Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 277
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Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 277
59. New Rules (7)
From my standpoint, I couldn't imagine anyone else sitting as the head of the international alliance spanning both worlds, so I considered it a natural outcome.
But it seems others don't see it that way.
"I sincerely hope this doesn't become a new dictatorial regime."
The Earth side was particularly negative in their response.
From Rondel's perspective, it was merely the Peace Organization's existence expanding to Earth, but from Earth's perspective, someone they barely knew had pushed aside the UN and planted themselves above them.
Though I maintained a neutral attitude throughout the meeting, their lack of trust in me meant that alone wasn't enough to earn their confidence.
I think it's a natural reaction.
After all, most of the information they'd obtained about me had come through the mouths of Rondel people.
Thanks to that, even the launch of the international alliance that bound the two worlds together felt like reluctant participation on Earth's part.
I understand their reaction, but being doubted still doesn't feel good.
Nevertheless, I smiled and reassured them.
"If I wanted to become a dictator, I wouldn't need to use such a convoluted method. Don't worry about that."
"Ahem...."
Someone might say this.
That since I was born a man and gained immense power, shouldn't I try placing the world beneath my feet?
Sorry, but I don't agree with that kind of thinking.
Why would I do something so troublesome?
I'd rather delegate work appropriately to my subordinates and enjoy my time in a position that allows it.
Having gained great power, shouldn't I use it for happiness?
I'll transfer some Authority to the heads of the organizations under me and only show my face for major incidents.
A so-called figurehead with powerful deterrence, perhaps?
"From now on, I will place Earth and Rondel personnel in equal halves within the World Peace Organization. You have no objections, I trust?"
"That is correct."
To save Earth's face, the vice-chairman should be chosen from America or Korea.
With that, the discussion about the organization named 'World Peace Organization' came to an end.
Discussions about the Earth territories and nations invaded by Rondel that had collapsed, with their citizens fighting survival games, hadn't been addressed yet, but that too will be decided by tomorrow.
For now, today's meeting ends here.
The Day 2 meeting will be held in Rondel's Duchy of Lawrence.
I expect the remaining major issues will be concluded by tomorrow.
"The meeting ended faster than expected."
As the American President said, today's meeting certainly ended quickly.
From now on, we'll move to the banquet hall prepared by Korea, where the leaders of each nation will freely interact.
But I won't be participating there.
I'll leave Gregory as my proxy and plan to inspect the dungeon that was recently discovered.
This is exactly why I ended the meeting quickly.
'The dungeon's difficulty is too high. It seems quite a powerful being is slumbering inside.'
That was the information Dark Square had relayed.
How could I not act on this?
I need to confirm what kind of variable this will create in the new system.
For the peace I desire.
* * *
"Is Adrian busy these days? He won't pay attention to us."
As Arc Scarlet used her Authority to mass-produce recovery potions and complete their distribution throughout Rondel, the girl group named 'Agnyang' also ended its activities.
Arc Scarlet's Authority requires a large amount of blood.
And not from beasts or monsters, but from humans or Elves.
For that reason, 'Agnyang' was a project girl group created to encourage blood donation for the purpose of blood collection.
Having achieved its purpose, the project girl group's activities came to an end.
Thanks to that, those who had been living busily suddenly found themselves with nothing to do.
At least Arc Scarlet, having regained the Demon King's power, was being dragged around here and there by Adrian, but Bug and Maryang, who had been fellow members, were wasting away at the ducal palace of Lawrence like discarded straw dolls, doing nothing but consuming food.
"Thinking about it now, those activities were quite fun."
"They were."
"Should we try releasing an album just among ourselves?"
"We enjoyed that popularity because Adrian used the Hollywood System he controls to manipulate public opinion. Could we really enjoy the same fame if we performed on our own?"
Both Maryang and Bug had their own duties, but while they were active as a girl group, Adrian had already arranged things so that their work would continue running without them, so they suddenly found themselves in a position no different from being unemployed.
And so the two of them lazed around day after day, wasting time.
Then suddenly Bug shot up with an expression that said she'd had a brilliant idea.
"Let's go on an adventure on Earth."
"Earth?"
"Yeah, Earth still has plenty of hidden secrets. The goddess planted all sorts of devices, and they weren't easily discovered, but now they're being revealed one by one."
"Hmm…"
"And I heard that if you hunt monsters at Earth's hunting grounds, you can strengthen your abilities. It'd be good for you to get stronger too, right?"
It was an offer she couldn't help but be tempted by.
But there was one problem, and that was that Bug's combat power was pitiful.
"Even if my ability is defense-oriented, it's at a level where I can fight a Grand Master, but you're not."
"Tsk tsk, you don't know anything."
"Huh?"
At Maryang's pointed remark, Bug grinned and pulled something out of her subspace.
It was a gun.
And she opened the window of the ducal palace and aimed it at the empty air.
And then.
-Bang!
-Gooooo!
Along with a noise like the air being torn apart, a crimson metal flew off at several times the speed of sound and vanished.
It was, without a doubt, a force comparable to 7th Circle anti-personnel magic.
Maryang was startled, but only briefly.
She soon shrugged.
"But I heard you can't use firearms or artifacts when hunting monsters at Earth's hunting grounds. Something about not getting rewards if you do?"
At that, Bug smiled and handed the gun she'd used to Maryang.
"Huh? What? It's completely hollow inside?"
"That's not an artifact. It's not a gunpowder gun either. It's just a simple metal rod."
"But, just a moment ago...."
"What's my gift?"
"Electricity ability."
"On Earth, there's a weapon called a railgun that uses magnetic fields and electric currents to fire projectiles. This uses that."
Maryang tilted her head as if she didn't understand what Bug was saying, but wondered why others didn't use it if such a thing existed.
"You can't make a railgun just by pouring electricity into this tube. For normal people, it's only possible with the assistance of various mechanical devices."
"You can do it all by yourself?"
"Of course, of course."
Bug's very existence is like a living computer.
Thanks to that, she could wield her gift so skillfully that she could remotely control computers wirelessly using electrical signals.
It was an ability she'd have no reason to use when beside a transcendent being like Adrian, but among ordinary people, it was enough to play at being overpowered.
"If it's just something made by layering several metals, it won't be restricted at the hunting grounds either."
"That's certainly true."
"It takes a bit of time to fire because it needs a large current, but with you backing me up with your defense-specialized abilities, there won't be any problem."
Thanks to that, Maryang's interest in the Earth adventure Bug proposed grew.
"Alright, let's go!"
And so the two of them set out from the ducal palace without Adrian's knowledge, deciding on an adventure to relieve their boredom.
Without any idea of just how much chaos they were about to cause.
* * *
"W-wait a moment!"
After the meeting ended and I'd exchanged brief greetings with acquaintances, I was heading to Seoul where the dungeon had been discovered, when the Holy Son suddenly blocked my path.
Though we'd clashed once in the past, he'd become a completely gentle sheep by now, so I had to express my confusion.
"Are you Agnyang's Asuka, by any chance?"
But the one he had business with wasn't me, but Arc Scarlet, who was quietly following behind me.
Belatedly, I recalled the information that he had been head over heels for Arc Scarlet during her idol days, and let out a hollow laugh.
Arc Scarlet also seemed to have quite enjoyed her idol activities later on, but perhaps embarrassed by being recognized so openly, she played dumb.
"No, I'm not?"
"What? That can't be!"
It was only because she currently had horns on her head and wings on her back; remove those two, and anyone could tell she was Asuka.
That the idol he'd liked was the Demon King who'd driven Rondel to the brink of destruction as a Holy Son, the shock must have been immense.
However, the Holy Son was stronger than I'd thought.
"Please give me your autograph."
I was witnessing the historic moment where a Holy Son of the Sepia Order asked the Demon King for an autograph.
His gaze was so intense that Arc Scarlet found herself compelled to sign the hem of the robe he held out.
The Holy Son, having finally gotten the autograph, withdrew obediently with an expression that was neither clearly happy nor sad.
A dazed Arc Scarlet looked at me and spoke.
"What's with that guy."
"What do you mean, what he's your fan. Impressive, though, charming a Holy Son of the Sepia Order."
"Tch."
At that, Arc Scarlet clicked her tongue and urged me to hurry up and get out of there.
She must have thought someone else might recognize her too.
It was a sight unfitting when you consider Arc Scarlet's fearsome reputation.
Once I have some free time later, I should try raising a girl group again.
Even though the goddess issued an oracle forbidding attacks on the demon race and their worshippers, I never expected the Holy Son to act like that.
They say cultural invasion is just as frightening as invasion by force I think I understand why now.
* * *
"Is this the place?"
"Yes."
I asked, looking at the dungeon entrance that appeared to be no more than a small cave, and Dark Square nodded in affirmation.
Certainly, the energy emanating from within was extraordinary.
Of course, by the standards of me and my companions, it posed no threat whatsoever but excluding my companions, who consist of a dragon, a Demon King, and god race members, no one could afford to take it lightly.
"Igniel, you take the rear."
"Very well."
"Then let's head in."
Currently, my companions include Arcia, Heavenly King Igniel, and the three Demon Kings.
With this lineup, positions and whatnot were unnecessary, but South Korea's National Intelligence Service agents and Major Lee Geunseok were with us as well.
The reason those two who were nothing but dead weight came along was because this dungeon was located in Seoul.
In other words, the ownership of this dungeon could be considered to belong to the South Korean government.
So, for a fair exploration, Major Lee Geunseok and the NIS agents were present.
"Let's move quickly."
I levitated everyone into the air.
The Earthlings, experiencing flight through the air with their bare bodies for the first time, were flustered and didn't know what to do, but I silently pressed forward, pulverizing everything in our path.
I didn't even use any magic in particular.
Just by floating through the air and flying, the surrounding monsters all scattered into dust at once.
Skeleton series, Spatoi, Lich, Death Knight.
I could feel the dungeon's difficulty rising sharply as we went deeper.
But to me, there was no significant difference between a Skeleton and a Death Knight when it came to being killed.
-KWAJIK!
-PEOSEOK!
After that, a large number of Dullahan, Elder Lich, and Elder Death Knight appeared.
Dullahan were at a level similar to or slightly below Death Knights, and Elder Lich and Elder Death Knight were 8th Circle-class monsters.
However, not a single one could reach me they all turned to dust just the same.
Thanks to that, Lee Geunseok, who had felt terror toward Death Knights, gaped in shock, while the NIS agents, who didn't know how strong the monsters were, simply watched in fascination.
We advanced like that for about three minutes.
-KREUREUK!
A magical beast that could be called a quasi-dragon, Cerberus, greeted our party.
Cerberus's most representative title is Gatekeeper.
With its back to a massive gate, the creature bared its teeth at us, the intruders.
"The dungeon difficulty really is strange. Were they trying to make people clear this?"
I waved my hand as if swatting a fly, with a puzzled expression.
-KWAJAK!
At that, Cerberus's three heads burst simultaneously, dropping a magic stone the size of a boulder and a sword radiating an extraordinary aura before vanishing.
"Um... the monsters are really strong, aren't they?"
While we were about to take a brief moment to regroup in front of what appeared to be the boss room door, an NIS agent asked me that.
Well, it might be a natural reaction.
I'd been saying the difficulty was high the whole time, but everything died too easily.