Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Dark Star's Creator
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"I'm playing Dark Star. My name is... yeah."
The man in the red robe grinned as he spoke.
"Call me Merlin."
His calm voice prompted a thought.
'A nickname, huh.'
Of course Merlin wasn't his real name. My own Killians wasn't my real name either, was it?
Meeting some unknown person in some unknown place, it'd be weirder if he revealed his real name right away.
Rumble...
A faint vibration rippled through. The other two didn't seem to notice, but as the master of this inner world, I could sense it.
This moment wouldn't last forever.
'I need to share information right away.'
Even though this was my inner world, everything here was uncertain.
What process had the Dimensional Drill Heart used to summon them?
I didn't know.
How long would this gathering of us, scattered across the universe, hold?
I didn't know.
That's right. I knew nothing.
The only thing I knew was that this situation was a miracle born from an astonishing coincidence.
"......"
Sensing something strange in that instant, I quietly raised my left arm. Zero Sum gleamed with a black sheen.
I checked the description at the very bottom of Zero Sum.
[Event Adjustment Stage 1][Requires 1 million points to unlock.]
'...Event.'
It was a function that hadn't been unlocked yet, but even so, I knew. The [Event] in that sentence referred exactly to a situation like this.
An event. Something special, different from everyday occurrences.
Zero Sum wasn't exerting any performance right now, but at least it was letting me know that this situation fell under the event category.
'I need to unlock this fast.'
As expected of a transcendent weapon, it reeked of cheat-level effects. Used right, it might be even more useful than drop adjustment.
"...Hoo."
I took a deep breath. And made up my mind. No point holding back information and dragging out time.
"I can't sense mana."
"Hm?"
"What?"
Merlin and Mashed Sack turned to me at my sudden words. Ignoring them, I continued.
"I don't know if it was from birth or after, but at least when I got tested at city hall at 15, they rated me as having trash mana aptitude."
Mandatory mana awakening was one of the welfare services available on 34th Earth starting at age 10, but mine had been delayed quite a bit. My guardian wasn't the caring type who'd take me right away when the time came.
"And then at 23. The day before I was discharged from the military, I woke up... and realized I was in a completely different world."
I began my story. Merlin and Mashed Sack, who had looked bewildered at my abrupt tale, adjusted their postures and listened attentively.
"I started with a body identical to my real one. For some reason, I was wearing cheap cloth clothes. From there..."
I recounted quickly. The two men responded to the story.
"Good heavens! You lived there for 20 years straight?"
"So games really don't age you inside. Even though my research is still done in-game, to think you can live decades without issue."
I spilled everything without holding back.
The tale of my fierce life in Ardenia until becoming a lord.
The gate that suddenly opened. Realizing logout amid the chaos.
And the story of charging power.
"Charging power, huh. I see. So there's a concept like that too."
"To wield virtual world power in reality and even bring items out...!"
Both, who had listened calmly, were stunned. They apparently hadn't known this info, so I'd leaked something big.
'But this is an investment too.'
I was confident.
'I'm safe.'
On 34th Earth, few across the greater universe could target me, the Game God's Apostle. No reason to play scared, trading body and info here.
I kept talking.
"And with stocks..."
"If you hunt the monsters from this monster incident..."
"The emergence of transcendent monsters..."
I laid it all out. The two men listened quietly without interrupting.
When the story ended, Merlin raised his hand.
"Mind if I draw my deck?"
"As long as you don't cause harm."
"Then."
Hum!
With a gesture from Merlin, eight card stacks floated around him. He picked one, and the other seven vanished.
Shuffle!
The card stack fixed in midair, and five cards lined up before him.
From my angle, I should have seen the faces, but from my third-person view, they showed backs whether front or back.
Vmmm!
Merlin raised his right hand into the air, mana concentrating into a single mana orb.
"Unlike games where turns progress automatically, in reality mana doesn't refill on its own. You have to manually pour in a set amount to create a mana orb like this. That counts as one turn."
After explaining, he drew from the cards lined before him and declared.
"Deep Sea Mana Imp!"
[Mana! Gimme mana!]
A cute imp image appeared out of nowhere in the air and swallowed the mana orb. But it wasn't just gone; after burping, another empty mana orb appeared.
"Rain of Mana Recovery!"
Whoosh!
Blue rain poured, filling the empty mana orb blue. Merlin used another card.
"Mana Growth!"
Two mana orbs emptied, adding two more empties. Now he had four empty mana orbs.
"Rain of Mana Recovery!"
Whoosh!
Blue rain poured, filling the empties blue. Merlin used another card.
"Mana Force Storm!"
Kwooo!
All mana depleted instantly as wind and rain swept his field and hand. But his hand was empty anyway, so no damage.
[Kyaak!]
The Deep Sea Mana Imp on the field got swept away. Damage, sure, but with greater effect.
Shff shff shff shff shff!
Eight cards drawn from the deck! Merlin picked one.
"Rain of Mana Recovery!"
Mana filled up.
"......"
I watched in disbelief.
'No way... is this guy insane?'
He'd only injected one mana orb himself.
Still just turn one.
"First, let me ask. Everything you've said so far is true?"
I nodded at Merlin's words.
"All of it."
"I'll verify. Blessing of Truth!"
He drew a card, and white light burst into the air. I didn't know the effect, but Merlin smiled at the light.
"Hahaha! Bold indeed. You barely hid anything. Laying all your cards out like this..."
He seemed to ponder briefly, then nodded. White light still hovered like an aurora.
"I'll share equally. 10 years and 3 months ago Earth time. I woke up, and suddenly mana was unrecognizable."
Shocking.
"So you could use mana before?"
Meaning [She]'s apostle designation could hit not just at birth, but anyone living normally?
Merlin nodded.
"Yeah. No warning at all, couldn't use mana. Of course, it didn't stay that way. I performed surgery on myself that evening and fixed it."
Casual tone left me floored.
"Surgery on yourself? What nonsense... Even in my case, four archmages including a dragon stuck at it for a week..."
"I'm a professor at Ouroboros."
"......"
My retort died.
Ouroboros, the greater universe's top academic institution.
Called a sect, academy, or university depending who you ask, this otherworldly group, dubbed [Seekers of Truth], encompassed all knowledge: martial arts, magic, science, philosophy.
This brutal place had transcendents among students; a professor's abilities were proven beyond doubt.
Who but one pioneering irreplaceable domains could become an Ouroboros professor?
The title itself proved capability!
Ignoring my shock, Merlin continued.
"I entered a game too. And realized instantly it was a game."
"Uh, couldn't you just think it was another world?"
Merlin shook his head at Mashed Sack's objection.
"Couldn't. Because... Dark Star is a game I made."
"......"
"......"
Jaw-dropping. Mashed Sack looked blank too.
"I made it on a whim during personal research, but still, I made it myself—no way I'd miss it. That Dark Star wasn't even meant for service; I hadn't shown it to anyone."
'No, do people just whip up a game when bored?'
"So I thought being summoned meant game development. But looks like not."
At Merlin's words, Mashed Sack blinked blankly then snapped to.
"W-Wait! You made it solo? Then...?"
"Yeah. I can modify, update, patch anytime. In Killians terms, I own 100% stock."
"......"
Terrifying. Literally printing items in-game and patching favorably?
But unexpectedly, Merlin shook his head.
Looking at me, he said.
"Now I see you're enslaved to that charging power."
"......"
Not wrong. Silent, I watched Merlin sigh.
"Figured. My situation's the same."
"You can't do as you please either?"
"Yeah. Our naming sense matches. I call it box office power."
Intuitive name clicked.
"The game... needs lots of players."
"That's fine. But no—it needs to sell big! Make tons of money from the game! Argh! Such a pain!"
Calm Merlin griped. The genius facing an unavoidable reality despaired.
"No, it's pretty, story's good, balance optimized, lore tight—why won't it sell! Wanna make it free, but need game profits!"
After venting, Merlin looked at me sadly.
"Charging power... jealous. Just make money."
"Uh, no. I gotta make tons too, it's tough."
"Money's no issue. Just work hard."
Easy for you.
"That work's a ton!"
But Merlin disagreed.
"Your game has a company handling hype. You can earn 100 million gerults a week. Sigh... If money solved mine, I'd swing legend cards everywhere."
"......"
Gerult, universal currency, equaled about 3,000 won Earth money.
100 million gerults? 300 billion won. Weekly, from hard work.
'Whoa, no joke.'
Stunned, then—
Boom!
Sudden thunder.
"Connection's about to cut."
Merlin looked up at my words, pulling out a book.
Vmmm!
Mana stirred. Not card spell—innate magic. Eyes closed briefly, he spoke calmly.
"Saved the mana wave. I can assemble next time. Killians, you?"
"This was coincidence-ish. But possible."
"Good. Then."
About to part promising next—
"Brothers!"
Mashed Sack, who'd mostly listened, suddenly knelt. Flabbergasted, I echoed.
"Brothers?"
"I-I'm short on info! Our continent doesn't do Blade & Magic service? thing, so no charging! Hearing legend dragons, archmages—you're both great and mighty! I'll repay the debt somehow—help me!"
He slammed his head down.
"L-Like this, banging my head silly!"
"What kinda talk is that..."
Merlin looked awkward. Curious, I asked.
"What help? Undo trash mana aptitude?"
"Huh? No. Mana awakens only chosen few, right?"
"......"
"......"
I eyed Merlin. Same thought.
"No way, a lower civilization?"
Now that I thought, for game powers, Mashed Sack's aura and build were pathetically weak. Surviving harsh game world till now was miracle.
Still head-banging, I asked.
"So what help?"
"G-Get me to Bronze Rank! Iron unlocks too little..."
Rumble!
Boom!
Sky split then. Amid urgency, I decided minor investment.
"You. What weapon main?"
"N-No main! Mostly swords!"
"Offense or defense more important?"
"Survive first!"
"Then take this."
I passed the class card, Sentinel.
'Blade & Magic should work.'
Pure skill game Blade & Magic had no levels. Just pro gear and buffs—means class overlay possible!
He grabbed it.
—I am humanity's watchdog; I close my eyes only in death.
Purple hero glow burst then faded.
"Wh-What is?"
"Hunt a monster. Tell me if level up later."
That far—
Flash!
Dazzling light, eyes opened.
"You're awake?"
"Ah......"
Feeling soft back touch, I bolted up. Hospital bed. Green-haired beauty who'd been reading smiled brightly before me.
Chromatic Dragon's third head, Green Dragon Flower.
She gently supported my back, asking softly.
"Feeling okay?"
......Ah.
Couldn't answer. New sensations filling the world overwhelmed me.
"Ahh......"
Surging mana. True energy cycling inside, communing with outer world.
"Good lord."
Yes.
My world had changed.