Chapter 96: Disaster (3)

“When…will it…end…?”

Auss, the twin-tailed spirit summoner, was fighting desperately in front of the World Tree, killing the insects swarming around it. 

Known as Laus in the virtual world of Rudera, she couldn’t believe what she was witnessing and let her arms fall limply to her sides.

“The World Tree… Mother…”

No matter how many she killed, the number of insects never decreased. 

Even when she burned them with magic or crushed them with the power of the spirits, the insects simply ignored everything and kept coming. 

It was as if they didn’t care about their own deaths.

In a near-suicidal charge, the insects broke through the elves’ thick defense lines and finally reached the World Tree. 

Then, they began devouring it.

The World Tree, the very embodiment of the elves’ god. 

The origin and foundation of the elven race.

The elves couldn’t bring themselves to attack the insects crawling on their sacred tree. 

They were frozen, helpless, watching in horror as the insects feasted on the World Tree.

As despair overwhelmed the elves, who were crumbling under the weight of it all—

Bzzz.

Something… something like a barrier spread out, triggering Auss’s sharp senses.

The moment the energy in the surrounding space shifted, all the insects shattered into yellow dut.

The sound of wings, which had filled the great forest, vanished in an instant.

The elves, unable to grasp what had just happened, could only stand there, stunned, staring blankly at the sky.

“Golden rain…?”

Auss watched as the insects’ bodies, now turned into golden powder, drifted down to the ground. T

he shimmering powder carried an almost mystical aura, falling on the ruins of the trees and the World Tree that the insects had devoured.

“This…this can’t be…”

“A miracle of the gods?”

What happened next was even more unbelievable.

The trees, which had been consumed by the insects, began to regenerate at an incredible speed, as if they had gained the super-regenerative powers of a troll—no, even faster, returning to their original state in moments.

Not only the ordinary trees and plants but also the World Tree itself was restored to its previous grandeur, as it had been before the insects’ attack.

“Mother has returned!”

“Ah, Mother! Eternal be your grace!”

“Praise the greatness of Mother, you filthy insects!”

Relieved by the restoration of the World Tree, the elves burst into cheers, rejoicing in their victory.

‘No.’

But Auss couldn’t join in their celebration. 

She was still caught in confusion.

‘This isn’t Mother’s power.’

She had experienced this before.

The power of the golden dust and the miraculous healing that defied the laws of the world.

…This is the power of the GM.

What in the world is happening?

Albus stretched his hand forward.

Golden waves of energy flowed from his hand, spreading rapidly across the entire continent.

In no time, the golden circle, visible only to Albus, expanded enormously, covering the land.

“The first command: [Target: Cockroach-type monsters with hivemind traits].”

The golden circle, acting like a mouse cursor, swept across the continent. 

Albus designated all the disaster insects within it, as if dragging them with the cursor.

“The second command: [Transformation: Attribute: Regressive Healing (Targets: all except sentient beings)].”

Then, the disaster-level cockroaches were transformed into a healing remedy instead of monsters.

Thanks to the transformation of Rudera, the moment Albus’s command was executed, the disaster turned into a miraculous force of healing.

The monsters that had been devouring the continent transformed into golden powder, scattering beautifully through the air. 

In the next moment, they began restoring everything they had consumed.

“See? I told you it would work.”

Albus grinned, holding a capsule in one hand, meeting the wavering eyes of the [Guide].

“Stop the disaster and restore everything that’s been broken. We can do this. We can win.”

“M-Master…”

The [Guide], manifesting in the present with the body of her future self, finally understood why Albus had taken such a dangerous risk.

He had never used the capsule before. 

It was a gamble that could have shattered his mind, leaving him a broken shell. 

Even though the disaster had ravaged the continent, they could have slowly restored it by learning to safely use the power later.

Yet Albus had chosen to take an unnecessary gamble.

The reason, perhaps…

“To show me…?”

“…What do you think?”

He had done it to show her.

His growth, his strength.

And the hope that, together, they could even defeat the system itself.

“Guide.”

Albus approached her slowly.

“You don’t have to bear it alone anymore.”

Countless loops of time, so many that the memories themselves were almost too painful to endure.

Throughout those eternal cycles, there had never been anyone with whom the Guide could share those memories.

While the memories of the previous saintess carried over into the current timeline, the most important one—Albus—did not share them. 

Merely speaking of it, merely becoming aware of it, would trigger the disaster, making it impossible for her to reunite with the one she loved. 

She had been alone, enduring endless time in solitude.

“If we’re together, we can defeat the system.”

“Daddy! Dua’s here too!”

“Of course. Our Dua is strong too! With you on our side, we’re unbeatable!”

“Waaaah!”

“Pfft! …As expected of you, Master.”

Watching Albus lift Dua into the air, playing airplane with her, a small laugh escaped from the Guide’s lips.

Since realizing that revealing the system’s existence would bring about destruction, she had never once allowed Albus to know about her presence.

Partly because she felt guilty for hiding things from him, but also because she wanted him to live a peaceful, carefree life, unaware of the burdens of the world.

‘How could I possibly refuse after hearing that…’

The Guide’s cheeks were flushed with red.

—Indeed.

Even the consciousness of the current Guide, existing within her inner world, had placed her hands over her now-blushing cheeks.

“Together, we will tear the system apart.”

—Together with Master, we will defeat the system.

Both Guides, their thoughts united in a single purpose: to end the endless loops of time and secure happiness for the one they loved.

***

Somewhere in the land of the beastfolk.

Under the orders of King Brigand, beastfolk from across the continent had gathered. 

They had prepared for war, ready to fight against the disaster sweeping across the continent, determined to protect the land and its people under the name of GM. 

But even with their superior physical abilities, the beastfolk were no match for the disaster.

Brigand swung his gauntlet countless times, but even if there had been ten more of him, it seemed impossible to fight against the calamity.

“Lord, please, save us.”

In the end, realizing they couldn’t accomplish it with their own strength, Brigand called out the name of his god.

And at that moment—

Bzzz.

All the insects vanished.

Golden rain, familiar from Rudera, began to fall from the sky.

Brigand instinctively realized that GM had performed a miracle of salvation.

“A miracle…a miracle from the Lord…”

Amidst the golden rain, everything that had been wiped away by the disaster was restored.

Not only the plants, trees, and equipment, but even livestock and other living creatures.

Not only did the golden rain erase the disaster, but it also restored everything that had been destroyed by it.

Could such a thing even be possible?

Even though this was the work of a god, it was still a sight so awe-inspiring it seemed to rewrite the very laws of the world.

Yet Brigand, the king of the beastfolk, felt not a single drop of fear in the face of this spectacle.

The Lord is with me.

There is no reason to fear when my side is so powerful.

“Our Lord GM has defeated the disaster and saved us! Worship Him!”

He commanded the beastfolk, who were still standing dazed, unable to grasp the situation.

“Praise our Lord GM! Our Savior!”

The highest-ranking warriors of the beastfolk immediately dropped to the ground, prostrating themselves in worship.

Beyond their twitching animal ears, countless beastfolk could be seen lying flat, their backs straight in reverence.

If Albus had seen this, it would have reminded him of a vivid scene from the prayers of the verdant green religion of his previous life.

This miracle from GM was nothing new. 

It had happened four times before. 

Each time, faith in GM had steadily grown, and divine power had gathered around Albus. 

But with this fifth and sixth miracle, the faith being born was on a completely different level.

Not only had the disaster been erased at the moment of prayer, but all the damage caused by it had been undone.

A miracle surpassing even the great healing that had once shaken the continent.

GM’s power was growing, bit by bit.