Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 279
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Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 279
60. The Age of Adventure (2)
I approached the box and placed my hand on it.
'This method is just like....'
Clear the dungeon and receive a reward.
It's a common RPG game formula, but for some reason, in this situation I thought of Grand Duke Lucas's reward.
Well, that Grand Duke Lucas's reward was also designed by the goddess from the start, so it's probably natural that it feels similar.
-Pop!
The box opened with a flash of light, and a hologram message window appeared before my eyes.
[You have cleared the dungeon.]
[You have acquired the Magic Bow Seedmillar.]
[You have acquired the Magic Spear Anise.]
[You have acquired the magic skill Spatoi Summon.]
[You have acquired the unique skill Doppelganger Summon.]
An unexpectedly simple five-line message.
But after reading the contents, I couldn't help but look surprised.
"It's not even a game, but it's giving skills that can be used in reality?"
I brought my hand to the message window that read 'unique skill Doppelganger Summon.'
Then the message window disappeared, and a single book was summoned along with a flash of light.
It's a familiar sight.
I also remember acquiring support skills this way in Chronicle Online.
Back then, I just thought Grand Duke Lucas had mobilized every technique for his disciple.
But thinking that this will apply to all of Earth is bewildering.
Doesn't it feel like the world is becoming a game board?
'Of course, it's not enough to be a problem. Considering the difficulty of this dungeon, the summon of a regular Doppelganger, which is limited to replicating Aura Master-class at best, can be considered insignificant.'
Nevertheless, the reason I was flustered is this.
[Doppelganger Summon / Unique Skillbook]
-No acquisition restrictions.
-If you wish to acquire it, open the book and place your palm on it.
The content stating there are no conditions or restrictions for acquisition.
It means that if I make up my mind, I can turn anyone into an Aura Master-class Doppelganger summoner.
A system where those with power can only grasp even more power.
Would this kind of method truly benefit Earth?
No, it's rather a system that seems to benefit Rondel far more.
While Earth's Gift users are still growing, Rondel's military power is practically in a completed state.
So after deliberating, I decided to at least secure the skillbook.
The magic spear and magic bow that came out with the skillbook were equipment not greatly different from the magic sword Cerberus had dropped earlier.
"The reason we struggled is that this dungeon's boss is a special monster called Arc Doppelganger, but if Grandmasters or 8th Circle-level Grand Mages form a party and prepare well in advance, I think it's worth challenging."
"That's right."
I agreed with the dungeon difficulty assessed by Arc Scarlet.
The Doppelganger's characteristic is copying the opponent.
This time, the Arc Doppelganger copied the Demon King and became a Demon King-class existence, but if the invading party's level had been 8th Circle-class, it would have become exactly that level of existence.
Therefore, to conquer this dungeon, being just capable of subjugating Cerberus can be seen as the minimum condition.
Cerberus is a semi-dragon class existence.
If five or more 8th Circle and Grandmaster-level individuals gathered, it seemed they could subjugate it.
"Still, clearing the dungeon is close to impossible."
Arcia said that while linking her arm with mine.
The difficulty was lower than expected.
But thinking cool-headedly, she's right.
Excluding my group, there are fewer than 10 people in Rondel at 8th Circle or above.
And they're all the highest-ranking people in power.
How likely is it that such people would form a party and enter a dungeon where they'd have to risk their lives?
I think it's almost none.
"Certainly, there's no need to worry."
Then a new question arises here.
"Why create a dungeon of this difficulty? Simply for the future?"
Neither Arcia nor Arc Scarlet could offer an opinion on this.
"Surely not all dungeons are this difficult, right?"
"That probably isn't the case. If so, there'd be no reason for dungeons to appear."
This dungeon is nasty in many ways.
It's a place that first draws your attention with mediocre monsters, then suddenly pours out high-grade monsters.
Because it's called the Tomb of the Lion, I thought it was simply named that way because undead monsters appear there, but now I'm starting to wonder if it actually means the tomb of invaders.
"This place will need separate management."
It was a natural measure, since charging in recklessly like Major Lee Geunseok's party did today would only lead to death.
[You can acquire management authority over the dungeon. Would you like to acquire it?]
-If you acquire management authority over the dungeon, you can set the entry cost, the dungeon's difficulty, restricted entry zones, and banned entrants (or groups).
Then, at that moment.
A new message window appeared before my eyes.
Thanks to that, it once again plunged me into thought.
"What is this? What are they trying to do by giving me something like this?"
The dungeon system itself favors Rondel over Earth's side.
After all, there are far more powerful individuals like Mages, Knights, and Spirit Masters in Rondel than there are Gift users.
But if dungeons can be privatized, occupation battles are bound to break out.
No matter how much Rondel watches my every move, there isn't enough justification to block even dungeon raids, let alone war.
It was only natural that my expression hardened when I thought of the aftermath that dungeon management authority would bring.
"What should we do going forward?"
At Arc Scarlet's question, I massaged my temples.
"For now, we need to acquire ownership first so this doesn't become a seed of conflict."
"Like the countries whose governments collapsed should Earth's dungeons also be managed by the international Peace Organization?"
"That's the plan."
At our conversation, the National Intelligence Service agents who had been cowering in the corner were startled.
But before they could say anything, I registered myself as the dungeon administrator and set everything except the Skeleton appearance zone as restricted entry areas.
"Your Excellency Chairman! W-wait a moment. This should go through consultation...."
"Let's handle the immediate situation first and consult later. I see that transfer is also possible."
Then I tossed the magic spear and magic bow in front of the National Intelligence Service agent and Major Lee Geunseok, and I kept the magic stones and materials obtained from defeating the Arc Doppelganger.
As for the magic spear, since Major Lee Geunseok's party has a Spearman, they can just use it, and the magic bow can be used by the former national archery team member in another test party.
"I'm sorry, but I need to move quickly. Just report what you've seen and experienced to the President as it is."
"Hmm, understood for now."
* * *
"You're saying all of this came from the dungeon?"
"That's correct."
President Kim Min-guk's eyes went wide at the report from his subordinates who had joined Adrian in exploring the dungeon.
The quantity and quality of the magic stones Adrian had generously handed over were already considerable, but among them were quite a few magic items as well.
Above all, the magic sword, magic spear, and magic bow were on a different level from the rest.
"And this is the video of us testing the magic sword's power."
"Hoho...."
The President swallowed dryly as he watched the video of Major Lee Geunseok mowing down Minotaurs with the magic sword whose blade extended long.
"At that level, it could probably even cut through a tank?"
"That's not all."
The magic sword is a superior-compatible weapon to the Force Sword.
It was also possible to gather the energy held by its owner and fire it.
-Kwaaaaang!
The video contained a scene of a distant Minotaur being blown apart by a swing of the magic sword, and that Strike seemed no less powerful than a missile.
"It looks more powerful than Vanguard's weapons."
"That's correct. There's something called a Holy Sword in Rondel, and they say it's similar to that."
"Hehe, a Holy Sword."
Thanks to that, the President's eyes couldn't help but sharpen.
A hunting ground where you can obtain equipment like this anyone would covet it.
But the problem is that the monsters you'd have to hunt to obtain such equipment are unmanageable on Earth.
On the other hand, Rondel is not like that.
Since the members that would need to be gathered to clear the dungeon are Rondel's highest-ranking people in power, Adrian had effectively judged it impossible to clear, but their circumstances were distinctly different from Earth's.
Because having a force capable of clearing it but making them step forward being difficult is different from the challenge itself being impossible.
"It would be a lie to say I have no complaints, but I can understand Chairman Lawrence's actions."
"What shall we do?"
"For now, let's stay quiet. This is no different from a powder keg that could explode at any time."
"Understood."
The rational judgment of President Kim Min-guk.
But for the time being, there was no choice.
When it came to supernatural abilities, they were beginners.
"But what if ten years pass from now?"
I guarantee it supernatural abilities will fully take root on Earth and open a new era.
Now is the time to lie low.
The President thought it was time to stick close to Adrian and scoop up whatever scraps he could.
"It's a bit humiliating, but there's no helping it."
This was a decision for the future.
* * *
Finding dungeons wasn't difficult.
As someone who had been steadily healing people and building connections, there was an overflow of people willing to bring me information and I had reached a level of ability that let me scan an entire country of middling size from top to bottom.
[You have acquired administrator authority over the Giant's Holy See.]
[You have acquired administrator authority over the Temple of Fire.]
....
....
[You have acquired administrator authority over the Fallen Fairy's Den.]
So by the next day, before the second summit was held, I was able to secure a whopping thirty dungeons.
As expected, there were no dungeons of as high a level as Korea's.
There were only two others of a similar level; the rest had a variety of difficulties, making them perfect for growth-oriented use.
But the more valuable the dungeon, the more I had to be wary of monopolizing it, so I postponed negotiations with the affiliated nations and focused on subjugating them first.
Thanks to that, the nations that belatedly grasped the situation were in an uproar.
[Dungeons are appearing all over Earth. Dungeons are spaces that help Gift holders grow quickly and contain various treasures. Among them, the existence of skillbooks that can transmit supernatural abilities has also been confirmed.]
[However, a problem has arisen with these dungeons. It is because of the system that allows the first person to clear a dungeon to claim ownership.]
[Adrian El Lawrence, Chairman of the International Peace Organization, who quickly got his hands on this information, is rapidly clearing dungeons and acquiring ownership without even getting permission from the countries where the dungeons appeared.]
[Currently, Chairman Lawrence appears to have secured about 30 dungeons, and the reason he commits such amoral acts is said to be to prevent conflict.]
[The purpose is understandable. But for the sake of the peace he envisions, is it acceptable to disregard other nations' sovereignty?]
The reactions of governments and media around the world were similar.
Everyone viewed my actions negatively, and the public's opinion was not much different.
Of course, there were quite a few who volunteered as my fan club and defended me, but compared to the whole, it wasn't a high proportion.
"Why do I have to go this far?"
I had intended to only play the role of appropriately coordinating and threatening the relationships between nations.
But look at me now.
I'm running around busily, and all I get are complaints.
I've gained a new card called dungeon monopoly, but this was never what I wanted.
Doesn't it feel like watching a prelude to world conquest?
"Wait, I just had a really scary thought."
So it was, while I was parading before the second summit and receiving the cheers of the duchy's citizens.
I looked at Arcia, who was riding in the same vehicle, and suddenly revealed the scary thought that had come to mind.
"The goddess asked me for world peace, but the situation is practically turning into world conquest."
You might wonder how one could conquer Earth with just nations that have lost their governments and dungeon management alone, but it means that tremendous power is concentrating in the international organization I own.
Even now, the world is in an uproar, and is there any guarantee something like this won't happen again?
No.
Somehow, I had a conviction that wasn't quite a conviction that it would happen again.
"Why is that?"
"Doesn't this feel like I'm becoming a manager rather than a coordinator?"
"Hm?"
At my question, Arcia expressed doubt, then nodded, apparently thinking it wasn't entirely wrong.
"Surely the goddess isn't trying to make me manage the world."
An ominous guess.
But I had a feeling that if it was the goddess, she would very well do exactly that.