The Ruined World Was Mistaken for a Game

Chapter 206: Mini-Game (1)

Translator: Dreamscribe

The Demon Race fundamentally loved things that were strong and beautiful.

Of course, Arsilanians and Heroes were the same way, but the Demon Race took that tendency to a far greater extreme.

The Demon Race revered strength.

They looked up to beauty with awe.

The stronger a demon was, the more beautiful they became, and the more beautiful they were, the stronger they grew.

Even after long ages had passed in Levannas, the instincts of the Demon Race remained unchanged.

That was precisely why Leon's appearance was nothing short of a shock to them.

Even Serazade and the staff, who already knew what Leon looked like, were stunned all the same.

When he had first come to Levannas, he had been in a shabby outfit wrapped in a robe. Even that disheveled look had shone brightly enough to make them momentarily lower their guard, but the Emperor version of Leon was on an entirely different level.

Jinwoo had come dressed to the nines, as he represented the Sillion Empire's Emperor, the Heroes, and all of Arsilan. On top of that, becoming a god had made him shine even more brilliantly.

Strength and beauty.

Both were satisfied to an extreme degree.

When Jinwoo waved at the demons staring blankly at him, they trembled from head to toe.

"OHHHHH!"

"KYAAAH!"

He became a superstar in Levannas in an instant.

The Heroes who had come to watch smirked knowingly and nodded in understanding.

A broadcasting crew had been following Jinwoo from the moment he emerged from the Dimension Gate, streaming the event to both Arsilan and Levannas.

-Damn...

-Levannas is in big trouble now ㅋㅋㅋ

-Once you fall for Leon, there's no getting out.

-Literally no escape

-Fr. Don't even wanna escape tbh.

The Heroes who had been watching Leon since the early access days understood exactly how the demons felt. The Heroes had done everything in their power to keep Leon alive, and as a result, he was now able to come to Levannas in that magnificent form. It felt incredibly rewarding, as if they had contributed to that beauty.

Jinwoo waved to the crowd and approached Belzerad. Belzerad spread both arms wide to welcome him. After pretending to chat for a moment, they boarded the royal Airship side by side.

The plan was to watch the festival's main event together, demonstrating that Arsilan and Levannas had officially become allies. This kind of symbolic performance was important.

The moment Jinwoo entered the VIP room inside the Airship, he sank into the sofa. He had been the picture-perfect Emperor right up until stepping through the door, but he loosened up immediately.

"How are the stage preparations going?"

Serazade had been tense after seeing Jinwoo's majestic Emperor appearance, but when he returned to his usual self, she let out a small sigh of relief.

"I just finished the rehearsal."

"Oh, should I be excited?"

"W-Well, I'm not sure."

Serazade averted her gaze.

Belzerad sat down across from Jinwoo with a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha! Everyone will finally get to see our Sera's lovely appearance. I'm looking forward to it too, so do your best out there."

Serazade squeezed her eyes shut.

In that pleasant atmosphere, the Airship arrived at the royal palace. A special seating area had been prepared directly in front of the stage for Jinwoo and Belzerad. When the two appeared side by side, the cheers pierced the sky.

"Oh ho, is that spatial magic?"

"It's not magic, it's an Authority. I took it from the Erosion."

Belzerad gazed with fascination at the Authority of Space that had been layered over the audience seating. Thanks to the creation of numerous spatial layers, a vast number of people could enjoy the performance in comfort.

"You must have been through quite a lot."

"Well, it was fun."

"Fun, you say..."

Belzerad seemed unable to quite grasp what Jinwoo meant. After all, fighting Erosion could never be called fun.

How could a desperate battle ever be enjoyable?

Belzerad watched the happy smiles of the Heroes and Arsilanians with deep envy.

"You are a fine Emperor. I can see where your love is directed."

"Really?"

"Your people love you dearly as well."

Belzerad could feel deep in his heart just how much the Heroes and Arsilanians cherished and loved Jinwoo.

The performance began.

Each of Arsilan's races showcased traditional performances, and there was even a performance by an idol group that had conquered Billboard. Billboard was still going strong, but now the Arsilan charts held a higher position. On top of that, the quarterly award ceremonies held in Arsilan carried more prestige than any other, since they were essentially a unified global awards show.

The demons were beside themselves with excitement from the culture shock.

The idol group hailing from NorthernGrandDuke's northern territory was so famous that their performance schedule at the Dimension Gate fields was booked solid year-round. There had been signs that RomanticBard was trying to get involved, but fortunately, that had been prevented.

The final performance began.

Dazzling fireworks bloomed, and Serazade and her staff appeared on stage in their Magical Girl forms. They stood perfectly still in sharp formation, and the Heroes unleashed cheers that engulfed the entire stage. It was enough to overwhelm even the demons.

When Jinwoo glanced to the side, Belzerad was holding a light stick in each hand. Jinwoo smirked and pulled up the chat window to show him.

-ㅋㅋㅋ look at the King of Levannas. Isn't that official merch?

-Leon looks caught off guard ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Dude's passionate tho

That side of Belzerad came across as endearing to the Heroes. Sera, Karin, and Mira began singing while performing a sharp, precise dance.

"Oh..."

If they hadn't met Tiris's standards, they would never have been allowed on stage. There were some slightly rough edges, but even those were charming enough to be seen as part of the appeal.

Belzerad's eyes widened.

"This is..., an ancient song of the Demon Race. And on top of that..."

"They mixed it with an Arsilan song."

Tiris had restored the Demon Race's song from ancient documents. The lost portions had been filled in with Arsilan melodies.

The Heroes and Arsilanians tilted their heads at the song that felt both familiar and unfamiliar, then quickly found themselves completely absorbed. It had an enigmatic quality that defied any single genre.

The demons fell into an indescribable feeling as they listened. It was definitely a song they had never heard before, yet their bodies were responding to it. It was as though their very souls remembered it.

-Song's actually good.

-Sera's so pretty omg

-Can I simp? Pls accept my gifts

-THIS is an idol! THIS is a Magical Girl!

-This is hitting #1 on the Arsilan charts for sure holy crap

Their dancing while emanating light was spectacularly dazzling.

Serazade was nothing short of a professional. She wore a smile perfectly suited to her Sera form and threw herself into the performance with everything she had. She had been reluctant at first, but once she stepped onto the stage, everything changed. Passion boiled up within her, and her eyes blazed with fire.

"Sera being that absorbed in something..., it really has been a long time."

"Mm, she has talent."

"I'm entrusting Sera to you. She still lacks what it takes to lead the Demon Race, but with you by her side, she can grow."

Even as Belzerad spoke about Sera with cool detachment, his eyes overflowed with love.

"She needs family by her side."

"I would like that."

Jinwoo and Belzerad watched the performance in silence for a moment.

When Sera and the Magical Girls' performance ended, cheers echoed throughout all of Levannas.

That joyful roar must have reached the Lord of Despair. The despair and fear that had always lingered vanished, and only joy filled Levannas.

"I'd like to show this to the Lord of Despair too."

"Ha ha, that being is more emotional than you'd think. If you provoke it needlessly..."

It had been imprisoned for over a thousand years. If they added that kind of provocation on top of it, wouldn't even a higher being of Erosion develop a grudge?

THUD-THUD-THUD!

A faint vibration rumbled from the ground.

Jinwoo and Belzerad looked at each other.

"Sounds like it heard."

"Oh dear..."

When Jinwoo shrugged, Belzerad smirked. As the closing remarks of the performance rang out, Jinwoo and Belzerad rose from their seats and applauded, looking out at everyone.

When Belzerad, with a showman's flair, grabbed Jinwoo's hand and raised it high, the cheers grew even louder. Jinwoo smiled and waved. That alone was enough to make the demons feel so much closer to Arsilan.

Had the demons of Levannas ever been this happy?

Belzerad watched his joyful people and felt happier than anyone.

They had merely been clinging to survival in a fierce struggle.

How was that any different from a machine kept running by replacing rusted parts? At last, the demons seemed to have found meaning in life.

Belzerad looked at Jinwoo.

'Hm.'

His eyes widened slightly.

A sacred light was gently emanating from Jinwoo's body.

In his reckless youth, Belzerad had been smitten with Ella and courted her. It was only after meeting his wife that he understood what true love was.

Belzerad had never truly been infatuated with Ella.

He had simply wanted to possess her divine abilities.

'That's right.'

He realized he had been envious of Ella's light. He had wished that the warmth contained in that light would also dwell within the Demon Race.

'For us, too...'

The very things he had so envied were now seeping in, drawing closer.

Belzerad had encountered the Lord of Despair, a being he could only call a god, and after long ages, had reunited with a long-lost old friend. The light held by the Archmage who had become a god was joy and jubilation that swept away despair and fear in an instant, and endless delight.

'The God of Joy...'

Belzerad closed his eyes and nodded.

"How very like you."

"What is?"

"Hahaha! I'll make you a God of Love. If love and joy were combined, you'd be invincible!"

Jinwoo stared at Belzerad and his strange remarks, then simply smirked. If the joy was enough to forget the pain that had long since scarred over, that was more than enough.

* * *

With the festival concluded, preparations began in earnest for the decisive battle against the Lord of Despair.

The battlefield against the Lord of Despair would be Levannas. The moment the Lord of Despair rose into Levannas, a massive Barrier would be erected, and all available power would be mobilized for the final confrontation.

In the process, Levannas would certainly be destroyed.

Preventing it without any damage was impossible. That was why all demons of Levannas were scheduled to be evacuated to Arsilan. That work was proceeding steadily, and residences capable of housing all the demons had been built on Arsilan's vast grounds.

Tiris took Serazade along and worked together with her. Serazade's eyes sparkled as she watched Tiris.

"Copying and relocating entire buildings, that's amazing! So this is real magic..."

It was not magic but her master's Authority, but Tiris did not want to shatter her illusions. Serazade was a talent who studied magic with tremendous passion. She had already finished reading through the introductory texts Tiris had given her. Her abilities as a Magical Girl had also improved dramatically.

Tiris was copying every building in Levannas and transferring them directly to Arsilan. The demons would adapt to Arsilan quickly without any major issues.

"The royal palace has been fully copied!"

"We'll proceed with the cities and villages now!"

Knights carrying copiers reported to Tiris.

They had been half-skeptical, yet still followed Tiris's orders and carried out their duties. Everyone already knew that a great crisis was bearing down on Levannas, so they gave it their all.

"At least Levannas won't be destroyed for good."

"The location will change, but nothing else will."

When Serazade spoke with relief, Tiris nodded. Arsilan and the demon realm were positioned close together. Since the demon realm could be considered to have originated from Arsilan, this was essentially a return to its original place. After more than a thousand years, no less.

"If we handle things well when the Seal breaks, we might even be able to preserve this planet itself."

"That's a hopeful thought."

Currently, the Magic Tower was analyzing the energy leaking from the Seal in real time. The Lord of Despair, perhaps due to its nature, showed far greater strength in Erosion and propagation rather than raw destructive power.

That was the reason this planet still remained even though the Seal had been half-broken before Jinwoo arrived.

'If we construct a large-scale Barrier the instant the Seal breaks...'

It would require extremely good luck, but the probability of maintaining Levannas was not zero.

Serazade clenched her fist tightly.

"I'll work hard too! Let's finish all the nearby cities today!"

"A fine attitude. You'll make an excellent sl..., ahem, disciple of the Magic Tower."

Her passionate dedication to the task resembled the old days of the Magic Emons. It was while Serazade was eagerly running around copying buildings.

"Ungh!"

Serazade dropped the copier and clutched her head.

"What's wrong?"

"A sudden pain..."

Tiris cast a spell to examine her condition. There was nothing wrong with her body itself. However, her soul was trembling as though some kind of resonance was occurring. Tiris formed a Barrier inside Serazade's body using the Sacred Power imbued in the Magic Tower. The pain subsided.

RRRUMBLE!

Earthquakes began erupting across all of Levannas.

Tiris quickly checked the Seal. It had not broken, but a massive change was occurring within it. A change significant enough to affect all of Levannas.

"This is..."

Tiris looked up at the sky.

Day faded rapidly and night arrived. Levannas's rotation sped up, then locked into a fixed position. The Seal remained intact, and there was no major damage to Levannas, but something fundamental had changed.

Tiris examined the Seal.

The readings analyzed by the Magic Tower kept climbing. She immediately contacted her master.

Tiris: Master, something has changed. I'll send you the data.

Jinwoo: No need. I can see it perfectly well from here.

Jinwoo was out in Alusion in his Leon persona. He had planned to mingle with the Heroes for a bit before heading off to inspect the site where the demons would be evacuated.

Since the Dimension Gate had been connected, Levannas was now observable from Arsilan as well.

By looking through a telescope during the pre-dawn hours, one could observe it directly. Photos of Levannas taken from Arsilan were often posted on Arsilan Worlds.

Jinwoo felt a gaze and looked up at the sky.

He could not help but be stunned. The clouds vanished in an instant, and Levannas, which had been far in the distance, rapidly expanded into view. Space bent and folded, connecting in a single moment.

"Huh? Wh-What?!"

"Levannas?"

"What the..."

The Heroes around Jinwoo stared up at the sky in shock. It looked as if Arsilan's sky had shattered and Levannas had appeared.

CRRRACK!

Because it had drawn far closer than the moon, the beautiful surface of Levannas was visible in vivid detail, but that sight quickly vanished. The planet rotated rapidly, revealing the far side stained by Erosion. Not just the Heroes, but the Arsilanians nearby as well stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.

The Erosion-blackened far side of Levannas seemed to split apart, revealing the sealed sphere within. The ground opened with terrifying ease, as if an eye that had been closed was now opening.

The shockwave tried to cross the gap between spaces and slam into Arsilan, but Jinwoo swiftly formed a massive Barrier and blocked it. Tiris likewise hurried to erect Barriers over the cities and villages of Levannas using the Magic Tower and the Holy Sword.

KRAKOOM!

The shockwave collided with the Barriers, and a sound like the sky itself collapsing blanketed Arsilan. The shattering Barriers created a sight that looked as though the sky had truly fallen.

Black lines carved across the sealed sphere, and the Erosion rippled.

A thick, viscous pulse of Erosion etched into the golden-glowing Seal.

'It's watching.'

It served as an eye.

Looking closely, countless horrifying things writhed within that long, drawn line. Filled with fury, it stared at Arsilan. That gaze remained fixed regardless of Arsilan's rotation, ceaselessly watching, day or night.

No matter how powerful a higher being of Erosion might be, it should not have been able to undergo such a drastic change. It was a transformation that altered its very essence.

After contacting Tiris again, Jinwoo carefully reviewed the data transmitted to the Magic Tower.

'It descended.'

Having reached godhood, Jinwoo was able to grasp the change quickly. The conceptual existence of the Lord of Despair, which had extended beyond dimensions, had descended one level down into the material plane.

Destruction.

It revealed emotions stained with rage, willingly lowering its own tier to convert itself into the power of destruction.

Jinwoo: It must be absolutely furious.

Tiris: It seems so.

According to the Magic Tower's analysis, when that Seal broke, Levannas would be blown to pieces. And it would immediately head for Arsilan. If all forces were concentrated, it would not be able to breach the Magic Barrier, but vulnerable points had already been exposed.

The Lord of Despair was staring directly at those points.

'Arsilan's exposed core...'

If the Lord of Despair reached that spot, it would be the end of Arsilan.

All of Arsilan would turn to ash and vanish. Imagining that, Jinwoo's expression went blank for the first time in a long while.

Ella and Helby appeared at Jinwoo's side.

Heina came running as well.

"Th-That thing looks totally unhinged, doesn't it?"

"...Its rage has reached its peak."

Ella and Helby turned pale.

As transcendent beings themselves, they could directly feel that overwhelming power. Heina took a deep breath and looked at Jinwoo.

"In Hero terms..."

"Yeah."

We're screwed.

Heina did not say the rest, but Jinwoo nodded, the words echoing in his mind.

Jinwoo looked around.

"I-Isn't that the Lord of Despair?"

"The scale is insane."

"Ughhh! I've got chills!"

The Heroes were grinning with excitement, their eyes alight.

A few Heroes pulled out telescopes and gazed at the Lord of Despair.

"Wh-Whoa! Guys! Looking through the telescope makes my whole body tingle and my head go fuzzy! And my vision's getting all warped!"

"Wow! Is this like some kind of mental corruption?"

"The production value is nuts! If you keep staring, these weird symbols start appearing in front of your eyes!"

Simply looking at the Lord of Despair caused mental corruption, but the Holy Sword protected them. Apparently enjoying the sensation, the Heroes beamed and kept staring at the Lord of Despair.

"Ooh! I'm tasting metal!"

"Cough! Guys! I just coughed up blood."

"Now THIS is a boss! Hell yeah!"

"Long live the Creator God!"

Heroes were buying telescopes and craning their necks to stare at the sky.

CRRRACK!

The Lord of Despair thrashed even harder upon seeing this. There was no direct impact thanks to the Seal, but the surface of the sphere churned violently.

"Greatest boss of all time."

"But can we even beat that thing?"

"Eh, let's just enjoy the moment."

Cries of "Long live the Creator God" echoed from every direction.

It was certainly an overwhelming spectacle that let them feel the end of the world in their bones.

All plans had to be revised.

How should they prepare?

"Leon! Let's do our best together and protect Arsilan and Levannas!"

"...Of course. No matter how powerful the enemy, we will prevail."

Jinwoo answered the Hero's words almost out of habit.

The Heroes then nodded, wearing absurdly bright smiles.

They had no idea what he was going through!

'Hmm...'

Jinwoo's worries deepened.