Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Contradiction Prophecy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hegemonia, completely oblivious to Seong-un's inner thoughts, spoke up.
"So, you mean we'll settle this some other way?"
"Exactly. This time, we both know exactly what we want, clear as day."
"Automacity and humans."
The two fell silent for a moment, trying to read each other's faces.
It was impossible to discern anything from their distorted character avatars.
Hegemonia spoke.
"Then, 'Contradiction Prophecy' it is?"
"That's the easiest way."
Hegemonia nodded as if in agreement.
'Prophecy' was a skill unlocked once your divinity level surpassed 6.
Unlike the cryptic example, the skill itself was straightforward.
It let players issue quests to their own race or followers, prophesying future events. If the prophecy came true, you earned rewards based on the faith invested and the difficulty of fulfillment.
'For instance, if I prophesy that Rakrak will slay an abomination, and he acts on it while I help make it happen, I'd get a nice chunk of experience.'
But players in Lost World never spammed this skill.
'...Because failing the prophecy comes with penalties.'
The bigger the prophecy—and the more faith poured into it—the harsher the failure. You'd lose your invested faith, take experience penalties that could drop your level, and in bad cases, curses on related entities or negative random events.
'It makes sense: if a god can't control fate properly, they're unworthy of the title.'
Even simple prophecies required caution. Too-easy ones yielded returns not worth the faith cost, so they weren't spammable anyway.
'Still, it's a card you pull when needed. If you're confident.'
To Seong-un, this was exactly that moment.
A 'Contradiction Prophecy' occurred when two players issued mutually exclusive prophecies.
'Say Players A and B both prophesy about entity C. A says C dies within three days; B says C survives past three days.'
Then A does everything to kill C in time, while B protects it. One succeeds, one fails.
One gets rewards, the other penalties.
'You could gamble without prophecies, but Contradiction Prophecy is system-backed—no loopholes—and guarantees the loser takes the hit.'
Unlike verbal bets, where the loser could renege, this enforced penalties even if they whined. Far better odds.
Or, for Seong-un, he wanted solid gains via combat if he won, regardless.
'But no one's that stupid. Even I'd retreat Rakrak if things looked grim. Hegemonia's Cropped-Ear Ogre tribe is pretty far off, and this feels like they planned for Contradiction Prophecy.'
Hegemonia spoke.
"So, what prophecy are we using?"
"You know Automacity's lord is about to name a successor, right?"
"Testing me? Seeing how much I know about Automacity?"
"Partly. It'd make setting the contradiction easier if we share."
Hegemonia nodded.
"Automacity periodically chooses its own lord. That person becomes the castle lord. How long they hold the position seems random, and only the current lord knows when it ends."
"Sharing intel: that's why the current lord, Hwiser, has been operating in secret. Knowing the succession timing ahead would draw tons of challengers."
"I knew that."
"Sure, easy to say after hearing it all."
Seong-un watched on screen as Hegemonia clenched and unclenched their gauntleted fist.
He ignored it.
"Anyway, the key is the succession period has arrived. Hwiser wants to pass the seat to one of his kids."
"Five candidates."
Seong-un nodded.
"My idea: we each pick one, prophesy that our choice becomes the next lord. Only one can win, so it's inherently contradictory. If we both somehow pick the same idiot... we just accept it."
"Sounds good. I like it."
Seeing Hegemonia agree so readily, Seong-un realized.
'They've made preparations too, huh?'
But he doubted it was as thorough as his own.
Seong-un had anticipated this far in advance.
Hegemonia said,
"Hwiser has five kids. Want me to explain if you don't know them?"
"Sure, I'd appreciate it."
Seong-un knew them well, but Hegemonia's perspective intrigued him.
"First: Dan, early thirties, male. Sturdy build, trusted by Hwiser. Seems sharp too. Two of the four families back him—he's the frontrunner."
"Nice. Hope we don't pick the same guy."
"...We'll decide that later."
Hegemonia cleared their throat.
"Second: Jun—full name Hwijun—late twenties, male. Different mother from the first. Seen as weak, keeps a low profile. No interest in succession, rumor has it. Gets one family's support, but it's just his mother's."
"Hm. Next?"
"Third: Jin, late twenties, female. Full wife’s daughter like the first, but outgoing. Disguises her status, hangs with hunters and rough types. Backed by the remaining family."
"Hunters, huh. And?"
"Fourth: Kyung—Hwikyung—early twenties, female. Different mother from first two. Mother's dead, apparently cursed. Physically distinctive, shunned by Hwiser and the families."
"Last one, then."
"Fifth: Min, female, mid-teens. Prodigy with talents galore. The baby of the family, doted on by Hwiser."
Hegemonia asked,
"Ready to choose? Or need time to gather intel...?"
"No. Let's pick now."
Giving time would just give Hegemonia the same advantage. Unnecessary.
Seong-un said,
"Pull up the Contradiction Prophecy window. We write our prophecies, confirm. Same one? No contradiction, hit 'No' and done. Different heirs? Clean 'Yes' and go. Sound good?"
"Call."
Seong-un manipulated the system window.
Set up a Contradiction Prophecy with Player Hegemonia?
Yes / No
⚠️ Warning: Failure incurs heavy losses. Confirm once more before proceeding.
Player Hegemonia's Prophecy:
"Hwiser's second son, Hwijun, will become Automacity's next lord."
Player Nebula's Prophecy:
"Hwiser's fourth daughter, Hwikyung, will become Automacity's next lord."
Seong-un studied Hegemonia's face.
As expected, unreadable.
But...
'They're rattled. Fingers froze up.'
Seong-un said,
"Different ones. Perfect. I just hit 'Yes'."
"R... right. Good. ...Let's start."
Hegemonia quickly regained composure and slammed their gauntleted fist on the status message.
The two prophecies spread through Automacity from some unknowable source.
Lord Hwiser initially tried to ignore the prophecies.
'One of the families must be stirring this up. It'll fade with time.'
But they didn't fade.
'Why Hwijun and Hwikyung? And why two?'
Unlike what the families thought, Hwiser hadn't officially named first son Dan as heir.
But rumors already favored Dan and third child Jin. These new prophecies felt suspicious.
'Someone's spreading this for sure.'
Hwiser eventually dispatched agents to trace the source.
It took time; Hwiser even got hands-on a few times.
But no source.
'How is this possible?'
Impossible, in Hwiser's mind.
His children and the families, aware of the impending succession, grew chaotic.
They quashed the rumors in Automacity, but now outsiders encroached.
The four families reported the Cropped-Ear Ogre tribe and Black Scale Lizardman tribe approaching. More ogres and lizardmen—merchants or wanderers—lingered at the gates.
'I knew they'd come eventually. But the timing overlapping like this...'
The worst case: alliance attacking Automacity. Thankfully, no.
Hwiser gathered intel: they worshipped different gods.
No hatred, but enough hostility to see each other as future foes.
'Both massive tribes I can't fully gauge. The vast wasteland feels too small for them—they think one must claim it all. And we're struggling just to survive inside these walls.'
Hwiser knew he had to fulfill his final role in Automacity, even at the cost of his life.
'The succession, the rumors, those two tribes' movements—they're connected.'
Hwiser was certain.
'If I meet both tribal chiefs and survive...'
But that was a conviction born of despair.
'...I'll realize I'm just a pawn in their game.'
And so, Hwiser solidified that conviction right in front of Rakrak.