I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Part-timer Becomes a Totem (1)
.
It’s an online game with a simple and intuitive plot where a wandering paladin fights to save a world destroyed by demons.
It shut down 10 years ago due to lack of content and subsequent decline in sales, but I really enjoyed it when I was younger.
So much so that, as a child, I even sent an email to the game company’s address with a “new content proposal.”
Well, it wasn’t very substantial since it was sent by a child.
[Title: (Surprise!) A Groundbreaking Idea Proposal for Increasing User Numbers
Developers, let me speak my mind.
Don’t you think the game failed because all we ever fought were demons and demon worshippers as enemy units?
Instead, let’s create a new enemy faction.
How about the barbarian tribes that appear as NPCs in the mountains?
The barbarians’ concept is based on primitive religions and voodoo, right? Let’s make voodoo priests or shamans into elite mobs, and those local spirits they worship, the Loa or whatever, into boss characters.
Wouldn’t that be fun?
Let’s make their patterns and concepts different from the demons. So, how about we make them like this… (omitted)]
I think I sent an email with roughly that content.
I didn’t get a reply. That’s normal. Who would pay attention to feedback sent by a kid?
It’s also normal that the broke game company went bankrupt and shut down less than a year after ruining their flagship game, , and that the middle school kid who was waiting for a reply grew up to become a convenience store part-timer.
[You’ve got mail!]
“Huh?”
So, is it normal to receive a reply from a bankrupt game company after 10 years?
No. It’s clearly abnormal.
Half creeped out, half curious, I checked the email’s subject.
[Subject: ‘Ultra Sanz, Crazed for Nighttime Massacre Mode’ Paladin, thank you for your feedback!]
“Ugh.”
That Ultra Sanz thingy is my old game ID. It’s a bit cringeworthy since I made it when I was young.
Honestly, all kids at that age had a nickname like that.
Anyway, it succeeded in piquing my interest. I clicked on the email to see the full text.
[Let’s fight for justice!
The world-saving story RPG! It’s Paladin Survival.
Thank you for your valuable feedback, Paladin.
Your valuable feedback on content improvement has been forwarded to the relevant department, and after discussions with the Loa, we have done our best to implement it.
Additionally, we have also forwarded your suggestions for character settings as improvement feedback.
We are doing our best to show you a better version of the game. Please enjoy the new mode!
Once again, we ask for your continued support as Paladin Survival develops in a better direction.]
“What nonsense.”
What improvements does an already dead game need? Why would a game company that went bankrupt 10 years ago still have relevant departments?
Discussions with the Loa? What kind of concept is this?
“Tsk.”
My interest is completely gone.
Still, it was a game I enjoyed, so I was a little, actually quite excited. It’s just disappointing.
Thinking it was a prank by someone who got hold of the game company’s email address, I turned off my phone screen.
And it was in the blink of an eye.
“…?”
The carcasses of wild animals piled up in front of me.
A huge bonfire like a campfire.
People dressed in animal skins surrounding the bonfire in a circle.
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!”
Even the strange chants they were shouting. I was in a place I had never seen before.
━ Uh…
A low, resonant voice flowed from my mouth.
“Y-You answered!”
The bulky man in a bear skin who had been watching me shouted.
He was the one in the front row of the huddled people.
“The Loa has answered!”
The man shouted so loudly that my eardrums rattled, then raised his double-edged axe.
Loa? The gods worshipped by barbarians?
So what?
“Malak! Malak! Malak!”
The people cheered, chanting a strange slogan.
Men and women alike were armed, their eyes gleaming with a terrifying frenzy.
The fact that they were all muscular also contributed to my fear.
To run away or do something, I tried to push myself up with my arms…
Wait, I don’t have arms? Ah, whatever. I need to get up first…
I don’t have legs either?
Judging by the lack of restraint, I’m not tied up.
Come to think of it, my vision is strange too. It zooms in and out, like I’m looking through a camera.
Startled, I moved my vision around, and it spun around too quickly.
I heard somewhere that the human field of vision is about 135 degrees vertically and 200 degrees horizontally.
My vision has now rotated 360 degrees and returned to its original position. To the muscular man excitedly swinging his double-edged axe.
Is there something wrong with my neck? Or is it my eyes?
As I was paralyzed by the unprecedented fear, something strange caught my eye in the corner of my vision.
A white, square piece of paper… Yes, it looked like the status window often seen in games.
[Name: Malak]
━ Blessings Available: None
━ Points Available: 0
━ Follower: Paya
━ Enter Community
━ …
The suspicious reply that arrived after 10 years.
The content that said ‘enjoy the new mode’ and ‘watch closely.’
My body that has changed somehow.
People who look like Native Americans no matter how I look at them. To be precise, they look like the barbarians in , which were based on them.
And the status window visible in the corner of my vision.
Only then did I understand my situation.
Did they really make me possess a character in their game just because I sent them one piece of feedback?
Because of an email I sent 10 years ago?
So, now that I’ve become a Loa or whatever, do I have to lead these guys and fight against paladins?
A convenience store part-timer of 3 months?
* * * * * *
Let’s get this straight.
I was on the verge of going crazy, but I had to check. At least I need to know what state I’m in, right?
━ Mirror.
I requested as solemnly as possible to the muscular man in front of me. He’s probably the chieftain of the barbarians.
“Malak-nim has commanded us to bring a mirror!”
As he gave the order in his characteristic booming voice, the barbarians quickly moved and placed a large mirror in front of me.
It was a very opaque mirror, probably due to technological limitations.
━ Ah…
How can I describe my appearance?
A coiled snake with only its head sticking out? It also looks like a dragon with antlers and a beard.
It’s not just a snake or a dragon. It’s a human-sized statue made of wood.
The blue light glinting in the eye area makes it look a bit impressive.
But what good is that? I can’t move.
So I’m not even a living being. I’m just a piece of wood. This is a Loa? The god of barbarians? A sense of emptiness washes over me.
The chieftain, who had been watching me, cautiously asked.
“Are you not satisfied with the totem? Paya, the priestess, daughter of Pind and Ulla, and my younger sister, Kanto, did her best to make it.”
I don’t know who you’re talking about, even if you explain it so diligently.
She’s a priestess, why are there so many unnecessary modifiers?
━ Hmm.
I recalled the game’s settings.
Priestess. A spiritual leader in a barbarian tribe who communicates with the Loa and conducts various rituals. In modern terms, she would be in a position similar to the Pope.
Since barbarian tribes are essentially religious groups, she holds a position as high as, or perhaps even higher than, the chieftain.
Anyway, the priestess here is the chieftain’s younger sister.
━ It’s not that.
Like it or not, she’s someone I might have to spend a lot of time with. It would be troublesome if there’s a conflict from the beginning, so let’s just gloss over it.
Who knows, this fierce and bulky man might be a madman who would smash the totem if I insulted his younger sister.
I still don’t know how much influence a Loa has in their society.
━ I want to see the priestess. Where is she?
Judging by the circumstances, it seems like she’s the one who summoned me. Maybe she can send me back to Earth.
It’s a faint hope, but I need to check first.
“Priestess Paya is being treated because of the aftermath of the ritual….Should I bring her?”
━ No need.
It feels wrong to bother someone who’s sick. What should I do now? Oh, man. My head isn’t working.
━ I’ll hear everything after Priestess Paya wakes up. You all can rest for now.
Yes, let’s buy some time first.
I’m too confused right now. There’s too much information to process.
“Thank you. In the meantime, please enjoy the souls of the animals we just killed.”
The chieftain and the barbarians left, leaving behind the pile of animal carcasses.
I checked the status window again.
Blessings Available. It says none. Will it be unlocked later? Let’s skip it for now.
Points Available. I can’t figure this out now either, so pass.
Follower… It says Paya. Paya was the priestess’s name.
Maybe it refers to the person who summoned me or made a contract with me as a follower.
Enter Community? What’s this?
This is the only one that glows faintly in blue.
Should I click it? But I don’t have hands to click with.
Damn it.
As I stared intently at it, a white screen larger than the status window appeared next to it.
[Dinosaur Punch: 145th Gathering Log]
[Bangguseok Choseon: The Pope’s breath still stinks today] (4)
[Ppooppooppeung: Where is the Cathedral?]
[Fallen Power Knight: How to distinguish demon worshippers. Fact]
[Golden Dragon King: 14th day of homelessness] (1)
[Love Death Cat: (Traveling through the 384th multiverse) Meow…]
[Morning Tent Erection Knight: I, no longer stand] (4)
[Hobichoenpae: About whether the main god of this world is just or unjust] (1)
[I Trusted the Monkey Man but: Real-time Seongbung is screwed;; ] (2)
[Balromallo: I don’t want to die…] (3)
[Close-Range Spy: I’m really only guilty of playing the game, but I’ve fallen into this world and the damn demons…]
[Seonggiseonggisa: Paladins~ Have a deli.ci.ous meal today~!] (1)
[Not a Netkama: Anyone killed a person in this world?] (2)
What is this?
As if possessed, I clicked on the first post with my eyes, not my hands.
[Dinosaur Punch: 145th Gathering Log
Today’s meal is something that resembles a matsutake mushroom. It tastes like tomatoes. Not bad.
I haven’t been feeling well lately. I’m depressed. I feel like I’m all alone. I’m actually alone, but still.]
…It’s a real community.
I felt both curiosity about why this exists and relief that perhaps I’m not the only one who came to this world.
Should I write something too?
As I stared intently at the [Write Post] button and the keyboard window that had appeared, the text was written according to my gaze.
Should I start with a short and light greeting?
[Ultra Sanz Crazed for Nighttime Massacre Mode: Hi~]
Oh. What’s with the nickname?
How do I delete this?
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