WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Irevi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Unleashed a Gossip Gallery in Another World ◈
Chapter 8: Gossip Gallery Duel
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‘Honestly, I kind of expected this....’
I scratched my head as I considered the Red Mage Tower and Blue Mage Tower representatives’ simultaneous Arena applications through the notification bell.
‘I didn’t think things would blow up this quickly, though.’
Now that I had introduced the Arena system, I figured users would eventually get into fights, even if they did not come to blows in real life.
Still, I never imagined things would go this far just one day after creating the Mage Gossip Gallery.
Mages were usually bookish types devoted to research and training, aside from a few combat mages and dark mages.
Yet the moment factional conflict and their pride in arcane magic were at stake, they tossed aside their pens and parchment and set the Gallery ablaze more enthusiastically than anyone else.
“Hmm....”
In any case, since applications had come in, opening the Arena was a given.
The problem was that I had no idea how to run the second Arena.
Unlike the first Arena, which had been for analyzing a Magic Circle, what they wanted now was a duel.
In reality, they could choose witnesses and fight their duel, but this was the Gossip Gallery, where anonymity had to be guaranteed.
In other words, I needed to offer a duel that preserved the anonymity of both witnesses and participants while clearly deciding a winner.
[🔒Gossip Gallery Eraser: Both Arena applicants, check this post.]
But that was practically impossible in the Gossip Gallery, which always needed to remain in the shadows.
Gossip Gallery Eraser: Could we perhaps settle this by solving a Magic Circle or problem I provide?
So I called both applicants into a private post, offered a compromise, and tried talking it out.
(Red Mage Tower Representative Leonart): We want to duel, though?
(Blue Mage Tower Representative Silvian): Even if we beat them at theory all day, red mages won’t admit it.
Their positions remained firm.
Gossip Gallery Eraser: How the fuck are you supposed to duel on the Gossip Gallery?
(Red Mage Tower Representative Leonart): Then don’t butt in lol
(Blue Mage Tower Representative Silvian): We’ll handle the duel ourselves.
“Urgh....”
At this rate, they would soon actually duel in real life.
And the Emperor, who was surely monitoring the Gossip Gallery, would not miss the chance to make an example out of them.
‘How did we solve situations like this on the gallery I used to use?’
Wanting to avoid a situation where Gossip Gallery users became intimidated, I spent a long time thinking over possible solutions.
“......”
How much time passed after that?
“...Aha.”
I finally found a clue in my increasingly hazy memories of the modern world. I slapped my knee and used the notification bell to call the Witch of the West.
Gossip Gallery Eraser: Mage Gallery Eraser, you there?
Mage Gallery Eraser: ?
Gossip Gallery Eraser: How many Mana Stones do you have right now?
Her reply was exactly what I wanted to hear.
Mage Gallery Eraser: More than I could ever use.
Seeing that, I smiled, opened my desk drawer, and picked up my pen and parchment again.
Gossip Gallery Eraser: Then let’s open a server at your place.
Mage Gallery Eraser: What?
With that, I left a one-sided notice for the Witch of the West, who had no choice but to follow my orders as long as I had that dogeza photo.
‘For settling Gallery disputes, nothing beats a duel.’
It was time to add a new feature that would become the Gossip Gallery’s signature attraction.
* * *
About two hours later.
The increasingly uncontrollable conflict between the Red Mage Tower and Blue Mage Tower entered a new phase because of a single announcement.
----------
[Notice: Second Arena]
Author: Gossip Gallery Eraser
Event: Duel
Participants: Fire-Squirter1/Water-Squirter1 (Temporary fixed usernames assigned)
The duelists should enter the password in the post Mage Gallery Eraser will upload shortly and connect.
I will provide commentary. Mage Gallery Eraser will act as referee.
The witnesses will be every user of the International Mage Gossip Gallery.
You’ll understand how the duel works once you check the post, so no questions.
----------
It was Gossip Gallery Eraser’s declaration that the second Arena would be held.
“What exactly are they trying to do...?”
Yet Silvian, the Blue Mage Tower representative and one of the parties in the conflict, could not hide her dissatisfaction even after seeing the announcement.
‘It would be more certain to just hold a private duel.’
Tensions were already running high within the Mage Tower.
Public opinion overwhelmingly held that this was the perfect opportunity to settle which of the Red Mage Tower and Blue Mage Tower was superior, since their relationship had already been bad.
There was no way an Arena held on some Gallery could calm that hostile atmosphere instead of an actual duel.
[Mage Gallery Eraser: Gossip Gallery Duel Server ver. 0.1]
“Hmm?”
Still, the dissatisfaction held by Silvian and the other mages gradually turned into curiosity when Mage Gallery Eraser’s post went up.
----------
[Title: Gossip Gallery Duel Server ver. 0.1]
Author: Mage Gallery Eraser
(A picture has been attached.)
Duelists, copy the Magic Circle, enter the password, then pour mana into it.
This Magic Circle collects information on the duelists, but it will never collect personal information.
If you don’t trust it, then go beat each other to death in real life.
----------
‘What even is this...?’
Silvian examined the Magic Circle attached to the post, then tilted her head with an unmistakably flustered expression.
‘The last Magic Circle was impressive too, but this.... I can’t even understand it?’
Judging from the grammar and structure, it was clearly another new Magic Circle drawn by Gossip Gallery Eraser.
Astonishingly, even she, the rising star of the Mage Tower and leader of the Blue Mage faction, could not understand a single part of it.
“Ah...?”
After hesitating for a moment, she copied the Magic Circle and placed her hand upon it, driven by a mage’s natural curiosity and competitive spirit.
“......!”
The sight of a massive Arena unfolding before her made her stare in shock.
“They created virtual reality... with a Magic Circle?”
But it was still too early to be surprised.
‘These are.... spells I’ve learned or created.’
Various cards floated before her eyes.
The spells engraved on those cards were ones she had studied and mastered throughout her life.
‘Then that means....’
Only then did Silvian understand the warning that the Magic Circle would collect her information. She broke out in a cold sweat as she looked around.
>Gossip Gallery Eraser: Is everyone ready?
>Gossip Gallery Eraser: As you can see, I implemented the duel as a card game at your request.
Then Gossip Gallery Eraser’s chat suddenly appeared before her.
>Gossip Gallery Eraser: Think of HP as health, cost as your total mana pool, and cards as the spells you’ve learned.
>Gossip Gallery Eraser: For reference, every stat is identical to your real-world specs, so whoever loses should humbly admit defeat.
Silvian blankly read his helpful explanation, then swallowed dryly.
‘How is something like this even possible...?’
As one of the Mage Tower’s high-ranking mages, she was starting to understand what Gossip Gallery Eraser had done.
Illusion magic that made it seem as though physical forms had been created before her.
Mental magic that let others share that illusion.
By combining those two, Gossip Gallery Eraser had created a virtual space where they could duel while preserving their anonymity.
‘This is practically the Purple Mage Tower’s lifelong dream....’
One frightening thing was that Gossip Gallery Eraser had created a space that archmages would need to devote their entire lives to achieving in just two hours.
>Gossip Gallery Eraser: Aren’t you starting?
>Gossip Gallery Eraser: Everyone’s waiting just for you two.
“Ah....”
Silvian had stood there blankly for quite some time, but she snapped back to her senses after reading the chat that appeared before her again.
[User: Fire-Squirter1 attempts a preemptive attack!]
[Spell Used: Fireball (LV10)]
The black silhouette of a man standing across from her had already begun attacking the moment the duel started.
“Eek.”
Naturally, Silvian, who lacked experience, failed to evade the unexpected strike and took it head-on.
[Water-Squirter1 HP 7000->6000]
As a result, her health dropped without mercy.
Anonymous1: What was that just now?
Anonymous2: Did she just get hit without doing anything?
Anonymous3: Lmao, why did a blue mage want a duel if she can’t even defend properly?
Silvian frowned, realizing her mistake, then noticed the Gallery window floating beside her and gritted her teeth.
-Grit....
Her duel with the red mage was being broadcast live to the entire International Mage Gossip Gallery.
[Water-Squirter1 chants Water Barrier.]
[Water-Squirter1 fires Water Balls in every direction.]
[Water-Squirter1 uses Blessing of Water to recover health.]
Having realized that, Silvian clenched her teeth, quickly regained her composure, and began using cards as she normally would.
Anonymous4: Why is she only defending?
Anonymous5: Is this her first duel? Lmao
Anonymous6: Typical water mage lololol
Of course, the live comments continued criticizing her overly defensive approach.
‘Red mages are weak in drawn-out battles.’
Silvian had already mapped out her entire path to victory.
‘And they’re not very observant of their surroundings, either.’
Unlike red mages, who crushed opponents from the start with overwhelming firepower, blue mages grew stronger the longer a battle dragged on.
The core of blue magic was that spells which initially seemed insignificant became deadly as the surrounding terrain was covered in water.
[A new card has been added!]
[Leviathan’s Wrath (7 Cost)]
As if proving that point, a powerful arcane spell of the Blue Mage Tower was added to Silvian’s hand after she finished chanting.
‘This has been implemented too?’
Silvian had been planning to demand live patches, so she could not help being amazed at how closely the duel resembled reality.
[Fire-Squirter1 chants Great Burn.]
[Fire-Squirter1 summons a Vortex of Flames.]
[Fire-Squirter1 uses Blessing of Flames to maximize their spells.]
Her opponent, though, was no pushover either.
[Water-Squirter1 HP 6000->4000]
[Water-Squirter1 HP 4000->2000]
[Water-Squirter1 HP 2000->500]
“Urgh...!”
As if he had seen through every one of Silvian’s moves, he used cards without pause and rapidly whittled down her health.
‘Still, if this keeps up, it’ll be close, but...!’
Near the end of that relentless barrage, Silvian realized she still had health left and the corner of her mouth curled upward as though she had expected it.
[User: Fire-Squirter1 chants Meteor Strike.]
Then the trump card her opponent had hidden all along appeared before her.
“...What!?”
Silvian’s expression stiffened in shock before she lowered her head in despair.
‘He wasn’t just all talk...!’
Meteor Strike, an arcane spell of the Red Mage Tower.
Only a handful of people in the entire Empire could use that magic, which boasted the greatest destructive power.
In other words, whoever was chanting that spell possessed skills comparable to at least an archmage.
Naturally, this was the worst possible situation for Silvian, who had thought her opponent was just another loudmouthed nobody.
“Ngh...!”
She stared blankly at the massive fireball forming in the air for a long moment before squeezing her eyes shut.
“......?”
Yet the end she had expected did not come, even after quite some time had passed.
[Meteor Strike (10 Cost) has been canceled!]
When Silvian opened her eyes again in confusion, the following message floated before her.
>Mage Gallery Eraser: Meteor Strike isn’t a single fire spell, idiot.
>Mage Gallery Eraser: It’s a composite spell made of at least five spells. Do you think a red mage can use it alone?
Mage Gallery Eraser, who was acting as referee, had canceled Meteor Strike for violating the rules.
>Fire-Squirter1: It’s an arcane technique of the Red Mage Tower, what are you talking about;;
>Mage Gallery Eraser: I’ll allow it if you can chant it solo in real life without a scroll, yeah. Verify it in a private post?
>Fire-Squirter1: Fuck, this game is fucking trash.
Naturally, her opponent had loudly objected, but Mage Gallery Eraser’s biting warning made him fall silent.
“Haa, haa....”
Silvian let out a hot breath as she read that chat.
[User: Water-Squirter1 chants Leviathan’s Wrath!]
The instant her cost had fully recovered, she used her trump card and began praying inwardly.
‘Please, please, please....’
Then the outcome of the duel appeared before her.
[Critical Damage!]
[Fire-Squirter1 HP 8000->0]
[You have won the duel!]
“Yay!”
As fireworks burst around her in celebration of her victory, Silvian clenched her fists and jumped up and down with a cute cheer.
“......”
She soon realized that she was not in an actual Arena, but in her room within the Mage Tower. With an awkward expression, she scratched her head.
“But....”
Sitting on the edge of her bed, she murmured in a dazed voice.
“...Why is this so fun?”
* * *
The duel held during the second Arena ended in victory for Silvian, the Blue Mage Tower representative.
----------
[✪Title: I admit my defeat.]
Author: Fire-Squirter1 (Red Mage Tower Representative Leonart)
I will never.... underestimate blue mages again.
As a sign of remorse, I will hand out 500 Baguette Coupons....
----------
‘He’s generous.’
With countless people watching, Leonart, the Red Mage Tower representative, could not make excuses and had to accept the result.
By handing out a whopping 500 Baguette Coupons, he barely avoided the ban riding on the duel and somehow preserved his dignity.
“Hmm-hmm.”
Having watched the whole situation unfold, I checked the featured posts and nodded with a satisfied smile.
[✪Gossip Gallery Duel <<< Upvote if it should be open 24/7 lol]
[✪Don’t keep all the fun to yourselves!!!!!!!!]
[✪Looking for someone to fight me and open an Arena. Urgent....]
[✪You’re not ending this as a one-time thing, right??? Answer.]
[✪Gossip Gallery Eraser <<< Upvote if you don’t understand why this bastard is wasting his talent on the Gossip Gallery lol]
Those who had watched the duel live were, naturally, losing their minds with excitement.
The duel preserved the Gossip Gallery’s anonymity, let people crush opponents who only knew how to run their mouths, and was fun to boot.
‘Just as planned.’
Seeing the atmosphere, I smiled and wrote an announcement.
[Notice: Gossip Gallery Duel may only be used for disputes involving Gossip Gallery users.]
It was the moment a wildly popular form of entertainment that would eventually sweep across the continent, the Gossip Gallery Duel, became a unique cultural staple that would drive the Gossip Gallery’s success.
Footnotes:
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