NOVEL NEXT Chapter 57: • Final Boss in Disguise
『Advisory: Direct descent to Vyrathia is not required. Host may alter appearance using approved glamour magic.』
Lunareio sat at the edge of a cushioned divan, half-slouched, chin resting on his fingers. His other hand lazily twirled a fragment of moonlight between his fingers, like one might toy with a lock of hair when bored. Across from him floated a transparent purple screen.
Guardian.
Lunareio tilted his head, then smiled.
"Ah… so you're saying I can disguise myself?"
He gave a slow, deliberate smile, revealing his razor-sharp teeth.
"In other words… I can walk into a country looking like a tired librarian."
『Affirmative. Stealth glamour approved. Projected form parameters: mortal-class presence, minimal signature, reduced intimidation aura.』
He laughed softly, leaning back.
"So basically… I get to stroll around like some final boss disguised as a background character... and then I'll pop up outta nowhere and be the hero who claims all the glory... I must admit, Guardian, I'm starting to like this deterrent force job."
『That is because you possess a shallow and vain personality.』
"I prefer the term 'aesthetically driven.' Shallow makes it sound cheap. But I guess you wouldn't understand... you're just software, after all."
The plan was perfect. Honestly, at this point, I had already accepted that my life from here on out was going to be absolutely peak... maybe a bit crazy—being a dream-eating god and leader of a cult and all that—but even I, with all my supposed otherworldly knowledge, couldn't anticipate what came next.
So get this—this was the long and short of it:
Disguise myself.
Show up.
Find the threat.
Neutralize it.
Look absolutely stunning while doing so.
That was the plan.
But as we all know…
Not everything in life goes according to plan.
And with my luck? Honestly, such was to be expected.
A sweet voice drifted beside me—soft, velvety, almost too pleasant for this dusty, rattling train.
"My lord, we are arriving at the border city. I've already secured accommodations at one of the finest inns available."
Ah. Of course she had.
I sighed, long and slow—not out of annoyance, but because that seemed to be my default setting lately.
"I see," I murmured, turning to look at her.
There she sat—Lilith—with her deep purple curls bouncing slightly with every bump of the train, a white silken blindfold wrapped neatly around her eyes, her posture refined yet relaxed as she leaned gently against my shoulder. And then… of course… there were the assets.
Yes. Those assets.
Enormous, proud, and entirely too distracting, they pressed against her tightly laced bodice with scandalous indifference.
She sat there, the picture of innocence, resting against me like some helpless maid on a romantic getaway. A few men sitting further down the cabin were already sneaking glances, their expressions flickering between admiration and envy.
Poor fools.
They had no idea they were looking at a walking divine red flag wrapped in soft curves and madness. She was less of a woman and more of a very polite apocalypse in a dress.
Thanks to the Guardian's recommendation, I had successfully altered my appearance. My once-lustrous silver hair was now short, tousled, and black. The horns? Gone—fully retracted. Eyes? A striking purple now, by my own insistence.
The rest of me had been shrunk, trimmed, and diluted into something you'd expect to see being ignored at a tavern counter.
Average build.
Average height.
Plain clothes.
Very low threat level.
In other words, I looked exactly like I did before I became divine.
Yup. I was back to when I was just Rikuya, an unimpressive high school student with no particular reason for anyone to remember his name.
Except, of course, for the purple eyes. That bit was non-negotiable. I liked the look.
As for my outfit, I was dressed like a slightly well-off adventurer—the kind of guy you'd expect to have a few solid kills under his belt but still couldn't afford enchanted boots.
The entire outfit, deceptively plain—although naming the set would be difficult since I'm not used to what they're called in this world—but it looked good enough. Also, it was crafted overnight by Eirian.
The Snow Elf probably could've forged armor for a bunch of gods if he weren't already doing so for me... and here I thought the dwarves were the better blacksmiths.
My divine eyes could see it—the stitching, the layering, the protective runes hidden in the seams. Ordinary on the outside. Indestructible on the inside.
If I were back on earth, I'd be giving this guy a raise... Wait is he even getting paid?
"..."
Anyways.
Now, I know what you're thinking.
You remember I mentioned Lilith earlier.
Yes, she followed me.
But this time?
No horns. No tail.
Technically, this was her human form, though calling it "human" was generous. A snake in lace is still a snake.
I can already hear the follow-up questions:
How did she end up tagging along?
Why is the priestess-slash-devotee-slash-unholy menace riding trains with the Moon God in disguise?
Valid questions.
I sighed again—a little deeper this time.
Of course she followed me.
It happened earlier.
Right after the Guardian gave me the suggestion—disguise yourself, go on a low-profile mission, track down the anomaly—all the usual divine protocol nonsense. I agreed, naturally. Stealth was the smarter option. But there was one problem:
I had absolutely no idea how any of this cult management stuff actually worked.
I mean, sure, I'm technically their god. The moon incarnate. The luminous one. Keeper of celestial secrets. Blah, blah, titles, titles. But when it comes to organizing my followers, making decrees, holding sermons?
Yeah. I'm kind of... winging it.
The last thing I wanted was to disappear mysteriously and spark some kind of religious panic.
"Oh no, the Luminous One has ascended!"
"Has he abandoned us?"
"Was it something we said?"
—You know… dramatics.
So, like a reasonable guy, I decided I'd just quietly inform Lilith, and let her pass along the message to the rest of the cult.
Casual. Efficient. No announcements. No glowing eyes. No celestial thunder booming in the sanctum.
Just a quick: "Hey, I'm heading out for a bit. Tell the others. Keep the worship humming."
Simple plan.
Guess how it played out?
"You can't leave without an escort, my lord."
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A/N:
Hey there, lovely readers! Yes, it's me—your wayward storyteller who vanished...
First off, I owe you all a tiny apology for the criminal lack of updates lately.
Life threw some curveballs, my motivation went on strike, and honestly… I came this close to shelving the book entirely.
Why?
Well, it's been tough seeing the story not do so well. The stats weren't statting, the vibes weren't vibing, and my motivation meter was reading "critically low."
I really thought, maybe this is the end of the road for this novel...
But then… they came.
The unexpected hero: ZeroLucifer3248.
While the world was silent, they kept showing up. Quietly. Consistently. Faithfully.
Their support—power stones, golden tickets—even when so tiny… was like finding a candle still burning in a long-forgotten hallway. It reminded me that even if the world doesn't always clap, someone is still listening. Someone still believes in the story. In me.
So here I am—brushing off the dust, wrangling the plot gremlins, and preparing to dive back in.
All thanks to one reader who didn't give up.
Thanks, ZeroLucifer3248—you're the real MVP.
The secret character keeping this novel alive.
See y'all tomorrow with the next chapter ( ╹▽╹ )