Chapter 222: On the Assumption It Won't Vanish

Working from the assumption that they wouldn't vanish, he gathered up every last robot and every canister of divine energy. Only then did he dispel the barrier and let Heminine inside.

"Wh-what was that just now?"

"I hadn't finished dealing with the robots. I decided it was dangerous, so I sent you out."

"I see..."

"Let's get out of the base first."

"Didn't you say you were going to destroy it?"

"We can do that after we're out. It won't be too late."

The nuclear warheads and missiles were already completely dismantled. There was no reason to leave this underground base standing.

I am curious who built this place, though...

It might have been the Illusion King's work. Heminine and Yujun climbed all the way out of the underground, and for the first time in a long while the two of them drew in a lungful of crisp, open air.

"Hurry. I really... I can't hold it anymore."

Heminine pressed him, and she had every reason. The Illusion God's Doll — to the Illusion Race, no treasure in existence was more precious.

Yujun brought Weapon Earthquake down upon the underground base and collapsed it entirely. A long, grinding roar rolled through the earth as the whole of it caved in.

"...He really is a monster, this man."

Their next destination was already decided: the shabby building where Doctor Sammington had been. He remembered the location, of course. The robots out on the streets had thinned noticeably.

No need to take those ones along.

The machines from underground had been on such a high level that the street models didn't even register. And then the things spotted Yujun — and started closing in around him.

"Harp."

"Yes!"

Control of the robots still rested with Harp. The machines hemming them in scattered in a single instant.

"This is convenient."

"Isn't it?"

"Tell me how you do it sometime."

"Yes?"

"You know — taking them over with Chaos."

"It's only because you haven't tried, Dad. The moment you set your mind to it, you'd have it down in no time."

"Yeah?"

"Yes! Because you're a genius, Dad! And I take after you."

"I'll take ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the compliment, at least."

"How did you do that?"

Heminine asked. For someone seeing the sight for the first time, it was only natural.

"Harp knows how to communicate with the robots."

"Harp was a robot too?"

"Huh?"

What is she even saying? Explaining would be a pain, so he gave a vague nod.

"...The truth is, yes."

In the meantime, they arrived where Doctor Sammington was. The tin-can robot they had met the first time came out to greet them.

"There's really no need for a guide."

He already knew exactly where the doctor was. The building wasn't even large. The tin-can robot set off at its own stubborn, unhurried pace, so Yujun simply walked past it and went to find the doctor himself.

"You've come."

Doctor Sammington regarded Yujun with an arrogant air.

"What are you doing?"

"What — am I obliged to receive the lot of you as honored guests?"

"That's not it. The reward comes first, old man."

The doctor said nothing.

"Well? Didn't hear me?"

"Your manner of speaking has grown considerably rougher since I last saw you."

"That's entirely because you won't hand over the reward, Doctor."

"My. Awfully impatient, aren't you."

"The Stone of Omnipotence."

Yujun held out his hand. A soul contract. A promise already made had to be kept. Doctor Sammington gave a wry smile and produced the Stone of Omnipotence and the Illusion God's Doll.

"I didn't think you would succeed."

"So you thought I'd die?"

"If I'm honest, yes."

"And your conscience?"

"The outcome was good, so don't blame me too harshly."

Doctor Sammington wore a look that seemed calculated to get under his skin. Whether the man was simply that gifted an actor or insufferable down to the bone, the mere sight of him set Yujun's stomach boiling.

"Wow. I want to hit him."

"If you hit me, I'll have no choice but to take it. You're the stronger one."

"I know. But I'm not beating you until I've got the items."

"...Which only makes me less inclined to hand them over. You're saying you'll hit me if I do, aren't you?"

"That depends on you, Doctor."

"Could you at least settle on one form of address?"

"Ah, for crying out loud."

Just as Yujun's patience was about to give out, Doctor Sammington hastily passed over the reward.

"Thank you for granting my request."

Yujun took the Stone of Omnipotence and let out a short laugh.

"Doctor. You're not from here, are you?"

"Oh, sharp eyes. How did you know?"

"You said so the first time we met. That you were from the planet Soyut. And... you're about to leave, aren't you?"

"That's right."

"Why were you trying to stop RTZ-3080?"

"Because the planet I live on was among the places that thing was targeting."

"You knew, and came all this way to stop it. Resourceful."

"Thanks to my exceptional mind."

"Doctor. Do you happen to know that this is a virtual world?"

"...What an abrupt thing to say."

"The tin-can robot called us outsiders. You treated us the same way. You knew we were coming, didn't you?"

"...What is it you're trying to say?"

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. Who is the Illusion King?"

"The Illusion King could be an object. Why are you so certain it's some kind of being?"

Doctor Sammington, who looked faintly flustered, went on denying it.

"Enough with the jokes. I gave you what I promised, so stop tormenting me."

"I still haven't received my doll."

"Ah. I'd forgotten about you. Your presence is so faint it slipped my mind."

"...Give it to me."

"Very well."

"Heminine. That Doctor Sammington is the Illusion King. Your father."

At Yujun's words, Heminine snorted.

"As if I wouldn't recognize my own father? My father isn't some dim-witted, ugly old man like that."

"...Dim-witted?"

Doctor Sammington's expression hardened.

"Illusion King. Just come out with it. We know everything now."

"How did you know?"

"You look suspicious at a glance."

He let out a long sigh and spoke again.

"Truth be told, it didn't matter if I was found out."

"Why?"

"What would have changed, just because you knew?"

"It would have."

"Which is precisely why I didn't go out of my way to hide it."

"Why are you doing this here?"

"Doing what?"

"I'm wondering why you felt the need to give us a hint. Or the players, even if it hadn't been us."

"A hint? What hint?"

"The underground base."

Yujun said it with the look of a man asking why anyone would question something so obvious.

"You seem to be under some misapprehension."

At Sammington's reaction, a slow unease began to creep up through him.

"I did not give you a hint for escaping this world."

"Then what?"

"I was simply looking for someone to resolve a troublesome matter."

"...Hold on. You're saying the underground base has nothing to do with destroying the Illusion King's world?"

"That is correct."

"No effect at all?"

"It will have had no small effect. The base that served as this city's heart has been thoroughly wrecked, after all. But it has little to do with leaving this place. Destroying it is much the same."

"...So you just used us because you needed to?"

"Correct. As I said before, we struck a deal for mutual benefit, did we not?"

"That's true. I did come out ahead."

"It would be troublesome if you grew angry and claimed I'd deceived you."

"I'm not angry. Since things have turned out this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way, I have one request."

"Speak."

"I need to go to the Sky Prison, and I'm told that takes the Illusion King's permission. Grant it."

"And that is a request, is it?"

"I'm speaking politely, aren't I?"

"The wording, perhaps. The attitude is rather..."

"And?"

"Very well. You have my permission."

Having secured what he'd come for, Yujun smiled with satisfaction.

"...Father?"

He glanced aside. Heminine stood there with shock written across her face, staring at Doctor Sammington — the Illusion King.

"Yes. It has been a long time."

"Not so much as a glimpse of you lately, and this is where you were."

"Are you disappointed?"

"Not in the least. You've always been that kind of father. What's there to be disappointed about?"

"There are thorns in those words."

"Did you happen to make some request of my older brother as well?"

"A different request. He failed."

"Why did he fail?"

"Because that man killed him."

"...Won't my brother pay the price and come back in?"

"That, I cannot tell you. As your father, I cannot favor only one side."

"And Gonetogin?"

"You may find this hard to believe, but it could be said that the third is closest to the correct answer. Beyond that, I can explain nothing."

"What?"

"Finding the correct answer, I mean."

Gonetogin was close to the answer?

Heminine swayed as if the blow had landed squarely.

That was when Yujun cut in.

"Hey, Doctor. One moment."

"Something else you're curious about?"

"Is this a virtual world? Can the things here not be taken outside?"

"It is a world that truly exists. But it is also a world I made."

"You couldn't solve a problem in a world you made yourself, so you asked me? Do you think that makes sense?"

"To be precise, it is not a world I created from beginning to end. Think of it as a world that already existed, onto which I laid my own colors. And as for asking — if one's strength falls short, is it not only natural?"

"So you connected the Illusion Realm to this place?"

"Something like that."

"And this Stone of Omnipotence is real as well?"

"Rather than doubt it, why not use it at once and see?"

"I'll do that."

Yujun held the Stone of Omnipotence and considered.

It can be socketed and removed anyway, so there's no need to agonize over it. I'll use it on a ring with good options.

A level 600 ring of Transcendence Grade. The cloak and the weapon already carried the Stone of Omnipotence's effects, so a ring was the most suitable choice.

If this is a real world, as the Illusion King says... then the robots are as good as mine.

A triumphant smile spread across Yujun's face. He was glad, after all, that he had taken the robots with him.

Just as he had expected, the Stone of Omnipotence's options had settled in a similar pattern, as if linked to the item's own. The better the original item's options, the greater the benefit drawn from the Stone — and a level 600 ring of Transcendence Grade could fairly be said to have drawn that effect out to the fullest. With this, he had three items fitted with a Stone of Omnipotence.

My luck must be pretty high after all.

In War of the Gods, no matter how much he had spent, obtaining even a single Stone of Omnipotence had been difficult. Now he had already gathered three in a short span of time.

"Well?"

"It's real."

"Father. Where is Gonetogin?"

Heminine asked.

"That, I cannot tell you."

"...Gonetogin has no talent. What do you intend to do if that child really becomes the Illusion King?"

"That, too, is a matter fate has ordained."

"If the Illusion King can't even handle illusion magic properly, who would respect them?"

"Time will see to it. And the third has not yet found the correct answer in full."

"Then what did you mean by close to the answer?"

"Exactly what I said. Close, and nothing more."

Gonetogin had been the one lagging furthest behind in the contest for the succession — a child Heminine had never spared so much as a thought. The shock she had taken was no small thing.

"You can still turn it around."

Yujun said it to her.

"How?"

"Because your ability is greater."

As Heminine tilted her head at those vague words, the Illusion King spoke as well.

"Heminine. You mentioned talent earlier, did you not? To find the correct answer, one must handle illusion magic well. That is also why Gonetogin is stuck now."

"So there was a moment that called for illusion magic after all."

"I am choosing my successor. Would it not be strange if illusion magic played no part whatsoever?"

"That doesn't mean illusion magic is absolutely required, does ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it?"

"You understand well."

"Then I just have to break it, right?"

"Do you think that will be easy? It might well be faster for you to learn illusion magic anew and find the answer that way."

"I never thought it would be easy."

He didn't think it would be impossible, either. As always, there was a way.

In his inventory.

Of course, if there was no particular need to solve it by force, he had no intention of using the power he carried, either. Unless a thing was truly necessary, items were better the more he saved them.