Chapter 52

World Collision (2)

『[Infinite]: You’ve all heard the name [Lee Shin], haven’t you?』

『[Waterdrop]: You mean the god who was originally human?』

『[Infinite]: Yes. He’s been causing quite a stir lately.』

『[Soartist]: When has the World of Stars ever been quiet? Everyone always makes a fuss about some new supernova appearing, but those guys invariably disappear before long.』

『[Waterdrop]: Well... this place has always been desperate for new talent, hasn’t it? Besides, no one knows what might happen in the World of Stars.』

『[Soartist]: What do you mean, no one knows? You can tell just by looking. In the past thousand years, has there been even one newcomer worthy of being called a higher god, let alone a supreme god? The supply of shining stars has completely dried up. Anyone with real talent has already appeared.』

『[Waterdrop]: A mere thousand years is not enough to determine that.』

『[Soartist]: What an old-fashioned thing to say. This era is different from the one when you were running wild. Back then, anyone with talent could rise to the position of a higher god, but now the barrier to entry is far too high. Just look at the worlds newbies create these days. Every last one of them churns out formulaic worlds designed for immediate survival, then follows utterly uncreative development paths just to reach a reasonably stable position.』

『[Waterdrop]: Did you not create half of those utterly uncreative development paths yourself? It seems to me that you are the one who has had the worst influence on the new stars.』

『[Soartist]: What bad influence? Did I ever threaten anyone into copying me?』

『[Waterdrop]: ...Gods these days.』

『[Soartist]: You always say that whenever you have nothing left to argue.』

『[Waterdrop]: Let me ask you something, then. Do you have a favorable opinion of Lee Shin? Whatever his origins may be, he has followed the most unusual path among the stars that have recently emerged. Whether it is the worlds he possesses or the way he manages them, he follows none of the conventional methods.』

『[Soartist]: So far, my opinion of him is favorable. I’ve always liked newbies. That doesn’t mean I’m the same as some perverted bastard who approaches newly emerged stars and spouts nonsense about becoming secret friends.』

『[★Blue Star★]: You weren’t talking about me just now, were you?』

『[Soartist]: Ah, that gave me chills. You were listening this whole time?』

『[Soartist]: That bastard should say something when he arrives. Seriously, you’re creepy as hell. You kept your mouth shut the entire time, then popped out the moment someone mentioned you.』

『[Soartist]: Who else here could I possibly mean by “perverted bastard”?』

『[Waterdrop]: Stop flooding the chat.』

『[Infinite]: This is unexpected, Blue Star. You usually avoid gatherings like this.』

『[★Blue Star★]: I wasn’t planning to come, but I had business here this time.』

『[Infinite]: That’s fortunate. I had something I wanted to ask you.』

『[★Blue Star★]: Me?』

『[Infinite]: I heard you have been maintaining a friendship with Lee Shin. I assume it’s another round of that “secret friend” game you’ve been playing for so long.』

『[★Blue Star★]: It isn’t.』

『[Infinite]: What did you think of him?』

『[★Blue Star★]: I don’t know. I just told you that.』

『[Infinite]: Answer me properly. I need to make a judgment as well.』

『[★Blue Star★]: What judgment?』

『[Infinite]: Whether he will become a threat to us or prove useful.』

『[★Blue Star★]: You really haven’t changed at all.』

『[Infinite]: Just answer the question.』

『[★Blue Star★]: I’ll say it again. I genuinely don’t know.』

『[★Blue Star★]: Didn’t Waterdrop just say it?』

『[★Blue Star★]: No one knows what might happen in the World of Stars.』

『[★Blue Star★]: So stop acting as though you know everything—unless you want to disappear.』

Silence followed Blue Star’s warning.

A long silence.

Eventually, a voice echoed once more.

『[Infinite]: Fine. There is no need for us to fight among ourselves. Not yet.』

『[Infinite]: That is enough discussion about Lee Shin.』

『[Infinite]: We’ve exchanged enough idle chatter, so I’ll get to the point.』

『[Infinite]: The Wanderer Who Held a God’s Funeral has returned—our oldest natural enemy, whom we believed had vanished from the World of Stars.』

『[Infinite]: I assume that is why you came as well, Blue Star?』

***

“Gather as much information as possible, my God. As far as this old man knows, gods can learn about one another through special authorities and closely examine each other’s worlds. Information is always the most important thing in war. More often than not, the outcome of a war is decided before it begins, not after.”

This was Lee Shin’s first World Collision, but it was not Santiago’s.

The dwarves had once enjoyed a glorious age, and during that era, they had collided with other worlds and emerged victorious many times.

Santiago was an old man who remembered those days.

「TIP: Reconnaissance is always essential!」

「TIP: Due to the difference in your ranks, the current range of [World Observation] is exceptionally broad. Be sure to examine every piece of available information.」

The status window was saying the same thing.

『Understood, Santiago.』

Lee Shin used [World Observation] once again.

His field of vision expanded enormously.

Leaving behind the Small but Deadly World, the Creepy but Lonely World, and the Great but Slothful World, Lee Shin’s vision was drawn into another world.

The allotted Preparation Period was 240 hours—ten days.

Lee Shin had a great deal to accomplish during that time.

「TIP: You can do this!」

「TIP: Your fate is not one that will be broken by a god like that!」

「TIP: Information permitted for disclosure will now be provided.」

「A brief overview of overall abilities will be disclosed.」

「Race: Ironmen」

「Life: [6/10]」

「Combat: [5/10]」

「Faith: [10/10 (Fanatics)]」

「Potential: [4/10]」

「Overall Assessment: Spirits possessing bodies composed of metal. Their combat power increases with the quality of the metal composing their bodies and the degree of perfection with which those bodies were crafted.

From the moment they are born until the moment they die, they live solely to obtain harder bodies. They are an exceptionally warlike race, and the combat prowess of each individual is terrifyingly powerful.

Even if their bodies are destroyed, they can revive at any time as long as new vessels are available. As spirits, they require neither food, sleep, nor rest. These beings, who desire nothing but harder bodies, spend every waking moment craving war—and then more war.

Those who know fear of the Ironmen call them living weapons.」

The first thing Lee Shin examined was the information on the Ironmen, the primary race of the World Made of Chains and Shackles.

He had obtained the information by expending a small amount of divine power, and it was far more valuable than what he had learned from merely glancing at them.

However—

‘...They’re terrifying.’

Seeing the information laid out before him made the situation feel even more hopeless.

The most immediately understandable statistics alone were enough to demonstrate that.

What had the statistics of Lee Shin’s race, the dwarves, been?

「Race: Half-Dwarves」

「Life: [2/10]」

「Combat: [1/10]」

「Faith: [9/10]」

「Technology: [10/10]」

「Production: [10/10]」

「Potential: [10/10]」

「Overall Assessment: Given sufficient time, they will become a flame that no one can underestimate. However, they still require time.」

Some of their attributes had reached the maximum, but their [Combat] attribute—the one that would be useful immediately—was only 1.

One point out of ten.

‘That makes sense.’

The difference was obvious just by looking at them.

On one side stood a three-meter-tall warrior race made of steel, seemingly capable of slicing apart anything within sight.

Their opponents were dwarves roughly the size of water bottles!

‘Jude is alone, and the dinosaurs are incapable of fighting directly.’

Ultimately, the dwarves had no choice but to serve as Lee Shin’s primary race.

Lee Shin sighed as he continued reading the status window.

‘...They don’t require food.’

It had been stated clearly in the Ironmen’s description.

They required neither food, sleep, nor rest.

「TIP: Spirits are spiritual beings.」

「TIP: Just as undead cannot be killed without divine power, spirits cannot be killed without mystical means such as magic.」

An entirely new type of opponent had appeared.

Until now, Lee Shin had freely used Jude against enemies who possessed no divine power. This time, Lee Shin was the one who would be placed at a disadvantage.

There were no beings like mages in Lee Shin’s worlds.

They were filled with nothing but blacksmiths.

「TIP: Nevertheless, Santiago’s strategy remains effective!」

「TIP: The majority of the soldiers composing the opposing world’s legions are members of other races, not Ironmen. If Santiago’s strategy is used effectively, you may be able to incite discord between the other races and the Ironmen.」

「TIP: Starving soldiers are always angry!」

The status window was right.

However, to achieve victory, Lee Shin would ultimately have to break the enemy’s primary weapon.

Battle maniacs who neither ate, slept, nor rested and desired nothing but war...

Even if every soldier from the other races starved to death, the dwarves would have no way to endure once the Ironmen advanced.

How could dwarves who knew nothing but hammering iron possibly defeat those steel giants—

‘Nothing but hammering iron?’

And then—

Lee Shin belatedly realized something important.

“Oh! My God!”

Lee Shin, who had been examining the opposing world through [World Observation], returned to the Small but Deadly World.

The person he sought was none other than Hephaestus.

“What is it?”

Hephaestus, who had been mass-producing weapons in preparation for the war, wiped the soot from his face and looked up at the sky.

Lee Shin began explaining what kind of enemies they would be facing.

“Their entire bodies are made of steel?”

Hephaestus grinned.

“God is helping us! Ah, I suppose you were already helping us, weren’t you?”

The dwarves of the Small but Deadly World.

They were descendants of the dwarves.

And dwarves were also known as—

“It seems the gift left behind by the god who departed from us has come to our aid this time.”

The Children of Flame and Steel.

“At least within this Small World, no steel can harm a dwarf. The one who first created us decreed it so.”

Lee Shin had witnessed with his own eyes just how deeply the dwarves were loved by flame and steel.

However, one concern remained.

‘Beliar must have known that.’

This was not the Evil God Beliar’s first invasion.

‘Beliar fought and defeated them even when the dwarves were far stronger than they are now and possessed a god with much greater authority than me. Despite experiencing all that, he has challenged them again.’

Beliar must have something in mind.

「TIP: The former god of the Small but Deadly World was born amid flames and rusted steel. He possessed an authority capable of destroying the life-forms created by the Evil God Beliar with a mere gesture, making him what could be called Beliar’s absolute natural counter.」

「TIP: Nevertheless, the dwarves’ former god was defeated.」

「TIP: You must never let down your guard when fighting an evil god. They are beings who abandoned greatness and brilliance in exchange for terrifying power.」

「TIP: Always prepare for the [Apocalypse].」

Apocalypse.

It was an ability Lee Shin possessed but had never used.

The status window warned him about it.

“Can’t you tell me what Apocalypse does?”

Blue Star had refused to tell him as well.

The status window remained silent in response to Lee Shin’s question.

After a brief pause, another message appeared.

「TIP: This information cannot be disclosed at present.」

「TIP: I apologize for being unable to assist you.」

「TIP: (ಥ﹏ಥ)」

Apparently, it could not tell him yet.

“There’s no need to apologize.”

It would have told him if it could.

Lee Shin had no intention of complaining.

He would simply use that time to do what needed to be done.

‘Should I observe the opposing world some more?’

There was still much he had not examined.

Lee Shin was about to use World Observation again.

Just then—

“God. You have job for us.”

Rex called out to Lee Shin.

『That’s right. What I need you to do is—』

Lee Shin first intended to explain the strategy Santiago had proposed. Then he planned to ask whether it was possible, followed by whether a peace-loving druid would be comfortable doing such a thing.

He had no intention of forcing Rex.

“Already did it.”

But Rex gave him an unexpected answer.

“That, very easy.”

『...』

“Hee, hee. Never thought we could use abilities like this. Bad people trying to hurt friends. Good if we can punish them. Hope they all starve to death. When all animals die, plant flowers there.”

“...”

Oh.

A peace-loving druid.

Right?

More importantly—

‘That’s possible?’

Wasn’t the Preparation Period ten days long?

Lee Shin had assumed neither side could do anything to the other during that period.

The status window answered his question.

「TIP: During the Preparation Period, anything is permitted as long as you do not directly harm the other side. Exchanging gifts to encourage amicable negotiations is perfectly acceptable!」

Gifts?

「TIP: The adorable and praiseworthy dinosaur Rex merely gave the plants of the opposing world a gift that would prevent animals from eating them and allow them to survive more tenaciously!」

「TIP: Exemplary druid behavior!」

「TIP: ~(^▽^)ノ♡」

No, what the hell did Rex do?

***

「Warning!」

「The legions’ food supplies are rapidly dwindling.」

「Stored provisions have fallen below 30%.」

「Replenish your food supplies!」

「The [Third Legion] has been poisoned.」

「The [Third Legion] is experiencing hallucinations.」

「The legion’s morale is rapidly declining!」

「Your follower has been attacked by [Living Rice Plants].」

「Your follower has been attacked by [Living Corn].」

“What the fuck is this?!”

Beliar was utterly overwhelmed.

And for good reason.

While he had been taking a short break and browsing the community, his world had been reduced to complete chaos.

“Explain!”

「TIP: A [Druid] exists in the opposing world!」

“A druid? No, that shouldn’t be possible. Perhaps in the past, but there’s no way the dwarves’ world still has such a valuable specialist. A lowly god of human origin could only pick up abandoned worlds, so there’s no possibility that he obtained a world containing a druid’s soul...”

Beliar’s thoughts raced.

The status window had not said that there “seemed to be a druid.”

It had stated definitively that a druid existed.

That meant it could not be false.

‘Did someone transfer a world to him instead of him acquiring an abandoned one?’

But who would transfer a world to a god of human origin?

Even allied gods refused to surrender their worlds to one another. Who would possibly give one to a bastard who was treated as little more than a joke in the community?

At that moment, a name flashed through Beliar’s mind.

‘...The Master of Eternity?’

That individual was certainly capable of it.

Wasn’t he a god who committed insane acts as though they were perfectly ordinary?

‘I heard he was fond of newbies, but enough to gift one a world containing a druid?’

To supreme gods, druids were often more trouble than they were worth. But to gods below that level, few beings were as absurdly powerful as a druid.

They were also exceptionally rare.

Despite possessing countless worlds, Beliar had yet to obtain even a single druid.

‘What kind of druid did he give that bastard to cause something like this...?’

Because of the druid’s schemes, status windows were appearing endlessly before Beliar’s eyes.

It was as though the druid had exerted influence across practically his entire world.

‘How is this possible? Unless someone turned a dragon into a druid...’

For a moment, Beliar came close to discovering the truth.

Yet it was almost impossible to believe that it actually was the truth.

What kind of god would commit something so utterly insane?

“I’ll deal with the immediate crisis first—”

「TIP: Warning!」

“What now?!”

「TIP: Soldiers of the Fourth Legion have become addicted to narcotic substances. They have now crossed the point of no return!」

「TIP: You must bring the situation under control immediately!」

Beliar squeezed his eyes shut.

‘I’m going to kill that fucking bastard...’

Rage surged within him.

Of course, he could not kill Lee Shin immediately.

「The Preparation Period is currently underway!」

「Prepare thoroughly.」

Because of this damned Preparation Period, Beliar had no choice but to endure the attacks for now.

He bit down hard on his lip and made a vow.

「Warning! Warning!」

He would ensure that Lee Shin met the most agonizing end imaginable.