“Do you know of Lunatic Abyss?”
It happened suddenly.
Just as my consciousness, which had been submerged in darkness, awakened, I found myself in an unfamiliar place, with a beautiful woman asking me that question.
When I calmly considered the meaning of her words, I concluded that she was probably referring to a game title.
“That’s a game, right? It’s famous for having an insanely strong final boss demon.”
“You know of it? Well, that’s quite something.”
Apparently, I was correct.
But this was a problem. I hadn’t actually played that game much. I’d only heard from a friend that the final boss was unusually powerful, and that there was an even stronger hidden boss. That was the extent of my knowledge.
“…I see. So you know of it, but haven’t completed it… a ‘miss’ then.”
“A… miss?”
The woman, who had been smiling a moment before, suddenly turned cold.
Wait a minute. All I did was answer her question. I hadn’t said anything else.
Then how did she know I hadn’t cleared the game? …Could she have read my mind?
“Yes, I read it. It’s tedious, so I’ll explain everything at once: I am a goddess. I’m going to reincarnate you into the world of Lunatic Abyss. Your body will be matched to a native species that aligns with your soul. Think of it as a character unrelated to the game.”
“W-Wait. Even if you say all that so suddenly…”
“The body that suits your soul is… Ah, you really are a ‘miss.’”
The self-proclaimed goddess continued talking indifferently, without listening to my words.
Reincarnation? Into a game world? Into a world with that infamously strong demon lord?
For what purpose?
“At least tell me why!”
“Ugh… I want reincarnated people to complete the game. I’ll grant you a skill for that purpose. In your case… Dungeon Master. Truly, it’s a complete ‘miss.’”
Complete the game.
I think I understood why the goddess was so disappointed.
I was going to be reincarnated into the game world and had to complete it.
That would explain why there was little hope for someone like me, who only knew the game’s title.
“Do you get it now? I have no expectations for a ‘miss’ like you. Well then, do your best in that other world.”
As she said that, the scenery around me changed as if a light switch had been flipped off.
Why in the world did she want me to go to a game world and clear it by defeating the demon lord? And shouldn’t she at least explain the body I’d be using?
I had so many questions, but I was expelled from the place where the goddess was without any answers.
“Well then… I hope the next soul is capable of defeating the demon lord.”
◇
“This is insane…”
That was the only thought I had.
Summoned to the goddess’s realm, labeled as a “miss,” and thrown into the game world with hardly any explanation.
It made sense now—she might really be a goddess.
The way she talked without regard for human concerns really made me feel like she was an otherworldly being.
“She wants me to defeat the demon lord…”
Part of me wanted to believe this was a bad dream, but if it was, then the nightmare was far from over.
Around me were razor-sharp rocks piled like small mountains. In the sky flew not birds, but reptiles—and they were huge.
“This must be the game world… I suppose.”
It was as if I had been dropped into some dangerous place from the climax of a story.
I couldn’t stay here in this hazardous location.
Fortunately, I was at the entrance to the mountain, so I started walking away from it without hesitation.
The scenery shifted to what looked like a dense forest.
It wasn’t a paved path, but it was at least better than the treacherous mountain. Proceeding cautiously in case there were beasts or monsters, I was lucky enough to spot someone.
“Thank goodness… Excuse me!”
I called out loudly, and they seemed to notice me… An arrow grazed my cheek.
“W-Why?!”
“A demon in a place like this…”
“Luckily, it seems weak. Just the two of us should be able to kill it.”
Kill? By “demon,” do they mean me?
I ran frantically from the men who were approaching me with murderous intent. Dodging between trees and bushes, I hurried back the way I came, trying to hide myself.
“Don’t run, demon!”
“Damn… The forest makes it hard to use bows.”
“We’ll chase and slice it to pieces.”
“He’s weak; no need to stick together. I’ll keep chasing straight, so you two flank him.”
I ran as hard as I could, desperate to escape, but I was reaching my limit.
The forest was ending, leading back to that rugged mountain.
With no place left to hide, my only option was to go toward the mountain…
“No time to hesitate!”
Staying in the forest would almost certainly mean death, so I decided the mountain was my best chance and dashed toward it.
From behind, I heard more voices.
“Of course, he’s with the demon lord’s army!”
“What should we do? Fighting the demon lord’s army would be dangerous.”
“Right now, the hero must be on his way to defeat the demon lord. That weakling will be slain by the hero soon enough.”
Are they giving up? The words “demon lord” and “hero” confirmed that this really was the game world.
As I continued into the mountain, I no longer felt the murderous intent from behind.
“For now… a safe place…”
That was my top priority.
If I couldn’t find a safe spot, I wouldn’t be able to gather my thoughts or plan anything.
“Hissss!”
“No way!”
Just when I had decided to move to a safer place, I suddenly came face-to-face with a large lizard.
At this point, there was no time to think about hiding inconspicuously.
All I could do was run for my life. That was the only option I had.
“Wait, hold on. There might be one more thing I can do!”
Earlier, I hadn’t had time to think about such things because I was nearly killed on the spot.
But looking back, I remembered that the Goddess did say, “I’ll give you a skill.”
Seeing what that skill could be—despite the unease that came from being called a “miss” by her—just might be the key to getting me out of this predicament.
“Dungeon Master!”
…Nothing happened.
Was it because I’m a “miss”? Are the conditions for activating it unmet? Am I just using it wrong?
I could think of a few possible reasons, but I didn’t have the luxury of pondering any of them.
“Damn it!!”
In the end, the only thing I could do was to run from the large lizard chasing me on its four legs.
That seemed to be my sole course of action.
I ran with all my might.
Fortunately, the lizard’s speed was about the same as mine.
I didn’t have to worry about it catching up, but I couldn’t shake it off either.
Somewhere to hide. A place where I could lose it…
As I ran desperately with these thoughts, I spotted a large hole carved into the rock.
In fact, apart from that hole, I was entirely surrounded by rock, with no other way out.
“Alright, then, I guess I have no choice but to go in!”
The hole might be a dead end, but climbing that sharp rocky mountain was even less promising.
The hole led into what looked like a cave within the mountain, and it was large enough that I couldn’t see the end.
“Ah! It’s still coming after me!”
From behind, I heard a distinct sound, like it was hissing or exhaling, maybe to intimidate me.
It was clearly the large lizard still in pursuit.
As I was about to continue running, a faint display of floating letters appeared in the corner of my vision.
It looked like a futuristic touchscreen display, somehow out of place in this game world.
“No, now’s not the time to get distracted!”
Due to my hesitation, the lizard was gaining on me.
I needed to keep running, but I couldn’t help but be drawn to one particularly prominent glowing word floating in mid-air.
Wall Creation: Magic Consumption 1
Without stopping my escape, I instinctively touched the glowing words.
It felt like I was using a smartphone or tablet menu—perhaps a simple tap would activate it.
Fortunately, that idea seemed to be correct this time.
“Whoa!”
A loud rumbling sounded behind me, and suddenly a sturdy-looking wall appeared between me and the lizard.
A thumping sound came from the other side, as if it was trying to break through, but after a few attempts, the noise stopped completely.
It seemed the lizard had given up, unable to make a dent in the wall.
“I… I’m saved…”
Relief and exhaustion washed over me, and I found myself collapsing to the ground.
◇
The presence in front of me radiated an overwhelming sense of magical power.
The sheer weight of it—or perhaps the density of its magic itself—would make it difficult for any ordinary person to even stand.
As expected, the title of Demon Lord was well-deserved.
“But we won’t submit to you!”
On this side stood those who were brave.
No matter how powerful or terrifying the enemy, that was no reason to yield.
With the Hero’s words, the companions, who had slightly faltered in the presence of the Demon Lord, regained the strength in their eyes.
“We will defeat you and restore peace to the world, Demon Lord!”
The Hero wasn’t alone. He was accompanied by the Commander of the Royal Army, the Great Mage who had constantly pushed the limits of magic, and the Holy Maiden blessed by the gods.
Together, the most powerful humans banded together to strike down the Demon Lord, and the battle began.
“Sigh… you really had your way with us. My base was taken, my subordinates defeated, and now I am all alone.”
Yet, despite the Hero and his companions’ resolve, their desperation didn’t reach the Demon Lord.
“So now there’s no one left, not even an enemy. I am all that remains here…”
The hopes of humanity. The bane of the Demon Race.
The Hero’s elite party, the pinnacle of humankind, was wiped out without making a dent in the Demon Lord.
“Ugh… enough already. I’m sick of this. After all this chaos, there’s no way I could still be motivated.”
Alone in that empty place, the Demon Lord sighed in exasperation.
