Chapter 176 - Killing Intent
Late, a few days later.
Fourth floor, mansion hall of Group 1.
Taonier's main heroes were gathered.
"Hmmm."
Edith coughed as she looked at me.
I wondered if she could speak first. When I nodded, she took a deep breath and opened her mouth.
"Everyone, I'm sure you've seen a scene similar to mine."
"......"
Silence fell in the room.
The heroes gathered here were mostly 4-star.
From Kishasha and Katio, who had been 4-star heroes since their summoning, to heroes like Jenna and me, who had started as 1-star heroes.
'Currently, there are six 4-star Heroes.'
Kishasha, Katio, Belkist, Jenna, Edith, and me.
This was the list of 4-star heroes in Taonier.
Except for Edith, all were from Group 1.
Anyway, the number of people joining the ranks of four stars will gradually increase over time as the other members of Group 2 are also scheduled for promotion.
"To be honest..."
Jenna sighed.
"It's huge, and I'm not exactly sure what it means, but I know it's huge."
"Are you referring to those people who were crowded in that palace?"
Belkist crossed his arms and chuckled.
Jenna continued.
"I was just doing what they told me, but I guess it all made sense. I should have paid more attention."
"I don't get it. Can someone explain it to me? I thought we were just supposed to go around killing things called enemies."
"Every mission we've been on had a purpose."
"I don't know. I'm not much of a mystery solver, just a bunch of humans and monsters in a luxury palace, quarreling among themselves, and then it's over, and it means something."
If you don't know the context, it might not make sense.
Up to the two-star promotion, the story is told from the past, and suddenly you find yourself in a strange place, and there aren't enough clues to make sense of the purpose of this world.
"This is really cruel. If they're going to tell me, they should do it properly."
"Yeah, I guess you could say it's a bit mysterious."
"If you don't understand, I'll explain it to you," said Nerissa, sitting in the corner of the table.
She was the only three-star among the heroes. She knew quite a bit about this world and the mission, so I turned to her. Nerissa cleared her throat and spoke.
"In short, our native world, Taonier, is doomed, and the reason we've been summoned here is to undo that past and save it."
Belkist rolled his eyes.
"What you've seen is the destruction of Taonier, and it intends to show you how this world was created."
"This, this, this......"
"I'll tell you slowly."
Nerissa looked at me and began to explain.
Our native world, Taonier, is indeed doomed, and we must return to Taonier as it was before its destruction to fulfill our mission. That the heroes summoned to the Lobby are the chosen ones to save the world, and that the princess is a key piece in the mission.
"Uh, that's a bit difficult......"
Jenna scratched her head nervously.
"I don't get it. Even if what Tel said is correct, I don't remember signing such a contract. When I came to my senses, I was here."
"According to my analysis, it's most likely that low-ranking heroes were brought here against their will. High-ranking heroes seem to be different."
"In other words, they were forced to come here."
"Something like that."
The meeting progressed as each spoke.
Jenna and Belkist remained unconvinced. Nerissa continued, breaking down the information into pieces.
"That's not what I remember. I never saw anything like that blonde girl."
"Maybe the next promotion will jog your memory? I also remember hearing someone's voice, although it's a very faint memory. I think it was the Goddess."
Edith calmly countered Kishasha's objection.
"It doesn't change anything; you still have to make your way to the 100th floor. The Taonians are a nuisance anyway."
"It doesn't change anything, but if this information gets out, it could stir up the other residents. We'll have to do our own suppression. Han, what do you think? People from the lower floors will be able to......"
"......"
"Han?"
Edith approached me.
"I want to hear your thoughts. You haven't said anything since earlier."
"Yeah, well, what do you think of what we saw?"
All eyes were on me.
I clicked my tongue and opened my mouth.
"I don't care. Do whatever you want."
"What?"
"You can tell me what decision you reached later. I'll go along with it."
I stood up.
Edith followed me, looking bewildered.
"Where are you going?"
"Sorry. I'm not feeling well."
I quickly left the hall.
Nerissa and Edith conducted the meeting without me.
We will soon reach a conclusion. The truth of this world is hidden from everyone except the most important fighters, and we shouldn't let anyone else know. Judging by the development of the meeting, that seemed to be the case.
'Anyway, it's all a lie.'
I can't tell anyone what I saw.
It was dangerous information in itself, whether they believed it or not. The morale of the heroes would plummet if they realized that the goddess was playing with the humans of Taonier as if they were a toy.
'......'
I opened the door at the end of the hallway and entered.
My room. I flopped down on the couch next to the bed.
'It's annoying.'
Why is it so complicated?
I don't know how many times I've been hit on the head.
The sight I saw was spinning.
'I guess I need to sort out my thoughts.'
For that, I need an assistant.
I snapped my fingers, and star dust shimmered at my side.
[Loki's number one subordinate, Iselle!]
Iselle spun and landed on my shoulder.
I began to unravel the confusing tangle of information.
Iselle looked at me thoughtfully.
[You've been acting strange for a few days. Is something wrong?]
"I have a question. Can you answer it?"
[Of course! Ask away!]
Iselle slapped her chest triumphantly.
Anything. I smiled and opened my mouth.
"I saw something very funny at the promotion ceremony."
[Yes, the four-star promotion ceremony here is something the director pays a lot of attention to, especially for the Taonians, so it's easy to understand......].
"He bothered to invent the lie well."
Iselle made a surprised face.
["What do you mean, Loki?"]
"Just answer me with a yes or a no."
When I remained silent, Iselle nodded, still looking perplexed.
"The purpose of this game is to save a doomed world, correct?"
[Yes, that's correct].
"The masters, the heroes, and the Lobby exist for that purpose."
[Yes. Also, the missions].
So far, so good.
This world exists to reverse the destruction of the world.
For that, there are the Interference Powers, the Master, the Heroes, and the Lobby.
"Correct."
["Why out of nowhere?"]
The real question was now.
"Are the mission monsters related to the destruction?"
[…….]
"Why were we fighting against them?"
[Now, wait a minute… That's Taoni…]
Iselle shuddered.
I closed my eyes. I observed the features of the destroyed world through my vision.
Some worlds were consumed by fire, others by oceans, others by deep freezes.
They were all different, but they all had something in common.
No one lives there.
It's a land in ruins, uninhabitable for humans, monsters, worms, or even a single blade of grass. It is truly dead.
If the end of the world was due to a monster invasion, it shouldn't have ended like this.
The human race may have disappeared, but it doesn't make sense for the world itself to be destroyed.
"Iselle. I know more than you expect, don't try to hide it."
[…….]
"In the missions I went through, were there people causing destruction?"
I opened my eyes.
Iselle, with trembling body, opened her mouth.
[No.]
"So why the hell did I bother to do all that?"
Iselle looked at me with fear in her eyes.
It was a sign that she couldn't speak. I smiled satisfied and took out my Bifröst.
"Use this. It can hide those damned eyes, right?"
Iselle looked around, checking if anyone was nearby, and then put her hand on the sword.
Black energy flowed from the sword and enveloped it.
[If something like this is discovered… I'm finished.]
"It's okay, I'll cover it for you."
[You're not lying, right?]
Iselle looked at me.
"Once you grow a little more, you'll see it. It won't be long now."
[Oh, I see.]
Iselle took a deep breath.
["Loki, did you really see floor zero?"]
I think they call it floor 0 where I was.
I nodded and said.
"Yes. I managed to see the truth."
[Uff, sigh.]
Iselle took a deep breath, puffing out her chest.
[The monsters you've been fighting against have nothing to do with Taonier's destruction.]
"……."
[They are…… heroes from the past.]
"Whether human or a different race."
[Mm.]
Indeed.
That means the ones we've been killing with such joy are the guardians who once risked their lives to protect Taonier.
"And the ones we're about to kill, too.
"Why did they have to do that?"
[To make a game, there must be conditions].
Iselle said.
The two goddesses of Mobius created a game called Pick Me Up to turn around a world destined for destruction. To be more precise, to borrow the power of a terrestrial from the higher dimensions of Mobius.
[If a game has heroes, it must have enemies, so…….]
"They turned innocent people into enemies."
[Because if we really summon the real enemies…….]
"Would it be too hard to handle?"
Iselle nodded.
I know.
Who are our true enemies?
They are just after floor eighty.
'I guess it makes sense. If they appeared from the beginning, not even the game gods could deal with them.'
'Then, the purpose of the existence of the 'monsters' before that is…'
I laughed bitterly.
"Are they just experience points?"
[The monsters are sacrifices for leveling up the heroes, and as they are damaged in the process of becoming monsters, they cannot be recovered].
Indeed.
[When the world of Mobius is destroyed, the monsters and heroes will be chosen according to your standards].
I see.
I recalled the scene.
If they had accepted the goddess's offer, they would have become 'advanced heroes'. But no one accepted, so they became monsters.
I think I know the conditions of the birth rank. It seems your rank is determined by your influence on life. The important figures of that world have a high rank. Those who are more of an extra are lower down. Those who consciously or unconsciously agree with the goddess remain heroes, while those who do not agree become monsters.
It's all at their whim, isn't it?
I laughed in disbelief.
One thing is for sure: both heroes and monsters are puppets.
Just like the Masters.
‘…….’
This is probably trivial. It still hides many secrets.
They intentionally show only information that is advantageous to them. It got to the point where I was getting tired of it. The same goes for this promotion ceremony.
‘……Sigh.’
Suddenly, Pria's face appeared in my mind.
She just...
'Was it something to be discarded?'
She wasn't the only one.
They all were, including myself.
I pushed myself up.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I understood it well."
[Ugh, yes.]
"Don't worry. I'll do my best to avoid any harm."
The task hasn't changed.
Climb the tower, kill monsters, and keep getting stronger.
And when the time comes, you'll return to Earth.
There's only one more thing to do in between.
So far, I haven't cared.
The situation bothered me, but as long as I could go back, it didn't matter.
Once back on Earth, I can ignore it. I'll leave as if I've never seen them.
That's what I thought.
But now, it was clear.
'You go on.'
