Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Rumble! Rumble!

The ground and atmosphere trembled endlessly.

The power of the Nameless Sovereign clashed with an unknown force desperately trying to close the revealed dimension. At first glance, the two forces seemed evenly matched, but with every passing moment, the gap widened under the overwhelming might of the Nameless Sovereign.

‘Not even the colossi’s attacks could create such devastation.’

Theo thought back to the colossi he had encountered in the Sanctum of Mysteries. Those awe-inspiring entities, capable of crushing the world under their might, now seemed like nothing more than children’s toys by comparison.

As he observed the unfolding scene, Theo’s thoughts grew increasingly chaotic.

『Everything is but an illusion imposed by the system’s constraints.』

The Nameless Sovereign’s words echoed in his mind.

To Theo, the Sanctum of Mysteries was a world that had endured countless assaults—whether from the intrusion of outer gods or the grandeur of Lodbrok’s sorcery. It was an extraordinary space, so magnificent that it seemed like a dreamscape, perhaps even a miracle of creation.

Even the colossi’s war, a reflection of a forgotten era, had been reconstructed within this space. Every time Theo entered the Sanctum, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of existence had crafted such a place. His reverence for it had grown with every visit.

But now, all of that reverence was being replaced by doubt.

‘…’

That doubt stemmed from the dimension the Nameless Sovereign had forcibly opened.

Even though Theo no longer controlled his body, he could still sense the overwhelming magic radiating from that dimension. Its density and power were so immense that the world he currently inhabited felt feeble and insignificant.

It was as if the truth lay within that newly revealed dimension, while everything here was a carefully constructed lie.

『Mysteries? Trials? False worlds? Laughable nonsense.』

Theo couldn’t discern what emotions the Nameless Sovereign held toward the revealed dimension, but he was certain they weren’t positive. There was a faint yet unmistakable anger emanating from him.

『Every truth of this world, every definition imposed upon it—none of it is free from falsehood.』

The Nameless Sovereign gazed disdainfully into the dimension beyond.

It seemed as though he were addressing some presence on the other side, but Theo realized the truth. These words weren’t directed outward; they were the Nameless Sovereign’s own expression of disillusionment.

The evidence was in the chilling malice radiating from deep within him.

Rumble! Crash!

At last, the endless vibrations in the air subsided. The gaping rift in the sky, which seemed as though it would snap shut at any moment, stabilized under the sheer force of the Nameless Sovereign, who smiled faintly.

And then—

Crackle! Zzzt!

A sudden noise filled the air, as though reality itself was glitching.

『■■■…』

The Nameless Sovereign tried to speak, but his voice was garbled, obscured by mosaic-like distortions.

[Attempting debugging. Restoring the target <Altar of Origins>.]

It seemed the system, briefly overwhelmed, was now counterattacking. The sky, forcibly torn open, began to close again, and the distorted elements of reality started reverting to their original forms.

The Nameless Sovereign chuckled, even as the system managed to regain control.

Then—

[Error! Error! Restoration failed…!]

Crack!

『Are you so terrified?』

The noise that had obscured the Nameless Sovereign’s voice shattered like glass, and his low, resonant tone filled the air.

Rumble!

A massive shockwave erupted from him, expanding outward at an alarming rate.

The divine aura of the Nameless Sovereign resonated with the latent divine power within Theo’s body, amplifying the force further. The surrounding mosaics and distortions disintegrated into dust, and the rapidly closing rift began to widen once more.

From the horizon to the heavens, everything beyond the immediate ground turned pitch-black, like an endless void.

[■■xx■…]

The system faltered, unable to exert further power. After a brief burst of static, it fell silent.

Rumble!

With the system’s collapse, the sky groaned, and Theo looked upward. There, he saw the Altar of Origins trembling faintly.

The once-distant altar grew closer, its form becoming more distinct as it approached. Theo was struck speechless.

‘What… is that?’

Its sheer size and oppressive aura froze his thoughts in place.

Compared to this, the colossi seemed insignificant—mere ants before a mountain.

Boom!

At last, the Altar of Origins descended fully to the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. But the swirling debris avoided the Nameless Sovereign, leaving him untouched as he gazed calmly at the descending structure.

The tremors subsided, and the land grew still once more. The altar’s full majesty was now revealed, and Theo realized he hadn’t been mistaken.

‘It’s the same as the one in the Sanctum of Mysteries.’

This wasn’t mere coincidence.

The Nameless Sovereign seemed to know the altar well. With an air of familiarity, he took his first step onto it.

『Stop!』

At that moment, a commanding and majestic voice boomed out, issuing a stern warning.

Yet, the Nameless Sovereign remained unfazed. Hands clasped behind his back, he continued ascending the steps.

『A mere spectator dares to speak? Hold your tongue, Deity of Causality.』

He ridiculed the voice’s owner and showed no sign of stopping.

『Are you so afraid of the truth? Then stop me—if you think you can.』

『...』

He smirked slyly and resumed his climb. The Deity of Causality could not respond further.

The truth of the Nameless Sovereign’s words rang clear: the deity was incapable of direct intervention.

『Do you still not understand? Why the other gods remain silent while you alone speak?』

The Deity of Causality hesitated, momentarily caught in thought, but refrained from questioning further.

Even the deity seemed to know. Other divine beings, too, harbored curiosity about the secret hidden at the altar’s summit.

As the Nameless Sovereign finally reached the top of the altar, blue flames erupted around him, their intensity lighting up the surroundings.

At the center of the altar stood a crystalline pedestal. As he drew nearer, fierce white flames ignited on either side. In the middle of the pedestal, a circular crack formed, and a small column began to rise slowly.

The Nameless Sovereign reached into his robes and withdrew the First Apostle’s still-beating heart, placing it atop the column.

Thump! Thump!

The heart continued to pulsate violently, spilling blood that flowed down the column and onto the altar. The blood spread across the surface, drawing intricate magical patterns as though guided by an unseen will.

Soon, the sigils were complete, and the heart fell still.

Whirrr!

A mechanical sound echoed as the sigils began to glow with a soft red light.

Above the heart, a series of messages appeared:

[Commencing authorization process.]
[Vessel detected.]
[Countless human lives detected.]
[Numerous divine entities identified.]
[Assessing suitability… criteria met.]
[Evaluating rationale for program activation.]
[Evaluation in progress.]
[Critical error detected in the world.]

The messages scrolled upward quickly, but the final line made Theo question everything he had known.

[Requesting administrative authority for NPC <Nameless Sovereign> and NPC <Theo Ragnar>.]

‘Administrative authority? NPC?’

Theo couldn’t comprehend what the term “administrator” referred to, but the implications of the word “NPC” shook him to his core.

NPC.

Did that mean he was nothing more than a non-playable character?

Were all his struggles, his relationships, and his emotions nothing but fabrications?

Theo’s mind spiraled into confusion, his eyes unable to blink as he stared blankly ahead.

Amidst his turmoil, another message appeared:

[Execute program? Y/N]

Without hesitation, the Nameless Sovereign reached out and pressed ‘Y.’

As soon as the command was entered, the sigils on the altar erupted with energy, pulsating wildly. Light fractured into countless layers, climbing up the column and shooting into the sky.

The beam of light spread outward, staining the sky a deep crimson.

[Loading in progress. Please wait.]

Above, the crimson sky bore the same intricate sigils as those engraved on the altar below.

[Confirming NPC <Nameless Sovereign> and NPC <Theo Ragnar>.]
[Administrative authority granted.]

At that instant, the sigils in the sky burst into brilliant light. Hundreds, if not thousands, of beams rained down from above, converging as they reached the ground and coalescing into the Nameless Sovereign’s outstretched hand.

‘What is that...?’

Theo could not discern what the radiant cluster in his hand was. It seemed ready to explode at any moment, a seething mass of energy whose very nature shifted continuously.

It was chaos incarnate.

The Nameless Sovereign smiled faintly as he gazed at the chaotic light. Slowly, he closed his hand around it with deliberate intent.

[Request approved for NPC.]
[Loading complete.]
[Filtering removed.]
[Would you like to broadcast the program’s origin story? Y/N]

Once again, his finger moved without hesitation. He selected ‘Y.’

As soon as the choice was made, the chaotic energy erupted from his hand, engulfing the Nameless Sovereign. His eyes snapped open, and a faint smile crossed his lips as the energy consumed him.

The chaotic light surged into his body, rushing deep into the recesses of his soul.

When that torrent of energy reached the core of Theo’s soul, a wave of unbearable agony hit him.

“Ku-Kuhhk! Kaaaah!”

It felt as though his eyes were about to burst and his brain would explode. His heart pounded so violently it seemed it would leap out of his chest.

The pain was so overwhelming that Theo found himself wishing for unconsciousness. Anything would be better than this torment.

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the pain did not last long.@@novelbin@@

At some point, his body relaxed, and his consciousness began to fade.

The last thing Theo saw was a message hovering before him:

[Broadcasting the program’s origin story.]
[‘The Truth of Creation’ is now playing.]