Chapter 137: Difficulty Change – Super
ㅤ◆ ???’s Perspective
ㅤ
ㅤIt was too dark.
ㅤ
ㅤThe Mistradia Tree Country, being a nation within a forest, wasn’t exactly blessed with sunlight to begin with.
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ㅤEspecially a place like a prison, which is typically built in a location devoid of sunlight.
ㅤNaturally, the amount of sunlight that could penetrate from the outside was extremely limited.
ㅤThe inside of the prison cell was constantly dominated by a bone-chilling cold.
ㅤ
ㅤOf course, without the forest, the intense sunlight would turn the entire land of Mistradia into a desert.
ㅤIn fact, if it weren’t for the vast Dungeon Ruins located beneath the Mist Forest, the Tree Country would still be a desert nation, just as it was in ancient times.
ㅤ
ㅤFor the people of the Tree Country, the shade of the trees was a blessing, protecting them from the harsh sun.
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ㅤHowever, for those imprisoned, it was not.
ㅤIt felt like nothing more than a devil’s creation, making the already dim and cold prison even more unbearable.
ㅤ
ㅤThere was only one man in the prison.
ㅤHis face, which should have been that of a handsome young man, was gaunt.
ㅤHis eyes, once shining with an overbearing sense of self-importance, were now dull and clouded.
ㅤ
ㅤThe man had lost both of his arms from the shoulder down.
ㅤAn unknown darkness had solidified at his shoulder wounds, preventing him from bleeding to death.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I wish I had just died there…”
ㅤ
ㅤThe man muttered in a hoarse voice.
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ㅤHow many times had he muttered the same thing?
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ㅤOf course, there was no one here to answer him.
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ㅤ”Even so… I wonder if I was of any use to Her Highness”
ㅤ
ㅤHer Highness, the Demon King Almirash, the leader of the Demons.
ㅤThe man only knew of her existence in the Netherworld.
ㅤHowever, he was deeply moved by her pure and innocent heart.
ㅤWishing to be of service to her, he accepted the role of monitoring that hideous Demon, Imusoda.
ㅤAs a result, Imusoda, in his haste, was destroyed.
ㅤ
ㅤ”She must be grieving…”
ㅤ
ㅤEven someone like Imusoda was considered a precious comrade by Her Highness.
ㅤDespite being his monitor, he couldn’t stop Imusoda’s excesses, and in the end, he was defeated along with Imusoda by the adventurer they had a grudge against.
ㅤThe man gritted his teeth at his own powerlessness.
ㅤ
ㅤ”… D*mn it, adventurer Minato… I want to k*ll that guy with my own hands. I won’t be satisfied until I do…”
ㅤ
ㅤThat obsession alone was what kept the man in this world.
ㅤOtherwise, this prideful man would have committed suicide long ago.
ㅤ
ㅤ”But what can I do? I’m a prisoner of the Tree Country. Even if I escape, I’ll be a wanted man. It’ll be difficult to track down that agile and cunning Thief…”
ㅤ
ㅤThe man’s thoughts went in circles.
ㅤHe had thought the same thing countless times since being thrown into this cell.
ㅤEach time, he despaired and wanted to d*e.
ㅤWhat kept him going was his desire for revenge against the adventurer Minato and his longing for “Her Highness.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Even someone like me… She would probably say she doesn’t want me to d*e…”
ㅤ
ㅤThe man’s longing for the Demon King had turned into reverence, and eventually into fanaticism.
ㅤ
ㅤThe “Her Highness” within the man was no longer the actual Demon King Almirash.
ㅤShe was an ideal Madonna, an ideal angel, or perhaps an ideal G*d.
ㅤ
ㅤThere were marks carved into the wall of the prison cell.
ㅤFour horizontal lines with one vertical line. This represented five days.
ㅤThere were already over twenty of the same marks lined up on the wall.
ㅤThe armless man had been carving the symbol every day, holding a stone he found in the cell in his mouth and rubbing his nose against the wall.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m going crazy…”
ㅤ
ㅤThe rage towards everyone who had put him in this situation.
ㅤThe fear that he would rot away like this without even being able to vent his anger.
ㅤThe unbearable boredom that came from being confined in a prison cell, left with nothing to do.
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ㅤHe wanted to scream.
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ㅤ”Guh… I have to endure…”
ㅤ
ㅤIf he screamed here, it would be over.
ㅤAll that would be left would be to tumble down the slippery slope to madness.
ㅤ
ㅤ”D*mn it, d*mn it. I didn’t know not having anyone to talk to would be this painful. No one understands me. They can’t understand.”
ㅤ
ㅤHe hadn’t seen the Demon King Almirash since before he started monitoring Imusoda.
ㅤHad that been a hallucination? Being here made him doubt even that.
ㅤ
ㅤThe lonely man trembled with the fear of the encroaching madness, feeling the cold floor of the cell.
ㅤThat coldness was the last connection to the outside world he had left.
ㅤIf he stopped feeling anything, he would have no choice but to face his inner self.
ㅤThen, anger, fear, despair, regret… all sorts of emotions would destroy his mind, and he would go mad.
ㅤ
ㅤIt seemed like only a matter of time.
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ㅤHowever, a change slowly came to the prison cell, which had remained unchanged since he was imprisoned.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wh… what?”
ㅤ
ㅤIt was light.
ㅤA light that appeared from nowhere filled the prison cell.
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ㅤThe prison cell that had confined the man disappeared into the light.
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ㅤIn its place was a white space that stretched endlessly.
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ㅤ”Wh-what!?”
ㅤ
ㅤEven the man, who was on the verge of losing his spirit, was surprised by this.
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ㅤIn the middle of the white space, a young man with blond hair and blue eyes floated.
ㅤHe was an androgynous, handsome young man, seemingly in his mid-twenties, dressed in what looked like a white toga.
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ㅤThe man himself was confident in his own attractiveness to the opposite s*x.
ㅤ
ㅤHowever, in front of the young man who appeared, that confidence wavered.
ㅤ
ㅤThe young man in the white toga had such perfectly sculpted features.
ㅤHis smile even felt divine.
ㅤEven the arrogant man was overwhelmed before he could feel jealous.
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ㅤ”I like you,”
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ㅤThe young man in the toga said.
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ㅤ”You’re really good. That selfishness, that grudge, that conceit. You’re just like we used to be.”
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ㅤ”Wh-who are you?”
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ㅤThe man responded to the smiling young man.
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ㅤ”Your name is Cretias, right? You were humiliated by Norizakura・Minato and harbor a strong resentment.”
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ㅤ”Wh… you know that adventurer!?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Of course I do. She’s quite a troublesome one. I gave her power because I wanted to see her struggle in vain and succumb to despair, but the results were disappointing.
ㅤWell, it was unexpected. But not the kind of unexpected I wanted. This kind is just unpleasant. She’s trying to deny everything we’ve done and turn it all upside down.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wh-what do you mean?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s nothing you need to know. What you should know is this.”
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ㅤThe young man in the toga snapped his fingers.
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ㅤSomething like fog appeared in the white space.
ㅤThe fog became a makeshift screen, and a scene from somewhere else was projected onto it.
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ㅤIt was a young girl.
ㅤShe had long, light blue hair and eyes of the same color.
ㅤLarge, coiled horns protruded from above both of her ears.
ㅤHer features were childish, but rather well-proportioned.
ㅤThe girl wore a purple mantle over her dress.
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ㅤThe girl stood before what looked like a throne, speaking to several Demons who seemed to be her vassals.
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ㅤ（I… I’ve seen this before.）
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ㅤThe man—Cretias, of course—was bewildered.
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ㅤWatching the girl’s demeanor, a strange feeling washed over Cretias.
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ㅤHowever, when he looked at the girl’s face, a different feeling, like nausea, welled up inside him.
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ㅤIt was the complete opposite of the impression he got from the same person.
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ㅤ”Oh my, haven’t you noticed?”
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ㅤThe young man in the toga said.
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ㅤ”Noticed what? No, wait. First of all, who are you?”
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ㅤCretias, finally regaining his composure, asked.
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ㅤ”I am G*d.”
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ㅤThe young man said matter-of-factly.
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ㅤ”G*d?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”If there’s a Demon King, there should be a G*d, right? And the one being shown right now is your beloved, isn’t she? The one who calls herself Demon King Almirash.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”What!?”
ㅤ
ㅤCretias stared intently at the image.
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ㅤ”W-well, the atmosphere is certainly similar. I’ve only seen 『Her Highness』 in the Netherworld, but…”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes. That’s definitely her.
ㅤBut… haven’t you noticed yet?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”No…ticed what…?”
ㅤ
ㅤCretias couldn’t understand the mocking words of “G*d.”
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ㅤ”Oh well. I’ll show you a more decisive scene.”
ㅤ
ㅤIn the image, the Demon King girl finished speaking.
ㅤShe let out a relieved sigh, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and retreated to her room.
ㅤ
ㅤThere was already someone in that room.
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ㅤBlack hair and black eyes.
ㅤThe rather petite girl was still dressed in her inconspicuous Thief-like attire.
ㅤHer gloomy face, which seemed to invite misfortune, looked somewhat more confident than before.
ㅤShe greeted the Demon King casually and smiled faintly, looking like just an ordinary teenage girl.
ㅤ
ㅤHowever, seeing that girl, a cold madness welled up from the depths of Cretias’s stomach.
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ㅤ”Adventurer, Minato!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes, your nemesis, Norizakura・Minato.
ㅤBy the way, haven’t you noticed anything?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”What?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Look closely at the faces of Demon King Almirash and Norizakura・Minato.”
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ㅤCretias compared the two as “G*d” instructed.
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ㅤLooking at Almirash brought forth joy and bliss, while looking at Minato brought forth hatred and rage.
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ㅤHowever, putting those aside and comparing them, the two girls looked very similar.
ㅤIt wasn’t just that they were around the same age.
ㅤTheir facial features themselves were similar.
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ㅤIn the image, Minato said something and began to concentrate.
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ㅤWith that, a surprising change occurred.
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ㅤCretias’s brain froze at the change.
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ㅤ”This… is…”
ㅤ
ㅤMinato’s hair and eye color began to change.
ㅤTo the same light blue as Demon King Almirash.
ㅤWith their hair and eyes the same color, the two girls looked almost like twins.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wh-what’s going on…?”
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ㅤCretias muttered in a daze.
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ㅤ”Kukuku… you’ve already figured it out, haven’t you? You’ve been completely fooled. By both Norizakura・Minato and Demon King Almirash.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Gah…!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”They were in cahoots from the beginning. They’ve been switching places like this, plotting to destroy the order of this world. They intend to bring the Demons sealed in the Netherworld into this world and destroy the Grandmaster System, which gives power to adventurers, from its very foundation—
ㅤFufu. It seems you can no longer hear me.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”… To think you would… mock me like this.”
ㅤ
ㅤA voice leaked out from between his clenched teeth.
ㅤHis molars made a strange sound.
ㅤBlood filled his mouth, but he no longer cared.
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ㅤ”To think you would mock me like this! Adventurer Minato!!!”
ㅤ
ㅤCretias screamed.
ㅤHis throat tore, and he tasted blood on his tongue.
ㅤTears even spilled from Cretias’s eyes at the betrayal of the woman he had admired.
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ㅤEven Cretias himself no longer knew whether he was angry or sad.
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ㅤDriven by the surging impulse, Cretias slammed his head against the ground.
ㅤThe floor of white light offered no resistance, and he couldn’t feel the pain he craved.
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ㅤG*d looked down at Cretias with a twisted smile.
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ㅤ”Fu, kuku… good, good. That’s the spirit.
ㅤCretias, do you want to k*ll Norizakura・Minato?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”K*ll her! I’ll definitely k*ll her! If you need my soul for that, I’ll give it to the devil! I’ll inflict so much pain on that rat that she’ll regret ever living, and after she begs me to k*ll her, I’ll k*ll her mercilessly!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Oh, but what about her companions?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Of course, I’ll k*ll them too! I’ll torture and k*ll each and every one of them in front of that rat!”
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ㅤ”Then, what about Demon King Almirash?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Th-that…”
ㅤ
ㅤCretias hesitated at the name G*d mentioned.
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ㅤ”What will you do? Will you let her go? I can give you power, but if you’re going to back down now—”
ㅤ
ㅤ”… No, I’ll k*ll that woman too! She made a fool of me and used me! I’ll make her regret being born a woman, tear off her limbs, gouge out her eyes, and after she begs me to k*ll her, I’ll make her suffer a miserable death!”
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ㅤ”Good, good. Then, from today onward, you are my Apostle. I shall bestow upon you a new power.”
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ㅤSaying so, G*d held his hand over Cretias.
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ㅤSomething like light emerged from his hand and was sucked into Cretias’s chest.
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ㅤ”Guwaaaaah!?”
ㅤ
ㅤCretias clawed at his chest, feeling a burning sensation.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Oh dear, was that a bit too much? Well, you did say you’d offer your soul to the devil. I’m sure you don’t mind losing thirty years of your lifespan, right?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Guh… what… is this?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The power I’ve given you is the cheat called 『Difficulty Change Ultra』.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”D-Difficulty Change…?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, no, it’s 『Difficulty Change Ultra』. You need to remember it correctly, you know. The power I gave Norizakura・Minato was just 『Difficulty Change』. What I’ve given you is its completely superior version.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wh-what…?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I don’t expect you, a human of this world, to understand, but I’ll explain it to you anyway. You can now change the 『Difficulty』 of this world from the Options Menu. Yes, just think of it as being able to conveniently twist the world to your liking.”
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ㅤ”Wh-what are you talking about?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The difference between this and the power I gave Norizakura・Minato is that your Difficulty Change has no limitations.
ㅤMinato’s power only works on targets under the influence of the Grandmaster System. It’s nothing more than a debugging function for dungeons.
ㅤBut yours is different. It’s a powerful force that can interfere with every phenomenon in this world and change your life to Easy Mode. It’s a power that can even twist fate, so there are various side effects if a human possesses it… but oh well.”
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ㅤ”With this power, can I defeat that rat?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s right. Try saying 『Options』 when you return. Just thinking about it will work too. You should be able to figure out the rest by trial and error.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wh-why are you giving me such power?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Because you and I have a common enemy. Minato angered me. She needs to regret that thoroughly.”
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ㅤWith G*d’s words, the light in the white space faded.
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ㅤEventually, the outline of the prison cell reappeared.
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ㅤBefore he knew it, Cretias was back in his original cell.
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ㅤ”… Was that a dream? Or a hallucination? Haha, I’ve finally gone mad.”
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ㅤCretias mocked himself.
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ㅤ”Hmph. If I’m mad, then I don’t need to worry about what others think. I’ll try it out, just to be sure.
ㅤ—Options”
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ㅤ
ㅤ—And before long.
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ㅤCretias realized that G*d’s words were true.