Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 257
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Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 257
56. The Beginning of Change (5)
Lord Skrim, the Demon King wearing the skin of Inoue, Lieutenant Colonel, answered Lieutenant General Mikado's question.
"From the start, the purpose of this war was to collapse Korea's nerve centers, including Seoul. There's no need to give up just because we failed once. We must continue the attack. If we crush the enemy's head, we're the ones who ultimately win."
The argument was that now, more than ever, they must continue the attack even if it meant pushing themselves too hard.
The generals present wore expressions of bewilderment.
Asking how that made any sense.
But Lieutenant General Mikado, who had asked for her opinion, thought differently.
"She wouldn't insist on continuing the attack without any plan... Is there some method?"
Everyone reacted by saying he was overestimating her too much.
However, at Inoue, Lieutenant Colonel's following remark, everyone swallowed their disbelief.
"We received 3 nuclear missiles from New Balhae (East China) and transported them here secretly. Korea is only preparing for a nuclear attack from China and doesn't know that we, Japan, possess nuclear missiles. In other words, their defenses are bound to be weak. The probability of a successful nuclear attack is extremely high."
Among the four fractured Chinas, the self-proclaimed New Balhae (East China), which directly borders Korea, was a place that had provided considerable assistance in this war.
But what had been agreed with them wasn't merely simple containment?
Everyone looked at Lieutenant General Mikado, wondering what was going on.
This wasn't something a mere Lieutenant Colonel could have pulled off.
"Do you think I favored her without any thought? She led everything from the negotiations with New Balhae to the acquisition of the nuclear missiles."
Japan is a nation that cannot possess offensive missiles due to being a war criminal state.
Therefore, with international law having become nominal after the Great Disaster, they are secretly attempting to develop missiles.
However, missiles aren't something that can be built overnight in a few months.
In other words, with Korea currently excluding Japan's missile capabilities from their considerations, the probability of a successful nuclear missile attack was extremely high.
Everyone was taken aback, but they seriously considered Inoue, Lieutenant Colonel's proposal.
"I'm curious how they transported the missiles, but... now doesn't seem to be the time to quibble over that."
"Correct. The US 7th Fleet will arrive in a day. After that, there will be no opportunity."
Currently, America has recalled most of its overseas stationed forces to the mainland.
The 7th Fleet, which had dominated the Pacific alongside the 3rd Fleet, also relocated its base from Japan to Seattle, and the US forces in Japan and Korea were withdrawn to the American mainland, leaving only a minimal force behind.
For them, protecting their own country took priority over world peace, so it was an unavoidable choice.
However, the war between Japan and Korea was a scenario America did not want, so they urgently warned through diplomatic channels while dispatching the 7th Fleet back to the Western Pacific.
"Are you telling me to make a decision?"
"Can we not live while watching Koreans' every move?"
Of course, as a Demon King, she had the power to sink even an American fleet, but she could never reveal her identity.
After all, she could be attacked by other Heavenly Kings or Demon Kings for breaking the rules.
"America won't just stand by."
"After Korea collapses, they'll have no choice either. For the future, it's better to join hands than to blame us."
What was the reason she was going so far as to hide her identity to attack Korea?
This was to take advantage of the chaos to draw Adrian into Japan and secretly dispose of him.
In the end, it all meant it was aggro to attract Adrian's attention.
'Lord Exceed changed Rondel's cooperation target from the Demon King Arc Scarlet to the human Adrian El Lawrence. But I cannot accept that judgment. What about humans can you trust to join hands with them?'
Anyway, if Adrian dies, the master-servant bond constraining Arc Scarlet will disappear.
Then it becomes possible to form a contract with Arc Scarlet once again.
Lord Skrim thought this was a hundred times better than contracting with the human Adrian.
At least a Demon King would act according to instinct.
Human distrust carved deep into the bones.
In some ways, they had never even met face to face, but she might understand Adrian's true nature better than anyone.
After all, Adrian really was planning to eat and run.
"I cannot think of any other way besides her proposal. What about the rest of you?"
In the end, the key figures of the New Japanese Empire had no choice but to accept her proposal.
As Lieutenant General Mikado said, there seemed to be no other way to overturn the current situation.
"You have made a wise decision. We may be criticized for a while because of today's decision, but Japan's future will be brighter."
Everyone agreed with her statement.
And so, Lord Skrim manipulated Japan from behind and attempted a nuclear attack on Korea.
-3.
-2.
-1.
-Fire.
However...
-Kwaaaaaah! Kwaaang! Kwaang!
The three nuclear missiles that had launched carrying the hopes of the New Japanese Alliance all exploded simultaneously the moment they were fired, as if shattering everyone's expectations a catastrophe had occurred.
"W-what!?"
"Immediately after launch, nuclear missiles No. 1 through No. 3 were all shot down at an altitude of 500 meters!"
"It has been confirmed that Ishikawa Prefecture, centered on Komatsu City where the missiles were launched, has fallen directly within the blast's affected zone!"
Thanks to this, Japan, which had hoped to reverse the situation with nuclear missiles, ended up suffering the full damage of the nuclear missiles instead.
Lieutenant General Mikado and the key generals, who had been watching the situation comfortably from Osaka, collapsed on the spot in shock, and Lord Skrim, who had proposed the plan, furrowed his brow with a hardened expression.
"D-due to the influence of the southeasterly wind, radioactive fallout rain is being scattered across various parts of Japan's Honshu (central) region...."
"Ah, my God."
"Just what on earth shot them down!? Was there a Korean submarine hiding somewhere?"
"It has not been confirmed. It could possibly be the power of an ability."
Lord Skrim bit her nails as she took in the sight of the command center in chaos.
The situation unfolding was too strange.
As if someone had noticed her plan.
Because of this, she judged that she needed to abandon the New Japanese Alliance immediately.
"Where do you think you're going?"
However, space opened like a door before her eyes, and a group of people walked out.
"It's been a while, Skrim."
"Exceed?"
That group included Adrian and Lord Exceed, one of the 13 Demon Kings of the underworld, who was all too familiar to her.
"The nuclear missiles was that you lot?"
"Yes."
Her goal had been to draw Adrian in, but at least not in this way.
Naturally, she had no choice but to express doubt.
"Since when did you realize?"
It was Adrian who answered her question.
"From the moment I learned that factions exist in the underworld as well, I had been keeping the possibility of interference in mind."
But that was not an answer.
From her perspective, she had used Japan while being careful not to reveal her identity, after all.
"Not everyone moves solely out of patriotism."
Those words meant there was a traitor in this place.
At that moment, Lieutenant General Tanaka, who could be called the second-in-command of the New Japanese Empire, quickly withdrew and fled behind Adrian.
"That bastard...."
Lieutenant General Mikado and the remaining generals, who could not understand the current situation at all, were busy rolling their eyes.
"L-Lieutenant General Tanaka?"
"Inoue, Lieutenant Colonel! Just what is going on here!?"
From their standpoint, the nuclear missiles had been intercepted and unfamiliar people had invaded.
They, who were unfavorable to anyone's eyes, for some reason found themselves confronting Inoue, Lieutenant Colonel, rather than the ones controlling Japan themselves.
But there was one thing that was clearly understandable: the failure of the nuclear missile launch appeared to be due to the betrayal of Lieutenant General Tanaka, who until just moments ago had been their comrade.
"I'm sorry. But I could not ignore the benefactor who saved my children."
Whenever Adrian visited Earth, he healed incurable injuries and illnesses, and among those were Lieutenant General Tanaka's children.
"Benefactor?"
"Are you saying that because of a relationship with one person, you would betray your homeland and watch your people be massacred!?"
As the nuclear missiles exploded at low altitude, radioactive damage across various parts of Japan was inevitable.
Surely there would be countless casualties.
However, Adrian let out a sneer at their reaction.
"If you were going to fire nuclear missiles, you should have been prepared to be hit by nuclear missiles yourselves. Then again, it's the stupid higher-ups that are the problem."
"What did you say?"
"Don't worry, from now on this land will be ruled and well managed by Korea and Reiers County."
Lieutenant General Tanaka politely gestured toward Adrian with both hands and said.
"If it's this person, he can neutralize radioactive contamination like it's nothing."
The generals of the New Japanese Empire, including Lieutenant General Mikado, protested, calling him a traitor.
But that too was only for a moment.
"Now, the humans who are no longer needed should just retire."
-Kwa-jik! Bang! Bang!
The moment Adrian snapped his fingers, the heads of the generals, including Lieutenant General Mikado, swelled up like balloons and burst all at once.
The ones responsible for leading the New Japanese Empire and attacking Korea were helplessly annihilated.
Thanks to that, the officers who had been reporting the situation swallowed empty air and fell on their backsides.
However, Adrian and his companions lost interest in such soldiers and looked at Lord Skrim.
"This Demon King tried to attack me. May I dispose of him?"
At Adrian's question, Lord Exceed nodded and took a step back.
"Do as you please."
At the same time, Adrian, along with his partner Arcia, curled up the corners of his mouth and approached Lord Skrim.
"I'll praise you for blocking my plan. But your delusion is truly something. Do you think that just because you command Demon Kings with inferior stats, you're above a Demon King?"
Lord Skrim, who had shown bewilderment, transformed in appearance.
Her appearance changed from a Japanese woman who gave off a pretty but plain impression to a Western woman with brilliant blonde hair and red eyes.
Adrian spoke to her.
"I don't need any more idols. You become material for my weapon."
"You little bastard?"
Lord Skrim, thick veins bulging on her forehead, began to slowly float into the air, scattering a red aura.
At the same time, two smooth horns sprouted from her forehead, and bat wings the trademark of a demon unfolded behind her back.
"Kuaaaak!"
"Ack!"
Just from her scattering her aura, the Japanese soldiers bled from every orifice and died.
However, Adrian and Arcia approached without a care, closing the distance, and at their appearance, which radiated an inexplicable confidence, Lord Skrim unconsciously took a step back.
"How dare mere humans!"
Was it that she couldn't understand her own action?
Or was it that she felt ashamed?
Lord Skrim let out a roar, which soon became a breath that consumed the space in front of her.
* * *
Normally, 9th-circle Mages and Lordmasters are called dragon-class beings.
However, this is strictly a classification by 'class,' and if judged purely by data, humans cannot surpass the base specs of the dragon race.
Still, the abilities of a 9th-circle and a Lordmaster are effective even against dragons, so if one strategizes well or has excellent combat sense, there is a possibility of victory in a life-or-death battle.
But a Demon King is a different story.
Even if there is a loss of stats during the descent process, they are known to be capable of fighting three or more dragons simultaneously.
Of course, Arc Scarlet and Dark Square are exceptions.
Those two were just playing along with the mischief of their fellow Demon Kings.
In fact, in the case of Arc Scarlet, during her proper descent 1,200 years ago, she was famous for having executed countless dragons.
In that sense, facing a Demon King with only me a 9th-circle human Mage and Grandmaster Arcia, who falls short of a Lordmaster, could only seem quite unreasonable.
-Kang!
"What, these bastards!"
However, in our battle with Lord Skrim, such common sense did not apply.
She was being unilaterally pushed back by us.
This was partly because Lord Skrim had never experienced the Rondel-style demonic realm where they constantly claw at each other, so her combat sense was lacking.
"Damn it! This feels like fighting the Heavenly Tribe!"
The Holy Sword, the Holy Lance, the byproducts obtained from disposing of the Heavenly King, and equipment made by combining Orichalcum and such.
The fact that we were thoroughly prepared for battle against a Demon King was a big factor.
Above all, Lord Skrim couldn't pull herself together against the synergy between me and Arcia, which produced a powerful rising effect.
-Kwaaang!
If she had any common sense, even a Demon King would know it's better to deal with me, the Mage, first.
Since 80% of our party's attacks begin with magic, if I fall, no matter how well Arcia fights, we can only be routed.
However, breaking through Arcia to attack me first is nearly impossible.
Even if she endured the rain of 9th-circle strike-type magic and Arcia's Sword Aura and tried to close in, Lord Skrim's attacks were simply blocked by the shield.
"And you call yourself a Grandmaster!"
Lord Skrim twisted her fair face as if anger had surged to the top of her head.
Even though Arcia's level may be Grandmaster, she is a defense-specialized support unit with the grandiose title of Heavenly Firmament.
When Arcia's traits are added to a shield that has been reinforced over and over, it can firmly withstand even dragon breath.
And the moment an attack is blocked, what follows is a counter.
-Bang!
As Arcia, who rarely shows changes in expression, let out a small laugh and thrust her shield forward, Lord Skrim was pushed back, stiffening as if she had hit a wall.
"So even with high stats, this is what happens when your control is garbage? You lived in too peaceful an environment to suit the title of Demon King."
All of this is a process close to an instant, but in our battles where movements in 0.1-second increments decide victory or defeat, this is the timing to land a finishing blow.
As if I had been waiting for it, I aimed the Holy Lance at the Demon King and used a light-attribute 9th-circle anti-personnel spell.
"Justice Enforcement."
A pillar of pure white light descended from the sky before she had any chance to dodge.
It is a 9th-circle spell called Justice Enforcement, a magic whose name literally means "Justice Enforcement," and it is extremely difficult to land.
The spell's radius is about 5 meters, but for beings like a Demon King, a 5-meter radius is such a narrow area that by an ordinary person's senses it might as well be 1 centimeter.
Instead, these types of hard-to-land spells had certain power.
"Kuaaak!"
Lord Skrim's scream proved it.
-Pipick!
Moreover, Arcia had already sent out her Sword Aura as if she had known this situation would unfold, and at the same time Lord Skrim was engulfed in the pillar of light and let out a scream...
-Kwajik! Bang! Bang!
"Keuk!"
Four blades of Sword Aura pierced through her abdomen and chest.
This is exactly what the synergy between me and Arcia is.
Follow-up responses continue with almost no time gap.
"Aaaagh!"
Although Lord Skrim's explosion of black mana as she screamed prevented us from dealing additional follow-up damage, the outcome was already as good as decided.
"Here comes her Authority."
In this situation, there is only one reversal Lord Skrim can scheme.
That is, bringing out the Authority, the unique ability of a Heavenly King and a Demon King.
"I'll make you beg for death in agony."
No trace of beauty could be found in her anymore, the skin of her entire body flowing down like liquid.
Soon she began to scatter as red smoke, and her form completely vanished before long.
It was Lord Skrim's Authority: Blood Mist.
An ability that turns oneself into gas and materializes only at a specific location.
It is an extremely difficult ability to deal with, since one must fight an enemy without form, but...
"Asuka (Arc Scarlet's stage name)!"
"Okay!"
Among the subordinates I command is a ruler of blood.
At my order, Arc Scarlet's Blood Mary, which could be called a superior version of the Authority Lord Skrim possessed, rose up.
From the start, we even had a counter prepared.
I curled up the corners of my mouth and reached my hand into the air.
"Keuk!"
Perhaps because she had absorbed a great deal of energy into Arc Scarlet in that brief moment, the considerably weakened Lord Skrim revealed herself with her neck gripped in my hand.
"Caught you. My equipment material."
At that, the eyes of the once-haughty Lord Skrim trembled without pause.
* * *
From an ordinary person's perspective, the battle between Adrian and the Demon King Lord Skrim was nothing short of a catastrophe.
When the 9th-circle magic aimed at the Demon King fell to the surface, earthquakes, lightning strikes, and afterwinds swept through the city, and the fragments generated when the Demon King's dark magic struck Arcia's shield created massive craters and sinkholes across the surface.
If gods waged war, would it feel like this?
Even the natural disasters that occurred during the Great Disaster were not this terrifying.
"God, please..."
All the Japanese people trembling in fear amid the ruins could do was pray that this chaos would calm down even a little faster.
"Are you filming?"
"Y-yeah."
However, among them, a few brave souls recorded this situation on video or broadcast it live.
Thanks to that, the battle between Adrian and the Demon King unintentionally spread across the entire world, overturning the common sense of Earth's people that had been preserved until now.