Otherworld TRPG Game Master - Chapter 300



Chapter 300 – S5. The Roar of Stellaria ~The Dawn Awakens, Again~ -3

Bang──!!

A single punch came crashing down from above. The *Great Beast* was slammed into the ground.

The output was different. *Meteor*, crafted by harnessing the full power of flourishing modern civilization, possessed overwhelming strength.

The *Great Beast* lay sprawled on the ground, writhing.

Despite its outward appearance, the internal pilot’s response was quite different. Kim Yoon-seo harbored a hint of wariness and concern.

“Is it tougher than before?!”

The outer shell is harder than the recorded “Great Beast.” Theoretically, it should have transitioned to phase two with just this one strike. Yet, it endured.

Gordius formulated a hypothesis.

“It seems to possess more power than any ‘Great Beast’ I’ve faced, as it holds the strength to shatter worlds and incite nuclear war… but!”

Bang!!

So, can’t we just keep hitting it until it falls? Rather than the beast being stronger than expected, the current “Meteor” Unit 3 is dozens of times more powerful!

────!!

Kwang──!!

With each strike, the white outer shell of the “Great Beast” burst apart. Inside, swirling black currents became visible.

“Is that what it looked like before it became a dragon…?”

“It was soft and pliable before it hardened into those sharp edges?!”

“It seems to be struggling to change its form, so let’s lend a hand.”

Screech.

The grasp of “Meteor” tightened around the “Great Beast’s” outer shell.

“Neep! Activating ‘Meteor Booster’!”

Giiiiiing──!

The engine buzzed, and the rocket thrusters fired from the front of the fist. Flames exceeding 3000 degrees scorched the monster’s surface, simultaneously pushing the fist backward.

Whoosh, thud-thud-thud── whoosh!

Kyaaah──!!

With the scream of the “Great Beast,” the white outer shell was torn away. The still unsolidified black vapor writhed and screamed in a hazy, amorphous form. It was a forced entry into phase two.

Charrlrlrl!

Black scales aligned, hastily taking shape. The “Great Beast” moved frantically to escape from this hulking mass of metal. It was thinking of fleeing.

With its agile body, it struck the ground. The movements of “Meteor” were relatively sluggish, so if it could just create some distance──

Kuwung. Crackle!

Kiiiiiik──?!

However, the body of the “Great Beast,” attempting to leap, got caught in the dense forest of buildings.

With most structures remaining intact, as they had not been completely obliterated, the city built upon the foundation of brilliant modern civilization became a trap in itself. An 80-meter-tall giant could not move freely in such density.

Before the “Great Beast” appeared, “Stellaria” had anticipated this and installed magical engines in the surrounding buildings, reinforcing their outer walls with enchantments. They were designed to function as obstacles.

Like the ropes encircling an arena. There’s no escape!

“How does it feel? To be ensnared by the very civilization you toyed with and shattered like a plaything. Activating ‘Meteor Strike’!”

“Activation command confirmed, three auxiliary magic engines activated, operational rate 50%, 75%… Ready!”

Clank, clank!

The arm of the ‘Meteor’ compactly transformed, drawing forth a sharp, pointed stake from its palm. Magic flowed through copper tubes, bestowing enchantments upon the entire metal structure.

Creeeak.

The palm of the ‘Meteor’ aimed at the chest of the ‘Great Beast’ from a distance. Even as the creature sensed its impending death and writhed, the magically reinforced building held it fast.

The glow of the ‘Meteor’s’ eyes shone against the backdrop of the blazing sunset. Memories of past struggles flickered through Gordius’s mind. All those efforts and sacrifices were for this moment.

“──This is the end, ‘Great Beast’!”

To put a period on the tragedy.

“Launching ‘Meteor Strike’—!!”

Gordius slammed down on the button on the control panel.

Vwooom──!

A tremor coursed through the entire craft, shaking it violently. The internal temperature surged, and at a certain point, a deafening roar rose as if to shake the world. For a brief moment, silence fell.

Then, an impact struck the ‘Great Beast,’ like a star falling from the sky.

Kwaaang──!!

Kiaaah──!!

Thud, thud!

The piercing scream of the beast echoed, accompanied by the heavy sound of metal rolling on the ground. The right arm of the ‘Meteor,’ charred black from overloading, spread out.

The monster, once a nightmare for humanity, lay sprawled at the feet of the massive robot, a gaping hole in its chest. Yet it knew this was not the end.

With the force, speed, and weight of the blow concentrated, the ‘Great Beast’ lost its core. Aware that its life was reaching its limit, the creature prepared to self-destruct with the last of its strength.

Gooo.

From the gaping chest of the beast, immense magical energy began to swirl.

Once a one-armed pilot, Kim Yoon-seo spoke with a face full of mixed emotions. After a long, arduous battle, they had finally come this far.

“…It’s the last one now, Wizard!”

“Yes, the last one. Prepare ‘Meteor Fall,’ switch ‘Meteor’ to discharge mode!”

“Old Sir, switch to discharge mode! Uncle Joseph, activate the ‘Hera’ project too!”

– What a grand name. Can’t we just call it a lightning rod installation operation?

Clank, clank, clank!

From the back of the ‘Meteor,’ structures resembling wings sprouted, and stakes shot up from the lower parts, firmly connecting the craft to the ground.

And the remaining left hand transformed into a shape that seemed to draw something in.

The power-magic conversion function of the ‘Magic Engine.’ With this, all of the ‘Great Beast’s’ magic would be converted into power, preventing disaster. And the massive amount of power generated would…

Swoosh!

A multitude of lightning rods surged up from the ground. They would absorb the energy, most of it flowing back into the earth, while a portion would be stored to restore Joseph’s assets.

Hum, hum, hum, hum──

The *Meteor Fall* made contact with the dying words of the colossal beast.

Crackle──!!

In an instant, lightning burst forth in all directions. Most radiated outward from the gas, disappearing into the ground via the lightning rods, but some shot skyward, unimpeded by the buildings.

Crackle, crackle──! Rumble!

Across the sunset, thunder and lightning struck from the earth toward the sky. The outstretched bolts left scorch marks on the building’s exterior. At the center stood the *Meteor*, resembling a sphere of plasma.

If I can transform everything before it explodes, it will be a success. But—

Kim Yoon-seo, glancing at the dashboard, gasped and reported.

“Disintegration rate 32%… Time until explosion: 30 seconds. Isn’t that cutting it too close?!”

“There’s more residual magical power in Phase 3 than expected. But according to calculations, it’s going to be tight…”

“Disintegration rate 53%, 20 seconds until explosion. We’re running out of time! Should we increase the disintegration speed?”

“That would put us in danger. We’re pushing the gas to its limit, so don’t worry. I have a plan.”

“Disintegration rate 74%, 10 seconds until explosion!”

At this rate, 5% remains that hasn’t been converted into electricity. The magical engine was already operating at full capacity, and there were no backup engines or reserves… Kim Yoon-seo thought this, but—

Gordius knew there was still one unused magical engine left. He smiled confidently.

“The process of converting magical power into other elements is not the original engine’s domain; it’s the wizard’s exclusive trademark. I think you’ve momentarily forgotten who I am.”

“…A wizard!”

“The golden tower’s chief disciple, the genius of the golden tower, the leader of the faction that divides the academy… I, Gordius, will show you what I can achieve.”

Zing-!

With Gordius’s manipulation, the internal partitions opened, revealing the azure currents flowing from the heart of the gas. The *Magical Engine* was exposed. The wizard of the golden tower placed his hand upon it without hesitation.

Crackle-!

A jolt of electricity coursed through his body. However, since he had already cast a spell for electric resistance, he wouldn’t be incapacitated like when he was hit by Woo Chae-rin’s stun gun.

Since witnessing her death trapped in a freezing capsule, he had sworn never to be struck by lightning again. Moreover, having dealt with a machine operating at half power, he needed a counter-spell in case of any electrical accidents.

Little did he know that the magic he had created would ultimately prove helpful until the very end.

“291 lives, 1 life, 37 lives. O, death that has vanished into the past, upon the rock where you are buried, at last, the monument of victory has been erected!”

He began the incantation, channeling the electric power to conjure the spell. The ground trembled as it rapidly began to assemble a form.

“──*The Monument of Stellaria*!”

It was a monument.

Kugugugugugu──!!

The massive monument, inscribed with the names of all the members of “Stellaria” who fought against the “Great Monster,” took on a solid form, devouring even the carcass of the beast.

In the heart of the city.

With a 100-meter-tall giant robot, its arms charred black, and a 50-meter-tall monument erected, the “Great Monster” subjugation battle came to an end.

—

– Good evening, everyone. A shocking event, seemingly only possible in the realm of imagination, has occurred right in the heart of Seoul. The site where a 100-meter monster clashed with a giant robot is precisely that place…

“Oh, that lady is a news anchor.”

A familiar face from “New Stellaria” appeared on the TV. She wore an expression of bewilderment at the sudden onset of this fantasy.

It was only natural. A monster duel had erupted in the city without warning.

Amidst the fiery chaos of the internet and public opinion, government officials and reporters rushing in to grasp the situation, all of that confusion.

Joseph, chewing on a piece of candy, turned to Gordius.

“Alright, it seems it’s about time to figure out how to explain this mess… Care to enlighten me, wizard?”

“Huh?”

“Huh? You mean to say, you secretly created a war machine so terrifying it could make the nation shudder, smuggled parts for the space industry, and committed every kind of crime in a country where gun possession is banned? Just a little tracking of funds and this money… it would lead right back to me. Now, you need to sort this out. Got it?”

“This is troublesome. I’m not the wizard of the Purple Tower, you know.”

“Hey──!!”

Joseph grabbed Gordius by the collar and shook him vigorously. Saving the world was all well and good, but hadn’t he beaten it into submission before it even fell into crisis?

He could already predict how the story would unfold. There would be a clamor for the robot to be surrendered, accusations of breaking the law, and doubts about whether what they achieved was truly worth anything…

“From the start, I asked you to let me invest in the right places, you jerk! Now I’m facing the backlash and might end up in jail—does this look like a proper investment to you?!”

“…Wait a moment, Joseph? How do you know that?”

“Uh, uh? Uh… huh?!”

Joseph’s expression turned to confusion. He wasn’t that close to that highwayman of a wizard, so what did his own words about investment even mean?

From noble mtl dot com

Gordius froze for a moment, then glanced over at Woo Chae-rin.

Kim Yoon-seo immediately took action.

“…Uncle Joseph! Stop dawdling and come here. Quickly!”

“Hey, kid. If I were clueless, how would I have ended up as the head of ‘New Stellaria’? Anyway, I’ve seen all the world’s absurdities since I was little… huh? Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“Uncle, just come here!”

With Kim Yoon-seo excitedly dragging Joseph away, only Gordius and Woo Chae-rin remained in the open space.

– Fortunately, the battle concluded with “New Stellaria” emerging victorious. After the fight, “Meteor” stood still, its arms charred black…

The news continued to flow from the side, the host’s expression tinged with confusion.

The last whirlpool of the great beast… Did something magical happen from it? Is that why the memories of a past and future that have already vanished are returning?

If so.

Gordius cautiously asked.

“…Chae-rin?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Perhaps.”

“No, I don’t remember anything.”

I see. You don’t remember at all.

“I didn’t say anything ridiculous about writing a contract while drunk, nor did I say anything strange in front of the freezing capsule.”

I see. You really don’t remember at all. Seeing her blush and look embarrassed, it seemed she truly had no recollection.

Gordius embraced Woo Chae-rin tightly.

“…I told you I don’t remember?”

“Please don’t do that again. Never again…”

“I was sorry back then. But, um… my judgment was right, wasn’t it? In the end, it turned out this way. After all, the person who should have gone inside was… Ugh, don’t pull my hair…”

“I will collect that debt for a lifetime. Since it has accrued ten years’ worth of interest. By my calculations, we’ll need to be together for about 137 years to settle it.”

“What kind of slave contract is that… It’s darker than the lab I used to work at.”

Woo Chae-rin chuckled softly.

Gordius pondered what to say first to her, whom he had reunited with, but then reminded himself that such things weren’t important. What mattered was not the size or shape, but… the heart that always dwelled within.

He lifted her chin with his finger. Perhaps her neck was ticklish, as she let out a small giggle. Then she gently closed her eyes.

It was his first experience kissing someone. His heart engine raced wildly, and it felt like his head might explode from overheating. Yet, courage and impulse were a bit stronger.

Gordius slowly moved toward her lips—

—

… … … …

When he opened his eyes, he saw a mad wizard looking down at him.

“Oh, you’re awake. Please put your lips away and come with me. There’s someone you need to meet. I’ll send you back once the meeting is over.”

“… … … …”

“Wait, don’t be angry. I didn’t want to interrupt you either. But there’s a reason for everything. You didn’t think it would end with just a kiss, did you? I can’t wait that long. So, when you think rationally, it’s time to cut the scene before everything begins…”

“… … ‘Weapon Synthesis.’”

Awakening from the simulation, Gordius quietly fashioned a bat and gripped it tightly. He was in a state of extreme rage, unable to control his own body.

“Gordius?”

“⋯⋯Do you not have a human heart?”

“I understand, I understand. This could be a great opportunity that might become a turning point in your life. Do you know who just arrived? It’s none other than──”

“Do you not have a human heart?! aaah──!!”

“Kyaaah!”

The mad wizard hurriedly fled, and Gordius swung his bat, pursuing the deranged sorcerer. How could this be happening?

The chase continued.

The mad wizard kicked open the parlor door and dashed inside, hiding behind a tall young man who was sipping tea.

Gordius followed in, bat in hand, but his body froze in place.

“⋯⋯Mad wizard. Don’t you think using the prince as a shield is a rather dangerous move?”

For inside was the second prince of the empire, waiting.