Otherworld TRPG Game Master-Chapter 290: Hope buried under the rubble (3)

Where civilization slumbers, the beasts awaken.

Harming others for one's own survival, and raiding without hesitation to propagate one’s DNA—these are instincts that creatures born as animals cannot hide. In a way, it's natural.

Humans, on the other hand, have had their inherent instincts suppressed by the vastness of society.

Once, civilization was considered a virtue. Acts of kindness, sharing smiles, and showing consideration for others were highly regarded by society, bringing tangible benefits. A reputation for goodness was helpful in some way or another.

But now?

There’s no gain. Even if you show kindness, no one acknowledges it. It only reduces your own chances of survival.

Now that the concept of "nation" has become meaningless due to the Great Beast Incident, people have chosen to revert to their primal selves for survival, rather than cling to the shattered dignity of civilization.

Bang!

A gunshot echoed through the high sky—a clear warning.

At the sound of the shot, everyone froze. The convoy transporting materials in trucks had no choice but to stop in the face of the violent threat.

"Stop. Leave everything you have right here."

"...What?"

"There's a sniper on the roof, and this guy next to me? He’s got pyrokinesis. Try to run, and you won’t get out alive. If you understand, get down. Living as slaves is better than burning to death, right?"

"......"

The beasts, who had been lying in wait to seize the trucks, revealed their sharp, gunpowder-scented claws. The disparity in power was clear, and surrender was the wise choice.

Trying to escape by stepping on the gas was futile—the road ahead was barricaded. They were fully trapped, and despair filled the group inside the trucks.

Among them...

The driver was a man in his mid-40s, with a slight build and trembling eyes that couldn’t find focus. He too was clearly terrified.

But the driver climbed out of the truck, stood before the leader of the beasts, and pleaded.

"These materials are for defeating the Great Beast. Please, reconsider."

"...Do you think you’re in a position to negotiate?"

"If you must take the truck, then take it. I’ll even become a slave. But please, leave the materials inside. I beg you..."

The driver prostrated himself on the ground, bowing his head.

But, of course, the raiders weren’t going to listen. Both the driver and the raiders knew this. They had attacked with the intent of taking everything.

Yet, risking his life to fight back—what should that be called?

Gordius dismissed it in one word.

"A waste."

"...And who the hell are you—ugh!"

"Hosting a business presentation for beasts won’t get you any investors. You should be pitching your research to people who actually understand its value."

"An awakened one! Sniper, shoot him!"

Building something is difficult, but destroying it is easy. As Gordius looked up at the building where the sniper was positioned, he thought about that. It must have taken months to construct that building.

"Ground Subsidence: Fall where you stand."

"The building's tilting—aaahhh!"

Boom!

It took less than 10 seconds to bring it down.

The group of raiders was buried under the rubble. Gordius dusted off the rising clouds of dirt and approached the stunned driver.

"Are you headed to Stellaria by any chance? I heard the broadcast on the radio and was looking for the place."

"Ah, yes, yes...! That’s right. We were transporting materials for the construction of a giant robot. Thanks to you, they weren’t taken... Thank you!"

This man cared more about the materials than the fact that his life had just been saved?

Wait a moment... Giant robot?

"Giant... robot, you say?"

"Yes. Dr. Woo Chaerin said that to pierce the Great Beast's targeting ability, this is what we need..."

Gordius's face lit up instantly, his admiration for Dr. Woo Chaerin skyrocketing by the second. A giant robot!

He helped the driver to his feet and urged him.

"Let’s go. Consider my rescue fee as the cost of guiding me."

"Ah, yes. Please, hop in the back seat."

Gordius was lucky. By joining the Stellaria supply convoy, he was able to reach their bunker without getting lost.

At the entrance to the underground bunker, tight security was in place. Obstacles arranged in an S-shape made access difficult, and soldiers armed with firearms were stationed at every checkpoint.

Among the survivors Gordius had encountered so far, this was by far the largest group.

After a short wait, a guard with a glow stick approached to greet the convoy.

"Stop. Stop. Is that Driver Kim? What’s this, we’ve got a foreigner I haven’t seen before."

"Yes, we were ambushed by raiders on the way here... but this awakened person helped us. He's quite something! Even destroyed a whole building!"

"Ah, crap... I don't speak English. Where are you from? Europe?"

"I talked to him on the way here—his Korean’s pretty good."

"Phew, had me worried for a second there. Alright, Driver Kim, go on in... But you, sir, come with me for a bit."

The guard pulled Gordius aside and seated him on a convenience store chair. Even though Gordius had helped, they needed to verify everything carefully, especially during times like these.

"Your name?"

"Gordius. I came after hearing the radio broadcast. It seemed like you needed a magic expert."

"...Magic?"

"Yes. It’s the systematic study of mana. I’m a mage from the Golden Tower, so while I don’t know much about other branches, what I do know should be more than enough."

The guard’s face grew grim. Another lunatic spawned by the apocalypse, huh?

Since the radio broadcast had gone out, many people had come to Stellaria’s underground bunker. Some genuinely wanted to help as awakened ones, others just wanted to be taken in. And then, there were the crazies.

"I am the reincarnated Jesus! I can walk on water!"

"I’m a Sun/Cold Mage. I think I’ve unlocked my game powers, and if I grind enough experience, I can get my fourth job advancement..."

There were even con artists.

"I wrote a book about magic before the apocalypse, see? Mana is actually the will of the Earth, and the Great Beast was created by Gaia to stop pollution—"

The guard couldn’t forget the guy who rambled on about being a magic expert, yet hadn’t even awakened.

So when this Western-looking young man started talking about magic, the guard’s hope deflated.

Gordius noticed the change in attitude and smiled calmly.

"How about we make a bet?"

"A bet?"

"If I really am a mage, you owe me a meal, something canned."

"It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just—"

Snap.

Rumble-rumble-rumble!

"What the hell?!"

At the snap of Gordius’s fingers, the ground trembled, and a giant earthen hand surged up. With a thunderous sound, a three-meter-tall giant made of earth appeared.

This wasn’t like the abilities of other awakened ones. The scale, the detail, the precision—it was all different.

The giant was fully formed, clad in thick armor with intricate engravings. No awakened person had shown this level of control before.

Whether he was a slightly deranged youth who thought he was a mage or not, they had to take him in.

And if this man really was a mage, with systematic and refined knowledge... A miracle might just be possible. The guard jumped to his feet, his attitude completely changed.

"Please, come inside. Dr. Woo has been waiting for someone like you."

"Glad you’re convinced. But by the way..."

"Yes? Did I say something to offend you, or—"

"No. I understand your position. It’s not easy to believe in something as fictional as a 'mage' in this world. But... shouldn’t you pay the entrance fee?"

"......"

The guard handed over the chocolate bar he’d been hiding in his pocket.

Clank. Clank. Whirr...

The heavy door to the underground bunker opened, revealing a place of steel and heat.

Bang! Bang! Baaang!

The sound of hammering metal echoed throughout, along with the sounds of footsteps and voices, as people discussed and worked on various projects.

"Alright, the materials are here! Let’s move them over there!"

"Boss, we can’t use this as is. Do we have any leftover from the last batch?"

"That? Well, the supply team went to raid the space center. We’ll have to wait."

Countless people were bustling around. Though the world had plunged into despair after the Great Beast's appearance, this underground bunker was filled with a sense of hope and purpose.

The difference lay in their goal.

The clear objective of defeating the Great Beast became the light for the people living in this bunker. The guard who was showing Gordius around puffed out his chest with pride.

"Feels different, doesn’t it?"

"Yes. Everyone seems... lively."

"That’s all thanks to Dr. Woo Chaerin. At first, nobody believed her, and I was skeptical too, but—look over there. See it?"

"..."

Clank, clank. Whoosh!

Various machines were assembling a giant robot. Its body resembled the cockpit of an excavator, with arms designed to hold something, and the lower half was equipped with tank treads.

Most impressive was its size. Roughly estimated, the giant robot stood about 50 meters tall. While it wasn’t finished yet—bits of its framework were still visible—it was astonishing how much had been accomplished in just a month.

"They’re actually building that. Dr. Woo negotiated with the president, who fled to Jeju Island, to get the materials. She gathered personnel and made full use of the awakened ones."

"That’s incredible. I think I want to marry her."

"Don’t say that in front of anyone else. There are a lot of guys who almost got kicked out for hitting on Dr. Woo... Wait, are you talking about marrying the robot?"

"Can you marry a robot in this country? I’d love that."

The guard, seeing Gordius’s dreamy, awe-struck expression, decided it was just a bad joke. He didn’t want to think this capable awakened one was a robot enthusiast.

As Gordius looked around the production facility, he noticed a long cylinder being stored separately from the giant robot and asked about it.

"What’s that?"

"Oh, that. It’s a rocket propulsion system. You know, for launching into space. Dr. Woo grabbed it as part of her severance pay after the Great Beast Incident. She plans to use it for rocket punches."

"Wow, can I marry that too?"

"Please stop asking me these things. Anyway, we’re here. Dr. Woo is waiting inside. If everything goes well, you’ll be officially joining us."

The guard escorted Gordius to Dr. Woo Chaerin’s office before scurrying off to return to his duties. With his heart racing, Gordius placed his hand on the door handle.

What kind of person was Woo Chaerin? Her papers, her robots—everything about her appealed to Gordius.

Could she be someone who shared his dreams? If so, they could spend hours talking about giant robots and golems. With excitement, he opened the door. And beyond it...

There stood a scientist dressed in a lab coat.

Her round glasses had thin frames, and her hair was tied back neatly, falling over her shoulder. Her first impression was one of elegance, like a lotus flower floating on a calm lake.

She looked at Gordius and introduced herself.

"I’m Woo Chaerin, leader of Stellaria."

"I’m Gordius, a mage from the Golden Tower."

"I’ve heard about you. A very powerful awakened one who seems to control earth, and you claim to be a mage. What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I’m the person you’ve been looking for. In the world I come from, mana is abundant, and it has been systematized into an academic field. It’s not the haphazard primitive magic you’re used to."

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At Gordius’s words, Woo Chaerin stared deeply into his eyes, as if trying to see into his soul. Gordius did the same. And, in that moment, a silent connection formed between them, a mutual understanding of science.

They both thought the same thing.

Time was short, and verification needed to happen quickly to move forward.

Woo Chaerin pulled out a notepad and pen from her drawer, and Gordius accepted them naturally, writing down the basics of mana theory. Simultaneously, they began discussing terms.

"What do you want? You must have a reason for responding to the broadcast."

"Technology. I’ll cooperate fully, but in return, I want access to your robot construction techniques. It’s why I came to this world."

"You sound like an industrial spy. Or a character from a novel. The president might have a fit about state secrets being leaked, but I’m different. If your knowledge holds up, I’ll share."

"You’ll be satisfied."

Gordius filled three pages of the notebook, finally putting a period at the end.

Woo Chaerin took it and examined it carefully. She must have had some aptitude for mana herself, because she tested it out. A flame flickered to life at the tip of her finger.

"This is real. It’s logical, and it doesn’t sound like nonsense. You really are the person I’ve been looking for."

"On my way here, I saw the giant robot you’re building. It’s massive and looks incredibly powerful, but why are you searching for mana users? Maybe pure science is enough to defeat the Great Beast."

"Well... a minor reason is that with infrastructure destroyed, we need alternative fuel sources."

There was a bigger reason.

"After the Great Beast appeared, we formed a separate observation team to analyze it in detail. And... we concluded that our current weaponry lacks the power and endurance to defeat it."

They didn’t know where the Great Beast’s weak points were. They didn’t know how much force would be required to kill it. On top of that, the creature appeared to possess regenerative abilities.

To safely defeat it, they needed to deliver continuous, repeated blows strong enough to tear through its malleable exterior.

If society’s infrastructure were intact, and the country’s full power could be focused, it might have been a different story. But with everything in ruins, even gathering all resources wasn’t enough.

"Science alone won’t be enough. That’s my conclusion."

"Magic alone won’t be enough either. And even if we started training mages now, it would be too late."

"Then we need to find the answer at the intersection of the two disciplines. Let’s work well together, Gordius."

"Looking forward to it, Dr. Woo."

The partnership between these two geniuses was established quickly and efficiently. No need for pleasantries or formalities. Sharing knowledge was enough.

They both understood their mutual necessity and already had countless ideas bubbling up in their minds.

"First, I have this mana engine I’ve been developing—"

"Oh, what a coincidence. I’ve been working on a mana-based engine myself—"

Stellaria, the group dedicated to defeating the Great Beast, and its beautiful and brilliant leader, Dr. Woo Chaerin, had now joined forces with Gordius, who hadn’t lost hope despite the national disaster.

Thus, his journey began smoothly—

—Or so he thought.

"I’m telling you, this is how magic works! If you shove that into the machine, the efficiency will plummet. Magic is part of a mystical system, and if you forget that and just try to crunch numbers, you’re wasting resources!"

"Gordius, if you have a brain, use it! You keep trying to make magic the centerpiece with science as an accessory, but in this project, magic is a support role!"

"Didn’t you say yourself that we’re short on fuel? We can recharge mana with the awakened ones! So switching to a magic-focused approach is the rational decision, isn’t it? Are you just being stubborn?"

"I respect your expertise, but you’re the only expert in your field! If you make a mistake, the whole thing blows up! When it comes to stability, we need to rely on science, which has been tested time and time again—"

Woo Chaerin and Gordius argued loudly every day. While they didn’t pull each other’s hair, the way they looked at each other made it clear that they both wanted the other to go bald.

Whenever they clashed, their debates would drag on endlessly until one side finally gave in.

The hybrid of magic and science... started off a bit rocky.