Translator: Dreamscribe

What on earth is that?

It was nothing more than a luxurious-looking box. There was no expectation that something extraordinary would emerge from it.

All the employees stared at the black box with indifferent expressions. If the new company CEO had not been Lee Jin-woo, they would have dismissed it as a joke and walked out immediately.

Perhaps aware of their thoughts, Jinwoo smiled slightly and snapped his fingers. At that moment, a blue glow spread across the surface of the black box, and it began to split into multiple sections.

Like a transforming robot, the separated components rapidly assembled themselves into a blue sphere.

Sssss!

Light burst forth from the sphere, spreading across the floor and forming a massive magic circle.

“Uh...?”

“W-what...”

“H-huk!”

Han Yong-seon and the employees gasped in shock as they saw the magic circle being engraved on the floor as if it were burning. The blue flames rising from it made it appear extremely intimidating.

“Ah! It’s just a sort of... performance. Please don’t worry about it.”

Jinwoo made up an excuse.

Since he had created it in a hurry, there were details he hadn’t been able to refine, but for now, he decided to move past them.

Something incredible was about to begin!

Just this was enough to completely change the employees’ atmosphere.

But this was only the beginning.

“Turn off all the lights.”

“Huh? Ah, yes! Understood.”

Kim Han-soo quickly came to his senses and immediately turned off all the studio lights. Since it was a sealed space with no windows, switching off the lights made everything pitch black.

Jinwoo quietly reached out and activated the device.

Ssssss!

The sphere vibrated and emitted a bright light. That light instantly spread throughout the entire studio, completely engulfing it. The moment the illusion magic activated from the playback device, the studio was entirely overtaken.

As if a new world was being created, everything changed.

Paah!

In an instant, the studio transformed into a beautiful field. It was a vast, refreshing landscape that could never be found in Korea.

“W-what is this...? T-this...”

“Kyaah! W-where are we?”

“H-huk!”

Han Yong-seon and the employees panicked, unsure of what to do. Some were so frightened that they collapsed onto the ground.

Han Yong-seon swallowed hard and looked around.

The sky was blue.

Clouds drifted gently, and enormous birds he had never seen before flew in flocks.

As the birds gradually approached.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Kyaah!”

They whooshed past just above Han Yong-seon and the employees' heads.

They were far too massive to be called birds. No, they weren’t birds at all.

“D-d-dragons!”

“Crazy!”

Each one was larger than a truck, appearing just like dragons.

The art team leader swallowed hard and hurriedly flipped through the planning document in his hands.

“T-those are S-Sky Spirits. There’s a concept drawing of them in the project document.”

One of the Sky Spirits flying through the sky folded its wings and landed in front of Han Yong-seon and the employees.

Thud!

A gust of dust swept up, and the employees instinctively raised their arms.

Han Yong-seon cautiously looked ahead.

A gigantic Sky Spirit was staring down at Han Yong-seon and the employees. It had a round, plump shape, making it look incredibly cute despite its enormous size.

Their reflections were clearly visible in its large, lake-like eyes.

“So, so cute.”

“Wow.”

The female employees of the art team stared at the Sky Spirit in a daze.

“W-what exactly is this? How is this even possible...?”

“Did we get transported to another world?”

“Haa...”

Was this still the studio?

Or had they really been transported to another world?

The scenery surrounding them, the sight before their eyes, felt more real than reality itself. No, it was indistinguishable from reality.

Achoo!

The Sky Spirit sneezed, sending out puffs of fur that glowed blue. One of the furballs landed in the hand of an art team employee standing at the front.

The furball trembled slightly and then opened its eyes.

“Wow...”

Tiny arms emerged from the furball as it rubbed its eyes and looked at the employee. When their eyes met, the employee shuddered.

Because it was incredibly adorable.

It was far cuter than the mascots that significantly contributed to the revenue of other game companies.

It was a low-ranking spirit commonly seen in Arsilan.

Despite its adorable appearance, it was a carnivorous spirit that preyed on herbivorous animals.

“S-sir.”

Han Yong-seon, who had barely regained his composure, looked at Jinwoo with an urgent expression. At the sound of Han Yong-seon’s voice, all the employees turned their gazes toward Jinwoo.

“W-what is this exactly? Are we really in another world...?”

"Of course not. It’s just a simple hologram.”

“A hologram?”

This is a hologram?

Rather, it was hard to believe it was a hologram.

Han Yong-seon reached out and touched the grass on the ground. The blades of grass swayed as his hand brushed against them. When he grabbed them, they naturally crumbled and fell to the ground.

"I can feel the texture, though?"

“Ah...”

Jinwoo flicked his fingers and quickly made adjustments.

Illusion magic was so effective that situations like this sometimes happened to ordinary people.

“It’s just an illusion. Since visual information accounts for 77% of human perception, it’s natural to be tricked.”

“Ah...”

Han Yong-seon and the employees touched the grass again.

They could feel a slight resistance. Everyone blinked and tilted their heads in confusion. Yet, it was still hard to believe it was a hologram. It didn’t shatter, nor did it feel unnatural. In fact, it felt more natural to assume they had actually been transported to another world.

“Now, let’s watch the video.”

“Huh? A video? Then, w-what is all this?”

“It’s just a simple standby video.”

“S-simple...”

At Jinwoo’s words, Han Yong-seon and the entire development team were left dumbfounded. As Jinwoo raised his hand, the prepared video began.

The surroundings darkened.

The once-radiant sun lost its color as if it were falling into corruption, and the blue sky turned blood-red. Just looking at it was unsettling and sent shivers down their spines. The entire sky twisted and writhed bizarrely as if it were a living creature.

“D-director, t-that...”

“Kyaaaah!”

“Crazy!”

Every plant in the area withered.

Flowers, grass, and even the butterflies that had been fluttering around all dried up and crumbled to the ground. The animals trembled violently, their flesh melting away to reveal bare bones.

Everyone looked up at the sky.

They were utterly dazed.

Their bodies froze with terror.

Gigantic, tentacle-like black clouds were devouring the red sky. Those monstrous clouds began to swirl and churn violently.

They writhed like intestines, preparing to vomit something out.

Kwaaaang! Kwaaaaaang!

What fell from the black clouds were meteor-like skulls flickering with a green glow.

Crunch!

The Sky Spirit flinched in shock and soared into the air. It tried desperately to escape, but it was impossible.

A grotesquely distorted skull opened its massive jaws and devoured the Sky Spirit.

The skull disassembled the Sky Spirit as it plummeted to the ground.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

“Uwaaaah!”

As the skull crashed into the ground, a shockwave erupted.

Even though it was just a hologram, and there was no actual vibration or impact, the employees lost their balance and collapsed onto the floor.

“U-uwaaaah!”

“M-m-monster!”

Sssssk!

From where the skull had fallen, a Skeleton rose to its feet.

The towering Skeleton was twice the size of an average man, radiating overwhelming intimidation.

Instead of eyes, it emitted a red, frenzied glow, letting out a horrifying wail.

Han Yong-seon and the employees’ faces turned deathly pale.

They knew that the monsters before them weren’t real.

They were just holograms. The employees repeated this in their minds, but their bodies were consumed by fear. Their legs trembled so violently that they couldn’t move.

Although Jinwoo had swiftly patched the illusion magic’s tactile feedback, the sheer presence and intimidation still lingered faintly.

Han Yong-seon barely managed to turn his stiff neck and looked at Jinwoo, who was standing there leisurely.

“I-it’s r-really a h-h-hologram, r-right?”

“Maybe not?”

“Huh? W-wait, what?”

Jinwoo smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

[Kieeeek!]

[Kieeee!]

[Kiaaaaak!]

The Skeletons’ mouths opened wide, letting out eerie screams. They radiated intense killing intent as if they loathed all life, staring down the employees.

In an instant, their numbers exceeded dozens.

From the sky, the skull meteors continued to rain down, showing no signs of slowing.

Kugugugu!

Wielding grotesque weapons seemingly made of organs and bones, they charged toward the employees.

Had any modern person ever experienced such a vividly terrifying sight of dozens of monstrous Skeletons?

Aside from Jinwoo, none had.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Kyaaaah!”

“R-run!”

Kim Han-soo stepped in front of Jinwoo, trying to shield him, while Han Yong-seon and the employees stumbled backward, only to fall. They kept repeating to themselves that it was just a hologram, but the sheer realism of the scene erased that thought instantly.

One of the advantages of illusion magic-powered videos was the ability to modify details on the spot. While the overall story flow remained the same, certain elements could be altered.

For example,

“Uwaaaah!”

“Kyaaaaaaaaah!”

The Skeletons rushed up to Han Yong-seon and the employees, raising their weapons high and screaming.

They looked as if they would crush them at any moment.

Such an immersive effect could be fine-tuned this precisely.

To Jinwoo, the employees’ screams sounded quite pleasant.

It meant they were truly engaged.

Even if it was just a video, the more they immersed themselves, the higher the chances of saving Arsilan. This was a good thing.

Now, it was time to shift the atmosphere.

Paah!

Light descended from the sky.

A pillar of light struck down before the employees, erasing part of the dark clouds that had tainted the heavens.

“Ah...”

The employees stared blankly ahead.

Inside the radiant glow stood a figure.

A woman clad in a nun’s habit, her eyes covered by a black cloth. Particles of light surrounded her as if blessing her presence.

She was beyond beautiful no, she was divine.

She extended her hand, and a barrier of light burst forth, instantly reducing the charging Skeletons to ashes.

A miracle.

To the employees, it appeared to be nothing less than a miracle.

“S-Saintess...”

One of the employees muttered in a daze.

For a saintess, her body was almost criminally curvaceous, and her nun’s habit seemed more like cosplay, but the aura she exuded was overwhelming.

A woman blocking the encroaching darkness with a barrier of light, there was no other way to describe her but as a saintess.

“Step back.”

“Ah... Y-yes!”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

Her soft voice seemed to seep into the employees’ hearts.

“Do not fear. The light shall protect you.”

Her vow resonated deeply.

Some employees were even moved to tears.

As expected of a Succubus, she acted incredibly well.

Her movements were slightly suggestive, but the sacred atmosphere transformed them into something divine.

The reason her eyes were covered with a black cloth was also due to their... excessive allure.

‘Hearts in her eyes would be a bit much...’

A saintess with heart-shaped pupils? Yeah, that wouldn’t work.

In any case, it was a brilliant decision.

Thanks to it, she appeared even more dignified.

“Haaaaat! O Light!”

Her captivating voice echoed.

As she spread her hands, swords of light rained down from the sky, obliterating the advancing Skeletons.

Just as the employees were about to cheer at the breathtaking spectacle.

“Khahahahaha!”

A wicked laughter rang out.

The raining swords of light were suddenly and effortlessly repelled in all directions.

In an instant, the surroundings darkened again, and an overwhelming wave of darkness surged toward the saintess and the employees like a tidal wave.

“Kyaaaah!”

The saintess was thrown backward, rolling across the ground.

From within the darkness, Hasman, wearing a skull mask, emerged.

Holding a grotesque staff, he had the unmistakable appearance of a Lich. The black aura he emitted was so overwhelming that it made the Skeletons look like mere children in comparison.

“Hehehe, fresh test subjects have increased.”

Hasman’s acting was slightly lacking, but it was still passable. From the hollow sockets of his empty eyes, centipedes crawled out, dropping to the ground with sickening thuds.

The sight was so revolting that the female employees couldn’t even bring themselves to look directly at him.

As Hasman raised his staff, hundreds of Skeletons burst forth from the ground.

It was a completely hopeless situation.

“Khuh...”

The saintess let out a pained groan as she struggled to stand. The employees, unsure of what to do, anxiously stomped their feet in distress.

“The strength of all... the heart of light...”

As the saintess reached her hands toward the sky, Jinwoo turned to look at the employees.

“It seems our strength is needed.”

Speaking in a low voice, Jinwoo stretched his hand upward, causing the employees' eyes to waver.

“L-let’s raise our hands.”

“A-ah, yes!”

They were fully immersed in the scene.

With a determined expression, Han Yong-seon raised his hand, and the employees hurriedly followed suit.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Let’s combine our strength!”

They were as desperate as if they had truly become warriors.

It had been a long time since they had forgotten this was just a studio.

Now, they were standing together on this nightmarish battlefield.

Jinwoo, satisfied with their reaction, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

*****

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