My Power to Ignore Enemy Abilities Lets Me Rule Another World

"Though that's what you say, the effect of this river water isn't enough to trouble me. With my abilities, I can easily disregard it. 

But I have no intention of opposing Avik right now. 

He seems far too serious at the moment, a stark contrast to his earlier sickly demeanor. 

Moreover, Avik's familiarity with this area surpasses my imagination, as if he has been here countless times. 

He is the guide, and I am the guest. Thinking about it like this, it does feel a bit like a sightseeing trip. 

To pass the time, I reached into my coat and took out a black short sword sheathed in an ebony scabbard. 

This was something I scavenged from the first enemy I encountered after coming to this world. Thinking it might come in handy, I kept it with me. 

At the time, I also found an engraved plaque on that person. I didn't pay attention to what was written on it then, but now I find myself a bit curious. 

I carefully examined the short sword in my hand. Its blade occasionally emitted a sinister glint, while its hilt, made of some kind of wood, appeared ordinary enough. 

What kind of power does this sword hold? That remains unknown for now. 

So far, I've only used this sword once, against a man named Kozou Tadokoro. After being stabbed, he let out a strange howl and then died. I'm not sure if it was the sword's doing. 

Setting aside the strange howl, the fact that a mere stab could instantly take a life already proves the high value of this short sword. 

Does the sword's effect involve instant death? Or perhaps something similar? For now, I'm not sure, but I'll need to find more opportunities to test it. 

I returned the sword to its sheath and tucked it back into my coat, turning my attention back to the scenery along the way. 

Looking up, the sky here was a pale green. Though it was daytime, a brilliant starry sky stretched above, something that should only be visible at night. Coupled with the numerous streaks of blue mist scattered across the sky, the scene was truly otherworldly. 

This mist extended along the route ahead of the ship as well. 

Something felt off. 

"These mists… what are they?" 

I turned to Avik, who showed no sign of avoiding them. 

And so, we were gradually engulfed by the thick blue mist, our surroundings dyed a deep azure. 

"'Istvanthis Miasma,' another creation of that deity," Avik explained. 

"Is this mist harmful to the human body?" 

"Yes, but it's far less dangerous than the cursed water. Ordinary people who come into contact with it would suffer severe symptoms, including body decay and madness—but you're not ordinary, are you?" 

"So this mist has no effect on 'stronger individuals' like us?" 

"No, I mean... your ability to nullify negative effects. The one you demonstrated during the Royal City Defense Battle." 

"You want me to use my ability on this mist?" 

"Exactly. It would save us a lot of trouble, especially since fighting 'that thing' within this mist would be quite the hassle." 

"And what exactly is 'that thing'?" 

"You'll see soon enough." 

Since Avik insisted— 

'—Completely negate the effects embedded in this thick mist.' 

As I spoke, the vast expanse of deep blue mist vanished instantly, leaving no trace. 

Avik shot me a faintly surprised glance. 

"So you've dispersed it just like that…" 

"My ability passively ignores any harmful 'setting' and actively nullifies any form of setting." 

"You can even make the mist itself disappear?" 

"No, I don't know why the mist dissipated." 

"And that creature's presence is gone too." 

"What exactly was 'that creature'?" 

"No need to dwell on it. Prepare to disembark; we're nearing land." 

It was only then that I noticed the long-awaited sight of land ahead. 

Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a small island. Faint outlines of dilapidated houses could be seen, with broken poles and strange flying objects circling overhead, creating an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a horror movie. 

As the ship drew closer to the island, Avik's expression grew increasingly grim…