I, holding a long sword in my hand, only know one move

Cheng Rang smiled and held Ke Long's hand: "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"Rick!" Cheng Rang called the name of the boy in front of him instead of Ke Long.

When the young man turned around, Ke Long's expression gradually changed from puzzlement to surprise.

That was no longer the Rick I knew. No...no, I knew him.

That was Rick when they first met.

There was unfathomable heat in his eyes——but the young man kept his heart tightly closed.

Ke Long was convinced that the person who broke the lock was the girl walking beside him - Hubi.

Sighing deeply, Kelon asked Rick with a gentle smile.

Although she expected that she would get an incredible answer.

"Rick—what do you want to do—?"

Just like that, the answer was as expected.

No, it was even more than she expected——

The words of the "original Rick" who is both innocent and bold, and full of endless fiery will:

"It's just a game! What I'm going to start playing is just a... kid's game."

There was a brilliance shining like gold in those black eyes.

Chapter 48 Ghost

In a cave far away from the new settlement shown on the map given to Kelon.

In the simply built secret base, they were still directing the evacuation until the end, and died because of it——The people who were considered dead on the surface are now one hundred and seventy-nine [Ghosts] including Rick and Hubby. They gathered quietly in front of the round table. After the leader Rick glanced around, he looked straight at the deep entrance of the base, as if waiting for the arrival of the last figure.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the cave where a needle could be heard, and the special sound of the collision of metal and wooden scabbard gradually intensified as a black figure wearing a cloak appeared under the pyroxene light.

Cheng Rang pulled off his mask and nodded to Rick, who was standing among the crowd not far away.

"Everyone is here."

Taking his eyes away from Cheng Rang, who arrived last, Rick slowly spoke:

"The end will come one day - I have decided not to wait for that future that will not come."

Everyone was speechless, but Rick continued in a strong tone:

“Running for your life in such a world with nothing to gain, praying for the end of the war—who do you pray to?”

Rick poured out these words in one breath that he had always wanted to say but could never say.

"Are those destroyers who call themselves gods?! Or is it God or other existences that can't even stop them?!"

"In this damn world, I'm just living my life until the war is over, and then what!? After what?"

Rick raised his arms and shouted, as if to vent his emotions: "I heard that they are fighting for the throne of the only god. A bastard who will participate in such a war. No matter who wins in the end, we can look forward to that bastard after that." Will it lead to a better future than the present – ​​right!?”

Then, his tone changed, and he said in a cold tone: "It's time to admit that there is little hope in this world."

.....

The ghosts lowered their heads to this "fact" that they had already discovered, but once admitted, would cause their hearts to collapse.

Just when they each had sad expressions——

"So..." Rick changed the subject and said:

"That's right - we can only create it with our own hands!"

Cheng Rang crossed his arms and smiled, looking at the black eyes between Rick and himself. In them, there was the human soul that wanted to stand up to the light of hope without hesitation.

——————————

That was the ninety-ninth chess game between Cheng Rang and Rick, and the situation was about to become a draw again.

Rick held his chin and groaned dissatisfiedly. Hubie sat on his knees next to him, staring at the chessboard intently.

"Can't you just let me win a round, or simply let me lose?" He said some dejected words.

No matter how long he played against Hubi, Rick, who was defeated in a crushing manner, never said such words. Only when playing against Cheng Rang, this feeling of frustration made him particularly irritated.

It was as if he was playing with an enemy in the palm of his hand who was much stronger than him but in no hurry to defeat him.

He knew he would lose, but he couldn't escape. He wanted to win, but he was pushed back to his original shape by a more powerful force.

Despair, loss - even Rick began to doubt that he could not beat him next time. Even though I always tell Hubie, "I'll beat you next time."

"General." Cheng Rang moved

After moving the chess pieces and making the final move, Hubie on the side analyzed and then informed:

"...a draw, the general and..."

Rick suddenly lay on his back as if he had lost his fighting spirit and shouted: "Ugh! You are simply a devil. Where did you learn the chess moves..."

Cheng Rang pursed his lips and smiled: "It's just a simple technique evolved from another more complex game. Chess is already a simple enough game for me."

"What?"

"A game that could lead to death." Cheng Rang made a pun.

...

As long as you want to take a step towards the light, the human soul will not declare defeat.

What if you can't see the light?

"——Then let yourself become a torch and the only light in this eternal night."

————————————————

The [Ghosts] raised their heads after hearing this powerful announcement.

"There is one way. It is a psychotic and crazy behavior. If you think about it with common sense, it can be said to be arrogance."

The kind of strategy that even he could only smile at.

"We are [ghosts] - people who no one cares about and no one will pay attention to."

Rick looked at the girl standing next to him.

"We are [Ghosts] - but even if no one agrees, we are still the ones who inherit the legacy and carry on with our will."

Even so, those golden eyes made him feel that it was possible.

"That's proof that we still exist, that the world isn't over yet."

Rick regained consciousness, the expression on his face tightened.

"Stop pretending to be smart, we humans are stupid creatures."

——Then he said decisively:

"So - fight!"

Fight, not escape, but fight.

Hearing Rick say this clearly, one hundred and seventy-nine people's eyes were all focused on him, and Rick smiled slightly.

"Yes, we have to fight. No matter who the enemy is in front of us, we have to make use of our power - that is, [foolishness]. We have to be like ghosts, deceiving them all and taking the lead. We have to be like the weak. , using various strategies, even if he is willing to sacrifice shame and reputation. Even if he is a despicable person when he is complimented, he is a bastard when he is praised, and he is a bad person when he is praised——!!”

"...We also want to win."

Yes, there is only one victory to be grasped.

"You can turn the defeats that have been repeated endlessly into a meaningful defeat and wipe it out with one victory!"

In the silence, what everyone was thinking about existed, and Rick was also thinking about it.

The opponent that Rick said he wanted to fight——is the existence that has wiped out humanity and civilization to nothing many times.

As long as they want to, they can turn mountains into pits, seas into land, and even crush planets.

The emotion that enveloped the room was laughter. Just when almost everyone was dumbfounded and laughing, Rick laughed too.

"Yes, we are going to challenge those monsters - and win. This kind of extremely stupid and ridiculous thing makes people want to laugh, right?"

Yes, of course I want to laugh. How can one not laugh at this?

"And that's the proof of our humanity, the proof of our stupidity. Our last chance at existence."

After saying this, Rick looked around at the faces of one hundred and seventy-eight people.

"-The end of the war--that's what we want...a victory."

【Ding! 】

The moment he finished speaking, Cheng Rang glanced at all the tasks that were activated at the same time in the system task list, with a knowing smile on his lips.

[Main Mission-Immunity: Ensure the survival of humanity on this planet until the end of the war, and be recognized as the sixteenth race (in progress!)]

[Main Mission - The Only God: Obtain the "Star Cup" (optional → in progress!)]

[Main mission - I am the proudest and strongest in the world: Defeat the God of War "Artesh" (optional → in progress!)]

[Main mission - Witness: Witness the birth of "heart" (in progress, mission progress: 85%)]

[Main mission - The sage of the epic: Do not interfere in any way with the development of this world, witness the epic of the birth of the sixteenth race: the "human race", until the creation of "Disbord". (Optional → In progress!) Note: When completing any of the tasks "The Only God" or "I am the proudest and strongest in the world", the task will fail and be locked. 】

【Ding! 】

[World Branch Time-Unlocked! All subsequent choices of players will determine the development trend of this world, please act with caution! 】

Putting away the system task screen, Cheng Rang murmured in a low voice:

"Sa...the game begins."

Chapter 49: Swear to Consent (Part 1)

End the eternal war of gods as a human being.

Seeing what Rick said so confidently, one hundred and seventy-eight people... no, even Hubie next to him opened his eyes wide.

"As for the victory conditions...even if I say it conservatively, it is still so difficult that it makes people want to faint..."

But Rick looked at that condition with a smile like a child who had succeeded in a prank, and then he remembered:

——When we are children, we think the world is simpler.

There is no game that cannot be won, hard work will pay off

In return, nothing is impossible.

The thoughts that come from a child who knows nothing, is ignorant and stupid, and looks at the world with innocent eyes. Such thoughts.

"This world is really just...a game."

The idea at that time was not wrong.

"It's just that the gods pursue the 'Star Cup' as they please and play a game without any rules."

Rick thought to himself, is it simple?

"In this case, we just create the rules as we like!"

Rick said, playing with the chess pieces in his hands, and then looked at Hubie.

Hubie said that he wanted to know the answer guided by Rick's "heart".

"Then I'll answer you -" Rick said, and Hubie nodded in response. He showed a bold smile, looked at Cheng Rang who was standing in the distance surrounded by swords, and announced the [Rules].

"[1] No one can kill anyone."

Because if you kill, you will be killed. Rick's inner thought is because no one wants to kill.

"[2] Don't let anyone die."

Because if you let others die, you will die too. My inner thoughts are that I don’t want anyone to die.

"[3] Don't let anyone discover it."

Because if you are discovered, you will die.

"[4] Any means is not cheating."