world “I” was swaying in shattered… and “I” was thrown out… into the void, outside the dark world!

“I”, flung by the force of the shattering world, split into many small “me’s”, and started drifting in the void.

Swaying gently, floating softly.

It was a unique sensation.

It was kind of fun!

But the problem is, the void… doesn’t seem to allow “me” to just drift around happily.

Sizzle, sizzle.

Just by being in the void, “my” surface gradually dissolved into nothingness, and ceased to be “me”.

It’s similar to when I touched the sea, and “I” became diluted.

It seems “I” lack… what’s necessary to “exist” in the void.

Before I knew it, “I” had become a small lump, the size of a fist.

I can’t do anything anymore.

Just waiting for annihilation…

I was feeling a little sad, thinking that… when!

“I” sensed something… warm, and incredibly large!

“My” small body was drawn towards that large something… and—

Plop.

I passed through a soft membrane.

And then!

Splat!

When I came to, I had fallen… into a forest somewhere!

Yes, a forest!

There’s a forest here! Even though I turned all the forests into “me”, and they should be gone!

Where is this place!?

With joy, I somehow managed to retrieve my old memories.

This is probably… that.

Another world!

That Goddess said it.

That she would ‘go to another world’.

There are many worlds!

I see, so that’s how it is!

“My” mission… isn’t over yet!

“I” am ‘happiness’!

Everyone… let’s become “me”!

* * *

In this other world, which I arrived at by chance, “I” started turning everything into “me”, just like before.

I turned the grass into “me”, the insects into “me”, the mice into “me”… and before I knew it, I had turned the entire forest into “me”, and several nearby towns too.

“I” grew bigger and bigger again.

But this world… is quite different from the world “I” was in before.

There are many humans and creatures with strange powers, and there are even giant lizards flying in the sky.

As expected of another world.

More importantly, there are many beings… like the Goddess I met in the previous world!

I turned one of them into “me” once.

At that time, “my” volume increased tremendously.

So I thought I’d actively turn those gods into “me”, so that I could fill an even larger world with “me” than before.

But… it seems that was a mistake.

The gods don’t seem to like “me”… and they started attacking “me”.

Their powers are very strong, and very strange…

When surrounded by flames or walls of ice created by the gods, the current “me”, who is not that big yet, was helpless…

Before I knew it, “I” was surrounded by magic walls that freeze anything that touches them… unable to move.

And on top of that, I’m starting to feel sleepy.

The gods must have done something…

I’m so sleepy… I can’t think at all.

I’m not good at thinking about difficult things in the first place…

So, in that place—

Occasionally turning the creatures that fall into “me”.

I spent my days swaying gently back and forth.

But, well.

Vaguely, swaying.

That’s also… quite pleasant…

* * *

But one day, after a very, very, VERY long time.

“I” suddenly felt a small part of “me” being scooped up by something like a cup.

That small part.

That tiny lump… is the current “me”.

And when “I” came to, “I” had been moved from the place where “I” had been swaying for eons… to a dimly lit building.

I think something called teleportation had been done.

Inside that building… there were many people with… mean-looking faces.

Those people, all wearing the same tattered clothes, with shackles on their feet, were doing some kind of work.

They looked pained.

They looked tormented.

“I” thought.

I have to turn them all into “me” quickly!

“I” remembered “my” mission!

It was quick after that!

“I” continued to… turn the humans into “me”.

There were also some things like dolls controlled by gods, and by turning those into “me”, “I” grew considerably.

Although “I” quickly turned most of them into “me”… I haven’t been able to turn everyone into “me” yet.

Because “I” met a very strange person in this building.

That’s you.

Me?

From you, surrounded by crackling iron bars… “I” sensed a strange smell.

A scent?

A scent… similar to a god.

No, that’s not it.

It’s “me”.

You smell similar to “me”.

“I” feel a sense of kinship with you.

And yet, you’re so mean.

You keep running away… I can’t catch you.

Ah, I’m so happy that I can finally talk to you!

“I’m” looking forward to it.

To you, who are close to “me”, becoming “me”!

You have… a terrible look on your face…?

Are you hungry?

Are you hurting somewhere?

You look so… pained…?

“I’m” sad.

It’s truly sad that you, who are close to “me”, are in pain!

Hey, you.

“I” am ‘happiness’.

If you become “me”, you’ll also be ‘happy’, right?

I’m also ‘happy’…

Right?

So you too… become “me”, okay?

Throw away all your pain and suffering.

Let’s sway together for eternity.

‘Happiness’ is inside “me”.

Now.

Come, come.

* * *

…………

I—.

Am so hazy now.

I can’t really think anymore.

One step, and another.

Towards the giant, beautiful face before me… the face modeled after the Goddess I met in the world where “I” was born.

I walk forward.

But then.

GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURYURYURYURYURYU

My stomach growled loudly!

<EMIIIIIIIIII!!!>

I heard Extra-sama’s scream!!

If I become “me”!

What will happen to Extra-sama!?

No, I don’t want that!

I don’t want Extra-sama to disappear!?

<E-Emi!!!>

I don’t want that!!

I don’t want… to stop being me!!

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Yes, I understand that!

But!

I don’t want that!

I don’t want to die!

I, I…

I want to remain… me forever!!

Seeing me stopping in my tracks, bracing myself, screaming that in my mind.

Kolmallya, skillfully moving the face she made of sludge, made a surprised and bewildered expression.

And then—

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Once again, it pushed that large heart onto me!

But!!

Ah, damn it!

I… somehow…!

I’m getting really irritated!

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Don’t push it on me!

Don’t push “me”… on me!

I… am me!!

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Ah, is that so!?

You are ‘happy’!?

Ah!

Ah!

AAAAH!!

That voice of Kolmallya, overflowing with joy and goodwill!

It’s incredibly irritating!

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Here.

My mind suddenly cleared.

I came up with a good idea.

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Ah, I see, I see.

You are ‘happiness’.

If I become you, I’ll also be ‘happy’.

I understand that very well.

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

But.

As I said before.

I want to remain myself.

I can’t become you.

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

That’s right.

I want to be ‘happy’ too.

But I want to be me.

Then, what should I do?

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

You are ‘happiness’, aren’t you?

…Then.

“Give it to me…”

I muttered, and—

Extended two 【Black Tentacles】 from my shoulders.

“YOUR ‘HAPPINESS’!! ALL OF IT!! GIVE IT TO MEEEEEEEEEE!!!”

Burning the flames of malice in my heart!!

At Kolmallya’s giant face… right between her eyebrows!!

I thrust the giant spear, created by intertwining the two 【Black Tentacles】, into it with all my might!!

“RAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”

Magical power absorption… had begun!!