Otherworld Destruction Gallery

Gonik Begi vs Buntang Begi (2)

“It’s strange.”

The audience room in the ruined castle of Mariaka.

As usual, Erzebet, who had been guzzling cola and coffee like water, tilted her head.

“Can I speak properly?”

Ah, after clearing my throat, I could feel my voice becoming noticeably smoother.

Erzebet, tense, took a few more steps forward.

“Good. I’m happy. Wait, what?”

Words, actual words, were coming out properly!

Although they weren’t complete sentences, at least they were coherent enough to match her thoughts.

How had it been before?

Oh, excitement and more excitement.

The same nonsensical words filtered through her mouth uncontrollably.

This could only mean one thing.

“The curse has weakened…!”

The curse that had bound Erzebet was loosening.

“Sniff. Sniff. Finally.”

Though still imperfect, this was a start.

Erzebet recalled the past.

When a stake had pierced her heart, or even earlier, when Mariaka had thrived with vitality in the distant past.

Wasn’t it as if she had returned to those days?

“Cola, coffee. It worked. They weakened the curse.”

There was only one way to break Erzebet’s curse.

Drinking the black liquid.

The black liquid, of course, referred to the blood of life.

Without it, Erzebet experienced excruciating pain throughout her body.

Hadn’t she once forcibly put herself to sleep because she couldn’t endure it?

Now, that was no longer necessary.

The black liquid—cola and coffee brought by the Head Moderator—could replace it.

“So, do you understand?”

Erzebet looked down with an excited expression.

Below her were the dead or wounded imperial soldiers, Frederick, who had lost his mind, and an old man daring to face her.

“Adorable?”

It was the insolent troublemaker that the Head Moderator had mentioned.

Erzebet smirked mockingly.

“Actually, I lied. Not cute. Just joking. Got it?”

“…You monster.”

“Uh-huh, right back at you. Your face.”

Amid the tense conversation, Erzebet raised her scythe high, ready to cut his breath without hesitation.

Head Moderator vs Buntang

Who will win?

You too can cast your vote now!

“I’ll cast my vote for Diehard Vampire.”

“The safe bet is always the answer.”

“Ah, damn it, I’m so torn.”

ㄴ “Are you seriously debating this?”

ㄴ “Never gamble in your life, lol.”

“Nope, the upset is the answer. Go, Isaac!!!”

ㄴ “Hey, this guy?”

ㄴ “Voting for Isaac…?”

ㄴ “Almost said that.”

ㄴ “Ah, almost said it is fair.”

“…What is this?”

I saw a gallery had opened a vote about me, who had gone out of my way to help.

Erzebet’s face twisted in annoyance.

“Head Moderator, I apologize… Myoran.”

“I knew it would turn out this way.”

“Haaah! Head Moderator! Just a little longer!!!”

It had been a few days since I stayed in the Rabbitfolk village.

While I was momentarily careless, a Rabbit Beastfolk wizard undid the magical tools and kidnapped me.

Somewhere behind a quiet field, in a storage room, I was tightly tied to a chair, about to meet my end when Myoran appeared.

“Village Chief, you’re bad! So selfish!”

“Sometimes, residents lose themselves to instinct, but I failed to consider that. Myo.”

“It’s fine. Just hurry and make me a ticket.”

The Rabbit Beastfolk who had been drooling with blank eyes was locked in a mill.

There, they were sentenced to grind mortar for full moon rice cakes, a favorite treat of the Rabbitfolk.

Anyway, I could also participate in the voting.

It seemed even the Head Moderator could join votes where the outcome was unknown.

So I invested all the mana pellets I had into Diehard Vampire.

“This is the safe bet, even if a robber with a gun threatened me.”

Maybe this would lead to a new level-up?

I fueled my hopeful delusions.

Then, as I was watching the gallery, the fight soon began.

Title: A Dragon Has Appeared!!!

(A meme of a human and an elf fist-bumping.)

Sorry, I just wanted to show you this and stirred things up.

The fight between Head Moderator and Buntang is on another level. Truly a clash of world-class beings.

What kind of trend is this again?

Seriously, I can’t understand.

I thought they’d finally crawl out from obscurity, but damn.

So, who’s winning?

ㄴ Obviously, Isaac got one-shotted, lol. Are you even asking?

ㄴ ㄴ No, surprisingly, it’s a close match.

ㄴ What?

ㄴ Right now, it’s a perfect 50-50.

ㄴ Isaac’s always been the best swordsman in the Empire, after all.

Wow, this is genuinely unpredictable.
ㄴ I’m betting on the underdog, 500 mana pellets here.

ㄴ Are you insane?

ㄴ Where did you get so many mana pellets…?

ㄴ If it’s not too much trouble, can I have a cola can…?

“What the heck? Why are they fighting so well?”

Watching the GIF of their fight, my jaw dropped.

I couldn’t see clearly.

It looked like gusts of wind were blowing, and the forms of surrounding objects were disappearing.

Why is the Duke fighting so well?
ㄴ He was a prodigy the Empire once looked forward to in his youth.

ㄴ As he aged, he became obsessed with politics, which is why he turned into a die-hard Imperialist.

ㄴ Diehard Vampire vs. Diehard Imperialist.

-Whoa.

-I bet on the safe option.

ㄴ Damn, am I going to lose everything?

ㄴ Do you think horror stories are jokes?

-But I always thought the Duke would fight well.

ㄴ Why’s that?

ㄴ It’s the “last flash before death” phenomenon. People unleash their ultimate power before dying.

ㄴ Lol, you’re the worst.

ㄴ Are you mocking the Duke for being at his last breath?

ㄴ Are you looking down on him because he’s wrinkly, out of touch, and a political pawn now?

ㄴ You’re just making excuses to say whatever you want, lol.

-Oh, it’s almost over now, isn’t it?

As someone in the gallery commented, it was nearing the end.

Isaac, breathing heavily, and Diehard Vampire, calm as ever.

Diehard Vampire unleashed what looked like an area-of-effect spell, but Isaac barely dodged it with a desperate twist of his body.

Then, seizing an opening, he closed the distance so fast he was almost invisible, but Diehard Vampire didn’t evade.

Clang!

Their sword and scythe collided violently.

“Well, the outcome’s obvious, though.”

It was over in an instant.

When I regained my senses, the two were standing silently, facing each other.

The first to move was Isaac.

Isaac slowly sheathed his sword.

Thud.

Diehard Vampire’s head slowly fell to the ground.

?

What happened??

Wait, my mana pellets!

ㄴ Your mana pellets have been replaced by mine.

ㄴ “Burp, I’ll enjoy this, lol.”

ㄴ “What the heck is this!!!!!”

“It’s nothing special.”

Isaac slowly brushed the blood off his sword and caught his breath.

For his entire life, he had never lost a single moment and had always been called a genius.

Among the creatures he had slain were many monstrous beasts that no one else would have dared to face.

The fact that half of the Empire still remained intact was largely thanks to Isaac’s strength.

When he glanced back, only Diehard Vampire’s body was left standing blankly.

“Monsters like you, I’ve cut down dozens of times.”

This wouldn’t be the end of the Empire.

Isaac knew Frederick was an unworthy Crown Prince.

But Isaac couldn’t forget the gratitude he owed to the previous Emperor.

His plan was simple: kill the Head Moderator, the threat to the Imperial family, and restore the Imperial authority to its rightful place above all.

Head Moderator☆) Hu…

Head Moderator☆) Brother…

“Too scared to even speak properly?”

Isaac sneered as he read the cryptic messages left by the Head Moderator in the gallery.

“Next is your turn, Head Moderator.”

For now, uniting his forces came first.

He planned to return to the North, enthrone Frederick as Emperor, and then hunt down and kill the Head Moderator.

At that moment, the Head Moderator, who had been spouting incoherent remarks, left a new comment.

Head Moderator☆) Brother, this guy is smiling, isn’t he?

“What?”

And that was Isaac’s last moment.

Spin.

Isaac’s vision spun.

Thud.

As he felt the unfamiliar texture of sand beneath him, the world’s sensations began to fade.

In those fleeting moments, Isaac managed to lock eyes with Diehard Vampire.

“Ta-da, fooled you!”

How?!

His dilating pupils seemed to scream those very words.

Isaac’s final sight was of Diehard Vampire casually picking up her own head.

Head Moderator☆) Don’t mess with me, you fool.

Head Moderator☆) I’m a god, and I’m invincible.

The Empire’s famed genius passed away with his eyes wide open, filled with frustration.

Title: Tastes Bad…

Author: Diehard Vampire★

(A meme of drinking black blood.)

(A meme of someone grimacing with a slightly stuck-out tongue.)

-Blood… tastes bad…

-I like cola.

-I like coffee, too.

-I even like the Head Moderator who gives me all these things.

-Please enjoy, Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty, your refined taste is unparalleled.

-Please forgive me for doubting you with those underdog bets, Your Majesty.

ㄴ Diehard Vampire★) Lol, I’m considering it.

ㄴ Nooooo!!!!!

ㄴ “It’s ‘돼,’ not ‘되.'”

ㄴ “Hahaha, take care.”

ㄴ “Hahaha… please spare me too.”

“Surprisingly, you don’t like blood.”

After the fight, Diehard Vampire gathered the blood together using magic.

Just when it seemed like she would drink it, she poked it with her tongue a few times and grimaced in disgust.

-Diehard Vampire) Head Moderator, did I do well?

ㄴ Head Moderator☆) Good.

-Diehard Vampire) Coffee. Cola. Something sweet.

ㄴ Head Moderator☆) ?

-Diehard Vampire) Give me.

Then, out of nowhere, she initiated a barter and boldly started making demands.

“Hah, really. Do I look like someone who just does what she’s told?”

I sighed, purchased some cola and coffee, and sent them to Diehard Vampire before turning my gaze to a corner of the room.

Woong.

There was a crack there—my pet lava fissure that I had seen at home.

The fissure had somehow managed to extend its influence underground.

“It seems to be getting bigger…”

At first, it was just large enough to fit an arm through, but now, if I bent over, I could probably crawl inside.

Naturally, this made me anxious.

I knew where that fissure led, and I knew what lay beyond it.

What if the demon beasts inside came pouring out all at once?

‘It might truly lead to destruction.’

If that happened, it could really be the end of everything.

As I contemplated whether it was time to start preparing, the fissure suddenly began to expand.

Woong. Woong.

“Wait, it’s growing way too big!”

The fissure grew until it was large enough for a person to walk through comfortably.

Clack.

I raised my shotgun and pointed it at the entrance.

Whatever came out of there, I planned to turn it into mush.

But contrary to my expectations, the fissure started affecting the otherworld in a completely different way.

“Oh, damn it.”

“Where did all my fertile land go???”

(A meme of a carefully cultivated field rotting in real-time.)

“Ack! All the trees are withering and shriveling up!!!”

“No, this can’t be happening. I’m starting to worry now.”

“I raised all of that!”

●▅▇█▇▆▅▄▇

A food crisis erupted in the otherworld.