Supreme Bishop of Fontaine

"In other words, if we want the Supreme Bishop to participate in the battle, we must have one of Astraea and Themis."

"It's also worth noting that once these two characters are equipped to the Supreme Bishop, they can no longer fight alone. For example, if you add the Supreme Bishop to a team and equip Astraea to the Supreme Bishop, you can no longer add Astraea to the team."

"Of course, players who don't have Astraea and Themis yet don't have to worry, because during the Supreme Bishop's card pool, Themis will also have the opportunity to be reprinted..."

Interlude: The First Boss

"I'm Hecate. You can also call me Nuwa."

"I know, it's Hecate, right? Nuwa is a name from ancient times. It's a very old show, a tear of the times, and no young people remember it."

"Top Seat is indeed my name, although few people call me that now."

"I don't understand. Please explain in detail."

Sitting in a beautiful mountaintop pavilion at night, the summer breeze is warm and the tea is sweet.

On the other side of the night was a girl with light blue hair and a large white hat on her head.

The image is indeed the leader of the three pillars of the masquerade organization in "Shakugan no Shana", the top seat Hecate.

Although her own self-introduction seems a little different.

"Do you know how big the universe is?"

"This sudden question is a bit confusing... No one can truly know the size of the universe or the Earth, so what is your answer?"

"The universe is an infinitely large world."

"and then?"

"Then, if you were to escape from this infinite world of the universe, what kind of place do you think you would end up in?"

"Since the universe is infinite, is there any place outside of it? And how can we escape from the infinite universe and go outside of it?"

"In other words, you think there's no such thing as something outside the universe?"

"Didn't you say the universe is infinite?"

"Unfortunately, although the universe is indeed infinite, I have pulled you outside of it."

"Then please explain what kind of place is outside the infinite universe?"

"It's another world as infinite as the universe."

"...How about a detailed explanation?"

"The universe is infinite. Because it is infinite, there is no other space outside the universe that encompasses it—if it existed, the universe would not be considered 'infinite.' However, this does not mean that there is nothing outside the universe."

The light blue-haired girl's tone was calm and unwavering:

"Outside the universe, there are an infinite number of equally infinite worlds. These infinitely large worlds overlap with each other, forming the real [world]. If you leave the universe, you won't reach a space that encompasses the universe, because no such space exists in the [world]—instead, you will only reach another equally infinite world that completely overlaps with the universe."

"I think I understand... So what exactly do you want to say? You pulled me out of the universe, but which world did you pull me to? And why did you pull me here? Seriously, am I really not dreaming now?"

"Among an infinite number of infinitely vast worlds, there's one world that's a little bit special. This world evolves from the fantasies of other worlds, evolving into one fantasy world after another. It's the aggregation of all fantasies. These fantasy worlds differ in their worldviews, but they share one thing in common: they all develop strictly according to the plot settings within that worldview."

The light blue-haired girl continued her explanation calmly.

"Because it's a world based on fantasy, it will naturally conform to the plot of the work that fantasy represents - in short, no matter what, the fantasy world will definitely develop according to the plot setting."

"What you're trying to say is that people in a fantasy world can't escape the constraints of a work's plot, and can't escape the worldview set by a work, right?"

Ye nodded to show that he understood, and then he had some questions.

"So what's your situation?"

For example, the demons in the world of Magical Index are otherworldly beings in the plot - but this is actually a setting under the world view of Magical Index.

The setting and plot of the work determine the development of the fantasy world. Even if the demon god transcends the world in the setting, it is obviously unable to truly transcend the setting and plot under the world view.

A world formed by fantasy will inevitably develop according to the plot settings of fantasy works. Hecate seems to want to explain this - but there is a problem.

"So what's your situation?"

If we understand according to Hecate's words, then it is obvious that Hecate is a person in the fantasy world of "Shakugan no Shana".

If that were the case, she should be bound by the plot and setting of "Shakugan no Shana", but the current situation is...

"An unexpected event occurred."

Hecate said lightly:

"This world, which has evolved into countless fantasy worlds, is of the same order as the universe and is equally infinite in size. At a certain moment, this world was invaded by an outsider."

"Outsiders?"

"Everything in the fantasy world will develop according to the plot of the fantasy work. No one in the fantasy world can escape the constraints of the plot and setting - this premise is that there is no interference from external forces."

"What I mean is, there are travelers who have changed the plots of many fantasy worlds, causing changes in the development of those fantasy worlds?"

"That's correct."

Hecate stared silently into the night, her pale lips slightly parted.

"Like the so-called butterfly effect, this unexpected intruder caused the world to shift little by little. Initially, it was just the people within each fantasy world who began to transcend the constraints of the plot. But then, at a certain moment, another unexpected event occurred—someone born within the fantasy world actually transcended the constraints of their worldview and gained power no less than the world itself."

"The demon god in the world of Magical Index has gained power that is no less than that of the world of Magical Index, and thus transcended the constraints of the world of Magical Index."

"The saints of the prehistoric worldview have gained power no less than that of the prehistoric world, thus transcending the constraints of the prehistoric worldview."

"The Star God of the Collapsed World View has gained power no less than that of the Collapsed World View, thus transcending the constraints of the Collapsed World View."

“That’s probably what it means.”

"They share the same level as the world, wielding its power. They can change its settings at will, create worlds, and tamper with its worldview. For such beings, you can call them 'Lord Gods'."

"In short, at a certain moment, the first 'Lord God', transcending the constraints of worldviews, was born in this world. Then came the second, the third, the tenth, the hundredth... From then on, 'this world' was completely changed."

"I see." Ye nodded again, finally understanding: "Does this mean that you are one of the main gods who has transcended the constraints of that worldview and is on the same level as the world?"

"No, that's not the case."

Unexpectedly, Hecate denied this reasonable inference.

"The Lord God cannot pull people from the 'Universe' into this world. I am higher in rank than the Lord God, one of the only sixteen Emperors in this world."

"Excuse me, sir."

The Lord God refers to an existence that transcends the worldview of the fantasy world in which one is born. So, does the Emperor refer to an existence that has transcended "this world"?

After speculating in his mind for a while, Ye asked calmly, "So, as great as you are, why did you drag someone from outside this world like me into this world?"

"For a game."

"game?"

"A game between emperors."

"Please explain briefly and concisely."

Hecate was silent for a moment, as if organizing her words, before she calmly said, "The Emperor is omniscient and omnipotent."

"You're showing off for no reason? Is that your personality?"

"However, there is more than one Emperor, so omniscience and omnipotence are refuted."

"Even if there is only one, being omniscient and omnipotent is still a refutation, right?"

"If I am the only Emperor, then your refutation is just your opinion. It has nothing to do with me. Because in my own understanding, there is nothing in this world that I cannot do—except killing other Emperors."

"Who was the first emperor to be born? Why didn't you try to prevent other emperors from being born?"

"I am the first emperor to be born."

"..."

"But what you say is impossible. If it were possible, I wouldn't be saying that omniscience and omnipotence are refuted because of the existence of multiple emperors."

"........."

"When I became the Emperor, I already knew that fifteen more Emperors would be born after me, but I couldn't interfere."

Hecate said calmly:

"I'm supposed to be omniscient, but when it comes to other emperors, I'm not omniscient. I'm supposed to be omnipotent, but when it comes to other emperors, I'm not omnipotent. Therefore, the emperor's omniscience and omnipotence have become a refutation."

"...So, what does this topic have to do with the game between the emperors you mentioned?"

"This game will determine the only one who is omniscient and omnipotent."

“…………What do you mean?”

"This is a joint decision made by all the Emperors. We will combine our authority into one, abandoning the power of the omniscient and omnipotent Emperors, and decide the outcome in a single game."

Hecate's face was calm, and her tone was calm as she said:

"The ultimate winner will become the only omniscient and omnipotent God."

"........."

After hearing what Hecate said, Ye took a moment to digest it.

Lots of information.

It is very big, indeed.

but……

"What does this have to do with me?"

If you big guys want to play games, then go ahead and play them. Although I love the two-dimensional world very much and I am very happy that the fantasy of the two-dimensional world actually exists, the two-dimensional world has nothing to do with me no matter what, right?

It doesn't matter to me what you like, right?

Even if there really is an omniscient and omnipotent God, what does it have to do with an ordinary human like me?

"This game requires your participation."

Hecate is concise and to the point.

Ye Ye said succinctly: "I refuse."

"why?"

"I'm just an ordinary human being. I can't participate in the games between you emperors, nor do I have the interest to do so. So please send me home."

"Sorry, you don't have the right to refuse."

"I'm starting to hate you. Please don't ruin my love for Hecate, okay?"

"I have my reasons for looking for you." Hecate's eyes gazed calmly at Ye, and she said calmly, "It's not that I found you, but that I must have you."

"Can you tell me the reason?"

"No."

"I hate you even more. Can you show me some animation? I want to get my love for you back."

"Do you like sleeping with my pillow? I'm really dissatisfied with one thing. Why does she only hug me once a month? But that Coral Palace Heart Sea does it twice? Is she prettier than me? Or is it because she wears more erotic clothes?"

"That's enough, let's end this topic here."

Ye raised his hand to stop the topic from continuing, ending it before a more embarrassing topic arose.

"Since you can't refuse, then tell me what your game is?"

"Struggle for world sovereignty."

"A new term has appeared. Please explain it."

"Regarding 'this world', we named it 'Fantasy Heaven'. Countless fantasies constitute countless worlds, and the 'world' that evolves and accommodates all these fantasy worlds is 'Fantasy Heaven'."

Hecate's voice was as calm as ever.

"Then, for these countless fantasy worlds, we have established world sovereignty, a mechanism that can control the world. As long as you obtain the world sovereignty of a world, it is equivalent to obtaining ownership of the world. At the same time, world sovereignty has other functions, but I don't need to explain them to you for now."

"So what are the rules of the game?"

"look up."

Ye slowly raised his head and looked at the huge hourglass floating in the sky.

Asking Ye to look up was obviously to let him see this thing.

"The time limit is before the last grain of sand in the hourglass runs out. When the game time is over, whoever can obtain more world sovereignty will be the ultimate winner."