Chương 26: Death Game

The one free day turned into an entire week of goofing around in Joshua's world. He simply sped up the flow of time inside his realm so that only a few hours would pass on Earth while they enjoyed themselves. What had been intended as a brief break quickly became a proper family vacation, with Luna dragging her father from one place to another as they flew across the skies, explored the different regions he had created, and generally did everything except the work Joshua had originally intended to accomplish.

Of course, they were not alone. Kate, Lilly, and Purra all decided to come along as well, mostly because they wanted to make sure the young lady was properly fed. Between them, Luna was never more than an hour away from being offered another meal or snack. Felix, meanwhile, was almost heartbroken when he was told that he had to remain behind and guard the castle.

"I understand, my lord," he said with a smile that was just a little too forced. Joshua could practically feel the demon's disappointment from across the hall.

"You'll survive a few hours without us," he assured him.

"I shall try my very best." Despite his obvious sadness, Felix took his duty like a champion, standing at the entrance and waving them off with a dignified smile. Joshua suspected that the moment they disappeared from sight, the demon would begin polishing something out of sheer boredom. Unfortunately, all good things eventually had to end. A week later, Luna returned to her classes, leaving the castle noticeably quieter than before.

Joshua watched her leave with a faint smile before turning his attention back toward the task he had been putting off. He took another hefty soul card into his realm and held it carefully between his claws. It looked so small. Almost two hundred thousand souls were contained within the little metallic card, each one trapped in suspended time. To Joshua's divine senses, however, the card was anything but empty. It was a sea of consciousness, every soul waiting silently in a state where no time could touch them.

He slowly turned the card over in his claws.

"Almost two hundred thousand people…" The number made his stomach tighten. The previous city had been difficult enough, and that had only been thirty-seven thousand souls who could be placed together. This was several times that number, and now there was no city or landmass taken with the souls. He certainly could not simply dump them somewhere and hope everything worked out. With this many people, chaos was almost guaranteed.

The people inside it had modern clothes at the very least and upon closer inspection most looked similar in skin colour. Likely all taken from one location. Language was not a barrier for him as he discovered, but still... Joshua stared at the card for several seconds before sighing. - - - - - - - - - - - - In the morning, Josh dropped Luna off in the college parking lot with a kiss on her forehead.

As Matteo walked over, Joshua gave him a firm nod before pulling back onto the road, Led Zeppelin blasting through the speakers. Driving his car still felt amazing. He might have became a god, but simple pleasures were just that… pleasures. For a few peaceful minutes, it was just him, the music, and the open road. When the road ended he simply sent his car into his realm and flew invisibly. Joshua landed in the garden… or rather, in the area that would soon become one.

Tobias, his gargoyle gardener, was already hard at work preparing the ground, apparently determined to turn the empty space into a green wonderland.

"How are you today, Tobias?" Josh asked as he folded his wings neatly against his back.

"Great." Tobias nodded. The gargoyle wore brown trousers with suspenders, a plain white shirt, and a burgundy flat cap that sat neatly between his horns. His tail swayed gently behind him while his wings remained folded.

"Planning something crazy today?" he asked with a smirk.

"Oh... just the usual." Josh nodded as he walked past. At the massive double doors, Tres and Quatro opened them for him and gave a crisp salute. Joshua simply nodded back before stepping inside.

"Purra!" he called into the entrance hall.

"I am going into my world. Make me some crumpets while I am gone."

"Nya?" The pure-black cat maid hurried into the main hall.

"It will be done, nya!"

"Eh... why... never mind." Joshua shook his head. Purra was just a little too enthusiastic about anime. Luna had apparently corrupted the poor maid, and now she had developed the habit of adding "nya" to the end of her sentences.

"Nya?" Purra looked back at him in confusion, but Joshua was already walking down the corridor toward his study. - - - - - - - - - - - Josh warned Piur and soon appeared in their world in all his glory. After using one of the empty soul cards on them, he jumped into his own world and headed toward a place he named Azure Caldera. It was a once-volcanic mountain range surrounding a massive, crystal-clear lake.

Josh had made absolutely certain there was no chance of the volcanoes ever erupting again, nor would dangerous fumes seep from the ground. The entire area was naturally sheltered by the surrounding mountains, creating a beautiful and peaceful basin. The sight alone was enough to make even a god stop and admire it. He had also made sure the area was filled with fast-growing greens and fish that bred quickly, ensuring the kobolds would always have fresh food in abundance.

"I grant you this place. This entire mountain chain will be owned by kobolds and dragonkin," he stated once all of them had been summoned back out. The two copper dragons happily roared, while several of the kobolds immediately fainted from sheer joy. Josh blinked.

"Uh... guess they're happy." His system panel suddenly popped up, and a wall of text appeared. Nine hundred and seventy-two messages, to be precise. There were more kobolds now than when he had last visited them, and apparently every single one had chosen that exact moment to express their faith in him. Unlike his warlocks, a normal believer only provided a thousand patron points. But all of those thousands added together... [Level Up! Level Up! Level 11 reached. Two new system functions unlocked.]"Oh, great."

Josh smiled and dismissed the window for now.

"Well, there is wood on the eastern slope. A lot of it. Fish is plentiful, and the mountains are full of gems and ore. Enjoy!" He laughed before spreading his wings and flying off. When he reached an empty meadow, Josh finally opened his system window again. He checked the numbers carefully. Level ten had required one hundred thousand patron points, while level eleven had required half a million.

Even after spending so much, he still had a hefty three hundred and seventy-two thousand points remaining, with his daily income sitting around seven hundred.

"Daddy's got some spending power," he giggled, clapped his draconic claws together."But first, show me the new functions." The system responded immediately. [Level 10 Function — Soul Creation. Level 11 Function — True Domain.]"Soul creation, huh? I wonder how much a soul costs to make." Josh opened the function only for his jaw hit the proverbial floor.

"Fifty million patron points?" He stared at the number for several seconds.

"Heh... yeah. I ain't making a soul anytime soon." He closed the function and turned his attention toward True Domain. Upon opening it, he found that by spending ten thousand patron points, he could become completely invincible inside his own realm. Not even a major god could kill him while the effect was active, and it would last for an entire month. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"That is useful, for sure." He nodded approvingly. Ten thousand points was certainly a lot, but compared to fifty million… It was practically pocket change. Josh smiled and reached into his storage, pulling out the soul card he had been planning to use.

"All right. Let's see who we've got." - - - - - - - - - - - - Aoujin Behani and Menia Hato were enjoying a lovely day in the monster-free capital of Brustaria. The magitech rail shot past above them, almost completely silent, its shadow blocking out the leaning sun for only a few seconds as it passed. The kiosk on the other side of the road was loud with customers arriving to get maps, tickets, and the usual fair junk: light-up wristbands, handheld sparklers, and more.

Aoujin pulled away from the stall, handing Menia a steaming, freshly baked pastry filled with creamy melon paste. In his other hand, he held a cheesy breadstick. It was so fresh that the cheese practically crunched beneath his teeth, rich and browned to a deep caramel colour. Today was the anniversary of the city's creation. As one of the safest cities in the hundred worlds, nobody here was expecting a monster attack. The walls were tall, and the security systems were well designed.

Besides, the fairgrounds were massive. Almost the entirety of Bavua Park had been transformed for the celebration. People poured in from every direction to enjoy the festivities. The scent of sweets and greasy food wafted throughout the entire park, while every hour, fireworks lit up the sky. The place was so packed that, in some areas, people were practically shoulder to shoulder. Young teens poked their heads through the crowds and ran around with tickets, eager to win stuffed Kaiju toys and Hetoru figurines.

Security was light, consisting of only a few Hetoru-changed military figures and about a hundred ordinary human police officers. Their job was mainly to settle misunderstandings, pull out drunks, or jump in if a fight started brewing.

"Half the city has come," Aoujin sighed, looking over the sea of people.

"Do we really want to squeeze in?"

"You bought the tickets, dummy." Menia giggled as she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the first stall.

"Come on! Win me a plushy!" In moments, they were swallowed by the wave of people. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back in his high-backed chair, President Werret Tsuao was drenched in sweat. He had just bet his greatest city, worth five million souls, against the God of Chance, Ikuramanu. The game board before them was three-dimensional, with floating platforms and pieces that could move through the air as well as across the board. Werret was unbeatable at the game. No one had ever managed to defeat him.

Four times now, he had come dangerously close to losing his emperor figurine. His original goal had been immortality, and he had been willing to bet the souls of five million people to obtain it. He did not care whether he had the right to gamble with their lives. He was the President, and the god had accepted the wager.

"Why are you shaking so much?" Ikuramanu playfully pushed one of his figures onto a floating base.

"I think we should just enjoy the game." The black-skinned elven god leaned back in his chair and took another sip from his cocktail, an amused smile playing across his face.

"I am focusing..." Werret gritted his teeth, his eyes darting from piece to piece. He was not in a good position, not even close. Gambling on a desperate move, Werret captured the god's chariot figure, eliminating the greatest threat to his emperor.

"Ah... such a bold move." The god chuckled, genuinely enjoying the game.

"And that is why I love mortals. You dare to act so brazenly even when facing overwhelming odds." He paused, watching a drop of sweat slowly roll down the man's cheek.

"Only…" Ikuramanu moved his angel figurine.

"I won." The angel settled directly above Werret's emperor, rendering the figurine beneath it completely immobile. Werret stared at the board. There was no way for him to remove the angel. Meanwhile, Ikuramanu had free reign to capture his emperor.

"No... no..." Werret pushed himself to his feet.

"Best of three? I can double the bet."

"No can do. You signed the contract." Ikuramanu shook his head, and then the god simply disappeared. Werret slowly sank back into his chair, his face pale. He was sure, so absolutely sure that no one could beat him at his own game. Yet he had just lost… Now millions of people would pay for his arrogance and his sin. Werret stared at the empty space where the god had been, his hands trembling. There was only one thing he could do now. Make sure no one ever found out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - A dark cloud appeared just above Brustaria, and a single skyscraper-sized entity flowed down from it.

"People of Brustaria! Your world leader, President Werret Tsuao, bet the souls of everyone here in a greedy attempt to secure immortality for himself. I am not a malicious god, but a god of chance. So I will also give you a chance to earn your freedom." The massive figure looked down upon the city.

"Throughout the city, closed doors will appear at random. Thousands of them. Open the wrong one, and monsters will pour out. Open the right one, and you may escape with everyone around you. Safe doors will only remain open for one hour, the same as the monster doors. Anyone who gets killed by a monster... their soul will fill my card." He paused for a moment.

"Good luck, and try your best." The black-skinned elven god disappeared into hundreds of thousands of glowing motes. Everywhere a mote landed, a door appeared. Streets, parks, rooftops, car parks... doors appeared all over the city, all different sizes and colours. At the same time, an invisible wall closed around Brustaria, completely sealing it off. Panic came instantly, followed by curses and desperate cries, as most people were far too afraid to open any of the doors. Aoujin pulled Menia out of the crowd.

They looked like a herd of sheep standing before a butcher's knife. Aoujin knew what was going to happen once the monsters started coming out of the doors. People would panic. They would trample one another. After watching magi-vids about his father's work on Lumia Five, a far more deadly planet, he knew that once monsters appeared, chaos would soon follow, and chaos killed more people than the monsters ever could.

"Come! Quickly... to the Rawo Building." Aoujin pointed toward the closest massive skyscraper.

"Aoujin, you're hurting me!" Menia shouted as she dropped her new stuffed Kaiju figure. She was panicking, too, but her legs were shorter than her boyfriend's, and she had to push herself just to keep up instead of being dragged along behind him. Then… It happened. A car-sized monster burst through a door almost in the middle of the fair and all hell broke loose. More and more small and medium-sized monsters rushed through the doorway, and the Hetoru arrived within seconds.

Monsters were slain almost instantly beneath magitech armor and weapons, while ordinary police officers used stun bullets and sonic shots against the lesser monsters that managed to bypass the heroes. Still, it did nothing to calm the crowd as screams filled the air. People shoved and pushed in every direction, desperate to escape. Aoujin shoulder-bumped a gate, the smooth plastic giving a small cracking sound as it buckled under the impact. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he forced himself through.

They were out of the thick of it.

"Aoujin! Your shoulder!" Menia shouted when she saw his dislocated shoulder.

"No time!" Aoujin bared his teeth against the pain, gritted them tightly, and kept running. His left hand remained locked around Menia's wrist, refusing to let go. The first golden door was already open. Aoujin spotted it at the end of the street, its frame glowing with warm golden light. For half a second, relief washed over him. Then he saw the people around it… they were tearing at each other. Hundreds of them had rushed toward the doorway, all desperate to escape the city.

People clawed over one another, shoved strangers to the ground and screamed as they tried to squeeze through the opening. A mother was desperately holding onto her child while someone behind her pulled at her arm, trying to force their way past.

"Let me through!"

"It's safe! It's safe!"

"Move!"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Aoujin stopped dead and Menia nearly crashed into his back.

"What are you doing?" she asked, still panting. Aoujin stared at the golden doorway.

"We're not going there. Look at them." Menia followed his gaze and her expression slowly changed. The crowd around the door had become a living mass of desperation. Someone fell. Three people stepped over them. Another person was shoved against the wall hard enough to crack their head against it. Aoujin tightened his grip on Menia's hand.

"If we go there, we'll get crushed before we even reach the door." Another door had been opened. A monstrous creature the size of a bus burst through it, knocking several people aside as it charged into the street. The city's defensive system immediately responded. Panels hidden throughout the surrounding buildings snapped open, revealing magitech cannons.

"TARGET ACQUIRED." A barrage of magical projectiles tore through the monster. The creature staggered as explosions ripped across its body, but before it could fall, two Hetoru dropped from a nearby rooftop. Their armor flared brightly as they landed. One swung a glowing blade and the weapon sliced cleanly through the monster's neck. The second Hetoru turned immediately toward the doorway.

"More incoming!" More Hetoru arrived from above, their enchanted armor amplifying their movements as they tore into the creatures. Blades of concentrated magic cut through thick hides, while reinforced gauntlets smashed monsters into the pavement. For a few seconds, it almost looked like they had the situation under control. Then Aoujin noticed another door opening farther down the street… then another as people began opening them everywhere.

Every golden doorway became a magnet for desperate civilians, while every monster door became another battlefield. The city was being torn apart.

"Come on!" Aoujin pulled Menia away.

"We're going to the Rawo Building." A monster suddenly crashed through a shop window beside them. Menia screamed, but her legs knew what to do so she ran, eyes half closed focusing only on Aoujin. He yanked her sideways just as the creature's claws tore through the place where she had been standing. They sprinted through the streets. The sounds became almost impossible to separate. Gunfire, magical explosions, screams, roaring monsters and the blaring emergency systems all blended together.

A Hetoru flew overhead and slammed into a monster, both disappearing through the side of a building. Another group of Hetoru rushed past them in the opposite direction.

"KEEP MOVING!" one shouted. The skyscraper rose above them, its glass exterior reflecting the orange light of the setting sun. They reached the entrance just as another wave of people tried to rush inside. The lobby was chaos.

"Please! Let me in!" someone scremed as those inside apperantly barricaded the door.

"Shit!" Aoujin cursed but then saw a Hetoru fly towards them in the mirror of the polished wall and he pushed Menia down with him, taking the fall for her so she would land on him. The Hetoru was headless, his magical armor disengaging without mental connections, turning into a simple armband. Aoujin picked it up and slammed it on his wrist, willing the magic equipment to life then a red mist came and the world turned into darkness.