Chapter 1 : Do you want power?

“Ah, connected. Directly connecting to the Soul Stream was the right answer after all.”

It had already been decades since I delved into magic with the ambition of creating the internet in this world. Finally, I succeeded in forming a magic network connecting the entire world.

“Now that the network formation is complete… should I try a test connection?”

Of course, just because the network was connected didn’t mean the internet would magically appear. It was more like connecting a telephone line at this point. There weren’t even any devices that could connect to the network, so there was no way to use it.

But…

There was always a workaround.

Since the network itself was connected, by applying communication magic, I could substitute for a device and achieve a one-way broadcast.

“Let’s see… range is worldwide.”

In truth, this type of communication was only possible for me in this world. The mana consumption of communication magic was so high that even the nation could barely maintain it for military use. Even if they developed all the Mana Stone mines, it would be impossible to communicate worldwide.

But I could do it.

Because…

[Do you want to use Communication Magic (LV.MAX)?]

I used magic through the status window, not Mana Stones.

The additional option for Communication Magic LV.MAX was 100% mana consumption reduction. Honestly, it felt like a waste of skill points, but I invested in it thinking it might be helpful when creating the internet.

“…Done. Adjustments complete!”

After finishing the minimum settings…

I activated communication magic targeting all of humanity worldwide through the Soul Stream network I had prepared.

The content was…

[“Do you desire power?”]

I always wanted to try saying that line.

[“If you desire power, shout your wish aloud! It shall be granted!”]

“Oh! Master of the world! You have finally answered me! Yes! I desire power! The power to turn this city to ashes!”

[“Ah, sorry. I was joking. And there’s only a broadcast function right now, so even if you answer, I can’t hear you. Please tell me no one actually answered.”]

“What?”

“That guy’s a devil worshipper!”
“Kill him!”

‘It’s noisy outside.’

Did someone actually answer?

Wow, if someone really answered, they’ll be kicking themselves tonight. Shouting their wish out loud in the street like it wasn’t the 21st century… I would kill myself.

[“Can you hear me well? Seems like you can. If the voice in your head is too loud and bothersome, just say ‘System Off’ and the connection will be cut. Ah, to reconnect, say ‘System Connect’… Don’t tell me you already disconnected before hearing that? A lot of connections were just cut.”]

The moment I explained the ‘System Off’ command, about 10% of the connections were cut.

Well, if they want to reconnect later, they can ask someone around them.

[“Well, alright. And there are already a few mages trying to trace back through the Soul Stream, but I’ve placed a magic cancellation on the firewall, so the moment they try… Too late for that too, huh.”]

Seriously, why are people so hasty?

Is everyone here from South Korea?

“Huh? Professor Alfred, your appearance…”
“Yes? Uh, wait a minute, why was my transformation magic released─”

“This guy is the black mage on the wanted list! Don’t tell me he was working undercover as an academy professor!”

“Damn it!”

It seemed people were quite flustered by the sudden connection of communication magic.

This would happen a few more times, so it was best to keep it short today and give people some time to adjust.

[“Since everyone seems impatient, I’ll stop with the jokes. I’ll probably connect with communication magic like this periodically in the future.”]

If I gave them a heads-up, they’d be a bit calmer and listen to the explanation next time.

The shock was different between experiencing something you knew about and something you didn’t.

[“Everyone must be curious, right? Why is this mage doing such a strange thing?”]

Why?

Well…

‘Because it’s fun.’

[“My goal is simple. To connect the entire world. To enable communication from anywhere. To give everyone a fair opportunity to access information.”]

I said it grandly, but it just meant creating the internet.

I planned to start with a simple radio broadcast using communication magic and gradually expand the possibilities, allowing people to get used to the internet.

[“Some people might not like this goal… but I don’t care. I’m sure those people will find it better than they think once they experience it.”]

Of course, once the internet became commercialized, life would become much more difficult for those in high positions who monopolized information…

They should have become Archmages if they didn’t like it.

No, even the Archmages of the Magic Tower couldn’t penetrate my magic, so they should have become Grand Archmages or something.

[“That’s all for today’s broadcast.”]

Now for the closing remarks…

What would be good?

Ah, that’s it.

[“Have a good night, everyone. Sleep well.”]

Radio and goodbyes always go together.

The Empire.

The Court Mage’s Tower.

[“I’ll probably connect with communication magic like this periodically in the future.”]

The unknown mage’s announcement.

The mages were troubled.

“Such large-scale communication magic is impossible, even for the legendary ancient dragons! And to do it periodically? Even if we developed all the Mana Stone mines in the world, it wouldn’t be enough. It must be a bluff.”
“But hasn’t that impossible thing already happened? If it was possible once, it’s possible twice.”

According to the court mages’ calculations, the amount of mana required to use communication magic for one minute, targeting all the citizens of the Empire, was 80 times the total mana the Empire consumed in a year.

And this was only when the target was limited to the ‘Empire’.

If, as the unknown mage claimed, the range was the ‘entire world,’ it was impossible to even estimate how much mana would be needed.

“Furthermore, it’s also a problem that the communication magic penetrated the court’s magical defenses and activated. Won’t we, the court mages, be held responsible?”
“How are we supposed to block magic that passes through the Soul Stream! Even our attempts to trace the magic back were all blocked and forcibly deactivated by that ‘firewall’!”

“Hmm, in any case, we failed in our defense, so there’s nothing we can do. We have no choice but to report it as is.”
“Report that ‘something’ with more mana than an ancient dragon attempted communication magic? That we can’t even fathom this being? Are you saying this being is a god?”

God.

If a being truly capable of handling such great magic existed…

That being would be rightly called ‘God’.

“Because it’s true. Perhaps it really was ‘God’ who broadcasted. A being capable of handling this much mana would be something like the Elves’ World Tree, but the World Tree’s spirit is female. Perhaps a god from the mythical age has awakened.”
“A god from the mythical age? Are you a heretic?!”

“The existence of beings from the mythical age is a well-established archaeological fact─”

The Demon Realm.

The Demon Monarch’s Castle. The Demon Monarch’s Office.

[“My goal is simple. To connect the entire world. To enable communication from anywhere. To give everyone a fair opportunity to access information.”]

The woman sitting on the Demon Monarch’s throne chuckled and sighed.

“Oh? Does that ‘entire world’ include our Demon Realm?”

The communication magic had forcibly connected, penetrating even the Demon Monarch’s magical resistance.

It was quite an interesting event, so she listened in, and it seemed this communication magic was being broadcast to all of humanity worldwide. A miracle impossible even for the Demon Monarch, the master of all demons.

Furthermore, that ‘humanity’ included the demons of the Demon Realm.

Listening to the story, it seemed to be a human, but the ambition to connect even the Demon Realm and the Human Realm was quite surprising.

“Communication… Such a thing is impossible, isn’t it?”

Demons and humans could not coexist.

‘Demonic Energy,’ the source of demons, acted as poison to humans. Just as humans’ holy power acted as poison to demons.

Humans died just from demons breathing.

Demons were judged by humans’ prayers.

That was the rule of the world.

Demons and humans could not understand each other. Just attempting to understand each other would kill them.

“They say there was a time in the mythical age when demons and humans coexisted… but it’s just an old story.”

But, yes.

If it was the master of such great magic that reminded her of the mythical age…

Perhaps.

It might be possible.

“…Pfft, what am I even thinking? It was a brief amusement, though. Human mage.”

The Magic Kingdom.

The Academy.

[“Have a good night, everyone. Sleep well.”]

“What’s with that voice… So good.”
“Right! Especially the ‘Sleep well~’ part, it kind of tickles your ears and makes you melt.”

The students of the academy were also buzzing with talk about the magic.

“The unknown mage said ‘Sleep well’ at the end, right? That means it’s nighttime where the mage lives. The magic started at 2 PM, Empire Standard Time, so considering the time, it must be the Hyrule Kingdom. There’s nothing but the open sea east of that.”

One student speculated that the mage’s location was near the ‘Hyrule Kingdom’ in the east, based on the mage’s final greeting.

The Hyrule Kingdom was located at the eastern edge of the continent, and beyond it lay only the endless open sea.

Then, another student interjected with a counterargument.

“Couldn’t it be in the Demon Lands?”
“There’s no way anyone lives in the Demon Lands!”

“Wouldn’t it be possible for an Archmage?”

The Demon Lands. A primeval forest inhabited by countless magical beasts.

The vast forest, stretching from the south to the southeast of the Hyrule Kingdom, did not allow human intrusion.

However, that also made it a suitable place for someone with strong power to hide.

And…

‘I was just imitating Sung Si-kyung.’ (TL Note: Sung Si-kyung is a famous Korean ballad singer.)

There was a student lying on their desk at the academy, listening to all of this—

It was the ‘unknown Archmage’ themself.