Chapter: 24
Simulation, specifically designated as the Tycoon subgenre. Progress is autonomous. Clear conditions are…
The tutorial zone was adorned to match the setting.
Even when trying to provide the bare minimum necessary for rapid progress, this skill poured every ounce of effort into aligning the probabilities neatly.
A table that would serve as the representative table sat in the center. On top of it were beakers, microscopes, and various tools that seemed familiar but whose names eluded me.
It quickly morphed into the quintessential image of a laboratory. I wondered if it was genuinely necessary to go this far, but seeing that they seemed intent on doing it right brought me some relief.
In truth, the system accurately pinpointed my intentions and aided the progress.
It couldn’t be more convenient with the designer and the executor intertwined like the cords of fate.
I anxiously observed the rising percentages. 1%, 2%…
Now that I had a grip on things, it should take less than 30 minutes, but that was no reason to slack off.
I contemplated how well Astrea would hold up. I hoped her boastful claim of being able to endure the whole day was true.
*
Hwaaaaaaa-!!
The flames belched forth by the old puppet obscured my entire view.
Judging by the heat prickling my skin, it didn’t seem too threatening by itself, but the real danger lurked behind, ready for a follow-up strike.
Initially, I considered leaping behind the building that the master had summoned, but thought better of it.
– “Please don’t let the tutorial zone get attacked.”
Said the request.
Forget everything else; the saint, the knight, and the hammer doll are hazardous. There’s a risk they could crash through and lunge at me!
Ppaang-!!
I rallied to counter the flames with a wave of authority. The fierce advance of the blazing onslaught faltered and slowed.
Immediately following, an additional strike slammed into the still-reeling center of Ara.
Phaaaah-!!!
With that, the path of flames split wide, dividing into two fiery rivers.
“Isn’t that just an obvious, cute trick?”
As predicted, the kids and dolls were closing in. The saint was hanging back, waiting for her chance from a safe distance.
After confirming that the knight was leading the charge, I hastily shifted my position.
Having seen the forest torn apart merely by a simple slash before, it was plainly foolish to face a building I was meant to defend head-on.
Fortunately, the primary target was me. The knight merely showed movements to inhibit my actions.
Screech-!!
It seemed the kid was oddly resisting brainwashing, causing the sword movement to noticeably lag compared to last time.
As a noble being, I couldn’t let the child’s efforts go unrewarded. I initiated dominance by trampling the sword that was rushing to the ground.
With a twist in mid-air, I reoriented myself. I demolished the platform beneath me and targeted my freedom-denied opponent with a swift kick.
Kwajik-!! Kuguu-!
The knight, having taken the hit square in the abdomen, sailed past the child and crashed into the distance.
“Tch. There’s no way a single step in this condition would suffice.”
However, it looked completely intact without even the slightest crack.
I had intended to properly shatter it. Was this truly the masterpiece of the royal craftsman?
More importantly, it was now I who had lost the freedom of my legs. Maybe the knight’s bludgeoning was a bait, anticipating my durability!
Naturally, that’s exactly why they showed up. With a hammer-wielding doll and—
‘Saint.’
For some inexplicable reason, her wrist hadn’t regenerated yet. Divine power was pooling and shimmering around it.
While the saint’s physical capabilities were pretty average, her divine power was a stark contrast to this evil embodiment.
Even without direct contact, I had to guard against potential wounds!
– “If possible, don’t get hurt. No, absolutely don’t get hurt.”
– “You’re quite blatant in caring for this body, aren’t you?”
– “I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s more about the saint’s abilities.”
Over heal. A technique that injects excessive divine power, surpassing mere healing to destroy the body itself.
The master deduced this from the saint’s self-harm and speculated that it could apply to more than just her!
The tricky aspect is that it tricks the immune system.
Even if living organisms aren’t conscious of it, each organ instinctively shields against harmful intrusions.
However, the saint’s divine power is fundamentally benevolent, especially when framed as healing. Mistaking her for an ally, you welcome her with open arms, only to get obliterated instead!
Boom-!!
“Ugh···!”
Thus, I merely raised my arm guards, allowing the hammer doll’s attack to land.
Like the knight, I rolled several times. Nonetheless, it was clearly a tactical decision made out of necessity, one that wouldn’t tarnish my dignity.
‘I think my arm might be broken.’
The pale knight stood undeterred, armed with an easygoing demeanor that suggested nothing fazed him.
The bone might’ve shattered, but on the outside, I looked sound as a dollar, which worked for me. If only this body kept its cool!
I drew on mana to support my ulna and radius. After all, it had been a solid 10 seconds! I was really getting into the groove.
“This pain, this is the peak! Yes, this is it! Fighting has always been like this!”
Strapping a mana-emitting propulsion engine to my back, I braced myself and met the charging behemoth head-on with a massive shield.
My barely stabilized arm bone threatened to shatter once more, yet laughter bubbled up within me. How delightful!
“This body pledges itself to the world! I will protect by stopping the child and saint!”
‘Tsk. So all I get for now is a declaration?’
Still, I received no penalty—naturally, this body is a beloved entity to the world!
With a sudden surging strength, I countered and pushed back my dominant arm, reversing the tide.
Then, with a steady grip, I secured a favorable angle.
Kwuaang-!!!
Unaware of the twist, I hurled it at the four-armed swordsman who was bearing down on me.
I wisely refrained from delivering a lethal blow, prepping for the next round without skipping a beat.
Swahhhhhh!
Poison gas wafted down from above, as the hammer doll and knight waited on their promising evasion routes.
In this perfect moment, I gulped down the potion the master had provided earlier.
Boom, boom, boom-!!!
I instantly latched onto the hunched doll, incapacitating it in one fell swoop.
Initially, it was a potion handed to me by Ahae. How uniquely ironic it had come to this! What an absurd chain of events!
The two lower dolls rushed toward me belatedly. Add in the old man who managed flame magic, and suddenly we had a true brawl brewing!
‘What’s taking you so long to join the fray?’
I kept a vigilant eye on the saintess, who, despite being perfectly positioned, chose not to jump in. Honestly, she could have been an incredible asset in this endless fight!
Yet there she was, steadfastly remaining where I had been flung by the hammer.
Swish-
Then, at long last, the saint decided to make a move. Not her legs, but merely her arms.
Was she going for a ranged deterrent? As she gathered divine power, she slowly lifted her arm.
But that direction—
“Towards Ahae…?!”
The aim was painfully obvious. The saintess was trudging, perhaps resisting, but her target was unmistakably the child.
Ahae merely manipulated the puppet in silence, showing no awareness of the situation around him.
“This blasted trash—!!”
Despite suffering slight injuries, I managed to slip through the encirclement. The saintess turned to face me, her expression calm and emotionless, conveying the unspoken words:
‘You’re injured.’
Kwajik-!!
“Ugh···.”
My left shoulder blade was yanked apart.
And naturally, there was no way I’d stop attacking this body, which bore not only fresh wounds but steadily growing ones!
Crunch! Crunch!
Gathering mana around the wounds, I forcefully staved off the impending explosion.
Ultimately, it was merely a stopgap; hardly a foolproof solution.
In a rush, I forced the saint down to kneel.
Kwajik-!!
“Ugh···!”
At that catastrophic moment, my chest couldn’t withstand the pressure and burst.
Blood gushed from my heart, mouth, and churned back within me. Meanwhile, the saint, sprawled out on the ground, stubbornly extended her arm forward to aim.
“Cough… Heh. Even if it’s a wild claim or whatever, do you suppose you’ve won?”
She spoke, gradually succumbing to collapse.
My consciousness began to ebb, and I could hear the footsteps of the dolls.
Yet I managed a chuckle. But this body had not fallen!
“Apologies, I must have taken a while!”
That confidence surged within me, allowing my face to break into an unembellished grin.
Even smeared in blood, I was sure it would shine bright! How could this body’s beauty ever be easily lost?
“You came in a rush! Were you looking so forward to seeing me?”
“Honestly, rather than peering at a lazy loading screen, I’d much prefer gazing at our Heavenly Demon Lord.”
Funny how despite never treating me as the heavenly demon before, she still managed to talk me down.
Once I confirmed the saint was gradually regaining her senses, relief washed over me, and I let myself fall back. Ah, what a delight this was!
“Wake me when breakfast is served.”
Though I lay in the dirt, the comfort was unparalleled.
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