Shouting Duel at the Center of a Dead Game

"When in doubt, don't."

This was Han Hae-il's life motto.

Nothing special had ever happened.

It was just that when he raised his hand to the teacher's question, "Anyone have any questions?" In elementary school, he made the break disappear, and in the army, he innocently raised his hand to the words, "Anyone here who has done some exercise in society? Raise your hand!" and was dragged into the reconnaissance unit.

—Hae-il, where did he go? I need him to work.

As I became accustomed to hiding from the voice of the executive officer, I was able to learn a lesson.

Even if you think it's you, don't step forward. This was an instinct that had been ingrained in my body even now, more than a year after being discharged from the military.

And especially, if the person looking for me was a psycho goddess who kidnapped five people without showing any remorse, I should never step forward.

[Is there no one here?]

Deia shook her head as if she was disappointed.

[…He's not here again. AoDaiAshichi… I had arranged so much for him… ]

For a moment, my ears perked up, but I still didn't step forward.

—Hey, Hae-il, I'll give you vacation days, so just do this with me.

Because the executive officer's voice overlapped in my ears.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world, except for the love of your parents. But I was an orphan who grew up without parents, so there was no such thing as free for me.

Then, a middle-aged man carefully raised his hand.

"...Um, why are you looking for that person?"

[He.]

Deia said in a reverent voice.

[He is the greatest helper in this world and… now the only hope to save this world.]

"...He must be a great person."

No.

I don't even know what Deia is talking about.

"But if you're looking for that person, why did you bring us here? You could just pick and kidnap… I mean, summon him."

When the woman who woke me up asked, Deia answered.

[It is a truly sad and regrettable matter, but 'AoDaiAshichi' did not agree to the 'Personal Information Use' terms and conditions.]

Ah, that.

I remember.

I have a habit of not checking the "optional" items in all terms and conditions. I guess I did that in 'Last Savior' too.

Terms and conditions, terms and conditions, it really is strictly according to the terms and conditions.

"No, but listen here."

The middle-aged man shouted in a voice full of dissatisfaction.

"What is this? You kidnap people and tell them to save the world, and when you don't find the person you're looking for, you openly express your disappointment!"

"Y-Yeah, that's right!"

A man about my age added.

"Please send us back right away! This isn't right!"

"S-Send us back! I'm going to report this to the police!"

The short woman said so too.

But I didn't say anything.

'If she was a person, no, a goddess who would send us back, she wouldn't have kidnapped us like this in the first place.'

In the game, Deia was a strangely frustrating goddess. Her authority as a goddess was immense, but her inner substance was lacking. Frankly, I understood why she was invaded by the evil god.

Most of the game's story was about cleaning up the mess Deia had made in the past. My account name 'AoDaiAshichi' was a frank expression of my feelings about it.

[I am sorry. I am only a part of Goddess Deia's will, and such authority is not permitted.]

"Part of her will? What does that mean!"

[I can only provide the authority and information that the Goddess has predetermined. The other summoners understood it as a 'system'.]

Other summoners?

As expected, considering the earlier words "again," there seem to be more people in this world.

[The Goddess has said that as long as the evil god's power exists in this world, she cannot send you back.]

"What?"

[In order for you to return, you must completely drive out the evil god's power from this world.]

It was a very old-fashioned and gentle way of saying, 'You've been kidnapped.'

[Also, for your convenience, the Goddess has done her best. She has implemented the system of the 'game' that you enjoyed as much as possible…]

"Wait!"

The balding man shouted.

"What, you want us to play a game? No, me at this age? I've only played that game once because my son installed it!"

[Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.]

The system closed its eyes and put its hands together as if it felt sorry for him.

[But Goddess Deia is watching over you, so you can do it.]

"What the heck!"

I could tell even from this short conversation.

'This is a real kidnapping.'

As expected, there is no intention of sending us back or room for compromise.

I vividly felt the same feeling I had on the first night of training camp after volunteering to join the army, which I didn't need to go to.

The only difference from then is that this time I was forcibly dragged here.

[Always remember when you are tired and struggling.]

The system made eye contact with each of us and continued.

[The Goddess is watching over you.]

It was a one-sided consolation that didn't comfort me at all. And the system continued.

[Now, I will explain about this place. This is the Stage of Trials, consisting of a total of four areas. Here, you will be tested for your limits.]

That sounds ominous.

Isn't that what the war-crazed company commander said when he suddenly planned a two-week sleep deprivation training, saying, "I saw on TV that foreigners do this"?

"Hey, hey, hold on."

The balding man raised his hand.

"The last time I threw a punch was when I was twelve, and I'm forty-eight now, and you want me to test my limits? Are you testing how high my blood pressure goes?"

[I think you must be very surprised, but the Goddess has made arrangements for you.]

The system continued in a benevolent voice.

[Your bodies have been blessed. All previous diseases have disappeared, and your bodies have been adjusted to their healthiest state.]

"What?"

The balding man urgently touched his head.

"What about hair loss?"

[Hair loss is a natural process that is a type of shedding. The Goddess did not consider it a disease.]

The man's shoulders, which had been momentarily lifted with expectation, drooped.

[And… ]

The system smiled like a home shopping host.

[The arrangements the Goddess has made are not limited to that! Now, everyone, focus!]

When the system spread its arms, bright light spread from behind it, obscuring our vision. When I closed my eyes and opened them, this time I was floating in an empty, dark space.

It was a space as vast and endless as the universe.

'Where is this?'

When I looked at my hands and feet, they were opaque. When I moved, I felt a warm, undulating sensation as if I was immersed in warm water.

And then I heard a voice.

[Based on your play records, we will give you the most appropriate blessing. This is the greatest arrangement the Goddess has made. Now then.]

The moment the voice ended, my whole body became comfortable as if melting into warm warmth, and memories began to flash through my mind.

I saw the moment I first installed 'Last Savior', agreeing to the terms and conditions. My face, sitting expressionlessly and clicking the mouse, and the moment I entered the capsule.

I see my face rejoicing when I first succeeded in raiding a boss. My health was at rock bottom, and my equipment was all messed up, but my face showed undisguised joy.

I remember that time. The time when we gathered in the community in the early days of the game and wrote strategies and discussed them together. I vividly felt the thrill I felt when I posted my first successful raid certification.

…The memories continued.

I see the moment I reached the end of the last gate. The character is a bare-handed fighter, and the character poses with magnificent latissimus dorsi muscles on top of the last boss's skull.

I remember. The first ending I achieved on the last day of my sergeant's regular vacation, how happy I was when I first put a character in the Hall of Fame.

And the memory moved on….

I saw the appearance of the characters I had raised. How I caught the boss, how I subdued the enemy. And in what way I cleared the last gate.

While I was reminiscing about the old days with a satisfied expression.

'Huh?'

I see myself beating someone up. I was seen hitting a person holding a spear with a wooden stick. The opponent raised both hands and gestured to surrender, but I did not stop beating them.

'Huh, did I do that?'

The memory changed again. This time, I was seen beating someone up again. This time, I was smashing the head of someone holding a sword with a door that I had torn off from somewhere.

'Yeah, PVP… duels are also playing, so.'

And again, the memory changed. This time, I was seen kicking an opponent away with a single blow of a club, and then dancing on their head.

And breaking their jaw with a staff….

With a fist on the head….

Elbow….

…….

How much time had passed?

I had seen myself smashing up my opponent over a hundred times. And finally, the last duel was seen.

Ending with a scene of taunting and teabagging the evil dagger rogue 'RabbitBoneSoup', my recollection was over.

'…Hmm.'

To be honest, I wondered if I had teased others this much. I felt a little guilty, but only for a moment.

'Well, it's not like I used bugs.'

Then, a clear light appeared in front of my eyes. Between the bright light that filled the dark space, I could vaguely see the face of a woman.

'Deia?'

I could tell instinctively. This is not a system or anything like that, it's the real Deia. From this warmth that surrounds my body just by existing, I felt holiness for the first time.

—Whoosh, whoosh.

Deia's face disappeared between the lights, and the lights gathered to form a sphere.

I could see the sphere of light getting closer to me. The large sphere approached my chest and disappeared as if snowflakes were melting into it.

—Paaaaah.

And at the same time, warmth spread through my body. I felt a warmth, as if the warmest palm was stroking me.

Happiness, comfort, and peace.

While I was fully feeling those sensations….

"Hey."

When I opened my eyes to the voice, I saw a woman with a frown on her face. It was the woman who woke me up earlier.

"Are you awake?"

"Ah, yes."

"What did you see that made you grin so much…… Never mind."

The balding man also said.

"What's taking that young man so long?"

"Maybe he fell asleep in there?"

The short woman threw out in an irritated voice. Then the system said.

[Sometimes people fall asleep in comfort. So I hope you don't blame each other.]

The system looked back at us and continued.

[What you just experienced is the blessing bestowed by the Goddess. I cannot know what memories you saw or what power has been imbued in your body, but… ]

The system gave a benevolent smile.

[There is also a blessing that allows you to check your own condition, so please check it. Then I will be waiting in the next space.]

Leaving those words behind, the system disappeared. In the place where it disappeared, a round, sparkling door remained.

'If I go in there, it's probably the next stage.'

Anyway, it said that it had made it possible to check my own condition.

I cleared my throat slightly and took a light breath.

'Is it that, after all?'

I was a little nervous. I never thought the day would come when I would say those lines I had seen in the fantasy novels that my juniors had brought in.

I said in a very calm voice, to the empty air.

"……Status window!"

But nothing happened.

I carefully looked around. The other four people were looking at me with strange eyes.

"Ahem, ahem."

Just as I was averting my gaze in embarrassment.

"Oh."

The man about my age said.

"When I said 'Status window' in my head, something came out?"

Really, he was groping in the air, as if he could see something.

Ah, damn it.

Deia has no romance.

Putting aside the momentary embarrassment, I thought of 'Status window' in my head. Then, a rectangular, shining window appeared in front of my eyes.

◾ Name: Han Hae-il

◾ Level: 1

◾ Age: 24 years old

◾ Class: Novice

◾ Title: None

◾ Affiliation: (─)

◾ Stats

【Strength 5】 【Agility 5】

【Skill 5】 【Intelligence 5】

【Sense 5】 【Resistance 5】

(Remaining stat points: 0)

◾ Unique Trait

Duelist.

◾ Skills

None.

Among the ordinary items, the only unfamiliar word was seen.

'Duelist?'

I thought that this would be the blessing that Deia had given me.

When I put my hand on 'Duelist', an explanation began to be written below it in shining letters.