NOVEL NEXT The Strategist III
This world wasn't a game. There were no friendly mid-bosses, final bosses, or hidden bosses appearing conveniently in sequence. Anomalies took great inspiration from the military genius of the Joseon Dynasty.
While the daimyos born in Japan, the land of classic RPGs, praised themselves for their boss stages, Seonjo[1] harshly reminded them that the world was not a JRPG. Retreat, hide, and wait. Why foolishly reveal yourself to the enemy? By staying hidden, you eliminate the possibility of defeat.
Anomalies didn't show off their strength unnecessarily. Especially the Outer Gods, who rarely showed their divine forms to mere humans. Take Infinite Void as an example. Infinite Void was coiled in the fourth basement of Baekhwa High School, surrounded by an impenetrable barrier, and ruled the world by deploying only 'colonial soldiers,' known as the 'Fairies of the Tutorial.'
Infinite Void was the weakest of the Outer Gods. The [Admin of the Infinite Metagame] was even more extreme.
“This guy is a master of hiding, even among stealth types.”
I explained to Oh Dok-seo.
“Only after spreading status windows, experience point systems, damage indicators, level-ups, and game communities all over the Earth did he barely reveal himself at the moment of 'server shutdown' after hundreds of years.”
“It's really tough…”
In the middle of the night, we paused the speedrun broadcast for a brief rest.
[......]
By the way, while Oh Dok-seo and I were talking, the Saintess remained hidden nearby. An awkward atmosphere hung between us. Naturally, since we had both taken the 'Hate Pill,' I felt animosity towards Oh Dok-seo, and she towards me. She probably felt only faint animosity since we hadn’t had many bonding events, but I was different.
‘I felt murderous.’
I wanted to kill her. I wanted to tear her apart. My hands twitched. Looking at Oh Dok-seo stretching her neck while yawning made me want to draw my cane-sword and cut her down. Dozens of ways to cripple her flashed through my mind without prompting. All the goodwill I had felt for her had instantly turned into hostility.
‘Is this how Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa felt about me in the 590th cycle?’
I felt guilty. But I could bear it. No matter how much the 'Hate Pill' manipulated my emotions, it couldn’t alter my memories. I remembered clearly what kind of person Oh Dok-seo was. Hundreds of years of memories fortified my resolve. Thus, I buried my intense hostility under layers of memory.
“…Undertaker?”
“Hmm.”
“Are you okay? You seem really strained.”
Despite my efforts to manage my emotions, a fragment of my murderous intent must have slipped through. Oh Dok-seo, sensing it, shrank back, watching me nervously.
“Don’t worry. If we don’t take any action, the status window anomaly will appear between the fifth and sixth years.”
“Wait, Mister. Isn't that too late for a speedrun?”
“Yes. We need to force the 'Logout Game' to surface. That’s why I brought you to Japan.”
“...?”
The next day, after a good rest, we resumed the speedrun broadcast.
[All the Outer Gods have their own domains.]
[The 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame' influences not only games but all creative works.]
[This is evident from the anomalies under the 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame'—Hero Syndrome, Savior's Narrative Syndrome, Isekai Truck, Chekhov's Gun—all linked to creative works.]
“Ah.”
Oh Dok-seo muttered while tying her shoelaces.
“So, that’s why we’re using the speedrun broadcast format? Since broadcasting is a form of creation too.”
[Correct.]
As usual, the Saintess relayed my words to Oh Dok-seo.
[The deeper we immerse ourselves in creative works and the stronger we become, the more likely the 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame' will appear before us.]
“Ah, I get it.”
[Good to hear. Now let’s proceed with your transformation into a magical girl.]
“...?”
I guided Oh Dok-seo towards Noto Peninsula in Japan, where the headquarters of the Magical Girl Association was located. As she followed the navigation, Oh Dok-seo suddenly slammed on the brakes.
“Wait! A magical girl? Why do I have to become a magical girl? Aren’t they all crazy?”
[Because magical girls, or Japanese awakeners, draw power from creative works in a typical manner.]
Indeed.
Although it might have been half coincidence, Japanese awakeners were essentially devotees of the 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame.' Magical girls always fought for justice against evil. Except in a few malevolent works, magical girls always triumphed. Relying on such magical girl tropes, the Japanese awakeners opposed the world-consuming anomalies. I valued comrades like Manyo Neko and others.
But objectively, at this point in the 593rd cycle, they had become anomalies known as 'magical girls' to fight anomalies. It was a typical corruption phenomenon.
[But not all corruption is bad.]
In a speedrun, every resource must be utilized.
[The more powerful magical girls become, the closer their connection to the Outer Gods. In some cases, they can significantly advance the appearance of the 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame.']
“Oh…”
[Oh Dok-seo, you’ve already used <Hamel's Journal>, accepted the 'Hate Pill' trope, and lived according to the 'speedrun broadcast' creative format.]
“......”
[Your entire existence is becoming saturated with creative works. You are the most suitable priestess for the 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame.' If you join the Association as an honorary member and become a magical girl, even more so.]
Of course, the Magical Girl Association was extremely exclusive to outsiders. With everyone around her feeling instinctive aversion due to the 'Hated Pill,' joining the Association would be even more challenging for Oh Dok-seo. But the strategy for registering with the Association was well known.
Three days later.
“…Thank you. Who would have thought an awakener from Korea would conquer Inunaki Tunnel. As the representative of the Association, I express our gratitude.”
The Great Priestess of the Magical Girl Association bowed politely. Oh Dok-seo, despite being a hardcore otaku, wasn’t fluent in Japanese, so the Saintess had to act as an interpreter.
“But…”
The Great Priestess lifted her head slightly.
“Why are you covered in bird droppings?”
That was because the 'Total Luck Law' had started bringing small misfortunes upon us. Both Oh Dok-seo and I, along with the Saintess, were showered in bird droppings.
Oh Dok-seo scowled.
“Ah, don’t mind it… It’s nothing…”
“Hmm, okay.”
The Great Priestess opened her fan.
“But it’s surprising you want to join our Association. We’re a small organization that hasn’t been around long. Why would a foreigner be interested in us?”
“Well… I felt a sense of possibility in you all. Friend! Tomodachi! Friendships deepen through tough times, right?”
“......”
“......”
The Great Priestess gave Oh Dok-seo a suspicious look over her fan. The unpleasant feeling from the first impression was clear. Even in these apocalyptic times, entering the guest room covered in bird droppings was odd. Instinctive rejection surged. However, Oh Dok-seo had successfully conquered Inunaki Tunnel following my instructions. Accepting her into the Association could bolster the group's prestige.
“Hmm. We’re not ready to accept foreigners yet. It’s difficult to offer a proper position...”
“Oh! No problem! An honorary membership is fine. Just acknowledge my qualification as a magical girl!”
“Well, if that’s the case.”
The Great Priestess closed her fan.
“Find a god to contract with. Each magical girl partners with a deity.”
Though called gods, magical girls could partner with anything. Humans, pets, even anomalies could be gods if desired.
“Return with your god, and I’ll grant you the title of magical girl. If you can’t find one, I can introduce some...”
“Oh, that's okay.”
Oh Dok-seo smiled awkwardly.
“I already have one.”
“Which god?”
“The Undertaker.”
I froze in the distance, eavesdropping on the conversation. We had agreed to make the Saintess our god before arriving here. The Saintess commanded multiple constellations, tying her deeply to the 'Constellation Stories' trope. Furthermore, positioning the Saintess as the god would make her telepathic whispers into divine revelations. For many reasons, the Saintess was a more suitable partner.
But Oh Dok-seo mentioned my name instead.
The Great Priestess tilted her head.
“The Undertaker? I’ve never heard of such a god.”
“He’s my personal god.”
“Making up gods doesn’t work. They must truly exist.”
“No problem. He exists. Always watching over me, even here. You just can’t see him.”
“…Really? He must be a high-ranking deity.”
The Great Priestess laughed lightly.
“Then, I’ll form the contract here. If it fails, the membership offer is void.”
“By all means.”
The Great Priestess opened her fan.
“In the name of Tamamo-no-Mae[2], I invoke you, the god called the Undertaker. Bless and protect this person.”
A light, floating sensation accompanied the connection of a fine, transparent thread between Oh Dok-seo and me.
“…He truly exists? And he’s strong.”
The Great Priestess was surprised.
“Not just strong. This… the fact he responded… The Undertaker? Never heard of such a deity, but how…”
“Is something wrong?”
“…No. But you’re serving a very dangerous deity. The stronger the god, the stronger you become, but borrowing a god’s power isn’t interest-free.”
She closed her fan.
“The more you rely on the god, the more you become a mere tool. Eventually, you might become a puppet, a conduit for the god to descend. Be cautious.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
Oh Dok-seo responded in her clumsy Japanese.
“But it’s okay. Probably.”
After learning various guidelines from the Great Priestess (mostly about shouting 'Transformation!' when becoming a magical girl), Oh Dok-seo left the base.
That night.
After the stream ended and we took a break, I approached Oh Dok-seo.
“Why did you say you’d serve me instead of the Saintess?”
“Hmm…”
Oh Dok-seo scratched her cheek. After a long silence, she finally spoke.
“I thought it was more fitting. Mister, you said magical girls were essentially addicts to the tropes of creative works and servants of the [Admin of the Infinite Metagame], right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, what am I, having read <Omniscient Regression’s Viewpoint> and seen this world as a half-fictional story?”
“...…”
A nightingale's song faintly echoed.
“I’ve always seen this world as partly a story. Since I was summoned to Busan Station, having read about the protagonist not long ago.”
“......”
“So, Mister, I have to ask. Am I a human already possessed by an Outer God from the start?”
Indeed.
Before Oh Dok-seo appeared, I never dared to confront the [Admin of the Infinite Metagame].
Just as Cheon Yo-hwa was Infinite Void’s apostle and priestess.
The priestess for the [Admin of the Infinite Metagame]—the self-proclaimed book possessor, destined to see this world as a creative work—was Oh Dok-seo.
Footnotes:
[1] Seonjo, personal name Yi Yeon, was the 14th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was known for promoting Confucianism and attempting reforms at the beginning of his reign. However, he later gained infamy from the political discord and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea.
[2] Tamamo-no-Mae is a legendary figure in Japanese mythology. One of the stories explaining the legend comes from Muromachi period genre fiction called otogizōshi. In the otogizōshi Tamamo-no-Mae was a courtesan under the Japanese Emperor Konoe.
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