What do gamers, whose hearts are currently ablaze with anger, truly need right now?
Pouring water to cool it down?
That might be one way, but it wasn’t enough to soothe an angry gamer.
I think this fire of rage symbolizes that gamers truly love their games, and that’s why they are burning like this.
Because they loved it, the wounds of betrayal felt even larger, igniting their fury.
So, all I had to do was create a stage that could burn away their frustrations.
The secret weapon I had been keeping until now,
The big event for which I had received hundreds, no, thousands of letters asking why it wasn’t happening,
Was the “Legend Fighter Tournament.”
“But is it truly effective to hold the Legend Fighter Tournament now, Yuren?”
To be honest, I had intended to hold the tournament much earlier.
Back when Legend Fighters were just starting to grow, even before the hidden character Ren was revealed, Sylvia suggested the tournament, but I thought it was too early, and we canceled it.
Since then, it got forgotten amid the numerous incidents like fights with the prince, the release of Speed Rabbit, and the development of Eternal Fantasy until now.
It might seem like we had missed the timing, but I thought now was just the right moment.
“I actually think this is perfect timing.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, unlike Tetric, which is easily accessible, Legend Fighter is a fighting game, so it takes time for the audience to get used to it.”
Tetric is simple and intuitive, making it possible for everyone to watch and enjoy easily.
But fighting games are a different story.
To enjoy it more, you need information about the types of characters, match strategies, and matchups to make it fun.
So, I deemed that time was necessary, and that time has already been sufficiently met.
“But a lot of time has passed now, so everyone must be accustomed to the game. So, they should know what the characters are doing.”
“Indeed… That makes sense.”
At my words, everyone, including Sylvia, nodded in understanding.
Especially Mineva, who was vigorously nodding her head.
I couldn’t remember Mineva before she became Pink Curie.
“And there’s one more reason for this…”
I explained again why holding the Legend Fighter tournament was no problem, and now was the ideal time.
Upon hearing that, Minister Herness seemed to understand despite considering himself a novice in gaming.
“I see, I understand how you plan to resolve this situation.”
Thus, the discussion about the Legend Fighter Tournament proceeded smoothly.
Sylvia and I discussed the support needed for the tournament and the subsequent events, while Minister Herness offered to lend the power of the minister’s office.
After the recent incident with Prince Ra, I could feel he recognized me as an expert in gaming and was eager to cooperate.
Ah, if I had received this kind of treatment in my past life project, just how entertaining a game could I have made?
That thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“I’m sorry to leave the aftermath to you, but I hope you understand it’s all for the peaceful empire and the queen.”
While the peaceful empire was willing to cooperate for my enjoyable game development life, the queen didn’t seem to care much.
I also took the opportunity to mention the rewards I desired.
“I would like the minister’s assistance on this matter once it is resolved.”
Minister Herness’s expression became peculiar as he read my note.
He seemed to struggle to understand what I was asking for.
Well, I expected that; Sylvia had a similar expression.
“Hmmm, you really are making quite modest requests. It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Understood. I will trust and start.”
Everything was sorted out.
Alright! Let’s prepare for the festival once again!
A festival that otherworldly gamers will never forget as a legend!!
*
Work progressed rapidly.
Not only the people from Edward Consortium but also the personnel from Gilbert Consortium, who were left without work due to Blue Shock, were forcefully mobilized with the help of the minister’s office, and preparations for the “Legend Fighter Tournament” were coming together at a dizzying speed.
“Everyone, hurry up!! If this goes wrong, your heads in Gilbert might be on the chopping block!! Hurry!!”
Sylvia appeared to have no special feelings for the ordinary workers at Gilbert.
But there was no mercy for the managerial types who had done dirty work in the gaming industry under Burnell; she worked them hard.
Watching from the side, I thought nobody could grind people as finely as she was doing without a blender.
Sylvia got them to work, and it looked like the preparations for the Legend Fighter Tournament would be completed in just two weeks.
I couldn’t fall behind either.
“Since that’s the case, everyone, we’re pulling an all-nighter starting today.”
“Weren’t we already pulling all-nighters before?”
Eternal Fantasy was nearing its final touches.
But at this rate, we’d need another month of all-nights.
That would be too late.
“Jiren, forget the previous all-nighters; today, we surpass all-nighters!!!”
“Has this guy lost it from lack of sleep? I’ve already been working for 24 hours; where will the extra time come from!?”
Indeed.
We were short on time.
In search of a way to make up for that lost time, I enlisted the help of my master and the minister’s office to employ a secret weapon.
Hehehe, Jiren will be shocked when he sees this.
“Eh? Yuren, who are those people?”
In the meantime, Noirin seemed to spot someone outside.
It looked like our problem-solving agents had finally arrived.
Even before me, my master shouted.
“Ah! Looks like Alicia has come!!”
“Are you talking about that sage, Minister Alicia!?”
“That’s right, my disciple Noirin!”
My master dashed out to the yard, and we followed.
Outside stood a graceful, tall, silver-haired Dark Elf, accompanied by other Dark Elves.
My master excitedly ran to the elegant Dark Elf standing at the forefront.
“It’s been a while, Alicia!”
This person was my master’s friend and one of the three sages, the Dark Elf sage of the Chronos School, ‘Alicia.’
I’d met her once a long time ago, but this was practically 15 years later.
And, as expected, she hadn’t changed a bit.
“Well, Ai-ren, to involve the minister’s office in calling for me, I thought this elf had finally lost his mind.”
“Hahaha! Alicia’s jokes are still as out-of-date as ever.”
“I don’t want to hear that coming from you!!!”
As far as I knew, Minister Alicia was over 500 years old.
How old must my master be, who is older than her?
The thought terrified me.
“I see Yuren’s plan. You intend to complete the game by involving Minister Alicia from the Chronos School.”
Jiren remarked while looking at Alicia and the members of the Chronos School.
Sorry, Jiren, but that’s completely off the mark.
“What are you talking about? No matter how much of a sage you are, it’s not like you can participate in game development now.”
“Huh? Then why have they come? And aren’t you going to stop them from drawing that magic circle?”
In the meantime, the folks from the Chronos School started to draw a large circle with white sparkles around our research facility.
Jiren seemed flabbergasted by the sudden appearance of them drawing a magic circle.
“Relax; we requested this, so there’s no need to worry. Now let’s head inside, everyone.”
“Wait a moment, Master!! You should at least tell us what you’re doing!”
I led the priests into the research facility.
The rest would be handled by my master.
*
After a break of about a month, almost an Elf’s timeline, Alicia and Irene got straight to work.
“As you know, the barrier can only maintain for two weeks.”
“That’s plenty, Alicia.”
Alicia clicked her tongue while preparing the magic circle.
Since she always fussed around while helping out, Irene just smiled and watched her prepare from within the magic circle.
“I can’t understand how nowadays people invoke such grand magic just for their fun and games. Tsk tsk.”
“Don’t be too harsh; you try it out too! Our disciples’ game is fun.”
Alicia’s magic was used by state agencies for truly important occasions.
No matter how much you pay and prepare all the materials, using such grand magic to make a game was something Alicia couldn’t comprehend.
That was true before she played the game.
“I’ve tried it, and that’s why I’m cooperating! Show me a proper piece this time.”
Hearing her friend say she had played the game made Irene break into laughter.
And with that, they exchanged farewells.
“Alright! Then let’s meet in a month.”
“Sure, let’s discuss the rest in a month.”
Just as Irene entered the research facility for the last time, Alicia placed her hand on the sparkling magic circle and activated it.
“‘Croderis (Time Acceleration Magic)’”
As Alicia activated the magic circle, a glass-like barrier surrounded the Irene School’s research facility with a white light.
Jiren couldn’t help but exclaim in shock at the sight.
“Wowwwwww!!!! Yuren!!!! The outside world!!!!”
“Right, it’s slowing down, hehehe.”
This was the method Yuren had found—the grand magic “Croderis (Time Acceleration Magic).”
Croderis was a spell that accelerated time within a designated area.
If we were short on time, what do we do? We create more time!
With this method, Irene had informed Yuren, and he solicited the minister’s office to gather the materials for casting the spell.
Now the time inside this barrier was accelerated by two times.
We could now work 48 hours a day.
“Alright! Then let’s complete ‘Eternal Fantasy’ in one month!!!”
“Sure!!” / “Understood, my disciple!!”
Everyone responded energetically, focusing straight on the development.
As I watched my master, who mobilized national crisis magic for creating just one game, and the priests who uncritically dove into development, the only sane person left—Jiren—said:
“This is crazy… Everyone’s lost their marbles…”
In the madness created by Yuren at Irene School, Jiren felt fear for the first time in his life.
