My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 215

“Hey, World Tree… what’s that—”

Snap!

As the Naiad overheard our conversation and interrupted, the World Tree snapped its fingers. At that moment, the world lost its color, and everyone froze in place—except for me and the World Tree.

Did it just stop time?

“An outsider shouldn’t be interfering in this conversation. Don’t you think so too, Praus?”

“…It’s definitely not wise to talk about another world in front of others. But why can’t I move? Did you do that on purpose?”

“No. It’s because Praus came from the outside world. You are one of the only two beings I cannot control. You are outside of causality.”

“Outside of causality, huh… I’ve heard you referred to the player like that, Spirit King.”

“Please understand. It was because you were the player that I had no choice but to bring you to this world and leave you be. This world does not wish for me to guide you.”

Until now, I had seen the World Tree as a god governing this world.

I had assumed it possessed omnipotence. But could it be that the World Tree is just another being in this world?

“I do manage causality, but I’m not capable of everything. If I could, I would have killed the Demon King myself.”

“…Letting things go is whatever. What’s important isn’t that.”

“How cool of you.”

It felt strange speaking in the form of Praus’s mother. It made me anxious, as if I might say something wrong.

“More importantly, how did you possess me as a being in this world?”

At my question, she rested her chin on her hand, pondering for a moment before slowly responding.

“…Have you ever thought about this? That the world you lived in, Lee Han-gyeol, could possibly be a game?”

“What?”

“It could be that for some, that world is reality, while for others, it’s just a game. Just like this world feels to you right now.”

That was a thought I had never considered before.

The idea that my world might actually be a game world. Who would ever think about that in their lifetime?

“The reason Lee Han-gyeol feels this world as unfamiliar is that you are defining it simply as a game. If you had been born and raised in this world, would you have thought of it as a game world?”

She shook her head before I could even respond.

“Not at all. You would have seen this world as reality.”

I couldn’t deny that.

Though I was trying to think of this world as reality, a part of my mind still held the perception that it was a game world.

Realizing that fact, I unconsciously accepted the World Tree’s words.

“Then how did you… no, how did you possess me in this world, Praus?”

“I used the game as a medium to connect your world with this dimension. When there’s a medium, some causality can be granted. The structure of this world can be formed by adequately putting it into the minds of others, right? They would think it’s an inspiration and work hard to develop the game.”

“Can you interfere with beings from another dimensional world as well?”

“I can, but it’s very limited, and the process consumes a lot of causality, so it’s not a good means.”

“So, you were the one who led to the creation of the ‘Three Heroes of Pretéum’ game?”

“Correct. However, I only guided, and I couldn’t guarantee that the game would actually be developed.”

That statement seemed to lack realism for me to believe it immediately.

While it was undeniable that the World Tree had intervened as soon as I was possessed in this world, believing it was a separate matter.

“Then, isn’t it possible that the game’s world view and this world’s structure are different?”

Even if it’s inspiration, it’s still human thought. Thoughts can change at any time. Unless she had complete control over it, it could not remain the same.

However, in the five years I had spent living in this world, the knowledge from the game had never been incorrect.

That meant the worldview of the ‘Three Heroes of Pretéum’ game was not different from this world.

“Fortunately, they are mostly the same. The slightly different parts I adjusted the causality for to align with the information that you, Lee Han-gyeol, know.”

Is that really possible? Nevertheless…

“Why did you go that far? I don’t quite understand the reason for bringing someone from another dimension over.”

“I’m sorry. I thought a thorough explanation would be necessary beforehand, but after you crossed over into this world, I was unable to intervene.”

“There’s no need for trivial apologies. What good does it do to say it now? Just tell me the reason.”

She glanced at me cautiously before softly speaking.

“I… didn’t want this world to crumble. I’ve tried to reset this world many times and create Heroes, but… ever since the second Demon King was born, I haven’t been able to kill him even once, and I couldn’t prevent the destruction of the Phishis continent.”

Couldn’t prevent destruction? Wait a sec, this means…

“Hold on. Are you saying that it’s impossible to kill the Demon King just with Heroes?”

“…I don’t really know.”

You don’t really know?

Where is the responsibility in that statement?

“In the game, Heroes were able to defeat the Demon King.”

“That was… a future I couldn’t see. The Demon King is far stronger than what was depicted in the game and beyond imagination.”

In other words, unlike the various battles against demons, the battle against the Demon King wasn’t created from the information provided by the World Tree, but was solely from the imagination of the game developers.

Game developers must ensure players can eventually win.

“Sigh…”

How much harder is this supposed to be?

The final boss being the worst variable… what a terrible game.

…Wait, now it feels like reality.

“However, most of the techniques the Demon King uses will likely be the same as those depicted in the game. It’s stuff the Heroes have experienced through growth and challenges many times.”

That was no comfort at all.

Even in the game, with all the best conditions and items, I don’t even know how many times I died while trying to strategize.

Yet now she’s saying he’ll be stronger than in the game? Of course my motivation plummeted. Just how strong is he…?

“Isn’t this your world? Shouldn’t you be able to adjust that much?”

“…I wish I could, but the Demon King is an existence outside my control, just like you, Lee Han-gyeol. I couldn’t influence him. Ever since the second Demon King was born, other demons began to slip out of my control as well.”

The World Tree squeezed its eyes shut and bit its lower lip.

“An existence that absorbs mana and turns into magic… If I could have adjusted that, I would never have left such beings in this world.”

She spoke as if pleading, claiming she was powerless.

I sighed. Saying that only proved her own incompetence.

I wasn’t some kind-hearted person who could merely sympathize with her by saying, “That must have been tough.”

“Alright… to summarize, the reason for creating the game was to help the players understand this world and select beings to bring into it?”

“Exactly.”

“Why me, of all people? I didn’t have good control in the game, and I let so many Heroes die.”

“Precisely because of that.”

“What?”

“Because you’ve gone through more trial and error than anyone, you understand this world better than anyone. Furthermore, I was shocked by your potential and thinking ability, which can come up with various possibilities.”

“Because I’ve gone through more trial and error, I understand this world better… huh?”

…Is that a subtle insult?

“Anyone who doesn’t know anything about this world would be meaningless to bring. Just as you know, once you meet the first Heroes, if you’re a little late, everything ends before it even starts.”

That’s certainly true.

I had thought about that as well.

If I hadn’t sought out the Heroes, what would have happened by now?

Iris and Maria might have been living as slaves, suffering tirelessly, and Tina might have stopped begging and resorted to selling her body.

As for me, being a minor, I wouldn’t care about adulthood and all, but it seemed this world didn’t concern itself with such things.

This world was far more lacking in morality than I had imagined.

Ultimately, if I were to fall into this world without any information, I wouldn’t be able to save the Heroes, let alone prevent its destruction.

This world has an imbalance from which it cannot escape without Heroes.

“In the game, players control the Heroes, but reality isn’t like that.”

“Is that so.”

While I still found it hard to believe the process of how I was brought here, I clearly understood the reason the World Tree brought me to this place.

It was because it acknowledged that Heroes alone couldn’t defeat the Demon King’s worst variable, and added me as an unknown possibility to somehow control that variable.

However…

“Still feels like too big of a gamble, doesn’t it? I’m weak. My only strength lies in using artifacts. There’s no way I can even approach the Demon King, let alone win. Do you really think I’ll be of any help?”

“Your weakness is because you haven’t truly become Praus yet.”

“What?”

“I told you. Your causality is outside of my control. Because I cannot intervene, you remain weak.”

Because the World Tree cannot intervene, I’m weak?

Does that mean if it could intervene, I’d become stronger?

“Normally, you should have already possessed strength rivaling that of a Hero… no, even beyond that, when you came to this world. Yet, due to being outside of causality, that could not happen.”

I couldn’t keep up with what the World Tree was saying. I was staring at her in a daze when she paused for a moment to think.

“You might find it hard to believe. But this is the truth. For example, think of the killing intent skill you possess. Others have likely trembled in fear and dread feeling your massive mana, right?”

I recalled all the countless individuals who had been terrified by my killing intent skill. I slowly nodded my head.

“That mana is real. It’s just that you haven’t been able to use it yet. What proves that is the artifacts you’ve been using until now. The reason you could use mana with those artifacts, even if only temporarily, is that you accepted that causality. However, even that was just a very small part.”

“Then what about my inability to feel the mana around me…?”

“Exactly. It’s because you haven’t yet become a being of this world.”

This was ridiculous.

A figure that should have surpassed a Hero being possessed as an ordinary person.

“Then how can I use that power?”

In order to defeat the Demon King, I’d have to grab for straws. If my power really was superior to that of a Hero, then defeating the Demon King wasn’t entirely impossible.

Oh, but if that’s the case, I have to fight the Demon King? I don’t want to do that…

In response to my words, the World Tree extended four fingers.

“There are four times left. Completely release your Expression Management Skill.”

“Release the Expression Management Skill…?”

“That skill was used to accept you into this world. It’s a type of causality resolution skill. If you could completely release that Expression Management Skill, you would be able to use my power fully.”

Being able to use the full power of the World Tree…

I felt a moment of panic at the sudden influx of information but quickly switched my thought processes into gear.

The mana that had been admired and was astonishing around me was real, and the reason I could use artifacts was that I was using that mana.

Also, the fact that the Expression Management Skill was used to adjust the World Tree’s causality and that releasing it would allow me to use the full power of the World Tree.

If the World Tree also adhered to the laws of this world, then there was only one possibility.

“…Wait, you’re my contract partner, aren’t you?”

“Correct. Lee Han-gyeol, or rather… Praus, you are the contractor of me, the World Tree, who adjusts this world.”