"…Which means that magic is just another extension of nature's forces that you can use to your will; however, unlike electricity, you can freely manipulate it, provided you have the necessary knowledge and ability to control it."

Cid was slowly getting tired. Don't get him wrong, he likes the role of a teacher, Shades and Nishitane could testify! It's just… Teaching how to fight is one thing. Giving snippets of knowledge of knowledge is another. But giving a full lecture on something that even you yourself just tapped on? Yeah, he was getting tired!

Fortunately, he had a trusty book that he, Hams, and Todd painstakingly wrote.

"But if magic is extension of your will, why does it actively harm the body at certain point?" one of the scientists — it was Nishimura's brother, right? — raised a question

"This is phenomenon called 'Magic Overload'. Whenever amount of mana held within the body goes over a limit, it will try to find exit. Magic user should find a way to control it, either by their own efforts or with help of someone who managed to do it on their own. Of course, both options have their own merits: in second case helper's mana will forcefully calm down the rampant mana, and the Magic Overload will not happen again… provided the operation was done perfectly. But that's it. In first case, you will be able to choose whether to just take control over the rampaging mana… Or gather even more mana in attempt to increase your magic attitude."

Yeah, Magic Overload was something that he had a vast amount of knowledge about. Like, three of his techniques were closely related to it! Even, he could say, relying on the process itself!

"Do you think it's possible to replicate the solution against it with technology, Divine Spirit?"

Oh, yeah, apparently Nishiho thought he was some kind of god that descended upon Earth in order to help humanity. At first he wanted to retort the notion, but Hams and Todd howled about Faith energy that was just waiting to be collected and stored!… And it doesn't matter that they still didn't create more things to collect it, they need it now!

"Theoretically, it might be possible… In practice, however?" shaking head, "It would be a good thing if you just created a machine that stabilized your mana once and for all, but if it's something that you have to carry around all the time in fears of not having it once the time comes… You would be better off actually training on your mana control so you can use Magic Overload as opportunity to grow further instead of fearing the Sword of Damocles."

Well, that's something he genuinely believes in. No borrowed power! No shortcuts! Only you and your efforts!

"Today's lecture is over. Gather your thoughts for tomorrow."

And with that, all the people present in the room started packing their papers. Looks like they will have a field time with it…

Cid sighed.

It was the third day of being in Messiah — formerly Nishino Institute — and Cid was already tired. He would rather go outside and do… anything! Fight these beasts, do some actual magic… But he had to be stuck there and give all these lectures because Hams decided they need more Faith energy!

Well, at least he had fun having an online (yes, it's still alive!) conversation with someone who adored Shadow a lot. And by "had fun" he means trolling the hell out that person! Though the words she wrote right before being banned were… Yeah, for a moment he thought someone other from Shadow Garden appeared… Of course, it couldn't be Victoria! She was smart and cute good cookie that wouldn't hurt a fly (she would behead cultists instead)!

Right, at least let him check what the actual hell does that Hamster want to do!

"Victoria, guard this place," he motioned to the door.

"Yes, my Lord!" fanatical girl did not need a second order; she went out of the room and closed the room shut.

With a sigh, he went into his Soul Space to have a talk with his Beasts about greed…

"What's that?" Cid's eye twitched.

"Nothing," was Hams' calm answer.

"You call that nothing?" he turned his gaze to the absolute darkness.

"Yes, this is nothing," Hamster confirmed.

"Well, I think that's a wall. With hole in it," he pointed out.

"Agree about the wall, but there's no hole. It's nothing," Beast retorted.

"And that means?…"

Five minutes and three beatings later, Cid finally could understand what the actual hell was that.

Turned out, it was nothing.

No, really, nothing.

The most nothing-like nothing.

Alright, let him explain: you know how there's Material Plane, Elemental Planes, Creatures (Demon, Spirit, etc) Planes, and some others that do not fit in classification (like Shadow Realm)? Well, turns out, there was also nothing. Like, nothing. But not Void, that's a different thing altogether if Hams is to be believed.

Void, or vacuum (he thought these two were different things, no?), is a state when there's no thing in some area.

Nothing is something existing between all the worlds.

You don't understand it? That's fine, Cid can't, either. But Hams did, and he was very eager to obtain nothing. Another beating later Hamster conceded and finally explained that this nothing he wanted to get was actually Interworld. Like, when you travel between worlds — yes, Hams saw it when they used the Black Rose, — there's a split moment when you pass through a place which could not be properly described… Because it's nothing yet! It only gains defining qualities after being subjected to person's beliefs… Yes, Faith!

That was the reason Hams was so adamant about gathering Faith. According to his research (two hundred and fifty two pages attached), if they can make a safe contact with Interworld (and unsafe contact will most likely result in their and the whole world they are in annihilation), they will be able to transform nothing into something. What would it transform into? Unknowable. No, literally unknowable! Todd interjected and said that Interworld is so strange that they have no guaranteed way to predict what will happen. There is a possibility to somewhat assure the direction in which nothing will become something — like using items with clear function like watches, — but otherwise? Nope.

Except for one way. Faith.

As Hams showed, via usage of Faith energy they can influence the transformation of nothing into something. Of course, even Cid himself would have troubles in making something out of nothing.

In Material Plane.

In Soul Space, his own little world, he was a true, bona fide god. And with usage of Faith energy, that becomes even more true. So what Hams wanted to do is create a channel from Soul Space to Interworld and take some nothing. But apparently, there was some difference between nothing and more nothing-like nothing.

The nothing closer to already existing worlds was influenced by living beings of these worlds, and carried their beliefs however small they were. Yes, as Todd theorized, that was exactly how Planes are created: people's various beliefs slowly made an actual existing place out of nothing. How did creatures appear there, though? That neither of the three knew, but were very eager to find out. It was probably related to souls?

So, as Cid said, Hams wanted to take some nothing and use Faith to make it into something while being in Soul Space. Theoretically, they could expand their Soul Space using nothing, which would give them more room to store loot and energies, which in turn would allow for faster growth…

After listening to Hams' enthusiastic speech, Cid had to agree; the perspectives were large! However, Hamster forgot about one small, minuscule, absolutely not important detail…

Poor Beast sensed something bad, but it was already too late; Cid was already swinging his palm. You know, just in case. At least, tell him if you want to do something that concerns his own soul!

This idiotic Beast just said that soul had to undergo a month of healing, yet he already makes holes!… Todd's weak attempts to object and say that it was nothing, not a hole were met with divine judgement of palm.

After calming down, Cid realized that he overreacted. Like, yeah, your Inner Beast made a hole connecting your soul and the chaotic space between worlds. What's there to worry about? It's not like it would obliterate your very being should you do things carelessly, right?

Upon receiving this question Todd and Hams for some reason started shaking, but they confirmed that it's absolutely safe and there was simply no way something bad could happen should the precautions be followed.

Of course, not now, his soul is still healing after all, but later on he will check out this Interworld properly. As of now, he wanted to finish the current stage.

Cid went out of the Soul Space after drilling Hams and Todd about not doing dangerous experiments that concern his very soul… At least without his presence.

'The hell they doing over there?' were Cid's first thoughts after seeing the chaos unfolding in the Messiah.

One of the workers noticed him and immediately ran up to him.

"O-Oh Divine Spirit, you're here!" man screamed out with so much hope in his voice that Todd croaked about needing yet another type of container.

"Hmm…" about time for his role! "The time has come."

"L-Lord?"

"The Gates of Darkness have opened."

Everyone present gasped.

"The Humanity is about to enter a new age…" and made his eyes flicker. Yes, like that!

"S-So you already know about Beast invasion…" someone sighed.

'The what now?'

Akane Nishino stood behind her Sensei. This is it.

He said the final hour struck. The hour when the fate of humanity would be on the line.

Would they fight back against the spawns of darkness? Or would they fall down in front of it?

She has long knew about online opinions about her Sensei. Some called him a fraud, some called him a government's fake… Though there was one that just trolled Victoria that decided to scroll the web.

It has cost a lot for Akane to stop Victoria from going on rampage. Well, honestly, she wanted to do that herself, but if it was that woman… Yeah, they would need a memorial service for the whole country.

"I will hack, and chop, and cleave, and sunder the filth of your forms! I will sever your limbs!…"

Akane shuddered upon remembering the stuff Victoria wrote to that poor guy. She was banned shortly after, but, uh, it only fueled her wish to go out and find him. Sensei had to intervene and say that she was needed here… Though she was suspiciously happy about that.

Meanwhile, Victoria wrote the two hundred and first page about things she will do after finding the scum that dared to badmouth her beloved Lord Shadow.

Right, the current situation.

Sensei wanted her to show her progress via defeating Magical Beasts. Well, in a minute she finished killing a large squad consisting of twenty three Beasts! That's a progress! She also heard Victoria mumbling "She does have potential", which, frankly, was quite good. Victoria was, after all, the apostle of Divine Spirit, so her opinion on that matter should be incredibly accurate.

Now, it's about time-

Huh?

Akane squinted. No, there was no way…

However, her wishes didn't come true.

A gigantic green creature slithered across the roads. She always thought it was but a myth, but apparently, such a creature did exist.

Green Serpent, the Apex Beast. The only one who was indifferent towards humanity so long as they didn't provoke him. However, it also wished for a good challenge.

Which meant…

Realisation struck her.

Serpent was here to challenge Sensei!

"You have finally appeared."

Sensei slowly started walking forward, calm in face of the incoming threat.

Green Serpent slowly moved up to the university, and at this moment the size difference paralyzed Akane. Serpent's head was as big as the gates, however its whole body could circle around the university five times, and still have something left.

"Are you ready to take my challenge?"

For some reason, everyone could understand what the Serpent was saying, as if it was actually speaking in their heads. Could it be yet another Spirit?

"Before that, humour me: how did you appear?"

'Sensei?' Akane was puzzled. He knew everything, including the final hour, right? So what was so peculiar about this Beast?

"Ssshh… The big land to the northwes-s-st of this plac-c-ce…"

'Can you talk normally?!' Akane wanted to scream. All that hissing made it really hard to understand what Serpent was saying!

"I see."

Sensei stood for a moment.

"I accept your challenge."

Akane waited with bated breath Serpent's answer.

"Finally."

It slowly moved closer to the Sensei.

"I have waited long for this-s-s-s moment."

Sensei only calmly looked at the Beast.

"I have never los-s-st a challenge… Yet you…"

Apex Beast inhaled.

"Your s-s-scent is-s-s… S-S-Strong…"

"Indeed. Now, shall we proceed?"

Sensei readied himself. Beast's snout morphed into something like a smile.

"Yes-s-s…"

And in the next moment, Green Serpent somehow, out of nowhere, God only knows why, took out a gigantic bottle of wine.

When Cid said about Gates of Darkness, he thought about unending horde of beasts, not a snake that wants to make you alcoholic… Well, that's what happens when you leave a chuuni with overflowing Faith energy to run out in the wild.

We are about to enter one of the more insane parts that I planned. So insane, in fact, that two well-known Chaos- and Madness-related guys will appear.