Ch.77Chapter 77. Warp Gate (2)

Chapter 77. Warp Gate (2)

Demons.

Beings that crossed over through dimensional gates and destroyed this world. Charon said they were artificially created life forms.

He also said they were like spirits created solely for war. Perhaps that’s why demons don’t leave behind bones or corpses.

When they die, they turn to ash and scatter, disappearing without a trace. So the dinosaur bones in the photo aren’t from demons.

I’ve only seen Cultists and AtomicRex as non-demon monsters.

Well, I haven’t exactly seen the latter, but anyway.

Cultists, due to the limitations of human physiology, couldn’t grow that large no matter how much they mutated. Even the insect people who received the berserk buff from the tunnel demon were only about 2 meters tall.

There are also those that came across the sea, but their identity remains unclear, so let’s skip them.

There’s only one possibility left.

AtomicRex, who had a conflict with MeleeSpy.

Let’s check the comments.

[DinosaurPunch: I thought this was a sniper post lol;;]

[TrustedMonkeyUncle: What is this…]

[FallenPowerKnight: Isn’t that AtomicRex?]

ㄴ [TrustedMonkeyUncle: Oh, you’re right]

ㄴ [TrustedMonkeyUncle: It’s 100% that bastard]

[NotACatfish: Did you display this?]

ㄴ [OneSlice: No. It was already like that when I first found it]

ㄴ [FullPlay: Then doesn’t that mean MeleeSpy made it like that himself?]

ㄴ [OneSlice: Correct. He even put up a sign with his name on it. It said ‘The End of the Man-Eating Monster.’]

ㄴ [NotACatfish: What a perverted bastard]

I slowly examined the posts on the community.

Fortunately, things seemed to have stabilized somewhat after a few days.

[EvenAWildflower: Though I have fallen into a post-apocalyptic world

I will plant a tree.

Rather than shuddering at the absurdity of fate, I will plant a tree that will bear beautiful fruit.

You who sent me here.

Rather than burning myself with hatred for you, I will embrace the future with love.

I will take the still intact seeds to the barren land where nothing exists.

With the ability you gave me, I will completely purify that land.

I will carefully nurture those seeds with the skills I possess.

You who sent me here.

Look.

(Photo of a small tree with growing leaves)

Soon other plants will grow too.

Even after I die, it’s fine.

I’ll be satisfied if someday people who come here can eat fruit while leaning against trees and watching grass sway in the wind.

I will not pass down the pain you gave me.

I will sow with love.]

– Comments –

[LoveDeathNyan: Nyaaan~! TT]

[ArmchairActivist: Stay strong, we’ll all return to Earth someday]

[NotACatfish: This is a bit cringy]

[Ghooulr: At this point, it’s not madness but sincerity]

[TrustedMonkeyUncle: You… pass the romance test]

[MeleeSpy: Did you major in plant gallery?]

[ShotgunAttack: Uh… is this… the community? Then all the trash posts I’ve been seeing…?]

This was the post with the cleanest comments.

It’s a bit pretentious, but I think it’s a good post.

It has the dreams and hope that this world lacks. This is a hymn to humanity.

Did they use magic blocking skills to purify the land?

Purifying contaminated land and growing trees.

It couldn’t have been easy, showing remarkable determination.

I could grow them quickly with just a click of the “Power of the Storm God” blessing, but still.

…Saying it like that really does sound absurd.

I’m absolutely not belittling this person’s efforts.

[3Rep500: How’s my face?]

[Valkyria: Seems like possession is only possible with paladins of similar age]

[TemTem: Pet rabbit verification]

Many people uploaded selfies, and as expected, they were all handsome men and beautiful women, being healthy paladins from a fantasy world.

Even with sunken cheeks and dirty appearances from not eating well or bathing, they were still above average in looks.

I guess this is why the original template matters.

[BoneBone: Wanna meet up?]

ㄴ [YouFellForIt: Where do you think this is, idiot]

That’s probably why there were many flirtatious comments.

Most seemed half-joking, but some serious ones were visible too.

[Huharan: Pretty]

ㄴ [Huharan: Sent you a private message]

I hope they don’t get caught and killed by demons while moving around unnecessarily.

But it’s not my place to intervene in every case.

I’m busy enough with my own affairs without having to clean up after horny guys who can’t control their libido.

Oh, I got a private message from Hanna.

I haven’t been in touch lately because I’ve been busy. Even when I saw her messages, I replied half-heartedly.

Now that I have some free time, I should respond sincerely. I checked the message.

[NotACatfish: (Photo of Hanna making a V sign with her fingers)]

[NotACatfish: (Photo of Hanna winking)]

[NotACatfish: (Photo of Hanna puffing her cheeks)]

What’s this all of a sudden?

Why selfies? And with such an annoying concept too.

It really doesn’t suit you.

[What’s this?]

[NotACatfish: What do you mean what]

[NotACatfish: It’s noona’s photos]

[NotACatfish: Send me some of yours too]

[Didn’t you say you didn’t understand taking photos and posting them?]

The last time we talked, Hanna was the one who said she didn’t understand why people posted selfies on the community and called users idiots.

[NotACatfish: That’s for the community, this is a message]

[That’s true but]

[NotACatfish: Hurry up and post yours]

[Don’t want to]

[NotACatfish: Come on, quickly]

[No]

[NotACatfish: It’s unfair if I’m the only one]

Ah, these situations are the most troublesome.

I can’t post photos of Totem #1 standing solemnly on the altar or Totem #3 being hugged by Lakye.

I can’t reveal my identity.

It would cause problems not just for me but for Hanna too.

What if you found out your friend wasn’t human?

And not just any non-human entity, but a god worshipped by enemy forces?

If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep from the betrayal and fear.

Even aside from that, there were plenty of reasons not to reveal my identity.

Most importantly, I would have to pay a price.

I can’t speak carelessly when I don’t even know what that price would be.

[Do I really have to send one too?]

This time I replied seriously.

[I don’t think it’s good to casually reveal faces like this]

Right. The first time we see each other’s faces shouldn’t be online.

We should avoid such casual meetings.

[NotACatfish: We don’t know when we might die]

[NotACatfish: …]

– …

Well, damn.

She’s left me speechless.

What’s really frustrating is that I have no choice but to change the subject.

I can’t just take a photo of a civilized man from the tribal federation and send it to her.

[What’s wrong]

[Is something bothering you?]

[NotACatfish: Just]

[NotACatfish: I’m starting to think]

[NotACatfish: That we don’t have much time left]

Did she see the conversation between Princess Dina and MeleeSpy?

Hanna… you’re in a vulnerable state right now too.

I almost broke down once in Polaris’s underground laboratory.

But I wasn’t alone then.

Lakye looked at me with concern, along with Paya and the tribal federation warriors who were by my side.

Feeling that they depended on me helped me get back on my feet quickly.

But what about Hanna?

She said she was with people from a civilized village, but I can’t imagine ill-tempered Hanna getting along well with them.

She probably just maintains a proper distance.

She must be lonely and desolate. Anxious too.

Maybe it’s worse because I’ve been replying to her messages half-heartedly lately.

[Don’t worry too much]

[We’ll be able to meet]

[NotACatfish: I hope so]

[NotACatfish: Huh?]

[NotACatfish: Are you dropping the casual speech now?]

[How are those monsters?]

[NotACatfish: …]

[NotACatfish: They’re just staying at the port]

[NotACatfish: Seems like they’re building something]

[Shouldn’t you relocate?]

[NotACatfish: Moving carelessly would make us noticeable]

As we exchanged messages, I helped ease her tension.

Sans-style psychological therapy.

***

“We must open the warp gate.”

At the tribal federation meeting held after the feast.

Harry strongly advocated for opening the warp gate.

“We’ve secured enough magic stones from the underground laboratory. Now we can go to the place beyond the gate.”

“It seems wasteful to me. Do we really need to open it? Didn’t we already obtain the giant god and metal golems from Polaris?

We can’t invest magic stones needed to move the golems on an uncertain future.”

Rachel objected. Honestly, I feel the same way.

Eventually, we’ll need to move the giant god too.

If we use a large amount of magic stones to open the warp gate here, where are we supposed to get more?

“This is a warp gate secretly installed by the Archmage. We must open it.

…There might be something as impressive as the giant god.”

Harry, who had greatly benefited from exploring the underground laboratory, wouldn’t back down.

His strong insistence makes me think there might be something to it.

What should we do?