In this Second Chance at Life, where I can see skills as clear as day, everything feels like a breeze. And to make it even better, I’m spending my days joyfully with my First Love. - Chapter 56

To Prime Minister Isao Hashima of Japan, a deluge of reports from domestic agencies and inquiries from foreign governments flooded in. Emails and phone calls, often accompanied by images and videos, demanded explanations.

The reports could be summarized into five main points:

1. 1. Global Earthquakes

The first report detailed a series of significant earthquakes worldwide. It began with a magnitude 8 earthquake off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region, followed by magnitude 6–7 earthquakes recorded in numerous locations globally.

While Japan—well-prepared for seismic activity due to its earthquake-resistant infrastructure—suffered minimal damage, other nations were not as fortunate. Countries with older or poorly constructed buildings, where earthquakes are less common, sustained catastrophic damage.

Global casualties were estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. In Japan, however, the number of deaths and injuries likely amounted to only a few dozen—a stark contrast.

2. 2. Stampede of Monsters

Accompanying the earthquakes was the emergence of massive stampedes—swarms of monsters numbering in the tens or hundreds of thousands—originating from dungeons or other unknown sources.

Reports from individuals with the rare Appraisal skill (estimated to be 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 people worldwide) revealed that these monsters had levels ranging from 300 to 500—a terrifyingly high range.

The monsters’ stats reportedly exceeded 11 digits, with some estimates suggesting values well into the billions.

3. 3. Appearance of Gods

In addition to the monster hordes, approximately 70 entities with titles such as Lesser God, Intermediate God, and Upper God—designations rarely observed—were sighted worldwide.

Although their stats could not be verified due to the inability of even Appraisal users to analyze them, estimates suggested they were at least 16 digits (quintillions). These estimates, based on comparisons with the 11-digit monsters, suggested that the gods were tens of thousands of times stronger than the already catastrophic beasts.

While speculative, such calculations were unlikely to be significantly off the mark.

4. 4. The Savior: Yasushi Sashima

The fourth report was perhaps the most astonishing: the annihilation of these catastrophic threats—monsters and gods alike—was attributed to two forces.

One was an army of humanoid machines, described as wielding ominous weapons. These were identified as “Yasushi and Ichika’s Slaughter Machine Dolls.”

The other was a single man: Yasushi Sashima.

As a Beastmaster, Yasushi Sashima had undeniably tamed these mechanical soldiers, meaning all their immense power ultimately belonged to him.

In other words, the innumerable threats capable of destroying Earth a thousand times over were all eradicated by Yasushi Sashima and his tamed creations.

Foreign governments inundated Japan’s government with questions, desperate for answers about this enigmatic man.

5. 5. Unanswered Questions About Yasushi Sashima

“Damn it! I’d like to know more about Yasushi Sashima myself!” Prime Minister Hashima exclaimed.

Despite numerous attempts to investigate, even deploying Appraisal skill users, no one had been able to uncover Yasushi Sashima’s stats or the details of his skills.

It was known that both Yasushi and his partner, Ichika Kobayashi, were at least three-digit-level individuals, but the extent of their power remained unclear.

Adding to the mystery, reports indicated that Yasushi Sashima had been observed simultaneously in multiple locations across the globe—sometimes three or four instances of him in the same area.

This suggested he possessed a Cloning or similar skill capable of producing over 100 clones.

The precise number of clones remained unknown, as not all instances could be observed, meaning the actual count could be far higher.

Each of Yasushi’s clones could easily crush tens of thousands of three-digit-level monsters. Furthermore, his army of Slaughter Machine Dolls—each capable of obliterating tens of thousands of monsters on its own—was estimated to outnumber his clones by a factor of ten.

In other words, Yasushi Sashima possessed the capability to destroy or conquer the entire world in less than an hour if he so desired.

Once within a nation’s borders, conventional defenses like nuclear weapons, poison gas, or biological weapons would become useless. Whether such measures would even be effective against Yasushi remained entirely unknown.

As Prime Minister Hashima reviewed the reports, his heart sank. The sheer scope of Yasushi’s power was beyond comprehension, and the rest of the world had begun to panic.

With Yasushi Sashima holding the power to shape or destroy the world as he pleased, the question on everyone’s mind remained:

What would he do next?

The fifth and final report revealed an unexpected fact: despite the devastation caused by the earthquakes, there were zero casualties caused by the monsters.

This startling truth led to an unsettling conclusion: the greatest threat to the world wasn’t the hundreds of thousands of monsters that caused no harm, but Yasushi Sashima, a single human.

In the face of Yasushi Sashima’s overwhelming power, borders, territories, and national defenses became utterly meaningless.

If he so desired, he could obliterate entire nations with a mere gesture. This terrifying reality drove leaders in numerous countries to loudly demand, “Kill Yasushi Sashima!”

Prime Minister Isao Hashima understood this fear all too well, as well as the desire to eliminate Yasushi.

Even though Yasushi’s background from the vocational training school suggested he wasn’t inherently a bad person—despite some obvious red flags—Hashima couldn’t help but feel a growing dread. What if one day, Yasushi decided to turn his blade against the world?

However, at the same time, Hashima recognized:

“From the reports, it’s clear that Yasushi… if anything, saved the world.”

To Yasushi Sashima, neither borders nor races mattered. He worked tirelessly, appearing all over the globe to exterminate the monsters with remarkable speed, ensuring not a single casualty occurred.

In reality, there were no threats. No destruction.

It was understandable that those who hadn’t seen the situation firsthand feared Yasushi’s overwhelming strength more than the monsters. But the fact remained:

Thanks to Yasushi, there were no casualties caused by the monsters.

This was an undeniable blessing, and Yasushi was undoubtedly a savior to humanity. Hashima firmly believed this.

“Besides,” he muttered, “even if people are scared, we don’t even know how to kill him.”

Acting rashly out of fear and provoking Yasushi, thereby incurring his wrath, would be a far worse outcome—potentially leading to the destruction of a country or even the world.

For now, the best course of action was to reward Yasushi as a hero who had saved the world. Hashima resolved to present him with an award, provide substantial monetary rewards, and offer him as many privileges as possible.

The real concern, however, was how Parliament would react. The fractured state of the government, exacerbated by recent dungeon-related crises, had resulted in a divided legislature. Even within the ruling party, there was no consensus.

“Please,” Hashima thought, “don’t let anyone suggest trying to get rid of Yasushi Sashima.”

If the public opinion shifted toward expelling Yasushi, even as Prime Minister, it would be difficult to suppress such a movement.

And if it came to that, how would Yasushi Sashima respond?

Hashima’s term as Prime Minister was nearing its end.

Given the unstable state of the world, reelection was uncertain.

That’s why Hashima was determined to finalize measures to accommodate Yasushi Sashima before his term concluded.

While humanity alternated between fear and gratitude for Yasushi Sashima, there was one god who was absolutely terrified of him.

“Th-this can’t be real…”

Yasushi had utterly humiliated Zeus, a god whose combat strength was said to rival that of the Supreme God. He had decisively defeated Poseidon, who was believed to be invincible in the ocean.

Even though Poseidon had managed to reduce Yasushi’s HP by half, the fight had ended with Yasushi fully healed, rendering all of Poseidon’s efforts meaningless.

The 128 combat-oriented gods had been completely powerless against him.

Compared to Yasushi, the stats of most gods barely reached the level of a typical upper-class god. While Yasushi’s mana was perhaps comparable to that of the Supreme God, his skills were what truly stood out—many of them appeared to have reached their maximum limit multiple times.

“And he hasn’t even broken through the four-digit level barrier yet? What happens when he steps into the gods’ domain? What will he become? I have to stop him… but fighting him on Earth is too dangerous.

This holy realm is meant to be off-limits to humans, but…”

The god trembled at the thought.

To the Supreme God, this divine realm was akin to Poseidon’s ocean—a place where they held the advantage.

Anywhere else, the thought of facing Yasushi Sashima was too terrifying.

After defeating Zeus, an unfamiliar voice—not the usual mechanical tone—resounded in my mind.

“Yasushi Sashima. As of this moment, the ‘Trial of the Gods’ has ascended to the ‘Trial of the Supreme God.’ Proceed immediately to the divine realm. I shall personally crush you.”

At that moment, a gate materialized before me, leading to a place beyond this world.

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