Shepherding Humanity

Translator's Note:

Well… that happened. Picking back up a tertiary hobby once you've fallen out of the habit of updating regularly was more difficult than expected. The internet is full of distractions, and there's always a new series to binge on and a new game to play if you don't carefully manage your time, lol.

Still, just dropping this series in the middle of nowhere doesn't sit right with me, so I'm back again. At the very least, I'll absolutely keep going until Xu Zhi gets his cancer cured, and the arc in which it happens closes. After that… well, we'll see, haha.

******

Babylon, year 804, in the grand hall of the Royal Palace.

Grantham, who was sitting on his high throne was just as anxious as Medusa.

"Why is Medusa not dead yet? She’s over 650 years old, any ordinary Epic Witch would be long dead by now!"

Much like Medusa, Grantham also wanted to outlast his opponent.

He intended to get rid of a ticking time bomb befotre he died, and clear the way for Empress Ermin so that his successor would be able to reign over a peaceful world.

The two mightiest beings in the world were now locked in an endurance contest to see who would die first of old age!

With the help of countless netizens, he had created a medicine that could extend his lifespan.

While Medusa could only rely on herself and had a difficult time, she also managed to extend her lifespan.

Both of them had their own methods and were confident that they would outlast their opponent.

Medusa was a native of the magic World and did not have access to modern science and technology, but she was a true genius who forged ahead on the path of Magic. Her “Road to Ascension” was still rough, but she did break through her limits as a living organism and was beginning to put her genetic structure in order.

Through studying the microscopic world, she had realized that the Epic Seventh Level was humanity’s absolute limit!

If one wanted to breakthrough to the next level and ascend, surpassing humanity by taking in another gene and becoming a higher level lifeform was a must!

On this day, the Emperor of Alchemy contemplatively sat on his high throne.

He looked at his disciple, Ermin, who was standing below and spoke: "As expected of the Empress of Death, Medusa… I couldn’t outlast her after all. 500 years is the absolute limit of my lifespan."

"I could not get rid of Medusa during my reign, and she’s sure to break out of the seal and bring calamity to the world after my death. Ermin, it’s all up to you now."

"I understand, teacher." Ermin murmured.

For a while afterwards, Grantham remained silent.

It looked like he had no choice but to rely on the Evil God of Destruction that would soon enter this world. He was confident that the Players would be able to deal with the slippery and cunning Medusa. When it came to mind games, those lunatics wouldn’t lose to anyone.

He still maintained contact with the outside world, and took the occasional 10 minutes break to eat, go to the toilet, and browse the game forums.

Ermin was the forum’s idol, and those loony players all admired her.

Beautiful pictures of her occupied the posters hanging in their rooms and the wallpapers on their PCs.

Certain websites were even selling “Ermin Dakimakuras” and “Ermin Figurines”, with a monthly sales figure in the tens of thousands.

Ermin was a peerless beauty with the aura of a saint. With magic staff in hand and garbed in her beautiful witches’ robes, she was a goddess incarnate. Furthermore, she was both passionate and determined, and her wish to get her friend back resonated with everyone…

She was the idol of countless otakus who regarded her as their “2D waifu”.

They had followed the livestream of her dangerous journey alongside the Emperor of Alchemy like they’d read a visual novel or watch a movie starring Ermin as the main character. As they watched her slowly mature from a naive young girl over the course of her journey, they had all fallen in love with her.

Now that they could enter her world, it was like they were fans who could enter their favorite movie or anime to meet their favorite character. How could they not be ecstatic?

"We made this giant god so that we could leave the beginner’s village and enter the other world! I want to get an autograph from my goddess!"

"All hail Ermin! (💗)"

"Hahaha! As long as you’re a fan of Ermin, then we’re all brothers in arms! (💪)"

"Brothers? F*ck off! Aren’t you all trying to NTR me? Empress Ermin is my waifu! (💢)"

"Dude, wasn't Rem your waifu?"

"She's my ex-wife!"

……

Everyone was super excited. These people had all become Ermin’s loyal fans.

They were all in a frenzy to enter the other world, declaring that they’ll get Ermin's autograph and steal her away, keeping her beauty for themselves. For the sake of their waifu, they’d break through the barrier between 2D and 3D to marry Ermin and reach the pinnacle of their lives…

Grantham: ? ? ? ?

You b*stards! What are you going to do to my beloved disciple?

He pictured an Evil God breaking into pieces as its individual body parts engaged in civil war for the sake of a woman. It would make for quite an interesting scene.

What a bunch of shameless little b*stards.

He made a miserable face. "If it were up to me, I wouldn't let them enter… In the near future, an apocalyptic Evil God would cross countless dimensions and break through the stellar passage to descend upon this world. But! This Evil God only wants an autograph from its idol and has no intention of destroying the world! How would Ermin react when faced with her Evil God fanboy who’s a towering giant with a size comparable to that of the Creator’s? I’m sure she’ll be very confused."

Again, it would make for quite an interesting scene.

He truly couldn’t predict how things would turn out. These players don’t follow common sense at all, okay? !

But he would do what he could. Sitting on his high throne, he looked down at the countless ministers gathered below in the audience chamber and loudly proclaimed: "Ermin, from today onwards, you will succeed me as the next monarch!"

"Teacher…."

The tall and slender Ermin wept. Her serene and beautiful face was full of grief. She understood well what this meant.

"After I die, entomb me within the Hanging Gardens of Babylon." After a moment of silence, Grantham stood.

The dying Emperor of Alchemy chose to silently leave the throne room and spend the final moments of his life in front of the Temple of Wisdom, gazing at the statue of the God of Wisdom, Hermes.

He silently stood before the Temple of Wisdom for three days and three nights, his gaze somber and contemplative. Like a resting old lion, he gazed at the distant blue sky in the horizon as his life flashed before him.

The beginning of his journey, when he first transmigrated, and his meeting with those evil witches in the forest.

The bleak and dark years he spent as an “X-Rated Product”.

The seven cute little witches.

Lilith, Medusa, the Hanging Gardens, the Giant Adolphus, the search for the Gods in heaven, the Comeback after Old Age…

Suddenly, the Emperor of Alchemy smiled. He felt relieved and at peace with himself. “My life as the Ruling Emperor was eventful and glorious. I have no regrets."

Returning from his trip down the memory lane, he looked at the statue standing tall above the holy temple.

"I only have one question: Are my achievements comparable to those of the Three Witches of yesteryear? Am I truly the greatest Magic Emperor in history? Oh great God of Wisdom, Mercury! Back then, when I flew up into heaven for an audience with the gods, I was turned away at the gates, but I still wish for an audience with your august self. Won’t you let me meet you today?"

This was the final wish of the dying hero.

In the outside world, Xu Zhi sighed and silently put down his lunchbox. "I will honor your dying wish, like with the Three Witches before you, and with Gilgamesh before that. You have all advanced my civilization and were each the pioneers of a glorious new era."

It was much easier for him to enter the Magic World now that he had a player account and a spore-generated avatar.

"Could it be that I'm still not qualified enough for an audience…"

Seven days passed, then ten days… through it all, Gratham remained standing at attention before Hermes’ statue. But nothing happened. As his consciousness slowly faded, he knew that his final hour had come.

It was at this moment that an exotic black bird descended, bathed in holy light.

Wreathed in a blazing halo, the bird slowly approached him, speaking to him in a gentle and resonant voice:

"Grantham, your accomplishments are not inferior to any hero of ancient myths! The world will forever remember your glory! Your lifetime as the Emperor of Alchemy will forever occupy a spot in the collective memory of the heavenly gods!"

The ancient Slime wearing a radiant golden crown was already on the verge of losing consciousness, but it seems like he heard this proclamation all the same.

His dying body shook with emotion, and he smiled a smile full of satisfaction.

"I am truly honored to have gained the recognition of the heavenly gods."

"The Spear of Witchcraft" thus recorded a new entry in the history of the Kingdom of Babylon:

[In the 804th year of the Kingdom of Babylon, the Emperor of Alchemy passed away after reigning for over 500 years. The entire world mourned his passing, and the God of Wisdom, Mercury, descended to send him on his way.]