Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 295
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Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 295
62. Crossing the Line (5)
'Grand Duke Lawrence and the queen are moving personally.'
It did not take long for that news to reach Ea.
Ea became greatly tense at this, and Albert, the tycoon of Iraq, tilted his head.
"Why not just change residences every day like we have been doing?"
Ea changes residences every day.
Albert had established numerous safe houses across the world under locals' names, and they were moving between them.
No matter how much Adrian possesses Rondel's finest intelligence department, that only applies within Rondel.
On Earth, the intelligence organization's foundation was still lacking, and moreover, Ea is a being with abilities surpassing a dragon.
This means that no matter how much Blue Moon flies around, reaching Ea a transcendent through sheer intelligence alone is not easy.
However, if Adrian and Arcia step in personally, the story changes.
"Those two possess a higher rank than me. Furthermore, his stepping in means the Four Heavenly Kings and dragons under his command have also entered the fray in earnest."
Currently, a large number of dragons are deployed on Earth.
These are forces deployed for defense against the attack that previously brought down the Heaven-Piercing Fortress.
But if Adrian were to mobilize the Four Heavenly Kings and dragons for a search, an entirely different level of pressure would inevitably begin.
"Perhaps they've already found clues about us. No, it would be better to judge that they definitely have."
"What? Th-then isn't this a serious problem?"
A sense of crisis rose on Albert's face, which had been treating it lightly.
Ea is a god who knows gratitude.
Albert is greedy, but since he was devoting himself for Ea's sake, Ea smiled and reassured him.
"Don't worry, I'm not the same as before either."
Ten days had passed since Ea decided to make contact with the Heavenly Tribe and the demon race, and two days had passed since the Heaven-Piercing Fortress fell on Seoul.
It was by no means a short time.
During that time, Ea had succeeded in making contact with both races and had reached an agreement to unite their goals.
Although a bit more time was needed for the descent of the Heavenly King and the Demon King, Ea was in a state of receiving active Support from both factions.
Thus, Ea showed confidence, telling him not to worry even about Adrian's movements.
"You're not the same as before? Well now, I'm looking forward to it."
"Hiek!?"
However, the fact that this time was by no means short did not apply only to Ea.
Two days after the Heaven-Piercing Fortress fell.
This was ample time for Adrian to find clues about Ea, just as Ea had feared.
Not only that, but also to use those clues to pinpoint his current location.
At the voice that came without warning, Albert shrank his neck, and Ea cried out in bewilderment.
"Who are you!?"
"Who do you think?"
"Grand Duke Lawrence?"
"Hi."
The owner of the unfamiliar voice was a divine being with silver hair and flashing blue eyes Adrian El Lawrence.
It was a search speed that surpassed Ea's predictions.
"From uninhabited islands to densely populated major cities, for an individual to possess this many secret safe houses you've picked quite a capable financier."
Currently, the place where Ea is hiding is a North Pole village in Alaska, America.
Since Ea had brainwashed all the locals, there was no risk of being discovered by the American government.
The village had an old underground bunker built during the Cold War, and they were using its interior as a base.
Ea and Albert had to swallow dry air as they watched Adrian and Arcia casually appear as if they had been there all along.
* * *
I looked around the massive concrete facility, then shifted my gaze to Ea.
Whatever else may be true, these guys are first-rate at running away.
If I let them slip this time, it would take days to find them again, so I first layered multiple layers of magic to prevent escape.
"You've made my kids run around quite a bit."
"W-well, it can't be helped. We need to survive too."
At my words, Ea flinched and took a step back.
But then something astonishing happened.
-Kwaang! Kuung!
Because massive objects revealed themselves on either side of him.
"Gigant?"
Their identity was the Gigant a new-type weapon deployed only in the Bringham Empire and Rainhatz Empire, even in Rondel.
At the appearance of the Gigant, which I had doubted could exist, I showed not just surprise but interest. ```
To think he developed a Gigant in that short time.
As a craftsman, Ea's abilities were beyond doubt.
What was even more astonishing was that no human presence could be felt inside the Gigant.
Nevertheless, seeing it move on its own, it had to be an autonomous-type Gigant.
The autonomous-type Gigant was a concept that did not yet exist even in Rondel.
"Impressive?"
"Unfortunately, what I lacked was time. If I'd had enough time, Earth's military capability would have equaled Rondel's."
That might indeed be true.
If he'd set his mind to it, he could have even built a Heaven-Piercing Fortress.
Thanks to that, a greed that hadn't existed before was born in me.
The thought occurred to me that it would be good to make him my personal blacksmith.
Then Arcia, who had been standing beside me, stepped forward.
Next, her fingertips seemed to blur....
-Thunk! Kuung!
The Gigant's joints were severed piece by piece and disassembled.
It had been subdued while preserving its form for easy investigation.
Ea aside, the pot-bellied, greedy-looking Iraqi slumped down on the spot.
He, of all people, would know well the might of that Gigant.
But seeing the formidable Gigant disassembled by an invisible attack, he was terrified.
I shrugged and urged Ea to surrender.
"I won't kill you, so surrender quietly."
But why?
The one who had shown a thoroughly flustered look just moments ago suddenly changed expression.
I wasn't particularly worried.
No matter what trick he used, I judged that the gap in rank between us could not be overcome.
-Pop! Whoosh!
And yet.
Like lightning falling from the sky, when white and black energies settled upon him, I had to stiffen my expression along with my surprise.
"This energy is?"
The reason was that I had recognized the identity of the unfamiliar energy emanating from him.
It would be best to call it 'Chaos.'
It was a new energy born from Divine power and black mana merging together.
If I hadn't witnessed the process of Divine power and black mana mixing directly, I wouldn't have believed it.
For the two energies were as incompatible as fire and water, unable to be mixed.
Moreover, this energy seemed to be the same as what had attacked the Heaven-Piercing Fortress that crashed into Seoul.
"So that's how it was."
But the surprise was brief, and I soon relaxed my expression.
The emotions that settled on my face were interest and admiration.
This was an development I hadn't anticipated.
"A joint response between the Heavenly Tribe and the demon race.... So they've learned of Sepia's thoughts? Then they'd have no choice but to respond. It seems they've chosen you as a chess piece to sever the Heavenly Demon's long bad blood and break free from their bonds."
"A chess piece? We simply share a mutual understanding."
Watching me grasp the entire situation in a short time, he tried to smile, but I could feel he was far from at ease.
I shrugged and asked.
"So how much more time do you need?"
"What do you mean?"
"The time needed to summon them."
"...."
At my question, Ea answered while revealing an energy that surged and writhed intensely, as if overflowing.
"Ten days."
"That's quite fast."
I nodded and reached my hand toward Ea just like that.
Then a translucent energy wrapped around him from all sides and pressed down on him.
Ea hurriedly tried to break free using the power he possessed, but it wasn't easy, and in the end he drew up a grayish energy infused with Divine power and black mana.
"Considerable?"
I felt a powerful repulsive force from my grip.
He was a being of lower rank than me, but perhaps because he received the full support of the Heavenly King and the Demon Kings, Ea's power surpassed that of ordinary Heavenly Kings and Demon Kings.
-Crack!
"W-what!? Kuaaagh!"
But that was as far as it went.
He ultimately failed to overcome the difference in power between us, and his body except for his head was flattened like a dried filefish.
He was quite strong, but no match for me.
I stroked my smooth chin and looked down at Ea.
"Th-this can't be, Lord Ea."
But someone inserted an unnecessary voice into my thoughts, so I lightly sent his head flying.
Like swatting a bug.
"Guh!"
Was it Alber, the Iraqi conglomerate?
He was no threat to me whatsoever, but since he had aligned himself with a hostile force, there was no mercy.
Thus, having looked down at Ea in silence while pondering, I made a certain decision.
"Good."
Ea, who wouldn't have been surprised to die at any moment, was rapidly healed by me.
Naturally, he expressed confusion.
"What is this?"
"I'll let you go."
And at my following words, his eyes went wide.
Until now he had acted as if he would kill me, so he seems unable to understand.
However, as if to prove I was not making an empty boast, I left him there and turned my back.
"You'll regret this?"
Ea's question followed.
I let out a slight smirk and waved my hand, telling him to do his best.
With that, I left the place.
* * *
Should I say it felt like a storm had swept through?
Ea could hardly understand the current situation.
He had thought he would either die or at best be dragged away, yet he was simply let go.
There was clearly some scheme behind it.
But no matter what the other's plan was, this was a chance.
After all, he had regained his freedom once more.
Ea revived Alber, who had lost his head.
"Aagh! Hah, hah. I definitely "
"From now on, I'll act on my own."
"What?"
"You know what it's like to die like a bug, don't you? From now on, I can't preserve your life."
"Lord Ea."
"Once everything is over and I have the capacity, I'll come find you."
Ea immediately left the place.
"Damn it, I don't know what it is, but I'll play along with your tune."
And while moving, he thought of Adrian and muttered that.
* * *
Currently, I am wielding power under the pretext of working for the peace of Rondel and Earth.
Naturally, some supported me, some were displeased, and some were enraged.
Just as people's thoughts cannot be identical, assessments of me were sharply divided.
But there was one thing everyone commonly acknowledged: that without me, Rondel would have invaded Earth without hesitation.
In other words, no matter how much they disliked it, they had no choice but to acknowledge me as a necessary evil to avoid war.
However, I was greatly displeased with this situation.
No matter how much I suppressed the existing powerholders by force to induce peace, compared to the effort I put in, few appreciated my labors.
'Even if there is a pretext of peace, if the process is coercive, complaints are bound to arise.'
I do not have a very good personality.
I am not of the mindset that I should just do my work regardless of what others think; I believe that effort should naturally be followed by recognition.
If possible, wouldn't a sage respected by all be better than a necessary evil?
So instead of a method of suppressing by force, I pondered a new way to maintain peace.
Before long, I hit upon that method.
'The reason the two worlds grate against each other is partly a lack of understanding of one another, but precisely, it is because the futures they envision differ.'
What if the two worlds shared the same goal, helped each other, overcame hardships together, and finally achieved the objective they desired?
Surely they would come to acknowledge each other and be able to converse with more open minds.
The moment I realized what was needed to improve relations between Earth and Rondel, various ideas sprang forth.
Thus, I have a plan made for future peace and stability.
That is to create a 'common enemy' for Earth and Rondel.
'A powerful enemy appears, plunging the world into crisis, and the two worlds join forces to defeat it. It makes Earth and Rondel into comrades-in-arms who fought together against a threat.'
Among the comics I saw in my past life, there was one like this.
The protagonist reigns over a world of endless war as a dictator, gathers all hostility upon himself, and chooses to be judged himself, thereby achieving peace.
It could be considered similar to that.
The difference between me and the comic's protagonist, however, is that I have no intention whatsoever of playing the unfair role of being judged after working so hard.
If anything, being the hero who does the judging would be more like it.
So I planned to ask Lord Exceed, the reincarnation of Grand Duke Lucas, to play the role of the villain to be judged as this world's common goal.
Since he too was reborn as a god race by absorbing the Creator's Authority, just like me, I thought he was perfect for it.
'This is the plan I prepared for peace.'
Though some destruction and some sacrifice will accompany this process, it is to prevent even greater chaos.
However.
This plan, became unnecessary.
Because I found a very good saying.