The Ruined World Was Mistaken for a Game

Chapter 211: Mini-Game (6)

Translator: Dreamscribe

The aftermath of the Erosion Insect wave was far greater than Jinwoo had expected. The Heroes and Arsilanians, who had grown accustomed to such experiences through countless ordeals, quickly pulled themselves together and began implementing countermeasures against the Erosion Insect wave. But the demons of Levannas could not do the same.

They had been happy.

So incredibly happy.

The joy they felt when a small Magic Stone was purified and appeared before them was beyond words. It was enough for the demons, who had only ever competed with one another, to suppress their instincts and build a massive storage facility together.

"Ugh, ughhhhh!"

"GRAAAAAH!"

An intense resentment coursed through their entire bodies.

Rage that had been suppressed for over a thousand years erupted all at once, awakening the demons. Until now, they had been so busy scrambling to survive and had so little to their name that they barely realized anything had been taken from them. But not anymore.

This level of reaction was not what Jinwoo had intended, but regardless, the demons channeled their fierce anger as fuel and threw themselves even deeper into Arsilan Defense. Of course, it was also just really fun.

The Erosion Insect waves occurred periodically, and everyone adapted, devising countermeasures. They constructed massive islands in the air and installed turrets and various magical structures on them. From a distance, it looked as if Arsilan had gained a ring like Saturn.

Mines combining Magic Stones and magic circles were also laid out.

Anything that touched them was instantly blown to dust.

From the moment the Mana Engine was implemented, all manner of creative inventions began to emerge. Thanks to blueprints being shared on Arsilan Worlds, an enormous number of creations appeared at a staggering pace.

Following the Mana Engine, the Summon Summoning Circle was introduced.

Now, Summons took charge of all large-scale construction. Their majestic forms moving freely through outer space were incredibly reassuring.

Jinwoo moved to the space where Arsilan's Barrier had been deployed.

'Impressive.'

The defensive line constructed in outer space was beautiful.

Arsilan's imagination and creativity, combined with Levannas's seemingly boundless tenacity, meshed together perfectly and produced tremendous synergy.

Title: At this point, wouldn't a giant robot be possible?

We've already got super-massive turrets and ships that can more or less move around, so couldn't we also build a giant robot?

Don't tell me it's impractical.

That's exactly what makes it a dream.

Anonymous1: You could build one, but it probably wouldn't be useful.

└Mechanic(OP): That's exactly what makes it worthwhile.

Anonymous2: You'd need alloys, so it'd be tough. But I kinda wanna try.

└Mechanic(OP): Just imagine a giant robot smashing Erosion Insects. I'll share the design I made.

Through Crafting Tools, it was possible to create alloys or alter material properties. Since Magitech Engineering could also be fully implemented, all sorts of outlandish creations began to appear.

"Ohhh! It's moving!"

"Hell yeah! This is it!"

"Let's gooo!"

A colossal statue of Ella, the kind one might see at the Grand Temple, came into view.

Only the upper body had been completed, and it was anchored on top of a floating island of land. When a crudely made controller was operated, the statue of Ella began to move stiffly.

Wind blasted from the island, propelling it toward a stretch of Land Fragment embedded with resources. When a Hero pressed the button, the statue of Ella trembled violently before raising its fist.

[Goddess Punch!]

KABOOM!

Explosive magic had been imbued in the fist, and the Fragment Land it struck exploded, leaving a deep crater. They had even gone through the trouble of playing back Ella's voice.

Mining vessels and warships in the form of Airships also appeared.

Building them was far easier than it would have been in Arsilan or Levannas. The Holy Sword, the Magic Tower, Jinwoo's Sacred Power and mana, Helby's computational power, and Ella's Authority were all concentrated within Arsilan Defense.

Through crafting and duplication, they were churned out rapidly.

The technologies of Levannas and Arsilan naturally merged, and the result led to groundbreaking technological advancement.

'Nice.'

The results were far better than Jinwoo had intended.

If they could surpass the Lord of Despair, Arsilan would enter a brilliant golden age unlike anything it had ever experienced. The technologies fused and created within Arsilan Defense would surely advance their civilization by several stages.

Jinwoo stayed there for some time, continuously checking the progress of the Main Quest.

The space that had been gnawed away until the core was exposed had been filled in, as if a path had been connected. The core was still visible, but at least it no longer felt desolate.

Jinwoo raised his head and looked at the Lord of Despair. Writhing movement could be seen from within the massive eye. The creature was pouring all its strength into tearing through the Seal.

A message came from Tiris.

Tiris: The replication of Levannas has been completed.

Levannas had been replicated on Arsilan's land.

It was not an exact copy since every city and village could not be duplicated, but it would be far better than temporary shelters. Jinwoo wanted to give the demons the feeling of settling somewhere new, rather than fleeing from despair.

Tiris: The Arsilan Defense Main Quest completion rate has also surpassed 90%.

Jinwoo felt relieved.

It seemed they would be able to activate the Holy Magic Circle before the Seal broke.

Jinwoo moved to Belzerad's room.

Belzerad's room looked completely different from before. A large table had been set up, and elite knights and staff officers were seated around it.

They were all staring at their Devices, playing Arsilan Defense.

"I've discovered Tears of the Earth!"

"Well done. As expected of the Knight Commander."

"Sir!"

The Knight Commander rose from his seat and saluted.

The Prime Minister, who appeared to be of advanced age, adjusted his glasses with his fingers.

"Ho ho, Tears of the Earth fetch a high price from the Heroes. Allow me to handle the negotiations."

"Prime Minister Markan, I'm counting on you. This will be of great help when the people of Levannas settle in Arsilan."

"I shall achieve the best possible outcome."

Prime Minister Markan, who had managed Levannas under Belzerad for many long years, operated his Device and approached a place where people had gathered.

It was an area where trade was thriving. There was an auction house that Heroes had built themselves, and several shops had been established as well.

Jinwoo watched the scene for a moment.

Markan made a grand entrance and operated his Device to perform a dance. Once all eyes were on him, he immediately typed in chat.

Markan: Ultra Rare Item★※Tears of the Earth※★WTS WTS WTS WTS WTS....

Markan's message caught the Heroes' attention. They swarmed around him.

[WTB Tears of the Earth. How much?]

Markan: Make an offer first

[Can I trade it for an A-rank Magic Stone?]

Markan: Nah. A-rank Magic Stone + more $$$

[Isn't that way too expensive?]

Markan: Then get lost.

Markan was a seasoned merchant.

He even put it up for auction on the spot and sold it for far above market price. When Markan made a triumphant return to the castle that Belzerad had built, the knights and staff operated their buttons to applaud.

"Ohhh!"

"Levannas is going to be even wealthier!"

"Hell yeah! Long live Levannas!"

Everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives.

Their immersion was well-justified. Everything obtained in Arsilan Defense could actually be taken with them.

"Emergency!"

"Stage 7 Erosion Insect wave!"

As long as they could survive the Erosion Insect waves, that is.

Belzerad was the greatest Demon King of all.

"Stay calm! If we defend as we've practiced, we can protect everything."

Jinwoo did not say a word and waited until the Erosion Insect wave had ended. Under Belzerad's command, they managed to endure the wave without incident.

Cheering could be heard from outside the palace as well.

The demons were overjoyed.

Jinwoo let out a small laugh and approached Belzerad.

Only then did Belzerad notice that Jinwoo had arrived.

"Not bad at all."

"Ho ho, I'm not dead yet, you know."

Belzerad rose from his seat and walked alongside Jinwoo.

They gazed out at Levannas together from the highest point of the palace. The repercussions of the weakened Seal were reaching Levannas as well. The Protective Barrier's shield had weakened, and by now the entire land had become so contaminated that crops could no longer grow.

The sky was perpetually overcast.

Ominous black clouds rippled unpleasantly across it, yet no rain fell. Things were still manageable for now, but eventually it would become severe enough to affect the demons' bodies.

Belzerad could not tear his eyes away from the land of Levannas for a long time. Then he let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. Jinwoo waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"I've wanted to leave this place for a long time. I wanted to show my beloved people the beautiful scenery of their homeland."

Belzerad recalled the Demon World.

The Demon World had been beautiful. Even Ella had been so taken with it that she stayed for a while. It lacked Arsilan's radiant light, but in its place, all manner of vivid emotions overflowed.

Fierce spirit, rivalry, fighting will, and love.

The sight of demons living their lives so passionately had been so beautiful.

"The moment we arrived here, I thought we had lost everything. The demons' instincts had vanished, and we were too busy just trying not to capsize, like a small boat tossed about by the waves."

Belzerad had gained love, but the demons had only lost. He opened his eyes and looked at Jinwoo.

"But... what I thought was lost was merely my own mistake. I'm glad I got to see the true nature of my people. It's all thanks to you."

It had not been lost. They had merely forgotten.

At last, Belzerad was able to love this land that had been steeped in suffering.

His expression became one of relief.

Because he had come to love it, he knew when it was time to let go. Belzerad understood why Jinwoo had come.

"The time has come to leave this place, hasn't it?"

"Yeah."

Belzerad was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Farewell, Levannas. Thank you for everything."

Levannas had endured well.

Belzerad bid farewell to Levannas.

"God of Arsilan and of the Heroes. I have something I'm curious about."

"Go ahead."

"Arsilan is a fun place, isn't it?"

Jinwoo smiled faintly and nodded.

"Of course. You'll probably be blown away."

"Ha ha ha! I can't wait. Are there lots of games?"

"Yeah. Every year, dozens of new games come pouring out."

"Ohhh!"

Jinwoo spent some time chatting with Belzerad about games. It was a peaceful afternoon where it seemed like nothing could possibly go wrong.

* * *

Around the time the Arsilan Defense Main Quest was nearly complete, an evacuation order was issued in Levannas. It was a royal decree that every single person was required to follow.

All of Levannas's forces stopped what they were doing and prepared to evacuate. The boy who had been living in the rooftop room, Taru, carefully peeled a poster off the wall and placed it in his bag.

"All ready!"

When Taru, bag slung over his shoulder, approached his mother, she stroked his hair. Sona, Taru's younger sister who had regained her health, beamed and clung to Taru.

There had been many miracles.

Taru looked down at his Magic Stone necklace.

'The Heroes will come soon. You'll probably get to see them all you want.'

It had been just as the boy who saved Sona and his mother had said.

Levannas's Sera had appeared.

After that, many Heroes arrived in Levannas and saved people. Taru and Sona took their mother's hands and stepped outside.

Royal Airships filled the sky, and vehicles crowded the area around them. Every resource in Levannas had been mobilized for the evacuation.

Taru's eyes sparkled as he looked up at his mother.

"Mom, where are we going?"

"I wonder."

Taru's mother tilted her head.

Sona grinned widely and tugged at both her mother's and Taru's hands.

"We're going to the world where the fairies live!"

At Sona's innocent words, their mother smiled gently and pulled Sona into her arms. The people of Levannas all boarded the Airships and vehicles in an orderly fashion.

Sera and the Magical Girls appeared and helped make sure nothing went wrong.

A soldier approached Taru's mother.

When she showed her Device, he immediately verified it.

"Charin plus two, identity confirmed."

"Excuse me, where are we evacuating to?"

"Hm? Were you not informed?"

The soldier smiled as he looked at Taru's mother, Charin.

"All the people of Levannas will be going to Arsilan."

"Arsilan?"

The soldier nodded.

"I haven't been there myself, but the knights who went ahead say it's an incredibly beautiful place."

"Are there fairies too?"

At Sona's question, the soldier's expression became troubled.

"Ha ha, I'm not sure about that."

"Awww...."

When Sona looked disappointed, the soldier burst out laughing and pulled a piece of candy from his pocket and gave it to her. When Sona gave a polite little bow, the soldier laughed heartily.

"Your Device should display where you'll be staying, so be sure to keep it with you."

"Yes, thank you."

Charin picked up both Taru and Sona and boarded an Airship. Her strength was greater than even a Beastkin's. It was a change that had occurred after the Stage 1 Erosion Insect wave.

Multiple gates had been constructed throughout Levannas, but everyone had assumed they were just statues. Charin traveled by Airship to the front of the palace, then followed the soldiers' escort to stand before one of the gates.

Robed figures stood before the gate. When they extended their hands, light burst forth and the gate opened. As a shimmering space became visible within the gate, the demons swallowed hard.

'Arsilan....'

What kind of place would it be?

Would they be able to live in peace?

Charin held Taru and Sona tight. She desperately hoped it would be a place where her son and daughter could run and play without a care in the world.

Everyone began entering the gate.

"Let's go!"

"Mom! Come on!"

Taru and Sona wriggled free from her arms and pulled Charin by the hands.

They stepped through the gate.

The first thing she felt upon passing through was warm light.

Light that gently enveloped her entire body put Charin at ease. And then a soft breeze brushed past her cheeks.

Charin opened her eyes.

"Ah...."

Before her stretched a breathtakingly beautiful green meadow, the likes of which she had never seen in Levannas.

The sky was clear as if paint had been dissolved into it, and the clouds were a pure, sacred white.

It was an environment she had never experienced before.

And yet, for some reason, she was overcome by the sensation of having returned home.

Charin reached out her hand.

A warm breeze trickled between her fingers. The grasses rustled against one another, creating a pleasant sound.

She felt as if Arsilan was welcoming her. As if her mother had come to greet her after a long time away from home.

It was not just Charin. Every demon around her stood rooted to the spot, expressions dazed. The knights, the soldiers, all of them the same.

"Mom! It's a fairy!"

Sona, surrounded by tiny fairies no bigger than a palm, waved at Charin.

"Woahhh!"

Enormous dragons soared through the sky, gazing down at the demons. When Taru and the demon children waved, the dragons unleashed a breath toward the sky and then vanished into the distance.

They had come home.

This was their homeland.

Every demon felt it.

"That said...."

"Still gotta do what we gotta do."

The demons pulled Devices from their pockets and logged into Arsilan Defense.

Charin, who had been lost in the emotion of the moment, did the same.

Arsilan Defense also had an all-ages version for young children. Taru and Sona could connect through their Devices as well.

FLASH!

Knights from the Sillion Empire arrived via spatial transfer as reinforcements.

The demons must be in a state of confusion.

They must be consumed with grief.

The knights thought as much and had come to offer words of reassurance to the demons.

"Huh?"

"What?"

The knights could not get a single word out.

Because every last demon was sitting down playing Arsilan Defense.

Wait, didn't they just leave their homeland behind?

Is this right?

It was the Sillion Empire's knights who ended up confused instead!

"Mom, give me some gold ore."

"I only have 76. Mine it yourself."

"Then I'll just steal yours."

"Put it down while I'm still asking nicely."

Taru clicked his tongue at Charin's icy tone.

It was not just Taru and Charin. All the demons were ruthless toward each other when it came to the game.

They drew a clear line between business and personal matters, or rather, between gaming and personal matters.

"Hehehe! It's all mine!"

Sona laughed gleefully as she mined resources with abandon.

Beings so obsessed with gaming that even the Heroes could not handle them.

A race that played games like absolute fiends.

The legend of the demons, who would come to be known as the "Game Demons", was about to begin in Arsilan.