Otherworld Destruction Gallery

Outskirts of the Elves’ Forest, Elad.

People were bustling around a mossy area near the tall, building-like trees, searching eagerly.

“Ah, got it!”

A man clad in armor cheered as he snatched something—it was a green slime.

“Wow.”

“Already? So lucky.”

Though slimes were classified as demon beasts, they weren’t numerous.

People who were watching the man capture proof of his catch with envious eyes continued to scour the moss-covered area even harder.

Even though slime was acidic enough to dissolve people, it wasn’t a major threat.

“Starving is scarier than dying.”

After the Great War, food supplies dwindled drastically.

Everyone had experienced hunger, and for those who had hit rock bottom, it was serious business.

“I bought ten cans of tuna!!!”

“No way, that’s insane!”

“Hey, name your price for a tuna can!”

Of course, purchasing goods from the Marketplace that the Head Moderator ran would be a different story.

But buying items at the marketplace, flooded with users from all over the continent, wasn’t an easy task.

So instead, people roamed around, looking for demon beasts to serve as ingredients, carrying plentiful MSG with them.

“Lady Mersen, this way.”

“Hmm…”

Even this peculiar scene of people rummaging for slime in the Elves’ Forest had reached the ears of Mersen, the most influential member of the Elven Elder Council.

“It’s disturbing. To intrude upon the forest for the sake of consuming demon beasts…”

Mersen’s sea-colored eyes swept over the surroundings.

The scenery on the outskirts of Elad, which should have been calm and yet perilous with demon beasts, felt… strange.

“So, you’re saying they’re hunting demon beasts for us?”

“Yes, they’re especially clearing the outskirts of slimes.”

“That’s the problem.”

The elves turned a blind eye to this.

Why? Because elves, who had always subsisted on the dew and fruit provided by trees, were terribly inept at cooking.

In other words, a culture had developed in which elves allowed humans to forage, in exchange for receiving a portion of the food.

Whether it was the human knights in heavy armor hacking through the moss, or the young elves crouching down, listening closely with perked ears…

“Sigh.”

Mersen thought, as expected, the younger generation was the problem.

Mersen immediately opened the Gallery.

Title: I’m telling all humans to get out of Elad!

Author: CuteElfElder><

El ─ Ha!☆ This is the Elf Elder.

I’m not pleased.

If you ask what’s wrong, it’s everything!

Why on earth is this happening in Elad?

Especially with the young elves being an issue –

Instead of warning and pointing out the intrusions, they’re peeking around to try eating demon beast dishes!

This is an insult to the World Tree!

[Would you like to post this article?]

And just as she was about to hit the confirm button…

Eliana, the Elf Knight Commander who had followed her for security, appeared with some food.

“…Eliana? What is that?”

“They were handing it out, so I accepted a bit. Here, it’s noodles made from slime.”

“…”

Mersen cast a narrow glance at Eliana.

Appointing a young elf as Knight Commander, and here she was, receiving food.

‘I’ll have to call her in later for re-education.’

She also intended to ask about Eliana’s Gallery nickname, which she never answered whenever it came up in passing.

“They say you have to eat it right after it’s hunted, or it gets soggy and loses flavor.”

“…Alright, then.”

This wasn’t about eating because she was hungry.

It was a matter of an elder’s responsibility to physically experience and understand the current situation.

Slurp.

Mersen took a bite of the slime noodles.

“Ugh!”

And she discovered another side of culinary experience.

Soft and chewy noodles.

A moderately spicy sauce mixed in, enhanced by the depth and perfection of MSG.

And suitable vegetable toppings, perfect for elves.

“Is this supposed to be noodles?”

“They call it ‘slime chewy noodles’ in public, though I’m not quite sure yet.”

“Hmm…”

Mersen’s eyes narrowed.

With a hint of sweetness and addictive spiciness, Mersen found herself biting her lip and then taking a larger slurp.

“Heck.”

The perfect balance of spicy-sweet-salty flavors was thoroughly overwhelming her senses.

This was pure violence.

Culinary violence.

“How is it? Isn’t it good?”

Mersen finally regained her composure at Eliana’s question.

“Hmm! It… may be decent, but it still worries me.”

She canceled the thought that it was barbaric.

Yet Mersen couldn’t fully welcome this kind of atmosphere.

Uncontrolled hunting never led to good outcomes.

“Ahhh!”

“!”

And then, her concerns turned into reality.

*

There is a saying that anything in excess is too much.

A prime example was global warming on Earth.

Unchecked environmental destruction piling up over time to disastrous effects.

But in this other world, it seemed even more severe.

Popular Post: Real-time chaos…jpg

(Picture of a demon beast with four horns)

(A shaky shot as the Author runs away)

So I went to Elad for a taste of slime cuisine.

And when I got there, wouldn’t you know it, a mutant demon beast showed up.

ㄴ lol cute, why are you scared?

ㄴ (Picture of a giant deer hoof looming behind the Author)

ㄴ Wow, that thing’s huge

ㄴ Oh, damn lol

ㄴ No way, that’s monstrous

“Unbelievable.”

The deer, despite its serene gaze, was bigger than a two-story house.

Even just seeing it in a picture was awe-inspiring.

This was something beyond the typical demon beast hunt posts that appeared occasionally.

If that thing came crashing into a warehouse, it’d be chaos in seconds.

ㄴ Head Mod☆) What on earth is that?

So instinctively, I asked.

I needed to know what to prepare for.

ㄴ Lol, first time seeing something like that, Head Mod?

ㄴ It’s called…

ㄴ Check your mail!

But getting an actual answer? That wouldn’t be typical of the Gallery.

If I thought about getting angry at all the evasive nonsense responses, I’d be annoyed, but I stayed calm.

“Who am I? The Gallery’s Head Moderator.”

ㄴ Head Mod☆) Alright, 1.7.185, come forward

ㄴ 1.7.185) ?

ㄴ Head Mod☆) Explanation

ㄴ 1.7.185) ??

ㄴ Hey, explain if you don’t want to die

ㄴ Head Mod☆) 3

ㄴ Head Mod☆) 2

ㄴ Head Mod☆) 1

ㄴ 1.7.185) The term ‘mutant demon beast’ refers to those that emerged after the Great War. They served as leaders among the demon beasts. There were once many during the war, but now they’re rare. However, if you spot one, it might be a precursor to a wave.

ㄴ Whoa, intense maneuvering

ㄴ This guy actually answered lol

ㄴ 1.7.185) Damn you, Head Mod, what did I do wrong

ㄴ Yeah, swearing now that he’s safe

ㄴ 1.7.185 really knows the World Tree Wiki

“Wait, a wave?”

The ominous word narrowed my eyes.

But this time, without needing any further explanation, I searched for the term ‘wave’ among the popular posts.

Three years ago: Damn, a wave just hit Kelton

Three years ago: Recruiting races to assist with the wave hitting the Kingdom of Kelton

Three years ago: Kelton Kingdom’s doomed…

Three years ago: Why does a wave have to hit there?

The Kingdom of Kelton, a name I’d heard before.

But I didn’t need to think too hard.

“Wait, that’s here.”

The label stamped on the warehouse items read “Kingdom of Kelton.”

This place I’d been transported to was the Kingdom of Kelton.

And it had fallen long ago.

I thought it was because of the Great War, but I hadn’t realized it was due to a wave.

[Administrator Chat Room]

Head Mod☆: Hey, Full Elf

Full Elf: What is it?

Head Mod☆: Are waves really that dangerous?

Full Elf: They could be, or they might not be.

Head Mod☆: ??

Full Elf: Compared to the Great War, with all those monsters, a wave only brings one or two mutant demon beasts.

Head Mod☆: Give me a quick summary.

Full Elf: Great War >>>> Wave >>> Current state.

Head Mod☆: Got it.

Diehard Vampire: That deer looks tasty. Drooling.

I got it right away.

If a wave was an army battalion, the Great War was the combined force of them all.

“So isn’t that thing dangerous?”

Amid the posts, the mutant demon beast deer ran wild.

And the unsettling part was that comments were disappearing in real-time.

– How do we even catch that thing?

– I’m running for my life here, but it’s about to catch up, what should I do?

– Forming an emergency party, anyone interested, please respond.

– [Post deleted]

– Someone, please, I need a potion now.

– [Post deleted]

“The Otherworld Destruction Gallery doesn’t have a leave option.”

That could only mean that a member’s record was deleted because they’d died.

My sense of urgency heightened.

Without members, there’s no Gallery.

“This isn’t someone else’s problem either.”

If everyone died, naturally the ones in hiding would be next.

If that happened, I wouldn’t survive for more than a few seconds.

“Didn’t the marketplace sell all sorts of stuff…”

Up until now, I’d focused on stocking food to survive.

But in this situation, that wouldn’t be enough.

For the first time, I began searching not for food but through the categories of weapons, armor, and materials.

[Fragmentation Grenade] – 30 points

[Thermobaric Grenade] – 40 points

[Flashbang] – 130 points

[Barbed Wire] – 45 points

.

.

“What should I buy? Or maybe I should just buy everything?”

I already had over 100,000 points.

As I deliberated on what might work best against the demon beast deer, a new popular post appeared.

Popular Post: Footage Summary 3.

(Video of the demon beast deer rampaging)

(Video of a user standing in shock, motionless)

(Video of a user being hit in real-time)

ㄴ Ugh;

ㄴ Label this as explicit content!

ㄴ Stop posting and go help.

ㄴ What about that user? Seems like her heart was pierced.

“Oh.”

In the time I spent debating, a woman froze in fear, impaled by the deer.

For a moment, my mind went cold.

Just as I was about to turn off the video…

ㄴ Wait, what?

ㄴ Huh?

ㄴ Why’s she still alive?

ㄴ Is she human?

ㄴ Humans die if their heart’s pierced.

The woman who had been pierced through and should have been dead was now staring down at the deer, her gaze filled with madness, drooling.