Otherworld TRPG Game Master - Chapter 289



Chapter 289 – S5. Stellar of the Explosion ~Hope Slumbering Beneath the Ruins~ -2

Can we win?

Can we stand against that “Great Monster,” with its ominous power wrapped around its massive body, reaching a height of 100 meters?

“…Impossible. It can’t be done. Not unless you’re as skilled as the Tower Master.”

In Gordius’s realm of knowledge, there was no way to land a significant blow on such a colossal creature. It was a monster that needed to be faced on a national level.

Civilization is strong. Though currently flustered by its sudden appearance, soon it would be ready for battle, and the military would deploy. Bullets, missiles, bombs. Refined violence through science would rain down.

So, if there is anything an individual can do, it is to run away.

Should this be called luck? The magical power emitted by the Great Monster rapidly increased the concentration of magic in the atmosphere, bringing it close to that of the original world.

This meant there was no need to conserve magic as before.

Gordius quickly scanned his surroundings and soon spotted a helipad. A perfectly drawn circle, with an “H” inside. It was a suitable shape for transforming into a magic circle.

He erased the “H” and inscribed a magic circle inside. Then, with a short incantation, he infused it with magical power, and it began to move.

“Golem Creation: Aircraft.”

Dududududud──!!

The rooftop of the building was torn away and instantly transformed into the shape of a small boat. Literally, a flying vessel. Gordius took the aircraft and fled from the Great Monster.

Fortunately, the Great Monster did not pursue him.

Unlike its violent entrance, where it demolished all nearby buildings, it now stood quietly with its arms hanging down.

“…….”

The screams of civilization, the noise from collapsing buildings, began to fade.

Then, the cries of the people, buried and hidden, filled the empty space. Pain, fear, despair, sorrow. Faced with the sudden disaster, the frail humans could only wail.

The ground below was a hellish scene.

“Mom, Mom! Where are you…?!”

“My leg… my leg is stuck! Someone help me! My leg is stuck!”

“Get out of the way! Don’t block the road, move aside, you idiot! Can’t you hear?!”

The blaring of car horns, the warning sounds echoing from the rubble of collapsed buildings, the hurried footsteps of fleeing people—chaos reigns. Legs get caught, bodies tumble down stairs, and unintentional harm begets further harm as people hurt one another.

The chaos was even killing those who should have survived.

Gordius frowned and muttered.

“It’s a loss.”

It was a loss. It was clear that a battle with the great monster would occur soon. Therefore, the loss of life due solely to disorder was an absurd waste.

It gnawed at him. A scene from the past kept flashing back, stirring his mind.

Considering his own safety, it would be wise to refrain from unnecessary actions and increase his speed… but the cries for help from the ground gripped his ankles.

And he had the power to help.

“…Then, this is an investment. Among these people, there might be someone important, and perhaps they could be of help in the distant future…”

He couldn’t save everyone like a fairy tale. But he could widen the blocked road, clear the debris obstructing the path, and indicate directions for evacuation.

Taking a deep breath, he began to chant. Considering the characteristics and forms of the materials he had studied, he aimed to help as many people as possible distance themselves from the great monster.

“Mother Earth, move with the magic you hold. ‘Earth Shift’!”

Grgrgrgrg!

The road shifted left and right, widening.

“Like branches spreading out, ‘Alejandro’s Path’!”

The ground squished like clay, stretching out to create a narrow path for people to move. The makeshift path weaved around broken second-floor windows and traversed over the road, freely navigating the y-axis to avoid disrupting the existing road.

“…Cough, cough… release the traveler’s boots now, ‘Partial Liquidation.’”

He made the debris partially fluid for those trapped or pinned beneath. A man with a stuck leg crawled out, and a family emerged from the wreckage of a collapsed building.

He also saw a girl who had lost one arm pushing her way through the rubble. The girl, perhaps recognizing that Gordius had come to her rescue, bowed her head in gratitude.

Gordius chose not to respond. Instead, he soared ahead of the evacuation line, becoming a guiding beacon. This was how a man spoke with his back.

He had given breath to a city on the brink of death.

The pace of the evacuation began to accelerate, and those who were meant to lose their lives were saved. Gordius swallowed the rising bile and managed a faint smile.

From noble mtl dot com

It was a backlash from overusing his magic. If he had the luxury, he would have unleashed a golem to assist with the guidance. His durability was insufficient for any further use.

If only that monster would remain still for just one hour…

At that moment.

Shurrr, shurrrr.

Purple patterns swirled across the surface of the ‘Great Monster’s’ skin. Simultaneously, an intangible wave radiated, detectable only by wizards.

The wave pierced through matter and reached Gordius. His mind spun, filled with the command to approach the monster. This was a mental attack!

Gordius implemented mental defense measures according to the protocol he had practiced repeatedly. He erected a temporary mental barrier and executed mental shielding in the memorized order based on the type of attack.

Had he not learned, he would have been helpless against it. However, as a result of his training under the mad sorcerer, he could respond to this level of attack with spinal reflexes.

“…Thank you, Professor!”

It was a heartfelt gratitude that welled up from deep within. Though his head still spun, he believed that distancing himself from the colossal beast would help.

But relief was short-lived. A horrific future flashed through Gordius’s mind.

The people of this world knew nothing of magic or mana. They could not defend against mental attacks. Even Gordius, trained by an expert, felt dizzy from the hypnotic waves.

Then what of the citizens struck directly in a state of helplessness…?

“Ah, ahhh…”

“Ugh…”

“Where are you going?! Are you out of your mind?!”

“Don’t go backwards! Why are your eyes suddenly rolling back…?!”

Those caught in the hypnotic waves began to stagger toward the direction of the colossal beast, their pupils dilated and their minds lost. Gordius reached out in desperation.

“Damn it, ‘Grip of the Earth’!”

He snatched at them to prevent their approach. He built walls to block them. But those under hypnosis seemed unable to think of anything but that, scratching at the walls as if their nails would break. The hands made of earth bound their bodies, writhing as they screamed.

Gordius’s complexion turned pale.

The evacuation, which had progressed significantly due to his efforts, was reduced to zero with a single mental attack from the colossal beast. Could he save them? No. He could not save them.

He must not be buried. He had to give up. He chewed on his lips as he piloted the flying golem. The sight of the citizens moving backward kept haunting him, but there was nothing he could do.

For some reason, there were a few survivors who had not fallen under hypnosis. Gordius took solace in the fact that they had been able to evacuate.

Soon, the army would arrive. With the powerful weapons of modern civilization.

Then they would be able to take down that mighty “disaster.” Gordius believed it.

—

# Day 2 of the “Colossal Beast” Incident.

“What the hell are you aiming at, you idiot?!”

“I-I can’t aim! I was definitely looking at the colossal beast…!”

“Is that even an excuse? How can you miss a monster the size of a house…? Damn it, it’s moving! Fire now! Right now!”

“I told you I can’t aim…!!”

Observational results indicate that firearms and mortars are ineffective.

The swirling purple patterns on the surface of the colossal beast’s skin seem to be acting as a constant hypnotic effect. Any firepower projected from a certain distance returns null.

The shooter perceives that they are aiming correctly, but from the outside, it appears they are targeting a point far from the colossal beast.

It is also presumed that the mechanical observation and firing forms are going astray. There have been several missile launches, but no direct hits.

—

“Let’s see if you can miss even when shooting from right in front, driver! Start moving!”

“Ah, no! If we get too close, that thing…!”

Boom──!!

The shot fired at close range confirmed a hit. However, the surface of the giant monster’s skin was always covered by a magical barrier, so attacks without magical enhancement inflicted minimal damage.

Swoosh.

Observing the giant monster’s rapid regeneration ability. It was evident that its wounds were healing at an alarming rate. If this turns into a prolonged battle, we might not stand a chance.

“Give me back Seoul, give me back my family, you goddamn monster──!!”

Boom.

Tank transmission. Three casualties.

The giant monster reacts to enemies that enter a certain range, but otherwise, it remains still. It might be preparing something, or perhaps it’s already in the process of doing so.

Afterward, the military maintained a standoff with the giant monster. The hidden observation post, reinforced with magic, seemed to have gone unnoticed by either side. Food supplies were running low. When there’s a chance, I’ll visit a convenience store.

In summary, to confront the giant monster, close-range weapons infused with magic are necessary.

—

# Day 10 of the “Giant Monster” Incident.

“This area is under our control, so get lost! Do you want to burn to death too?!”

“Primitive magic? Is it because magic has spread throughout the world? I want to test its destructive power, so how about trying it on that wall?”

“I told you to get lost, you b*stard!”

While searching for food, I confirmed the existence of a naturally occurring wizard. It seems that those with talent have awakened naturally from the magic that spilled over from the rift.

Whoosh-!

“‘Earth Wall.’ I said to try it on that wall, not me.”

“Y-You’re an awakened one too? Damn, why didn’t you say so earlier? Hey, we have three women in our group. They’re all pretty. If you join us, I’ll let you pick one…”

“…Not that I’m expecting much. ‘Earth Spike.’”

Swish.

The city is resembling a lawless zone. Law and morality have faded, and the once brilliant nightlife has dimmed, shrouded in darkness both day and night.

Various groups of survivors are scattered, each struggling to survive. The giant monster remains still, guarding its position, so the most threatening enemy in the current situation is, in fact, other people.

The military attacked the giant monster a few times, then relaxed their encirclement and completely withdrew from the area. It seemed like something urgent had occurred…

Why isn’t the government intervening actively? The Republic of Korea, having lost Seoul in an instant, might be in disarray, but what about the major powers like the United States?

Aren’t they launching nuclear strikes?

If a nuke were to fly, we should have evacuated by now. Yet, I can’t seem to leave, which is strange.

—

# Day 17 of the Great Monster Incident.

The number of awakened individuals using primitive magic is on the rise. It has become common to observe them battling, hurling lightning or wind at one another, and they generally reign as the leaders of their respective groups.

Acquired a radio from a nearby hardware store.

– We interrupt this broadcast for a breaking news alert. Shocking reports have emerged that a nuclear war has broken out in the Western world. This incident is sending shockwaves across the globe, and governments are urgently discussing emergency measures.

– The background of the war and the exact extent of the damage are still being assessed, but reports indicate that millions of lives are under serious threat.

– Major cities are now in a state of emergency, and the international community is rapidly seeking responses. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Heard the news that war has erupted in the West.

“Nuclear war… It wasn’t supposed to be a call to arms.”

It feels unnatural for things to suddenly escalate at this moment. This must be the work of the monster.

The Great Monster has not been idly waiting; it seems to have been projecting its influence across the globe. There is evidence to support this.

After rummaging through a PC bang (not one near the Great Monster, of course; there are plenty of PC bangs in this world), I managed to connect to the internet with a computer and router I found, and I was able to confirm information contamination.

Posts spreading apocalyptic doom and horrific pessimism were sprouting up like mushrooms. Websites suddenly morphed into bizarre forms, attempting to brainwash visitors with flashing patterns.

This could explain the outbreak of World War III.

The Great Monster has contaminated information and spread it, ensnaring the leaders of various nations, leading to nuclear war. That monster seems to possess qualities akin to a succubus.

The wrist pattern left by the professor showed no significant change even when infused with magical power. Does this mean we are not in a life-or-death crisis?

Perhaps it would be better to just run far away. Instead of continuing this meaningless surveillance in the presence of the Great Monster…

[Omitted]

Finally managed to gather all the necessary items for research and began work on developing a magical power engine.

—

# Day 30 of the Great Monster Incident.

The radio broadcasts that had been blaring loudly began to quiet down, and as the city, now on the brink of destruction, fell into silence, Gordius heard a crackling sound for the first time in a while.

He carefully placed the prototype of the magical power engine he had been tightening nuts on onto the table and fiddled with the radio dial, adjusting the frequency.

Crackle. Crackle.

At some point, the sound quality cleared up, and a woman’s voice came through.

-… I will kill… If you wish to join, come to the location I will mention shortly. 37. 126.

“It feels like I missed something important…”

Fortunately, the radio broadcast repeated itself. After waiting a moment, Gordius was able to listen to the entire message from the beginning.

– My name is Woo Chae-rin, and we are a group called Stellaria. We are conducting research to confront the Great Monster and are gathering awakened individuals to further our studies.

Woo Chae-rin.

A name that has built an inner familiarity through papers. Gordius leaned forward to focus on the radio, adjusting his posture.

– In old tales, dragons appeared, and witches too. I believe these stories are traces of the magic awakeners who existed in a distant past. And even now, I think they continue to carry on their legacy.

– So I ask you, if anyone knows even a little about how to wield magic, the study of magic, its theories, and wisdom regarding the fifth power that has reemerged in the world, please help us at Stellaria.

– Let us save the world together.

– We will slay the “Great Beast.” If you wish to join us, come to the location that will be mentioned later. 37. 126. Over and out.

“…Research, huh.”

Gordius stood before a shattered mirror. His beard had grown wild, and his hair was a tangled mess. He began by crafting a stone blade to shave off his beard.

Why was he here, perched atop a building where the Great Beast was clearly visible?

Had he been monitoring the beast periodically, recording its characteristics, while fiddling with the magic engine and sacrificing sleep? Hadn’t he come to this world merely to grasp the essence of the colossal golem?

Gordius was an outsider. He could simply turn back. He had already gathered enough harvest.

Yet, even he did not know why he remained here. It was just that something felt amiss, and he was moving as his heart directed him.

Somehow.

He felt that if he were with the owner of that voice, he might uncover the reason.

Gordius donned his robe, gathered the magic engine, and set off toward the coordinates provided by Woo Chae-rin.