Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 133

Player Who Became a Constellation – Episode 133

“Alive?”

At his words, Loki looked at the undead.

They appear to be nothing more than skeletons. But they possess ‘souls’?

But these beings…

“…They are merely simple programs.”

「That goes for me and Surtur as well. But we can converse and think like this. We can judge and choose. We can see and experience.」

“……”

「I don’t know why, but we are definitely ‘born,’ not ‘made.’ And we are aware of it. Loki, we possess souls. I don’t know how our individual personalities and tendencies are determined, but that’s the answer to your first question. Now, let’s move on to the second.」

Utgardr opened the book.

As he moved, the undead tried to pull on their chains, and Loki raised his hand to stop them.

「With the creator’s set goals effectively gone, as I said before, I am neutral. When you think about it, Surtur doesn’t really have a ‘purpose’ either. Ragnarok? If you ask Surtur, the only simple answer you’ll get is some ignorant nonsense like, ‘What’s that? Is it for burning?’」

Utgardr smiled.

「Yes, like a child. That’s what we are.」

Like a child?

Loki stroked his chin.

“What do you mean?”

「I don’t know how long it’s been since we were born. We’ve only talked to each other in the cave since we were born. Could we have developed mature egos?」

“……”

「If you think in terms of human age… well, maybe we’re at the ego level of a 10 or 12-year-old child, or maybe a rebellious adolescent. We’re that simple.」

“There’s a contradiction in your words.”

It doesn’t seem like a low mental age, Utgardr’s tone, actions, and knowledge are full of contradictions.

Especially the fact that they even knew they were simply programmed.

It’s like…

‘A sage.’

Like a sage who sees through everything.

「I see what you mean. As I said before, we are aware that we were created for some reason. We don’t even know why. I can even see the outside world for a certain amount of time through this book.」

“……”

「I can take a brief look at the world. Maybe that has an influence.」

“……”

「Let’s continue. In the case of Thrym, if he follows a ‘purpose,’ then Surtur’s case is as if Thrym gave him a purpose. Thrym’s words, ‘destroy the world,’ would have felt like a game to solve Surtur’s boredom.」

“…You’re saying he sees destroying the world as a game?”

「We don’t respect anyone other than ourselves as ‘equals.’ We just see them as ‘bugs.’ That’s… the same for you, isn’t it? Loki.」

Loki was speechless at those words.

He was like that too when he first woke up in Loki’s avatar. If he was different from them, it was only in the difference in perception of ‘small life’ rather than bugs.

That’s why he has eliminated so many people without hesitation.

「It’s a difference in values. It’s hard for us to cherish anyone other than those who are equal to us. Of course… we can think differently, though.」

“…Then what happens if you give Thrym and Surtur a different purpose?”

Utgardr smiled, curling up the corners of his mouth. It was the laughter of an old man who had heard a funny joke.

「Ah, I’m sorry. I don’t know about Surtur, but giving Thrym a purpose? Impossible.」

“……”

「Surtur is only agreeing to Thrym’s purpose because of boredom. But… Thrym’s case is different. Thrym’s purpose is literally engraved like an ‘instinct.’」

Utgardr hit his chest once and tapped his head with his finger.

「Right in his heart and in his head, all he can think about is causing ‘Ragnarok’ [the Norse apocalypse] to destroy the world. That’s the meaning and desire of his existence. Nothing in this world can replace it. What made him engrave it so deeply…」

Utgardr pointed at Loki.

「…Isn’t it you?」

Utgardr looked back at the undead.

‘Of course, these undead are the same.’

“…Is it my fault?”

As Loki’s eyes narrowed, Utgardr waved his hand.

「If you say that, there’s no end to it. Because you created and sealed us. If we hadn’t been summoned to this unknown place in the first place, that wouldn’t have happened, and if it weren’t for that strange bug that broke the seal on the door, this wouldn’t have happened.」

“……”

「Surtur and I are just existing in this world, we have no purpose. I’m neutral, Surtur is for fun, and Thrym, needless to say…」

Utgardr raised the book.

Light emanated from the book, and all the surrounding scenery changed.

Loki’s red eyes widened in surprise.

The cave disappeared, and the sky was visible, and a vast land was visible.

The sky was dyed blood red, and only black clouds existed. The ground was burning and the sea was frozen.

It was complete nothingness.

No sound can be heard. A world with no grass left, no living things.

It was a world just after the end.

As Loki stared blankly at the world, the world gradually collapsed and disappeared, turning back into a cave.

It was Utgardr’s skill, ‘Illusion.’

「…That’s Thrym’s purpose. Of course, the scene just now was just created by my imagination.」

Utgardr closed the book and looked at Loki with an interesting expression.

「…Thrym liked that scene very much. He called it ‘a world without gods,’ ‘a starting point where everything can be started again.’ I don’t think it’s bad either. At least it’s quiet.」

“…How boring. To pursue such an empty world.”

「Having nothing means you can start over. Thrym wants to become a god who creates something from nothing. That’s why he hates the gods.」

“I see.”

Loki got up from his seat.

He pulled out Gungnir [Odin’s spear], which he had stuck in the floor, and moved to leave the cave.

「Are you going to kill him? Loki, your own child?」

“I’ve never had such a child.”

「But he will be a great help to you. Above all-.」

Loki turned around and looked at Utgardr.

「Thrym won’t try to get out of his advantageous terrain. It won’t be easy to kill him.」

“There are plenty of ways to subdue him.”

Loki looked at the cracked chains scattered in front of the door.

At the sight, Utgardr showed a surprised look.

「That’s right. The chains that sealed us… that might be possible.」

As Loki started walking again, Utgardr made a regretful expression.

「Are you leaving?」

“The business is over.”

「I see. Come again next time.」

“……?”

When Loki turned around, Utgardr was smiling.

「I guess it’s still boring in the cave. Thrym and Surtur are too noisy, but… I always welcome a conversational partner like you. Ah, of course…」

Utgardr looked at the undead.

「These guys are quiet, which is nice… but they almost ignore what I say.」

Loki stared at Utgardr with narrowed eyes and said.

“…You can go outside.”

「……?」

“But keep in mind that if you have any nonsense thoughts, you’ll die. Utgardr.”

Utgardr smiled.

「Thank you for your mercy. Loki.」

Loki came out of the cave.

Now… it was time to prepare for the war with the giants.

***

Loki sent skeletons with stealth skills to gather information about the Holy Order’s capital.

The undead with stealth skills stared at Azelanris, the capital of the Holy Order, and narrowed their eyes.

Summer had begun, but it was snowing there.

The end of the mountain range was frozen, and the city below was so frozen by the cold that people could not live there.

The undead walked through the dark alleys of the city, suppressing their presence.

People were lying on the floor, frozen to death.

People could be seen moving busily to find wood to light a fire.

“It’s cold…”

When a child shivered, there was something that wrapped around the child’s body.

When the child was surprised by the warm rags and raised his head, a translucent skeleton could be seen.

Soon it disappeared.

“……?”

The undead turned again and moved on.

As the undead walked through the blizzard and fog, they soon noticed something in front of them.

The undead, startled, raised their heads.

A body made of ice like a huge iceberg, a being with huge ice fists.

It was the ice giant, Thrym.

Even though he was clearly cloaked, Thrym was facing the undead.

「…Loki’s henchman.」

Thrym raised his ice fist and slammed it down on the undead.

With a single blow, the undead’s body shattered and disappeared.

「Tch, how did he find me so quickly?」

Thrym nodded and turned his huge body.

When he turned around, Palas, the Holy Emperor, whose entire body was half-frozen, was shivering in the cold.

‘C, cold… cold…!’

Palas, his limbs frozen, trembled in the raging blizzard.

Snow was piled up on his shoulders and head.

He couldn’t even breathe.

It was an extreme cold that would have caused an ordinary human to freeze to death or lose their mind.

“…It hurts! Just kill me! Just kill me-!”

Palas opened his mouth and shouted.

Every time he spoke, his tongue and palate cracked and bled, but even that froze.

The Holy Emperor of the Holy Order reigned as the absolute religious figure, feared by the continent’s rulers and even the empire’s emperor.

Everyone looked up to him, and he never did anything difficult himself.

This was the first time he had experienced such pain.

Thrym looked down at him with an admiring face as he cried tears of blood in agony.

「…He doesn’t die. To live in the cold, even as a bug. That’s why it’s even more fun.」

Palas was horrified at the clearly audible words.

Where did such a being come from!

‘It was definitely the light of the scroll with the transfer magic!’

Through that, Palas realized that the being in front of him was an absurd existence.

If the transfer scroll exceeds a limited size, it goes out of control and tears apart the transferred creature or object.

He survived even after enduring such ‘dimensional tearing’ with his whole body.

Not only that, but he has now fully recovered his body.

「Thrym, I want to play with that.」

Surtur pointed at Palas with his finger and curled up the corners of his mouth.

Palas felt that look so eerie.

「…Do as you please. He’s just a bug anyway.」

「Hehehehe! Exciting~!」

Surtur brought the sword of fire close to Palas’s head.

Even though it didn’t touch him, the skin on his face was burning black from the heat. The skin on his face melted and bubbled like boiling water.

“Aaaaaaack!”

「Hahaha! Suffer. You’re suffering~! It’s fun~!」

He laughs. He smiles.

It’s a pure expression like a child.

It was a cruel prank full of ignorance of life.

Surtur giggled and Palas struggled. But his limbs were frozen and he couldn’t even resist.

“S, stop…! P, please end this pain! Please! Please stop…!”

「No~ way! It’s fun?」

He speaks, but he doesn’t communicate.

Palas realized that the flame in front of him would not take away his pain. So he looked at Thrym, who was indifferently far away, and shouted.

“P, please! Please… please end this pain…!”

Thrym stopped walking and glanced back.

「…I don’t care about the pain of bugs.」

“I’ll do anything! I’ll do whatever you tell me to! I am the Holy Emperor of the Holy Order…! The center of the world and the ruling being! I will follow anything! So…!”

「…….」

Thrym moved and walked towards Palas.

The earth vibrated with the thumping sound.

「Surtur, stop it.」

「No, it’s fun!」

Thrym glared at Surtur, who was acting like a child.

Surtur flinched and cowered at the cold gaze. He withdrew the sword of fire.

He stepped back like a child who was intimidated by a big and strong friend.

「You’re the ruler of humans?」

Palas was startled and raised his head.

He was ridiculously huge when he looked at him up close.

Palas, who had been stunned, realized that if he missed this opportunity, the pain would come again, and quickly replied.

“Y, yes! I, I am a divine being who rules the world…!”

「God? You’re a god-?!」

Palas shut his mouth as anger settled on Thrym’s face.

「If you utter that word again, I’ll use you as Surtur’s toy!」

“……!”

Thrym was a giant race, a being who opposed the gods of Asgard in mythology.

But Palas had no way of knowing that.

“S, sorry.”

Palas trembled and quickly lowered his head.

「Then I’ll ask. Can you…」

Thrym lowered his head and brought it close to Palas’s face.

Palas’s face was frosted and frozen by the cold air.

It was painful, but he had no choice but to endure it because he knew that if he took his eyes off, even more pain would come.

「…Can you hunt bugs?」

“W…what do you mean?”

「I’m asking if your army can hunt human bugs.」

“……!”

Palas was confused because he didn’t understand what he was saying.

Thrym smiled bitterly.

「I want to bring destruction to the world. I want to turn the world into ice and a sea of fire, and I want the end to come without any living things. I’m asking if you can help me do that.」

The end of the world.

Palas closed his mouth at the word.

「Why don’t you answer?」

Thrym tilted his head.

Palas shouted urgently.

“Y, yes, I will!”

Thrym snapped his fingers.

The ice on Palas’s limbs, which had been binding him, broke and disappeared.

Freed, Palas quickly knelt down and bowed his head.

Thrym looked down at Palas and said.

「Swear allegiance to me. If you follow me, I will spare you.」

‘…For now.’

“A, I understand. I will follow you. As your servant… I will absolutely obey.”

‘F, for now, I have no choice but to follow these monsters.’

Palas trembled in fear.

To live, he had to follow the words of these monsters.