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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: bchen3
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“…Oh.”
Stepping into the portal, the surrounding scenery transformed. The floor became a night sky filled with constellations, and above was, quite literally, the sky. Simultaneously, structures resembling the pillars of a Grecian temple lined the area. It wasn’t as if I was floating in mid-air, though. I could walk around as if on the transparent glass floors often found in famous high-rise observation towers.
‘This certainly has a surreal, fantastical vibe.’
Apart from the annoyance of being caught up in this troublesome affair, the graphics and presentation were undeniably satisfying.
‘Shouldn’t they be appearing soon?’
“Hmm. The winning ticket arrives last, I see. I was starting to get disappointed with all the duds.”
“That aura is no joke. Was he some legendary general or monarch in his previous life?”
“Him! I want him.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you rag. He’s not something you can lay your eyes on.”
“The feats he exudes… even calling him a veteran warrior doesn’t seem sufficient. I hear the people from Jipangu look younger on average than the children of this world, but even so, he doesn’t look that old.”
“He must be a genius. Is it even necessary to mention? There have always been extraordinary children who couldn’t be measured by ordinary standards.”
“I understand what you’re saying, old man, but isn’t this one a bit… outside the specifications? I’ve heard they have gods in Jipangu too. Could he be a champion of one of their gods?”
I couldn’t pinpoint the source of the voices. In this open space with no obstructing walls, between the sky and the ground, the voices resonated as if the entire space itself was vibrating, creating a cacophony. Even in this chaotic situation, the messages conveyed by the voices weren’t confusing; they were clearly imprinted in my mind. It was a truly peculiar experience.
‘An experience like this… it’s understandable why it’s hard to put into words.’ It made sense why those who emerged from the portal before me stammered and struggled to describe how the gods of the pantheon felt.
Whoosh!
At that moment, figures formed of multicolored light descended onto the pillars scattered throughout the space. Though their forms were indistinct, the light-formed silhouettes were diverse: a barbarian warrior, a knight in what looked like standard fantasy plate mail, a woman whose curves were so perfectly outlined in light that I worried she’d be naked if the light disappeared, a figure that looked human but with distinctly long ears, a general-like silhouette, one resembling a Chinese immortal, and many others.
As each pillar became occupied by a luminous figure, this open space seemed to fill with an immense presence that was difficult to fully describe.
‘…This pressure is intense.’
Fifty? Sixty? Even though these beings were nothing more than masses of light, their unseen forms exerted a pressure greater than standing before hundreds of thousands of spectators at Worlds in China. Just like the Pope I saw earlier, they felt impossibly realistic for NPCs.
‘Get a grip.’
I quickly regained control of my thoughts. Panic would only hinder my ability to perform. Once my thoughts started to unravel, my subsequent actions would follow suit.
I swiftly scanned my surroundings once more. Nothing had changed. I hadn’t counted precisely, but there were definitely between fifty and sixty.
‘That’s more than I expected.’
Didn’t people say it was usually a few, or at most ten? Even allowing for variation, this discrepancy was too large.
‘This changes things a bit.’
I had theorized that if there was a mastermind behind this situation, the most suitable observation point would be either a high-ranking NPC or this very pantheon. Given Japan’s prominent subculture in this area, many users suspected the pantheon, following a common cliché. When sharing information, those users claimed they hadn’t noticed anything unusual…
‘But I might have missed something.’
With the thought that “I’m different from ordinary people,” I intended to thoroughly investigate.
‘However, this is too many.’
It would be difficult to subtly question each one, and even I couldn’t catch every minor detail of dozens of individuals.
‘…Let’s give up on this for now.’ The mental cost was too high, and the accuracy of the results wouldn’t be guaranteed.
‘I guess I should just choose a class.’
“Even the slowpokes have finally arrived.”
“Even those who didn’t budge when the two decent ones came earlier have decided to show up.”
“Hey, hey, little one, what did you do in your world? Were you really a champion of your gods? Wouldn’t you want to be my champion in this world?”
Perhaps due to the sheer number and chattiness of those present, the conversation was disorganized and chaotic.
“Silence.”
A dignified voice suddenly resonated through the space. The presence of the voice was so overwhelming that the noisy space instantly fell silent.
“These are guests from another world. As representatives of this world gathered here, you are behaving far too frivolously.”
“But~”
“Control yourself, Themis.”
“Hmph! Hmph! You’re so uptight!”
The well-endowed goddess named Themis, who had been told to be quiet, sulked and pretended to be preoccupied, kicking at the floor as the other deity turned away.
“My apologies. Brave warrior who has crossed spacetime from Jipangu, I am Bhytramadras, the supreme deity of this world.”
That’s a long name. And difficult to remember. Byte… Byt… Anyway, the supreme god extended a hand.
“Firstly, as I’ve answered this question many times already, let’s be clear. While there may have been some misunderstanding, this world is not what you call a game. It is a real place.”
Oh…
Just like the Pope, the AI for the gods was well-crafted, deviating from common clichés. Was this a device to enhance immersion by actively utilizing the fourth wall? Even if the game balance was garbage, the graphics and minor details like the AI quality were impeccable.
As I nodded with a satisfied expression, the supreme god, seemingly interpreting it as agreement, also nodded and continued his explanation.
“Though it was according to an ancient pact, I apologize for bringing you here against your will.”
Really?
“However, the summoning circle is one-way. While you could come here, there is no way to return.”
I was about to say, “If you’re truly sorry, send me back,” but the supreme god quickly preempted me. If it were possible to send us back, some of the previous users would have logged out directly from the portal. The earlier users had mentioned this as well.
“But if you truly wish to return, it’s not entirely impossible. The ancient summoning circle was originally created when we, as the perfect rulers and deities of Elysium, communicated with the goddess of Earth, where Jipangu is located. If you expel the foreign gods occupying Kolvad, the land we lost, we too can regain our lost divinity as gods of this star, Elysium, and become whole.”
I’ve never heard of this before. No matter how I look at it, this sounds like the game’s ultimate objective and the way to reach the ending.
“If that happens, and we can once again communicate with the Earth goddess across spacetime, we might be able to forge a new pact and create a path back.”
The fact that he didn’t use definitive language at the end, leaving room for doubt, is unsettling. But this sounds exactly like how to see the ending of this game.
Scratching my head, I said.
“I haven’t heard this story from the people who came before me.”
“Ah~”
The goddess Themis drew out her words and laughed.
“Honestly, when the other children came here, we didn’t really get involved much. And, well, how should I put it? There were so many… duds? Frankly, it was too bothersome to answer each and every one of them~”
Wow. Greek and Roman mythology, as well as Celtic myths, depict their gods as having terrible personalities, but these guys are no different. They summon us here on a whim and then treat us poorly? Instead of gods, they deserve to be called something else entirely. Their personalities, no, their divinity, was appalling. If it weren’t for luck or some other reason, and my EX rank and abnormal achievements, I too would have received the same treatment.
“Mmm~ Somehow… this child’s gaze seems very disrespectful.”
“I felt that too.”
Damn AI, they’re awfully perceptive.
I smiled brightly and said, “That’s impossible. You, who sound so beautiful, have taken the trouble to explain things to me despite the inconvenience.”
“Oh my! This child speaks so sweetly. Did you hear that? You all should learn from him.”
“He seemed a bit sturdy, but I’m disappointed. I see the makings of a sycophant.”
Turning away from the giggling Themis, I looked at the supreme god.
“…Sigh. With all these disobedient ones gathered here, ignoring the words of the supreme god, the progress of this matter has been far too slow. You, what is your name?”
“I am Yoon Si-hoo.”
“A rather unusual name. It seems a bit different from the heroes of Jipangu I’ve seen so far.”
Well, our countries are different.
But I didn’t say that out loud. I didn’t want to create any unforeseen variables.
“I hear that often.”
“Hmm. From your aura and feats to your name, everything about you is extraordinary. I have high expectations.”
“…Thank you.”
If you have such high expectations, please show it with more than just words. Don’t you know that young people these days prefer tangible rewards over lip service?
“So, Hero Yoon Si-hoo, have you given any thought to your class?”
“Yes.”
I thought about my conversation with Luna before entering the portal. It was the same thing the 106 people before me had agonized over until the last moment of their class selection. Tank, buffer, or healer… none of them really fit my preferred playstyle, but to win the game, sometimes you have to fill the needed roles, even if they’re not your favorite.
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