〈Episode 25. Those Who Face God (1)〉
After arriving at the royal castle of Veronica, our party rested for an entire day.
Then, early the next morning, I woke up before anyone else, informed the group of the plan, and stood at the entrance of the royal castle. Lee Hyunsung asked,
"Don't tell me you're planning to depart alone?"
"Not alone. I'll be going with those two."
When I pointed to Han Sooyoung and Asuka Ren, Lee Jihye grumbled.
"Then what are we supposed to do if you just leave like that, old man?"
"You and Hyunsung will be in charge of defending Veronica. You checked the updated scenario, right?"
"...Protect 'Royal Castle Veronica' until the scenario period ends?"
"Right. That's your mission."
"But..."
"Do it."
"...Okay."
I then turned straight to Lee Hyunsung.
"Chief Gong is here, but with just [Armed Fortress], it'll be difficult to hold back the incoming disasters. I'm sorry for leaving everything to you like this, but..."
"Area defense is my specialty, so please don't worry."
His confident declaration was reassuring, but I knew it wouldn't be easy. Although it looked like I was assigning them the easier task, in truth, staying behind would be far harder than coming with me in this scenario.
"If a first-round entrant or 'Snake' appears, do not engage head-on. Even if you have to abandon Veronica, you must escape. Can you promise me that?"
"I promise."
Their mission was to protect this fortress until I returned.
I also gave repeated instructions to Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung.
"Secure as many insects and monsters as possible. Your mission is to buy time."
Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung nodded.
"If you go out to the northern forest, there are plenty of monster species unique to this world. Whenever you have time, go there and tame them."
"Yes, hyung."
"Got it, mister."
A large number of monsters would help, even slightly, to close the power gap against the disasters. And in the process, the kids' proficiency would increase significantly as well.
I left Royal Castle Veronica immediately. As Han Sooyoung watched the party seeing us off from behind, she spoke.
"So where are we going?"
"The eastern rocky wasteland."
At that, Asuka Ren said in surprise,
"That area is already under Japan's control."
"I know."
I looked Asuka Ren straight in the eyes.
A short bob with a soft curl. A bold, well-defined face, as if carefully drawn by a manga artist. Rather than simple beauty, her face carried something like the integrity of a warrior.
"That's why I brought you along."
"Do you trust me?"
"I don't. I just want to be repaid for saving your life."
"...I see."
Saying it this way would make it easier to gain the other party's goodwill. In fact, Asuka Ren looked as if she were deep in thought. When that contemplation ended, she would probably start giving me information in earnest.
For a while, we thoroughly scouted the area near the plains as we moved toward the rocky wasteland.
The expected travel time was two days, but if we pushed ourselves, we could arrive within a single day.
Han Sooyoung asked,
"But what's the plan?"
"Unlike us, Japan possesses the [Absolute Throne]. In other words, among the first-round entrants, there's an 'Absolute King' who commands all of them."
After pondering my words, Han Sooyoung said,
"...Don't tell me you're planning to take out the king?"
As expected, Han Sooyoung was quick to understand.
I nodded.
"Well...that would solve things, I guess. When the owner of the [Absolute Throne] dies, it has a massive impact on the entire subordinate group..."
"Of course, killing the king won't make all of them die, but until the scenario ends, they won't be able to do anything."
"Hm, so you're saying we clear the boss right from the start and call it a day? I like the ambition."
That was when Asuka Ren cut in.
"...Do you even know who the Japanese king is before saying that?"
"Isn't it the Eight-Headed Ruler?"
The Eight-Headed Ruler. Nicknamed 'Snake.'
"H-How do you know that...?"
Asuka Ren shuddered violently in shock.
That was understandable. As one of the first-round entrants, she would know exactly what kind of existence the "Eight-Headed Ruler" was.
For the record, "Eight-Headed Ruler" wasn't a nickname for the Japanese king, but a modifier for the constellation behind him. The reason it didn't have a nickname was simple—there was no point in having one.
"You must have heard the modifier from somewhere, but that being is absolutely not as easy as you think—"
"I know its true name as well. Yamata no Orochi, isn't it?"
The moment I said that, the sky darkened, and a rumbling sound echoed—kugugugu.
For a moment, I wondered if it had heard my words just now.
That was how powerful a constellation's true name was.
"...Orochi? Isn't that the name of a monster from Japanese mythology?"
"That's right. That thing is the current Japanese king."
"Then why do you call it a constellation? Doesn't it have a nickname?"
"There's no meaning to it. That thing's incarnation isn't sane anymore. Over the course of six scenarios, he made a ridiculous contract with the 'Eight-Headed Ruler' and had his soul taken away."
After hearing that, Asuka Ren was now standing there with her mouth hanging open. It was only natural—someone from another country's incarnation knew more about her own nation's situation than she did.
"Then it's in the rocky wasteland."
"Yeah. But we can't take it down right now even if we meet it. We need preparation. The reason we're going to the rocky wasteland is to meet someone else."
"Someone else? What… Yoo Joonghyuk?"
"Someone stronger than Yoo Joonghyuk."
"...There's someone stronger than him?"
"There is."
"Who?"
"A powerhouse from Peace Land."
At my words, Han Sooyoung let out a hollow laugh.
"From Peace Land? Are you kidding me right now?"
It was understandable that she'd react that way.
This information doesn't come out before the 100th regression.
"Do you have any idea how weak the people here are?"
Without even giving me a chance to answer, Han Sooyoung snapped.
For some reason, she looked unusually agitated.
"There isn't even a sword master here—there isn't even a third-rate swordsman! And the only magic these people can use is barely enough to light a stove!"
I knew that already.
"This isn't some first-generation fantasy novel or anything… It's like someone maliciously gathered only weaklings. No, I seriously don't get it. Those stimulation-loving goblin bastards—why would they choose a world like this as the stage? Do they even want to earn coins?"
Listening to her, I could understand why Han Sooyoung was so worked up.
Even if she was a plagiarist, she'd still been a successful fantasy novelist.
"Calm down. This world wasn't made by goblins."
"What?"
I turned to the side.
There stood a woman with her face bright red, head lowered. Criticizing an author's work in front of another author—this was a new experience.
After hesitating for a long while, Asuka Ren bowed deeply and spoke.
"I'm sorry."
Only then did Han Sooyoung seem to realize something.
"Wait… don't tell me—?"
Asuka Ren slowly nodded.
"...[Peace Land] is a world I created."
Perhaps Asuka Ren should never have said those words.
At first, Han Sooyoung couldn't hide her shock, muttering things like, "Is that for real?" But five minutes later, she was mumbling, "Well, my novel became reality too, so I guess it's possible." Another five minutes after that, she started outright bombarding Asuka Ren.
"Why did you do it?"
"...…"
"Huh? Why did you do it? Answer me, Ms. Author. Why did you make the world like this?"
After enduring the scolding for a long time, Ren finally spoke, half in tears.
"Well… in Japan, it's all isekai stories. So…"
"Oh, I see. So you made this crap to rebel against the mainstream isekai trend?"
"B-But even if you become an author, you can't just churn out those mass-produced stories, right?"
"Mass-pro-duced?"
Somehow, it felt like she'd said something she really shouldn't have.
"Your work isn't even as good as mass-produced trash, idiot."
"…Excuse me?"
Han Sooyoung glared at Asuka Ren like she was pathetic, then turned to me.
"Hey, Kim Dokja. Did you know this? I figured it out while staying in Veronica for a few days—counts in this world talk down to dukes. And those guys calling themselves knights all look like pretty boy gigolos who can barely sway around—"
"W-Wait a second!"
"Shut up. We're going through all this crap because of you."
"…It's true that I made it, but I didn't call you here, you know?"
"Oh, look at this bitch. You told the goblins to make your world into reality, didn't you? Your manga tanked anyway! You must've prayed like, 'Throw everyone who trashed my manga into my world and kill them all!' And then suddenly—bam—you got some message like, 'I shall grant your wish.' Right?"
That was the most creative deduction I'd heard in a while.
Maybe not just anyone could be an author after all.
"N-No! That's not it! There's no way something like that is even possible!"
"Then what is it?"
Listening to them, I became curious too.
Even in Ways of Survival, there was no explanation for why Asuka Ren's [Peace Land] had been chosen as a scenario.
If I could learn the truth behind this, maybe I'd gain a hint about the author of Ways of Survival as well.
"Well, that is—"
That was when Han Sooyoung and I drew our swords at the same time.
Startled, Asuka Ren staggered back a step.
I spoke.
"I'm really curious, but now doesn't seem like the time to hear it."
"What?"
"Run!"
A split second later, several sharp shuriken embedded themselves into the spot where we had been standing.
Only then did Asuka Ren, pale-faced, desperately chase after us.
Han Sooyoung shouted,
"Shit—when did they start following us?"
"They're good at stealth."
"How many?"
"Four."
Despite having skills like that, they didn't underestimate us and chose assassination instead.
We have no chance in a frontal fight.
Asuka Ren, panting heavily, spoke.
"They're probably the Wind Shadow Squad. Subordinates of the 'Eight-Headed Ruler.'"
"Figures. Island nation kids sure know how to give things flashy names."
It wasn't even the right timing for them to be chasing us yet—mentioning Orochi's true name earlier must have been a mistake.
Once we entered the rocky wasteland, our freedom of movement improved somewhat.
That was thanks to Asuka Ren's guidance.
As expected, an author who created the world itself was on another level.
Even so, the distance kept closing, and before long, the Wind Shadow Squad was right on our heels.
Han Sooyoung spoke as if she'd made up her mind.
"Ah, screw it. Kim Dokja, you go on ahead. I'll buy you some time."
"Will you be okay?"
"You know me, right? I'm a master at playing dead."
"Then I'll trust you."
I grabbed Asuka Ren and ran.
"Ms. Ren, we really don't have time anymore. We need to find him quickly."
"I—I don't know what you're talking about."
"Returnee Kyrios."
"What?"
I spoke while deflecting a flying shuriken.
Looks like Han Sooyoung let a few of them slip through.
"Please tell me where Kyrios is."
"...I don't know who that is."
I'd expected her to respond like this.
Even in Ways of Survival, it only mentioned that Kyrios was here during this time—there was never a scene where he was met directly.
"No. You do know."
"I really don't! I never created a character like that!"
Asuka Ren shouted desperately.
"He doesn't appear in my manga! And everyone in my manga is weak!"
"That's not true."
"…What?"
Screeech!
A shuriken finally flew past us and embedded itself ahead.
I sharply changed direction and stopped.
Damn it—do we have to fight after all?
"Your [Peace Land] was prematurely canceled at chapter 11, and because of that, it never even got a collected volume."
"H-How do you know that…?"
"I understand your desire to draw orthodox fantasy. But tell me—your manga wasn't really 'orthodox fantasy,' was it?"
Whooooom.
Two members of the Wind Shadow Squad emerged from the smoke.
Under normal circumstances, I could've handled them. But right now, even holding off one was overwhelming.
Kwaaang!
I only barely deflected the katana, but my wrist throbbed as if it were about to break.
I calmly activated Blade of Conviction and shouted.
"During serialization, only once—but you did add a character in a fit of anger after peeking at reader reactions."
"…W-What are you talking about?"
"That character was far too strong for [Peace Land]. You felt guilty for pandering to the audience by inserting someone like that. And that guilt ruined your [Peace Land]."
"No! I never did that!"
"Take responsibility to the end! If even a single reader was watching this world—!"
"A—Ah…"
Dodging the blades was becoming harder by the second.
Asuka Ren was completely frozen, as if she'd fallen into panic.
Two katanas flew toward my upper and lower body simultaneously.
Damn it—was I wrong?
"…I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
Then I heard her voice.
"What you said… is right. I definitely…"
In the next moment, the air around us changed.
A chill ran down my spine, and my limbs stiffened as if frozen.
Then came a voice.
[Who are you?]
I couldn't even bring myself to turn around—but it was obvious. A being on par with a constellation was there. Otherwise, the [Fourth Wall] wouldn't be shaking this violently.
Looking ahead, the Japanese attackers who had been swinging their blades at me were frozen like statues. Toward them, white-blue lightning descended from the sky.
Szzzz—
Those powerful disasters were reduced to dust by just two bolts of lightning.
When the thunderclouds dispersed, a small doll was floating there.
It was unbelievable.
Because that dignified powerhouse floating in midair was unmistakably a little person.
…Found him properly at last.
[I'll ask again. Who are you?]
"Nice to meet you, Kyrios."
Kyrios Lodgrime of [Peace Land].
He was one of the strongest returnees in Ways of Survival.
〈Episode 25. Those Who Face God (1)〉 End