WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 121: Episode 24 — Something that Can be Changed (1)
[The countries currently participating in this scenario are Japan and Korea.]
A blood-wind swept the plain under the Japanese incarnations’ massacre.
It could no longer be called a battle.
Entrails spilled from the little people whose waists had been ripped apart.
Each time an incarnation’s boot stepped forward, their bodies burst like soggy noodles.
“Aaaargh…”
“S-Save us! Please!”
Even a tiny scream bore the same weight of life.
They were small only in size; until the scenario descended they had led ordinary lives like Earthlings.
Eating, working, sharing quiet days with their families.
Over the toppled corpses an all-too-familiar Earth landscape overlapped.
“O C-Catastrophes…”
Crawling, one little person missing his lower body dragged himself to our feet.
“Please… have mercy…”
Power that defies reason breeds both terror and awe.
To the people of Peace Land, Earthlings must be Catastrophe and god alike.
I bent and reached out a finger.
The tiny hand stretched toward mine. Hurried breaths crossed, and a faint touch met my fingertip.
In his final exhale his face flushed with peculiar rapture—
as though he had touched a god, as though that single touch were salvation.
[Fulfil your duty as a Catastrophe.]
The warning message shot down.
As if to say there was no time for sentiment, a heavy pressure pressed from the sky. Yuseong glared upward.
“This, too… is all their scenario, right?”
A mid-grade dokkaebi.
Unlike the lower ones he hovered with arms folded, handsome and composed.
Not Paul, the one hauled off to the Bureau. That guy should be melting in ultra-hot hell by now.
I recalled the TWSA text I had reread in advance.
「The mid-grade dokkaebi overseeing the ‘Abandoned World’ scenario. His name is ‘Ganul’.」
Ganul spoke.
[Impressive, Japan’s third drop-ins start off with a bang. May you earn many coins here on Peace Land.]
Third wave already. As expected, the Tokyo-Dome incarnations were rushing the scenario.
Voices of the Japanese side drifted across the plain.
“Too easy! Just like the advance party said.”
“Maruyama, whose side are you taking?”
“Obviously under the leader. Amano, you too, right?”
The leader—
a nickname I knew from TWSA, attached to a powerhouse.
I could roughly picture Japan’s state this round.
Yet something was strange. No matter how strong the leader was, the strongest in Japan should be—
“Japan’s King is Izumi-san. Don’t tell me you forgot?”
The little man spoke. He was right, Izumi Hiroki was Japan’s strongest incarnation, owner of the Absolute Throne.
Why join another group when its rightful holder was alive?
“Michio, you’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you? Izumi is now—”
Before the juicy part, a message cleaved the air.
[Some constellations wish to see ten little people crushed at once.]
“Okay! Leave it to me!”
The red-haired man, on a Bounty Scenario, kindled blue flames in both hands—
a fire-type incarnation, likely backed by a heroic-grade yokai.
“Hold it. That’s enough. Haven’t we killed plenty already?”
Blocking him was the small man who had mentioned Izumi.
“If we do this, Izumi-san and Ren won’t stand by.”
“Move. Can’t you see the constellations hate it?”
Though shaking, the little man didn’t step away; his hand crept toward his katana.
The red-head’s face hardened.
“Are you crazy? Fight us over these bugs?”
“Michio-kun, don’t show useless bravado.”
My interest was piquedm a man risking himself to save smallfolk. Perhaps I knew him.
[The exclusive skill Character Profile has been activated.]
[You do not have any significant information about this character.]
[Switching to summary mode.]
+
<Character Summary>
Name: Michio Shoji
Patron constellation: None (One constellation is currently interested in this incarnation.)
Exclusive attribute: Righteous Coward (Rare)
Stats: [Vitality Lv.25], [Strength Lv.24], [Agility Lv.31], [Mana Lv.23]
Overall: This character’s overall stats and abilities are way below average. It is a wonder he survived this far.
+
Interestingly, he bore a justice-type attribute like Hyeongseong, yet lacked even a patron.
Truly a miracle he had lived. Michio Shoji…
Before I found the matching page in my memory, the red-hair sneered.
“Come at me if you can. But remember, Izumi and Ren aren’t here.”
Shoji’s face twisted, but only for a moment. His trembling hand left the hilt, his eyes glazed at some point in space, with his head drooping in despair.
“Ahjussi, that guy…”
Yuseong couldn’t understand—no mental attack, no obvious crushing aura.
I knew what had broken him but kept silent.
The red-hair strode past with a laugh.
“Let’s begin, Amano.”
“Gladly.”
Flames exploded over the plain and the bald man hurled his axe.
Tiny bodies burst with every brush of the blade.
To those two, the smallfolk looked like living coins.
Yuseong’s fist on my sleeve shook with rage, but it still wasn’t her turn.
“Look there.”
At the center, a heavily-armed little soldier stepped out—
stockier than the rest, clearly a commander.
“That one looks different.”
“Small doesn’t mean weak.”
As if hearing me, the little commander roared, raised a longsword aloft, and charged. Amano swiped irritably, but the small warrior veered aside, ran up the axe shaft, and stabbed Amano’s hand.
Impressive combat sense. Amano flung him off with a curse.
“Son of a—!”
The commander tumbled, shrieking. A pin-prick cut marked Amano’s hand.
“Look! The Catastrophe is bleeding!!”
“Waaaaah!”
One drop of blood—a miracle drop.
If it bleeds, a Catastrophe can die.
That single drop taught them.
“We can win! Charge! Just a bit more!”
Heartened, the little warriors stopped fleeing and rushed the giants.
“Get off me, gnats!”
They swarmed Amano and the red-hair, stabbing toothpick-sized blades.
Tiny arrows filled the air, cavalry stuck lances in ankles. No real damage, but they didn’t stop.
Yuseong watched, fists clenched.
“Maybe the small friends can win.”
A indirect message sounded.
[The little planet’s little constellation cheers for incarnation Gillemium.]
Even this small planet had its own constellations, born of small faith.
[The little planet’s little constellation has gifted the incarnation Gillemium 10 coins.]
The commander’s name must be Gillemium.
“For the smallest conviction in the world!”
“For conviction!”
They were sure they could breach the giants, until the dokkaebi spoke.
[Interesting turn of events.]
Ganul laughed, a chillingly familiar laugh.
[A sliver of hope spins a more desperate, beautiful tale. Therefore—]
Black aura gushed from the Japanese incarnations.
Sensing danger, the smallfolk halted and re-formed ranks.
[We will now lift part of the Catastrophe penalty. Those who chose the way of the Catastrophe may use extra buffs, check your Attribute windows.]
The red-hair looked down and snorted.
“Seriously? Too easy makes it boring.”
[This time easy is fine, think of it as stress relief.]
“If you insist…”
Amano grinned and triggered a buff. Deadly mana sheathed his bloody axe.
[The contract of plausibility binding the Catastrophes has been partially lifted.]
[The catastrophes can now be in-tune with their patron constellations to a greater level.]
[The deficit in plausibility will be paid by the <Star Stream>.]
The ground trembled, hundreds of little people exploded in a fountain of blood.
Devastating power, in their eyes…
But few eyes remained.
Overwhelmed, they wet themselves. Some fainted outright. Screamers forgot even to scream.
“Aaaaah…”
Weapons dropped, one by one they fell to their knees.
“We can’t win.”
“Our planet is… finished…”
Despair so deep it hurt to read. Even Gillemium, who’d wounded Amano, dropped his sword.
[A few constellations are satisfied with the slaughter!]
[The little planet’s little constellation writhes in agony!]
[A tiny number of constellations want the insolent incarnation Gillemium torn limb from limb!]
[The little planet’s little constellation begs them not to do it!]
The red-hair laughed, seized the seated commander.
“So, dear constellations, what shall we do with him?”
[The little planet’s little constellation pleads desperately!]
[It offers 10 coins if you spare that incarnation!]
[The little planet’s little constellation has gifted 10 coins!]
“Only 10 coins? Pathetic.”
[A tiny number of constellations offer 300 coins to rip Gillemium apart!]
[They pay 100 coins up front!]
“Oh, nice.”
He lifted Gillemium’s arm between two fingers, like a child tearing a bug, and a cruel smile spread.
The tiny arm began to stretch away.
The commander’s scream rang across the plain.
At the same time the black aura on the Japanese side thinned—it was now time for us.
“I can’t watch that.”
Yuseong stepped forward.
“Yuseong.”
Far off, Michio Shoji still knelt in defeat. Yuseong might share his despair or even die.
“If we fight them, the scenario gets very hard.”
“Hard, but still clearable?”
I thought, then answered.
“Yes.”
As if that was enough, her eyes lit.
“Then let’s do it.”
Exactly the answer I expected. I’d stalled to stack the odds.
[The penalties lifted from the Catastrophes have now returned.]
The aura vanished, that was our cue. Yuseong and I moved in unison.
[The <Star Stream> has detected an irregularity in your behaviour.]
[Warning. Do not antagonize fellow Catastrophes.]
Yuseong may regret her choice. This scenario will teach what happens when you abandon comfort for conviction.
But sometimes conviction is worth the price.
[Blade of Faith has activated.]
Light erupted and a thunderous roar shook the plain.
Footnotes:
[1]
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