Originally Posted by
Kraco
But Orsted is willing to slay anyone associated with the Man-god in any way, not just those serving the Man-god. That would contradict with your theory. It would mean Orsted would have liked to kill the past Orsted, that is, himself, as he would have been associated with the Man-god. Your theory should, instead, make Orsted sympathetic with those who are being manipulated by the Man-god, but he definitely is not. He spared Rudeus because Nanahoshi convinced him allowing Rudeus to live might allow him to track down the Man-god or learn more about his plans, if memory serves.
I reckon they are simply enemies. Maybe they fought face to face in the past, when the Man-god still had a corporeal body (assuming he once had), or maybe Orsted managed to learn about the Man-god's nefarious plot in the past and is still fighting against it. Or maybe the various "gods" in that world simply don't like the Man-god and want to get rid of him, including removing all knowledge of him. Who knows.