Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 258
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Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 258
56. The Beginning of Change (6)
After the battle with Lord Skrim ended, the sight of Osaka, now reduced to ruins, finally came into view.
Even when an 8th Circle and a Grandmaster do battle, it takes only an instant for a city to be reduced to ruins.
If anything, the fact that the damage ended with just a single city being reduced to ruins after a battle between a 9th-circle and a Demon King could be considered remarkably light.
Still, it is clear that for the citizens of Osaka, this situation can only be described as a catastrophe.
But I felt no guilt whatsoever.
'I can't pin the blame for this situation solely on the higher-ups. The citizens who tacitly allowed the military to seize power and start a war cannot be considered innocent either.'
Indeed, had countless South Korean citizens not lost their lives to Japan's surprise invasion?
So I thought there was no reason to apologize, nor any need to feel sympathy.
"Waaaaaah!"
But something about this situation was strange.
As Arcia and I, having been in battle, took in the surrounding scenery and landed in the middle of the ruins, the Osaka citizens who had barely survived came running out and burst into cheers.
For a moment, I couldn't understand their reaction and wore a dumbfounded expression.
Cheering for the very culprit who turned their city into a wasteland.
"I think they're misunderstanding something?"
Just then, Arc Scarlet, who had absorbed Lord Skrim's power and recovered to dragon-level strength, scattered crimson petals and teleported over.
A needlessly flashy magic effect.
At this rate, who would ever see Arc Scarlet as a Demon King?
"Misunderstanding?"
At the word "misunderstanding" that she spat out, I surveyed the current situation.
Me and my companions, flaunting protagonist-level beauty from anyone's perspective.
On top of that, in my hand, Lord Skrim bearing the classic appearance of a demon hung limp, firmly grasped.
"Ahh..."
Only then could I figure out what misunderstanding the cheering people were under.
Apparently, they thought I had saved them from a demon.
But even if the circumstances suggested that, my rational mind refused to accept such a claim.
After all, I was a citizen of South Korea, which had been at war with Japan, and the lord of Reiers County, which had an alliance relationship with it.
"But I destroyed the city too, didn't I? They're welcoming someone who destroyed their own home like that?"
"In a crisis, people wish for a hero to appear. Look at their admiring gazes. It seems they want to think of you as a hero."
Judging by the situation, Arc Scarlet's words seemed right, but I still couldn't understand.
So, just in case, I raised my fist as if to say I'd done it.
-Waaaaaaah!
Combined with the reactions of the people who had been uncertain, the cheers grew even louder.
"Some people trip and break their nose, but you seem to be the type who picks up a coin when you fall."
I let out a hollow laugh, and Blake, who had been watching the situation, happened to approach and spoke.
"If you use this situation well, don't you think it'd be easier to govern?"
"Hmm..."
Is that so?
After pondering for a moment, I nodded and rose back into the air, casting the 6th Circle Reverse Gravity magic at maximum range.
Then the debris of the collapsed buildings floated into the air, and in an instant, only the wood, cement, stone, and metals were pulverized and vanished.
Countless people who had been buried under the debris were rescued.
However, excluding the dead, most people's injuries were severe enough to require immediate treatment.
-Pop!
So I used the 7th Circle Recovery magic over a 50km radius, and the 8th Circle Revive magic as a wide-area spell over a 5km radius.
As if to make it seem that those closer to me enjoyed greater healing effects, while those farther away received relatively less effect.
-Sssss!
Thanks to that, a massive amount of Mana drained away, leaving me with a slight sense of weakness.
No matter how much it's magic of 8th Circle or below, casting it repeatedly over a wide area inevitably consumes a massive amount of Mana.
Nearly the equivalent Mana of casting a 9th-circle Meteor twice was consumed, but the resulting effect was dramatic.
"A-a miracle."
"Ohhh, dear God."
Those within the 8th Circle Revive radius were completely healed of any injury, as long as they were still breathing.
Thanks to that, there were even people who suddenly shed tears and offered prayers to me.
Judging that it would now be easy to win these people over, I put on the act of a Hero or a Holy Son.
"The generals, including Lieutenant General Mikado who had seized control of Japan's government, were all under a demon's spell. Thus, even amid difficult circumstances, Japan made the reckless choice to launch a surprise attack on innocent Korea, and ultimately went so far as to use nuclear weapons airlifted from China the worst possible decision."
Everyone looked up at me, scarcely even daring to breathe.
This feeling was unexpectedly not bad, so I was able to continue my passionate performance.
"I had to step forward to right these wrongs. I eradicated the generals of the Japanese government who had become his apostles, and fought a life-and-death battle against the demon behind it all. In the end, we won the battle, but countless sacrifices occurred. I am truly sorry."
An apology that was not sincere, but closer to lip service.
However, the people who took my words at face value wore solemn expressions.
I then delivered what could be called the highlight.
How would the Japanese actually take this?
"My name is Adrian El Lawrence. I am a warrior who has stepped forward for peace. I intend to intervene in state affairs as of this moment for Japan's stability, so I ask for your great support and encouragement."
-Waaaaaaah!
It seems the blinding of their eyes worked properly.
Even at the provocative statement about intervening in state affairs, the people cheered and supported me.
I laughed inwardly where no one could see, then landed back on the surface, and Arc Scarlet said a word to me.
"Fraud, 'a warrior who stepped forward for peace' how nice."
"Keuk keuk!"
For some reason, Blake let out a low laugh, seemingly pleased by that.
Knowing full well that it was a speech that made even my own hands and feet curl, I cleared my throat unnecessarily and thrust my face toward Lord Skrim, the cause of all this.
"How should I cook you?"
"...."
* * *
[A battle video like something out of myth, uploaded to YouTube. Is it fabricated, or is it real?]
[Adrian El Lawrence who is he? Is he truly the protagonist in the video who subjugated a demon?]
[An icon of hope supported by the Japanese people? Investigation results show that the very person who drove the Japanese military out of Korea is Adrian El Lawrence.]
[Breaking News: Count Reiers reveals that Adrian's true identity is the king of a nation belonging to Rondel that reigns over the County, and the head of an international organization that could be called the UN.]
[His primary objective is to resolve the anomalous phenomena occurring in Rondel and on Earth. To that end, Earth's stability is of utmost importance, so against forces and beings that disrupt peace and cause chaos, he plans to bring down the hammer of justice....]
Beijing, China.
Chairman Jin Pian snorted as he looked at the press articles.
"Peace? Justice? What a show. And yet you're the one who detonated a nuclear bomb launched from Japan and spread radiation everywhere."
He regarded Adrian's existence as a serious threat.
While saying nice-sounding things, was he not toppling Japan's government and manipulating the nation as he pleased?
It was called eliminating threats to peace, but the result was that Japan had been reduced to a state under the rule of a foreign power.
The problem was that, because of the Japanese people's support, he was being treated not as an invader but as a prophet.
"To think the Japanese would be this foolish."
"Perhaps they've watched too much anime and lost their sense of reality."
It wasn't that such sensibility had no part in it, but what had driven the Japanese into a frenzy was largely that they had personally witnessed Adrian's miracle.
In particular, the Japanese who had come back from the brink of death could not help but become fervent believers in Adrian.
"His next target will be us, no doubt."
At Chairman Jin Pian's words, his subordinates had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.
Silence meant affirmation.
If Adrian was the master of Reiers County, which was at war with them, he would obviously move to respond.
Rather, it was hard to understand why he had stepped forward for Korea first.
"Can we stop him?"
"If what was shown in the video is real, it is uncertain."
It was common sense that an individual surpassing the destructive power of weaponry could not be acknowledged.
However, recalling the numerous anomalous phenomena that had occurred on Earth thus far, it was a situation that could not simply be denied.
Chairman Jin Pian and his subordinates had no choice but to bite their nails and fall into agonized deliberation.
"How about proposing a ceasefire to the County for now?"
Currently, the war between the three nations of China and Reiers County was at a standstill.
So proposing a ceasefire itself wouldn't be a bad thing, but the problem was that the appearance of proposing a ceasefire after attacking first did not look good.
Even if one might think appearance doesn't matter in a war where life and death are at stake, the being whose body seemed half-filled with pride was none other than Chairman Jin Pian.
"A ceasefire."
Because of that, Jin Pian had to furrow his brow and chew over the word "ceasefire."
However, as it turned out, his worries were unnecessary.
"Chairman, Your Excellency! That man has appeared above Beijing!"
"What?"
"It's the man who appeared in Japan!"
"What did you say?"
Adrian had no intention of resolving the situation with a ceasefire that existed in words alone.
Eliminate the root of the problem.
This was Adrian's way of responding.
-Ziiing!
"Wh-what in the world is that...."
"What are you all doing! Intercept it!"
A massive magic circle being drawn across the sky above Beijing.
Feeling dread from that sight, Chairman Jin Pian ordered Adrian's interception, but not a single thing reached him or dealt him any damage.
And shortly after.
-Gogogogogogo!
Piercing through the magic circle that covered the sky, a massive boulder bearing crimson flames revealed itself.
It was a meteor, Meteor.
"It's too close to intercept!"
"Ah...."
The atmosphere trembles, and the ground convulses.
Along with that, a noise foul enough to make the world seem to scream assailed the ears, and the meteor that filled the field of view closed in on Beijing, where the Forbidden City was located, moment by moment.
The only thing one could do in this situation was stare at the crimson meteor and let out a gasp of awe.
And before that meteor could even touch the ground, the Chairman's vision went black, and his thoughts stopped.
-Kkwajik!
Due to the pressure created by the Meteor magic, everyone within range, along with the Forbidden City, was crushed together with the buildings.
-Kwaaaaang!
Subsequently, the meteor embedded itself into the ground, and with a shockwave, flames spread widely and an explosion occurred.
At the place where the meteor fell, clouds accompanied by lightning rose up, and everything within a radius of dozens of kilometers centered on the impact point evaporated.
For the death of a leader who had dominated an era in his own way, it was far too futile an end.
-Kwaaaaang!
-Kwaaaaang!
-Kwang!
These Meteor attacks were delivered not only to Beijing but also one each to the four split Chinese governments.
As a result, the China divided into four temporarily fell into a state of anarchy, which became the catalyst for it to be split even further, and some parts came under the direct influence of South Korea and Reiers County.
* * *
It did not take long for Adrian's Meteor attack to become known to the governments of each nation belonging to Earth.
The Meteor attack, comparable to a nuclear missile, came as a shock to everyone, and the fact that an individual could wield such power was tantamount to terror.
"Justice's judgment!? To package a massacre as justice!"
In particular, the President of America, George Michael, far from cheering the downfall of China, which could be called a hostile nation, had to clutch his head over the birth of a new threat.
"I believe there is no need to view it only negatively. Even if it is somewhat shocking, the world will come to greet peace."
Moreover, the problem was that even within America, there were not a few who came forward to support Adrian's hypocritical behavior, which did not match his words and actions.
They said that Adrian should be regarded not as a hostile being to world hegemony, but as a symbol of a new era.
This was especially so because of the message Adrian had sent.
[I, as the national leader representing Rondel, wish for peace with America. I am also considering an alliance as necessary, and in that case, I intend to share Rondel's technology.]
We are being completely played by a single person.