Chapter 53

World Collision (3)

Another name for druids was Friends of Nature.

They possessed the critical weakness of being unable to harm living creatures directly, but druids also possessed strengths that more than compensated for that limitation.

Nature.

They could turn the environment of an entire world into a weapon.

「The druids of your world are performing the group ritual [Natural Liberation].」

「The lives that once remained at the bottom of the ecosystem, unable to speak or walk on their own, have now gained freedom. They will actively struggle for survival.」

「This is a gift for the [Nature] of the opposing world.」

「[Gifts] may be exchanged during the Preparation Period.」

「You have sent a benevolent gift to the opposing world.」

「Your opponent will be delighted!」

The dinosaurs of the Great but Slothful World had performed the group ritual [Natural Liberation].

As a result, the World Made of Chains and Shackles was being devastated in real time.

[What the hell is this?!]

Every natural environment created within the opposing world—its gardens, forests, and lakes—began to live and breathe.

Fruit, weeds growing along the ground, beautifully blooming flowers, and even the grain stored in the food warehouses opened their eyes.

Then they began moving to survive.

Not like plants, but like animals.

‘Whoa...’

Natural disasters were not called disasters for nothing.

The harshness of nature was an unstoppable calamity in itself.

And nature had always displayed astonishing survival strategies.

「Eight new plant species have emerged in the opposing world.」

「To spread their offspring more widely, these new plant species have developed three shared traits.」

「Shared Traits: Powerful Addictiveness, Thrilling Pleasure, Wonderful Dreams」

「Any creature that tastes these plants even once will never be able to return to its former life. After experiencing the greatest ecstasy a living body can feel, they will worship these plants as their gods instead of their original deity.」

A world of legions inhabited by Ironmen.

A world of iron, painted entirely in gray.

The druids had released poison into it.

“Is this... really allowed?”

The premise of the Preparation Period was that neither side could harm the other.

Wasn’t this too much of a loophole?

「A world consists of more than just its inhabitants.」

「The nature and environment of a world are also part of that world.」

「This action falls within the [Permitted Range].」

「TIP: If he doesn’t like it, he shouldn’t have challenged you.」

「TIP: This is why initiating a [World Collision] against a world you know nothing about is incredibly foolish. No one can predict what might happen in the World of Stars.」

Well, it wasn’t wrong.

Wasn’t the one who started the fight always at fault?

Especially when he had deliberately targeted someone weaker than himself.

“Right. If we’ve started this, we should see it through properly.”

Lee Shin fundamentally pursued peace, but he had always taught a harsh lesson to anyone who threatened those precious to him.

This time was no different.

“My God, I, Hephaestus, have devised an ingenious plan.”

Whenever Lee Shin committed himself to something, he saw it through thoroughly.

That was his motto.

“There’s a way for us to give those Ironmen a proper beating!”

And a world invariably came to resemble the god who ruled it.

The dwarves were normally cheerful, optimistic, and adorable. But whenever a crisis approached, few races were more tenacious than the dwarves of the Small but Deadly World.

They were hardened survivors who had stubbornly endured countless trials.

‘A conqueror who has never experienced a single defeat?’

Sorry, but the same was true of Lee Shin’s side.

This was a world perpetually standing at the edge of a cliff, where a single defeat meant annihilation.

Yet it had survived this far.

They had no intention of collapsing now.

「Beliar is expending divine power.」

「Beliar has begun restructuring his world.」

「Beliar is conveying his voice to his subjects.」

「Following their god’s will, the inhabitants of the World Made of Chains and Shackles have begun burning every forest. Furthermore, a ten-day [Fasting Order] has been issued to prevent further interference from the opposing world.」

「The soldiers voice their discontent, but their evil god and the Ironmen cannot understand them. Neither has ever possessed a body of flesh and blood.」

「Faith within the World Made of Chains and Shackles is declining.」

「Beliar is executing those who display irreverence.」

「The legion’s soldiers have entered a state of [Depression].」

「The legion’s soldiers have entered a state of [Lethargy].」

The opposing world had begun to waver.

The dwarves were doing their part.

Now it was Lee Shin’s turn to do his.

“I have a question.”

「TIP: Ask away!」

“How broad is the definition of a gift that can be sent to the opposing world?”

An answer arrived shortly after Lee Shin asked his question.

「TIP: The following actions are forbidden during the Preparation Period.」

「TIP: Directly harming the opposing world; exerting influence upon the opposing world through [Divine Power] or [Interference Power]; directly using an [Authority] upon the opposing world; or performing a specific action toward the opposing world with malicious intent.」

「TIP: Anything that does not fall under these conditions is permitted.」

「TIP: Consequently, the [Gift] function is frequently exploited!」

Lee Shin considered the message for a moment before speaking.

“Then... what about introducing a good friend to the inhabitants suffering under an evil god who rules their world through fear and violence?”

As he spoke, Lee Shin was looking at the corner of the status window.

A message had arrived there.

「[Lilith♥]: Is there anything I can do to help?」

It was a message from his new friend, who transported those burdened by harsh reality into a land of fantasy and adventure.

「[Night Herb] has been confirmed to possess highly addictive properties.」

「[Purple Mushroom] has been confirmed to possess highly addictive properties.」

「[Moon Flower] has been confirmed to possess highly addictive properties.」

「The [Living Plants] are rapidly destroying the world’s ecosystem.」

「Eight new plant species have emerged.」

「The legions’ morale is declining.」

「The legions’ mental fortitude is declining.」

Beliar moved busily.

‘That fucking bastard.’

He first burned down the forests and then began controlling the meals of the soldiers belonging to his legions.

That would prevent the narcotics from spreading while also stopping the druids from exerting further influence.

The legions’ morale might decline slightly, but it did not matter.

Beliar was not the kind of god who governed his world by listening to his followers’ prayers. He was an evil god who ruled through overwhelming power and fear.

It was regrettable that he already had to expend divine power, but Beliar knew that disturbances like this had to be suppressed immediately before they grew worse.

‘So he didn’t defeat my governor through mere luck.’

The dragon rider Johan was insignificant compared to the rest of Beliar’s forces, but he could still demolish most lower worlds in an instant.

Beliar had assumed that Lee Shin had defeated Johan through sheer luck, but he now revised that assessment.

‘So he has enough strength to struggle when stepped on.’

The previous owner of the Small but Deadly World had been the same.

He had built a reasonably impressive civilization and had been an intermediate god of a rank similar to Beliar’s own at the time.

But in the end, even that god had been defeated by Beliar.

‘Whenever a conflict continues to the very end, I am always the victor.’

Victory and conquest.

Those were the words that defined Beliar’s world.

The foundations of his world would collapse the moment he suffered even a single defeat.

‘My world is perfect. It is not something an inferior human made of flesh and blood could ever oppose.’

Beliar was confident.

「TIP: The morale of soldiers conscripted from the [Colonies] is declining. Their mental fortitude is considerably low.」

「TIP: The performance of soldiers whose minds have collapsed is declining severely.」

「TIP: Faith within the [Colonies] has declined considerably.」

「TIP: It is recommended that you relinquish some of your [Colonies].」

「TIP: You must now choose where to concentrate your efforts.」

Chime. Chime.

The status window sent him its advice.

But Beliar merely snorted.

“You want me to relinquish what belongs to me?”

「TIP: Even if you release them now, you may reclaim them later—」

“How dare you offer me such advice?”

Beliar clicked his tongue and closed the status window.

Then he blocked the status window administrator’s messages.

Until Beliar lifted the restriction, the administrator would be unable to send him another message.

“I will not surrender a single thing within my grasp. How dare an inferior soul like you say such a thing to me, the great conqueror? Do you believe a creature like you could ever have become the administrator of such a vast world without me? You obtained everything thanks to me, yet you dare...”

Beliar appeared deeply displeased.

In truth, this was the normal relationship between a god and a status window administrator.

Most gods in the World of Stars were arrogant from birth. They lived their lives believing themselves to be the greatest and most exceptional beings in existence.

They were natural-born narcissists.

Listening to another person’s advice and understanding or empathizing with an outsider’s perspective were fundamentally at odds with the nature of beings known as gods.

Lee Shin was the unusual exception.

“Shut your mouth and watch quietly, you insolent creature.”

Through [World Observation], Beliar looked down upon his world.

Soldiers complained of hunger. Others looked sorrowfully at comrades suffering from drug addiction.

Beliar regarded their miserable condition with nothing but contempt.

‘Everything made of flesh and blood truly is inferior.’

Just look at the Ironmen, his magnificent creations.

Did they not remain steadfast even during this unexpected crisis?

Their faith, as solid as steel, remained unshaken.

‘Perhaps I should eventually sacrifice all of them and use them to nurture my children. I despise every last creature made of flesh and blood.’

Beliar gazed proudly at the Ironmen.

He had colonized hundreds of worlds and extracted all kinds of resources from them, but there was only one world that Beliar truly loved.

He could not bring himself to care for any of the others.

It was blatant favoritism.

That was why Beliar failed to understand.

「An unusual atmosphere is spreading throughout the legions.」

He did not understand what fate awaited worlds that expanded recklessly without strengthening their foundations.

Nor did he understand that possessing more was not always better.

‘Once the war begins and the Ironmen display their overwhelming power, everyone will become obedient again—just as they always have.’

Absolute trust in the race he had personally created!

However—

『Are you certain this will be enough?』

“Yes! The moment those Ironmen or whatever they’re called cross over, they’ll be completely smashed to pieces.”

Lee Shin had yet to reveal every weapon in his possession.

“Just trust us! Wahahaha!”

Hephaestus’s hearty laughter rang out.

Of course, there was no possibility of that sound reaching the opposing world.

「The Preparation Period has ended.」

「You may now exert influence upon each other’s worlds.」

「The inhabitants of both worlds may now travel between them.」

Ten days later, the allotted time finally came to an end.

「The World Collision begins!」

The true battle was about to begin.