＜ Chapter 153 ＞
“It’s a fucking thing.”
With a cynical voice, Odin took out a cigarette and asked.
profit.
It was lit with the divine power that filled the space, and the delicate scent of a luxurious tobacco, different from John’s, spreads in all directions.
“Whoa.”
The appearance of blowing smoke with a low sigh exudes a sharp atmosphere different from John’s rough atmosphere.
Two men with completely different temperaments.
The two men had nothing in common, but at this moment, they seemed very similar.
“Do you know why the players are so filled with a sense of choosing?”
Took.
Odin, who dropped the ashes lightly with his hand, continued without waiting for John’s answer.
“No matter how realistic it may be, there are several pieces of evidence that this place is in a game. Just look at the status window.”
Perks players get.
Status window and skill window, quest window and inventory.
This alone is less realistic.
“Most players are normal people. Murder, far from violence. But what about Luna? It is a place where blood and violence are commonplace. Those who can’t adapt are eliminated early, and those who adapt also have problems.”
If you want to live in Luna, you have no choice but to get blood on your hands, and for players who were mediocre gamers, it is about to shake their lives.
“Is it PTSD?”
“right.”
Odin smiled bitterly at Jon’s words.
post-traumatic stress disorder.
Even trained soldiers are mentally shaken when they see blood in combat.
What if it is a common citizen?
In a world where you can’t tell if it’s a game or reality, you’re barely holding on to your senses, and you can’t help but be shocked.
“Defense equipment. This is a game. It is a game because there is a status window. NPCs can be killed. not really dying I am not a murderer.”
A cold smile formed on Odin’s lips.
“It’s all bullshit. I already know that’s not the case.”
After taking off the glasses and rubbing the corners of the eyes, the exposed eyes are cold.
“When the level is low, I endure with that thought. However, the higher the level, the longer you live in Luna, the more you think about it. But it’s a situation where blood is already on your hands. do not agonize But isn’t it already too late? Then, what choice should I make?”
“Most people avoid it.”
The meaning of John’s words is infinitely heavy.
“Yes, avoid it. They believe more thoroughly that citizens are NPCs. don’t brainwash yourself That’s how you protect yourself.”
I put my glasses back on and straightened my posture.
“You don’t know that it is broken. And with such a state of mind, you can never reach superhuman. If you look at your level, you’re superhuman and you might get an ultimate, but nothing more than that.”
Uh.
His divine power fluctuated, perhaps under the influence of Odin’s emotions, but John didn’t care.
“At a high level, you have to face the reality, but the game elements are not noticeable for that. Among them, this is the highest peak.”
widely.
The Philosopher’s Stone appeared again in Odin’s hand and set it down on the table.
“I don’t react unless it’s a player. You said it was impossible to analyze even with your abilities. I heard that the same goes for Luna’s other superhumans.”
Odin’s gaze at the Philosopher’s Stone became complicated.
“Abilities are abilities, but this is a wedge. It’s like a safety device created by the entity that summoned us here. if not.”
“It could be to deceive and tie the players down to the end.”
At John’s cynical tone, his shoulders shook for an instant, but soon a dejected smile appeared on Odin’s face.
“······yes. You might see it that way.”
Odin leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
He is an extraordinary person from the beginning.
It was not difficult for Odin to stand out because he had skills, luck, and momentum, and he had already penetrated into the backbone of the company while other players were struggling.
A ripple occurred in Odin’s mind as he gradually adapted to the encounters among the NPCs he hated, and the ripple turned into anguish and made him reflect.
A shaman is a person chosen by the existence of God.
Because he had someone he could rely on mentally, his thoughts became a little more flexible, and in the end, thanks to that flexible thinking and introspection, he was able to become a superman.
Odin realized as he glimpsed a cross section of the world and fully recognized himself.
That this isn’t a game.
For him, looking at an extremely game-like element like the Philosopher’s Stone, he couldn’t help but feel complicated.
I couldn’t tell this story to guild members or NPCs.
Fixer John Doe is in a similar situation, but in the exact opposite situation.
In a way, he must be the only one who recognizes his heart, and while Odin released the anguish in his heart, he was concerned about whether this was a good choice, but at least he felt at least one part of his heart at ease.
How long has it been since you closed your eyes and made a complicated expression and remained silent?
“The story is leaked.”
Odin corrected his posture, adjusted his glasses, and met John’s eyes.
“Anyway, it’s a great thing. If you use this as a catalyst, you can do pretty much anything. It’s a theoretical story, but if you collect enough of them, you should be able to blow away the stars.”
Odin, now calm as usual, continued.
“How many do you have?”
Of course, he looked convinced that John had more Philosopher’s Stones, and Odin didn’t deny it.
“Four.”
“······I have collected quite a bit. But it’s not enough.”
It took a while for Odin to shake his head in surprise, but John did not refute what he said.
It is an attempt to summon at least a part of a demon, a huge demon whose powers are unknown.
No matter how great the Philosopher’s Stone was, considering the opponent he was trying to summon, Odin’s words didn’t seem wrong at all.
“I know how. Then you know what you have to do, right?”
“yes.”
John’s eyes turned to the huge shape shimmering through the light.
A god connected to Odin would have told him how, and whatever his intentions, that was enough for John.
Now that you know the way, all you have to do is walk towards your goal.
“How many more do you need?”
“half dozen.”
Odin answered as if he had been waiting.
“In numerology, 10 signifies completion and another beginning.”
A cold smile appeared on Odin’s lips.
“Don’t you think it’s a good fit for what you’re trying to do?”
completion and another beginning.
In order to start anew from what has been completed, destruction must eventually occur.
It is a number that perfectly matches John, who is called the incarnation of destruction.
“Right.”
John stood up with a smile similar to Odin’s.
“Call me when you’re ready.”
“yes.”
As John turned around, the light faded and opened the way.
***
Walking into a huge passage with only thick darkness stimulates human fear.
There were no incompetent members of the council, including Byron and the chairman, but it was unavoidable that they were shrunken without knowing it.
That’s what it means to enter Zone 0.
Papa papa papa.
As if they understood their feelings, light began to enter the aisle, and only then did the faces of the lawmakers, who had been making anxious expressions, straighten a little.
Bubbly.
How long must it have been to walk silently down the aisle in strange silence?
A soft light, different from the light that illuminated the passageway, was emanating from far away, and their steps speeded up a little as they found their destination.
That’s how it appeared in their eyes.
“······This place!”
A voice full of complex emotions flowed from someone’s mouth, and other members were no different.
Woo woo woo.
There was only the soft sound of the driving sound of the machine, and the sight was no different.
A colossal joint.
In the center of this space made entirely of metal, a large pillar was erected, extending upward to an inconceivable end.
The perimeter of the pillar was empty, leading to an endless basement, and it was clear that it would never look good if it fell there.
On the circular pillars the size of a fairly large building, magical patterns that were so mysterious were shining softly, and just looking at them gave me admiration.
– welcome. Commander.
However, their faces stiffened at the sound that filled their cavities.
A mechanical sound that seemed completely devoid of any emotion.
It’s a sound that Luna is so familiar with, but that’s why the voice that makes it even more out of place is holding their spirit firmly again.
“yes.”
– Waiting for your command.
Uh.
With a mechanical sound, something rose in front of the floor where Veyron was standing.
The pillars, not at all different from the texture of the floor, rose to Veyron’s waist, and the top of the pillars shone and turned into a screen.
“Sigh.”
Taking a light breath, Vayron opened his palm and put it on the screen, and at that moment, he felt as if he was seeing through his whole body.
‘······I can’t get used to it.’
Not just reading fingerprints, but blood vessels and nerves, blood vessels and iris, and even the ends of DNA that make up the body.
It was clear that he would never get used to the feeling of a machine figuring everything out in the middle of the day.
jing.
The screen filled with blue light, and Vayron removed his hand.
The column went down like a lie and nothing seemed to have changed, but Byron and the Chairman knew that Area 0 was ready to listen to any order.
“Wake up the Oracle.”
– Check the commander’s orders. Wake the oracle from dormancy.
With the answer that seemed to be waiting, one side of the softly shining pillar began to widen.
Whoops.
With a noise so small that it is hard to believe that a machine the size of a building is moving, something is slowly pushed out of the large open column and heads towards where they are.
– Energy injection. Reserve power drops to the red zone.
The alarm went off, but no one cared about it.
This was not the time for a great war, and there were no people threatening this place, which could be called Luna’s deepest place.
All eyes were fixed on the object creeping towards them through the abyss of darkness.
It is said to be small compared to the pillar, but that is also relative.
A rectangular object the size of a three-story house was slowly approaching, and the magical patterns running across its surface were more colorful and complex than anything they had seen.
thud.
A rectangular object that was slowly approaching touched the floor they were standing on, and the brilliantly shining magical light was dazzling just by looking at it.
Uh.
A strange wave spread out in all directions with a great reverberation, and at the same time the light of the pattern that shone like the sun faded.
The lines that used to shine on the manjilman surface wriggled and then came together in the middle.
I wondered if the lines that were gathered like that were moving arbitrarily, and soon a single shape was created.
“Oh oh!”
“······This is the Oracle!”
Although the features are not visible, the shape created by the light is a delicate female form.
It is a figure with only the upper body above the waist, but just looking at the figure made of light fills you with faith and awe.
– Long time no see. Byron.
“yes. Oracle.”
A mechanical sound filled with all sorts of emotions penetrated everyone’s ears.
＜ Episode 153 ＞ End