Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 214

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I expanded and contracted the floating map in midair, examining it from every angle. After discovering a tab function, I switched windows. The UI resembled a smartphone, so I tapped around experimentally—and somehow succeeded.
“….”
The newly opened window bore a stamp reading “TOP SECRET,” and the entire document glowed a vivid crimson, making it immediately obvious this was dangerous material. But Old Humanity was extinct anyway—what did it matter? To successfully advance my plans going forward, I read through the classified document without hesitation. My English wasn’t exceptional, but I could decipher the document title clearly enough.
“Human Selection Plan.”
To. Humans of the 2600s.
What in the world were you doing?
“Translate!”
Regardless, what I needed now was a translated version. I wanted to understand the details.
These people had welcomed visitors in thirty-six languages at the entrance—surely they’d prepared this document in thirty-six languages too? At the very least, given this was the near future, they’d have a solid translation system in place.
With that thought, I muttered “translate, translation, translated” while searching for a tool to render the document into readable form.
“Found it! Korean!”
Damn, I’m proud to be from the Republic of Korea!
I used the translation tool to convert the document to Korean. As I scanned through it with my eyes, the Department Head Professor apparently judged that I understood the contents and stepped forward to ask me.
“What does it say?”
“Wow….”
These madmen used to wage wars over oil, but later they fought wars over something called mana—a rare commodity.
Natural mana was finite, yet the population had swollen to one hundred billion, making it impossible for everyone to benefit from it. Moreover, since those with mana aptitude and the ability to utilize it effectively were humans living in close harmony with nature, the already-developed advanced nations couldn’t secure their share of value, while less-developed countries could use it abundantly.
Thus the cycle of invasion and colonization repeated itself. Each advanced nation invaded and dominated countries rich in mana resources. Wars erupted constantly. Within this chaos, one nation—firmly convinced it was acting justly—devised an audacious plan.
That was the Human Selection Plan. Since mana had become scarce due to overpopulation, the core idea was to reduce the population to roughly one-tenth its current size.
“Absolute lunatics.”
The document’s final sentence stated that a nation with vast territory initiated a nuclear barrage across all fronts, triggering World War III.
After that, Earth was probably destroyed. That’s why Mother Goddess and Cha Cha emerged, dinosaurs existed then vanished, and new humanity appeared.
“Hey, what is it! Don’t keep it to yourself—tell us too!”
As I continued to express shock, Reina Letem poked me repeatedly, demanding answers. I summarized what was in the document.
“In ancient times, there were one hundred billion people, so they couldn’t use mana freely. Wars erupted over this scarce resource, and humanity was destroyed. This document contains the population reduction plan from before that collapse.”
“Wow, wouldn’t the land be insufficient with one hundred billion people?”
“We’re still okay, right?”
Probably. The target population in the plan was around ten billion anyway. And if we’re talking about people who can actually use mana, that number would be far smaller.
More importantly—if people from that era could use mana at all, did that mean everyone was a mana user, just with varying efficiency? The context suggests no other interpretation.
This is worth investigating. I, living in the 2000s, couldn’t use mana. Humans fundamentally couldn’t use mana back then, but over six hundred years, everyone became capable of using it. They must have discovered some method and distributed it worldwide.
If that’s the case, my next destination should be the Mana Lab. Since it’s a place that researches mana, there might be records on how ordinary humans were converted into mana users.
“If the Mana Lab still exists, it would be worth visiting. We might find clues to transforming humans into Demon Race.”
“Should we go now?”
“No.”
I shook my head firmly at the Department Head Professor’s suggestion to take me there directly. Our weekend was ending soon. And we students had a problem that took priority over humanity’s extinction.
“We can’t go because of exams.”
“Ugh, ugh! E, exams!”
“Ah, we have midterms next week, don’t we?”
“This time, let’s actually do well instead of bombing the exam.”
“You guys actually failed the exam? Should we study together? It’s embarrassing—what even is bombing an exam?”
Watching Seian Crowell, who had the best grades among us, puff out his chest made me want to punch him. The Department Head Professor and Gerth seemed to have just realized these were all still students, their expressions turning slightly bitter. Like they’d been hit with a sudden wave of reality.
“Since we’ve come this far, let’s take the medicinal herbs we can get from the next facility. There should be at least some hundred-year-old He Shou Wu.”
We’d been discussing science fiction just moments ago, and now we’re talking martial arts cultivation. But I suppose I’ve gotten used to these abrupt genre shifts by now. I can handle sudden changes in direction.
“What do we lose at the next gate?”
“Your senses dull, and your appetite disappears.”
I’m glad I ate a lot at Gerth’s place before coming. If I’d come hungry, I would’ve been miserable for a week.
We all got injections in front of the next gate and waited for the medicine to take effect, then submitted to the robots’ inspection before entering. Remarkably, my appetite vanished completely. And even though I’d been told my senses would dull, I could still smell the earthy scent and the fresh grass aroma. I wonder if they arranged it so the scent was so strong it dulled our senses before we entered.
“I’ll be the one to dig it up.”
‘Hands of a Magnificent Laborer’—it was time for this skill to shine again. Since this herb gave experience points, the medicinal effect would be stronger if I harvested it myself.
When I pulled the He Shou Wu from the ground, despite the soil clinging to it, I could see the root plant gleaming with a lustrous sheen. After distributing one to each person as a memento of reaching this point, we all popped them into our mouths and started chewing when Eugene spoke up with an anxious voice.
“If I eat this, I’m not going to suddenly become a demon, am I?”
“According to Gerth, that requires good luck too. But we’re definitely getting experience points, so it’s worth eating.”
After hearing my answer, Eugene chewed the herb despite his unease. Seian Crowell ate it without complaint, but why is he always so picky about things?
Everyone opened their status windows to check their experience after eating the premium-grade hundred-year He Shou Wu I’d harvested. Seian Crowell even got teary-eyed, saying this was the first time in his life he’d experienced such a skill jump.
“Ugh!”
Eugene, who’d been about to check his status window, suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed forward. Focusing intently on observing Eugene, I could see mana churning violently around him.
Well… it looks like our friend Eugene is becoming a demon after all.
I couldn’t believe he’d gotten caught by the hundred-year He Shou Wu of all things, but the Department Head Professor stepped forward. He said he’d move Eugene to Brandenburg Castle, teach him tips on using mana, and then return to the Academy.
The Professor really is a teacher through and through. A true mentor.
“Go well. I’ll put thought into naming you as a Demon King.”
“Jen… thank!”
I’m excited—what kind of king should Eugene become? Since he’s been killing dragons, something like Dragon-Slayer King sounds cool, but I noticed Seian Crowell’s mouth was pursed. It seemed like everyone around him was becoming demons and Demon Kings, while he remained just human, and he was feeling left out.
“Seian, bad luck is your default setting anyway. Consider yourself fortunate you ate it and didn’t get sick.”
“Ugh!”
Seian Crowell started to hit my back but stopped himself, pursing his mouth again. His shoulders were drooping—he must be quite disappointed.
There’s no point comforting him right now; he won’t hear it. Only time can heal this.
“Call me when you head to the Mana Lab, King of Ten Thousand Demons. I will accompany you.”
Gerth suggested that once midterms were over, Makina would distribute communication devices anyway, so we could contact each other anytime. There’s no problem with him coming along, but I need to address something I’ve been hearing all day.
“Gerth. Are you going to keep calling me King of Ten Thousand Demons?”
“You are the King of Ten Thousand Demons.”
“I told you before that using formal speech felt awkward—did you forget I asked you to stop?”
“This is different from formal speech. King of Ten Thousand Demons is a title for when I’m working.”
So we’re clearly separating public and private matters. True, when we talk about other things, he calls me Evan Laef. Since investigating the Mana Lab is related to humanity’s extinction, he’ll probably use the title… but still, it feels strange.
“Gerth. King of Ten Thousand Demons feels awkward.”
“Get used to it.”
“Ugh…”
As I groaned in protest, Gerth laughed as if amused.
“And the way you were embarrassed earlier. Today I’m seeing so many unexpected sides of you, Evan Laef.”
“Is that so.”
“It is. I’m in a good mood.”
Anyone could see he was in a good mood. If things went well, he’d probably start purring too.
I gave it a bit more thought before deciding to accept the title of King of Ten Thousand Demons. If it was only during work, well, there was no helping it. As Gerth, he’d call his superiors by their titles and positions too. It didn’t seem like he was making fun of me.
“Understood. We’re heading back to the Academy. Will you use Return, Gerth?”
“No. I’ll accompany you to the Capital Train Station.”
“Understood.”
After taking in everything worth seeing and eating everything worth eating, I boarded the train holding Gerth’s hand, humming cheerfully. Since we were all mages and there were demi-humans among us, we were guided to a special car, but Seian Crowell went through the procedure of moving from the general car to the special car, and he kept pouting the whole time.
Then he made a fussing sound, chased Gerth away from the seat beside me, and sat down there himself. Since he seemed particularly irritable today, I decided to let Gerth deal with Seian Crowell.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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