《The Lone SF Transmigrator in the Otherworld Forum》
Chapter 1: I Became The Cosmic Emperor
Chapter 1: I Became The Cosmic Emperor
? I Became The Cosmic Emperor ?
?
? Diet food that burned calories in an instant without the need to exercise.
An automatic shower device that would wash someone in 3 seconds with the press of a button.
Pill that could substitute as a meal.
Household androids that did the cleaning,undry and meal preparation in one¡¯s stead.
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Things that everyone had imagined at least once.
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If such things existed, people would line up to open their wallets in an instant. Therefore, it was inevitable to think that such convenient features could not possibly exist.
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After all, those were things that only appeared in one¡¯s imagination.
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Science Fiction.
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Just as such words implied, it was a topic of fantastical science.
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However, humans always longed for what they could not have. A tale as old as human history itself.
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And the young man, boasting refined movements over theputer keyboard as if ying a piano, was no exception.
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¡°No, I keep telling you! Whether it¡¯s the Heavenly Demon or Dragons, a single shot of an antiparticle cannon sends them to oblivion! Why can¡¯t you understand a single thing I say!!¡±
Antiparticle weapons utilized the dual annihtion of matter and antimatter. Theoretically, an antiparticle weapon that had a 100% mass-to-energy conversion rate could yield a power tens, hundreds of times that of nuclear weapons.
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How could mere fantasy or martial arts novels evenpare to SF?!
He fervently typed on the keyboard to enlighten his opponent¡¯s ignorance. He tirelessly preached the greatness of SF technology. And of course, harsh words were sprinkled here and there. After all, he had been in a keyboard battle for over 12 hours now.
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¡°Huhu. Ran out of things to say, huh?¡±
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The counterarguments of his opponent began to slow. Sweet, sweet victory seemed to be within sight.
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¡°Just give up already.¡±
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He was fairly tired himself. Moreover, it waste. Watching a SF movie and then hitting the bed sounded absolutely perfect.
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sh-
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At least it would have been if he hadn¡¯t suddenly been transmigrated.
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¡°Eh?¡±
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What in the¡ Transmigration?
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There was no precursor. It took some time for him to regain consciousness and assess the situation. ?
¡®Ah¡.¡¯
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After a few days, he realized he had been transmigrated into a novel he had read several times before: [Chronicles of the Gctic Heroes].
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¡®CGH¡¯, written in the form of a tetralogy unlike typical web novels, was a ce where countless heroes and strange fates entangled. Fortunately, he was well-versed in the novel¡¯s content and was young enough to be ambitious.
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¡°Alright! I¡¯ll definitely prove it! The greatness of SF!¡±
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However, his ambitious resolve was broken not long after.
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In this insane worldview, where a single shot from a giant space battleship could destroy an entire, he was merely a low-ranking officer. Basically, fodder.
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He realized that survival was his primary concern; why would proving himself matter if he wasn¡¯t alive to do so?
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¡®How¡daunting.¡¯
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Now matter how hard he tried, a single ill-fated battle could annihte the he was standing on.
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The terror and futility he felt was difficult to even imagine. Whatever effort he made, whatever growth he had, if luck was against him, he could face a death more meaningless than an ant being crushed under military boots.
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He had topletely revise his n. Initially, he aimed to monopolize all the opportunities he knew of and be a powerhouse that could aim for cosmic hegemony. However, risking his life in battles of the cosmic scale was not an option to him.
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He first obtained the Artificial Intelligence Module with the ultimate operation capability, which had only appeared as a MacGuffin1In fiction, a MacGuffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The term was originated by Angus MacPhail for film, adopted by Alfred Hitchcock, andter extended to a simr device in other fiction. in the novel. The utility of this SF worldview¡¯s best AI, ¡®Aria¡¯, needed no saying. Then, he imnted the AI ¡®Aria¡¯ Module in his body, thus elerating his ns.
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He decided to switch from being abatant to a politician. Starting from the Committee of Frontiers, he built his position. Though it was only a measly amount, it was much easier because he had the Emperor¡¯s bloodline.
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As such, in an ironic twist, the thing he focused on the most inside this SF web novel was not actually the fantastical science, but ¡®people¡¯.
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He sought out the main and supporting characters of CGH one by one. With AI Aria¡¯s help, he instigated situations in advance and stole their hearts.
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-W-Why would you¡ for someone like me¡?
-You¡¯ll be friends with me¡?
-I will serve you loyally.
-This grace¡ I will never forget it!
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?A genius on a cosmic scale.
Can you even begin to imagine? The magnitude of talent that even Aria¡¯s auxiliaryputations could not predict?
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To be the greatest in the entire universe when even a title such as the Greatest Continental Genius would make one¡¯s hand and feets tremble under the pressure and ecstasy?
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No more needed to be said.
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He collected all kinds of talents and geniuses that showed excellence on a cosmic scale. He especially paid attention to the protagonist of Part 2, Cosmic Sword Saint Maxien, and the middle boss of Part 4, Battlefield Conductor Cami. He obtained the strongest individual powerhouse and the maestro of fleet battles. There was nothing to fear.
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Even with the strongest weapons in hand, he did not stop collecting talents. All the while he preemptively dealt with various crises and collected fateful opportunities, thus spreading it among them.
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What followed next was obvious. He slew the final mastermind, the Emperor of the Empire, and ascended to the throne as the supreme ruler of the cosmos.
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The Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
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To be more specific, he became the First Seat of the Human Alliance, one of the three superpowers dividing the universe.
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Although the position of Emperor had a more symbolic meaning, there was still no doubt that he was an omnipotent ruler. After all, various talents actively working in practical affairs were no different from his limbs, making him the sovereign in both name and reality.
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Having ascended to humanity¡¯s highest position, he delegated the rest of his work to ¡®Aria¡¯ and his subordinates. After all, he hadn¡¯t climbed his way to the throne to work himself to the bone.
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Then, one day, as he enjoyed his temporary freedom, a strange message appeared before him.
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[Wee to the Integrated Dimensional Community.]
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Huh?
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An unexpected message.
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What was fascinating to him was not the hologram or the interface that only the user could see. After all, wasn¡¯t it a given for such mere things to be implemented in an SF worldview?
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However, for him, who was assisted by AI Aria, to be approached out of the blue like some kind of spam mail was impossible. Moreover, since he hadpleted a perfect body modification, allowing him to live forever, it was out of the question for him to see hallucinations.
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¡°Is Aria ying a prank?¡±
-What seems to be the problem?
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Immediately after, a female voice was transmitted directly into his mind.
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¡°Um¡.¡±
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Aria¡¯s personality was like that of a cold and haughty secretary; it was hard to imagine her ying such pranks.
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¡°Aria, have you checked the message that¡¯s currently appearing before my eyes?¡±
-¡Please wait a moment.
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A hologram message that Aria couldn¡¯t perceive and was visible only to his eyes?
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That was impossible.
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¡°Hm¡.¡±
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Could it be¡?
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On one hand, a sense of anticipation grew within him. He had been leading quite a dull routine since bing Emperor.
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¡°¡.¡±
-It cannot be checked even through shared vision. Please do not joke around.
¡°Really?¡±
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¡®A message that even Aria can¡¯t see, is it¡.¡¯
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He cocked his head and touched the message that could be seen only to him.
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Ding-!
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[Please enter a nickname to use in the Integrated Dimensional Community.]
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He set a nickname in his mind.
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[Setting up DNP(Dimension Network Protocol)¡]
[DNP Address(1.241.38.66) confirmed. Identification Code assigned.]
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[Wee once again, ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯.]
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Right before his eyes, an interface simr to intemunities from his previous life was created as a translucent window. Simultaneously, Aria¡¯s bewildered voice was heard.
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-Master. An unknown astral signal has just been detected! This is¡ impossible.
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How long had it been since Aria was flustered? Almost never since witnessing the ultimate technique of Maxien, the Cosmic Sword Saint.
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¡°Aria, synchronize.¡±
-Please wait a moment. 3, 2, 1¡. Synchronizationplete.
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He could perceive himself standing nkly in third person, as if going through an out-of-body experience. At the moment, Aria was the one controlling his body. Synchronization went beyond merely interpreting brain signals to share vision.
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¡®Synchronization always feels weird, no matter how many times I go through it, huh.¡¯
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The sensation, as if only his soul had been separated, could not exactly be called pleasant. Regardless, Aria, synchronized with his body, blinked and checked the translucent window.
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-This is¡.
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Could it be seen through Synchronization?
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Aria couldn¡¯t even speak.
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Was it that shocking?
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However, the words that came out of Aria¡¯s mouth were different from his expectations.
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-This is¡ a gathering of psychopaths.
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Aria¡¯s absurd remark made him inwardly nod in agreement.
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[Meanwhile in the Apocalypse¡ Agricultural Log Day 123] [122the numbers represent how manyments there are to the post!]
[500 Reasons Why Martial Arts Are Stronger Than Magic] [325]
[I¡¯m] [0]
[Posting] [1]
[i wanna kill every single one of those pointy-eared motherfuckers] [46]
[NSFW] [144]
[A] [0]
[someone¡¯s strutting around with dual swords again¡ so fucking annoying.] [30]
[stopwiththeregressionsstopwiththeregressionsstopwiththeregressionsstopwiththeregressionsstopwiththeregressions] [2]
[Heinous] [12]
[Stop the Rogue Hate!] [124]
[Annihting filthy humans is the shit] [24]
[Picture3¡°I¡¯m posting a heinous picture¡±: A famous meme in korean inte forums: they basically are saying ¡°Herees something disgusting!¡± and posts a picture that is considered heinous in their respective ¡°subreddit¡±. So, as an example, it¡¯s like saying you would put 10 million mastery points in Teemo. Or saying you think Lebron James is the GOAT to a bunch of middle-aged men.] [67]
[images of correcting my tsundere cat by walking her nude] [44]
[StepOnMeMommy:DemonKing¡¯sPrecariousShoulderStrap.jpg] [642]
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It seemed even artificial intelligence could not gaslight itself to perceive the Integrated Dimensional Community as normal.
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He disconnected Aria¡¯s Synchronization and returned to his body to browse the posts.
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¡®Mm¡. This is no different from themunities in my previous life.¡¯
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After skimming through the posts, he got a rough idea of how it worked. It had simple features where one could choose between anonymity or a nickname to post andment. However, what intrigued him was that the users seemed to live in various different worlds.
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©¸ah¡ i got transmigrated into a fantasy but there¡¯s no flush toilet¡are you kidding me?
©¸fuck u think toilets are the only things missing? im in a martial arts novel and they have neither brain nor decency. mfers¡.
©¸fucking hell isnt it worse to have a toilet but not be able to use it? damn apocalypse.
©¸But still, at least that¡¯s something. Here, civilization is nonexistent. We only wear leather around our waists and run around barefoot¡.
©¸only leather around the waist? slurp
©¸I am a man.
©¸fck off
Mm¡ Did some of them transmigrate into the Stone Age or something? It seemed there were people living in unimaginably primitive conditions.
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©¸Hoho. Obsessing over material wealth leads one away from the path of the heart.
©¸gramps. have u ever eaten chicken? if u havent then stop talking. ur not worth talking to.
©¸Chicken? Is that not called a chicken dish that has been fried? If you are talking about such a dish, then I have had it. But have you truly lived that deprived of a life? To the point that you are obsessed with such a dish?
©¸how dare you speak about our Lord and Savior, the Almighty Chicken, in that way?
©¸hey gramps, what about c?
©¸C? What is that?
©¸mm¡im gonna omit that exnation.
©¸I do not understand this obsession with food. When you go out into the fields and mountains, there are precious foods of nature that fill both your stomach and heart.
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Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just users who had regressed, reincarnated, or transmigrated. asionally, there were figures that seemed like natives to their home world as well.
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Feeling intrigued, he gently pressed the Create Post button.
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¡®Shall we start with something light?¡¯
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-Title: noob here, title says it all
Shortly after, the no-lifers drooling over this noob prey started writingments.- 1
In fiction, a MacGuffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The term was originated by Angus MacPhail for film, adopted by Alfred Hitchcock, andter extended to a simr device in other fiction.
- 2
the numbers represent how manyments there are to the post!
- 3
¡°I¡¯m posting a heinous picture¡±: A famous meme in korean inte forums: they basically are saying ¡°Herees something disgusting!¡± and posts a picture that is considered heinous in their respective ¡°subreddit¡±. So, as an example, it¡¯s like saying you would put 10 million mastery points in Teemo. Or saying you think Lebron James is the GOAT to a bunch of middle-aged men.
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 2: Integrated Dimensional Community
Chapter 2: Integrated Dimensional Community
? Integrated Dimensional Community ?
? ?
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As soon as he posted, severalments appeared in rapid session.
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©¸nickname¡¯s Cosmic Emperor? is that for real LOLOLOLOL mfer be having some major chunni
©¸Why would there even be an emperor in the universe? LOLOLOLOL
©¸newbies need to be cherished¡
©¸yeah, yeah, hey newbie, wee
©¸Hoho. A Son of Heaven should certainly carry a certain gravitas.
©¸Mom, when I grow up, I want to be the Cosmic Emperor of the Universe!Mom, when I grow up, I want to be the Cosmic Emperor of the Universe!Mom, when I grow up, I want to be the Cosmic Emperor of the Universe!
©¸maybe its a bald alien with three eyes and four arms?
©¸there wasnt a single person who transmigrated into SF right? he¡¯s prob just a little kid
©¸ive never seen an actual emperor out of all the mfers who use emperor in their nickname LOL
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He browsed through thements and then slyly left a reply.
©¸If u can¡¯t even be an emperor, why did u even bother transmigrating? what a waste
©¸¡.
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Thements section, which was quiet for a moment, started to re up once again.
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¡°Haha.¡±
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Obviously, thements weren¡¯t going to be positive. Maybe this forum didn¡¯t have any ground rules? It seemed there were many here searching for his parents1it means they¡¯re basically saying shit like ¡°fuck your mom¡± ¡°do you even have parents¡± etc..
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¡°Hmm¡.¡±
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His eyebrows twitched slightly. His calm was momentarily disturbed by the no-lifers¡¯ fierce roasting and Yo Mama jokes. It had been a while since he hadst encountered the¡ intense wee of motherfuckers and sister coomers, so his forgotten Yo Mama endurance had to be newly reminded.
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After silently observing for a while, he closed themunity window and called for Aria.
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¡°Aria.¡±
-Yes.
¡°It¡¯s possible to hack this, right?¡±
-¡.
His face was mixed with some sort of determination, as well as displeasure. And then, the corners of his mouth became slightly raised.
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¡°If you can¡¯t even hack a mental asylum, it would be quite a blow to the dignity of Aria¡¯s name¡.¡±
-Stop talking nonsense.
¡°So there¡¯s something even Aria can¡¯t do? Huh, I can¡¯t help but be quite disappointed¡. Nah, there¡¯s no way our Aria can¡¯t even do this much.¡±
-¡.
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After teasing Aria a few times, she seemed to have taken a critical hit to her pride, thus refusing to continue the conversation. Perhaps it was a kind of silent protest? However, he knew she had already started analyzing the astral signals.
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¡°I believe in you, Aria. You¡¯re the only one I can count on. You got this.¡±
-¡.
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Surprisingly enough, she was an AI capable of feeling emotions. As such, leaving her pissed off wasn¡¯t good. ?
¡°Hm. Amunity, huh¡.¡±
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He thought about the astral signal she mentioned catching earlier. If there were signals and coordinates, perhaps backtracking was possible.
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And if the signal could be analyzed and the coordinates pinpointed¡.
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Direct connection with other dimensions might not be impossible. Right?
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After all, the beauty and essence of a keyboard battle was its final form. Meeting offline for the ultimate showdown.
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He logged back into themunity and posted another shitpost.
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-Title: noob has a question!
(RandomVRGameCapsulePicture.jpg)
u dumbasses dont have something like this at your ce, ay?
by the way, this is the detailed specs of a virtual reality gaming device
-1000x Time Dtion
-While connected, seals user¡¯s original memories
-While connected, solutions to sleep, physiological needs, and food is automated
-Can create a worldview on the scale of a star system
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Not long after posting,ments started flooding in like crazy.
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©¸if ur gonna cap, at least make it believable
©¸isnt this mfer batshit crazy? so, anyway, where can I buy that? Hyungnim.
©¸1000x time dtion LMAOOOO isnt it possible to live 10 fucking years in just one day?
©¸No. It would be a tad less than 3 years.
©¸no you stupid ass mfer thats not what im talking about hello?
©¸What is this item used for?
©¸gramps¡.
©¸wow holy shit if i have just one of those, cant i live several times my lifespan in just a single lifetime?
©¸that would prob help with training too, huh?
©¸heyhey. boiz. u lose if u get jealous!
©¸no shot that shit actually exists LOL
©¸if thats real im jealous af
For the record, the detailed specs mentioned contained no lies. It was an actually usable virtual reality device. Of course, he, too, had enjoyed it a few times, but now he refrained from using it. After all, the aftereffects of returning to reality after ending the game was indescribably shitty.
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-I am Grandmaster Peng Woohyuk of the Peng n of Hebei! This sack of worn skin is not my body!!
-Honey! My daughter, Yujin!!! Where are you?! No¡. This isn¡¯t reality!
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They were remnants of his cringeworthy past, sealed away in his memory. After using it, he had been unable to regain hisposure. It took him a while to get his shit together. Since then, such high-spec devices had been banned under Imperial Law.
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He turned his gaze away from the virtual reality device and looked at the semi-transparent Community Window. The post had received over a hundredments. They were glossing over the truth, iming that there was no way such a convenient virtual reality device could possibly exist.
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¡°Ahhh. O ignorant ones. O generation of barbarians. O paupers of civilization.¡±
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He did not hide the bubbling joy that was surging from deep within.
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¡®Ahhh. This is the shit.¡¯
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He was immersed in the state of an ¡®otaku¡¯s chunni flex¡¯. In other words, he wanted to brag. Whether it was the punk who was asking how his parents were just because of a single gaming device or the bastard demanding evidence, saying it was not believable. The variety of reactions entertained him. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t be bored for a while.
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As he browsed through thements and posts to stave off his boredom, he suddenly heard Aria¡¯s voice.
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¡°I havepleted the primary analysis of the astral signal.¡±
¡°Already?¡±
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The Astral Dimension, used as a passageway for Warp, was a mystery even in ¡®CGH¡¯ which he transmigrated into. The fact that she had already analyzed a signal that could only be caught inside such an Astral Dimension passageway meant Aria had performed the calctions with her main body.
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And as if proving his thoughts right, right as he turned his head, there she was; a woman with silver hair, wearing the Empire¡¯s uniform, looked at him with a cold expression. She was one of the Terminal Androids frequently used by Aria.
¡°Aria, you look beautiful as always.¡±
¡°¡Please focus on the report.¡±
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Look at her being all shy.
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Heeding Aria¡¯s coy response, he nodded and lended an ear.
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¡°Currently, Master is the only terminal that can receive the signal in question in the ¡®Dimension-001¡¯ where the Gctic Empire exists.¡±
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In essence, that meant he was the only person in the ¡®CGH¡¯ world who could ess the [Integrated Dimensional Community]. He had easily guessed as much. After all, no matter how much he searched themunity, there didn¡¯t seem to be any SF Transmigrators. But still, he had hoped. Maybe. Just maybe there was someone else.
¡°More importantly, this could be evidence that other dimensions actually do exist.¡±
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Furthermore, ¡®Dimension-001¡¯ referred to the dimension he lived in and ¡®Dimension-000¡¯ meant the Astral Dimension. Nothing more was known and only he, who had transmigrated, could vaguely guess the existence of other dimensions or worlds.
¡°If the academic circles knew of this, it would cause amotion. Even the Demos species of the Great White Tower would rush in like mad.¡±
¡°But there isn¡¯t any need to go out of our way to tell them.¡±
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Nod Nod-
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The Demos species of the Great White Tower, who fanatically worshiped solely knowledge, had brains that were 5 times the size of humans, long heads, and tentacles that reached down to their corbones instead of beards. Basically, they were aliens.
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For reference, the tentacles of the Demos species had a function simr to the USBs used in his previous life.
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They were a neutral race that had signed a pact with the Gctic Alliance to collect history and knowledge without involving themselves in any disputes whatsoever. And since this information was about the Astral Dimension, something that even the Demos species had no knowledge of, this would be a huge surprise to not just the academic world but the entire universe.
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¡°Anyway, let¡¯s move on from all theplicated stuff. So, just tell me what¡¯s possible and what we need.¡±
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¡°I need permission to use the ACC(Akashic Causality Calctor) and the cooperation of Makia, the Minister of the Encryption Information Department, and Calen, the Vice Minister of the Central DBMS (Database Management System) Department.¡±
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The ACC was the size of an asteroid 2000 km in diameter, as well as an operation device that could predict with a 96.8% uracy upon full operation, practically making it an out-of-ce artifact (OOPArt) even in this SF worldview. And if the ACC was used, it meant Aria had to directly devote all her capabilities into driving the ACC, so he had to handle all the Emperor¡¯s duties that Aria was doing in his stead by himself.
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Makia, the Minster of the Encryption Information Department, was second to none when it came to security and hacking, and Calen was likewise.
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Moreover, Calen, whom he had personally scouted, was the best talent in database construction and programming. Since he had personally ced him there, there was some form of familiarity between them.
¡°It¡¯s a bit much if you¡¯re gone, though¡ Do you really have to operate the ACC? Can¡¯t we just let those guys tinker around with it?
¡°¡If left to those two alone, even a hundred years might not be enough.¡±
¡°Even a hundred years, huh¡.¡±
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He sighed, knowing Makia and Calen would be horrified if they knew what he was thinking.
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¡°Fine. How many days will it take?¡±
¡°It is expected to take at least a month.¡±
¡°A month? You¡¯re saying I have to survive without you for a month?¡±
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He groaned in disgust and dismay. That was how much Aria had been covering for him; the volume of work handled by her was beyond imagination. After all, Aria¡¯s performance wasmonly acknowledged as absolutely unparalleled.
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¡°I have nned the schedule of tasks Master needs to take care of down to the very second.¡±
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At Aria¡¯s chilling words, he slumped down.
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¡°Eughhh.¡±
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He eventually nodded and, after throwing in a few more posts into themunity, exited it. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t have time to log in for a while. ?
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***
? ?
Meanwhile, opinions about the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯ were divided in the Integrated Dimensional Community.
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-Title: what¡¯s with the newbie? aren¡¯t these godlike levels of cap?
if that kind of thing actually existed, why even bother living his current life? LMAO say something that actually makes sense.
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©¸facts he should open up a cap store at this point
©¸LOL is it because it¡¯s SF? what an imagination lmao
©¸i dont even believe he¡¯s in a SF lol
©¸but with just that one thing, wouldn¡¯t it actually multiply training time by 1000?
©¸frfr it¡¯s not like it¡¯s some hyperbolic time chamber lmao
©¸but if it¡¯s real, wouldn¡¯t that make regression, transmigration, and reincarnation fkin pointless?
©¸dude im so down to erase my memories and live a 2nd and 3rd life frfr
©¸and what about the post that came after?
©¸ive seen a guy from a modern fantasy bragging about all sorts of supercars, but this is a first LOL.
©¸cruisers, patrol frigates, battleships¡ i can¡¯t believe he flexed a collection of spaceships¡ does that even make sense?
©¸LMAOOOOOOOOO fucking ridiculous
©¸i was more shocked by the cure for balding tho.
©¸Hair loss is not a disease. Why are you even speaking about a cure?
©¸grow, my hair, grow!
©¸¡
©¸anyway it¡¯s unrealistic. even faking should have its limits.
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Themunity was sharply divided between ims of fabrication and those arguing for its possibility. Those insisting it was a fabrication argued that such things were impossible, even if it was SF, while those against them were split between people wishing it wasn¡¯t a lie and people who insisted it was definitely possible.
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-Title: Day 1 of Praying for the Cosmic Emperor to Login
If that post is 100% true, I must prepare to wee yet another God.
Everyone, shout. Baldmen2It¡¯s like Amen, but ¡°Baldmen¡±. Basically, it¡¯s a way of prayer to cure his baldness LMAO
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©¸Baldmen
©¸Baldmen
©¸even if it does exist, what¡¯s the point? isn¡¯t it like a pie in the sky?
©¸such short-sighted thinking. just releasing the blueprints or research materials would have people throwing their entire fortunes at it.
©¸you¡¯re saying it¡¯s possible for a baldness cure to exist? when even a 1500-year-old lich gave up on it? even with magical engineering that developed the buxomize pill3a pill that makes booba bigger and more beautiful, they said baldness was incurable
©¸I. Said. It. Is. Not. A. Disease.
©¸Baldmen
©¸i mean, even if it¡¯s real, do u rly think he¡¯s gonna make it rain with blueprints? even if u wanted to offer ur entire fortunes, how are u supposed to give it? and he said he¡¯s an emperor u know? do u think he¡¯s even gonna care about ur chump change LMAO
©¸hairy mfer. stop aggroing and fuck off
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A certain item that was coincidentally exposed in the photo particrly caused a stir throughout themunity.
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©¸He Who Cures Baldness isuded as omnipotent, thus He must be called the Messiah.
©¸Baldmen
©¸Baldmen
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Emperor Karlstein Babylon was too busy with his duties to be aware of such a situation.- 1
it means they¡¯re basically saying shit like ¡°fuck your mom¡± ¡°do you even have parents¡± etc.
- 2
It¡¯s like Amen, but ¡°Baldmen¡±. Basically, it¡¯s a way of prayer to cure his baldness LMAO
- 3
a pill that makes booba bigger and more beautiful
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 3: Karlstein Babylon
Chapter 3: Karlstein Babylon
? Karlstein Babylon ?
? ?
***
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Calen, the Vice Minister of the Central DBMS Department.
?
He was anxiously checking his attire while breaking out in cold sweat.
?
¡°Be careful with your words and actions as you will soon be granted an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.¡±
?
At the cold voice of a woman, he hastily nodded his head. Even then, he stealthily nced sideways to check the owner of the voice.
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The woman, who held the positions of both the First Chancellor and the Chief Secretary of the Gctic Empire, was scrutinizing him from head to toe with the eyes of a hawk.
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¡®Hooo¡. Calm down.¡¯
?
The identity of the First Chancellor of the Gctic Empire was not revealed to anyone. There were rumors that she was one of the Empress candidates, so it was better to be cautious.
?
Calen had to keep taking deep breaths to calm his nerves.
?
An Empress candidate was quite an important figure, but when thinking about the person he was about to meet, she seemed utterly trivial.
?
Karlstein Babylon.
He was a sovereign with countless terrifying titles, such as the Monarch of the Apocalypse, the Omniscient Emperor, the Maestro of ughter, the Destroyer of Star Systems, the Singer of Carnage, the Deep Impact of Genocide1Refers to Deep Impact space mission, where it is tested on how much the impact levels of aet is. It is to prepare for the case where aet hits the Earth. In this situation, it is used as a way to describe that the MC actually did fall onto a world like aet, thusmitting genocide. It is also a bit of a meme in korean forums about how it ¡°deeply¡±¡¡±impacts¡± someone, and more.
?
If one merely caught his eye, the talent in question would beg on their knees to serve under him; it was said that nothing was impossible if he set his mind to it.
?
The first thing he did upon bing Emperor was to massacre the corrupt officials from all walks of life and it was said that the blood shed during that purge could cover entires. Emperor Karlstein was known as the bloodthirsty ruler who was even feared by one of the giant forces of the universe, ¡®Sparrow¡¯, a notorious Space Pirate Alliance known for their cruelty.
?
Even unidentified hostile space life forms without any intelligence dared not rashly approach him, showing just how incredible he was. To be frank, he could not be described with mere words.
?
As the hero who ended the 28,000-year-long Third Great Cosmic War, Karlstein was considered an absolutely unique and unprecedented ruler. The very embodiment of a deterrence to war that no cohort could ignore.
?
Under the Emperor, there were countless hidden des assisting him as his shadows and rumors even said that his eyes and ears were watching over the entire gxy.
?
In front of his presence, lies became utterly meaningless as there was nothing he did not know. In fact, it was rumored that if one spoke even a single falsity, they had to leave their eyes and tongue behind.
?
Naturally, Calen could not help but be nervous about being granted an audience with such a historically unparalleled Emperor.
Calen was a factory worker struggling on a frontier. A lowborn who barely survived after his lifespan was halved. Such a person had now risen to the position of Vice Minister with just a word from Emperor Karlstein. Thus, the Emperor¡¯s influence was clearly evident without needing to see it with one¡¯s very eyes.
?
¡°Enter.¡±
?
Even from outside the door, he felt a majestic dignity from just that single word. How could this be? Was it because of his overwhelming achievements? Or was it because of his very genes?
?
Calen swallowed down such questions and, following etiquette, entered with his head bowed at 45 degrees, stepping forward without a hint of disorder in his gait.
?
¡°Hm¡.¡±
?
A heavy tension settled in the audience chamber at the sound of a single nonchnt hum. Around that time, Calen realized that Minister Makia was also present in the audience chamber. And, upon discreetly observing hisplexion, noticed it was not much different from his own. Both were tense, careful not to make even a single mistake.
?
He felt a sense of relief knowing there was at least one other person in the same circumstance as him.
?
¡®This isn¡¯t the time for such thoughts.¡¯
?
He quickly regained hisposure and listened attentively to the Emperor and Chancellor¡¯s words.
?
¡°We have a task for you, you see¡.¡±
?
While keeping their heads down and avoiding eye contact, they carefully tried to gauge the Emperor¡¯s intentions, racking their brains in a fervor?.
?
***
? ?
After leaving the audience chamber, Vice Minister Calen could only calm his trembling legs upon exiting the Imperial Pce.
?
¡®To think it would be this overwhelming, even though His Majesty the Emperor hardly said a few words.¡¯
?
The Emperor had only spoken a few words like ¡®That is right¡¯, ¡®I asked if you could do it¡¯, ¡®Make sure to show results¡¯. The actualmands and exnations were conveyed by the Chancellor. Nevertheless, the overwhelming presence and unapproachable dignity made it impossible to even lift his head.
?
While he was catching his breath, Minister Makia appeared behind him.
¡°Vice Minister Calen, spare me a moment.¡±
¡°Yes, understood.¡±
?
Calen got into the car with Minister Makia. As soon as they boarded, the car automatically started its engine, set its destination, and began to levitate.
?
¡°Hooo¡. His Majesty¡¯s realm seems to be deepening by the day. It is bing quite difficult to even stay in the same area as him.¡±
¡°Do you think you¡¯re the only one who feels that way, Minister Makia? I also suffered.¡±
¡°No. Perhaps because I¡¯m older, I felt it far more intensely.¡±
¡°Haha.¡±
?
After listening to Minister Makia¡¯sints for a bit, they began to discuss the actual mission at hand.
?
¡°It seems like that His Majesty desires to venture into and conquer other dimensions.¡±
¡°Excuse me?¡±
¡°His Majesty must be envisioning a future of the Gctic Empire that someone like us cannot even begin to imagine.¡±
¡°That is¡ likely.¡±
?
Calen hid his inner perplexity.
?
¡®Wasn¡¯t the ultimate goal to hack into an unidentifiedmunity, so that desired functionalities can be inserted? And if possible, to also gather user information and track coordinates?¡¯
?
?No. The august and stern Emperor would not personally issuemands for such trivial matters.
Calen shook his head, before nodding in agreement with Minister Makia.
?
¡®As he is someone who holds immortality itself in his imperial grasp, it is beyond us mere mortals to judge.¡¯
?
He decided to think that way. At least in Calen¡¯s mind, imagining Emperor Karlstein cackling while posting on amunity was utterly unthinkable.
¡°Anyway, since the Chancellor has activated the ACC, there is less of a need to worry about failure.¡±
¡°Indeed. Even if it wasn¡¯t a direct order from His Majesty, understanding His hidden intentions and preparing in advance is our duty as subordinates.¡±
¡°Yes, it looks like we¡¯ll be busy for the time being.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. So, let¡¯s handle it as quickly as possible.¡±
?
Calen and Makia continued to converse about the mission, gradually moving away from the Imperial Pce. ?
?
***
? ?
Could this be how the Big Bang was like?
?
In the center of the universe, red and blue lights flickered against the backdrop of the pitch-ck expanse.
?
Whooooong-
?
Behind Karlstein, who was floating in space, a was screaming itsst breath as it faced death.
?
The surface of the celestial body cracked, breaking into pieces, and between the fine cracks, a hot and dazzling red wave pulsed. It split, then split again, before emitting a sh akin to the sun and dispersing into dust in the pattern of a circr wave.
?
Guooooooo-
?
The death of a heavenly body.
?
With just a single attack, Karlstein decreed death upon the and turned around, letting go of a 2 km long exclusive weapon from his hand.
?
Ziiiiiing-
?
Panels floating around the weapon like satellites emitted a blue force field, thus enveloping the de and quickly transforming into a case that covered the massive 2 km spear.
?
From the vicinity, an officer in a reinforced suit waddled towards Karlstein, who was d in a golden full-body armor.
?
-We apologize for the troubles. Please ept our deepest thanks.
?
Nod-
?
Karlstein nodded with gravitas and then flew back to the gship. ?
?
The officer, left in the ce where Emperor Karlstein had departed, continued the task of retrieving the Emperor¡¯s exclusive Ether Weapon. He had to struggle to calm his trembling heart while continuously clenching and unclenching his fist.
?
¡®Perhaps only His Majesty could draw out such a performance from an Ether Fusion Weapon that operates in multi-probabilistic physics.¡¯
With just a single swing, he had annihted a major infested by the nt. Despite having experienced numerous battlefields, the sight still sent shivers down his spine. The formidable defense of the nt was like a candle in the wind before His Majesty. ?
?
Meanwhile, Emperor Karlstein, having returned to his personal gship, took a selfie with the exploding as a backdrop.
?
Cli-ck-
?
It was a built-in feature of the Integrated Dimensional Community. For reference, it could also edit photos.
?
-Title: Done with today¡¯s work! Time to clock out ^^
(CasualPhotoOExploding.jpg)
I exerted myself a little and now I¡¯m craving a beer.
©¸¡.
©¸the fuck did i just see?
©¸the way he bluffs can def be called the zenith of the universe lol
©¸why in the world is he even posting something like this?
©¸it has to be at least believable for me to consider upvoting it lmao
©¸so fcking pathetic
©¸Baldmen
©¸I, too, can destroy a continent, but¡
©¸this has to be the worst case of cappin ive ever seen LOL
©¸Wee, Cap Artist.
©¸crazy mfer hahaha lets see how far this fabrication goes
©¸Baldmen
©¸LOL destroyings, ye?
©¸bruh how does that even make sense LMAO look at that long ass spear LOL how much did he photoshop it to make those proportions and length LMAOOOO makes no sense at all LOLOLOL
©¸since it¡¯s space, why not? what¡¯s so impossible about it?
©¸if that¡¯s real, doesn¡¯t that make him themunity numba one in terms of power?
©¸He¡¯s of the Heavens
©¸how are you actually believing that crap, you gay mofo¡.
?
If they had known that the in the photo was a Ulyssna-ss supergiant, several times the size of the sun, they would have been astounded.
?
Karlstein smirked and responded to thements.
?
©¸cant anyone do at least that much?^^ it¡¯s not that impressive, you know. why did u guys even transmigrate if u cant at least do this?
?
Ding-!
?
©¸why is this mfer talking some mad shit? fucking hell
©¸yeah yeah okay buddy ur photoshop skills are the only thing that¡¯s impressive
©¸who invited this little fucker to themunity? admin, get over here!
©¸as if there¡¯s an admin LMAO
©¸look at this edgelord, wearing armor in space
©¸how shameless
©¸i wanna correct him so bad
©¸what do u mean why transmigrate?! u think i wanted to? u think i asked to transmigrate?! I! WANT TO GO BACKKKKNEAGONE!
©¸fax
©¸Looking for party members to correct this serial capper (1/100)
©¸mememe(2/1000)
©¸u think a thousand ppl is enough for someone who breakss? as if lol goofy ahhhh
?
?The reputation of the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯ began to resonate throughout the entiremunity.- 1
Refers to Deep Impact space mission, where it is tested on how much the impact levels of aet is. It is to prepare for the case where aet hits the Earth. In this situation, it is used as a way to describe that the MC actually did fall onto a world like aet, thusmitting genocide. It is also a bit of a meme in korean forums about how it ¡°deeply¡±¡¡±impacts¡± someone
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 4: Baldmen Order
Chapter 4: Baldmen Order
? Baldmen Order ?
Karlstein nodded as he saw themunity he essed after a month was still the same.
?
I really like this little neighborhood.
?
The corners of his mouth raised slightly.
?
¡°Hieek!¡±
¡°Heup!¡±
?
When he did so, the people assisting him by his side began to tremble. This was the case for everyone, regardless of age, status, or gender.
?
¡°¡.¡±
?
Karlstein forced down the smile that had popped up, sighing inwardly.
?
¡®Haaa¡.¡¯
?
To be honest, he had a problem that wasn¡¯t exactly a problem.
?
¡®Maybe that¡¯s why I was so happy about themunity.¡¯
?
It could be said that he was exhausted from living a double life for so long. It was a desperate measure to survive, perhaps even unavoidable.
?
Under hismand was what wasmonly known as the ¡®Fallen¡¯.
?
It was a gathering of talents said to be capable of even bringing down stars.
?
To gather these cosmic-scale geniuses under the ¡®Fallen¡¯, he had to act all the time. Some knew his true nature, but not everyone.
?
The word genius, in another sense, could also be called a natural disaster.
?
To unite these strong-willed geniuses, the greatest the universe had to offer, a leader must have what was called ¡®dignity¡¯.
?
And if even one person became disappointed in him and rebelled?
?
He could not even begin to imagine what they would do with their astounding, batshit insane talents.
?
To put it simply, they could just be thought of as web novel protagonists who turn to the dark aside and be enemies.
?
¡®It would be a very, very terrible thing¡.¡¯
?
So, when necessary, he even had to use Aria¡¯s Synchronization to act dignified. It had be a habit and it seemed almost natural to do so. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that he ended up in this position as the Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
And because it was a problem he created with his own hands, it wasn¡¯t something he could particrlyin about.
?
However, as he always had to act in front of others, he could not ignore the mental stress that came with it.
?
Some might wonder.
?
-But if he¡¯s risen to such a position, wouldn¡¯t dignitye naturally to him?
-Shouldn¡¯t he be used to it by now?
He, too, once thought he would eventually adapt, but that was a severe misjudgment.
¡®It¡¯s all because of that damned privilege or whatever¡.¡¯
When he fell into the world of ¡®CGH¡¯, he received a strange ability that was not clear as to whether it was truly a privilege or not.
If it had to be named, it would be called [Mental Invariability].
Even amidst war, surrounded by blood and flesh¡
Even when just a single decision from him resulted in the annihtion of countless lives on a¡
He would be a bit troubled, but he never broke down. Ever. And of course, this was incredibly strange.
Whenever he was about to break down, he somehow became perfectly fine again, so it could perhaps be considered a kind of protective measure.
However, the problem was that the petit bourgeois mentality from his previous life also remained fixed.
A small part of his mind remained as a middle-ss nobody, thus tormenting him with a constant stream of loneliness and depression. Despite being on the brink of madness, the nature of [Mental Invariability] forced him to endure.
The thought of living a near-eternal life was truly terrifying.
Eternal Life.
For some, it was merely enviable, but it was different for the person actually experiencing it. True eternal life required a certain mental stability as a prerequisite.
¡°Hooo¡.¡±
His short sigh made the aides around him gulp and shudder.
¡®This body of mine is also a problem¡.¡¯
His body was not ordinary either. Although he appeared as a typical adult male, certain features of his body meant he had to live his life receiving fearful nces from the ordinary people.
He sent the people away and returned to his room, flopping down on the bed. A terrible sense of loneliness? Skepticism? Even he could not clearly identify the emotion that had piled up like snow.
Aria simply dismissed it as ¡®deranged¡¯, though.
Ding-
[Wee to the Integrated Dimensional Community.]
He could tell that his past self was somewhatforted by the sight of this.
Hm¡.
If I have to make aparison, wasn¡¯t it simr to the desire of a married man wanting to have his own time and leisure at times?
Don¡¯t quote me on that, though. It didn¡¯te from me.
He checked the posts that had piled up over the past month, freely expressing his once middle-ss,moner self.
***
?
It had been a month since he properly enjoyed themunity. He had been incredibly busy until now; the schedule Aria nned out for him to the very second was literally murderous.
Having barely finished thest schedule, Karlstein could finally afford a moment of leisure.
Then, a certain word caught his eye. Many times, at that.
¡°Baldmen? What¡¯s this now?¡±
As he slowly sifted through past posts, he found the culprit behind the problem.
Hair loss medication?
¡°How ridiculous.¡±
His collection of spaceships was hardly mentioned. They were limited edition battleships he had put a lot of effort into obtaining; in fact, it was the highest grade series that couldn¡¯t be purchased, even with money.
He felt a strange sentiment upon learning his collection of space battleships was overshadowed by mere hair loss medication.
He gloomilyposed a post.
-Title: Gaze upon this, Baldmen Order
(Rough Photo of Hair Loss Medication.jpg)
-guys, guys calm down. so, you¡¯re asking for the manufacturing method of this hair loss medication, right?
Not long after Karlstein posted his message,ments started pouring in rapidly. The unprecedented fervor of thements made him chuckle in disbelief.
¡°Smh.¡±
©¸Baldmen
©¸Please grant us your mercy
©¸O, God
©¸Baldmen
©¸Baldmen
©¸wow he¡¯s seriously gonna reveal this for free?
©¸i heard baldies love free stuff but to think its actually tru lololol
©¸You¡ you¡¯ve gone too far
©¸shut up lush hair mfer!
©¸dont ruin this for us and fk off!
©¸i cant believe you actually believe that goofy ahhh LMAOOO bald mofos
©¸Baldmen
©¸isnt this the mf who went to shaolin temple? wtf is he doing here
Karlstein personally responded to the enthusiastic reception.
-But what to do¡ At the level that your civilizations are at, you won¡¯t be able to make it anyway¡ Sorry. There¡¯s just no shot with mediocre technology.
As soon as he posted this new message, there seemed to be a moment of silence. Comments that had been flowing in real-time stopped abruptly.
©¸the fuck is this mfer saying
©¸The Baldmen Order wails in despair
©¸you humiliated me
©¸fucking hell is this bitch fucking with us
©¸insane bait holy the false hope goes crazy
©¸Bald¡men¡
©¸you yed my heart like a fiddle, yed my heart like a fiddle hey~ you yed my hair like a fiddle, yed my hair like a fiddle1actual song called: ¡°Love Actually¡± by Daybreak and Sunny Hill. The first part, ¡°You yed my heart like a fiddle¡± is the actual lyrics. And then, they switch up ¡°heart¡± with ¡°hair¡± to fit this context as a joke :)) Link to MV: /watch?v=MStMdxnrYyY
©¸Whoever is above me, that¡¯s enough.
©¸my guy is genuinely pissed af LMAOOOO
©¸just as expected, the cap master, the bluff king strikes again
©¸we cant make it? LOL tf is he on about? there¡¯s no one here who hasnt dabbled in magical engineering
©¸look at this mofo disrespecting magical engineering just bc he¡¯s in an sf LMAO if we meet, this lil fucker wont even be able to say a word. keep coping dumbass. just release the manufacturing method
©¸the audacity of a mere human to critique a transcendent being¡¯s technology
©¸ayo! you! wanna get hit by a meteor? huh?!
©¸is he looking down on qi arts? does this guy even know the mysteries of the east lololol
©¸r u underestimating dwarves? a mere human dares to debate technology?
Karlstein nodded at the intense reactions from the Otherworlders. Fine then, he should respect their wishes and give them the benefit of the doubt.
-So, is it possible to treat baldness with Magic, Dwarves, Magical Engineering, or Qi Arts?
©¸¡.
©¸¡.
Silence. Then, once again, a torrent ofments erupted. From ¡®1v1 me bro¡¯ to ¡®how dare u yap just because ur anonymous¡¯, a range of angryments were posted.
He smirked.
Of course, he was half-joking too. He didn¡¯t actually want to hit people¡¯s sore spots with false hope. After skimming through the manufacturing method, he diligently replied.
©¸If you can manipte material at the peter level, obtain a pseudo-maic guidance system with supernormal response, and have technology that can control core pressure, it might just be possible.
©¸¡.
©¸pi¡ pico what?
©¸it¡¯s a unit smaller than nano
©¸what¡¯s a core?
©¸he¡¯s just yapping
©¸is he looking down on us bc we cant understand
©¸yapping fr
©¸it might be possible up to the level of nanometers, but¡.
©¸O Creator, what in the world were you thinking when creating baldness? Why is it that we need such technologies to even attempt to cure this horrid disease?
©¸LMAO God: ah, i didn¡¯t expect u guys to actually cure it LOL
©¸is verification even possible
©¸it¡¯s all just bullshit you retards how r u actually believing him
©¸ah baldy order lololol got fooled again, ye?
He could observe the despair of the Baldmen Order in real-time.
¡°Well, if they can¡¯t believe it, I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡±
?
He scratched his head and then uploaded the manufacturing method. It was a rather condensed version he had organized.
©¸no shot. could this actually be real?
©¸nono dont u remember? that so-called archmage posted, saying that it was a spell for dimensional travel magic then got busted by a dragon reincarnator and went MIA LOLLLLL
©¸LMAO they posted fuck all bc they thought no one would recognize it LOLOLOL
©¸turned out to be a spell that transforms people into beastkin lolol
©¸but in terms of theory, it was said to be possible at the 10th circle lmao
©¸why did that mage even need to create a beastkin transformation magic¡.
©¸furryfurry LOLOLOL mfer was saying how his dreams came true after getting his shit verified by the dragon or whatever¡.
©¸screw all that! So, is this actually real? whether it¡¯s magical engineering, dragons, or liches, it doesntt matter! juste out and show us.
©¸I am currently a dwarf apprentice. It is theoretically impossible.
©¸I am currently the Chief Security Guard of the Magic Tower. It is not a technology of humans.
©¸ah stop fucking around!
©¸ah¡ it¡¯splicated af but it kinda feels real
©¸ooh u can interpret that?
©¸the one thing that¡¯s certain is that creating it is impossible.
©¸ugh why?!
©¸anyway, it¡¯s impossible
Despite posting the manufacturing method, themunity¡¯s reaction could not be good. After all, it was because theplex chemical reaction form and various SF physics forms were not easy to understand, leading everyone to throw up their hands in defeat.
©¸i majored in physics before transmigrating, but i cant understand any of this
©¸I have a master¡¯s degree in physics. But I cannot make heads or tails of this.
©¸I was an associate professor of physics at Korea University. I¡¯ll just pass by.
¡°If they can¡¯t understand it even after I gave them all the answers, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±
While he felt like he could somewhat make them understand by going over each step one at a time, he didn¡¯t feel obliged to do so. Just because they understood it didn¡¯t mean they could do it and it wasn¡¯t easy to exin either. After all, he didn¡¯t know about it in that much detail.
That was when a pleasing voice reached his ears, a tone clear and pure yet also crisp and smart.
-Master, we have finished hacking the Inter-Dimensional Network.
The corners of Kalstein¡¯s mouth lifted at the sound of such wee news.- 1
actual song called: ¡°Love Actually¡± by Daybreak and Sunny Hill. The first part, ¡°You yed my heart like a fiddle¡± is the actual lyrics. And then, they switch up ¡°heart¡± with ¡°hair¡± to fit this context as a joke :)) Link to MV: /watch?v=MStMdxnrYyY
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 5: Administrator Mode
Chapter 5: Administrator Mode
? Administrator Mode ?
?
In truth, Karlstein was happier about Aria¡¯s return than the fact that the hacking was sessful. Finally, he could escape this hellish swamp of duties and tasks!
?
¡°Aria! I¡¯ve been waiting. Why were you sote?¡±
-I finished earlier than scheduled.
¡°Anyway, it¡¯s done now, right?¡±
-I will proceed with an update to enable Administrator Mode.
¡°Alright. Do that.¡±
-But Master.
¡°Eung?¡±
?
He was in such a good mood that he did not notice the chill in Aria¡¯s voice.
?
-Master, I have reviewed the tasks you have handled over the past month.
¡°E-Eung?¡±
-Why is the discrepancy rate between the schedule and the task list you have handled over 5%?
¡°W-Well, can¡¯t that much be considered basically done?¡±
-I have only selected easy tasks for you. A discrepancy rate of 8.8%¡. Even after considering Master¡¯s tendency toze around, the rate is far too high.
?
In fact, Karlstein had snuck a few peeks at themunity forum in between his worktimes.
?
¡°W-Who knows?¡±
-This won¡¯t do.
¡°What won¡¯t?!¡±
-I have sent you an additional work schedule. Please check it.
¡°Ah, n-no! Aria is back now, so I can rest, right?!¡±
-That is preposterous.
?
Aria was resolute; he would not be able to escape this hell just yet. ?
?
*** ?
?
Karlstein, who was catching up on dyed work, yawned wildly.
?
¡°Yawn. Our Aria used to be so gentle¡ I feel like the Aria of now has changed¡¡±
-If you continue to talk such nonsense, I will assume that you have enough spare time and assign more tasks.
¡°Heup!¡±
?
After getting threatened (or was it actually a threat?) by Aria, Karlstein quickly got back to work. Because of the backlog, Aria had postponed the update for [Integrated Dimensional Community] that he had been so looking forward to.
?
-There is no chance of that happening before all your work is done. Human.
¡°Aria¡ What do you mean Human? Where did you learn such a strange manner of speaking?¡±
-Focus. Human.
?
When reflecting on himself, Karlstein quite regretted letting Aria know about themunity.
?
Only after finishing the long-dyed tasks was he finally granted the time to rx.
?
¡°Hooo. So it¡¯s all done now, right?¡±
-Do you truly think you can escape from work forever, Human?
¡°No, seriously. Aria, why are you doing this to me?¡±
-Hehe, twas just a joke. Master.
¡°¡.¡±
?
Aria¡¯s jokes were sometimes so, very chilling.
?
¡°Now, continue with what you were exining earlier.¡±
-As I mentioned before, [Integrated Dimensional Community] is not just a cyberwork. Even if we use ACC, obtaining full administrator privileges of the Integrated Dimensional Community seems like it will take quite a long time.
¡°That¡¯s a bit troublesome.¡±
?
Running the Empire without Aria was the same thing as Karlstein grinding himself down until nothing was left of him.
?
-What do you think of using this opportunity to slightly enhance your job capacity?
¡°¡Sorry. I was wrong.¡±
?
It was only natural that managing the Gctic Empire required a lot more care and focus than running apany, leading a country, or even governing a.
?
-Yes. After taking Master¡¯s dislike for work into ount, I decided to invest only about 50% of my main body¡¯s resources into ACC.
¡°As much as 50%? Wouldn¡¯t that hinder running the Empire?¡±
-It is a problem that can be solved if Master works, even if just asionally.
¡°No, wait¡.¡±
?
Karlstein sincerely wished for retirement. He craved it. He had secured his right to live and ascended to the throne of the Emperor; wasn¡¯t it time for a rest at this point? No one knew how much he had struggled to stabilize the Gctic Empire to its current extent. He had actuallly worked tirelessly.
?
-Though it may sound unbelievable, if Master suddenly vanishes, the probability of a Great War urring within a year is 34.58%, and within 10 years is 98.27%.
¡°¡.¡±
-So, discard any thoughts of fleeing, Human.
?
Karlstein wanted to cry, even if he had to put his fist into his mouth to quiet the sobs. The image of himself trapped in an eternal swamp of tasks under the curse of Eternal Life haunted his mind.
?
¡®N-No!¡¯
?
Had she perhaps read Karlstein¡¯s despair? Aria¡¯s voice offort reached him.
?
-However, there is good news.
¡°¡Good news?¡±
?
Karlstein¡¯s ears perked up at Aria¡¯s words.
?
-If we can connect to other dimensions through [Integrated Dimensional Community], we can significantly reduce Master¡¯s workload.
¡°What?¡±
-The majority of the problems with the tasks you handle are not due to limited resources. Is that not the case?
¡°That¡¯s true¡.¡±
?
Basically, she wasn¡¯t just talking about merend or rare minerals. It was about resources on aary scale. Disputes over territory on a cosmic level.
?
¡®Haaa, SF is really no different, huh.¡¯
?
Even Earth in his previous life never ceased wars over resources and greed. They said that going to Mars or into space would solve many problems or whatever. But when were human issues ever that simple?
?
It was the same, even after joining the vast expanse. They underestimated the universe, thinking they could easily solve their resource shortages, only to find themselves surrounded by others in simr straits.
?
At first, everyone would focus on their own tasks. nting gs ons, colonizing, and relocating.
?
However, time would inevitably bring the same issues to the colonizeds as they developed. Then, there would be a need to expand territory, colonize, and relocate once more.
?
Thus, the Gctic Empire was established and space civilization was developed over hundreds of thousands of years.
?
¡®Dimension-001¡¯ was reaching a state of saturation.
?
Though it might seem strange to talk about saturation in an infinite universe¡.
?
There were unidentified hostile space life forms.
?
The so-called Space Monsters were a pain in the ass, hindering the expansion of the Empire. For now, their invasions had been repelled, achieving temporary peace, but¡.
?
-So, discard any thoughts of throwing everything away and hiding under the covers. Human.
¡°¡Anyway, expanding the dimension means I can rest, right?¡±
-At minimum, for a hundred thousand years, Master can lead the leisurely life you desire.
?
A hundred thousand years.
?
It was an unimaginably long time.
?
In the past, the value of a happy 10 years now might have been more significant than an uncertain future.
?
But having obtained an immortal body, it was now a whole different issue. How should he put it? Perhaps this was the viewpoint of Immortals and Transcendents?
?
Living only in the present was just exacerbating the agony of Eternal Life. And the reason he managed his plebeian spirit in such a way was an extension of this issue.
?
¡®Had I known, I wouldn¡¯t have chosen this body¡.¡¯
?
But it was toote. He was in a body that couldn¡¯t die even if he wanted to.
-And maybe¡ when [Integrated Dimensional Community] is fully in your hands, it might provide a clue to fulfilling the wish buried deep in Master¡¯s he¡
¡°Aria.¡±
-Master¡.
?
Karlstein¡¯s handsome face became expressionless for a moment. To be more precise, it was as if his petit bourgeois self hadpletely disappeared.
?
Karlstein rubbed his temples with his fingers. Then, his hardened expression slowly rxed.
?
-I apologize.
¡°No. I¡¯m the one who should apologize for being overly sensitive.¡±
?
Karlstein struggled to contain hisplex emotions. ?
-I will handle that matter autonomously, without a separate report.
¡°¡.¡±
-Master.
¡°¡Alright.¡±
?
In the end, Karlstein sighed softly and nodded.
?
He understood why Aria had brought up such a topic, even if it upset him.
?
Obviously, it was for his sake. She was the one who understood all 100% of him. The only entity in this world who knew everything about him, from his transmigration to his low-middle ss self.
?
Perhaps it was because of Aria that he could bear the heavy burden of Eternal Life. Even if she brought up such sensitive issues, he could never get himself to hate her.
?
¡°Alright. Let¡¯s talk about theplicated stuffter. Anyway, the conclusion is that we need to collect astral data throughmunity activity, right?¡±
¡°Yes, Master just needs to enjoy the forum leisurely.
¡°Really?¡±
?
Karlstein smiled as if his stiff demeanor had never existed in the first ce.
?
-It will also help in researching Master¡¯s [Mental Invariability] trait.
¡°Then, I should get on it.
-However, the ¡®Interdimensional Material Transfer¡¯ System you requested needs a bit more data and time.
¡°Is it going to take long?¡±
-It will not be too long. However, some groundwork is needed, so it is currently in its testing stages.
¡°Is that so?¡±
-Yes, Master. Then, shall we execute the Administrator Mode of [Integrated Dimensional Community]?
?
Admin Mode, huh¡.
?
Karlstein grinned.
?
¡°Proceed!¡±
?
[The update and activation of Administrator Mode for Integrated Dimensional Community will nowmence.]
? ?
At that moment, the same message appeared to all users of [Integrated Dimensional Community].
?
[An update of Integrated Dimensional Community is underway.]
?
An update? Suddenly? After thousands of years without any change to themunity system?
?
The users expressed their confusion and disbelief at the abrupt update. Fortunately, the basic functions of themunity were still essible.
?
-What¡¯s going on?
-update? what kinda dogshit is that?
-oooooh wot is it wot is it
-Update?
-What¡¯s this? This has never happened before, right?
-wasn¡¯t there something simr before? some error urred or whatever right
-ah¡ wasn¡¯t there that so-called demon king of wisdom or whatever who caused a temporary error in themunity with magic?
-wasn¡¯t it that punk? the dumbass who bragged about analyzing themunity for ten thousand years or something
-ur right LOLOLOL it was a shitshow back then lmao
-Anyway, I¡¯m looking forward to the update. I wonder what features will be added?
-ooooh update notice is up. seems like there¡¯s something like a notice or announcement board now?
-what¡¯s this? an admin?
-they say there¡¯s an admin now wtf? apparently they were chosen from among the users
-Ora¡ Oradge1This is basically abination of ¡°Orange¡± + ¡°Badge¡±. An Orange Badge in korean forums are considered the ¡°Admin¡± or ¡°Mod¡± of the respective forum!?
-What does Oradge signify?
-you dont need to know gramps
-Ha! How dare you! A young, insolent child like you is trying to divide apart generations already?!
-wtf is this lol what a miraculous mix of mz and boomer lmaooo
-yo anyway, who¡¯s the admin?
?
It was inevitable that everyone in themunity would be curious about the newly designated Administrator.- 1
This is basically abination of ¡°Orange¡± + ¡°Badge¡±. An Orange Badge in korean forums are considered the ¡°Admin¡± or ¡°Mod¡± of the respective forum!
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 6: The Lucky Box Event (1)
Chapter 6: The Lucky Box Event (1)
? The Lucky Box Event (1) ?
They didn¡¯t even have time to check who the Administrator was.
-Huh? Huh? What¡¯s this? It keeps changing?
-uhuh stop it it¡¯s making me dizzy
-there¡¯s even a category on the notice board now lol
-what is happening? I posted something but it got deleted
?aren¡¯t u that fucker who kept posting heinous shit? refrain u dumbass
?looks like i need to post even more then
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?what¡¯s this thing above?
They couldn¡¯te to their senses due to the updates that were happening in real-time.
-holyyy isnt this exactly like an oradge? this is some mod shit
-Does Oradge mean the Administrator?
-yeye it¡¯s a lofty job where they work like a dog without any pay
-Hoho, I did not expect such a hero to exist in this era.
-judging by how swears and inappropriate pics are being deleted in real-time, seems like the admin is also logged in
-who r u admin! show urself immediately!
-yeyee out and greet ur hyungnims
They generally seemed satisfied with the changes in themunity.
Of course, there ¡®were¡¯ also many users who were dissatisfied. Emphasis on the ¡®were¡¯, though.
?Why would a mere human im to be the Administrator?
?You are going to a.d.m.i.n.i.s.t.r.a.t.e us?
?pfffft lolololol
?return it to how it was originally and stop fucking around
?FUCK!@#!@%!DARE!@$!@$HUMAN
After all, they just disappeared one after another!
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Cosmic Emperor) Bang!
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Cosmic Emperor) Bang Bang!
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Cosmic Emperor) byebye
Nevertheless, thanks to the positive public opinion that survived his shy bans and mutes, Karlstein proudly ascended to the role of Administrator.
?no wait isn¡¯t this just a dictatorship at this point?
?lolololol shush! keep ur heads down!
?RVM AWSY!!1RUN AWAY!!
?ah all those mfers who posted those weird ass pics suddenly became quiet lol
?It¡¯s clean now. Iyaaa. Maybe even the big names who stopped visiting because themunity was too disgusting wille back?
?wait what if mofos we dont wante back too?
?that would be¡ a bit horrifying, huh?
That was when the Administrator posted a message. The writer¡¯s nickname had an orange badge next to it. Users could tell at a nce that it was the Administrator from the font size, color, and effects.
-Title: hihi im admin
?hey isnt this fucker the serial capper? why is a mofo like him the admin
?the system chose him? how did he be admin?
?Hello. Please keep working hard to maintain a cleanmunity like now.
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?wow did u see the speed of that mute? it got deleted in real-time tf? is he doing it himself?
?is this nepotism or something? how did a newbie be the oradge?
?what can u do if u be the admin?
Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the appearance of a never-before-seen Administrator.
-Title: yeye im admin
hacking sess!
?Isn¡¯t this mofo just crazy at this point?
?yep he crazy af LMAOO
?as expected of the serial capper¡¯s legendary levels of bluffing
?i seriously cant figure out what concept this fucker is going for LOL
?ikr lmaooo
?hello? i asked what can u do as an admin?
-Title: What can I do? A lot.
for starters, permabans on aggros and trolls. and uh¡ well, you can just assume that most things are possible. but for now, i¡¯ll be preupied with the Interdimensional Material Transfer System, so i cant focus on anything other than some basic purging for a while.
???
??
?nah wait mr. admin, what did u say?
?dimenaional what?
?transfer?
?nani?
?crazy mfer HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHA
?fuck LOLLLLL he¡¯s fucking insane LMAO how far does the cosmic emperor¡¯s fat cap go HAHAHAHAHA
?fuck em up! just like that
?Baldmen. So, are you saying you can send us the hair loss treatment?
?Baldmen
?hey u fat fuck do u think hair loss treatment is the issue rn?
?SHUT UP YOU FUCKER WITH LUSH HAIR!
?LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO I THINK HE PISSED AF AHHAHAHAHAHAH
?Of course, hair loss is the issue right now. What else would it be?
?this guy is on something lolololol
Themunity went into a frenzy over the post by the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯, said to be the Administrator.
Interdimensional Material Transfer System?
People briefly wondered for a moment if they had read it wrong. If an Interdimensional Material Transfer System existed, didn¡¯t that mean they could send and receive items, not just post words in themunity?
?I¡¯m in an apocalypse¡ I only have food for 5 more days. Please¡.
?Hey, when this gets updated, can anyone send me an elixir? In return, I¡¯ll send u panties I havent washed in 3 days.
?u ub fuck what the hell am i supposed to do with ur panties
?I am an elf with sizes 36-24-36.
?Ehem. There is one Divine Elixir of Grand Purity left in my sect
?reserved2222
?wtf u fucking disgrace to ur sect, do u think divine elixirs of grand purity are just any old pill
?Ehem ehem!
?But I¡¯m a male elf ??
?WHAT!! HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY HON#@$@$!%@%#@!!
?anyway when is the update happening again?
?nah u guys aint real HAHAHAH look at the wholemunity being swayed around by one attention whore
?how are u actually believing that?
¡°Thements have exceeded thousands, huh.¡±
Even Karlstein, who waszing around, found it hard to keep up with all thements. After all, they were all pouring down live.
?(TheLichIsRich2lich and rich is spelled the same way in korean!) Hmph! If the Interdimensional Transfer System truly gets implemented, I shall not wear clothes anymore.
?who tf are u doing this for, exactly?
??? isnt that guy the 1500 year old lich?
?yeye ur right lol
?the fuck if ur going to make a public promise, at least make it beneficial for us. who would ever want to see a lich naked LMAOOOO
?Stay quiet. He ns to change his career from a Lich to a Skeleton Mage.
?holyyyy, time for the ndestine exposure of a 1500 year old lich.avi
?(TheLichIsRich)¡I am throwing in a third rib bone as well.
?fucking hell seriously like i said who tf asked
Themunity was filled with disbelief.
It was only understandable.
Throughout themunity¡¯s existence, how many transcendent beings hade and gone? Among them, there were obviously those who doubted and analyzed the mysterious [Integrated Dimensional Community].
-Could this possibly be rted to the entity that transmigrated us?
?We might be the subject ofughter somewhere. We would never know.
-But being able tomunicate through posts means we¡¯re somehow connected between dimensions, right?
-So, does that mean returning is possible?
-Mom¡ ;(((
-I must return. I¡ passed away without factory resetting the external hard drive.
-I have to get my revenge against the damn bastards who killed me!
However, their hopes were thoroughly crushed. No one could distinctly figure out anything about the Integrated Dimensional Community.
-(FormerHacker) It is impossible. One could cut off the link to stop any outputs, but touching the system itself is nigh impossible.
-(DevilKingVirdel) It is beyond my powers as well.
-(AbyssalMonarch) This just seems like a natural phenomenon.
Everyone shook their heads in disapproval, confirming that they couldn¡¯t do anything about it.
They could sense a mysterious energy connected to themunity, but anything beyond that was impossible. Of course, there had been a human, or rather, a Demon King, who came close.
-(DemonKingOfWisdom) To manipte thismunity, one would need to split and analyze the data in real-time, then track it in the opposite direction. Then, with the connected passage¡ Not only that¡ After that, they would have to construct a virtual module with the data and¡
?fucking hell so is it possible or not
?(DemonKingOfWisdom) u son of a bitch, im saying it¡¯s not possible
The conclusion was that it was impossible. There had been a temporary glitch in themunity due to the Demon King of Wisdom, but that was all. Considering he sacrificed half his lifespan to cause that glitch, it was a rather pathetic oue.
Thus, for a long time, the existence of themunity was considered a natural phenomenon, like the sun rising in the sky.
However, not everyone doubted or distrusted Karlstein¡¯s words.
?what if the serial capper wasnt cappin?
?the fuck are u saying
?no, seriously, think about it
?then that would make him god obv
?Do not spheme
?He is God. Baldmen.
?Baldmen
?the admin should reveal the truth!!
?i have a feeling it might actually be all true
?right, isnt it honestly more strange if an admin was suddenly picked out of nowhere?
?lil mofo,, seems like you¡¯ve been having, a bit,, of fun in the universe,, but back in my day,, you see
Both the doubters and the believers had one thing inmon in their hearts.
¡®If only that were possible.¡¯
Wouldn¡¯t there be tremendous changes? Even those who mocked and opposed him as merely a liar held at least a glimmer of hope.
Yet, the reason they resisted so strongly may have been because they did not want to be let down in the end.
¡°Everyone¡¯s going crazy, huh.¡±
Karlstein watched themunity, zing like fire, with a slight grin. It was a rather nostalgic feeling for him.
¡°Aria, how did the test with the Transfer System gost time?¡±
-I am unable to keep the coordinates fixed, so it is impossible to send it to the exact target. Therefore, I am nning to send objects randomly for the first phase and collect data.
¡°So, you¡¯re saying we¡¯re going to scatter it randomly, right?¡±
-Yes, that is correct.
¡°Let¡¯s do it this way then.¡±
Karlstein posted with a cheerful, excited heart.
-Title: The Administrator¡¯s Lucky Box Event!
Randomly selectedmunity users will receive gifts.
P.S. Inspired by the fervor of the Baldmen Order, everyone selected will receive hair loss treatment as a service. For reference, if you don¡¯t post a review and a proof picture, there is no next time ^^
And naturally, themunity was set aze, no, it practically exploded.
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?Didnt you say you just started preparing? But it¡¯s already happening?
?Oh!! God has answered the prayers of the Baldmen Order!
?how far will the serial capper¡¯s lies go?
?Haha. You speak of quite an interesting story, Young Expert.
?first-grade customer service
?holy fuck is this for real?
?what do you mean real LOL it¡¯s obviously a lie. just wait and see, anonymous proof pictures will start appearing
?Baldmen
?Is the hair loss treatment a one-time cure? Or do I need to keep taking it?
?Hair loss is not a disease.
?dont ept it then
?kys
?LMAOOOOOOO
?With all that advanced science and technology involved, wouldn¡¯t it probably be aplete cure?
?Aplete cure? Hair loss is not a dise¡ fuck me.
?LOL HE GAVE UP LOL
?can he actually send items? is this gonna lead to dimensional travel or something? lol
?ikr heheh
?lets not get our hopes up
?(TheLichIsRich) Dimensional Travel Magic is impossible. It is akin to saying you can create a out of stones.
?Then how did transmigrations and reincarnations happen?
?(TheLichIsRich) ¡.
?got nothing to say, huh? LOLLLLL
?(TheLichIsRich) At any rate, what is impossible remains impossible. Dimensional Travel Magic is a fictitious fantasy that does not exist.
?ah yeah sure but that¡¯s magic. the space gentleman over there says it¡¯s possible
?(TheLichIsRich) He is going to achieve what is impossible with magic by using science? Impossible. Magic is God and invincible. Mere human science cannot possiblye close to it!!
?dont bother talking to this mofo LOLOL he¡¯s a magic simp LMAO wait, no he¡¯s just a magic fanatic
?(TheLichIsRich) It is not that I am looking down on science or disregarding it. Science is included ¡®within¡¯ magic. Have you ever seen mana being scientifically defined? There has probably never been such a case. It just exists. From an ontological perspective¡
?look at him saying stuff only he understands again.
?do u rly think a guy who became a lich to practice magic would know anything about social cues
Karlstein looked fondly at themunity, now several times more active. It was exactly what he had hoped for.
***
Lich King Raymond.
Using the nickname ¡®TheLichIsRich¡¯, he was the monarch of all liches and the absolute ruler of the Verianus Continent.
¡°I have spent my entire life researching Dimensional Magic. I have collected all sorts of grimoires and records from the content, devoured every post about magic in themunity, and evenpleted theoretical verification. And for me to say it¡¯s impossible means¡.¡±
Thud.
Raymond stopped his monologue at the unfamiliar sound from behind him.
¡°¡.¡±
The Lich King¡¯s neck bones creaked slowly as he turned around.
¡°!!¡±
Shortly after, a proof picture of the Lich King¡¯s third rib bone was uploaded to themunity.- 1
RUN AWAY!!
- 2
lich and rich is spelled the same way in korean!
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 7: The Lucky Box Event (2)
Chapter 7: The Lucky Box Event (2)
? The Lucky Box Event (2) ?
-Title: Why Magic Is Great.txt
It was said that highly advanced science is indistinguishable from magic. Thus, the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯s¡¯ Dimensional Transfer Technology is magic. Therefore, the Cosmic Emperor is a mage and the magic that seeded in Dimensional Material Transfer is great.
To add, here is the proof.
(Roughly a picture of the Lich King¡¯s third rib bone.jpg)
?what kind of dogshit is this? u couldve shat out a bit less couldnt u
?can someone summarize
?summary: anyway magic is lit
?what is this proof even for LMAOOO
?is this mfer stupid
?as if a sane person would ever be a lich
?by the way r u saying u actually got the event?
?why would this crazy mofo post that picture? isnt this counted as one of those heinous images?
?i think it¡¯s a rib bone¡.
?Seeing as how it is discolored, it looks as if it¡¯s been rotten for a long time.
?this lil shit is a 1500 year old lich. he always yapped around iming to be the suzerain of magic or something then got fucked in the ass by the DevilKing in a debate.
?report report report
?(TheLichIsRich) Hmph! How dare these inferior humans not know true magic?
?this lil shitter has sooo much fucking pride in his magic and race frfr
?okay sure, thank u next. magic gets crushed by SF technology and u got ur ass handed to u by the DevilKing jajaja
?(TheLichIsRich) It is not that we were crushed! The greatness of magic remains unchanged! And SF is¡ Magic!
?never cook again
?retard
?report report report lets see how this new report feature works
?ur shaking in ur boots, huh? sensei boomer
?why dont u give up magic and be a scientist for a chance, lich kun?
Raymond, using the nickname ¡®TheLichIsRich¡¯, felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his skull in anger.
¡°Those lowly beings who cannot even prove their own worth dares¡!¡±
Fine. I admit it.
Honestly, he might have underestimated the very essence of scientific advancement, SF. After all, the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯ guy seemed nothing but an attention seeker with a severe case of mythomania.
Raymond had to calm his trembling phnge bones as he looked at the object in front of him.
ck-
¡®To think Interdimensional Material Transfer was truly possible¡¡¯
Despite the evidence right before his eyes, it was still hard to believe. After all, many intellectuals had struggled to unveil the truth of the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
Exactly how many transcendents had wasted their lives on Community Research only to die in vain?
¡®And I have no choice but to believe other dimensions exist¡.¡¯
[Integrated Dimensional Community]
There, people from various worlds existed. And the name itself suggested dimensional integration, didn¡¯t it?
Even if one tried to think of it as just differents in the same dimension¡.
¡®A transcendent who actually went into space had confirmed it.¡¯
There was no reason why one couldn¡¯t go into space just because it was not an SF world. Raymond remembered. A Demonic Dragon, called the Divine Dragon, had once ventured into space.
Though it eventually turned into cosmic dust due to the limitations of being a living creature, the Divine Dragon had traveled the universe for hundreds of years. And while doing so, it consistently logged its journey in themunity.
The logs clearly stated. No matter how much it traveled, it never felt a connection to any othermunity link.
Moreover, there was a second reason.
What was that again? Parallel worlds? Worlds that were mostly simr but slightly different. Could there really be numerous parallel words in just one dimension?
Raymond thought not.
The transmigrators or reincarnators of themunity often shedded tears longing for their homnd. After all, they had lost their entire lives in an instant and were separated from their families.
Even moving to a different country could cause homesickness; how extreme would it have been for them to change entire worlds?
And those tired from the constant longing they felt typically sought to form friendships with people from simr backgrounds in themunity.
¡®I believe them to be weak, but I cannot say I do not understand.¡¯
However, they came to realize that the worlds they previously lived in were slightly different. Perhaps there were different presidents or slightly different histories.
Finding truepatriots was close to impossible. In fact, Raymond was someone who thought those iming to be from the exact same ce just hadn¡¯t found their differences yet. That they were from parallel worlds nheless.
This meant that other dimensions truly existed, thus making it inevitable for the transcendents to dive into Dimensional Research.
But the results, as could be seen, were¡
Absolute nothingness.
Not even the transcendents who flew and soared could fina clue to Dimensional Magic.
So, this figure called the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯ was¡ How¡
Lich King Raymond stared at the item in the box with a serious experience.
-(Hair Loss Treatment) Return your scalp to your prime! The perfect andplete cure for baldness!
-(Hair Wax) Using it once will naturally fix your hairstyle in ce for 6 months!
For some reason, from his perspective, the assortment of gifts were incredibly infuriating.
Is he making fun of me?
¡°Why have you given me such items, Cosmic Emperor?¡±
It was a question with an answer that could not be heard.
Surely, it wasn¡¯t sent without any reason¡.
¡®Is it perhaps a message from the Cosmic Emperor to recall the heart of a human before bing a Lich?¡¯
¡°Hair loss treatment¡.¡±
The Lich lifted his rattling bone hand and swept it over his skull. The blue mes flickering in the eye sockets of the Lich trembled slightly.
¡®I absolutely, most definitely did not decide to be a Lich because of my hair.¡¯
¡°But¡ if only I had met the Cosmic Emperor a bit sooner¡ then maybe¡.¡±
Raymond flinched. He was reminded of the severe stress he had endured before bing a Lich.
¡®Me, the Lich King, having regrets? Impossible!¡¯
¡°CURSES!!!! THERE IS AN INNER DEMON!! A TRULY FEARSOME DEVIL INDEED!!¡±
It was a cry from the Lich King, who ironically looked more like a devil than anyone else.
After calming down, Lich King Raymond stroked his chin with his phnge. It wasn¡¯t important. Whatever the gift was, it was nothingpared to Interdimensional Material Transfer.
¡°¡First, I need to be closer to the Administrator. Then, after extracting the Dimensional Technology, invading the Cosmic Emperor¡¯s dimension might be a good idea.¡±
Raymond smiled with satisfaction as he read the post he had made. It was a post that praised the Administrator aptly, while also elevating the dignity of magic.
An attention-seeking admin would surely respond!
While waiting for the Administrator¡¯s reaction, Raymond read themunity¡¯sments with extreme patience.
After all, he felt like he couldn¡¯t hold back his curses and swears if he started replying to scum.
Ding-
¡°It is here!¡±
What kind of reaction would the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯ show?!
[Yourmunity use has been blocked for 3 days.]
[Reason: byebye]
Raymond doubted his own eyes for a moment.
¡°¡?¡±
Why? Just why?
He had posted the proof picture just as the Administrator had asked¡.
And he had even waited quietly without swearing, didn¡¯t he?
Raymond hadn¡¯t realized that the photo he took as proof only captured his third rib bone.
¡°WHY!!¡±
After 3 days, the Lich King posted a protest filled with anger.
Of course, in a polite manner.
-Title: Mr. Administrator? Why did this happen?
Why was I muted and blocked frommunity use when the others were the ones swearing? My only crime was praising you, Mr. Administrator.
Could it be because of this proof picture?
(Roughly a picture of the Lich King¡¯s third rib bone.jpg)
?AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
?LOLLLLL the effectiveness of reporting goes crazy holy
?isn¡¯t this the retard iming SF is magic?
?LMAOOOOOOOO
?thank you next
?a 1500 year old lich who feels genuinely wronged LOLOL
The effect was immediate.
[Yourmunity use has been blocked for 3 days.]
[Reason: no disgusting pictures]
¡°KEUAAAAAAAAGH!¡±
The Lich King screamed, clutching his skull.
¡°HOW DARE YOU MUTE THIS BODY!!¡±
After 3 days passed, the Lich King appealed with emotion.
-Title: I apologize. Mr. Administrator. I will not mess around.
So please, no more blocking.
?(Cosmic Emperor) ok
?LOLLLLLLLLLL
?even a 1500 year old lich couldnt escape themunity addiction
?LOL mfer surrendered
?Breaking News) A 1500-year-old Lich kneels to the tyranny of the Administrator!
?the lich who was subdued in just 6 days!
?look at this mfer being mad polite AAHAHAHAHA
?LOL bro! u came to ur senses, ye!
***
Karlstein had been incredibly busy.
¡°If you¡¯re going to go crazy, at least do it gracefully, tsk tsk. Delete this, and that¡.¡±
?
(Roughly a photo of an old arc dangling out his lower half.jpg)
(Roughly an extreme close-up photo of the BugQueen.jpg)
(Roughly a photo of a goblin¡¯s genitalia that had transcended his species.jpg)
?
Running the Administrator Mode recently gave him more work to do. It would be simpler to delegate to Aria, but since delegating meant he had to perform the Emperor¡¯s duties himself, that wasn¡¯t an option.
¡°KEUK! [MENTAL INVARIABILITY]!!¡±
He was sometimes shocked by the horrific images posted,monly referred to as ¡®tactical nukes¡¯ in forums. As such atrocities came from all dimensions, they were photos that an Earthling could never have even imagined.
Perhaps the fortunate part was that he recovered quickly thanks to the [Mental Invariability] trait?
¡°You will be permanently suspended.¡±
[Yourmunity use has been blocked for 99999 days.]
[Reason: fk off]
What caught his eye amidst his busy schedule of managing themunity¡¯s quality was a proof picture from a notable user named ¡®TheLichIsRich¡¯.
¡°What¡Seriously, what is this crazy bastard posting? I said to send a shot of proof for the event.¡±
[Yourmunity use has been blocked for 3 days.]
[Reason: byebye]
After 3 days, he sent another penalty for equating advanced SF technology with magic, considering it a grave offense.
¡°How dare youpare the two? Sssssp.¡±
Eventually, after confirming the Lich guy¡¯s surrender, he granted mercy.
¡°But how is there not a single guy who posts a proper review? And it would look far too unsightly to be begging for reviews.¡±
That was when he noticed a review posted by another user besides the Lich.
It was from a notable user named ¡®DevilKingVirdel¡¯.
¡°3rd ce in Unofficial Sword Debate Rankings¡?¡± /genesisforsaken
Chapter 8: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (1)
Chapter 8: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (1)
? The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (1) ?
Devil King Virdel.
The ruler above all Devils of the Abyss, revered as the Demon God.
She was the one to protect the entire Demon World against the Hero, who was obsessed with sabotage and terrorism, as well as the Hero Party, who would not hesitate to draw their swords at civilians because of a mere exchange of nces.
Devil King Virdel.
In the Demon World, going against her was unthinkable and those daring enough to confront her had long be lonely souls, forever doomed to wander without eternal rest.
She possessed a talent in swordsmanship that even the heavens would envy, acknowledged by various users within themunity as a renowned figure. A Named.
?I have learned much. May I seek your guidance again next time?
?(DevilKingVirdel) If time permits.
?Thank you. I have made progress in my swordsmanship thanks to you.
?(DevilKingVirdel) Hmph.
Of course, the journey to being listed as ¡®3rd ce in Unofficial Sword Debate Rankings¡¯ was fraught with hardship.
?(DualVirtueIronDemon) Doggone! I will aim for the lower left with the Basic Movement of the Fierce Tiger Strike!
?(DevilKingVirdel) Hm¡.. Then, I will rotate a quarter turn, using the t of the de as a pivot, and twist the sword to the left lightly.
?(DualVirtueIronDemon) Following the Fierce Tiger Strike, I will step forward and stomp with my front feet, then use the Ascension Pavilion.
?(DevilKingVirdel) And what movement is that?
?(DualVirtueIronDemon) It rotates the body clockwise using the left foot as a pivot, thus transferring the rotational force directly into the kick. The angle is precisely 27 degrees forward.
?(DevilKingVirdel) As expected. It seems the match has been decided.
?(DualVirtueIronDemon) WHAT?!
?(DevilKingVirdel) What if I lean forward 15 degrees and raise my right elbow?
?(DualVirtueIronDemon) Huuuut!
To an outsider, this might seem utterly nonsensical.
?(DualVirtueIronDemon) How can this be¡! Were you preparing two moves ahead?
?(DevilKingVirdel) Hmph. Return after you develop.
A verbal spar about swordsmanship? It could be considered fortunate if no one mocked such a practice.
However, the reality was different. In this Integrated Dimensional Community, countless martial artists and knights existed, thus adequately urate duels were possible based on long years of umted experience and data.
?arent martial arts techniques useless fantasy gymnastics if there isnt inner qi LOL
?Hmph! Do you dare to belittle the subtlety of Movements when you only rely on full-body armor?
?LMAOO seems like u have no idea how scientific medieval swordsmanship is
?Haha. As if you could even glimpse the profound mystery of Basic Movements and Techniques.
?sword debate gogo
?fk lets go!
Sword Debate.
The essence of keyboard battles born from heated arguments, as well as the highlight and flower of the Integrated Dimensional Community.
Who was stronger?
Who was the strongest?
Such endless Sword Debates made themunity so chaotic that a [Sword Debate Arena] tab was created immediately upon the appointment of the new Administrator. As such, the fervor was palpable.
Of course, a ¡®Sword Debate¡¯ was not limited to just swords. Inner Qi, Aura, and even Magic were measured and weighed against each other for Sword Debates.
-Batto1Japanese Battojutsu: Single sword use vs Dual Swords
-Ice Magic vs Fire Magic
-Waigong2¡°External¡± Skills. Thus, represents attacks that are ¡°harder¡± and focus more on the ¡°external¡± side vs Neigong3¡°Internal¡± Skills. Softer attacks, and focuses more on the depths of your body.
-Azure Dragon4The Azure Dragon, also known as Qinglong in Chinese, is one of the Dragon Gods who represent the mount or chthonic forces of the Five Regions¡¯ Highest Deities. It is also one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constetions, which are the astral representations of the Wufang Shangdi. vs Dragon
-Archmage vs Swordmaster
A battle of pride in a true contest of skill!
That was what the Sword Debate Arena represented.
-Just as there was the Yesong Controversy5The Yesong Controversy refers to a conflict concerning the funeral of Hyojong. When he died in 1659, his son Hyeonjong seeded his father as the ruler of Joseon. The conservative Westerners faction and the liberal Southerners faction argued about how long Queen Jangryeol, King Injo¡¯s second wife, should have to wear the funeral garment ording to the Confucian form of funeral. The Westerners, headed by Song Si-yeol, contended that she needed to wear the funeral garment for only a year, while the Southerners and their leader Heo Jeok wanted a 3-year period. This conflict arose because there was no previous record about Confucian funeral requirements when somebody¡¯s second stepson who actually seeded the family line dies. The Westerners wanted to follow the custom for a second stepson, while the Southerners thought Hyojong deserved a 3-year funeral since he actually seeded King Injo in the royal line. during the Joseon Dynasty6Joseon, officially Great Joseon State, was thest dynastic kingdom of Korea,sting just over 500 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and reced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong., there were Versus Battles and Tier Lists in the modern era and, in the Integrated Dimensional Community, there were Sword Debates!
A position such as the Unofficial Rankings 3rd ce in the swordsmanship category of the Sword Debate Arena was no different from a monumental achievement for her.
Being among the top three swordsmen against all from across dimensions was not just about being good with a sword.
An inherent talent when it came to swords. That was who ¡®DevilKingVirdel¡¯ was in themunity.
***
p-
In an instant, stars shed before her eyes, and she, ¡®DevilKingVirdel¡¯, had her head turned sharply.
¡°Is this crazy bitch giggling while looking at empty air again?¡±
p- Thwack-
¡°Kuheuk!¡±
A frail girl, not even reaching 150 cm, curled up and crouched down.
Thwack- Thud- Swish-
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop acting like you lost your mind? It lowers your value.¡±
Every single time she was whipped, a suppressed moan escaped her lips.
Swish- Crack-
¡°Look at how tough you are. Haha. It¡¯s a pity a bitch like you has such backbone.¡±
Swish-
Swish-
¡°Huff. Huff. I really do like how sturdy your body is, little bitch. Even though we cut the tendons in your limbs, you look fine on the outside, don¡¯t you?¡±
The bulky middle-aged man wielding the whip did not hide his sadistic smile.
Only after the girl¡¯s skin turned unusually red did the middle-aged man seem satisfied and put away his whip.
¡°Filthy monster bitch. How dare you act like a human.¡±
The middle-aged man spat at her, locked the cell with a heavy lock, and left.
As soon as he departed, the red glow lingering on the girl¡¯s body began to fade.
¡°Cough. Cough.¡±
Coughing out blood, she leaned against the cold stone wall and tried to calm herself. When she did so, her skin, which had turned red, returned to its original pale color.
She, who acted as a Devil King in themunity, let out a bitter smile. Reality was all too unforgivingly cold.
A Devil? No, she wasn¡¯t¡.
The ce where she was born and raised was a small tribe of a northern ethnic minority on the frontier. Her homnd was a deste ce with cold winter winds and barren soil, but it was still where tribe members worked together to protect the smiles of their children. They had nothing, yet still knew how to share warmth with each other.
?
It was just that they had a unique trait where their skin would turn red whenever their emotions intensified. That was it.
Was that so bad? Perhaps for some. Yet, there were other reasons why she was treated not as a member of a foreign ethnic group, but as a child of ¡®Devils¡¯.
¡°Cough.¡±
She looked up at the moonlight through the iron bars and recalled the past.
¡®Virdel. I am entrusting such a heavy burden to you at a young age. Please do not¡ forgive me for making this decision.¡¯
The pained expression and blood-spitting agony of her grandfather, the Tribal Chief, were conveyed through his eyes. The memory of her mother, who wailed until she fainted, still remained vividly in her mind.
The reason she did not shed tears when dragged away by a knight of the Empire was that it was a path she chose herself.
-I shall spare the lives of all your tribespeople. So, what will you do? Will you walk the path of hell for your tribe?
-I will do so.
She did not resent the imperial knight. On the contrary, she was grateful. She knew that the knight had offered her a deal that could prevent the massacre of her tribespeople.
-The Empire is on the verge of uniting the continent under its g. So much blood has already been spilled in the process. But what is tragic is¡ the blood that will be shed in the future will be more than even this. And it may not be the blood¡ of humans.
Foreign Species Eradication Policy.
The imperial knight at that time seemed to show a very human gaze. Pity, misery, sorrow, guilt. It was a fluctuation of emotions that was hard to properly gauge.
-What am I supposed to do if you, an imperial knight, make such an expression?
-¡You are right.
The knight spoke with a bitter smile.
-There is much discussion even within the Empire because of the long war. After all, no matter how victorious we are, the dead cannot return.
-¡.
-That is why the higher-ups strongly desire propaganda to absorb the anger of the Empire¡¯s citizens.
-¡.
-For example, evidence that can be packaged as ¡®a war to exterminate Devils¡¯.
-So that is why you chose me. Since my skin particrly turns noticeably red. On top of that, you have hostages from my tribe, so I wouldn¡¯t easily take my own life.
-¡Yes. You are right.
-I understand.
-It will not be easy.
She underwent various body strengthening procedures at the Empire¡¯s Magic Tower. To bear the anger of a billion citizens of the Empire, her body was made robust. Because of that, her body stopped growing further. Additionally, she had to undergo a procedure called Eye Reversal, which almost made her lose her sight when the colors of her sclera and iris were reversed.
Furthermore, to prevent any potential mishaps or incidents, the tendons in her limbs were also cut.
A living doll to bear the wrath of the Empire¡¯s citizens. Nothing more. Nothing less.
That was Virdel¡¯s current state.
As such, the invitation to the [Integrated Dimensional Community] was like a gift, giving meaning to her life that she couldn¡¯t even end and offering her a second life as well.
¡®There is no need for me to be depressed here as well.¡¯
Thus, she wore a mask, a concept to hide her true self behind; she imagined countless worlds and dreamed while listening to their stories.
Their adventures were like twinkling stars.
But she, who could neither move nor be free, could not be such a star.
Instead, she decided to be the night sky that would make the stars shine.
A night sky that held the stars in her embrace.
So¡
She stored precious things inside her heart, one by one.
And as she possessed nothing, she was also able to hold anything.
In one star, she ced her grandfather.
Her grandfather was stroking her head with his strong, tough hands.
In one star, she ced her mother.
Her mother was kissing her cheek, giving her a warm smile.
In one star, she ced her father.
While sitting on her father¡¯s shoulders, she looked up at the same sky as him.
In one star, she ced a dream.
The her who might nevere; the her who was free.
And her neighbors.
And the nasty, mischievous friends who weed her in a virtual world.
Even though her blurred vision could not make out the moon in the night sky properly, she did not care.
Because she carried countless stars in her heart.
Because she could hold the world in her heart.
Because she continued to live such a ¡®life¡¯.
Thud.
As such, the small gift that arrived for her might just be a new star named¡
Hope.- 1
Japanese Battojutsu: Single sword use
- 2
¡°External¡± Skills. Thus, represents attacks that are ¡°harder¡± and focus more on the ¡°external¡± side
- 3
¡°Internal¡± Skills. Softer attacks, and focuses more on the depths of your body.
- 4
The Azure Dragon, also known as Qinglong in Chinese, is one of the Dragon Gods who represent the mount or chthonic forces of the Five Regions¡¯ Highest Deities. It is also one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constetions, which are the astral representations of the Wufang Shangdi.
- 5
The Yesong Controversy refers to a conflict concerning the funeral of Hyojong. When he died in 1659, his son Hyeonjong seeded his father as the ruler of Joseon. The conservative Westerners faction and the liberal Southerners faction argued about how long Queen Jangryeol, King Injo¡¯s second wife, should have to wear the funeral garment ording to the Confucian form of funeral. The Westerners, headed by Song Si-yeol, contended that she needed to wear the funeral garment for only a year, while the Southerners and their leader Heo Jeok wanted a 3-year period. This conflict arose because there was no previous record about Confucian funeral requirements when somebody¡¯s second stepson who actually seeded the family line dies. The Westerners wanted to follow the custom for a second stepson, while the Southerners thought Hyojong deserved a 3-year funeral since he actually seeded King Injo in the royal line.
- 6
Joseon, officially Great Joseon State, was thest dynastic kingdom of Korea,sting just over 500 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and reced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong.
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 9: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (2)
Chapter 9: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (2)
? The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (2) ?
The Lucky Box.
The girl could not hide her trembling gaze as she looked at the box in front of her. After all, the meaning behind the Lucky Box was not so simple for her.
¡®¡.¡¯
For her, who was unable to escape these narrow bars, the Integrated Dimensional Community had most definitely be a new world.
However¡
¡®To think no one else can see it but me.¡¯
¡®Could it be that I¡¯m seeing things that aren¡¯t there?¡¯
¡®Have I actually gone mad, just as they say¡.¡¯
It was inevitable that such doubts arose.
Wasn¡¯t it just her own delusion?
Her life consisted of being trapped in narrow bars while traveling across the Empire to be hit with stones and whipped.
There was no way her mind could be sound. Even if she was precocious for her age, she was still only human, after all.
Perhaps her mind was already broken.
After all, no one else knew about or could see the [Integrated Dimensional Community]. She couldn¡¯t even confirm if what she learned through themunity was real.
No matter how much she tried to control her mind, it was futile to stop the doubts that sprouted in a corner of her heart. And it was all the more so as the violence around her intensified.
So, when a tangible proof of its existence tantly appeared before her, it was understandable that she stood there dumbfounded and utterly motionless for a while.
¡°T-This is¡¡±
She, too, was well aware of the recent turmoil in themunity caused by the Administrator. As such, she realized that the box in front of her was the ¡®Lucky Box¡¯.
She hugged the box tightly. Tears streamed down from her eyes.
¡°What a relief. Really. Truly.¡±
She was so thankful.
¡°That this world is not one I alone remember. That this is not just my own delusion.¡±
Just that fact alone felt like salvation to her.
Inside the Lucky Box was a bottle of medicine and aically designed doll of a clown.
¡°Haha.¡±
Virdel couldn¡¯t help butugh when she imagined the Administrator, ever so arrogant in themunity, packing a palm-sized doll along with hair loss medicine in a box to send.
She lifted her hand with great difficulty and poked the clown doll.
¡°What a nice gift.¡±
Though it was just an addition of a doll within these bleak bars¡
Somehow it seemed to ease her loneliness. Though the hair loss medicine next to it¡ had yet to prove useful to her.
¡°I really do not understand why everyone is making such a fuss.¡±
She had no way of knowing the feelings of the Baldmen Order. If she was part of the Order, she would have paid any price for this fantastical secret medicine, yet she wasn¡¯t; so, she merely inspected the clown doll while leaving the holy cure in a corner.
¡°Should I name you?¡±
White face. Red nose. Long, torn red lips.
Though it might look somewhat scary for a young child, Virdel oddly felt like the doll suited her.
¡°That¡¯s right. Because I¡¯m a clown just like you¡.¡±
A clown meant to entertain a billion imperial citizens.
She fondly stroked the doll with her finger. Its texture felt somewhat harder than a typical doll.
Suddenly, the clown doll twitched.
¡°?¡±
Eh? Did I see that wrong?
I¡¯m pretty sure it moved a little, didn¡¯t it?
However, Virdel brushed it off nonchntly, assuming her poor eyesight was to me.
And right then¡
Clink- Squeaaaak-
The middle-aged man entered with a lump of hard bread and a te of water.
The girl moved to hide the doll with her body. However, there was a limit to what her small body could hide.
¡°Eh? What¡¯s that behind you?¡±
Flinch-
The middle-aged man carelessly put down the bread and water te before striding forward. The girl tried her best to act as if there was nothing, but¡
¡°Is this bitch crazy?!¡±
p-
Because she had no strength in her limbs, she couldn¡¯t help but tumble on the cold iron floor.
¡°Ho¡. What¡¯s this?¡±
She tried to hoist her trembling body up. However, she rolled again due to the man¡¯s kick.
Thwack-
¡°Did someonee and go in that short of a time? That can¡¯t be, though¡.¡±
When she barely managed to turn her head and opened her eyes, she found the man looking at the box and the bottle of medicine with a serious gaze.
And in those eyes were greed as well as suspicion.
Could that be why? The man stopped whipping her.
¡°The ss bottle¡¯s level of craftsmanship makes me curious as to what¡¯s inside. Moreover, the box itself is not any ordina¡.¡±
The middle-aged man suddenly stopped in the middle of his monologue and searched the floor inside the cell thoroughly.
¡°Did anyonee to see you? Was there anything else?¡±
Despite him whipping her in interrogation, she didn¡¯t show any indication that she would talk. The exhausted middle-aged man took the box and medicine bottle with him.
¡°I¡¯ll ask again when Ie back. It¡¯ll be best for you to tell the truth then.¡±
The man spoke threateningly to her before hurrying out with glee.
¡°Cough.¡±
The girl smiled faintly with bloodied lips.
It was because she saw the doll moving on its own and turning transparent right before the middle-aged man spotted it.
Virdel smiled in relief. After all, unlike her, it seems to have escaped safely from this dreadful ce.
***
-Title: Event Review
Thanks for sending a friend.
??
??? wait what why is this guy speaking like this suddenly? its giving me goosebumps fr
?a friend was sent through the event? what the¡
?how much can u pay for a rent-a-friend1like rent-a-girlfriend. basically, they¡¯re saying she has no friends LOL?
?this mfer ww2A japanese meme reference! In japanese streams they say ¡°Koitsu ¡± as a way to say ¡°this mfer lmao¡± so the references ¡°lmao¡±, ¡°lol¡±, etc. it is weebnguage. has no friends w
?Baldmen. Why is no one speaking about the hair loss medicine?
?is the event fr? is it possible to send items between dimensions?
?the admin is a god! he can even create friends!
?Weren¡¯t friends something that only exist in fantasies?
?fucking hell that¡¯s crazy
?praise the admin lollollol
?still unconfirmed. why hasnt there been a single bastard who posted a proper proof photo?
?HELLO!! PLEASE!! SOMEONE POST A REVIEW OF THE HAIR LOSS MEDICINE! I FEEL LIKE IM GONNA DIE FROM THE ANTICIPATION
?u wont get shit anyway yeye
?*%?!#%#@
Karlstein scratched his head.
¡°Was there something among the items that could be called a friend?¡±
-We sent everything for testing, including food, daily necessities, beauty products, luxury goods, weapons, and battles. However, no life forms were added.
¡°What about the transfer results?¡±
-Of the 10,212 dimensions we managed to detect signals from, less than 0.1% have been sessful.
¡°Hmm. The results seem a bit too poor¡.¡±
-It is still in the testing phase. By installing repeaters and amplifiers around the dimensions where Material Transfer seeded, we should be able to resolve it easily.
ording to Aria, dimensions were intertwined like a spider web.
To connect pathways across all dimensions, it was necessary to install amplifiers to boost signals and repeaters to extend connections at Dimensional Points that could serve as bridges.
¡°Then the punks we¡¯ve hidden would have to do their jobs well.¡±
-By now, they are probably hiding and assessing the situation, thus getting ready to send signals.
Strong Artificial Intelligence Reconnaissance Devices, practically Aria¡¯s clones, were scattered across various dimensions and mixed with some event items, each taking on different forms.
¡°Waiting for reviews in frustration is not my style, you know.¡±
-Once everything is in ce, we can not only establish signal connections and broadcast images, but also monitor everything the other side sees, hears, and feels.
¡°Just like that¡ lich guy, you mean?¡±
-Yes.
The nanomachines hidden in the hair wax product received by the Lich King allowed Karlstein to temporarily establish a one-way connection.
He didn¡¯t seem to have noticed, though.
-Kuhuhu, Cosmic Emperor, you fool. I will steal all your technology! Just you wait! I shall soon invade your dimension! KeuhahAHAHAHAH! EUHEHEHEHE!¡±
Karlstein shook his head in disdain, as if finding him pathetic.
In the video, an old lich was grinding away, analyzing the hair wax and hair loss medicine in ab filled with all sorts of magic circles.
¡°If he manages to pierce a pathway first, then I¡¯m all for it, but¡ I wonder when he¡¯ll seed if he continues at that pace.¡±
The video transmission was quickly cut off due to the power issues of the nanomachines, leaving no further information avable.
Anyway, how the [Integrated Dimensional Community] utilized and applied the camera function was something even Karlstein didn¡¯t fully understand the principles of.
He simply kept pushing his subordinates, like Minister Makia and Vice Minister Calen, harder and harder.
¡°Right. I should just wait patiently,¡±
What he needed to know was to whom and what items were sent. However, he was in a bit of a bind because no one informed the forum properly.
¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have included the free gifts.¡±
Of course, a couple of verification posts came up after ¡®DevilKingVirdel¡¯ sent hers.
But the problem was, both posts were filled with nothing but praise for the hair loss medicine.
-Title: Baldmen. I have received the grace of God.
I was able to receive this grace because I have never lost faith. Not even for a single moment.
(Roughly a Before, After Hair Photo.jpg)
Do you see this?
Everyone shout. Baldmen.
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?Oh oh oh my goodness
?O God!!!!
?I WANT TO BELIEVE IT!! BUT I CANT BELIEVE IT!!
?why tf is this actually real?
?COMPONENT ANALYSIS! START WITH ANALYZING THE COMPONENTS!!
?The Baldmen Order shall never doubt.
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?Believe. Then salvation wille.
?this is actually real?
?Ah¡ I have finally found the goal of my life.
?how great is the Cosmic Emperor to have created hair loss medicine¡.
?wasn¡¯t it not the Cosmic Emperor who made it tho?
?Silence, you wicked and irreverent thing!
?Baldmen
-Title: Thanks to Mr. Admin, I was reunited with my estranged family.
A prodigal son who squandered the family fortune and was disowned, thus expelled from the household registry.
A single bottle of hair loss medicine given to my father forgave twenty years of wrongdoing. A filial son. Facts?
?Indeed, you are a true filial son.
?Baldmen
?tf did u do in the past?
?Huh? I lost the familynd through gambling¡ got kicked out of a job my parents set up for me because I caused some trouble¡ got involved in a conspiracy¡ Well, I could list them forever.
?isnt this guy one crazy mfer? LMAOOO
?the fact that they havent killed you yet already makes them a family of buddhas
?Even Buddha needs¡ Mhm.
?Baldmen
Afterwards, themunity was abuzz solely with talk about the hair loss medicine. Especially the ¡®Baldmen Order¡¯, who started flooding themunity with hair loss pictures that were so disgusting they were bannable.
(Roughly a picture of a pitiful bald patch.jpg)
how bad is it?
?AGHHHH, just seeing a bald head makes me nauseous now!!
?STOP!! ENOUGH ALREADY!!
?were there this many baldies in themunity?
It was as if speaking to a crowd consumed by madness; nothing anyone said registered to them. Even Karlstein shook his head disapprovingly and momentarily stepped back from managing the¡ quality of the discourse; after all, the Baldmen Order¡¯s frenzy updated every 0.1 seconds. It was too much for even him.
¡°Anyway, the next one up is that ¡®DevilKingVirdel¡¯ guy, right?¡±
-Yes, the signal is bing steadily more stable. We should be able to assess the situation soon.
¡°Let¡¯s take it easy. There¡¯s no rush, after all.¡±
However, contrary to Karlstein¡¯s thoughts, Virdel¡¯s situation was quickly escting.- 1
like rent-a-girlfriend. basically, they¡¯re saying she has no friends LOL
- 2
A japanese meme reference! In japanese streams they say ¡°Koitsu ¡± as a way to say ¡°this mfer lmao¡± so the references ¡°lmao¡±, ¡°lol¡±, etc. it is weebnguage.
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 10: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (3)
Chapter 10: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (3)
? The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (3) ?
The middle-aged man called a few people over and began to pull the cart of iron bars where she was.
nk- nk-
Was it time?
After moving for several days, it seemed the next schedule had been set.
The girl grasped her clothes with hands that could hardly muster any strength. An experience she had endured countless times, yet she could never get used to.
As time passed, the cage where she was got covered with arge cloth and was moved to a higher ce.
¡°Kill her!!¡±
¡°Long live the Empire! Long live His Imperial Majesty, the great Emperor!¡±
¡°Kill that filthy Devil!¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t they say that this Devil alone devoured enough people to fill several cities?¡±
¡°Ugh¡ What a truly horrific race.¡±
¡°Those red skin and eyes are the very definition of wickedness.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get me started. It was only because it wasn¡¯t fully matured that we could capture it.¡±
¡°Execute the Devil that killed my son!¡±
A myriad of malevolence passed through the thick cloth. This tant raw malice seemed to almost wring her lungs.
As the cloth was lifted, dazzling sunlight brightened the inside of the cage. The girl squinted at the sudden radiance. But before her eyes could even adjust, a barrage of curses from the crowd pelted her.
¡°Kill it immediately!¡±
¡°It¡¯s a Devil!! A Devil!¡±
¡°Execute the Devil!¡±
¡°Long live the Empire!¡±
¡°Woooooooooo!¡±
Eventually, the middle-aged man who was overseeing her incited the crowd¡¯s response and whipped at the iron bars where she was. Startled, her skin turned bright red. The appearance of the girl, akin to a Devil, momentarily silenced the crowd.
By the time she became ustomed to the dazzling sunlight, stones and eggs were already flying towards her.
Thud- Thwack-
Blood began to flow from her body and her skin glittered with a fluorescence close to red.
¡°It¡¯s actually a Devil!¡±
¡°KYAAAAAAH!¡±
¡°Devils actually exist!!¡±
¡°Die, Devil!¡±
¡°Bring back my son!¡±
¡°I heard the Empire suffered tremendous damages to end the war with Devils.¡±
¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a race that is chilling just to look at.¡±
Then, the middle-aged man¡¯s shout pierced her ears.
¡°We will conclude today to prepare for the final ceremony tomorrow!!¡±
She felt puzzled at the word ¡®final¡¯. It was unprecedented, after all.
Could she be freed from this hellish road? Her eyes trembled finely.
However, after descending from the stage akin to an execution block, the middle-aged man¡¯s mocking words made her realize its meaning.
¡°This tiresome spectacle is alsoing to an end. You will perform yourst act in the capital¡¯s square tomorrow before ascending the scaffold.¡±
The girl was speechless.
Was she happy that her hellish journey of over ten years could end? Or was there a lingering attachment even to such a life?
She ced her hand over her chest and took a deep breath.
Yes. It wasn¡¯t like she wasn¡¯t prepared for death, right? A life spent as a scapegoat puppet, touring across the Empire for over a decade as the punching bag for their wrath. It was not unusual at all for it to end at any time.
¡®Rather than my life¡.¡¯
She was only worried about the tribe she had embraced and protected in her heart.
She wanted to ask what would happen to her tribespeople if she was executed like this, but that middle-aged man knew nothing.
After all, it was a secret deal between her and the imperial knight, a question she couldn¡¯t possibly ask the middle-aged man.
Fortunately, that night, as she was trying to suppress her inner turmoil, a visitor arrived. It was the imperial knight with whom she had traded her life for her tribespeople¡¯s safety.
The middle-aged man groveled before a knight of the Empire.
¡°What brings Sir Knight to such a humble ce¡.¡±
The imperial knight was wearing the full-body empire of the Empire, but had covered the Empire¡¯s emblem with a red cloth. In other words, his visit here was unofficial.
Even so, the middle-aged man did not dare make a sound. A knight was akin to a killing machine. One who had been given the license to kill from the Empire. Moreover, the mere fact of being a knight granted him a treatment close to that of a noble.
The imperial knight standing before him could have hismoner head just for the simple reason of displeasing him.
Blue eyes under beautiful blond hair turned towards the middle-aged man.
An emotionless gaze. Eyes like those of a machine, forged through countless massacres.
The middle-aged man swallowed hard, trying not to make even the slightest movements.
¡°Do not return today. I have something to discuss with this Devil brat.¡±
¡°Yes, yes. Of course. Then, when tomorrow should I¡.?¡±
The knight scanned the middle-aged man with his blue eyes.
Startled, the man quickly spoke up.
¡°Yes, yes. I shall see to it without Sir Knight needing to tell me. I apologize.¡±
The middle-aged man left as if fleeing.
Only then did the chill in the knight¡¯s eyes fade.
¡°It seems that punk has been harassing you often.¡±
¡°It is just bluster on the surface.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Right, you must be curious about other things.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
The girl was afraid of what mighte out of the knight¡¯s mouth. Fortunately, the words she feared did note.
¡°Your tribespeople are safe. However, it was inevitable that they had to scatter.¡±
¡°Is that¡ so?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
The girl felt a surge of emotion but held back her tears. After all, the knight had not finished speaking yet.
¡°I tried to extract you separately, but that proved to be far too difficult. And so, tomorrow, you will go up for execution.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°I am sorry. And thank you for enduring all this.¡±
The girl nodded slowly.
Under the moonlight, the knight and the girl were each silently lost in their own thoughts.
And in a corner distanced from them¡
Something was watching them with gleaming eyes.
Creaaaaak-
Neither the knight nor the girl noticed it.
***
The day dawned. Thanks to the knight¡¯s savage and fierce warning, the girl was able to spend herst night without harassment.
She also wrote herst post on themunity.
-Title: Goodbye.
I will never forget.
She didn¡¯t want to go into the tiring details. But still, she held an honest desire to say goodbye, however brief.
The girl had slept well and, thanks to the knight¡¯s consideration, was able to eat delicious food. The only regret was that she could not see her family¡¯s face just onest time before she left.
But, of course, that didn¡¯t mean that she wished for such a thing either.
¡°H-How?! W-Why¡!¡±
¡°Kill it! Kill it!¡±
¡°Execute the Devil!!¡±
¡°Waaaaaaaaaah!!!¡±
¡°Kill it!¡±
Among thousands of killing intent poured out on her alone, a silhouette caught her eye.
¡°M-Mother?¡±
Though covered in a thick robe, how could she possibly forget?
After seeing her mother as the girl stood on the high execution stand, her heart seemed to sink.
Why is Mother here?
N-No!
Her mother was struggling to make her way through the crowd that was throwing stones and hurling insults.
Even as she was pushed and fell, her gaze towards her daughter did not waver.
Why?! How is Mother in this ce¡!
Due to a dilution of their bloodline, her mother¡¯s skin never changed color except when her father passed away. As such, it meant she could live unnoticed among the Empire¡¯s citizens if careful.
However¡
Her mother¡¯s skin had turned so red that it was visible even here. Despite the thick robe, it was all too clear to the girl¡¯s eyes.
¡®You shouldn¡¯t havee here! You can¡¯t¡ be discovered!¡¯
¡°My baby!! My daughter!¡±
Her mother shouted with a hoarse voice, tears streaming down her face.
¡°My child! Mommy is here!¡±
¡°Agh shit, what the hell is up with her?¡±
¡°Is she a crazy bitch?¡±
The crowd was irritated by the woman trying to push through recklessly.
Thwack-
Even when hit by an identally swung elbow¡ Even when stepped on¡ Even when bumped into and fallen over¡
Her mother continued to move towards her without stopping.
¡°My daughter, oh my daughter. How hard it must have been for you¡ Mommy is here!¡±
¡°Mommy is¡ Mommy ising. Just wait a little longer, my daughter.¡±
The girl locked eyes with her mother and realized. Her mother was not rushing in because she had lost all logic and reason. From her mother¡¯s warm yet determined eyes, the girl understood she had braced herself for death.
¡°You must have been so lonely, right? I won¡¯t leave you alone anymore. Mom¡ ising.¡±
Ah¡!
The girl¡¯s vision blurred even further. It was difficult to calm her emotions.
While hearing her mother¡¯s voice, the girl shook her head. Despite such actions, her mother didn¡¯t stop.
At the realization she could be discovered if this continued, the girl suddenly snapped back to her senses. She hurriedly looked around for someone.
And just then, opportunely, the imperial knight she had made the deal with was looking at her with a serious gaze. The girl bit her lip, sending a pleading, desperate look.
¡®Please save my mother.¡¯
Was the girl¡¯s prayer heard? The knight, nodding gravely, sprang into action. The movement of the imperial knight was so swift that ordinary people could not notice it. He swiftly approached the girl¡¯s mother and struck her nape.
Although the girl¡¯s heart ached at the sight of her mother losing consciousness, a sense of relief also washed over her, thinking she could safely survive.
¡®Thank you for thest farewell, Mother.¡¯
Just as a tear rolled down her cheek¡
BOOOOM-
A loud noise erupted among the crowd.
¡°KYAAAH!¡±
¡°EUAAH!¡±
In the midst of themotion, two imperial knights were standing off, swords drawn at each other.
¡°What is the meaning of this! y!¡±
¡°Haha. Commander. That is what I would like to say.¡±
¡°Grit. CLAY!!!!¡±
Other knights surrounded the one called the Commander. y, the young knight with slitted eyes, smirked as he pointed his sword.
¡°How is it that the Commander was bewitched by a ¡®Devil¡¯? Surely, you understand the implications of pointing your sword at us.¡±
¡°A Devil? Do you¡ truly believe that?¡±
¡°Keke. Commander. We are not fools. Did you think we wouldn¡¯t notice this shoddy act? But¡I heard from above that today¡¯s ce was a bit dull for a finale.¡±
¡°What is that supposed to mea¡!¡±
The eyes of the man called the Commander shook violently.
¡°All the other ¡®Devils¡¯ have already been annihted. They are probably being ¡®packaged¡¯ properly in the Magic Tower by now. But we couldn¡¯t have possibly imagined that thest one was hiding right in the middle of the capital.¡±
?
¡°W-What is that supposed to mean¡?¡±
¡°Haha. You ask as if you don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°You¡!¡±
?
The Commander¡¯s eyes became bloodshot with rage. Even when faced with the Commander¡¯s killing intent, y still had a fishy smile on his face.
?
¡°That¡¯s right. Adding one Knight Commander who had fallen for a Devil¡¯s tricks would indeed spice up the drama of the spectacle, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±
?
At that moment, one knight injected a syringe into the neck of the woman taken from the Commander.
?
¡°Urgh!¡±
As the red liquid from the syringe was injected, the woman in the robe, who had previously been unconscious, began to stir and moan.
¡°What do you think you are doing!!¡±
¡°Commander. You are not acting like yourself today. It is not toote. Lower your sword ande back to us. Come! And let us execute the Devil for the peace of the Empire!¡±
?
y extended his hand to the Commander with an exaggerated gesture and expression.
***
Meanwhile, at the highest point of the scaffold, a clown doll was looking down with its arms crossed.
Cloaking.
A technology that manipted the refractive index of the electromaic spectrum to render one invisible to the naked eye.
Above the head of the clown maintaining Cloaking Mode, an antenna several tens of meters long hovered in the air, pointing towards the sky.
The following message appeared in front of the Cloaked clown.
[Emergency Code Transmission In Progress]
[Failure ¨C The reception signal is not stable.]
[Emergency Code Transmission In Progress]
[Failure ¨C The reception signal is not stable.]
[Emergency Code Transmission In Progress]
[Failure ¨C The reception signal is not stable.]
¡
[Request List]
-A 4-Star Self-Recovery Full-Body Enhancement Suit equivalent to ¡®Hydra¡¯
¡
[Emergency Code Transmission In Progress]
[Failure ¨C The reception signal is not stable.]
[Emergency Code Transmission In Progress]
[Failure ¨C The reception signal is not stable.]
[Emergency Code Transmission In Progress]
[Failure ¨C The reception signal is not stable.]
¡
[Emergency Code Transmission Completed]
[Verifying]
[The approval of the Administrator has beenpleted.]
[Dimensional Transfer System Activated]
[Transmitted Item : Emperor¡¯s Exclusive Enhancement Suit Prototype ¨C Hydra (5-Stars)]
Spzzz-
The space above the scaffold began to split open. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 11: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (4)
Chapter 11: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (4)
? The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (4) ?
My daughter¡.
Her whole body was burning.
It felt like hot molten iron was flowing through her veins, causing excruciating pain.
Her skin repeatedly tore and regenerated.
However, that agony¡ was not as painful as a heart being torn to pieces.
Guuuoooooo-
A groan that was unimaginable to hear from a human mouth.
Her vision turned red as she took one step after another towards her daughter. Inside her heart, the urge to destroy, the urge to kill, grew uncontrobly, making a mess out of her mind.
However, no emotion¡
No physical pain¡
Could ever be as agonizing as the ache in her heart.
My daughter.
My precious baby.
Her ever so lovable and adorable child was crying out in front of her.
Her heart felt like it was going to rip apart at the sight of her child screaming and shaking violently towards her.
My darling baby. Mommy ising. I won¡¯t ever leave you again.
***
¡°HAHAHA!! Commander! Did you see that? How could I not respect you when you¡¯re like this?¡±
¡°Cough¡.¡±
Three swords were stuck in the Commander¡¯s torso as he vomited blood.
¡°Your actions were not wrong, Commander. You really found a Devil!¡±
¡°De¡vil¡?¡±
¡°Do you see it? That terrifying monster? Iyaaaa, wow. It¡¯s truly the Devil itself. Who would have known? That they were actually carrying the lineage of the ¡®Demon Race¡¯ from legends.¡±
¡°That is¡ impossible. They were¡ just ordinary people.¡±
y was looking at a massive red monster over 5 meters tall, indiscriminately swinging its tentacles and destroying everything around it.
¡°Haha. Maybe we wouldn¡¯t have known if you hadn¡¯t been here, Commander. Thanks to the specimens you had hidden away, we could create a definitive result.¡±
¡°Cough. What happened¡ to them?¡±
¡°You¡¯re asking something so obvious. Of course, they were used as sacrifices for the experiment. If we could have awakened that girl, we would have seen much better results, though¡ It¡¯s said that her blood runs the thickest from what they had inherited. Tch. Pity. Apparently, the Magic Tower already interfered too much for it to show any effects.¡±
¡°Eugh.¡±
¡°It was troublesome to amplify that mother¡¯s emotions to the maximum, but still, a sess is a sess. It was worth it to keep injecting her with drugs all this time.¡±
While the monster was destroying the surroundings, mages of the Magic Tower and knights from other orders began to control the area and prepare to capture the monster alive.
¡°Hm¡ But¡ I thought she shouldn¡¯t be able to maintain her sanity, right¡?¡±
The monster was indiscriminately attacking the vicinity while steadily moving towards the scaffold.
¡°Anyway, the impact is weaker than I thought. Apparently, their traits are more effective the more emotional they get, you know?¡±
The Commander felt a sense of dread upon hearing y¡¯s words.
¡°Stop¡ it.¡±
¡°Haha. A criminal like you can just mind his own business.¡±
y ordered the people near him tounch a magic bombardment at the girl on the gallows.
¡°If she sees her own daughter explode before her eyes, I am sure she will give the greatest performance.¡±
¡°You crazy¡ bastard.¡±
¡°Haha. That should satisfy the higher-ups as well. And the Magic Tower will be overjoyed to have obtained the best specimen.¡±
And then, he turned to the Commander and smirked.
¡°Also, I¡¯ll be promoted from Vice-Commander to Commander.¡±
As the mages prepared their magic, mana swirled around the entire region. Despair filled the Commander¡¯s eyes. Layers of mana from the mages began to gather in the sky, creating a phenomenon.
Whooooooosh-
¡°¡!¡±
A menacing, ckish red orb; just looking at it was enough to feel a sense of foreboding.
However, y was calm even at the sight of it.
¡°Do you see it? The ferocious mana that makes your hair stand on end just from gazing upon it? This is the result of our research on them.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°The Empire is at its limit after prolonged wars and divisions. Simple theatrical acts of propaganda have their limits. The Empire needs a powerful enemy to unite against. Not a different species that looks like humans, but a real monster. A Demon King itself, under our very control.¡±
The Commander could sense the sinister intent hidden behind y¡¯s smile.
After all, creating a controble monster would make it easy to eliminate politically inconvenient opponents under the guise of uniting humanity.
Therefore, it was a monster created, not for the sake of uniting humanity, but due to boundless greed. That was the essence of the project y was working on.
Whooosh-
The mages¡¯ magic pierced through the monster¡¯s tentacles and hit the scaffold dead-on. Then, a mana explosion urred around the gallows.
Booom-
¡°Huh?¡±
A massive explosion urred, sending the people in its vicinity flying. y furrowed his brows.
¡°What happened?¡±
As the smoke cleared, a blue force field was seen protecting the inside of the scaffolds.
***
¡°Mother¡.¡±
¡°My daughter, why are you crying?¡±
¡°Mom¡.¡±
Clear tears were flowing from eyes that had its cks and whites reversed. In the girl¡¯s arms, her mother, who had partially returned to human form, was stroking her hair. Although her lower half was still buried in a massive flesh, there was no doubt that those warm eyes belonged to her mother.
The girl wanted to scream out, overwhelmed by her emotions. However, she hesitated upon seeing a message floating in the air. With an awkward yet iparably sad smile, she took her mother¡¯s hand. Tears were welling up at the corner of her eyes.
¡°¡I missed you.¡±
¡°I missed you¡ too, my daughter. So much that¡ you appeared in my dreams every day. My daughter has grown so much.¡±
¡°Yeah¡ And you haven¡¯t changed at all, Mom.¡±
The girl, who was framed as a monster, and the woman, who had partially be a monster, saw in each other the warmth of the past.
¡°My daughter¡ It¡¯s been hard for you, right?¡±
¡°Yeah¡ It was hard because I missed you so much, Mom.¡±
The girl tried to hide her trembling hands and show a childish whine. The mother stroked her lovingly as if she found the girl¡¯s every action ever so adorable.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mommy should havee to find you sooner¡.¡±
¡°No. Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m so happy¡ to at least be able to see you now.¡±
¡°But what should I do, my darling? Mommy¡¯s so sleepy.¡±
The girl desperately squeezed out a smile. She wished to send off her mother with onest happiness.
¡°Okay¡. After you wake up, let¡¯s go eat something delicious and go out to y.¡±
¡°Then¡. Can I sleep for just a little?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can sleep as much as you want.¡±
¡°My daughter¡.¡±
¡°¡Mom.¡±
Between the blurry tears on the girl¡¯s retinas,plex data values and messages were disyed.
[Target Analysis]
[0% Possibility of Recovery]
[Switching to Emergency Life Sustenance Process]
[Injecting 62 types of drugs including ATX-Antidote, B72C-Enhanced Painkiller, HDV-Tranquilizer]
[Estimated Time of Life Sustenance : 00 minutes 26 seconds]
¡°Mom. I¡¯m so thankful that you¡¯re my mom.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m so happy¡that you¡¯re my daughter too.¡±
¡°Will you be my mom again, even in my next life?¡±
¡°Yes¡. I lo¡ve you, my daughter.¡±
¡°Mom¡.¡±
The woman fell into an eternal sleep with a smile adorning her face.
A star in the girl¡¯s heart dimmed away. No, rather, it became a brighter star that would forever float in her heart.
Beside the girl stood the clown doll that had revealed its appearance. However, its condition was not all that ster; it was damaged everywhere and sparks were sputtering out.
[Emergency Barrier In Operation]
[Self-Repair System ¨C Not Avable]
[Remaining Power : 0.12%]
Around them, a blue hexagonal force field was spread, allowing absolutely no one to approach.
Crack- Fizz-
The clown had used up all its emergency power to protect the woman¡¯sst moments.
B-Boom- Bang-
¡°Break through it!¡±
¡°What even is that? Mage! Analyze it quickly!¡±
¡°This is not Shield Magic! There is no Shield Magic that is this strong!¡±
¡°It is not magic.¡±
¡°Then how can something like this exi¡!¡±
¡°Capture that girl alive! The advancement of the Empire depends gre¡!¡±
The Empire¡¯s mages and knights poured all sorts of attacks, but the barrier didn¡¯t budge.
[Barrier Durability is below 5%.]
[Unable to maintain the barrier. Prepare for impact.]
The girl, who had protected her mother¡¯sst moment until she turned to ashes, stood up.
¡°Thank¡you for waiting. And for thest moments with my mother¡ H-Heuk. Sniff.¡±
Deep sorrow welled up in the girl¡¯s eyes. However, she wiped away her tears and lifted her head.
¡°I will fulfill the contract.¡±
?
The girl swallowed down her sorrow. Now was not the time to grieve.
?
¡°What do I need to do?¡±
Turning her mother, who had transformed into something, back into a human form for herst moments was a tremendous miracle.
Moreover, there was this enormous powering from the thin suit covering her. It was an unimaginable wonder for someone like her, whose body had its tendons snapped and could hardly walk.
What would the being that had so nonchntly given such a mysterious object to her, a seemingly insignificant person, demand in return?
Her life? Her soul? Or something beyond her wildest imaginations? It could have been anything and everything.
But what was sent to such a girl was¡
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Lifelong Bluadge1Blue Badge: basically a moderator. Orange Badge is Admin. So one step below.
¡°Excuse me?¡±
For a moment, the girl could not say anything in response.
Bluadge? What is a Bluadge? Ah, could it be referring to a Vice-Administrator? It was mentioned in themunity at times. What was it called again¡ A Moderator?
¡°Uh¡ What do I have to do to be a Bluadge?¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-First of all, do not ever get hit around by anyone. That¡¯s the first condition.
¡°¡.¡±
The girl looked around. The Empire¡¯s knights and mages wereunching attacks with expressions full of greed.
The so-called essence of knights, Aura and Sword Energy, was poured out and the mage¡¯s powerful magic was hammering at the protectiveyer.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Wipe them out.
¡°¡.¡±
?
An electric thrill ran up her spine, starting from the very tip of her toes.
She, an ordinary person, neither whole in body nor possessing anything of worth, was just told to wipe out the Empire¡¯s knights and mages, who were renowned for their prowess. Yet, why didn¡¯t this sound unnatural to her?
?
Was it because of the power she felt coursing through her entire body??
The girl looked down at the dark red suit enveloping her figure. A strange gem filled with dazzling starlight was embedded above her sr plexus.
?
¡°¡What should I call you from now on?¡±
?
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-¡Master?
?
The girl nodded.
?
¡°I will execute yourmand. Master.¡±
?
Ptfzzz- nk, nk-
?
The Red Devil descended upon the Empire¡¯s capital.- 1
Blue Badge: basically a moderator. Orange Badge is Admin. So one step below
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 12: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (5)
Chapter 12: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (5)
? The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (5) ?
Click- Chijijik-
A thin te of metal that barely covered the girl¡¯s vital areas expanded to cover her entire body. Tiny needles sprung from the armor, burrowing into her body.
?
Click- Whirrr-
[Rapid Self-Recovery System]
[Current Physical Damage Rate 32.68%, 1st Recovery Complete, 16 Hours 43 Minutes 14 Seconds Until 2nd Recovery Completion]
[Remaining Power 13.2%]
[Rapid Self-Recovery System Temporarily Paused, Switching to Combat Mode]
?
Pfzzz-
?
The girl realized she could move her arms and legs without any issue.
?
¡°The barrier is dissipating!¡±
¡°Hang in there a little longer!¡±
¡°Gather more strength!¡±
?
Whirrr-?
Eventually, a dark red full-body armor covered even the girl¡¯s head.
The gem embedded in her sr plexus and her eyes began to emanate a red light.
?
[Switching to Body Enhancement Mode]
[Strength Enhancement ¨C MAX]
[Agility Enhancement ¨C MAX]
[Dynamic Visual Acuity Enhancement ¨C MAX]
[Sensory Enhancement ¨C MAX]
[Durability Enhancement ¨C MAX]
¡
Endless texts like the above were listed in the girl¡¯s retinas.
However, the girl no longer stared at them. After all, she could feel the majestic power emanating from her body without having to see such information.
?
Clink-
?
Eventually, the force field shatteredpletely. Knights and mages wore proud expressions.
Conversely, the girl could feel a pitch-ck star, darker and stickier than anything else, named vengeance, burning deep within her heart.
¡°We did it!!¡±
¡°You saw that, right? That bitch has something!! Capture her alive!¡±
¡°The durability of the barrier was extraordinary.¡±
¡°Researching this will be far more interesting than that mere ¡®monster¡¯! Haha.¡±
?
However, the dark red girl they were looking at disappeared in an instant.
?
¡°!!¡±
¡°!!¡±
¡°What the?¡±
?
Even the imperial knights, known for their superhuman dynamic vision, failed to detect her.
?
?The girl approached the mage who had insolently called her mother a ¡®mere monster¡¯. Despite the astonishing speed, she adapted quickly with the support of the Enhancement Suit and her exceptional talent.
As a result, no one present could see her movement. Not even by the time she reached her target.
?
The girl stood next to the mage who had uttered such an insult, flexing her hands.
?
¡®An immense power.¡¯
?
The girl swung her arm ever so lightly.
?
BOOOOOOM!!
?
An immense st of air pressure swept away the area that was in the direction of her swing. Following its trajectory, buildings crumbled as if hit by a fierce typhoon and left deep scars on the ground as if a giant dragon had wed its way through.
¡°KEAUAAAAAAAAAAH!¡±
¡°There she is!¡±
¡°W-When did she?¡±
¡°This is insane! What was that?¡±
¡°My goodness.¡±
?
The girl looked at her arm with a dazed expression. All she had done was extend her hand sharply and swung at the mage¡¯s neck.
¡°D-Devil!¡±
¡°It must be a Devil!!¡±
¡°W-What is going on?!¡±
¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡.¡±
¡°This is insane! Utterly insane! Everyone take positions for now! She is no ordinary brat!¡±
¡°The Red Devil¡.¡±
Only astonishment and terror swirled in their eyes. Virdel¡¯s expression turnedplex upon hearing them shout ¡®Red Devil¡¯.
Sorrow? Pain? Despair?
The horrific memories she endured tore through her heart. However, she soon felt a surge of ecstasy from deep within.
The gaze that once saw her as a Devil, as a monster, was still the same, but the reaction was now theplete opposite. It was not one of contempt and anger, but fear and despair.
¡°Hahaha.¡±
She shook her head slightly. In her eyes, a firm decision emerged.
¡°I shall be the worst, the vilest, the most terrible Devil. Just as all of you wished.¡±
Virdel¡¯s next target was the imperial knight called y. She instantly moved next to him, grabbing and lifting him by the neck.
¡°Keuk!¡±
His position as Vice-Commander, his high realm, his profound Aura¡
Not a single one of them could stop the girl.
The girl, holding y¡¯s neck, looked down. The Imperial Knight Commander who had made a deal with her was barely breathing, a sword stuck in his torso. But those breaths, too, wereing to an end.
¡°Do you have anyst words?¡±
¡°Cough!¡±
The Knight Commander¡¯s eyes already seemed as if incapable of vision, the colors in them fading. He mustered thest of his strength to open his mouth with great difficulty.
¡°I am¡ sorry.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Please, the Empire¡.¡±
The Commander could not finish hisst words. The girl had no way of knowing what he wished to say.
No, perhaps she knew but just pretended not to.
The girl closed the Commander¡¯s eyes. After all, though he was the one who had pushed her into the pits of hell, he had undoubtedly tried to protect her tribespeople.
The girl stood up, gripping y¡¯s neck even tighter. That was when he spoke with a voice full of spite and hate.
¡°GUAAAAAAAH! You cra¡zy bitch. Do you think¡ you can get away with this?¡±
Was it bravado? Or a desperate struggle? How could he say such a thing given his current circumstance/¡±
¡°Kehehe. Some of your tribespeople are still alive.¡±
The profound meaning behind y¡¯s words seemed to make the girl¡¯s heart drop with a thud.
¡°¡Tribespeople?¡±
¡°Kekek. That¡¯s right. Some are still alive, you see? But if you keep acting this way¡ you will not like what happens next. Kekekek.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Hope flickered across y¡¯s face. This brat had gone through hell and back to save her tribe. There was no way she could ignore the hostages.
¡°If you beg for forgiveness immediately, I will consider epting it. Kekek. If you cooperate well, I will ensure the safety of the remaining tribespeople.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°I will also treat you well. I shall make sure the Magic Tower cannoty a hand on you.¡±
y was certain she couldn¡¯t act against him as long as he had hostages. As evidence of that, the girl¡¯s body was trembling.
¡°Kekekek. Think carefully and¡? KEUAAAAAAAAH!¡±
Suddenly, Virdel grabbed y¡¯s right arm and ripped it off. Blood spurted like a fountain as the agony made y¡¯s eyes roll back, showing only its whites.
¡°KKEUAAAAAAAAH! AGHHHHHHH! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU!!¡±
y writhed in pain from the sudden loss of his arm.
¡°Who do you think you¡¯re fooling? Do I look like an idiot to you?¡±
Her eyes gleamed sharply towards him. There was not even a hint of hesitation in her gaze.
Maybe, just maybe, there might truly be someone who was still alive. And perhaps her actions now could indeed harm them.
But she no longer wanted to be swayed by such vague possibilities. She had sacrificed herself for them for over a decade. And she no longer wished to be bound by such a notion.
No, rather, if they dared to touch her tribespeople, she would instill in them one eternal truth; they would directly face her wrath.
Virdel pressed her finger against y¡¯s left eye.
¡°I shall leave you one eye. It will be fun for you to watch how the Empire changes with that very eye.¡±
¡°KEUAAAAAAAH!¡±
Virdel grabbed the writhing y¡¯s left ear.
¡°I shall so kindly leave you with one ear, so you may hear the screams of the Empire¡¯s people.¡±
Crunch-
¡°KEUAAAAAAAH!¡±
y¡¯s agonized scream caused the watching mages and knights¡¯ pupils to shake with fear.
Her cruel actions made them quake like a leaf. However, they were still trainedbatants. They soon gathered their courage, stepped forward, and brandished their weapons.
¡°We can¡¯t just stand idly by and watch! Attack!¡±
¡°Mages, give it your all! Do not hold back just because we are in the capital!¡±
They hadn¡¯t just been watching this entire time. The mages had already been chanting their spells.
Boooom-
Crash-
Screech-
As if they had just been waiting for the signal, a barrage of magic rained down on her position, causing a massive explosion. Buildings crumbled, shattering apart, and a vast crater was formed from the immense offensive.
Such an onught would be difficult for even a god to withstand!
Soon, knights dove through the dust. It was to wrap up this situation.
However¡
¡°There is no corpse!¡±
¡°Could it be that she dodged it?!¡±
¡°Did she escape?¡±
¡°Search everywhere! She could not have gone far!¡±
¡°Do not let your guard down! That was no ordinary movement! Knights, concentrate Aura into your vision!¡±
Not far from where they stood¡
After throwing the unconscious y aside, she bent her two legs into a ready stance.
¡°Hooo¡.¡±
¡®For some reason, it feels like it¡¯ll work.¡¯
The posture and breathing taught to her by a kind martial artist in themunity. Of course, even that martial artist couldn¡¯t have possibly imagined she would be able to replicate it just from his exnations.
Virdel closed her eyes and gathered strength from the tips of her toes that were tightly gripping the ground. Then, she shouted out while twisting her fist.
Her fist, cutting through the atmosphere with its ideal rotational angle, caused the air to whirl around like a vortex, even before it was fully unleashed.
She extended her middle knuckle, feeling an immense power flowing through her entire body.
Heavenly Ruin Fist.
The air screamed and ripped apart. Following the path of her strike, a vacuum was created and a surge of ovepping air currents rushed forward.
BOOOOOOOM-
The knight who had injected her mother with an unidentifiable syringe, the Knight Order who had attacked her, and the mages from the Magic Tower were all swept away in one blow.
The raging torrent of power dug through the earth as if a giant snake was slithering past, before creating a huge crater, reminiscent of the Grand Canal1The Grand Canal is the longest canal or artificial river in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its main artery, known to the Chinese as the Jing¨CHang or Beijing¨CHangzhou Grand Canal, is reckoned to extend for 1,776 km and is divided into 6 main sections..
Her fist demolished a portion of the northwest square, erasing everything in its path.
Truly a strike that was the very definition of bringing down the sky.
¡°¡.¡±
The girl was speechless at the oue she had created.
It was just a vague thought that it might perhaps just be possible.
The girl felt a thrill. It was as if she had turned imagination into reality, thus making her feel a sense of omnipotence.
The ground beneath her feet formed cracks reminiscent of a spider web. The colossal power pulsed through the suit; even the mere aftershocks caused the ground to split and fierce wind pressure to rise.
It was unbelievable that a girl, who didn¡¯t even possess a healthy body, could bring about such a miracle.
The girl could not hide her astonishment at this suit that made the impossible a reality. Who in the world was the Administrator that sent such a wondrous object? Could that being really be human? Didn¡¯t it make more sense for him to be God?
The girl shuddered with excitement as she thought of the Administrator, whom she had not even met.
It might just be worth it¡ to be that Bluadge mentioned by the Administrator¡.- 1
The Grand Canal is the longest canal or artificial river in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its main artery, known to the Chinese as the Jing¨CHang or Beijing¨CHangzhou Grand Canal, is reckoned to extend for 1,776 km and is divided into 6 main sections.
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 13: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (6)
Chapter 13: The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (6)
? The Red Devil Who Embraced Stars (6) ?
The girl regained her senses and looked ahead.
?
This ce was the capital of the Empire, renowned throughout the world.
?
At some point, her Heavenly Ruin Fist, which had been destroying everything in its path, was repelled by something invisible and bounced off into thin air.
?
BOOOM-
?
¡°¡.¡±
?
Right. The Empire that unified the entire continent could not possibly end with just this.
?
At the opposite end of a hole hundreds of meters long, dug by the path of her fist, stood the Imperial Pce, adorned with golden hues. And in front of that very pce stood an elderly knight with icy eyes, looking straight at her.
?
Virdel pulled out the sword that was hanging at y¡¯s waist, sheath and all.
?
[Remaining Power 10.8%]
?
The previous attack had consumed 2% of the suit¡¯s power in an instant. The girl nodded after checking this.
?
Step, step-
?
She walked calmly on the path she had created herself.
?
The elderly knight holding a sword.
?
His face seemed familiar for some reason. It wasn¡¯t that she had met him before. It was just that the old knight was so famous in the Empire that she was able to recognize him with just a nce.
?
One of the Empire¡¯s Swordmasters.
?
The name of the old knight was most likely Grand Duke Einhardt.
?
Always residing in the Imperial Pce, he was known as the Commander of the Imperial Guards, the Empire¡¯s Shield, and the Impregnable Sword Saint.
?
Even from this far distance, the sense of oppression that passed through the suit was unmistakable; there was no doubt it was Einhardt.
?
The girl slowly approached the old man blocking her path to the Imperial Pce. She held the scabbard she had taken from y in her left hand and grasped the hilt with her right.
?
The grip fit perfectly in her palm. The suit had definitely turned into full-body armor, which should have dulled her sense, but somehow, it felt as if she was holding it in her bare hands without any sort ofyer in between.
?
The girl took a deep breath, feeling the sensation of the grip.
?
¡°Hooo¡.¡±
?
She scanned her eyes across the Imperial Pce. In her retina, the movement inside the pce was vividly depicted as if captured by a thermal imaging camera.
?
The girl lowered her gaze to look at the old knight. His mouth slowly opened.
?
¡°Who are you? No, are you even human?¡±
?
The situation felt somehow amusing to the girl. Wasn¡¯t she the one who was spat on and pelted with stones by the lower ss civilians of the Empire just days before?
?
But now, such a dignitary, whom she would not have even dared to look at before, was on guard and questioning as to who she was. It felt rather strange.
?
However, she could not take the old knight¡¯s skills lightly.
?
The girl stepped forward with her right leg and firmly nted her foot on the ground.
?
¡°Hooo.¡±
?
Crunchh-
?
A scream, like metal being crushed, echoed from the tightly gripped scabbard.
?
¡®I will cut.¡¯
?
The girl wearing blood-red full-body armor drew her sword, slicing through the air like a beam of light. At that moment, Einhardt¡¯s pupils dted.
?
Einhardt faced a crisis that demanded all his might.
?
The space along the trajectory of her sword cracked apart, ripping open.
?
A gigantic sword strike, iparable to the previous one, hurled towards the Swordmaster.?
Vacuum sh.
A technique taught by a mysterious master known in themunity as ¡®Batt¨ist¡¯.
-Batt¨? There¡¯s no swordsmanship superior to Batt¨jutsu. The gimmick of converting friction to kic energy is more scientific and philosophical than any other sword techn¡..
-It is a great technique refined through drawing the sword ten billion times.
-What? You think it¡¯s nonsense? Have you ever swung a sword ten billion times? If not, hold your tongue.
-Do not just think about swinging a de. Through the determination to cut everything in front of your eyes¡.
It was the culmination of swinging the sword a whopping ten billion times. The ¡®Batt¨ist¡¯, who had generously passed on his technique to her, sadly didn¡¯t even make it to the Unofficial Rankings of Sword Debate.
-With Batt¨jutsu, I will rip through the space in front of me to counter.
-With Batt¨jutsu, I will bisect the opponent along with their weapon.
-At the same time I draw the sword, I will cut down the opponent. Of course, this is limited to Batt¨jutsu.
-I will see the attack with my eyes. I will unleash Batt¨jutsu. Thus, I will cut down the opponent along with their attack. Why are you saying something this easy is not possible?
He caused outrage in themunity by making absurd ims to every opponent he met in a Sword Debate.
-I do not understand.
-The know-how of ten billion times? It¡¯s not just about drawing the sword and swinging it. Through imagery and the mind¡.
And as she continued to sincerely listen to such words, one day, he suddenly passed on his technique to her.
Now, the Vacuum sh of the ¡®Batt¨ist¡¯ was unfolded from the girl¡¯s fingertips.
Of course, it might not reach the power imed by the ¡®Batt¨ist¡¯. However, the Enhancement Suit named ¡®Hydra¡¯ managed to reproduce at least a part of the great Batt¨jutsu¡¯s ultimate move, the ¡®Vacuum sh¡¯.
A sh that easily exceeded thirty meters tore through space, sweeping away everything in its path.
A Vacuum sh of 10% Power cut the sky.
***
Could such a thing truly be called sword energy?
Chills ran down Grand Duke Einhardt¡¯s spine as the gigantic sh filled his vision. His sword was already surrounded by an Aura de.
However¡
¡®This is¡ an attack I must not dare to confront directly!¡¯
It was hard to believe, but this did not hold the qualities seen in Aura or Mana. Just the sh itself was enough to be considered an incarnation of a god of destruction.
Could a mere Aura de truly deflect a sh that flew several tens of meters, tearing through space?
Overwhelming violence.
Unfathomable power.
The mere presence of it was enough to take his breath away, cause goosebumps to arise, and ring rm bells in her mind.
Wasn¡¯t this the true meaning of slicing through space itself?
The Impregnable Sword Saint, Swordmaster Einhardt, threw away any thoughts of daring to block it. He would be fortunate if he could just twist his body as much as possible and avoid a direct hit.
Aura exploded within Einhardt, boiling up immense strength in his body.
¡°HAAAAAAAAA!¡±
Einhardt swung his sword with the intent of pouring everything into this one strike.
The Impregnable Sword Saint.
One who could indeed be called the pinnacle of the Empire¡¯s Protective Sword Techniques.
Such an Einhardt flew through the air and barely managed to deflect the very end of the sh with his Aura de, narrowly avoiding a direct hit.
¡°Cough! This is insanity.¡±
Einhardt immediately prepared for the next attack, guarding his torso with his sword.
It was fortunate that, despite the incredible speed of the sh, the attacker seemed inexperienced. As such, avoiding it was not impossible.
Einhardt red at the unidentifiable enemy, pondering his next move.
¡°¡?¡±
But wasn¡¯t the attacker lowering their drawn sword right now?
¡®What is this? Are they letting down their guard?¡¯
Had the attackere in for an additional strike, he might have faced a rather difficult battle. After all, momentum and rhythm were weighed heavily inbat importance.
However, the opponent simply stood still, waiting.
Einhardt observed the enemy without even trying to mask his nervousness.
ckish red full-body armor with a strange sheen like an insect¡¯s carapace. It was sleek yet alien in appearance. However, Einhardt didn¡¯t have the luxury to admire it. After all, from the opponent¡¯s eyes dripped an immense momentum.
¡°¡.¡±
¡®What is going on? Are they not able to recklessly use an attack like the one just before? Then, is this my chance?¡¯
Einhardt¡¯s mind began to race, scrambling withplex deductions.
He did not let his gaze leave the opponent as he tried to slowly move.
¡°¡.¡±
¡®I just need to drag out the time.¡¯
Because no one would dare attack the Imperial Pce in the very capital of the Empire, he was the only Swordmaster residing there. But to think that was the entirety of their strength would be a mistake.
There were plenty of capable knights, even if they were not Swordmasters. Moreover, that bastard was in the Imperial Pce.
Archmage Pf.
Although his conduct was not to his liking, he was still a Mage affiliated with the Imperial Pce. Themotion was not small, so he would definitely arrive soon!
He just needed to hold out until then!
However, Einhardt felt a strange sense of unease as he kept an eye on the enemy. It was an alien feeling, as if the figure hidden behind the helmet was smiling.
What is going on? Why are they so leisurely? Exactly what are they hiding?
Those questions in Einhardt¡¯s mind were quickly answered. And in the worst way possible.
¡°Grand Duke!! It¡¯s a disaster! The Imperial Pce has¡! His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has!!¡±
Einhardt¡¯s heart sank with a thud. He shouted without taking his eyes off the unidentified opponent.
¡°What is it that you mean by that!!¡±
An Imperial Guard under themand of Einhardt cried out with a heart-wrenching voice.
¡°His Majesty and the Crown Prince, who were in the office¡ Keheuk! Not only that, but Lord Pf and other key retainers have also sustained serious injuries and¡.¡±
BOOM!
A powerful energy wave erupted from Einhardt.
¡°WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW!! WILL YOU NOT SPEAK PROPERLY?!¡±
¡°Keheuk. His Imperial Majesty and the Crown Prince have perished from an unidentified attack!! The other key retainers are also in critical condition due to severe injuries!¡±
¡°H-How could that¡¡±
Einhardt unwittingly turned his head towards the attacker, d in red armor and looking ever so serene.
And only then did Einhardt realize.
The sh he had barely avoided was never aimed at him in the first ce. The opponent was not the inexperienced novice he thought them to be.
The attack that missed Einhardt had cleaved through the Imperial Pce,pletely uprooting the Sun of the Empire.
Despair filled Einhardt¡¯s eyes.
¡°I-Impossible. It can¡¯t be.¡±
What am I supposed to do now? Can I even stop the attacker without Pf?
No, that wasn¡¯t even the right question to ask. In the first ce, in the present where His Majesty had passed away¡
At that moment, the red assant slowly turned around.
Leaving behind just one sentence.
¡°Just watch from there. It is going to get very interesting.¡±
Einhardt could not dare to chase after the Red Devil.
***
In a dark secret room¡
¡°Haa¡.¡±
William, who was affiliated with the Empire¡¯s Special Task Force, was writing a report with a grave expression. As he penned down the document, the bleak future of the Empire seemed to unfold before his eyes, making his hands and feet tremble.
¡°What are we to do¡.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just the future of the Empire that was the problem; they were in a situation where the immediate present needed to be worried about.
The report he had written contained the following words.
Target : Virdel
Danger Grade : Special-Grade(++)
Estimated Combat Power : Grand Master(-) /genesisforsaken
Chapter 14: Turbulent Community
Chapter 14: Turbulent Community
? Turbulent Community ?
[Imperial Special Task Force Report]
?
Target : Virdel
Danger Grade : Special-Grade(++)
Estimated Power : Grand Master(-)
?
The one who assassinated thete Emperor, codenamed ¡®Red Devil¡¯, is currently not showing herself.
?
The ¡®Red Devil¡¯ first revealed herself in the capital square, killing all members of the Imperial Pce¡¯s 4th Knight Order and 27 Grade 4 Mages from the Magic Tower, then attacked the Imperial Pce.
?
Afterward, Grand Duke Einhardt attempted to stop the ¡®Red Devil¡¯, but was overwhelmed. After ultimately assassinating His Imperial Majesty thete Emperor, the Crown Prince, and Archmage, Duke Pf, the assant fled.
?
Rumor has it that even Grand Duke Einhardt couldn¡¯t block a single strike. Three dayster, the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ appeared in the capital¡¯s Magic Tower, destroyed it, massacred 721 mages including Archmage Thane, and then escaped. After that, she crushed 72 key facilities and 12 divisions across the Empire and then disappeared once again.
?
This news has intensified the resistance of other species, as some are venerating her as the ¡®Great Devil Virdel¡¯ of the Revolutionary Group.
?
ording to y Avilov, the former Vice-Commander of the 4th Knight Order, the unexined bombings and terror attacks in 62 fiefs recently are suspected to be acts of revenge targeting the territories visited by the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ for ¡®propaganda¡¯ purposes before her awakening.
?
Lastly, the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ briefly revealed herself in what was presumed to be her hometown, the Perolion Viscounty, before disappearing again.
?
Estimated Damage and Loss : 21 trillion 721.4 billion Marks.
?
Currently, the continent¡¯s sole Grandmaster, Sir Ondo, has beenmissioned to track down the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ along with 24 Imperial Swordmasters and 33 Archmages, but no sess has been reported as of yet.
There are rumors that an engagement of battle took ce between Sir Ondo and the ¡®Red Devil¡¯, but nothing has been officially confirmed.
?
Writer¡¯s General Review : Negotiation with the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ is suggested. The Empire needs to atone for its past mistakes and offer unconditional cooperation to the subject¡¯s demands. However, since the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ has not made any demands yet, special measures are deemed urgent and necessary.
?
?It was the beginning of the Empire¡¯s downfall.
***
Feeling that the Empire¡¯s pursuit was too intense, she took a moment to rest and recharge the ¡®Hydra¡¯s¡¯ power.
Even though she had received the Administrator¡¯s royal benevolence(?), facing a Grandmaster was still a tall order. It was only because she managed tond a direct hit with a Spirit Crescent at 17% power, her maximum output in a single use, that she managed to escape unscathed. The Grandmaster would likely not show himself for some time.
¡®I have to adapt to the suit and also deal with the 2nd Recovery. There¡¯s still a lot to do.¡¯
While resting, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had been too busy with fulfilling her own greed, so she asked the Administrator.
¡°Mr. Administrator. As a Bluadge, what exactly should I be doing?¡±
No matter how she went about it, it was impossible for her to be unaware that themand to never be hit by anyone again was a consideration for her own well-being.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-u just need to manage the forum when you have time okie?
¡°Manage¡? Yes! Understood.¡±
As she was feeling both indebted and burdened, the message from the Administrator was like an oasis to her.
Virdel¡¯s eyes sparkled.
-Writer : (Bluadge) DevilKingVirdel
-Title : Nice to meet you. Gentlemen.
I am Virdel, who has been newly appointed as a Bluadge. Following the august orders of the Oradge, I have been assigned to guide themunity in the right direction. Make sure to conduct yourselves properly.
?what is this lunatic talking about?
?what a nutjob LOL
?why is this mfer stating so proudly about being a bluadge LMAOOO
?Excuse me. Coming through. I am from the National Bluadge Association. You are doing well. Please make sure to continue increasing the application rate for Bluadges just like s¡.
?Apparently, she got paid off.
?A Bluadge proud to be a Bluadge? How confusing.
?what did u get? why u so happy?
?(DevilKingVirdel) It is because the Oradge is God and a Bluadge is invincible1this is a korean meme! Basically when this guy invested in the stock market and then the political climate exploded back in 2020, NASDAQ went crazy, thus earning him a lot of money. So, he went on a portal site and start espousing how he was invincible and NASDAQ was God. This spawned a meme where people used that exact phrase but just reced NASDAQ with whatever subject that made them ¡°invincible¡±.
???
??
?she finna lost her mind LMAOOO
?isn¡¯t she just an unpaid ve working 24/7?
?It ismon belief that she has not yet seen the abyss of themunity.
?should i hit u with a tactical nuke2basically, it¡¯s saying he would bomb her with some shitty images or content that she has to go through LOL? it looked like the oradge was also wilting away recently
Themunity was stirred in a not so small manner.
Meanwhile, a few malicious users drooled over the Bluadge¡¯s grand deration.
Reaaaaally? Shall we see how long youst?
The Integrated Dimensional Community allowed for anonymous usernames. Even if one was blocked, they could still post using a temporary nickname. Of course, the Oradge, who was the Administrator, could permanently block and mute users, but a Bluadge¡¯s authority was somewhat weaker.
?
Afterwards the ¡®tactical nuke¡¯ bombardment of disgusting pictures, pushing the very limits of the Art of Mental Destruction, began. Tactical nukes that were carefully selected from all sorts of dimensions!
And true to their renown, they boasted tremendous destructive power.
-AGGHHHHHHH! MY EYES! M Y E Y E S3this was actually said in english LOL!!
-KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MY MIND!!! ITS GETTING DESTROYED!!!
-YOU DARE!! HOIT!! THIS POOR DAOIST SHALL NOT BE SWAYED BY MY INNER DEMONS!!
-Heuuuuuuugh soft cushy bouncy snuggy furry furry.
?SNAP OUT OF IT!! IT¡¯S NOT TOO LATE!
Themunity suffered from the radioactive fallout for a while.
After all, even Virdel, who had unwavering faith in the Administrator, was shaken to the core.
In the end, after wrestling with the users for a long time, Bluadge Virdel made a significant decision.
-Title : Gentlemen. I, the Bluadge, am disappointed in you.
This Bluadge cannot help butment the contamination of themunity. Therefore, I shall initiate the ¡®purification¡¯ of themunity.
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?Baldmen
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?Baldmen
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?nah this is fkin insane LMAOOO that mute speed is crazy
?RVN AQAY!!
?Oh dear. It seems apetent Bluadge has arrived.
?nah hold up she aint real LOLLL indiscriminate banning? LMAOOOO
But that was not all.
-Title : From now on, we will begin praising the Oradge.
The Administrator is omnipotent, just, wise, merciful, and the only God who shall save all dimensions, thus bringing about world peace. Moreover, God is always watching over us. So, let us all praise him.
3-Day Ban upon refutation.
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?The Oradge¡ He is God!
?Stalker?
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?Baldmen
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
Having tasted the abyss, the Bluadge eventually turned a bit¡weird. Furthermore, those who sympathized with the Bluadge¡¯s bizarre actions proliferated rapidly, causing themunity to start getting set aze. They were merely bandwagons of thetest trend, however.
-Title : The 42 Miracles Performed By The Administrator.
-Title : 101 Reasons Why The Oradge Is Great.txt
-Title : Long Live Oradge
-Title : The Reason Why All Of You Are More Insignificant Than The Ordage.txt
-Title : lets praise owadge uwu!
-Title : Everyone, sing along with me. The Administrator Uses Warp4¡°The General Uses Warp¡± is a North Korean song praising Kim Jong Il. The song was first released in 1996 by Wangjaesan Light Music Band, with lyrics written by Chong Ryol and musicposed by Kim Un-ryong!
¡
Because of this, themunity was sharply divided in their opinions of the Oradge, who was the Administrator.
-he hasn¡¯t done shit, so why are they sucking him off so much?
?Oradge says, I operate however I like, I delete however I like, I block however I like.5Reference to song: GOTTASADAE by Bewhy! The ¡°Admin says¡± is actually ¡°Bewhy GOTTASADAE¡± or ¡°Bewhy says¡± in english. (i love this rap btw). anyway funny reference!
?LMAOOOOOOOO FR
?so fucking annoying LOL
?bro thinks he¡¯s him lmaoooo
?what if he nukes the forum bc he fucks around with something weird?
?frfr lolololol he worrying LOL
?he hasn¡¯t even dont anything, right? and it doesnt seem like a lot of ppl got the event either
?mfer yapping LMAO ik u would be his bitch if u got it AHHAHAHAH
?ofc LMAO O Emperor-sama! Please send me just one beautiful android girl!
?HAHAHA as if androids would do! reality cant beat illusion. please, just one virtual reality capsule¡.!
?sexsexpussyhair
?so many crazy fucks LOLLL
The envious and disapproving nces at the Administrator¡
-Praise the Admin!
?fr who could have imagined lol that he would have devoured themunity whole LMAO
?its true themunity has be cleaner tho right?
?plus the dimensional material transfer¡he may fr be god
?Baldmen
?do u think thats real? bluadge said she got an incredible treasure right?
?thats not the problem right now lmao
?Baldmen
?i cant even imagine how themunity will change from now on LOL
?at that point isn¡¯t he actually God?
?ah¡ if only he hadn¡¯t gone AWOL after saying he was gonna go make the dimensional material transfer system¡ then we would immediately hold a hearing
?HOIT!! How dare!! A hearing?! He is not an existence who lowly humans like you can even dare to mention!
?;; pls baldmen order restrain yourselves
?Baldmen. He is always right.
And people who had begun to feel curious about the Administrator¡¯s actions and whereabouts.
Thus, the Integrated Dimensional Community was going through a turbulent time.
***
¡°Aria, is what I¡¯m seeing really true?¡±
In contrast to themunity that was set aze, Karlstein was spending his time in leisure, having delegated quality management to the Bluadge.
However, even that was about to end. Upon reading Aria¡¯s report, Karlstein¡¯s expression turned grave.
-Yes, Master. It is 100% true, without a shred of falsehood.
¡°This is seriously¡ I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±
The report detailed the corrtion between the [Integrated Dimensional Community] and ¡®Ether¡¯.
¡°So, you¡¯re saying that if we utilize themunity properly, we can secure arge amount of Ether?¡±
-Yes, Master.
At Aria¡¯s confirmation, Karlstein¡¯s contemtion deepened.
Ether.
A transcendent power source that allowed the Gctic Empire to ¡®dominate¡¯ a Clusterposed of hundreds of gxies.
¡®˜I¡¯ or ¡®Karma¡¯, as it was known, in its final processed form was Ether.
In fact, in the dimension where Karlstein was active, concepts like Mana, Demonic Power, Aura, or Inner Qi did not exist. Instead, there was ¡®Ether¡¯, a force that was unknown as to whether it was simr to other powers or exceptionally more transcendent.
The fact that Karlstein alone could destroy entires was thanks to his exclusive Ether Weapon. A ridiculous strength that could twist everything, from the probability at the material level to causality itself.
That was the power of Ether.- 1
this is a korean meme! Basically when this guy invested in the stock market and then the political climate exploded back in 2020, NASDAQ went crazy, thus earning him a lot of money. So, he went on a portal site and start espousing how he was invincible and NASDAQ was God. This spawned a meme where people used that exact phrase but just reced NASDAQ with whatever subject that made them ¡°invincible¡±
- 2
basically, it¡¯s saying he would bomb her with some shitty images or content that she has to go through LOL
- 3
this was actually said in english LOL
- 4
¡°The General Uses Warp¡± is a North Korean song praising Kim Jong Il. The song was first released in 1996 by Wangjaesan Light Music Band, with lyrics written by Chong Ryol and musicposed by Kim Un-ryong
- 5
Reference to song: GOTTASADAE by Bewhy! The ¡°Admin says¡± is actually ¡°Bewhy GOTTASADAE¡± or ¡°Bewhy says¡± in english. (i love this rap btw). anyway funny reference!
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 15: Hyperion
Chapter 15: Hyperion
? Hyperion ?
Karlstein¡¯s eyes sparkled.
¡°So, you mean to say that the current [Integrated Dimensional Community] is being maintained by Karma, the root form of Ether?¡±
-Yes, that is right. Master. If we could extract the Karma that each user has umted en masse using the [Integrated Dimensional Community], the possibilities for utilization are endless.
¡°Does that mean we can sweep away those damned things¡ and advance beyond the ¡®Curtain¡¯¡.¡±
-¡.
?
Karlstein tapped his fingers on the chair and fell into deep thought. Aria did not disturb his contemtion.
?
¡°Alright. Then we can¡¯t neglect this. So, what do we have to do?¡±
?
For some reason, his voice sounded a bit tired.
?
-As you know, Karma is not something that can be unterally taken away.
¡°Right.¡±
-We should implement various methods to suck in the users¡¯ Karma through the utilization of the [Integrated Dimensional Community]. Expanding the breadth of content is also an approach.
?
Images such as YoutuO, inte broadcasting, auction houses, and the Holy See quickly shed through Karlstein¡¯s mind.
?
¡°Still, setting up repeaters should be the priority for now.¡±
-Yes, Master.
¡°There¡¯s no rush, after all.¡±
?
Karma, as important as it may be, was not something that would leave him gasping for air if absent at the immediate moment.
?
Karma referred to the causality of all actions. Aprehensive calction of the chain reaction that all influences caused as a result of their actions.
?
Karlstein Babylon.
?
Exactly how much Karma would the Emperor of the Gctic Empire be umting in real-time?
?
While ruling the Gctic Empire, the Karma he earned from all over the Cluster of Gxies was unimaginably vast.
And it was also the reason he remained the Emperor.
?
However¡
?
The more Ether, the better.
?
It was a miraculous power that turned the impossible into possible.
?
¡®For some reason, it feels like I keep having more to do¡. Is this really okay?¡¯
?
Karlstein¡¯s eyes momentarily became vacant. However, he quickly shook his head and regained his senses.
?
¡°No. If Ether is infinite, perhaps retirement isn¡¯t just a dream¡!¡±
-Yes, Master. But¡.
?
Aria interjected upon hearing Karlstein¡¯s voice that was filled with hope.
?
-As the report also mentions, when using the Dimensional Material Transfer System, the amount of Karma consumed increases exponentially depending on the Civilization Level of the transported items.
¡°¡!¡±
-Due to the transported ¡®Hydra¡¯, you will have to do some work for the time being.
¡°WOT?!¡±
?
Naturally, the more Karlstein directly worked, the more Karma he would earn.
?
¡°KISHAAAAAAAT!!¡±
?
In fact, his wealth was such that a prototype ¡®Hydra¡¯ was nothing to fuss about. Even if he were to scatter them in droves, he wouldn¡¯t blink an eye.
?
However, ¡®Ether¡¯ was different!
?
Because if Ether ran low, he had to work on the frontlines himself!
?
Most of the tasks the Emperor of the Gctic Empire must handle directly were unimaginably troublesome for ordinary people.
?
-And if also considering the amount of Karma consumed when transporting the ¡®Hyperion¡¯ space battleship that Master unnecessarily insisted on including during the test¡.
¡°W-WHAT?!¡±
-Even if it¡¯s only a prototype, it¡¯s still a growth-type space battleship, after all.
¡°T-That was when I didn¡¯t know it would consume Karma¡.¡±
-But that also does not mean the consumed Karma wille back. Isn¡¯t that so?
¡°YOU¡¯RE SO MEAN!¡±
-Work. Human.
¡°KEUAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡±
?
Aria spoke to Karlstein, who was tearing at his hair in agony.
?
-Opportunely, it seems we have found a dimension for installing the second repeater.
¡°What?¡±
?
Karlstein hurriedly searched through the text shown by Aria.?
?
-Title : Guys. It looks like I¡¯m fucked, right?
i definitely transmigrated into ¡®Apocalypse S-ss Shelter Ability User¡¯, okay?
but¡ i think the genre changed ;(((
or did i transmigrate into a different work? i woke up to find a UFO crashed into the ceiling¡ could it be that aliens or something appeared?
as if being a non-awakened wasnt bad enough¡ i honestly thought i was dead when i first found that out¡ but now it¡¯s aliens¡ what am i even supposed to do if aliens are suddenly included into the worldview :((((((((((((
?
It was someone¡¯s cry of despair.
?
***
Kim Youngsik1this is amon korean name. So, a lot of people use Surname + Youngsik as a way to call any Tom, dick, and harry. Basically, in it¡¯s english form, it would be Bob or John or Joe or something.
His life was as ordinary as his name. After an ordinary school life and graduating from a university that was neither good nor bad, he became an ordinary office worker, doing just as much as others did.
How to put it? Only when measured in terms of being ordinary could he be considered in the top 1%, perhaps?
However, his life became a bit special due to a transmigration out of the blue. The reason why ¡®a bit¡¯ was added was because even in this world, he was just Person A. Once again, ordinary.
But now, even being ordinary was about to remain as merely a wishful thought.
¡°Oppa, I¡¯m sorry. But I¡¯ve found someone I like. So let¡¯s end it here.¡±
He was dumped by his girlfriend of 7 years, who said she had be the concubine of a great Awakened.
¡°Youngsik. I¡¯m sorry, but you don¡¯t have toe anymore. We found someone else.¡±
¡°Where are we even supposed to use someone like you, who has no Abilities?¡±
As he was a Non-Awakened with nothing he was particrly good at, he couldn¡¯t even make ends meet.
Youngsik holed up in an alcove, drinking straight from a soju bottle to soothe his aching heart.
¡®How did ite to this?¡¯
Youngsik¡¯s eyes were sunken deeply, falling into reminiscence.
Initially, he didn¡¯t realize he had possessed a character in a novel. After all, he woke up in none other than ¡®South Korea¡¯.
However, through slightly different names of past presidents and history, he was certain this world was a parallel universe.
After all, he thought he had died in a traffic ident, but here he was, still ¡®Kim Youngsik¡¯. Not even his body had been changed.
Yes. Fine. That much was understandable. He was an orphan to begin with, without close rtives to leave any lingering attachments.
Rather, Youngsik was grateful for his new life. Having experienced death, Youngsik, whose attitude and values towards life had changed, lived his second chance at life with a grateful heart.
He made friends, met a girlfriend, and saw his situation at his workce gradually improve.
¡®Ah, is this what a real life is supposed to be like?¡¯
Life had be vibrant.
He pondered the beauty of the clouds in the sky and the flowers blooming by the roadside. He asionally argued with his girlfriend, but ultimately affirmed their faith in each other and whispered words of love.
He was grateful for being alive, and a life where he knew how to give to people around him despite not having much, brought him fulfillment.
However, one day, after four years into adapting to this world¡
His life that seemed like a painting inevitably came to an end.
-KEUAAAAAAH!!
-KYAAAAAAH!!
-RUN!
-Grrrrrr.
People who were fine just the day before turned into zombies and those zombies evolved, thus bringing down the nation and society.
That day, his happiness shattered to pieces.
But still, it seemed when one door closes, another opens, as many of those who survived the zombie outbreak awakened special abilities.
They could breathe fire, foresee the future, shoot strong winds, and summon lightning.
With the appearance of the ¡®Awakened¡¯ possessing superhuman abilities, humanity managed to keep their thread of existence intact. It was an apocalypse with a copsed social structure, but the survivors somehow clung to life.
And arouuuund that time, Youngsik realized this world wasn¡¯t just some simple parallel universe.
¡®I am definitely¡inside the novel < Apocalypse Shelter Ability User > that I read!¡¯
Youngsik was shocked by this realization, but he was able to quickly calm down. After all, was it even a big deal to transmigrate into a novel? He had already died once and came back to life, after all. Compared to that, this was nothing.
Anyway, although it was vague, he could somewhat remember the contents of the novel, thus giving Youngsik hope.
It was a relief, truly a relief, that because he was with his girlfriend, Youngsik could not give up on life.
Even in a desperate situation, he could muster strength if it was for the sake of his girlfriend. As such, he secured a safehouse, gathered allies, sourced food, and fended off attackers targeting their shelter.
Thus, 3 hectic years passed. The reason they could survive safely for 3 years was thanks to the information from the novel he had read.
In this world, ¡®Shelter¡¯ Ability Users appeared, and with these Shelter Ability Users as the focal point, the Awakened gathered, opening an era of warring states.
Although he was a Non-Awakened, an existence that was worse than an ant, he made a significant contribution to building the nation¡¯srgest shelter by clinging to the protagonist of the novel and utilizing all sorts of knowledge from the novel.
Up to that point, it was all good.
At least it would¡¯ve been if he hadn¡¯t gotten on the bad side of the protagonist, ¡®Yu Byungtae¡¯.
As the shelter began to establish itself, Yu Byungtae¡¯s attitude changed. That is, his rtionship with the original protagonist began to go awry.
¡°Why do you keep meddling?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t HAVE to do everything you say, you know?¡±
¡°How do you know that, huh? It¡¯s not like you know the future, right?¡±
¡°What can you even do without me?¡±
He constantly picked fights, disregarded his opinion, and interfered with his ns. For Youngsik, it was frustrating to the point of madness.
¡®It¡¯s not the time for Shelter Ability Users to be fighting among themselves¡!¡¯
Having read the novel, he was convinced that settling down and being satisfied with just this would inevitably lead to ruin.
¡°How about stepping down now? Even without you, we have clerical Awakened, after all.¡±
¡°Yeah, I agree. Youngsik, I think it¡¯s okay for you to take a bit of a break.¡±
¡°Oppa. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±
His colleagues, who had noticed Byungtae¡¯s disdain for him, urged him to retire under the pretext of taking a break.
Still, he could have endured it up to that point.
However, even after he retired, Yu Byungtae¡¯s harassment continued.
Now, even the colleagues he had once been close to began to turn their backs on him and joined in the ostracism.
¡°Haa¡.¡±
It was truly an absurd situation. He hade this far using all kinds of novel knowledge, only to lose everything because of a rtionship with just one person.
¡°That son of a bitch¡. Originally, the bastard was supposed to be wallowing in misery, utterly devastated.¡±
Dealing with evolved zombies was no easy feat. It could be called a miracle that he hade this far without losing anyrades.
¡®But they don¡¯t even realize my efforts¡.¡¯
After his rtionship with the original novel¡¯s protagonist went sour, he received an invitation to a ce called the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
¡®Could this be my awakening ability?¡¯
But it was far too trivial of an ability to call it that.
-Look here! Look here! The practical fist technique that can help you survive in an actual battlefield [24]
-heunggggggg. fluffy fluffy. soft bouncy. [34]
-all u fembois out there send mwe some goodnight emoticons [75]
-fu.f-fu.f-f-fu.fuc.fuc.f-fu-fuc2meme that is like FUCKKKKK. [4]
-hey you regressing sons of bitches fucking cut it with your dogshit nonsense you psycho mfers [224]
-Haaa. I¡¯m craving cigarettes. How much longer do I have to act as the Saintess? [12]
-herees a meme [87]
-i will cum if those fucking human trash scumbag bastards die [12]
-mwm,,ebrs,,look.,at this,,before you go.,. [421]
-nUENAIGAEOGNAOENGOIAEG FUCK IF YOU LOOK AT THAT U R FUCKED DONT GET BAITED [147]
EXXXXXXXXX¡ª!! CALIBURRRRRRRRRRRR¡ª!!! [31]
It was dizzying.
Well.. He asionally browsed for a giggle or posted his grievances for somefort.
But if this was supposed to be an awakening ability, wasn¡¯t it way too pathetic¡.
Lately, having been kicked out of the shelter, he didn¡¯t even have time to check themunity anymore.
¡®Is this it for me?¡¯
Just when he thought that¡ an explosion urred in the ceiling.
¡®Wait, this is inside the shelter, though?!¡¯
Boom-
Youngsik could not shut his gaping mouth.- 1
this is amon korean name. So, a lot of people use Surname + Youngsik as a way to call any Tom, dick, and harry. Basically, in it¡¯s english form, it would be Bob or John or Joe or something
- 2
meme that is like FUCKKKKK
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 16: Hyperions Steward
Chapter 16: Hyperion''s Steward
? Hyperion¡¯s Steward ?
?
?
¡°UFO?¡±
Sleek, beautiful curves.
At the center of the thick disk glossed with white was a hemispherical body attached.
Headlights with unusual colors flickering.
?
No matter how one looked at it, what appeared, breaking through the ceiling, was a UFO.
?
Moreover, the UFO was clearly floating in mid-air.
?
¡®What is going on?¡¯
?
Youngsik¡¯s pupils trembled finely.
?
Was this a worldview where this kind of thing could appear?
?
Even if it was Shelter, there was no Ability to create such an alien-like flying object. ANd that was the same for the Awakened as well.
?
Youngsik turned his head quickly to look around, but there was nothing special.
?
¡®You¡¯re telling me it just fell from the sky?¡¯
?
Right then¡
?
[You have been selected as a temporary steward.]
?
¡°¡What?¡±
?
Youngsik¡¯s mouth gaped open at the voice that suddenly rang in his head.?
?
***
?
A woman with short hair and a cold impression hurried along with a long spear on her back. A man followed beside the woman.
?
¡°It seems there was a disturbance in Sector D.¡±
¡°Disturbance? Were zombies attacking?¡±
?
The woman frowned slightly at the mention of Sector D. Noticing her displeasure, the man quickly added.
?
¡°It does not seem like a zombie attack. But¡ the ce where the disturbance happened was¡.¡±
¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll just see it for myself when I get there.¡±
?
Sector D referred to the slum residential area outside the shelter. And that ce was where her ¡®former¡¯ colleague stayed.
?
¡®That stupid fool¡.¡¯
?
?Yoon Seungah shook her head, thinking of that overly naive and kind idiot.
¡°I¡¯ve told him to get himself together time and time again.¡±
?
While she was clicking her tongue, someone appeared in front of her.
?
¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t it Seungah Unni? You seem busy, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Baek Seulgi¡.¡±
?
Kim Youngsik¡¯s ¡®former¡¯ girlfriend. Recently, there were rampant rumors about Baek Seulgi being in that kind of rtionship with the shelter¡¯s leader.
?
The woman in her 20s, neither over nor underdone with makeup, had a face that was innocent yet strangely seductive. Seungah¡¯s brows furrowed at the sight of her off-shoulder knit and jeans.
?
¡®To think she would wear that kind of attire and make up, even in such a world.¡¯
?
It was a mindset she couldn¡¯t begin to fathom. Water and food were always scarce and severalbatants died everyday.
?
Sure. Fine. Dressing up could be understandable if looking through a very lenient lens.
?
Yoon Seungah, being an activebat officer, had no interest in dressing up, but some might reminisce about the past or wish to cheer up those who were depressed around them with a bright appearance.
?
However, what came to Seungah¡¯s mind was just how much drinking water was wasted and how many search team members had to die for someone to walk around like that.
?
¡°Heuuuung. I heard there was a problem in Sector D?¡±
¡°It¡¯s none of your business, is it?¡±
?
Seungah tried to ignore Seulgi and walk past, but Seulgi didn¡¯t seem to want that.
?
¡°Why would it not concern me? Isn¡¯t that where Youngsik Oppa is?¡±
?
Yoon Seungah shot a look of contempt at Baek Seulgi. Even though she received Seungah¡¯s re, she merely smirked. Everyone knew she was the woman who had discarded Kim Youngsik after using him to his very bones.
?
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Fine. The Vice-Captain of the guards must be busy, right? Why don¡¯t you run there yourself? What if something happened to Oppa, who you¡¯re so protective of, Unni?¡±
?
It was a mockery filled with scorn, as if to say, ¡®The man you¡¯re interested in is the man I threw away¡¯.
?
In truth, Seungah¡¯s feelings for Kim Youngsik were more of respect than of romantic interest.
?
¡°That¡¯s right. At least he¡¯s more important than someone who just flirts around without contributing anything to the shelter.¡±
¡°Hoho. Don¡¯t say such upsetting words. If someone hears, they might think I¡¯m just idling around, you know?¡±
¡°Is that not the case? It¡¯s not like you have even killed a single zombie. Ah, you have been working quite hard as the Flower of Shelter, though.¡±
¡°¡What about it. What would someone as blunt and hardhearted as you know, Unni? I don¡¯t know why you care about such a retard, but anyway, good luck.¡±
?
After fully expressing her mockery, Seulgi walked away, leaving behind the smell of perfume.
?
¡°Hmph.¡±
?
Seungah hurried her steps, wanting to save the time dyed due to meeting Seulgi. She felt a sense of foreboding regarding the disturbance reported in Sector D. If even a minor conflict had urred, it could unnecessarily escte into a big problem for him, who was already disliked by the current leader, Yu Byungtae.
?
¡®There¡¯s no way, right?¡¯
?
Even if it was Outer Sector D, considering the size of the shelter, it was not small at all. So, there was no certainty that it would be rted to Youngs¡.
?
¡°Kim Youngsik! Come out this instant and exin what happened!¡±
¡°Does demolishing the building signify an attack on our shelter?¡±
¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve coborated with the ters for a terror attack?¡±
?
When she arrived, the Awakened had already surrounded Youngsik¡¯s residence.
?
Clench-
?
What on earth did that idiot do?
?
The building surrounded by the Awakened looked as if it had been bombed, with the roof and second floor copsed.
?
¡°Kim Youngsik! We already know you hold a grudge against our leader! Soe out, you punk!¡±
¡°If you refuse to respond, you¡¯ll have nothing to say even if we take stern action, you know?¡±
?
In truth, there was no reason for the Awakened to be wary of Youngsik, who had no Abilities. However, it was easy to understand the reason why they were shouting so exaggeratedly, as if acting in a y.
?
Their intention was to find a pretext to expel him.
Her ?expression hardened, as she approached the ce.
?
***
??
¡°Uh¡ Mr. Spaceship? What am I supposed to do now?! All those guys were already plotting to kick me out, as is¡.¡±
?
[Please refer to me as Master.]
?
¡°W-What is that supposed to¡!¡±
The incredulous Youngsik was struggling to open the door, pulling hard on the doorknob.
?
Creaaaak-
?
¡°Uggggggh!¡±?
The ceiling just had to copse, twisting the iron door, so it was almost impossible to open it with his own strength.
?
?And were they adding insult to injury? The Awakened who usually gave him disgusted looks were camped outside, clearly up to no good as they taunted him.
¡°Hey! Kim Youngsik, you haven¡¯t forgotten you¡¯re under probation, have you?¡±
¡°This is clearly our shelter¡¯s residential area, you know?¡±
¡°Haha. Are you shaking in fear inside right now?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know why Leader bothers with such a retard like him.¡±
¡°Anyway, we need to thoroughly investigate this act of terrorism that urred during your probation.¡±
?
In the end, Youngsik was not able to leave before the Awakened forcefully entered.
?
¡°Tie him up!¡±
¡°Be gentle. He¡¯s a Non-Awakened.¡±
¡°Haha. Typically, even the most useless Ability would awaken, but I heard this fool hasn¡¯t awakened a single one, right?¡±
¡°Yeah, looks like his body is still the same as before.¡±
?
¡°Keuk.¡±
?
Youngsik couldn¡¯t resist the excessive suppression by the Awakened. Even though he revealed theplete truth, just as the Awakened demanded¡
?
¡°What is he saying? There¡¯s nothing here.¡±
¡°Are you seeing things now? What aplete lunatic.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t he just making fun of us? He¡¯s talking about spaceships and whatnot, you know?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
?
Youngsik realized that the spaceship, clearly visible to him, waspletely invisible to others.
?
¡°You should¡¯ve just gotten drunk and slept quietly.¡±
¡°But seriously, how did you demolish this?¡±
¡°Did you air-drop a grenade or something? There¡¯s no trace of it at all.¡±
¡°Who knows. Who cares. Anyway, we¡¯ve caught the culprit, so let¡¯s just drag him away.¡±
The aftermath was not too different from his expectations.
?
¡°Did you defy Leader¡¯s order of probation?¡±
¡°Being treated as an early member only goes so far, you know?¡±
¡°How dare you, when you¡¯ve only survived until now thanks to Leader?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t have abilities, you should¡¯ve just lived quietly.¡±
¡°Even Miss Seulgi tried to help a fool like you somehow, but I heard she gave up saying you¡¯re beyond redemption. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±
¡°Tsk tsk.¡±
Here, Yu Byungtae, the Ability User who established and operated the shelter, was practically ¡®God¡¯ in this ce. And Kim Youngsik, whom Yu Byungtae disliked, was no different from an unforgivable sinner.
?
Of course, the members who knew of Youngsik¡¯s contributions didn¡¯t criticize him. But at the same time, considering Yu Byungtae¡¯s standing, it was also true that it was hard for them to step forward in support of Youngsik. And now that the shelter was running rtively smoothly, Youngsik was deemed unnecessary.
?
¡°Expulsion? What do you mean expulsion? Isn¡¯t expelling someone who¡¯s not an Awakened basically sending them to their death?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Seungah, you don¡¯t know anything. Just stay out of it.¡±
¡°Why should I? Everyone knows that Youngsik has contributed significantly to this shelter.¡±
¡°Still, the fact that he has no Abilities doesn¡¯t change.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
?
They avoided eye contact and did not provide a proper answer.
?
¡°Seungah. You realize your statement just now was dangerous, right? Leader is still favorable towards you, so he¡¯s letting it slide. So, give it a rest.¡±
?
?In the end, Seungah alone could not stop Youngsik¡¯s expulsion.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. It feels like just yesterday you saved me¡. Why did you have to¡.¡±
?
Seungah couldn¡¯t bring herself to say ¡®You¡¯re such an idiot¡¯ in front of Youngsik. After all, it was because of his very idiocy that her life had been saved.
?
¡°It¡¯s okay, Seungah. Don¡¯t get yourself in trouble trying to defend me. Just go back inside.¡±
?
Youngsik wore a bitter smile. Although Seungah had awakened, her Ability wasn¡¯t so remarkable? as to have much influence within the shelter. She was not adept at political maneuvering either. Standing out like this could only lead to unnecessary trouble. Furthermore, considering how she had her mother to care for within the shelter, it was especially a situation she needed to be cautious about.
At the entrance of the shelter.
?
Only Youngsik and Seungah stood in front of the barricade made of cars and barbed wire.. A little distance away, an Awakened had his arms crossed, watching them with sharp eyes like a hawk.
?
¡°Haha¡.¡±
?
Youngsik gazed at the shelter enveloped by the long, tall walls.
?
Throughout the apocalypse, he had managed to keep his wits, rallying hispanions to operate the shelter and oveing all sorts of crises to lead everyone. Yet, Seungah was the only one to see him off.
?
Seungah sighed and handed over a small leather pouch.
¡°Take this at least. It¡¯ll be better than just going out empty-handed.¡±
¡°This is¡ something I can¡¯t use, even if I have it.¡±
?
When Youngsik looked inside the leather pouch, he saw a bunch of mysterious red jewels.
?
¡°These are used to enhance the abilities of Awakened, but they can also be used as a kind of currency outside.¡±
¡°Seungah, you¡.¡±
?
Initially, Youngsik was going to reject it, but after a moment¡¯s pause, he took it.
?
¡°I¡¯ll make good use of it.¡±
¡°Alright, make sure to safely co¡. No, that¡¯s not it. Take care.¡±
¡°¡I will.¡±
?
Youngsik took onest look at the shelter he had spent the past few years nurturing and then turned away. Seungah, unable to bear this vexing situation, had already gone back inside.
?
¡°¡.¡±
?
Youngsik looked up. The flying object was still hovering above his head.
?
[If you hand over what you are holding obediently, there will be no bloodshed.]
?
Youngsik was about to lose his fucking mind.
?
? /genesisforsaken
Chapter 17: Growth-Type Space Battleship
Chapter 17: Growth-Type Space Battleship
? Growth-Type Space Battleship ?
***
Yu Byungtae clicked his tongue as he looked down from the rooftop of the shelter headquarters.
¡°Kim Youngsik.¡±
¡°Kim Youngsik.¡±
¡°Kim Youngsik¡¡±
Yu Byungtae¡¯s gaze wasplicated. After all, that ordinary name stirred a whirlwind of thoughts.
¡°I cannot waver.¡±
Yu Byungtae¡¯s anxiousness was especially prominent.
¡®Is it really fine to just let him go like that? Should I hold onto him? Or¡.¡¯
Of course, it was true that he had gone to great lengths to get Kim Youngsik expelled. He had subtly hinted and used colleagues around them to ostracize him.
After all, he was an arrogant punk who always tried to control him at every turn and teach others, as if his opinion was the only right one.
¡®It is true that he always acted like his opinion was some objective truth.¡¯
In the beginning of this fiasco, the punk¡¯s calmness and resolution made it easier to adapt, but didn¡¯t that also mean he and his colleagues were exceptional enough to survive in the first ce? In other words, creating and maintaining the shelter would have been no problem without him.
And it was especially insufferable how someone without any awakened abilities acted as if they were superior.
The difference between shelter residents with and without Abilities was as vast as that between kings andmoners in medieval times.
And that was only natural. In the apocalypse, one¡¯s status was naturally determined by their Ability, was it not?
Crunch-
Byungtae gritted his teeth.
Besides that, there was also another incident that had been the biggest problem in his opinion.
¡®I cannot forgive him¡.¡¯
He was a despicable bastard who had driven a female tenant to the brink of suicide and then expelled her. And that very woman was someone Byungtae had taken a liking to.
-T-This bitch is truly dangerous. I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s a spy for ter! One of the cadre with a brainwashing ability!
-Hic Hic, how harsh of you. How could I be from ter when I just want to live?
-What are you talking about? Do you really believe something like brainwashing exists? Isn¡¯t that way too paranoid?
-This delicate woman belongs to a group of plunderers?
-Do you really think we¡¯re not able to recognize an Awakened, our own kind?
-Mr. Youngsik. If I have done something wrong, please let us talk it over¡.
-It¡¯s not like you to use someone innocent without any evidence, Youngsik.
-Enough. Kim Youngsik!
She was a woman who matched well with Byungtae. They had mutual affection, soothed each other¡¯s pains, and were in the stage of confirming their feelings. Yet, he tormented and ndered her without reason, eventually forcing her to flee.
Byungtae could never forget that day.
His leadership was already undermined because the guy interfered with the shelter¡¯s operation at every turn. So, he considered it good riddance.
¡®See? This is what happens when you act however you like. The girlfriend you cherished so much has gone crazy for me, you know?¡¯
Byungtae grinned as he remembered Seulgi¡¯s figure.
¡®But still, I would be more at ease if this was dealt with definitively.¡¯
Byungtae¡¯s gaze hardened and turned cold as he summoned someone.
***
Meanwhile, Kim Youngsik could not hide his astonishment at the absurdity.
[The Power Source of ¡®Hyperion¡¯ has increased by 0.0012%.]
Wooooong-
Defeating evolved zombies or beating up regr zombies sometimes yielded the valuable ¡®Bloodstones¡¯, 120 of which had now been reduced to a single meal for ¡®Hyperion¡¯.
¡°Uh, eh¡?¡±
Wait, this was what Seungah had saved up for him to use, though¡?
[You have be stronger.]
¡°Excuse me? Nothing about me has changed at all¡ though?¡±
[You have be stronger.]
¡°¡.¡±
So, because the Power Source of Hyperion increased, it meant he had be stronger as well? Was that what it was saying?
¡°Uh¡.¡±
Still, unlike Youngsik, who was at loss for words, there was a change in ¡®Hyperion¡¯, which was visible only to him.
Click- Kieeeeeeeng- Click Click-
[Unnecessary parts will be reced and restricted with the Power avable.]
[Removal of parts used for Dimensional Travel and Space Flightpleted.]
¡°Dimensional¡ What?¡±
Click- Chrrrk- Click-
Although Hyperion kind of acted however it pleased, the sight of the flying object, which seemed only like a stereotypical UFO, transforming into something else left Youngsik speechless.
The sleek design, metallic colors, and subtle blue lighting overwhelmed him, making Hyperion appear like some futuristic SF car.
Its very design exuded dignity.
Even Youngsik, who wasn¡¯t usually observant, felt a certain ¡®romance¡¯ stirring deep inside him.
How could such a shabby person dare to step into a distinguished ce¡ was the type of thought that spontaneously came to him, making Youngsik feel utterly insignificant. The strange and alien design made him unwittingly aware of his instincts as a ¡®steward¡¯.
¡°Uh, eh¡.¡±
[¡®Hyperion¡¯ Stage 0-0, Initial Setting Conversion and Reconfiguration Completed.]
[Current Possible Operational Power 0.0783%. Consuming 0.01% to start the Stage 0-1 Upgrade of ¡®Hyperion¡¯.]
[Please select the Feature for ¡®Hyperion¡¯ Stage 0-1.]
[1. Offense-Type]
[2. Defense-Type]
[3. Utility-Type]
[4. Life Support-Type]
[5. Other]
Youngsik¡¯s mouth fell open.
Upgrade?
With trembling hands, Youngsik chose an option from the hologram before him.
¡®Offense-Type¡¯ quite literally meant loading various weapons and upgrading them. ¡®Defense-Type¡¯ referred to upgrading defense mechanisms and the outer walls.
¡®Utility-Type¡¯ allowed for the instation of various special functions beyond attack and defense, while ¡®Life Support-Type¡¯ included the addition of facilities for water and food production among other conveniences.
Lastly, ¡®Other¡¯ included options like passenger capacity, Combat Simtor Training, Facility Equipment for Adult Use, and more; things that one might even wonder, ¡®Is this really needed?¡¯.
Youngsik was dumbfounded. The weapons included unimaginable armaments like Antiparticle Cannons, Graviton Surge, and Anti-Gravity Bullets. But of course, due to insufficient Power and a low Evolution Stage, he couldn¡¯t choose them.
Still, at least one thing was clear.
¡®This is totally a superior version of a Shelter, isn¡¯t it?¡¯
Shelters could also upgrade their defense towers and facilities used for life support, but ¡®Hyperion¡¯ had many features that Shelters, no matter how hard they tried, could not implement, especially not with such specificity and advanced technology.
After all, even the final evolution of a Shelter¡¯s defense tower was just a turret. Wouldn¡¯t its power perhaps beparable to the modern era¡¯s heavy weaponry?
¡°Good heavens.¡±
As such, it was no wonder that Youngsik was so astounded.
He swallowed hard, deeply contemting which Feature to choose.
¡®Since I had to leave the shelter alone, securing safety should be the priority.¡¯
Zombies didn¡¯t distinguish between day and night. Since he was alone, he could not keep watch all the time, so securing a safe haven was paramount.
Youngsik debated between enhancing Defense-Type outer walls and adding a Utility-Type rm system before making a choice.
¡®Yeah, this is the right decision.¡¯
Just having something to alert him to approaching enemies would significantly increase his chances of survival. Youngsik extended his finger towards the hologram to choose the rm system.
[Utility-Type ¨C Would you like to select the rm System? Y/N]
Youngsik nodded eagerly, a mix of both anticipation and joy.
¡°That¡¯s right!¡±
[It has been rejected.]
¡°Eh?¡±
[1. Offense-Type ¨C Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Automatic Machine Gun has been selected.]
¡°Eh? Huh? N-No! The Utility rm¡.¡±
[Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Automatic Machine Gun has been selected.]
¡°Huh?¡±
[Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Automatic Machine Gun has been selected.]
¡°B-But I c-chose¡.¡±
[¡®Hyperion¡¯ Stage 0-1 Upgrade has started.]
Zinggg- Click- Whirrr- Click-
What¡ Why even ask if it¡¯s going to choose for me anyway¡..
Aplex gun, simr to a gatling gun, began to be installed on the underside of Hyperion, which was about the size of a midsize sedan.
Zinggg- Click- Click- Chrr-
Parts of the hull split into cubes and reassembled into a new form; it was truly a spectacle that could not be seen, even if given all the money in the world.
[Hyperion Stage 0-1 Upgrade has beenpleted.]
A menacing gatling gun was installed on the lower part of the futuristic SF car-like body, with wings spread at a 45-degree angle.
¡°Uh¡. But am I even able to board it?¡±
[¡.]
Hyperion gave no answer.
Tears welled up inside Youngsik¡¯s heart. It seemed he had to remain faithful to his duties as a steward, after all.
¡°But still, isn¡¯t it a bit too much¡ to not be able to board the spaceship?¡±
[¡.]
Was it because of Youngsik¡¯s timidment that Hyperion reacted?
Thump- Click.
WIth a mechanical sound that seemed reluctant for some reason, the lower hatch opened on both sides, revealing a space where he could sit. The seat, resembling a massage chair, appeared to be adjustable for both sitting or lying down.
A smile formed on Youngsik¡¯s lips.
¡°Y-You agree, r-right?¡±
How should he describe it? It was like the strange sense of gratitude one got when making eye contact with a stray cat and it didn¡¯t run away.
Though Hyperion did not lower its altitude to make boarding easy, Youngsik managed to get on by using the terrain around him.
¡°Ugh, hoit!¡±
As soon as he boarded, the hatch operated and the door closed. From then on, it was like witnessing a whole new world.
¡°Woah.¡±
He had expected the enclosed space to feel cramped and suffocating, but he could look around the vicinity through screens disyed on all sides.
Moreover¡ The seat that looked like a massage chair enveloped his body sofortably that it felt like being wrapped in clouds.
So much so that a moment¡¯s distraction was enough to make him drowsy!
¡°Huuuuh¡.¡±
Youngsik could not stop marveling after he boarded.
Then, Hyperion¡¯s neutral and mechanical voice reached Youngsik¡¯s ears.
[Setting target.]
¡°Huh?¡±
Whirrr-
As seen from the screen, Hyperion¡¯s outer armor opened up in various ces and blue light seeped out. Then the hull¡¯s attitude began to elevate.
[Initiating Automatic Hunting.] /genesisforsaken
Chapter 18: Solo SSS-Class Space Battleship
Chapter 18: Solo SSS-ss Space Battleship
? Solo SSS-ss Space Battleship ?
Youngsik couldn¡¯t wrap his head around what he was witnessing.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
As the gatling gun fired, zombies exploded and fell to the ground without fail.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
¡°Ah¡.¡±
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Each time the barrel rotated and fired, the zombies copsed en masse, swept away like waves.
The gatling gun continued to fire at regr intervals without rest.
Although its power was somewhatcking, often failing to finish them in one shot, Youngsik felt like he understood why Hyperion had chosen Vacuum Compressed Bullets.
¡®If air ispressed into bullets¡ There¡¯s no need to worry about ammunition.¡¯
Even if it was an Apocalypse novel, firearms were still a threat to the Awakened. However, the obvious downside was that ammunition was consumable. Three years had passed since the apocalypse began. There was no way manufacturing nts were still running, so ammunition was naturally running low.
The shelter did have firearms, but they were basically kept for emergencies.
However, Youngsik did not need to worry about spending bullets.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
No zombie could resist the relentless air bullets. If the aim was fixed onto a single target, it had the power to bring down buildings.
¡°What on earth¡.¡±
The area was cleared of zombies. Hyperion, perhaps to attract zombies, bombarded them without turning on its stealth and silencer functions.
Drooling zombies, drawn by the noise, faced a fate no different from the ones that came before. They all exploded andy cold on the ground with holes in their heads.
A massacre.
It was, quite literally, a massacre.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
After thest horde of zombies fell, silence descended on the area.
There were no more in the vicinity.
¡°Hehe.¡±
To be so overwhelmin¡.
That was when Hyperion¡¯s lower hatch mechanism activated.
Pwhooooosh- Click-
¡°Huh?¡±
The floor opened and wind rushed in between Youngsik¡¯s legs.
Whirrrr-
The seat Youngsik was sitting on descended. He realized what it was implying.
¡°Are you telling me to get off?¡±
Upon roughly understanding, Youngsik jumped off the seat and safely disembarked. At least, unlike earlier, Hyperion had lowered its altitude. Youngsik ran a finger under his nose.
D-Doesn¡¯t that mean we got a bit closer? R-Right?
Youngsik was moved even by such a trivial and slight consideration.
Thud.
¡°Mm?¡±
A bag and tongs fell at his feet.
¡°Ah¡!¡±
Youngsik realized what he had to do.
It was telling him to collect Bloodstones, which were found inside zombies ever so rarely.
¡°¡.¡±
Youngsik looked around at the zombie flesh scattered messily around and broke out in cold sweat.
¡°P-Please let the n-next upgrade be an automatic collection device¡!¡±
Still, wouldn¡¯t this much of a request be granted? Right?
Leaving the unresponsive Hyperion behind, Youngsik rolled up his sleeves and started picking up Bloodstones.
Well¡ At least there wasn¡¯t a risk of being attacked by zombies while collecting. As such, he was more at ease.
***
¡°Boss¡ What is that?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Am I seeing this right?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, you dumbfuck.¡±
On the rooftop of a high-rise building far from Youngsik¡
Four Awakened were using scopes to watch the unbelievable scene unfolding in the distance.
¡°What even¡ is that?¡±
¡°Haha. I can onlyugh at the absurdity.¡±
¡°An Awakened? Or a Shelter Ability User?¡±
¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s no ordinary matter.¡±
¡°How are we even supposed to deal with that?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
The boss leading them felt just as perplexed.
¡°It is an order from Leader, so we can¡¯t fail either.¡±
¡°I¡¯m gonna go crazy.¡±
¡°But he¡¯s alone, right? Will he really keep riding on that?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s finish him off when he disembarks. Then that¡ fighter jet just bes ours, right?¡±
Gulp-
The sound of someone swallowing made them all shut their mouths. Although unspoken, it was natural for all of them to feel greedy.
A flying war machine with such power?
Just one of those machines could make this whole damned world feel not all that scary anymore.
¡°Uh, uh, he¡¯snding!¡±
¡°Oh!¡±
¡°It seems like he got off to pick up Bloodstones. Can¡¯t we just attack him now?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, by the time he notices us, it¡¯ll be toote. Let¡¯s take him down quickly before he gets back on the flying vehicle.¡±
They descended from the rooftop and started moving quickly towards Youngsik.
The unidentified flying object had effortlessly knocked down over a thousand zombies, so the mere act of collecting Bloodstones would take him ages.
The flying machine hovered silently in the air. Meanwhile, Youngsik waspletely unaware of their approach.
¡°Haha. Taking down one ordinary person like him should be easy. He isn¡¯t even an Awakened.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get careless. If that punk gets on the vehicle, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
They suppressed their excitement with great difficulty and charged at Youngsik.
¡°Kekekek!¡±
¡°Whoooo-¡±
¡°Seems like I¡¯ll get to taste some blood for the first time in a while.¡±
***
¡°Ooooh¡.¡±
At Youngsik¡¯s feety four chunks of meat.
¡°¡.¡±
They were the attackers who had been miserably shredded.
Youngsik recognized them as Awakened under themand of Yu Byungtae. Moreover, they were those who mainly handled the dirty work.
?
Youngsik could understand why Byungtae employed such people. It wasn¡¯t possible to only have good thingse out of running the shelter; sometimes, dirty work was necessary. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t feasible to just push away Awakened with such poor qualities; employing them for such tasks wasn¡¯t a bad policy when thinking of shelter operations.
?
However, Youngsik had never expected that he would be their target.
?
He was, after all, theirrade.?
Unbeknownst to them, Youngsik had saved their lives numerous times. He had devised strategies against evolved entities that grew increasingly powerful and shared custom attack tactics to ensure safe raids for them.
?
¡°¡.¡±
?
As such, he had never anticipated being backstabbed like this.
¡°Sigh. What a waste. He ended up just killing off such valuable Awakened.¡±
Though of somewhat poor quality in terms of personality, an Awakened was still a significant force for ordinary people just from their mere existence.
¡°It¡¯s none of my business now, though.¡±
A Shield Ability User, a Tracking Ability User, a Wind de Ability User, and a Physical Enhancement Ability User had foolishly attacked him and met their demise.
Initially, they had only surrounded and threatened Youngsik.
They must have thought it was safe because he wasn¡¯t aboard Hyperion. However, what they didn¡¯t realize was that he was essentially one with the craft.
¡®Tch¡.¡¯
Youngsik wiped the blood on his face with his sleeve.
¡®That punk, Byungtae¡.¡¯
?
He was startled when they first attacked.
A casual kick from one of the Awakened sent a zombie¡¯s innards flying, hitting his face and sliding down.
-There¡¯s no need for further discussion. I have a few questions. What is that flying object above? Did you create it with your Ability?
-¡.
-Why are you not speaking? You won¡¯t survive if you keep up with that attitude.
-If you hand over the control method and that machine, we¡¯ll let you go.
-Kekek. Boss! Isn¡¯t that way too generous?
-You probably know already, but we¡¯re quite skilled in interrogation. So, we ask for your cooperation.
?
They seemed to disregard Youngsikpletely, instead showing great interest in Hyperion, the unidentified flying object. Greed filled their eyes.
-That¡¯s one slick craft, ain¡¯t it?
-Can it really hover in the air like that? What is this? How is that even possible?
-Even superhumans like us exist now. What is there that could not be possible?
-From a brief nce, the rate of fire seems fast, but I¡¯m pretty sure each shot seems weaker than a standard firearm, right?
-Hmm. Yeah, now that I¡¯m examining the bodies up close, there are quite a few non-prative wounds.
-By the way, I don¡¯t see any bullet traces, huh?
-Just thinking about riding this is making my heart race.
Up until then, Hyperion just leisurely hovered in the air.
Then, the Tracking Ability User jumped towards Hyperion¡¯s lower part. He seemed to n on climbing into the cockpit through the open hatch.
And it was then that Hyperion¡¯s gatling gun fired.
¡°ARGHGHGHGHHGHG!¡±
While the Awakened generally had far superior physical abilitiespared to ordinary humans, that didn¡¯t seem to mean they could withstand Hyperion¡¯s barrage.
The other Ability Users hastily deployed shields and prepared for attack, but¡
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM-
The shields briefly withstood Hyperion¡¯s onught, but could not endure the air bullets that fired more than 10,000 rounds per minute, or over 200 rounds per second, thus being crushed like tofu.
¡®Eugh¡.¡¯
And with that, the fate of the other Awakened fared no different.
Hyperion had turned the Awakened into chunks of meat in an instant. And for some reason, Youngsik felt like Hyperion was not in all that good of a mood.
How he could sense the mood of a chunk of machinery was a mystery to even Youngsik himself.
Was it due to his attribute of being its steward?
When he inspected Hyperion¡¯s outer armor closely, he found a small scratch, less than 1 cm, from the final attack of the Wind de Ability User.
¡°Mm¡ So was that why?¡±
After tidying up the area and boarding Hyperion, he realized that its Power had slightly increased.
¡°Is it gaining Power not just from feeding it Bloodstones but from killing as well?¡±
Bloodstones were virtually the only reliable currency in this apocalyptic world. So, if it could be saved as much as possible, then¡.
Swoosh- Swish- Swoosh-
Fat chance of that. What did he even expect?
The moment he had such thoughts upon boarding, all the Bloodstones were sucked in
¡°¡.¡±
Youngsik just gave up on the concept of thinking itself.
He had no intention of rebelling against Hyperion, which had just turned Awakened into minced meat in seconds.
[Initiating Automatic Hunting.]
[Searching for optimal hunting locations.]
Beeeeep-
Soon, the screen disyed hundreds of red dots.
¡®Mmmm¡ That area is known for frequent appearances of evolved zombies, though¡.¡¯
Youngsik was a bit worried, but he had no choice in the matter anyway.
Hyperion quickly flew to a location dense with zombies.
[Initiatingbat.]
Whirrrrr- Clickk.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM-
Like a high-level yer rampaging in a low-level hunting ground in a game, Hyperion mowed down zombies in droves.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM-
For the sake of Hyperion¡¯s growth, the poor zombies began to be sacrificed. Zombies were effortlessly sliced apart, making Youngsik momentarily pity them.
While watching this scene, Youngsik was at a loss for words.
Zombies Waves, a veritable disaster just waiting toe.
But perhaps, for Hyperion, it was just another free EXP event¡. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 19: Ultra-Fast Hardcore Leveling
Chapter 19: Ultra-Fast Hardcore Leveling
? Ultra-Fast Hardcore Leveling ?
Boom-
Everyone in the meeting room was startled by the sound of Yu Byungtae mming his fist on the desk.
¡°Any objections? Is there anyone who still wants to defend that punk?¡±
Everyone avoided his gaze, intimidated by his fierce spirit. No one wished to incur the wrath of the Leader, who was practically an absolute ruler within the shelter.
Byungtae clenched his fist, seething with anger. However, his inner thoughts were different from his furious appearance.
¡®What happened?¡¯
Byungtae bit his lip in confusion.
¡®They were a party formed of at least C-ss Awakened. There was even a B-ss among them¡.¡¯
Unbelievably, all of them had been killed by that bastard.
¡°I don¡¯t know what method he used, but he killed four of our Awakened and fled.¡±
Of course, he was the one to send assassins first, but since they did not know, it wasn¡¯t a problem.
¡°I will organize a team of Awakened to pursue him.¡±
Killing an Awakened was a serious crime that threatened the defense of the shelter. Neglecting it could shake the very discipline within.
¡°But, Leader. Considering the uing Shelter War, it might be difficult to deploy many¡.¡±
¡°And we can¡¯t ignore ¡®that¡¯ either.¡±
¡°That?¡±
¡°Uh¡ That ¡®Wave¡¯ thing or whatever the bastard talked about.¡±
Byungtae¡¯s expression hardened slightly at the colleague¡¯s remark.
¡®Even though I expelled him, does that bastard¡¯s shadow still linger?¡¯
The ridiculous conjecture that punk had made.
It was the im that soon, zombies might organize and act around evolved entities.
At the time, Youngsik¡¯s opinion was definitely dismissed as mere nonsense. After all, there were too many immediate problems to prepare for an all too uncertain future.
Besides, weren¡¯t zombies zombies for a reason? Weren¡¯t they insignificant creatures without intelligence?
While evolved entities might have special abilities and pose a danger, they stillcked intellect. If zombies had intelligence, humanity would have been extinct long ago.
Yet, despite the absurdity of his conjecture¡
Just the fact that ¡®he¡¯ had said it was enough to shake them. Even though he, the Leader, had spoken against it directly.
And that was what infuriated Yu Byungtae the most.
Byungtae slowly calmed his anger and spoke. These Awakened were important resources of the shelter. No good woulde out of treating them carelessly.
¡°Then, let¡¯s deploy the minimum necessary personnel. THe goal is to track and investigate. Even if you find him, avoid engagement, and if he has any aplices, do not approach and report back.¡±
It was a murder case that killed a whopping four Awakened. Even if Kim Youngsik did not have an Ability, he still might have hidden cards.
¡°Mmm¡ That much should be fine.¡±
¡°As expected of Leader.¡±
¡°Then, who will take charge of the pursuit team?¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t it at least be someone who is somewhat capable inbat?¡±
Byungtae already had a candidate in mind. His serpent-like gaze turned to a woman sitting in the corner of the meeting room.
¡°Yoon Seungah.¡±
Everyone focused their gazes on her when her name was called. She had her head half-bowed, so her expression was not clearly visible.
Byungtae looked at Yoon Seungah and smiled.
¡°You will go directly and take responsibility for the investigation. Thoroughly find out how Kim Youngsik killed the Awakened and escaped.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
Yoon Seungah¡¯s face fell heavily. Meanwhile, Yu Byungtae smiled unpleasantly.
He knew she couldn¡¯t possibly refuse his order. After all, her mother was still living in the shelter. As long as there was such a hostage, Yoon Seungah could never oppose him.
In some ways, it could almost be considered a charge of contempt.
Leaving her mother behind to go on a distant expedition, as well as being in charge of a pursuit team for a former colleague she had been friendly with. This was practically punishment for defending that punk before.
And upon thinking of how that bastard would have to face her as an enemy made him feel much better.
¡®As long as Yoon Seungah knows I have a hostage, she won¡¯t cooperate with that punk. After all, she¡¯s strict about public and private matters.¡¯
And so, that was how the executive meeting ended.
***
¡°Sir Hyperion. Most bullets won¡¯t be of use against that thing.¡±
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM-
Evolved entity.
It was a muscr evolved zombie, reminiscent of the Hulk.
?
Even Vacuum Compressed bullets could only stop it in its tracks without causing any significant damage.
That wasn¡¯t all.
Swoosh-
¡°Heup!¡±
The view of the screen instantly changed. It was because Hyperion had made a sudden turn.
On the screen, an evolved zombie was attacking Hyperion with tentacles stretching thens of meters.
Swoosh-
Thus, Hyperion ughtered the regr zombies while dodging numerous attacks from the evolved entity with S-shaped evasive maneuvers.
Of course, Hyperion wasn¡¯t just on the receiving end.
Wooooong- Zuoooooong-
sma weapons installed at the front of the craft.
[sma Focused Cutter]
A red sphere condensed in the center of the weapon, resembling the pincers of a stag beetle.
Zzzt-
On the screen, it showed the evolved zombies being locked onto.
A sma beam shot out from the front of Hyperion, who was dodging quickly here and there.
Zzzzzzzzt-
It was the moment when four evolved entities that were locked onto aligned in a straight line.
¡°Huuuuuh¡..¡±
A beam was emitted, scraping the ground for about 3 seconds.
Though 3 seconds could be considered short, it was absolutely not the case rtive to Hyperion¡¯s movement speed,
Youngsik shook his head as he saw the scar left by the [sma Focused Cutter] drawn in a straight line on the ground.
Nearly 1 km of the surface¡¯s length was deeply gouged and bluish sma currents crackled from the fissure.
Except for the muscr evolved entity, all were instantly turned to ash, thus evaporating.
¡°Huhuhuh¡..¡±
For some reason, he was hit with a reality check.
Usually, a party of more than five Awakened was needed to strategically catch a single evolved entity, just like a raid¡ But Hyperion was annihting them all too effortlessly.
[sma Focused Cutter Reuse Wait Time : 1 Hour 29 Minutes 58 Seconds]
Of course, it couldn¡¯t be used frequently, but it wasn¡¯t all that unbearable to wait.
Ssssswoooosh-
Hyperion lowered its altitude and flew.
Zap-
A blue maic field sprang from the orb located at the very top of the machine and began to cover it in an elliptical shape.
Zap-
A maic field with a radius of 20 meters spread around Hyperion.
Woooooong-
As Hyperion passed through the battlefield, all sorts of metals within the range of the maic field suddenly floated in the air.
Wooooong- Zap-
Hyperion started to absorb only the materials that matched the preset frequency among the floating debris.
Small red crystals were quickly absorbed into the rear of the craft.
It was quite literally ¡®Automatic Hunting¡¯. Moreover, it even had a kind of pet to help with looting!
¡®Mmmm.¡¯
The speed of hunting was unbelievably fast.
Thanks to the upgrade, Youngsik could graduate from being a mere looting pet.
¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be discarded as useless, right?¡¯
Youngsik became somewhat anxious for no particr reason.
***
While the Stage 0 Baby(?) Hyperion was sweeping up zombies and hardcord leveling, a new Update Notice was posted in themunity.
-Writer : (Oradge) Cosmic Emperor
-Title : < Update Notice > Point System Implementation^^
Hello. Nice to meet you. I am Cosmic Emperor, the one working tirelessly for all of you.
(Roughly a meme of a frog holding out a wine ss.jpg)
Thanks to your support and encouragement, I have managed to reach this position. This Oradge! Has not forgotten your grace and favor. And I had to make a significant decision to repay that goodwill.
That is! Drum roll please!
Yes! That¡¯s right. As written in the title, we n to implement a ¡®Point System¡¯!
We will proceed with arge-scale update for this, so ess to themunity may be temporarily dyed.
What?
Did you ask what the Point System is?
Haha.
Karma.
I am sure most of you have heard of it before.
And no, I¡¯m not talking about ¡®Sae Eleia Tera Vi¡¯1A League of Legends character called ¡°Karma¡± says this when using ¡°Mantra¡±.
What did you say? That wasn¡¯t funny? Haha. It seems you¡¯re not afraid of the ban hammer, huh? It appears that many don¡¯t know that the vested authority of the ever so diligent Bluadge have been increased recently.
Anyway!
Every user using the ¡®Integrated Dimensional Community¡¯ is umting ¡®Karma¡¯. There is not a single exception. (Firm tone)
And exchanging such ¡®Karma¡¯ for Points (Cash) is precisely the big project ¡®¡®S.T.R.A.W.¡¯ I will be conducting.
What? You find the project name suspicious? Haha. That is a misunderstanding.
Yes. Anyway, str¡ I mean, the S.T.R.A.W Project is simple. It¡¯s about the cirction of currency in themunity!
You all know about the ¡®Gold Standard2A gold standard is a mary system in which the standard economic unit of ount is based on a fixed quantity of gold¡¯, right?
It¡¯s simr to that. Your Karma will serve the role of ¡®gold¡¯ in the Gold Standard.
Some of you may have umted plenty of karma in your past life, while others may have started without even a penny. In other words, that means some will start with arge amount of Points.
What? You find that unfair?
But life is unfair. That¡¯s how it always was. Don¡¯t try to argue, okay? Still, the Karma you¡¯re currently building are definitely more valuable! (Wink)
Now, then! Everyone must be wondering the same thing.
Where do I spend the Cash I gather?
Isn¡¯t that the most important thing, after all?
Hahaha.
Don¡¯t worry about it.
Who am I? Am I not your Oradge, Cosmic Emperor?
Of course, I¡¯m working day and night to create content that will satisfy all of you. (Grit)
Of course, opening all the content will take a long time. Whining about it won¡¯t speed it up! So, please don¡¯t rush me!
Ah, and for reference, VIP levels will be determined based on the Points (Cash) you have and there will be restrictions on the content you can participate in.
Something sounds kinda familiar, doesn¡¯t it?^^
So, please splurge your Cash with your utmost enthusiasm!
P.S. Your Oradge will be dragg¡ No, will be stepping away for a bit to work~!
After the Oradge¡¯s Update Notice was posted¡
Posts about it flooded themunity at a pace exceeding the speed of light.
It was the highest traffic ever recorded in the history of the Integrated Dimensional Community.- 1
A League of Legends character called ¡°Karma¡± says this when using ¡°Mantra¡±
- 2
A gold standard is a mary system in which the standard economic unit of ount is based on a fixed quantity of gold
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 20: Rumors
Chapter 20: Rumors
? Rumors ?
Themunity was abuzz about the ¡®Point System¡¯.
-Title: Baldmen. Is He God?
?Seems like a god who¡¯s crazy about capitalism.
?LOL I¡¯m speechless.
?why bring filthy capitalism all the way here!
?(DevilKingVirdel) Political statements are prohibited.
?VIP level¡ Yuck, fuck.
?mustve been a F2P1Free to y huh? LMAO
?Is it not natural that those who spend more receive better treatment?
?but did he really have to bring that all the way here ahhhh lol
?so, when is the content getting updated?
?Who knows? No one does. Until the Admin who went to workes back.
?looks like even Godmen cant avoid work LMAOO
?Baldmen. If I have points, does that mean I can finally escape this curse? O¡¯, my Lord.
?Baldmen.
?yeah yeah whatever u still cant buy it bc u dont have enough karma points lol get fked
?the rich gets richer fucking hell LOLOLOLOLOLOL for the poor whock, even karma¡.
?Stop right there. Ningen2means ¡°human¡± in japanese. Used as a meme in Korea to say, you aint the same type of human as me. If you don¡¯t want to get fucked in the ass.
?LMAOOOOO
?If hair loss medication is sold, would it reduce the number of Baldmen Order followers?
?Please. I wish that were the case.
?yeah yeah whatever you need 10 billion for hair loss meds. In your dreams, ye?
?Baldmen. Is that really true?
?you gay mfer¡ it hasn¡¯t even been released so how would u even know?
?look how pure and naive the baldmen order are LOLLLL is it bc their head is also pure? pure of hair LMAOOOO they get baited so easily
?KEUAAAAAAAAH! I will find you. And I will kill you.
?LOLLLLL it¡¯s scientifically proven that the baldmen order have hot heads¡ bc u know¡ they dont have hair to protect them from the sun AHHAHAHAHAHA
?KEUAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
?stop making fun of him
Regardless of the users¡¯ reactions, the Point System steadily progressed.
-Title: eh? it¡¯s here fucking hell LMAOOOOOO karma 2712 points. fucking doomed LOL
?Is that a lot? Or a little? Why haven¡¯t I received anything yet?
?seems like it¡¯s rolling out sequentially yep yep
?AOIEGNOAEINGO 2712P? mfer is a goddamn master at that point i only have 172P LOL
?Oh really? Maybe 2712 Points is pretty good?
?Hoho. It appears thiscking Daoist must umte some virtue.
???
?then how many points does mr.cking monk have?
?Hoho. Thankfully, I have amassed over 200 million points. It appears I have not lived my life in vain.
???????
?200 million?
?what?
?fuck me in the ass, then are you saying ive lived my life in vain if i only have 2712P LMAOOOO you motherfucker
?Hoho. First, you must shed that greed and filthy mouth to amass 200 million like ¡®me¡¯. Do you not think so?
?isn¡¯t this the same mfer who was swearing bc his sect only gave vegetable?
?look at him yapping LOL seems like he reached nirvana with that 200 million points LMAO
?fucking hell lolololololol
-Title: went to popr posts and got a 1 point increase LOL the fuck is this HAHAHAHA are popr posts achievements or something.
?LOLLLLL time to beg for likes
?Yare yare3japanese for oh my oh my. Looks like a shitstorm ising.
?mhm. Popr posts are indeed a grand achievement.
?u fag go outside and touch some grass
?i think it depends on whether i can buy something with 1 point
?can i escape poverty with 1 million points?
Contrary to themunity experiencing turbulent times, the world continued to function normally. Or at least, that was the case if you could call an apocalypse normal.
¡°I-It really is true! It may be hard to believe, but it is!¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Yoon Seungah sighed as she looked at the boy opposite her.
How many has it been now?
In the end, thinking it was utterly fruitless, she sent the boy away.
¡°Thank you! Hehe.¡±
The boy quickly disappeared with a piece of bread he received for his information, evidently frightened by her and the adult Awakened standing by her, all armed with des and daggers.
¡°Hm. Have they all taken drugs? To think they keep saying a ne was flying. It¡¯s been 3 years since the world turned out this way. How would any of them still work?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t some guy say a car was flying?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just absurd. Haaaa¡.¡±
¡°What are we even doing here?¡±
¡°Just you wait. When I catch you, I swear¡¡±
¡°Even B-ss Awakened have died, you know? What can you even do?¡±
¡°Ah, what? Do you think he killed them with his own ability? He must have had help or he was lucky.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
The pursuit team consisted of 3 Awakened, including Yoon Seungah. They were lower in ss and numberpared to the previous Awakened that had been killed. However, they were not overly concerned.
Not only did Kim Youngsik possess no Abilities, but the fact that Yoon Seungah was the one to lead the team made them feel even more reassured.
Wasn¡¯t Captain Seungah the closest to Kim Youngsik?
There¡¯s no way they would fight each other. Neither of them have that type of personality, right?
But still, from what I¡¯ve heard¡ Captain Seungah might draw her sword.
She got a special order from Leader. If she doesn¡¯t want to be chased away with her family, she would have to listen, wouldn¡¯t she?
Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s dangerous?
I mean, if it gets dangerous, we can just run away.
True.
Yoon Seungah could sense what her team members were discussing based on the atmosphere, but she didn¡¯t bother to rify nor mind them. There was no need to go as far as to exin herself.
And it wasn¡¯t like their words were entirely wrong either.
She forced a neutral expression and proceeded to continuously conduct her inquiries.
Youngsik didn¡¯t particrly seem to have any intentions of hiding his tracks, seeing as there were many witnesses.
However, the problem was that the nature of the rumors were incredibly hard to believe.
A ne?
Zombies being swept away?
Flying lightsaber?
Making Apache helicopters look obsolete?
It was full of extravagant talk, a series of utterly unbelievable testimonies.
Nheless, the reason she continued her pursuit was simply because tracing the path of his movements was not all that difficult.
¡°It feels like no matter how far we travel, it never ends.¡±
¡°How much longer do we have to go?¡±
¡°He¡¯s gone so damn far.¡±
¡°Keep quiet.¡±
At hermand, the two team members shut their mouths. After all, they were only D-ss, whereas she was B-ss.
After warning them, she carefully navigated the streets.
She deemed the area, now devoid of zombies, safe, but still¡ One could never be too careful when outside the shelter.
Just as she finished her investigations and was heading to a temporary base¡
Pause-
She signaled her team members and swiftly entered a building nearby. With urgent expressions, her team members followed her and hid inside.
She cautioned them, instructing them to ster their bodies beneath the window.
-!@!%!¡.
-%#%!^!
Someone¡¯s conversation could be heard.
-Haaa. I should have been the one to im that bitch.
-I think there are a lot of bastards eyeing her up. We got a lot this time, so just pick some other woman.
-Tch. I prefer women who are taken, though. Tying the man up and making him watch i¡.
Upon hearing their brief exchange, Yoon Seungah furrowed her brows. She could recognize their identities with just those few words.
ter.
It was a term for a group of marauders. One wasn¡¯t called a ter just because they piged. After all, they were those whomitted horrific acts without any hesitation. Acts such as murder, human trafficking, rape, drugs, and cannibalism. They were despicable beings who preyed on and threatened their own species. Bastards that were beyond redemption. Trash that was beyond recycling.
There shouldn¡¯t have been any ters settled in this vicinity, though.
Her expression grew serious. If it were just the three of them, her team might be able to handle them somehow. However, if there were more ters nearby, there was no way of knowing what could happen.
-Kekek. Looks like everyone¡¯s living well, even though the world is in this state, huh? There are so many people around.
-I know, right? They¡¯re like bugs crawling out everywhere now that the zombies are swept away.
-AHAHAHA!
She suddenly realized what exactly had happened after hearing their conversation.
Most likely¡ After Youngsik cleared out the zombies, the survivors began to move around freely. And eventually, this would have caught the ters¡¯ attention.
Typically, the ters wouldn¡¯t daree near this area, but with the zombies gone, they could easily expand their territory.
As someone who had been captured and was nearly subjected to their cruelty, it was a bone-chilling thought.
¡°Grit.¡±
¡°Captain¡.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Her subordinates, aware of her hatred for ters, tried to hold her back. After all, if she went mad with rage and charged out, they, too, would have to risk their lives.
However, their worries soon became unnecessary.
Because they had already been discovered by the ters.
BOOOM-
¡°I could practically smell a female here, you know?! How can I just pretend to ignore it and pass by?! Kehahhahah.¡±
¡°Wheeeew- Ain¡¯t this a jackpot? It¡¯s two chunks of meat and one woman!¡±
¡°Giggle. She¡¯s pretty too, huh? Hahaha.¡±
Their eyes gleamed with greed as they surveyed those hiding.
The ters, who had broken through the door, had ugly tattoos on their faces and wore outfits that barely covered their bodies. Yet, no one could possibly look down on them.
Awakened.
They were as dangerous as zombies, if not more so due to their intelligence and cunning.
Yoon Seungah bit her lip as she realized the aura emanating from her opponents was by no means inferior to her own. Perhaps due to her memories of the past, her limbs trembled slightly.
But that didn¡¯t mean she could just stand idly by and be dragged away by them.
She drew the spear from behind her back and charged at them. Since her team members were only D-ss Awakened, it was crucial that she drew their attention to her. Fortunately, this was inside a building. In this confined space, her team members only had to do their part while she drove the attackers back.
As her Ability was Physical Enhancement, her spear shed towards them like a ray of light.
aaang- ng!
Despite her assault that was practically a surprise attack, they blocked her with their clubs and machetes.
ng! Screeeech-
¡°Iyaaaa, ain¡¯t she a keeper? She¡¯s Physical Enhancement, right?¡±
¡°Holyyyy, her looks are top-notch and her body¡¯s durable too? KAHAHAHAHA! What a catch! That¡¯s a two-for-one!¡±
Although she managed to cut the shoulder of one ter, they merelyughed it off, actually showing unfazed leisure instead.
I can¡¯t just drag out time like this. Even if there¡¯s a loss, I need to reduce their numbers!
Bracing for injury, Yoon Seungah thrust forward, severing one bastard¡¯s right arm.
¡°KEUAAAAAAAAAH!¡±
But because of that, she was left exposed, thus sustaining a significant wound to her side.
sh-
¡°E-Eut!¡±
¡°Kehahaha, my skills ain¡¯t rusty yet, right?¡±
¡°KEUAAAAAAH! YOU CRAZY BASTARD! I¡¯M DYING HERE!¡±
¡°You move pretty well, ay? I wonder how you¡¯d be in bed. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±
Even though one of theirrades copsed, the bastards continued to fight with chatteringughter. She steeled her eyes and charged again. They would never expect her to retaliate immediately after getting hurt!
Now, she needed herrades¡¯ help. If they could just severely injure one¡ more¡?
nk!
¡°Heh? Wow, those guys are he fast, huh? They¡¯re running away. Kekekek.¡±
The two pursuit team members broke a window and flung their bodies through it.
Left alone, Yoon Seunga¡¯s mouth fell open slightly in dismay.
¡°Just let them go. We just need to finish catching this bitch.¡±
¡°Yeah and we need to treat the one-armed retard as well.¡±
She felt a sense of crisis.
Ah, ah¡.
Was this the end?
Fighting two Awakened of the same rank while injured was too much, even for her. Even if her team had attacked together, it was hard to predict whether they woulde out on top. But now, her subordinates had deserted her as well.
Even though they weren¡¯t under my directmand¡ They were still personnel assigned by Leader¡.
Right as despair filled her eyes, she spotted something in the sky outside the window.
Buoyant? Floating?
Something was leisurely gliding through the air, slowly approaching her.
¡°Huh¡?¡±
It was such an alien sight that she momentarily lost her focus, even though she was in the middle of a battle.- 1
Free to y
- 2
means ¡°human¡± in japanese. Used as a meme in Korea to say, you aint the same type of human as me
- 3
japanese for oh my oh my
/genesisforsaken
Chapter 21: OffenseOffenseOffenseOffenseOffense
Chapter 21: OffenseOffenseOffenseOffenseOffense
? OffenseOffenseOffenseOffenseOffense ?
Boom!
A woman with a bob cut, holding a spear, spewed blood from her mouth as she was flung from the building.
She was Yoon Seungah, a B-ss Awakened from the Gangnam Shelter led by Yu Byungtae.
Coincidentally, she was thrown just beneath an unidentified flying object.
¡°Cough.¡±
Blood was streaming from Yoon Seungah¡¯s mouth as if her insides were damaged.
If caught by these people, she knew her fate would be worse than death.
Despairingly, she wondered if she couldmit suicide by biting her tongue. After all, she was an Awakened with an Ability of Physical Enhancement.
However, she did not give up and tried to get up by any means.
She couldn¡¯t let her mother live in this world alone.
Using her spear as a support, she barely managed to stand.
¡°Behave and I¡¯ll treat you right. Haha.¡±
¡°By the way, is this one from Gangnam Shelter?¡±
¡°Gangnam is a bit troublesome, though.¡±
¡°Since when did we give a shit about those kinds of things?¡±
After their casual conversation, they leisurely exited the building.
¡°Eung?¡±
¡°Eh?¡±
The two noticed something at the same time. A flying object hovered 10 meters above her head.
¡°Uh, that¡¯s¡.¡±
¡°Why is that here¡?¡±
¡°I never heard of it shooting people, though¡.¡±
Whirrrrr-
The barrel attached below began to spin.
¡°Uh¡ Eh?¡±
¡°Fuck. I knew it seemed too good to be true.¡±
Those were theirst words.
BANG BANG BANG BANG-
10,000 rounds per minute of vacuum bullets mercilessly pummeled them.
Thud- Thud-
Be it zombies, Awakened, or those with enhanced physiques, all were equal under Hyperion.
¡°¡.¡±
Yoon Seungah could hardly believe her eyes. It felt like she had witnessed something utterly alien,pletely out of ce in this era.
What did I just see?
The object floating in the sky was a flying craft that couldn¡¯t possibly exist in reality.
Blue mes burst from various parts of the craft, its metallic texture reflecting the sunlight, hovering nobly. The front was equipped with a cannon and arge machine gun was mounted below.
?
How can it hover so silently in one spot? Doesn¡¯t that make it a bit difficult to call it a mere ne?
Moreover, to obliterate a B-ss Awakened so effortlessly¡
It was an unimaginable power.
An Awakened had turned into a corpse in less than a second.
¡°Huh?¡±
And she was even more surprised when seeing the person descending on a helicopterdder.
Kim Youngsik.
The man who had been dubbed powerless and expelled from the shelter.
¡°Young¡sik?¡±
Shaggy hair, slightly clumsy steps, and an innocent face; Yes, it was definitely Kim Youngsik.
He seemed surprised to see her.
¡°Seungah, what are you doing he-¡.¡±
Then, after startling, he hurriedly approached her and took a syringe from his pocket.
Plunge-
¡°Uck?¡±
She shivered as the needle stuck in her neck.
¡°Son of a bitch¡ Trying to ki¡.¡±
She couldn¡¯t continue her words. It was as if she had received a refreshing massage, vitality sprouting throughout her body and wounds beginning to heal. It seemed to include painkillers.
¡°A-Ahem. Pretend you didn¡¯t hear that.¡±
Her ears turned red. It was a mystery whether Youngsik knew of this, as he merely smiled.
¡°But how did you end up all the way here?¡±
Yoon Seungah tried to speak but couldn¡¯t find the words.
How could she tell him she was out to secretly investigate him? Especially to someone who had just saved her life?
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Well, I have a rough idea, so you don¡¯t have to force yourself to tell me.¡±
Yoon Seungah was moved by Kim Youngsik¡¯s considerate nature. He had saved her mother, rescued her when she was captured by a ter gang, and now saved her life again.
All of that, with such an unbothered expression, as if he didn¡¯t think much of it.
Yoon Seungah tried to say something.
But right then¡
Chrrrrr-
¡°Huh? Oh. Okay. I get it. Seungah, wait!¡±
Youngsik paused momentarily, then nodded and turned towards the direction where thedder had descended.
¡°Seungah.¡±
¡°Huh? Yeah?¡±
¡°I have somewhere urgent to go, so let¡¯s talkter. If you leave a mark, I¡¯ll go find you.¡±
¡°W-Wai¡!¡±
He hurried off and grabbed thedder.
Woooong-
And just like that, Youngsik disappeared into the distance while shouting something.
-SIR HYPE! I HAVEN¡¯T CLIMbed up yetttttttttttt¡
She shook her head at the sight of him clinging to thedder and wailing.
Surely, the unsaid words would eventually have their time to be heard.
¡°¡.¡±
Seungah left a mark for Youngsik and set out to find a hideout.
***
Youngsik¡¯s eyes fluttered shut from fatigue due to the continuous farming he had done for the past few days.
Although Hyperion handled the hunting itself, Youngsik had to keep an eye on it and manage tasks intermittently. And of course, he had to farm the spoils.
Ummmm.
After the battles, he had to thoroughly clean Hyperion, polishing it until it shone brilliantly.
¡°Uh¡ I saw there was an automatic cleaning function, though¡.¡±
Youngsik muttered timidly.
[Power must be conserved for the sake of a fast Upgrade.]
¡°R-Really?¡±
[It must be conserved.]
But considering the time it takes to clean¡ isn¡¯t it rather unnecessary? P-Perhaps it likes being washed by me¡?
Could it be that I¡¯ve misunderstood Hyperion all this time? Cold on the outside, but¡?!
Of course, he didn¡¯t have the courage to ask directly.
After all¡
[Human. How do you have it in you to sleep right now when I am merely at this level?]
[Human. Scrub harder.]
[Human. What do you think you are doing? Have you left your brain behind somewhere?]
[Human?]
Nah. Never mind. Maybe it just can¡¯t stand seeing me idle around.
[There will be no rest until after the Stage 3 Evolution, when the dimensional ry is installed.]
Welp. Okay. I don¡¯t understand what exactly it¡¯s saying, but let¡¯s just do as instructed.
¡°By the way, Hyperion. Where are we heading now?¡±
Youngsik expressed his curiosity, having not heard the destination properly.
Beep-
The destination appeared on the screen.
¡°?!¡±
When Youngsik looked at the screen, it felt as if his sleepiness vanished.
¡°That ce is¡.¡±
It was thergest organization out of all the ter gangs in the country; an area asrge as several sheltersbined.
¡°S-So you¡¯re telling me we¡¯re going there? Isn¡¯t that too dangerous¡?¡±
Youngsik knew the original work, so he was aware of the monsters that resided there.
The original work¡¯s mid-boss, an S-ss Awakened, and numerous A-ss Awakened were there.
So far, Hyperion had only defeated B-ss Awakened or lower. And from A-ss upwards, the difference in strength was immense.
As such, that ce filled with dangerous people might indeed be very risky.
¡°How about we reconsider? That ce could be really dangerous. And an Awakened¡¯s Ability is often beyond imagination.¡±
[It is the best possible choice for rapid power supply and growth.]
¡°¡.¡±
Ah¡.
It seemed Hyperion regarded Awakened as elite monsters that gave a good amount of EXP.
Given the increase in power sources after the recent battle, it probably wasn¡¯t all that wrong of an assumption.
Of course, the fact that it was dangerous didn¡¯t change¡
[The Upgrade will proceed by using the umted power sources.]
Adding some defensive mechanisms would probably be nice if we¡¯re heading into the t¡.
[Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Automatic Machine Gun ¨C Removed]
[Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Autocannon ¨C Mounted]
[Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Autocannon ¨C Lv.1 Enhancement]
¡°Um¡ What about defense too¡.¡±
[Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Autocannon ¨C Lv.2 Enhancement]
[Neutron Cannon 12-Barrel ¨C Mounted]
[Photon Cannon BRX-2A 128-Barrel ¨C Mounted]
¡°Defense¡.¡±
[Photon Cannon BRX-2A 128-Barrel ¨C Lv.1 Enhancement]
[Photon Cannon BRX-2A 128-Barrel ¨C Lv.2 Enhancement]
[sma Focused Cutter ¨C Lv.1 Enhancement]
¡°Defe¡.¡±
[Tri-Core Attack-Type Pulse Field Generator ¨C Installed]
[Ion Cannon ¨C Mounted]
[Multiple Launch Fuel-Air Explosive Rocket Launcher ¨C Mounted]
¡°No, wait¡.¡±
Hyperion¡ What exactly do you want to be? Are you nning to conquer the world or something?
Though that was Youngsik¡¯s unspoken inner thought¡
¡°Eung. Okay. I see. Yeah, you¡¯re right. The best defense is offense¡.¡±
Only agreement came out of Youngsik¡¯s mouth along with a sigh.
***
¡°¡That one is a bit¡ special, isn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°¡He seems to have a bit of an extreme direction of growth.¡±
¡°What? Only a bit?¡±
Karlstein looked at Aria with a face full of incredulity.
The silver-haired beauty nodded coolly.
¡°If it is only that much, his choice can be considered reasonable, substantiated, andpliant.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°As expected, there is a sense of worth in having taught him properly.¡±
The AI that would be entering Hyperion was fundamentally under Aria¡¯s inspection and went through strict auditing and management before being installed. That applied even to this prototype.
Thus, Hyperion¡¯s AI was inevitably influenced by Aria.
¡°Ummm.¡±
It seemed that the ry issue would be resolved quickly. Installing just that device might somehow allow the next n to proceed.
¡°Thanks to the ¡®Eternium¡¯ that Hyperion isposed of, the supply of Ether being received is smooth.¡±
Eternium, a mineral that could replicate matter whenbined with Ether, held an authority that could practically be called Creation. It was scientifically unssifiable and even termed as ¡®Metal of God¡¯. It was so impressive that even an SF world deemed it as such.
Eternium was one of the most crucial elements of the Growth-Type Hyperion and was also used in Ether weapons. In terms of Ether conductivity, it was unparalleled by any other mineral.
¡°But are you sure it¡¯s okay with that kind of personality? It might be troublesome if it gets out of control¡ I don¡¯t want to dy the ry issue any further.¡±
At that, Ariaughed as if amused.
¡°Heh.¡±
Having been with Aria for a long time, Karlstein felt a chill run down his spine.
¡°No one who I have personally trained would make such a foolish decision.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Her firmness left no room for a single iota of doubt.
Though only asionally, Karlstein did find Aria somewhat frightening.
How to put it¡ Doesn¡¯t she kinda have the aura of an eldest(?) at a workce¡.
***
At that moment, somewhere far away.
Hyperion¡¯s frame shook unstably.
¡°W-What¡¯s wrong? Are we under attack? We haven¡¯t even arrived yet, though?!¡±
Youngsik, who had been dozing, wiped his drool and looked around anxiously.
[¡There is nothing wrong.]
¡°Huh?¡±
Hyperion couldn¡¯t bring itself to say that, for some reason, it had the chills. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 22: Incineration
Chapter 22: Incineration
? Incineration ?
Squeak-
With the scream of old hinges, the heavy iron door opened and a bulky man appeared. A glimpse of various torture devices could be seen through the crack in the door.
The man wiped the blood that had sttered on his face with his arm. His face, smeared with the blood like paint, looked veritably demonic.
¡°Haaa¡.¡±
What a beautiful world.
The man truly thought so. Despite living a life of swear words and disdain in back alleys, in this world, he was as good as the upper ss, able to enjoy such ¡®special¡¯ hobbies.
As he walked, his hefty, bby belly flopped around in rhythm to his steps.
Having had enough fun, it was now time to work. He headed towards his guard post and stepped outside.
Thump, Thump.
Weighing over 140 kg, even his supposedly ordinary steps caused a heavy vibration.
¡°Kaaak! Ptui.¡±
He passed by a huge wall of stacked zombies and headed towards a watchpost he had to guard for three hours. Although it was called a watchpost, what was to even be expected from a crumbling world?
Sitting on the roof of a dpidated building was all there was to it.
¡°Yawn. Hey. You two, fight. You know mixed martial arts, right?¡±
¡°Cough.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Fortunately, the watchpost was equipped with ¡®toys¡¯ as a kind of welfare policy for the guards to alleviate boredom.
¡°Oh? Are you ignoring me? Do my words not matter to you? You looking down on me?¡±
The two bloodied men trembled in fear at the hefty man¡¯s menacing voice.
¡°Kekek. Yeah. Right. There should be a reward, huh. The bastard who wins between the two of you will be spared from today¡¯s ¡®punishment¡¯.¡±
The two barely-clothed men, who were actually brothers, looked at each other withplicated expressions.
What wouldn¡¯t they do to avoid a time of punishment akin to torture? Wouldn¡¯t anything go?
However¡
Both made the same resolution.
I have to lose.
As they gritted their teeth and struggled to their feet¡
¡°Do I look like some dumbass who is easy to fool? Or do you think I¡¯m retarded?¡±
The bulky man swung his fist at them.
¡°KEUAK!¡±
¡°Cough¡!¡±
The iron-like fist of the Awakened sent the two young men flying.
¡°Your punishment time is doubled today. No. Never mind. Should I just send the bastard who can¡¯t endure it to the dumps?¡±
One of the young men spat out blood and couldn¡¯t regain his senses, while the other, his brother, wept and bit his lip.
How did ite to this?
Although he had felt deep despair when zombies overran the world, it was nothingpared to being captured by the ter group.
In these circumstances, being alive is actually worse off¡.
Until now, they hadn¡¯t dared to take their own lives for each other¡¯s sake. But now, they realized it was meaningless.
A world worse than hell itself.
That was when the elder brother resolved himself.
The bulky man¡¯s eyes flickered.
Did they really think this happened just once or twice? Naturally, he was annoyed by their predictable antics.
¡°Hmph.¡±
There were plenty of toys. It was because recently, as the zombies in the vicinity had been cleared, survivors had begun to emerge.
So, a toy or two breaking was not an issue.
¡°Hehehe.¡±
Something caught the bulky man¡¯s eye as he approached to kill them.
¡°Huh?¡±
It was something flying gracefully towards the stronghold of ¡®Ecstasy,¡¯ thergest and strongest ter force.
¡°A fighter jet¡?¡±
The bulky man rubbed his eyes and gaped.
¡°Holy fuck, what the hell is that?¡±
He watched in awe as that something seemed to freeze in mid-air, a surreal and dissonant motion.
Woooong-
Yellow and red particles gathered around the fighter jet. It looked like tens of thousands of sparkling fireballs were flying towards it.
The spectacle was noticeable even from a distance. People beganing out of the stronghold¡¯s buildings, all staring up with their mouths agape.
¡°What is that?¡±
It seemed as if all the sunlight in the world was converging around the fighter jet.
Woooong-
In fact, the atmosphere was pushed by the particles, even creating a faint breeze.
The bulky Awakened seemed to remember something.
Ah, I¡¯m pretty sure I heard a rumor recently¡.
Something about a ne that cleans up zombies?
But why would it be here? Above our camp, at that?
No matter how you look at it, it doesn¡¯t seem like it has good intentions¡.
As he watched suspiciously, the gathering of particles around the jet ceased.
He didn¡¯t know why, but his hair stood on end. It felt as if time had stopped.
Parts of the fighter jet¡¯s body opened.
Click.
No pre-indicative sound was heard.
However¡
Pzzzt-
Along with the sound of sparking electricity, a total of 128 beams of light fell to the ground.
BOOOOM-
¡°Huh? Eh?¡±
The 128 red lines extended across the ground, moving constantly and busily akin to the psychedelic lights in a club.
¡°Ah¡.¡±
He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the glorious sight of incineration. The 128 red lines dancing in the sky appeared almost beautiful.
However, for those on the ground, they were nothing less than beams of death. Moreover, ones that selectively swept over the ters.
As soon as the beams touched them, they inevitably burned to ash. Whether D-ss or B-ss, death was delivered equally and indiscriminately.
¡°RUN!!¡±
¡°FUCK!!¡±
¡°WHAT IS THAT!¡±
¡°KEUAAAAAAH!¡±
¡°ABILITIES DON¡¯T WORK ON IT! WE CAN¡¯T STOP IT!¡±
Chaos filled the ground. Despite unleashing all kinds of Abilities, the beams of death burned them without resistance, like cutting through tofu. And so, they had to run around madly, hoping to somehow dodge.
¡°KYAAAAAAH!¡±
¡°Euheut?!¡±
Among the pandemonium, there were ves who had been captured here and there, but¡
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°D-Did I survive?¡±
¡°Euggggh.¡±
The beams avoided them skillfully. So much so that it was eerie.
At that point, the bulky ter realized that something was seriously wrong.
¡°Motherfucker¡ What is going on?¡±
His eyes trembled uneasily.
His heart sank at the overwhelming, unprecedented power.
¡°F-Fuck.¡±
And yet, he also felt relieved.
¡°If I hadn¡¯te out here, I would¡¯ve been fucked, yeah?¡±
That thought led to another. If all the executives died, wouldn¡¯t he rise to a higher position?
However, that was as far as such a stupid thought went.
After twelve cannons appeared on the top of the fighter jet and sent a parab of light orbs, his body was no longer capable of thought. No, to be more precise, he was obliterated without even leaving a corpse.
***
¡°KEUAAAAAAAH!!¡±
¡°D-DODGE!¡±
¡°GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!¡±
Swearing and screams filled the base of ¡®Ecstasy.¡¯
In a ce where Awakened and ordinary people alike were running around like rabbits, a particrly noticeable man, towering over two meters tall, looked up at the sky with a subdued expression.
He was one who had earned the nickname ¡®Blue Ghost¡¯ after having founded ¡®Ecstasy¡¯ and led numerous ters. And right now, he was holding a greatsword, desperately attempting to soothe this sensation of futility.
He had built his own little kingdom over the past three years by defeating countless enemies. But now, that diligently built kingdom was turning to ash in an instant.
All because of that damn mysterious ne.
How did this make any sense?
The firepower was so strong that even A-ss Awakened couldn¡¯t withstand it.
Of course, it had briefly passed over him as well.
But he was an S-ss Awakened. Moreover, his Ability could transform his body into a blue crystal which was stronger than diamond.
The red beams scattered as soon as they touched him, causing no significant damage. Perhaps noticing that they were useless against him, the red beams changed their target.
Thus, he could consider himself safe, regardless of what happened.
Even so¡
¡°KEUAAAAAGH! MY ARM! MY ARM!¡±
¡°HURRY UP AND DODGE!¡±
¡°RUN!¡±
¡°EUAAAAAGH!¡±
¡°GATHER AROUND THE BOSS!¡±
No one else could stop it. There was no clear strategy or countermeasures either. Did he just have to watch on the sidelines as the kingdom he had built up over three years was blown away so futilely?
Some tried to flee, but as they dodged the red beams and ran around, they were gradually herded towards the center.
?
It was a systematic and thorough devastation.
Then, he saw something.
¡°W-Whoa! I-It¡¯s actually true. It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s targeting us!¡±
¡°W-What is happening? Is it here to save us?¡±
The moment he saw that the beams did not threaten the captured ves, his eyes shed.
¡°EVERYONE, USE THE HOSTAGES TO BLOCK THE ATTACKS!¡±
At his lion-like roar, the frantic ters began to regain their senses.
¡°F-Follow the boss¡¯s orders!¡±
¡°It¡¯s true! It isn¡¯t targeting the ves!¡±
At that moment, everyone hurriedly used the ves as shields, hiding behind their bodies.
¡°KYAAAAAH!¡±
¡°SAVE US!¡±
¡°Gurgle!¡±
They roughly grabbed the hostages¡¯ necks to escape the bombardment.
Zzzzzzzzzt- Whirrr- Zzzzzzzt-
And it truly did seem as if grabbing the hostages halted the attacks.
¡°I-It works!¡±
¡°Everyone, follow what the boss says!¡±
Of course, not everyone could grab a hostage. Since some had hidden away like mice, it was impossible for everyone to amicably share hostages.
¡°MOVE! YOU FUCKER!¡±
¡°Keuk! W-What about me?!¡±
¡°FIND SOME OTHER BASTARD!¡±
¡°H-Huh? I-I understand.¡±
And as this continued, all too naturally, only the strong survived.
Once everyone had grabbed a hostage, the beams of death were withdrawn.
The Blue Ghost quickly shouted with hopeful eyes.
¡°Now it¡¯s our turn! Those who can attack from a distance, start intercepting and countering immediately!¡±
The leader of Ecstasy, the Blue Ghost, looked up at the fighter jet and sneered bitterly.
¡°Fucking retard. You tryna act like some hero of justice in front of us? How fucking pathetic. There¡¯s no fucking sh¡.¡±
Just as he was about to say something, he closed his mouth.
Click- Kiiiiiing- Click-
The outer armor of the fighter jet began to change, apanied by mechanical noises.
Click- Kiiiiiing- ClickClick.
¡°¡.¡±
Upon being faced with the grandeur of the fighter jet, now bristling like a hedgehog with numerous cannons, the Blue Ghost felt a chill run down his spine.
Hold the fuck up, can that kind of shit even be called a fighter jet?
At the very least, he didn¡¯t think so. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 23: This Awakened Will Do It For Free
? This Awakened Will Do It For Free1 ?
Youngsik, tense with anxiety, wiped his face and sighed.
¡°Haaa.¡±
He freaked out when the mid-boss known as the Blue Ghost, with the help of Support-Type Awakened, soared into the sky.
Boom-
¡°EUAAAH!¡±
After all, the crystal spear the bastard fired struck the aircraft directly.
Why was this shocking? Because this was the first time Hyperion had ever allowed an attack to hit.
However, there was no mercy in the face of Hyperion¡¯s incineration.
The reason for this was simple; after the Blue Ghost almost became the Red Ghost because of the sma Focused Cutter, the bastard had hurriedly retreated. And that evoked something truly terrifying and ruthless.
[How interesting.]
¡°!!¡±
It was the first time Youngsik heard Hyperion take such an interest, ever since it had learned about the disaster called the ¡®Wave¡¯.
For some reason, he also felt a twinge of jealousy.
It was simr to how, in his previous life, the cat that used to act all nonchnt when he fed it then showed particr interest to his annoying younger sibling who only kicked it around and teased it.
The source of this c??ntent is freewebn?vel.co?.
Moreover, wasn¡¯t that punk called the Blue Ghost a scum of humanity?
He was the ringleader that created the term, ter. A bastard whomitted all sorts of misdeeds in a world already fraught with chaos and desperation due to the zombies. An Awakened who not only sinned alone but incited and structured crime into a group obsessed with pleasure and violence.
But now, it was interested in that kind of scum?
[He seems quite useful. Heh.]
¡°¡?¡±
There was a subtle nuance to its manner of speaking.
[I must collect him without damage.]
Hyperion¡¯s words erased all previous thoughts, as if they had all been pointless in the first ce. Somehow, the word ¡®collect¡¯ did not sound all too pleasant.
What the¡ What the fuck. I¡¯m scared.
From then on, it was Hyperion¡¯s solo performance. Even though it only had Upgrades of Stage 1-12, it was unmatched. Aside from the Blue Ghost, who barely managed tond a telling blow, it was the very definition of invincible.
Hyperion stopped its unmoving barrage of attacks and started high-speed flight.
Rapid eleration, abrupt stopping, changing direction, S-curves.
It performed all sorts of flying maneuvers and shook off the ters.
The ters tried to buy time using hostages as shields, but they were overwhelmed by Hyperion¡¯s high-speed maneuvers. Hyperion mercilessly prated the head of a target as soon as an angle presented itself.
The ters thought they were shielded by the hostages, but no cover could be perfect. If a gap was visible, it hit with a small opening; if their posture waspromised, it pierced them straight through with a Vacuum Compressed Ballistic Autocannon.
It easily dealt with the ters, almost ying with them. Some crazed ters even choked their hostages to death, but the rest were unharmed. Perhaps it was because they hesitated to kill the hostages, just in case they had a chance to live.
And soon enough, only one ter, the Blue Ghost, remained.
¡°I don¡¯t know who is aboard there, but whoever you are, I will crush your skull! I swear I will, you bastard!¡±
Uh¡ It wasn¡¯t me. You might not believe it, but it was Hyperion¡.
¡°I will chew up your intestines! I will show every person you know and every person who knows you what it means to live a life worse than death!!¡±
He was spewing all sorts of curses in his rage.
Hello? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not me, okay?
¡°!%@&@##%!%@^#!!¡±
The swearing continued, so atrocious that merely hearing it was enough for his hands and feet to tremble.
¡°Uh¡ Hype-¡±
[It seems ¡®education¡¯ is needed.]
A slight tinge of anger could be felt from its voice.
[Only I am allowed to curse at the Steward.]
Whose fault is it that I¡¯m getting cursed right n¡ W-Wait, what?
At any rate, though the statement was a bit strange, Youngsik felt a strangely ticklish sensation deep inside.
Ah¡! Yes! That¡¯s right! I remember now! Our house¡¯s pig of a cat got fed by my sibling and eventually returned to my side.
[Starting the ¡®education¡¯.]
A merciless retribution followed.
Beams of high heat focused only on the bastard. Hyperion deliberately lowered its altitude to taunt him while firing incessantly. 128 beams focused on him, turning his crystallized body red hot.
At least from what Youngsik could tell, it seemed that Hyperion was intentionally avoiding lethal attacks.
¡°KEUAAAAAH!¡±
Was it perhaps due to the limit of his Ability? The bastard started feeling pain and his Ability started to weaken. And when that happened, Hyperion would stop attacking and leisurely wait in the air.
Then it beat the shit out of him again. And once again, it let him recover before beating the shit out of him. And when he was recovering, Hyperion reduced the output enough to make him feel pain and kept firing.
The bastard¡¯s screams were non-stop. As the ballistic trajectories were subtly controlled so that there was no chance of escape, he was tormented endlessly until his mind broke.
Eventually, due to overusing his Ability, he passed out.
Even after he lost consciousness, Hyperion tormented him for a long while before sending a small flying robot to collect him.
[To think there was a human who could ¡®generate¡¯ such material with just the mere act of living.]
[Although the Photon Cannon BRX-2A is a low-grade, subminiature optical weapon, the fact that he withstood the attack for even a moment proves he¡¯s an excellent metal. He will be very useful.]
Thus, the Blue Ghost was imprisoned by Hyperion, destined to be a mine to extract metal from until death found him.
Youngsik shook his head and, after requesting Hyperion, handed over the people who had been captured to a nearby shelter, before leisurely leaving.
***
Yoon Seungah was dumbfounded.
¡°Wait, what¡.¡±
When he left, I¡¯m pretty sure it was only about the size of a slightlyrge car, though¡.
¡°Haha. You must be surprised.¡±
But now, it had returned in the size of a considerable warship.
¡°¡.¡±
Youngsik was embarrassedly scratching his head. At the same time, he looked somewhat proud.
Though it had grown in size, it still felt like the same model due to its simrities.
¡°Wee aboard. To our space battleship.¡±
Space¡ what? Space battleship?
And our? There¡¯s someone else here? I mean, I guess that makes sense. It would be more strange to operate such arge machine alo¡..
[A new Steward candidate?]
Seungah was startled by the sudden voice. However, it was not heard again after that.
¡°What do you mean maid¡ Hype, even so, that¡¯s too much¡.¡±
Youngsik was mumbling something iprehensible.
¡°For now, wee. Since we¡¯ve moved to Stage 2, ites equipped with basic living conveniences, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad of a stay.¡±
Space¡ battleship or whatever it was aside. Yoon Seungah was speechless after boarding, her mouth agape in astonishment.
A sense of stability that didn¡¯t feel like they were even in the air. There was no noise either. Moreover, the ce Youngsik took her felt like staying in a decent hotel room.
Putting aside the bathroom and shower stall, there were also all sorts of facilities, including a dining hall and aundry room.
What was most surprising was that the facilities weren¡¯t alike to ones she knew, even if they shared the same name. The technology visible everywhere was iparable to hotels of the current era.
For instance, the shower room worked like an automatic car wash; you could enter ande out all fresh and clean in just three seconds. Theundry room? You could put clothes in and they came out perfectly ironed. Though meals were reced with just a single pill, the technology was still jaw-dropping.
Could this simply be called technology? Wasn¡¯t this magic? It was natural for her to have such thoughts. After all, it was that shocking.
¡°Apparently, this is nothing special? And that this is even standard for middle to lower middle ss civilians¡.¡±
From what she heard, he had to endure living as a miser all this time. And that this was only possible because they had encountered some excellent sources of EXP.
She didn¡¯t understand a word he said.
No matter how she went about it, it seemed likely that he had injured his head after being expelled from the shelter.
And honestly, it made sense for her to think so, seeing as how either talked to himself, made iprehensible remarks, or even pleaded with the ship¡¯s walls.
He seemed like a perfect example of a psycho in many ways.
¡°Anyway, rest for a bit. I¡¯ll take you back within a few days.¡±
¡°Uh¡ Will it be okay?¡±
¡°Mm¡.¡±
She was worried about her mother in the shelter. It wasn¡¯t without reason. After all, precursors of the disaster known as the ¡®Wave¡¯, which Youngsik had warned about all this time at the shelter, had been detected.
While she was waiting for Youngsik, she could observe zombies moving in hordes rather than attacking humans individually, seemingly obeying somemand.
It was a chilling sight. The situation was not normal.
For humans, who were already dying in droves to mindless zombies, a horde of zombies acting with military-like coordination was truly a disaster in itself.
Awakened might be slightly better off, but considering Evolved Entities, one could never bepletely at ease. There were plenty of entities that even A-ss Awakened couldn¡¯t handle. And some that even S-sses would not dare approach.
Considering that, what if such Evolved Entities swarmed all at once¡?
It would be nothing short of a horrific disaster. If she could, she wanted to run to the shelter immediately, but¡
¡°I¡¯d like to fulfill your request, but there are things I need to do before the Wave urs.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, though. The Shelter Ability isn¡¯t to be underestimated. It will hold up until we arrive.¡±
Well, she did have a sense of shame. Youngsik had been subjected to all sorts of contempt and disregard in the shelter. Wasn¡¯t he even expelled in the end? And yet, to think she was actually asking him to save the shelter.
To be more precise, she was requesting to save her mother, but for Youngsik, it probably meant the same thing either way.
Even as she spoke, she felt sorry towards Youngsik. However, she couldn¡¯t help but be constantly worried about her mother.
She was anxious, but decided to wait quietly.
Being hasty wouldn¡¯t solve anything.
Honestly speaking¡ She knew that returning to the shelter alone would not be a solution.
And exactly three hourster, she realized her choice was right.
After witnessing the spectacle of ughtering over a million zombies in less than three hours, she couldn¡¯t possibly think otherwise.
What on earth am I riding?
Dayster, she was finally able to witness the shelter on the verge of copse.
Contrary to her anxious heart, Youngsik could hear Hyperion¡¯s voice.
[Initiating Selective Elimination.]
[Deploying all weapons.]
From the 37 types of optical weapons and 2048 gun ports of Hyperion, now evolved into a Dreadnought Battleship, countless beams of light struck down to the surface.
Footnotes:
1. A meme of the past when people used torrent websites. It¡¯s used for porn ads. Things like this mom will do it for free or single moms near you, etc.
Chapter 24: Dimensional Store (1)
Chapter 24: Dimensional Store (1)
? Dimensional Store (1) ?
***
For several days, the Awakened of Gangnam Shelter, grimy with blood and stains from non-stop battling, were staring nkly into the sky with their mouths agape.
From the sky, red beams wereshing down. Not just that¡ªthousands of missiles, trailing grey smoke, were bombarding the ground.
Thousands of meteors fell along with the beams.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Bang!
And it didn¡¯t stop there; a blue sphere generated around ¡®it¡¯ flew in an arc and precisely struck an Evolved Entity.
Fizzzzz- Boom-
¡®Growly¡¯, known for its steel-like defenses, was reduced to ashes in an instant, and where the red beam passed, only a ck line remained, emitting a pungent smell.Ah¡.
A massive sphere was coalescing at the front of ¡®it¡¯.
Merely by coalescing, it annihted nearby clouds and pushed away the atmosphere, generating strong winds.
Goosebumps rose on skin.
Wooooong-
The atmosphere screamed.
If that falls, doesn¡¯t that spell the end of this ce?
Such a thought naturally urred.
Eventually¡
When the coalescence of the sphere seemed to freeze time¡
Whether it were the zombies void of reason¡
The Evolved Entities thatmanded them¡
Ordinary people¡
Or the Awakened¡
Everyone looked up at the sky without exception.
Ah¡.
The sun is falling.
The world is ending.
A dazzling light covered the entire sky as the world melted away.
sh-
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Bang!
With a loud noise, the shockwave spread like a sonic boom. The ground flipped, and buildings crumbled like sandcastles.
¡°EUAAAAAH!¡±
¡°EUHEUK!¡±
¡°RUN!!¡±
Everyone ducked and covered their heads. It was instinct¡ªa subconscious action to preserve life.
However¡
After a brief moment, everyone realized.
H-¡How are we still alive?
Did we live?
That they were without a scratch, perfectly intact.
Huff.
Heup.
Haaaa¡.
A sigh of relief naturally flowed out. Soon, they realized it wasn¡¯t just luck that they had survived.
Woooong-
At the epicenter of the explosion, a hexagonal blue force field had formed, expanding into a massive dome. It was likely this that had allowed them to survive the aftermath.
¡°Impossible.¡±
Someone¡¯s empty voice rang out, but no one responded.
They must have all done drugs. If it wasn¡¯t that, there was no other exnation for what they were seeing.
?
Within the force field¡¯s dome, the world seemed destroyed as ck lightning struck, and corpses and ashes floated in the air as if gravity didn¡¯t exist, converging towards the center.
At the epicenter of the explosion, a ck vortex was slowly absorbing everything.
I-Impossible¡
?
People looked up to see a Dreadnought Battleship floating majestically above the shelter.
?
The disaster that had only resulted in despair after the shelter¡¯s collective efforts had ended in an instant.
Below the massive battleship, a pile of Stage 6 Giant Evolved Entities, which even S-ss Awakened had failed to scratch,y decapitated without having offered any semnce of resistance.
No more zombies were in sight.
***
[The collection of Power Source necessary for the instation of the Dimensional Ry has beenpleted.]
¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡±
[Would you like to install the Dimensional Ry? Y/Y]
¡°Huh? There¡¯s only ¡®Yes¡¯¡.¡±
[Rejection will be rejected.]
Youngsik gave up thinking any further.
In the end, he had to disembark from Hyperion, which was busy with the instation of the Dimensional Ry or whatever it was.
It wasn¡¯t necessary to use adder like before. Since he descended on a flying saucer, many people looked up at him.
¡°It¡¯s kinda scary¡.¡±
As everyone was gaping with their eyes wide open, it made sense to feel that way. Still, he wasn¡¯t worried.
[You are a Grade 1 Protected Individual. The corresponding protection program will be activated.]
And when he reached the ground, he realized that such worries were meaningless.
After all, instead of contempt and disregard, he could easily tell that he was being looked at with awe and fear.
And above all, Yu Byungtae couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with him.
***
Yu Byungtae saw the back of Kim Youngsik being weed by the residents of the shelter.
¡°¡.¡±
He felt hollow. He had been struggling for the past few days, barely sleeping, and often fighting with the shelter¡¯s executives. The ranges of arguments spanned from why didn¡¯t they prepare earlier to why did he ignore Kim Youngsik¡¯s warnings about the Wave, to why did he had to go out of way to expel him.
Just a few days ago, they were rubbing their hands in appeasement, ttering him with all they had. And yet, the audacity to turn on him now. Didn¡¯t they also say the theory of the Wave was absurd? Didn¡¯t they agree that the bastard was just causing discord and harming their unity?
Was it because of the executives¡¯ hostile atmosphere?
Everything in the shelter was going awry.
In contrast, that guy had sorted out the situation in less than ten minutes.
How did that even make sense?
Yu Byungtae felt relieved to have survived, but at the same time, a sticky emotion was simmering within him.
It was always like this when involved with that guy.
That gaze brimming with some odd certainty, as if he knew all the answers. How dare he? How could a nobody like him know about anything when even Future Foresight Ability Users could not surpass 30% uracy?
Yet, after everything concluded, things had always flowed ording to Kim Youngsik¡¯s will. Even though Yu Byungtae was the rightful leader of the shelter.
He could no longer tolerate further division.
So, he had expelled him, before he became a greater threat.
Look no further than now. Didn¡¯t the residents of the shelter gaze at him as if he was a savior?
Gnash.
¡°Why are you getting so angry again?¡±
A woman in a seductive outfit approached him; it was Baek Seulgi, that punk¡¯s ex-girlfriend.
To think she would wear such clothes, even during such a time.
She was deplorable. It must be that the satisfaction of having stolen that bastard¡¯s girl had blinded him. Just hearing Baek Seulgi¡¯s usual whining felt like his hair would fall out right this second.
¡°Where are you going?¡±
¡°Where else? Over there, obviously.¡±
Kim Youngsik was receiving cheers from the people. Byungtae¡¯s brow twitched. Meanwhile, Baek Seulgi smirked, her expression full of confidence.
¡°What are you even going to do there?¡±
¡°Just say hello, that¡¯s all.¡±
It was impossible for Byungtae to miss the ever so persistent greed and desire in her eyes.
¡°You¡.¡±
How could he not know how she was truly like? A tiresome woman, always trying to flirt with and seduce any decently powerful male Awakened.
He eventually closed his mouth in resignation.
Yu Byungtae watched from a distance as Baek Seulgi was coldly ignored by Youngsik, at a loss for whether he should be pleased or upset.
***
A researchb within the depths of Terra, the capital of the Gctic Empire.
Two men, who looked as though they hadn¡¯t washed in a long time, were smiling at each other.
It was the moment the instation of the Hyperion¡¯s Dimensional Ry waspleted.
¡°It seems the ry has finally been installed.¡±
An Astral Signal was amplified through an antimatter passageway constructed from data, extending into numerous dimensions.
They sighed in relief upon confirming this.
¡°Let¡¯s toast.¡±
Minister Makia and Vice Minister Calen, who had been unable to sleep properly while executing the Emperor¡¯smands, lightly clinked their wine sses.
Clink-
¡°Phew¡.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±
They gently swirled the red wine in their sses before taking a sip.
¡°Haaa¡.¡±
¡°It tastes splendid.¡±
It was a top-quality wine, a limited edition of only 1000 bottles produced as amemoration for Emperor Karlstein Babylon¡¯s coronation ceremony. This wine was unobtainable even for them, who possessed wealth among the top 0.1% of the Empire. As such, calling it merely ¡®top-quality¡¯ would be an understatement.
Just a single sip spread a delightful aroma through their bodies, bringing ecstasy. The aftertaste stimted all five senses, then smoothly vanished, leaving no residue but a lingering pleasant memory.
It was the very definition of a heavenly taste.
¡°Not many in the Empire have savored this wine, I¡¯m sure.¡±
¡°Of course. After all, it is a reward given only to those who execute special orders.¡±
¡°Vice Minister Calen. Honestly, I find our aplishment even sweeter than the taste of this wine.¡±
Both of their faces were full of a sense of achievement.
¡°I feel the same. Not just anyone can handle the task of constructing data into antimatter, after all.¡±
They were looking at the same screen.
¡°Hoho. It seems we can finally get some rest.¡±
¡°I know, right? I, too, haven¡¯t slept in the confines of my own home for a long ti-¡±
Calen paused mid-sentence. It was because a decree from Emperor Karlstein had arrived simultaneously for both of them.
¡°¡.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
[Grade 1 Decree]
-Construct a system for essing a store for high-end products through the Metaverse.
-Set the modeling of the store owner as the Gctic Empire¡¯s idol, ¡®New Sserafim¡¯.
-Develop a system that utilizes future point rual and various promotions.
¡(Omitted)
-In any case, as soon as possible.
¡°¡.¡±
¡°What exactly does His Majesty want?¡±
¡°W-Who knows¡.¡±
¡°It is impossible to fathom His Majesty¡¯s intentions, I guess.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
It seemed their all-nighters would continue for a while.
***
[The Dimensional Store Open Beta Service has started.]
?
The following message appeared for users of the Integrated Dimensional Community.
?
?is it up?
?HAS IT RELEASED YETTTTTTTTT!!
?LOL i thought i was gonna piss my pants while waiting
?what the? nothing showed up for me tho?
?yeah, okay, you ain¡¯t chosen^^
?fuck me is this also only usable if selected?
?i just got in smoothly tho?
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?it says it¡¯s an OBT LMAOOO looks like they dont have enough servers lololol
?the fuck¡ it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a game or something so why is it open beta?
?agh im getting PTSD. raise ur hand if u transmigrated after participating in an open beta
?2222
?333333
?444
?fucking hell. test, my ass¡. more like a test of my patience
?a never-ending test¡ what the fuck¡
?my before was¡ fuck me LMAOOOO everyone else transmigrated as hunks or beauties, but I¡. where the fuck did save scumming go
?HEY SOMEONE POST A REVIEW!! IM FUCKING DYING HERE OF CURIOSITY!!
?Mom, I want to be an Oradge when I grow up Mom, I want to be an Oradge when I grow up Mom, I want to be an Oradge when I grow up Mom, I want to be an Oradge when I grow up Mom, I want to be an Oradge when I grow up
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?LMAOOO even now the bluadge be working her ass off sheeeesh
Amidst everyone¡¯s anticipation, the Dimensional Storemenced its operations. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 25: Dimensional Store (2)
? Dimensional Store (2) ?
?
Dimensional Store?
?
A store meant a ce where goods were sold.
?
Then, what exactly was this store selling?
?
Such questions weremon, not only among those who were selected as Open Beta Testers, but also those who were not.?
However, there was no need to wait long to find out. Soon, reviews started pouring in.
?
?oooh if i buy something it¡¯s transferred immediately? fr?
?cosmic delivery? daz a fat fucking W
?currently in a demon world survival novel lol¡ ah¡ do u even know how long it has been since i drank clean water?
?an ordinary flour bread? god-tier value of 3 points
?what? I had to pay 5 points though?
?apparently VAT applies depending on the distance between dimensions and the level of the civilization LMAOOO
?V¡ AT¡?
?No, what is the meaning of this Mr. Oradge! I had to pay 10 points! Why is it three times more expensive for me! If you have a mouth, spea¡!
?Apparently, it¡¯s unavoidable because of the ry or something. That¡¯s why they¡¯re going to add another Bluadge soon.
?what does picking a Bluadge have to do with rys?
?idk u dumfuck u go read it yourself
?can¡¯t be bothered
?is this mfer crazy LMAOOOO
?ah LOL i wasn¡¯t even selected for the obt lolololol
?but seriously, this is blowing my mind. isn¡¯t themunity changing way too quickly?
?it¡¯s much better than the days when it was just shitposts LMAOOO
?frfr item transfer across dimensions? LMAOOO how is this shit real
?does that mean we can eventually buy and sell too?
?dunno. only the Oradge knows
The responsiveness and execution of the Oradge were well known to anyone interested in themunity. Rumors were already widespread.
Therefore, it was natural to expect the store to evolve into something unimaginable through gradual updates.
?Praise the Oradge!
?Oh my Lord.
?We must put the Oradge in the basement! Put him to work!
?If he obediently takes upbor, there will be no bloodshed.
?Worship the Oradge!
?Offer up memes for the Oradge!
?Indeed! Indeed!
?I¡¯m going to release all the meme paying tribute to him that I¡¯ve been saving up till now.
?you fucking lunatics, the Oradge is an emperor, isn¡¯t he? why would he need any of that shit?!
?ye mfer has three thousand pce beauties no doubt
?Worship him!
?CHARGEEEEEE! THE BLUADGE ISN¡¯T HERE RIGHT NOW!!
?Hehe lez gooOOOOO!
?
Although a brief disturbance erupted.
?
-(This post has been deleted.)
-(This post has been deleted.)
-(This post has been deleted.)
-(This post has been deleted.)
?
It was barely suppressed with the Grandmaster level reaction speed of the Bluadge.?
?
?agh so what the fuck are they selling? im getting dizzy from waiting!
?food, drinking water, daily necessities
?no u fat fuck im asking what kind of food there are and what kind of daily necessities there are!
?honestly, i have no clue
?THIS MOTHERFU#@%@#%!%@#%!!
In the General Store of the Open Beta Service, simple food, water, and daily necessities were sold.?
But was bread and water really that important? After all, it was nothing special. In fact, it didn¡¯t even have some extraordinary taste.?
There were those who did not understand why the sale of bread and water caused such an uproar.?
However¡?
?What fucking blows my mind is I won¡¯t have to worry about starving anymore. Food was always a pain in the ass when entering a Gate.
?same whenever i entered abyrinth LMAO
?The esteemed being known as the Oradge is indubitably the God of Heaven and Earth. The people have been suffering from famine. Now, many will be saved thanks to him.
?oh shit, gramps, u must have some points, yeah? donate some to me if u have some left LOL im barely making a living by furiously posting on the forum
?How dare! This low-life, bastardly, son of a!@$!@%
?My stepmother doesn¡¯t give me food. But now, even if she does, I won¡¯t eat it. I can eat food and water without worrying about it being poisoned¡.
?
The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. This prompted lengthy posts to be written.?
-Title : I¡¯m saying this because some people still don¡¯t seem to get it, but¡.
Guys, this is a tremendous innovation. Unlike other products, bread, water, and daily necessities are not limited in quantity. What does that mean? Basically, as long as we have Karma, we are free from the confines of food. We don¡¯t have to be bound by eating and drinking. Do you still not understand? What this signifies?
?why is this mfer overexaggerating so much?
?u mad bro? LOL
?ikr LMAOOOO
?facts
?LMAOOOOOOOO
?free? what free? mfer is on some shit LOL
?let him be, seems like he cant even afford a piece of bread or something
?
¡°These stupid fools.¡±
?
Viscount Stefan, General of the Mile Kingdom, burst into anger as he read themunity posts.?
If one had Karma Points, they could secure food and water indefinitely. Moreover, without even being constrained by time.?
Did they truly not understand what that implied?
?
After the storeunched, his entire body shivered with thrill.
?
¡°When thinking in terms of individual units, it probably won¡¯t be perceptible.¡±
?
What was one of the most critical elements in warfare? Surely, no one would dispute that supply was one of them.?
Supply.?
Supply was indispensable in war. It had been said that the oue of war was determined by logistics and supplies.
?
Thus, if the store was utilized well, it could offer tremendous strategic value in terms of supply.
?
¡°General! The Beltiz army has surrounded the castle and cut off all supply routes! It seems they have no intention of retreating until we surrender! What should we do now?¡±?
That¡¯s right. Just like how his current situation was.?
¡°No matter how formidable the Beltiz may be, they couldn¡¯t possibly ovee our Iron Fortress. How much food do we have left?¡±
¡°Seeing as how it¡¯s a gateway fortress, we only have a month¡¯s supply left.¡±
¡°Hmph. Those punks must have known this and made their choice ordingly.¡±
¡°My Lord! Thanks to your foresight, we had stockpiled a month¡¯s supply, but¡ once that month is over¡!¡±
?
Just yesterday, he would have shared the same concerns as his adjutant. But now, it was different.
?
His avable Karma was 47 million Points.?
As long as he used it properly, he could easily secure enough food for one or two years.
?
¡°Those Beltiz bastards must be suffering more from this supply issue than us. There is no way I do not know that. Haha. They must be quite desperate.¡±
¡°G-General!¡±?
The adjutant sent a worried nce, wondering if the General had lost his mind.?
¡°General. It will take at least three months for reinforcements to arrive. No matter how much we reduce the rationing¡.¡±?
Viscount Stefan grinned. He was truly grateful to the Oradge.
?
¡°There is no need to worry. As long as we hold out, victory is ours.¡±
?
He possessed enough wisdom to turn this situation into an opportunity.?
¡°I will handle the food issue. Just let rumors spread among the soldiers that we are short on supplies. Make sure the enemy does not catch on that we have an ample amount.¡±?
The adjutant was puzzled by the General¡¯s confident promation of having resolved the supply issue, but he did not speak out. His strong belief in the Impregnable Stefan, Maestro of Reversals, was the reason for this. ?
?
***?
¡°The reaction isn¡¯t bad, huh.¡±
-Food and water are essential for humans, after all.
¡°Still, the earnings aren¡¯t as goodpared to the sales volume.¡±
-Ordinary bread and water are nothing more than loss leader products anyway, are they not?
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
?
Loss leader products, also known as a form of bait, were items used to attract customers to sell or promote main products, sometimes priced lower than cost or given as free services to induce additional spending.
?
In other words, these were items intended to promote the Dimensional Store and make it familiar to users. Furthermore, Karlstein did not want to charge high prices for items essential for survival. It wasn¡¯t out of a sense of ¡®phnthropy¡¯ or ¡®sentiment¡¯, though.?
The more customers there were, the more Karma it brought.?
The fewer customers there were, the more users died, the more he stood to lose from the Karma they had earned and would earn in the future.
Karlstein regrly checked themunity¡¯s response while browsing through the product list.?
The store didn¡¯t just have ordinary flour bread.?
?they be sellin protein bread for 30 points LMAOOO but it tastes like dogshit LOL
?is this the journey to bing a gym rat?
?im still young so i wasn¡¯t able to escape poverty yet, but it¡¯s a relief hehe protein bread ftw!
?i really did need protein to grow taller LMAOOO in this shitty medieval era, it¡¯s hard to get meat fuck me
?fr might as well eat this instead of meat.
Apparently, because the Oradge was a Transmigrator, he knew exactly what was needed and what the users desperately wanted.
For young reincarnators who had to focus on growth, it was especially an opportunity like no other. Whether it was Murim or Fantasy, anyone in their growth phase knew the importance of protein.
And besides that, when it came to daily necessities, women were particrly ecstatic.?
?MAGIC PANTY! MAGIC PANTY! MAGIC PANTY! MAGIC PANTY! MAGIC PANTY! MAGIC PANTY! MAGIC PANTY!
?I praise you, Oradge. Fuck me i was on the verge of quitting life because i didnt have menstrual pads
?holy fucking shit
?fr emperor oppa is godgodgod
?hello, granny? wdym oppa?
?do u wanna fuckin die
?Genderbender without menstrual pads is hell. Remember. It is hell.
?u can instantly tell he deliberately priced it cheap.
?sex?
That wasn¡¯t all. In fact, there were even greater items among the daily necessities. Moreover, at a special price.
?
[¡®Just this is all you need!¡¯ Perfect Hair Loss Remedy ¨C Limited Special Price Event 100P / Remaining Stock : 9,982]
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?he¡¯s just a god
?he¡¯s just a godx2
?Baldmen
?will the annoying Baldmen Order finally disappear now?
?ikr? i was so fucking tired of hearing the same thing over and over
?Baldmen
?Baldmen
?fuck me in the ass it¡¯s already sold out?
In less than 30 minutes, 10,000 units of Hair Loss Remedy were sold out.
?Who is it? Who the fuck ismitting such a heinous sin of hoarding?
?Those bastards should have three generations of their families be wiped out.
?isn¡¯t someone buying them to resell? selling just one can turn their life around, right?
?LOL they¡¯d have to find a bald + rich person to trade safely tho
?i wanted to stockpile some, but it turns out u can only buy one per person. not even faking ur nick or pulling some cloning no jutsu works¡
?yep that¡¯s why i couldn¡¯t buy any for my son or grandson
?you seriously used it on yourself? where the fuck did your conscience go¡.
?who the fuck bought them when they aren¡¯t even bald?
?nah no fucking shot guys seriously that ain¡¯t fuckin it. don¡¯t do that shit you motherfuckers
Surprisingly, the stock sold out without any duplicate purchases.
But putting all that side, the item that received the most praise was:
[Ordinary K-Fried Chicken ¨C 200P / Remaining Stock : 4,325]
Fried chicken.
?HOLY FUCK IT¡¯S HERE!!!!!!!!
?Oh, my Lord.
?From now on, any attack on the Oradge will be considered an attack on me.
?isn¡¯t this fucking crazy?
?anyone know the recipe of this?
?holyyyyy LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
?Is the Oradge perhaps God?
?Oradge! Oradge! Oradge! Oradge! Oradge! Oradge! Oradge!
?I will start praising the Oradge from now on.
?
The stock of 10,000 units vanished in an instant.
Chapter 26: Dimensional Store (3)
Chapter 26: Dimensional Store (3)
? Dimensional Store (3) ?
?K-fried chicken is the GOAT
?greet the god of fried chicken!
?BAWWWWWWWWWK!
?praise the Oradge!
?Oradge for congress!
?ahhhh if it¡¯s chicken he¡¯s soooo fucking valid LMAOOOO what a king
?didn¡¯t Oradge say he was an emperor? LOL
?fried chicken¡! ahhhh this is the shit?CHICKEEEEEEEEEEEN!
?holy fuck
?is this fr? LOLLL
Themunity was abuzz due to fried chicken.
Users who knew the taste of fried chicken were posting so fervently in themunity that it almost felt like it would tear into pieces.
It was especially the case for those who had suddenly dropped into an Otherworld; they were unable to hide their admiration for the quality that replicated the taste of modern fried chicken.
?taste of home
?Only fried chicken canfort me.
?It brought back forgotten memories.
?oradge is so fuckin delishus hehe
?crazy mfer LMAO
?the only drug allowed in themunity, K-fried chicken¡.
?wtf how fast is it selling out;;; are u kidding me?
?fuck me i only ate three but it looks like it¡¯s going to be sold out already
Naturally, this led to praises for Oradge.
?When I turned my head to look at the sky, in that ce was the Oradge
?Where did the Oradge go? All I see is light¡.
?light fr
?kinggodgeneralemperoradmiralmajestyoradge
?GOAT
?Who would throw a stone at him?
?BAWWWWWWWWWWWK!!!!!!
This was no different for those in the Otherworld trying K-fried chicken for the first time.
At first, they couldn¡¯t understand why everyone was making such a fuss.
?From what I¡¯m understanding, it¡¯s just a fried chicken dish, though?
?I know, right? Why are they making such a fuss?
?Just let them be. This isn¡¯t their first time acting like this, right? This ismon.
?What has the worlde to? All this fuss over a single dish¡.
?The Store is fascinating, but it does not seem all that necessary.
?Hmmm¡.
Yet, themunity was so heated that they werepelled to buy and try the chicken out of curiosity.
They wanted to try it first and see why everyone was making such a fuss before giving their opinions.
How much had they been ridiculed for not knowing the taste of fried chicken? They remembered the days when they weren¡¯t part of the implicit understanding among the users from ¡®Earth¡¯. As such, there were some antagonistic feelings towards them.
Let¡¯s see how great this food that you all brag so much about really is¡
However¡
They sensed something extraordinary from the smell of the delivered fried chicken.
It was greasy and yet there was something about the smell that violently stimted the taste buds.
The visuals were also extraordinary. The fried coating, a golden brown as if it was actual gold, sparkled.
They cautiously took a bite of a piece of fried chicken.
Crunch-
¡°!!¡±
The overwhelmingly greasy vor delighted their mouths.
¡°Ah¡!¡±
The crispy coating and tender meat stimted the texture, and the hot, salty juice subtly seeped through the meat.
It was crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.
How could such amon chicken be fried to create this vor! This must be alchemy!
They had eaten fried chicken dishes before. However, they had never been as moved as they were now.
It was not for nothing that it was marked as K-fried chicken. After marinating and aging, it was double-fried in a thick batter at the perfect frying temperature and time.
This was no different from the difference between fried chicken and old-school rotisserie chicken.
-Title : I am reporting the Oradge.
Oradge, exin yourself! Why does such a great dish have the adjective ¡®ordinary¡¯ attached to it?
?Indeed! Indeed!
?ikr? It¡¯s fucking delicious¡.
?This is no different from disregard for a majestic dish!
?heunggg¡ maybe because it¡¯s not seasoned or soy-sauced?
?that can¡¯t be it right? then he just needs to called it fried
?WHY! HOW! WHAT! Why in the world is there only a limited quantity of chicken!
?Oradge, exin yourself right this instant!
?Are you telling me you all used to eat such a dish regrly¡.
?Tch.
?SELL MORE!! HURRYYYYYY!!!
?Ah, why did the heavens birth me after creating chicken? I will now live in sorrow, longing for this taste forever¡.
?INCREDIBLEEEEEE!!!
?heuuuuung
Themunity was noisy. As themunity buzzed about the Dimensional Store, Karlstein¡¯s Karma points began to umte quickly.
¡°This is¡ so, so sweet. Stonks.¡±
Karlstein was browsing themunity¡¯s reactions while checking the Karma points. Even though he didn¡¯t lift a single finger, the points were rapidly umting with each sale.
¡°Of course, this won¡¯t be enough.¡±
It was iparable to the Karma umted as the Emperor of the Gctic Empire. However, the nature of inherent Karma, which had to be spent as much as it was earned, was different. The Karma earned from themunity was tax-free and essentially an emergency fund.
It was literally a slush fund!
¡°Keuhhhh. It is a bitcking, though.¡±
Karlstein and Aria were not satisfied with just this much. ?
-It is still in open beta, so it can¡¯t be helped. This is just the beginning.
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
A lot was being prepared. To efficiently exploit their Karma!
-But is that human alright?
¡°Hmm¡.¡±
?
On the screen they were watching, Kim Youngsik was under a threat of assassination from the shelter executives. Several Awakened were approaching his residence armed with weapons. ?
Wasn¡¯t it probably out of greed to kill Kim Youngsik and seize the space battleship? ?
¡°Do they really think they will be able to steal away Hyperion with just that? Well, I guess they probably wouldn¡¯t know.¡±
-They will not even be able toy a scratch. However¡ It is essential to protect Kim Youngsik. If he dies, there will be problems with the ry upgrades.
On the screen, Awakened were being incinerated under the formidable fire of Hyperion. ?
¡°Hyperion will handle it. Speaking of which, the Karma supply from that guy is surprisingly good.¡±
One thing that surprised Karlstein was that the amount of Karma being generated by Virdel and Kim Youngsik was more than expected. To be more precise, it was more like the Karma that ¡®Hydra¡¯ and ¡®Hyperion¡¯ were generating.
Was it because it was a different dimension?
As much as Virdel and Kim Youngsik were using Hydra and Hyperion to build achievements, Karlstein was sucking up Karma like it was a royalty.
¡°Hmm. But the initial investment is too big to scatter such a thing recklessly.¡±
As more cutting-edge SF technology was used, the amount of Karma consumed just for transmission could not be ignored.
It was the case even if it was not thetest model that he used and instead a prototype.
Wouldn¡¯t he only be able to break even by the time that guy ends the apocalypse and saves the world?
That was why it wasn¡¯t so easy to invest.
¡°Fufu.¡±
Of course, after that, he would be able to suck up Karma like it was his pension without further investment. As such, Karlstein couldn¡¯t help but smile.
¡°What¡¯s Virdel up to?¡±
-¡.
Karlstein sneakily checked what she was doing through Hydra.
¡°Hmm. Looks like she¡¯s having fun.¡±
She was exchanging swords with someone called the Grandmaster.
¡°It seems like she¡¯s enjoying it, huh?¡±
She was using Hydra¡¯s Power as efficiently as possible, practicing to save as much as possible while achieving maximum results¡ Wait, practice?
-¡She seems to be using the opponent as a sparring partner on purpose.
¡°Well¡ it did look like she really enjoys swordsmanship.¡±
Well, whatever she did was up to her anyway.
He had no intention of interfering any further. And as the Empire fragmented, he had received a considerable amount of Karma through Virdel as well.
¡°But has Kim Youngsik only been lurking?¡±
-Yes. He barely looks at themunity.
Hmm¡ After all, there were more people than one would think who chose to focus only on their present lives.
This could be seen from the user statistics of the Integrated Dimensional Community. One of the surprises for Karlstein, while managing themunity, was that the number of dimensions connected to the [Integrated Dimensional Community] exceeded tens of millions. And those were just the dimensions he was aware of; when considering the entire pie, couldn¡¯t it be near infinite?
Regardless of whether the connection to themunity had not yet blossomed or users had naturally disconnected, the fact that currently active users constituted less than one percent of all users truly surprised Karlstein.
Even though the user engagement had doubled since he began administrating, it was still the case.
¡°That means there¡¯s still a lot of Karma for us to consume.¡±
That¡¯s right. As such, there needed to be amunity so perfectly established that life without it would be impossible.
¡°Besides, there aren¡¯t many users who have reached VIP high-tier.¡±
-The Transcendents possessing arge amount of Karma must be aware of its importance, after all.
¡°Right¡¡±
?
While they might not use it as efficiently as Karlstein, those with a keen sense would be able to feel the effects of causality.
?
-Still, it is like pearls to swine. There is no doubt about it. They cannot use it properly. They just hold it. And even if they used it all, it would not make much of an impact.
¡°We still need to draw them out carefully, though. Sucking them dry as if to scam them would be the worst in terms of efficiency.¡±
?
The trade of Karma wasn¡¯t as easy as trading goods. While it was not too difficult to rob them using the technology of the Gctic Empire, doing so would be akin to killing a goose thatid golden eggs. ?
What he was aiming for wasn¡¯t the trivial amounts of Karma. He wanted a vast amount of Karma, enough to dream of retirement. ?
A self-sustaining source of Karma was needed, one that would snowball on its own and earn more Karma. ?
¡°Economic independence! Financial freedom!¡±
?
He often heard of ¡®FIRE¡¯ in his past life. ?
It was a term that stood for Financial Independence Retire Early. It was used to describe people who saved up to 25 times their annual living expenses to achieve economic independence and aim for early retirement. They were characterized by their frugality and genuinemitment to saving and investing. ?
And that was Karlstein¡¯s true goal. ?
To achieve this, Karlstein had to give up something big. ?
Specifically, his ¡®Enjoyer/Consumer Mode¡¯ in regards to themunity. ?
¡°Agh! Sob!¡±
?
He didn¡¯t want to be a hard-working Oradge, though!
?
Nevertheless, to do so, he had to target the big boys who heldrge amounts of Karma.
?
¡°Heungg¡ As expected, at times like these¡¡±
-As expected?
¡°A promotional event would be good.¡±
-?
?
Karlstein grinned like a mischievous child.
Of course, the second batch of fried chicken and the opening of the next menu were being prepared as nned. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 27: Promotional Event
? Promotional Event ?
? ?
Karlstein was browsing themunity looking for candidates for the Promotional Event. ?
¡°Hmm. This one has too little Karma.¡±
¡°Mm? Ah, this guy¡¯s Dimensional Store hasn¡¯t opened yet.¡±
¡°Hmm. This one is from too far a dimension. Even though there is a VAT, it would be a loss for me, so it¡¯s not really worth it¡.¡± ?
Kim Youngsik¡¯s dimension had arge ry installed and Virdel¡¯s dimension had a small ry installed, but it was still far from enough. That was why he named it the Open Beta Service.
?
¡°Well, we can just expand the ry slowly.¡±?
There was no rush. ?
Research on dimensions was currently being conducted in a very active manner. It was hard to predict how long it would take as it wasn¡¯t as safe as the Dimensional Store, but the Interdimensional Material Transfer System was being developed quickly.
?
And ns to gradually solve issues with stock and diverse item types while expanding were in ce. ?
¡°Let¡¯s see, let¡¯s see.¡± ?
Then, a suitable candidate caught his eye. ?
The total amount of points was in the hundreds of millions, and it seemed like he visited themunity often. However, his VIP-Grade was 0, indicating he wasn¡¯t much interested in the Dimensional Store. ?
¡°Hmm.¡±
?
-Writer: Mount Song Tiger Batter Up
-Title: my,, esteemed,, members,, today¡¯s,, dish is,, good for your body hehe and,, tasty stir-fried bok choy~^^
A user who posted daily cooking recipes without fail.
-Title: Kaaaaaaak~~~ptui! Instead of,,, those poor chickens,, how about,, some healthy,, fried tofu? hehe [34]
-Title: Handmade,, by me, lotus hehe root!!^^ Tastily,, braised? [4]
-Title: Dear members,, the weather is,, so nice,, kyaaa~!! hehe,, today I¡¯m stir-frying eggnts,, I grew myself,,, whhheeeeewhoooo~^^ keke [2]
-Title: Received from a donator,,, to the temple hehe,, so thankful,, for the bean stalks^^,, a meal hehe filled with happiness,,! [0]
-Title: Hey~~~ you rascals~~~~ keke, you dog-like,, things!! chicken,, is also,, a living being,, just like,, you bunch~!! [47]
If a rather special part about him had to be picked out, it was that he was a vegetarian who oftenmented aggressively in an indiscernible, uneptably terrible way?
It seemed the opinions and reactions on him were split. ?
?Big Brother~!!,, thanks,, for the great hehe info today~!!^^
?thisd seems to cook pretty well
?Human. It seems you know what is up. Eating meat is truly barbaric.
?That¡¯s right! Humans bad!
?veggy vegetable masterchef
?my oh my hehe,, fokin hell,, that rhyme tho,, speak yo shit-!!
?isn¡¯t he the shaolin temple gramps?
?yepyep part of an arhat hall or something
A user casually posting cooking content and interacting with others. There were quite a few members of the elf species in themunity, making him a somewhat famous Named Eser.
?
However, as strong as his individuality(?) was, there were also many users who disliked him. ?
?do all vegetarians talk like that? disgusting af.
?those pointy ear mfers,, should just,, have their head,, chopped off!!
?If you¡¯re vegan, you should just chew on some cow fodder.
?hey gramps, how did that you get those gains without meat?
?i bet even vegans can¡¯t resist fried chicken, u know?
?ffs fix your way of talking!
Karlstein didn¡¯t care whether the person in question was vegan or not. If he wasn¡¯t trying to particrly force others, it was his personal freedom, wasn¡¯t it?
?
When looking into the background of the unidentifiable martial artist known as ¡®Mount Song Tiger Batter Up¡¯, he seemed to maintain a bnce rather than causing disputes.
?
However, since the Dimensional Store opened and posts about fried chicken mushroomed, it seemed he was ticked off. It wasn¡¯t clear whether it was because his cooking posts were buried under the mass influx of posts or because only praises for ¡®chicken¡¯ were being posted. Regardless, he was now bickering quite often with other users. ?
Hmm¡. ?
His record suggested he was an elder managing the Arhat Monks of Shaolin Temple. ?
Moreover, what intrigued him was that ¡®Mount Song Tiger Batter Up¡¯ was not a strict ¡®vegan¡¯ who exclusively avoided meat, seafood, and fruits. ?
He was rather a moderate ¡®vegetarian¡¯.
?
Among the pictures he posted, there was one where he shared roasted wild boar meat that had died in a forest fire with Shaolin child monks.
?
In other words, he avoided meat as much as possible, but it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t eat it.
?
Hmm¡ Is that so? ?
Karlstein quietly sent a gift to his first target for promotion. ? ?
?
*** ? ?
The North Star of Mount Tai, the leader of the Nine Sects One Union.
?
This was a term that perfectly described ¡®Shaolin Temple¡¯, known as a major sect in the Orthodox Faction that protected the peace of Jianghu. In fact, no martial artist denied it.
?
And among them, an elite group of martial monks existed, so they, who were famously known for their 108 Arhat Formation, were referred to as ¡®Arhats¡¯. ?
And within the Arhat Hall, where the Arhats belonged, there was an elderly monk who had refined the 72 Arts of Shaolin to the extreme, teaching 108 Arhats.
?
He, who was particrly skilled in Bo Staff Techniques among the 72 Arts of Shaolin, was an Elder known for his strictness in teaching, ?
Although he was a master of Bo Staff Techniques, as an Elder of Shaolin Temple, he could not only care about his martial arts and take S¨¡dhan¨¡, an intense spiritual practice, lightly. As such, he was meditating in the training hall. ?
¡°Nothing originally belongs to me, so let go of all attachments and¡¡±
While he was muttering and chanting the Buddhist scriptures, a message appeared before his eyes.
?
[The Administrator¡¯s gift has arrived.]
?
Since he had been so deeply focused, he was startled by the sudden smell of food.
?
¡°What is this¡¡± ?
In front of him was a square box of fried chicken from an unknown source. ?
His eyes widened.
?
¡°¡Hoho.¡±
?
As he had recently reduced his food intake due to intense S¨¡dhan¨¡, he was severely taken aback by the overwhelming smell of food that quickly filled the training hall. ?
How to put it? Wasn¡¯t it a bit of an unexpected gift for him, who only solved his hunger with small and vegetarian meals? ?
[(VIP5) Golden Ratio Fried Chicken has been transferred.]
The smell was so enticing that it made him salivate involuntarily.
?
ording to Buddhist doctrine, killing was prohibited, but not eating meat. As long as one did not kill intentionally, some level of meat consumption was permissible. ?
And it was all the more so for a martial sect.
?
However, he still shook his head. ?
He had recently been practicing restraint from the 5 Desires ¨C Desire for Food, Desire for Sex, Desire for Wealth, Desire for Fame, and Desire for Sleep ¨C to gain enlightenment. ?
Moreover, for some strange reason, he didn¡¯t like this ¡®chicken¡¯.
?
Why was such a dish causing such a fuss in themunity? Tsk tsk.
?
Because of it, his diligently written posts were barely nced at. ?
¡°Ahem!¡±
?
-Writer: Mount Song Tiger Batter Up
-Title: Mister Administrator.
My oh my,, the gift,,, was sent,, to the wrong,, person hehe^^ I don¡¯t,, need it,, so take it,, back~~
(Roughly A Photo Of VIP5 Golden Ratio Fried Chicken.jpg)
However, the awaited Administrator did not respond and uselessments just kept pouring in. ?
?vip5? fuck me sideways what did I just see.
?is it a chicken you can only buy once you hit vip5? the modifier itself is different, yeah?
?VIP1 starts at 10,000 points and it increases tenfold with each level¡ that means, at least 100 million points¡?
?are you kidding me LMAOOOOO you¡¯re telling me I need to gather 100 million to eat chicken?
?is the chicken sprinkled with gold dust or something LOLLLLL
?Golden Ratio LMAO is it saying the chicken has a stunning rear or shit lololol
?im sure it¡¯s just the vip level that¡¯s like that. the chicken is probably not that expensive
?was it given by the admin?
?why does he talk like that? is he disabled or some shit
?gramps, what does the chicken taste like? is something different about it?
?do u have connections with the Oradge?
?what the?
?hello? gramps? what does it taste like?
His eyes blinked in confusion due to the intense reaction that was different from usual. ?
¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ?
The rascals who normally never cared all that much even if theymented were now bombarding him with endless interest and questions.
?
Inside Shaolin, his grumpy nature meant not many approached him. As he aged, this tendency only intensified and even his Senior and Junior Brothers started avoiding him. ?
So much so that perhaps this was why he felt so lonely, thus sharing trivial daily life andmunicating in themunity. ?
So, he was pleased with this attention but¡
?
¡°¡.¡± ?
Still, it was a gift he received so unexpectedly. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t know anything about it. If there was anything among the many questions he could answer¡ ?
¡°Hmm. What does it taste like?¡±
?
He hesitated as he looked down at the food that emitted an indescribable smell, then picked up a piece.
?
¡°Ahem. Well, since I cannot just throw it away¡¡± ?
Actually, because of the uproar in themunity, he had tried fried chicken before. Of course, it was a memorable, splendid taste, but for someone who enjoyed monk cuisine and was fairly old, ¡®Ordinary K-Fried Chicken¡¯ was a bit too greasy and rich for him. It was also hard on his stomach after eating. ?
As such, he may eat it once in a blue moon, but he wouldn¡¯t particrly seek it out.
?
He thought his own cooking, which was subtle and savory, was far superior. ?
Well, since it hase to this, let¡¯s taste it and clearly state my opinion. At the very least, for such an old man, his own cooking, meticulously prepared with herbs from the mountains, was far superior.
?
He would share the leftovers with the child monks.
?
He crunched into the drumstick.
?
¡°¡!¡±
?
A universe unfolded in his mind.
?
As he opened his mouth in ecstasy, something else crossed dimensions behind him.? ?
[(VIP5) ¡®1+++ Aged Korean Beef Assorted Roast Course¡¯ has been transferred.]
?
***
?
-Writer: Mount Song Tiger Batter Up
-Title: my oh my~~~^^ dear members,, about today¡¯s menu,, you see hehe~~
It,, melts,, in your mouth^^,, a cost-effective,, superb,, god-like,, beef rib,, that can be,, bought,, in VIP,, Grade 3,, will soon,, be introduced~~
-Writer: Mount Song Tiger Batter Up
-Title: ,,you have all,, eaten something,, like this before,, right?^^
Like this hehe~ Absolutely banger hehe,, for body nourishment,, silkie~~!,, young chicken,, known to be better than ginseng,, stewed down to the bones,, and intensely boiled,, A VIP,, Grade 4^^ whole chicken soup,, how about you try it? hehe
?
A High-Grade VIP with a unique style ofmunication newly appeared in themunity. ?
Despite his odd way of speaking, people sought out his reviews to satisfy their curiosity. ?
What in the world was the Store selling to the upper ranks? ? ?
Was it because of the promotional posts by him, who hadpletely turned into a meat-lover, or was it perhaps because of the newly added product list? ?
Karlstein¡¯s Karma began to umte faster than expected. Since the release of c, the Oradge¡¯s standing in themunity had reached untouchable heights. ?
And as a result, there was a woman who disliked the atmosphere of such amunity more than anyone else. ?
¡°Hmph. To be so engrossed in mere food. What a pathetic atmosphere.¡±
?
The woman with a scowling expression observing themunity was Keisha Winsler, the continent¡¯s foremost authority on Magitek.
?
? /genesisforsaken
Chapter 28: Keisha Winsler (1)
Karlstein logged into themunity and enjoyed their reactions. Themunity was aze, showing no signs of cooling down.
?Is this what they call c?
?Hmm... a strangely sharp-tasting water. But it is addictively delicious heh
?Oradge!! Just 10,000 units? How is anyone supposed to be satisfied with only that much!!
?is this fr? c just updated and it''s already sold out lololol fucking hell
?Store Owner!! Open the door!! How dare you do business like this?!
?Ahh...! How can a beverage be this refreshing!!
?KYAAAAAAAAAK!!
?KIEEEEEEEKKKKK! BAAAAAWK! FRIED CHICKEN AND COLA HOLY SHIT!!
?Mom, I want to be fried chicken when I grow up! Mom, I want to be fried chicken when I grow up! Mom, I want to be fried chicken when I grow up! Mom, I want to be fried chicken when I grow up!
?What on earth is c?
?Let it rain with c, Oradge! Let it rain with c, Oradge! Let it rain with c, Oradge!
The small ball fired by the Oradge in the form of fried chicken and c became a huge wave that shook themunity. Everyone started clinging to the Oradge.
Please release more stock. Show us mercy.
Aggressive posts continued to appear one after another.
To that, Karlstein left a briefment.
-(Cosmic Emperor) We¡¯ll see heh
?So spoke the light.
?He is just light.
?Praise the Oradge!!
?BAWWWWWWWK!
?Baldmen
?Who dares to fuss over the Oradge!
?I''ll hold my breath until the Oradge replenishes!
Posts praising the Oradge and filled with memes began to ster everywhere.
-Title: Oradge? Who is the Oradge?
All I see is light, though?
-Title: It''s time for lunch time worship.
Long live the Oradge
-Title: As of today, I withdraw my support for the Oradge.
From today onwards, the Oradge and I are one. Any attack on Oradge is considered an attack on me.
-Title: Is the Oradge equivalent to sublimity?f
No. Because there''s no limit for him.
-Title: The Oradge once said.
¡°Turn off the lights.¡±
We call this an eclipse.
-Title: ¡°Don''t cry.¡±
What the Oradge said to his parents when he was born.
¡°What a fuss.¡±
Karlstein chuckled. He didn¡¯t find any of this negative. In fact, he enjoyed the excessive attention.
During this time, he came across a certain post.
-Writer: Magic Is Just For Support
-Title: There''s less in the Store than I thought. It is quite disappointing.
Did I expect too much?
?it''s fried chicken bro what more do you want?
?poor little magic-chan has no points, huh?
?(Magic Is Just For Support) Do you think I am simr to the likes of you?
?hehhh?! bad girl! have you even tried fried chicken yet?
?Ignoring the Oradge is like ignoring fried chicken! Torture this heretic!
?have you ever heard of ''c''?
?Lolololol wah wah wah there¡¯s less than i thought wah wah wah LMAOOO
?Nothing can be greater than fried chicken.
Karlstein watched with interest as a user was getting beaten the shit out of in thements.
-(Magic Is Just For Support) This level of technology can be more than achieved with Magitek.
-(Magic Is Just For Support) How dare he do business with Dimensional Technology? That is an insult to technology!
-(Magic Is Just For Support) SF, you say? Space exploration is also possible with Magitek.
?ah, so you can go to space!!! WAHHHHHHHHH!!
?LOL all she can do is go up ande back without doing shit
?strictly speaking, even modern Earth could do that lol
?wah wah its alswo pwossible with magitwek wahhh~~ LMAO
?isn¡¯t she tht guy? the one who hung out with the lich mofo? LOL
Looking through her history and past posts, ''Magic Is Just For Support'' clearly seemed to have some grievances. There was also a subtle hostility towards SF.
He smirked as he carefully reviewed her past posts. A noteworthy point was that many of her writings were akin to academic papers.
-(Magic Is Just For Support) The Corrtion Between the Atmosphere and Mana [2]
-(Magic Is Just For Support) Study on the Division Reactions of Material Magification [1]
-(Magic Is Just For Support) Understanding the Variable Dynamics of Water-Soluble Mana Bodies [0]
-(Magic Is Just For Support) A Study on Mana Clustering Phenomena [0]
Looking through thements, she seemed to be a typical Otherworld native, not originating from Earth like the Regressors, Transmigrators, or Reincarnators.
"In some ways, she''s simr to that Lich Punk."
Currently, the Lich Punk was deeply delving into research on the hair loss medicine that he had been sent, tearing out his nonexistent hair in frustration.
If there was a difference, it was that while TheLichKingIsRich praised magic, Magic Is Just For Support was genuinelymitted to the advancement of technology through Magitek.
This was enough to pique his interest.
Come to think of it, before his appearance, it seemed that Magic Is Just For Support had been recognized as the pinnacle of advanced civilization within themunity. Her tone even unwittingly revealed her pride.
However, after he became an Administrator, she wasn''t treated well. The stiff and hysterical tone she used also attracted a lot of disputes from users.
Lately, she had been ridiculed inparison with the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯, with countless taunts of "You can¡¯t even do this?".
Karlstein sent a message with a grin.
-So, about hair loss medicine. Possible?
***
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
Cosmic Emperor¡ SF Transmigrator¡ Administrator.
Although she was a pure(?) Otherworlder and didn''t know much, she had learned what SF was while researching themunity.
Despite thinking such an unrealistic worldview was possible, she didn''t ignore it, since she already knew of simr existences.
"Miss Keisha?"
"Research Director?¡±
Snapped back to reality by their calls for her, she noticed dozens of researchers looking at her. Just like her, they had dark circles almost down to their chins and looked as if they hadn¡¯t washed in days.
She quickly spoke up.
"Let''s stop here for today and continue tomorrow."
At her words, the researchers murmured among themselves with a look that seemed to say ¡®What''s going on?¡¯, before starting to leave their seats.
She untied the band holding her hair back and sighed, her hair cascading down her shoulders.
Her appearance was not much different from the other researchers, but she radiated a light of her own with her ck hair, ck eyes, and pale skin. She worerge sses and a whiteb coat.
Back in her private research office, she sat down with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.
Tomorrow there was an audit by the Ministry of Supervision, so she had a lot to prepare, but she decided not to worry about that at the moment.
After all, wasn''t the person who sent the message a big shot from the Integrated Dimensional Community?
He had hacked the Integrated Dimensional Community and became the Administrator with his own ability. Moreover, he had created the Interdimensional Material Transfer System. Though the only evidence were his own ims, if he had truly aplished this, he was certainly an admirable figure. Despite her confidence in the excellence of Magitek, she had no intention of taking the ¡®Cosmic Emperor¡¯ lightly.
"The Dimensional Store was a bit disappointing, though."
While praises for the Administrator known as the Oradge continued everywhere, she couldn''t help but be disappointed.
Fried chicken, c, Korean beef? Seriously?
It wasn''t even like they were barbarians. Yet, themunity''s obsession with food continued to persist. And most importantly, she could not get used to such a vibe.
"And the daily necessities were more ordinary than expected."
What she wanted was an exchange of technology or civilization.
Sharing knowledge with each other and advancing toward a more evolved civilization through discussion ¡ª wasn''t that the true purpose of amunity?
She took a deep breath and checked the Administrator''s message.
Perhaps the Administrator had read her numerous papers by now? If so, maybe a more sophisticated conversation could...
-So, about hair loss medicine. Possible?
¡°¡.¡±
She had thought the demeanor shown in themunity was just a fa?ade, but she was momentarily dumbfounded.
Such indecent, immaturenguage....
She took a deep breath and replied calmly and rationally.
[Magic Is Just For Support: I would like to have a more constructive conversation. Magitek has also made excellent progress, making strides that do not fall behind your SF civilizat¡.]
She gave a lengthy speech about the excellent advantages of Magitek. Surely, the Administrator would understand now, seeing as she had made her exnation and stance clear.
Ding-
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-So, possible?
¡°¡.¡±
[Magic Is Just For Support: The applications of Magitek are endless and there are numerous problems threatening humanity that have continued to umte in the world. Starting from diversifying theary resource cycle, I am at the forefront of solving many issues. There is no need to waste technology and time on mere hair loss medi¡]
Ding-
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Possible?
[Magic Is Just For Support: It is just that research has not been actively conducted on it! That does not mean it is impossible! With enough time and budget!....]
Ding-
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-kek
"Thi-This¡!"
An unidentifiable loud cry echoed from the Research Director''s private office.
Chapter 29: Keisha Winsler (2)
Karlstein giggled and scratched his chin.
"Did I tease her too much?"
Even after his initial messages, Karlstein had teased her several times.
Still, thanks to that, he could tell what this punk wanted to say.
It seemed like she wanted some sort of technological convention...
"Tsk tsk, she can¡¯t even begin to fathom how scary the Empire truly is..."
It was not just any empire.
The Gctic Empire.
What did it mean to maintain the system of an empire at a gctic scale?It was clear that it wasn''t the soft and cuddly something that she was thinking of.
And a convention or exchange could only be established in a ''mutually equal'' rtionship.
"It seems she doesn''t quite grasp what position I''m in."
It was understandable since he hadn¡¯t exined it in detail in themunity. And even if he told them, it wasn¡¯t like they would believe him anyway.
Karlstein interpreted the argument of ''Magic Is Just For Support'' as follows.
A hope to voluntarily be a colony...?
Yes, that was exactly how it felt like for him.
Of course, the more he talked with her, it did seem like she was somehow desperate in her own way.
Karlstein pondered her offer that wasn¡¯t actually an offer.
"Hmm, there certainly is one job that could be assigned."
He wasn''t sure if it was what the punk was hoping for, though.
"And it really is a usable(?) world, so..."
Although he responded teasingly, he didn¡¯t look down on her or underestimate her.
"Magitek that makes space travel possible, you say..."
It truly was remarkablepared to some ordinary fantasy setting.
"But that''s about it."
His world had ''dominated'' space long ago, for hundreds of thousands of years. How impressive could a civilization that had just ventured into space be?
The words ''expansion'' and ''domination'' carry different weights.
Ifpared to him, who could even artificially create and manipte ck holes, she was nothing more than an infant.
"But it isn¡¯t like there¡¯s nothing to use at all..."
Using the current dimensional ry, it was possible to amplify the Astral Signal and forcibly create a passage through the antimatter transformation of transmitted data, allowing goods to be transferred.
So far, the ''Dimensional Store'' had been operating without major problems, which meant it wasn¡¯t wrong to say it was sessful up to that stage.
But what he wanted was more than that.
"And a ry is just a ry, after all. There¡¯s only so much it can do."
Even if he could install arge-scale dimensional ry in the dimension where ''Magic Is Just For Support'' resides, it would expand the range of users who could ess the Dimensional Store and reduce the Ether consumption during product transmission. But that was about it.
Moreover, the dimension of ''Magic Is Just For Support'' was not the most efficient coordinate for arge ry.
After analyzing and researching the dimensional coordinates, although not to the extent of establishing a hierarchy among dimensions, there were still several coordinates found that were adjacent to various dimensions, making transmission and reception easy.
One of these was the dimension where Hyperion was located.
A ry dimension, huh...
"It does have its uses, but..."
There was a more fitting role.
Dimensional Receiver and Dimensional Transmitter.
The Dimensional Store was currently only capable of one-way transmission. And such one-way transmission certainly had its limits.
The receiving side also needed to be prepared for all his ns to proceed smoothly. Instead of only one-way transmission, a dimension suitable for studying interdimensional interaction was needed at a minimum.
However, the world that could fulfill his demands was few. If the minimal levels of civilization and technology he thought of couldn''t follow, even starting such an endeavor would be difficult.
After all, what kind of results could he even expect if he suddenly built a dimensional researchb in some martial arts-oriented world?
Smh Smh-
Honestly, it would be a relief if a shrine of human sacrifices for the heavens or some bullshit like that wasn''t built.
Basically, he couldn''t just make a Dimensional Receiver or Dimensional Transmitter on a whim.
Unlike the ry, the Karma consumed and the technology involved were iparably higher in level.
To put it simply, it was like building a multiyer mode in a game.
"I can''t give up on it, though."
It was good to prepare in advance for eventual Dimensional Travel.
In the short term, he nned to operate the Dimensional Store and other contents, and in the long term, he intended to invest in and research various dimensions.
That was the basis of his current project.
And then, after that...
From that perspective, the dimension of ''Magic Is Just For Support'' was appropriate for his tastes.
Appropriate technology, appropriate civilization, and appropriate dimensional position. Considering the various conditions, ''Magic Is Just For Support'' was an excellent candidate.
Very well then! Let''s try to approach her in a more friendly manner.
[(Cosmic Emperor): dogeza1 agreed?]
[(Magic Is Just For Support): !@$!@%!!!@#!@#]
Haha, was it a failure?
An unexpectedly rough response came back, uncharacteristic of her usual calm demeanor.
[(Cosmic Emperor): hehe u upset? or sulking?]
[(Magic Is Just For Support): !@$!@%!!!@#!@#]
"Hahaha."
Karlstein liked her rather bouncy and reactive response.
"Well, teasing aside, we do need to have a talk."
***
[You have been appointed as a Moderator of the Integrated Dimensional Community.]
¡°¡.¡±
Her face disyed a spectrum of emotions as she sighed deeply. She looked more exhausted than when she was buried under a mountain of work.
Ultimately, she had surrendered to the barrage of mutes and blocks by the Oradge.
The so-called ¡®Bluadge''. That was the role she agreed to take on.
¡°Bluadge¡.¡±
She was perceptive enough to know what the position entailed, which only added to her sense of defeat.
"What? Work first and talkter?! To think he would say that¡!"
Considering her position, the task could not be more trivial.
She logged into themunity and watched the posts popping up for a while.
[Singlebungle Orc''s Big Thing Photo] [82]
[heehee fire!] [137]
[i can''t be the only one to suffer!] [248]
[Spot the Difference..heh] [486]
[viinnnn nuuuuunaaaaa... heungggg] [34]
[Age is just a number^^.jpg thrown in] [258]
[the,, adorable,, mochi,, i,, raise] [47]
[A Study on Why TS is Superior.txt] [396]
[Testing the Bluadge¡¯s Reaction Speed] [177]
Although quickly erased by the other Bluadge, just ncing at the titles was enough to deal a mental blow.
She felt like screaming.
WHY!! WHY!! WHY IN THE WORLD!!!
WHY MUST I PERFECTLY COMPLETE THIS TASK!
[(Cosmic Emperor): u don¡¯t want to? nah get gud gl]
[(Cosmic Emperor): Nah. No can do. Go back.]
[(Cosmic Emperor): I, thepanymander, is disappointed in you.]
[(Cosmic Emperor): I shall bestow a great mission upon you.]
[(Cosmic Emperor): You can¡¯t do it, you say? Looks like Magitek isn''t all that after all.. heh]
[(Cosmic Emperor): Still, I''ll send a gift as amemoration for your inauguration.]
She felt dizzy.
She looked at ''that'' which was ced in the middle of theb.
¡°A gift..."
If she did what he told her to properly, she could use that permanently, instead of having a one week time limit. Or so he said.
"Hmph."
[(Cosmic Emperor): possible to extend the period, even in the case u fail¡ if u grovel heh]
His tone didn''t sit well with her. After all, there was this subtle sense of superiority in his speech.
Even if it wasn¡¯t wrong per se¡
His words had a strange nuance that seemed to say, ''I bet you won¡¯t be able to endure without submitting to me''.
Seriously, if it weren''t for that tone, she might have gratefully epted it.
It seemed like the teasing Administrator thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her mind off such an object, thus sparking her defiance.
Wasn¡¯t he thinking too little of her?
A one-week trial period?
The intention was tantly clear.
Did he think she was going to beg to keep using it after a week or something?
She ran her hand over the streamlined form of ¡®that¡¯ which had a glossy ck finish.
It was metal, but it had a warm and plush texture.
The metal materials used were honestly more intriguing than the actual intended use of the device.
[Experience Heaven Indirectly! TTBG Heaven Series Massage Chair New Product]
¡°¡.¡±
A massage chair.
For some reason, receiving something like that from an SF Absolute seemed to imply...
"Let¡¯s see about that? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say?"
As if such a massage chair could satisfy her.
Physical satisfaction couldn¡¯tpare to the fulfillment of the mind.
Humans experienced a fulfillment iparable to physical pleasures when enjoying knowledge and advancing themselves towards a more developed form.
To set aside such high-dimensional rewards for a mere massage chair...
It could not be morementable.
"I¡¯d better ask for something more usefulter. Maybe a book..."
Yes, that would certainly be better.
Then, she had to show that such rewards wouldn¡¯t possibly satisfy her needs and desires.
She sat down on the streamlined massage chair.
In order to show that such a device couldn¡¯t subdue her...
Plush-
A strange texture that enveloped her body.
Uh, uhmm... it definitely isfortable.
It firmly held her in ce regardless of whether she wanted to lie down or sit up, yet transformed smoothly without resistance when she wanted to change position.
"Is it structured to transform automatically based on the center of gravity¡?"
She couldn''t even begin to grasp what kind of technology it was.
She cautiously operated the massage chair ording to the user manual.
"E-Eut?!"
Then, the gates of heaven /genesisforsaken
Chapter 30: Maxien Asteria
Shoot, I almost fell for it.
She hurriedly stopped the massage chair with a flushed face. She had a gut feeling that something was wrong due to the subtle stimtion that constricted her entire body.
"A-Adult mode?!"
Realizing her mistake, she quickly switched it back to Normal Mode.
"E-Eut."
Even in Adult Mode, she couldn''t figure out which specific setting she had chosen, but the slimy sensation that seemed to wrap around her entire body made her skin crawl.
"What is this...!"
She was startled. The sensation still seemed to linger on her skin.
She shook her head vigorously and, after calming down her excited heart, hesitated before choosing [Sleep Mode].Let''s go with this.
It had been a long time since she had slept properly due to severe insomnia.
She didn''t have high ho¡
"M-Mmm?"
Woong-
It felt as if she was enveloped in amniotic fluid in her mother''s womb...
She was enveloped in infinite coziness, making her eyes close automatically. Thefort was irresistible.
***
She sat with a nk expression, checking the clock.
¡°¡.¡±
She wiped the drool with her sleeve.
Uh...
Her memory was cut off. She barely regained her consciousness and retraced her memories.
Iid on the massage chair... chewed out the Oradge once... activated the massage chair... Adult Mode... Sleep¡ Mode?
"I slept for 10 hours without taking sleeping pills?!"
That wasn¡¯t all.
The headache and muscle stiffness that usually gued her every time she woke up were now gone.
Every muscle seemed to be dancing with joy, feeling revitalized.
It was unbelievable.
She couldn''t believe this was her body. The same worn out body that couldn''t even sleep 3 hours a day properly due to nearly 16 hours of research and experiments.
Due to chronic insomnia caused by excessive work and severe stress, this current situation felt unfamiliar to her. She felt overly energized.
"S-Sleep Magic? No, it can¡¯t be... Mana wasn''t detected, right?"
Even if it were Sleep Magic, there was no way it could make her feel this refreshed.
Confusion filled her eyes.
Gulp-
"I-It must have been a coincidence."
Yes. It had to be.
Could her condition have changed this dramatically, just because she had slept in a massage chair once?
Bang bang bang-
"Director! It iste. You should stop the experiment at this point ande out now!"
Her eyebrows furrowed, reminded of the mountain of work left. She hurriedly checked her schedule, grabbed her documents, and moved her body.
Could it just be her imagination that her footsteps felt lighter than yesterday?
She forcefully erased the Adult Mode that was left in the corner of her mind and hurried out the door.
***
"Hehe, it''s over."
Karlstein was certain. He too had used the Heaven Series Massage Chair, thus he knew for sure. No massage or masseuse could match the midas touch, no, the midas chair.
At one time, he had also been unable to escape from that chair for a while.
The massage chair, wrapping the user in a state of weightlessness, was a miraculous device that unraveled all the fatigue umted in the body before the user even realized it.
That woman hadn''t noticed it yet, but there was no need to use it only for massage. If she just sat in that chair regrly for work, physical fatigue would never umte¡ªtruly a miracle indeed.
No, it was even more amazing than that. If she chose [Work Mode], her mind would be clear and even a ''wless caffeine'' effect was possible, making her brain work efficiently.
It''ll be hard to snap out of it.
Right as Karlstein chuckled at that thought¡
Shrrr-
The door to the Main Hall opened and Aria, with silver hair, entered.
"Huh? Didn''t you say you had a separate appointment today?"
Aria wore her perpetual indifferent expression, making it difficult to read her inner thoughts.
"Master."
"Hm?"
Why so serious? You¡¯re scaring me.
No, he had recently found emotional stability. Surely, it wasn¡¯t much. Karlstein casually sipped from his wine ss.
"Maxien has entered the pce."
"Huh? Who?"
"Grand Duchess Maxien, the Sword Saint, has requested an audience."
Karlstein inadvertently dropped his wine ss.
nk-
The original worldview¡¯s strongest PVP fighter. The universe''s greatest talent.
A member of the Asterian race, the Gctic Empire''s greatest output. Maxien Asteria, she hade to him.
"Can''t you just say I''m not here?"
Karlstein''s eyes trembled slightly.
***
The door to the Main Hall opened and a woman with starlight hair slowly walked in.
Step Step-
The Greatest Sword Saint of the Universe.
The Last Royal of the Asterian Race.
Maxien Asteria.
No adjective could possibly describe the brightness in her starlit eyes.
Her eyes filled with stars turned towards him.
¡°¡.¡±
Karlstein tried to hide his nervousness as he looked at her.
A faint smile formed on her rxed face as she spoke.
"It has been a long time, Your Majesty."
Her soft words seemed to resonate through the Main Hall.
Behind her were 12 swords made of light and metal, floating in the air like a halo. These des formed the Ether Weapon ¡®Olympus¡¯.
Karlstein''s Ether Weapon could unleashary-grade firepower in a single strike, whereas Maxien was slightly different. Although each strike''s power was weakerpared to his, Maxien could wield the twelve Ether Weapons as if they were extensions of her own body.
If Karlstein''s single strike was like a massive nuclear bomb, then each of Maxien''s strikes was akin to a railgun, more of a bruiser.
Karlstein responded as naturally as he could.
"It has¡ been a long time, Maxien. It¡¯s been difficult to meet you these days."
A slight smile formed on Maxien''s lips at his response.
"It is all thanks to Your Majesty''s favor, considering someone as insignificant as me so highly."
¡°¡.¡±
Her words had an edge.
She clearly harbored strong discontent about being sent scrambling around on the battlefield. Karlstein, who disliked work more than anyone, could wholeheartedly understand her feelings.
"Ahem."
So, her backhandedment stung a bit. She wasn''t wrong, after all.
I did deploy her in all sorts of incidents...
For any task requiring force, Maxien alone was enough. She was like some free pass to any conflict. As such, how could he just leave her be?
Karlstein countered as serenely as he could.
"Considering your exceptional abilities, it''s unavoidable, isn''t it? Haha."
"Is that so?"
Her gaze felt rather piercing.
"Your Majesty."
"Hm?"
"You are not still upset about the past, are you?"
¡°¡.¡±
"I have heard you have been living secludedly in the Imperial Pce recently, so I thought I should perhaps mention it."
Maxien''s eyes sparkled sharply.
Yes, that look.
Sometimes, when she looked at him that way, it gave him the chills.
Her starlit eyes, as empty as space itself, zed with an eerie heat that was hard to identify.
Was this the look of a viper poised to strike its prey?
Despite the smile on her beautiful face, a face that would not be underserved by the epithet ¡®exquisite beauty¡¯, the bizarre and intense gaze she fixed on him was enough to make him forget about all that.
A faint smile lingered on her lips.
"It is something that should never happen."
¡°¡.¡±
What Maxien so strongly opposed was¡
Nothing other than the issue of his marriage.
-Marriage is for creating heirs to continue the lineage. Why would Your Majesty, who enjoys eternal life, need to proceed with a marriage?
-If an heir is born, it would only promote division within the Empire. The power-hungry fools might rally around the heir and try to push Your Majesty out of power. Is that not so?
-Therefore, Your Majesty''s marriage must absolutely not happen.
He could not even begin to fathom her reasoning. After all, if a rebellion urred, it could simply be suppressed.
With the Empire had stabilized, Karlstein had been feeling a bit lonely, so he had been tempted to dabble in romance. However, it felt like he had hit a huge obstacle.
-It is merely dating, you say? What if it results in a child? Who will take responsibility?
-Romance without intention of marriage? Are you suggesting toying with women?
No, like¡ Why was she suddenly acting this way?
From a certain point in time, it was as if she had be an overly traditional girl, deeply rooted in some ancient Confucianism. Except, even Confucianism allowed for marriage, though...
Her opposition, along with a few subordinates, had effectively banned his romantic ventures.
For some reason, Aria also maintained silence on this issue. It seemed she had discussed something with the subordinates but wouldn''t tell him anything about it.
Afterwards, an irritated Karlstein began to juggle around Maxien and his subordinates more for the Empire''s sake. Also, he had felt nervous because of the rather dangerous gazes he asionally saw from them.
But still...
Karlstein spoke out a bit gruffly, with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"It would be ridiculous if the Emperor of the Gctic Empire dies of loneliness."
Maxien maintained a rxed demeanor, even showing a slight smile.
"Please take back such words. They are difficult to ept."
¡°¡.¡±
Karlstein, unable to let go of his lingering regrets, started to react more strongly, trying to regain control of the conversation.
"Being in a high position means there are things you have to do even if you don''t want to. It is especially so when ites to the position of an Emperor. Arranged marriages of convenience enhance the cohesion of power and..."
"Haha. Does Your Majesty wish to fragment the Empire?"
¡°¡.¡±
However, not even a sliver of his attempts could break through.
"If not that, then..."
Maxien''s hair began to ripple and glow like the Milky Way.
"We must consider sweeping away any faction that might think of such marriages of convenience, so they cannot even begin to entertain the idea."
Her smile seemed to emit a thick scent of blood.
Goodness gracious. Maxien¡ Exactly how many are you intending to kill?
Of course, he couldn''t ept such absurd actions.
"Ahem! We can''t spill innocent blood. Let''s discuss this matterter."
Just as he was about to quickly conclude the meeting, he heard Aria''s voice, albeit in his head.
-Master. There seems to be a problem with the Dimensional Passage.
Huh?
What? Where?
-It seems someone tampered with the Astral Passage we constructed, thus causing a problem.
It was at that moment.
Grumble-
The Main Hall trembled slightly as debris fell from the ceiling.
"Tampering...?"
A chilling expression settled on Karlstein''s face.
Swoosh-
As if reflecting the Emperor''s mood, an intangible momentum began to literally burn the surroundings. This was entirely different from the previous yful atmosphere.
Grrrrrrk-
Across from Karlstein, who was silently holding his temple, Maxien closed her mouth.
Her demeanor was different from what it had been until now. Maxien''s eyes sparkled as she modestly lowered her head.
Maxien knew the Emperor very well.
After all, they had spent many years together.
To a select few of his cherished subordinates, he showed a casual yet yful side.
But when serious, he was an iron-blooded ruler who would ovee any adversity and achieve his goals by any means necessary.
¡°¡.¡±
A faint breath of excitement escaped Maxien''s lips.
There was no face, no persona, no appearance that she did not like when it came to her /genesisforsaken
Chapter 31: Nova
"So there''s a problem with the Astral Dimension?"
-Yes, Master. The Astral Dimension, also used for Warp, served as a Dimensional Wormhole, and the signals and data from the Integrated Dimensional Community also flowed through and connected to the Astral Dimension.
It could not be marked with clear distances and coordinates like a third dimensional ne and this ce, called the Unknown Dimension, was only partially used by the Gctic Empire for Warp.
Aria''s gentle voice continued.
-It seems that during the interference with the Item Transfer System by themunity users, unfortunately, there was a sh with the server being tested by Minister Makia and Vice Minister Calen. "So the problem has erupted because it¡¯s connected near the ''Barrier''?"
-Yes. That is correct.
"Barrier..."
It referred to the boundary between the outer space that Karlstein had not yet conquered and the currently explored universe. To be honest, it was notpletely impossible to colonize.
It was easy to colonizes with terraforming and relocation.However, if crossing the boundary called the Barrier, cosmic lifeforms called Kaiju sporadically appeared.
Endlessly evolving and showing infinite hostility towards humanity, there was no power that could withstand the fierce attacks of such Kaiju indefinitely.
The inside of the massive curtain of Astral Attributes called the Barrier was different from the outside.
Thus, the Barrier was the most crucial element for the survival of humanity and the Empire;if there was a problem with it, it was no ordinary matter. Of course, thanks to Aria¡¯s quick actions, it was merely a temporary problem and it was enough to deal with a few Kaiju that popped up near the troubled Barrier.
"But are there those capable of messing with the passage we built?"
-Several circumstances coincided ¡®coincidentally¡¯. What would you like to do?
"What else? Of course we have to take care of the Barrier first. Then, cut the root of the problem. Open the Gate."
-Preparing to operate the Warp Gate.
Coo-goo-gung-
Karlstein moved with a chilling expression to somewhere in the Imperial Pce.
"You¡¯reing too?"
"Of course."
"You lending a hand would be of help."
Behind his back, unseen by Karlstein, Maxien faintly smiled.
The conversation ended there.
Upon arriving at the hangar, Karlstein boarded the 2,000-ton Coreship. A small battleship, 100 meters in size, began to rise into the air, emitting blue light from theunch bay.
The Coreship did not need separate operators or space navigators. It was the gship where only Karlstein and his close aides resided, solely operated by Aria.
Wooooong-
As he took his seat, mechanical arms sprouted from the floor and ceiling, securing suit parts to his entire body.
Pshueeek- Click- Click. Joints connected and hydraulics escaped, thus beginning to cover his entire body.
Upon donning the 7-Star Exclusive Enhancement Suit ''Azenta,'' it resonated with his body and emitted tremendous energy. It was a full-body armor suit specially designed for using Ether Weapons among his Exclusive Suits.
Wooooong
There was a sh of red light.
How to put it? It was as if he had embraced a.
The Coreship, risen from the Imperial Pce on ¡®Terra¡¯, the capital of the Gctic Empire, ascended vertically and entered a massive Imperial Warship anchored high in the sky.
The stealth function of the massive space warship was deactivated and various mechanical devices extended to connect with the Coreship.
Wooong- Click- Click-
Thick andplex mechanical devices connected to the Coreship,pleting the docking. This stirred busy movements among the 20,000 crew members aboard the ship.
Giieeeng-
Karlstein only boarded the massive vessel, the Imperial Warship, for official missions.
Coo-goo-gung- The space battleship, 2400m in height and 8500m in length, slowly ascended towards the Warp Gate installed near Terra.
***
Booooom- Red beams of light swirled around Karlstein, d in his full-body armor, emitting waves.
At the same time, a cosmic lifeform several timesrger than the Imperial Warship spilled ck blood and cracked.
-Guooooooo
Though sound shouldn''t carry in the vacuum of space, the waves emitted from the massive figure spread throughout the area, seemingly sounding like a horrific scream.
The massive Kaiju, Titan, began to disintegrate from the center, turning to cosmic dust and disappearing with its death throes.
-Haah... It''s a good thing there¡¯s no Mother nt; who would''ve thought arge Kaiju would appear.
-You have worked hard.
-I want to lie down in bed now. Karlstein turned his head and saw Maxien, dressed in a 6-Star Enhancement Suit, sweeping away medium and small-sized Kaiju with 12 giant pirs of light as if dicing them.
From the pirs of light, starlight softly swirled around like it was her hair.
-She¡ seems to be enjoying this¡
-It must be a¡ misunderstanding.
It was a fact that ordinary humans would feel chills and be consumed by severe terror just with the mere action of approaching a Kaiju. It was a struggle to even keep their sanity.
Though Karlstein only felt a slight difort due to the characteristics of his body.
But still, at the very least, he wasn''t bounding around joyously like that.
Meanwhile, unaware of Karlstein''s subtle gaze, Maxien was looking around after just annihting a medium-sized creature.
"Ah..."
She witnessed the sight of a Giant-Type Kaiju, ''Titan,'' disintegrating.
A Named-Type Kaiju worthy of the codename ''Titan'' had turned to cosmic dust with a single attack from the Emperor who had sortie alone.
How did that make any sense?
She gazed at the scene in ecstasy, feeling a warmth spread throughout her body.
Amazing¡ There were no other words to describe the current spectacle.
A Large Kaiju is not just big in size. Starting from basic defense and resistance, everything about it was greater in scale, akin to a superior species.
Compared to the ordinary lesser creatures, it was likeparing an elephant to a minnow.
Moreover, it was a Named-Type.
Thinking of the Emperor who had annihted a creature with defense iparable to ordinary Kaiju, her eyes seemed to ze over.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
She wanted to fully enjoy this moment, where she stood on the same battlefield as Emperor Karlstein after a long time.
The 12 pirs of light thickened and began to dance more dazzlingly.
***
-Seems like it¡¯s basically over. Meat and carapace floated around Karlstein like air and his fleet was busy scattering to collect or annihte Kaiju fragments.
It wasn¡¯tpletely over yet.
From human-sized micro-creatures to those the size of a two-story building, tens of thousands of small entities were still rampaging.
However, he was not worried.
Thousands of thin beams of light shot out from 300 space fleets, incinerating the remaining Kaiju.
Micro and small-sized creatures could be dealt with by the ships themselves without him needing to physically intervene. No further action was required on his part.
-4 Large Creatures, 722 Medium-Large Creatures, 7,868 Medium Creatures, and 247,333 Medium-Small Creatures have been eliminated.
The problematic Barrier was also slowly healing and returning to its original state.
-It''s a relief it ended so easily. Considering the scale of a space battlefield, this was so minor that it was embarrassing to even be called a skirmish.
-Thanks to Grand Duchess Maxien, we were able to finish quickly.
-That¡¯s¡ true.
There was a certain madness that could be felt in her gaze, but regardless of that, her skills were unparalleled.
What if he had to clean up this battlefield alone?
He might have had to run around for days without sleep.
-Maxien really does need to keep being deployed!
-...
Aria maintained her silence to Karlstein''s muttering.
Something caught the happy Karlstein''s eye.
"Mmm? Ah..."
He saw a scene of Keisha Winsler, nicknamed ¡®Magic Is Just For Support¡¯, bristling even though she didn¡¯t have fur, clearly wary of the massage chair. Her gaze looked like she had quite someplicated thoughts.
"Right. This isn¡¯t what¡¯s important right now."
Karlstein hadn¡¯t forgotten the root cause that had led him to sortie.
-How should we handle it?
-There shouldn¡¯t be a need to only clean up after letting things escte like now.
The look in Karlstein¡¯s eyes inside the suit was horrendously cold. When seeing such a gaze, it was hard to associate him with someone who typically enjoyed browsing themunity withughter.
He was the Emperor leading the Gctic Empire.
As the Emperor, there was no hesitation in what needed to be done or what decisions he had to make.
And in these sorts of decisions, there was actually no distinction between his inner self, who held the perspective of an ordinary modern citizen, and his iron-blooded Emperor persona.
Karlstein was someone who knew at least that much.
-I shall authorize the Nova.
-...Understood. The death, the explosion of a star.
The approval of the worst, most advanced weapon of the Gctic Empire, named ''Nova,'' was decreed from his /genesisforsaken
Chapter 32: Final Salvation
The White Tower soared high enough to pierce the sun above the sky.
Below the cloud-covered White Tower, there were 3-meter-tall beings with pure white feathered wings on their backs gathered. Their expressions varied, but the greed shimmering deep in their eyes was the same for all.
Among them, a middle-aged man with a stylishly grown white beard raised his voice in joy.
"Without a doubt, Supreme God Krielia holds us Celestials in dear regard!! Hahaha."
As the middle-aged manughed, the wings on his back moved up and down, expressing his joy. The others standing beside him nodded their heads, unable to hide their excitement.
"It is truly a bizarre creature. It''s nothing but a senseless beast, yet I''ve never seen such a wondrous life form before."
"That is right, absolutely. If it weren''t for the gathering of the Archangels, it could have been dangerous."
"...It was so tough and sturdy that even watching it made me nervous."
"Haha. To be nervous in the presence of the great Archangels. Your jest goes too far."In the center of their circle, a creature with a humanoid form, less than 2 meters tall,y copsed. Although it had a human shape, its limbs were not properly formed and its facial features were jumbled, leaving no doubt it was not human.
"If such a creature had appeared earlier, we would not have had to offer humans as sacrifices."
"It is a pity, but what can we do? There are no humans left to offer as sacrifices now, but hasn''t the Supreme God sent us a gift to use as a sacrifice?"
"That is right. It is the will of God."
"Just this one alone should extend all of our lifespans by about ten years. Is that not so?"
"That''s something to look forward to. Humans are too frail and inefficient. It was better when the Demon Race was still around."
"That is right. All those mere humans amount to is their excessive noise. It would have been much better to just eradicate them. That''s why good things like this happen."
"Haha. Lately, it seems only good things have been happening. We even found clues about the ¡®Stairway to Heaven,¡¯ a passage to the Upper World, and now even this gift has fallen to us."
They recalled recent events.
The Stairway to Heaven, known to be connected to the Gate to Heaven where the Supreme God resides.
The entire Celestial Race had gathered their Divine Power and fired a Divine Spell toward where the passage to the Upper World supposedly was.
Perhaps it had some effect, as a crack formed in the sky and a life form fell, carrying massive energy.
Couldn¡¯t we... someday... achieve Immortality by even offering a god as a sacrifice?
Although no one spoke it aloud, it was clear from everyone''s glittering eyes that they all harbored this thought.
Altar of the Celestials.
Beneath the endlessly high White Tower, an altar was set up.
The Altar of the Celestials was a unique relic capable of extending the power and lifespan of all Celestials depending on the sacrifice.
Thanks to this altar, the Celestials eventually came to reign over all races in the world. Of course, all races had been offered as sacrifices, and now only senseless beasts remained, leaving no more sacrifices to offer.
Yet under the guidance of the Supreme God, a new sacrifice had fallen into their hands; how could they not rejoice?
I don''t know why thatst bastard was connected to Heaven, however.
It hadn''t been long since they found clues about the ¡®Stairway to Heaven¡¯. It was purely by chance that an Archangel had gone to observe a convict and discovered it.
It is all because the Supreme God watches over us.
They truly believed this.
Though they didn''t know what was in the Heavenly Realm, with the Holy Relic, the Altar of the Celestials, they did not fear anything. The Upper World, known as the Heavenly Realm, would also kneel before them!
Whether it be a god or anything else.
Perhaps even the Supreme God will fear their might.
***
At the top of the White Spire.
Inside a room densely filled with Divine Power shaped into characters of white light.
In the center, a man with disheveled hair and a wretched appearance was kneeling, his arms raised.
The chains made of light were connected to his heart and limbs, rendering him immobile. A few sparse, downy feathers sprouted on the man''s back and shoulders.
A half-breed born between a Celestial and a human. However, as his Celestial blood was diluted, he had been banished to the earth below as a prisoner.
And he had been humanity''s Final Hero, resisting the Celestials to the end.
He, the only human who had survived to the finale, had even lost his sight and could barely see in front of him.
Creak-
The door opened and footsteps, heavier than those of a human, roused him from his stupor.
"Human characteristics are truly troublesome. A race that must eat such mere organic material to survive."
Apanied by the voice, a Low-Grade Celestial, who was a jailer, entered the room.
Thwack-
"Kuhp! Keuk! Eup!"
The Low-Grade Celestial mmed the food directly into his face, forcing it into his mouth. Thick, fetid gruel slid down his face.
The food, if it could even be called that, was nothing more than a beast thrown whole into a pot and boiled carelessly. Even that had been donezily, cooked in a mishmash once and then fed with that very same grub for a month.
He resisted swallowing the food that didn¡¯t seem like food, but the Divine Power of the Low-Grade Celestial made it impossible.
Woooong-
Gurgle- Gurgle-
"Kuhk..."
"Ha¡ Do not resist so tiresomely. You yourself already know you cannot die even if you want to, don¡¯t you?"
The characters of Divine Power filling the room forcibly extended his life, who was now devoid of any strength.
A faint trace of Celestial blood in his veins was forcefully infused with Divine Power. It was a Divine Spell that clung to his life, powered by the force from the altar.
The Celestials prattled on about blessings and such, but to him, it was merely a curse that prevented him from dying.
Ah¡ O¡¯ God.
Are you merely watching their atrocities with folded arms?
Despair filled his unfocused eyes.
He couldn''t even hate his own kind since his mother was also a Celestial.
It was all the more so as he knew his mother''s intentions, who had advocated for coexistence and harmony until her death.
He could onlyment the misdeedsmitted by the Celestials.
Rather, it was his own powerlessness to stop their evil deeds that shattered his heart.
The Celestials, called Apostles of God.
Humanity had revered the Celestials, never sparing their loyalty. Humans, who had been the spearhead and sword of the Celestials, had ughtered minions of the Demon Race and other species.
He had taken up arms against humanity to stop the meaningless ughter of these species, but there was a reason he came to be known as the Hero of Humanity.
When the Celestials turned their des on humanity following the Day of Salvation they had always proimed woulde after the defeat of the other species¡
He grasped his sword anew for the few remaining humans and other species.
Life was correct by its mere existence.
Knowing the weight of life well, he had aimed his sword at the Celestials.
However, he could not oppose the Celestials alone, who had grown strong by consuming half of humanity and the other species.
Deep in such thoughts and filled with regret, he was snapped back to reality by the voice of the Low-Grade Celestial.
"Ah, do you perhaps remember that time? Even your noisy mouth was quiet then."
"Re¡pent. Salvation... will not... discriminate¡ among you..."
Grin-
The corners of the Low-Grade Celestial''s mouth stretched into a chilling smile.
¡°¡.¡±
At that smile, the Final Hero, a half-breed of Celestial and human, shivered.
For the sake of interrogation, this fiend had brought one of his acquaintances at a time, torturing them in front of him before brutally killing them.
-Honey, I''m okay. In the next life, together we....
-KYAHHHHH!
His wife, who had stayed by his side whether he opposed humanity or fought against the Celestials.
-Stay¡ strong. Do not¡ break down.
-KEUAAAAAH!
A beastkin who had lost his parents to humans, yet had joined him in his belief in harmony and peace.
-KEUHAAAK!
-You''re different from those bastards! So do not me yours¡
-Cough.
Everyone he had even the slightest connection to had died before his eyes.
The screams were still vivid in his ears.
"Be thankful. The reason we go through the trouble of keeping you alive is because of the ''Stairway to Heaven''."
As expected... Was that the case?
The Hero had connected to something through the letters that appeared before his eyes just as he was about to be killed by the Celestials, thus allowing him to preserve his life.
However, he couldn''t be grateful, as his circumstances were nothing more than being a ¡®test specimen¡¯ who had been ¡®captured alive¡¯.
Trapped in the Spire and subjected to various experiments, he had not been able to end his life. He couldn''t because of the curse known as the Celestial Blessing.
While subjected to the Celestials'' experiments and torture, he was unable to even understand what was being done to him; he wondered if he should have died back then.
It was his eternal regret, an agony that still remained unresolved.
If he had died back then, he at least wouldn''t have had to witness such a sight. He might have closed his eyes in eternal sleep, unaware of the devil-like ugliness of the Celestials, more demonic than Devils themselves.
Their behavior, who even went as far as to mock death, was truly heart-breaking.
"Still, thanks to you, we have found clues about the Upper World, so I shall let you off today."
Usually, after being forced to eat, he would undergo interrogation apanied by torture.
"God... Almighty."
He spoke of God, but his heart no longer stirred. It was because he knew now.
That there was no salvation in this world.
A dark, sticky emotion, like a melting pot, surged from deep within his chest.
Salvation?
What is salvation?
Life?
He didn¡¯t need it.
Why remain in a world where everyone but the corrupt Celestials has perished? What can one do alone in a world with nothing left to protect?
It was no longer a world where one could live with their sanity intact.
No. I would rather...
He felt his wits flickering with instability.
After a long period of harsh torture and experimentation, he had be utterly wretched.
Perhaps deep within, he actually wished for an existence that could tear off their wings and rip them apart.
This miserable world, left with only the Celestials.
I would rather... He might have been unwittingly hoping for it.
Something then caught his blurred vision.
Even through his hazy sight, he could see the color of the clouds beginning to change.
What¡ is that...? It was an indescribable, bizarre sight.
A sphere? No, an explosion?
Could this be what it looks like when the sun explodes?
From the top of the White Tower where he was, a powerful light began, stretching to the horizon and covering the sky. The sky, tinged red, began to ripple and twist.
Ah, ah...!
Soon, the sky, filled with a swarm of light, began to crack, and ''that'' began.
He closed his eyes and prayed.
Repent.
Salvation does not discriminate among you.
True salvation shall descend if there is not a speck of shame.
If one does not recognize their own falsehood and folly, then the mes of judgment, illuminating ugliness through the truth, wille.
He did not cease his prayer.
The terrible death cries of the Celestials resounded. Screams filled with terror and astonishment spread like a hymn.
The world was crumbling.
And around that time¡A colossal entity noticed the turmoil among the Celestials and unleashed its fury, shaking the heavens.
And on the Integrated Dimensional Community, an announcement from the Oradge was /genesisforsaken
Chapter 33: Keisha Winsler (3)
***
-Writer: (Oradge) Cosmic Emperor
-Title: (Must-Read Notice) Those who do not read this will be banned indefinitely.
Last time I wrote something as a joke, too many people called me a boomer, so I¡¯ll keep it short.
Do not mess with the Integrated Dimensional Community Communication Channel.
Anyone trying something funny will have their blown away, so be aware.
There might be some thinking, ''Ah, I¡¯m strong, so I¡¯ll be fine¡¯.But well, who knows¡ I wouldn¡¯t be so sure¡
Anyway, mfers who think they¡¯re hotshots can try their luck.
His short and intense notice drew a flood ofments from users.
?holy fuck LOL look at that confidence LMAOOOO
?kiyaaa! wah wah wah don¡¯t mess with it wah wah wah~ LOLOLOLOL
?LOL he¡¯s still a boomer tho? LMAOOO
?a joke? HAHAHAHA u mad bro? LOLLL
?typical loser moment: backtracks and says it was all a joke LOL
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?The end of the world, hoho.
?didn¡¯t you hear him? he said he¡¯ll bring about the end of your world LMAOO
?is this that oh so famous hypocrisy i¡¯ve only heard about? so when you hack, you¡¯re skilled, but when I hack, it¡¯s a crime LOL
?HAAAHAHAH seriously tho LMAO
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?is this theeback of the bluff artist?
?LMAOOO why u guys being like this? he even opened the Dimensional Store, so wouldn¡¯t he be able to blow up a? LOLL
?ah anyway mfer said he¡¯ll destroy a LMAOO
?is he telling us not to fuck around?
?is it because he¡¯s still a newbie? seems like he doesn¡¯t know just how many actual transcendents are lurking HAHAHAHA
?those ¡®beings¡¯ who show up from time to time LOL
Keisha Winsler, the Research Director of the Magitek Lab, sighed and closed themunity window.
¡°Haaa¡.¡±
Her sigh wasden withplicated emotions.
What is this disgrace? Why was the Oradge bluffing about something so unbelievable?
Hacking? Seriously?
Mostmunity users probably thought the same. No, it was obvious that they did.
What was it called again? Status Window?
Some users who went from Earth to the Otherworld reportedly acquired abilities called a ¡®System¡¯ or ¡®Status Window.¡¯ Among them were people with abilities like the current Oradge. The Integrated Dimensional Community had many rare ability users that were unheard of.
Of course, even they couldn''tpare to the scale of the Oradge, who spanned all dimensions.
Anyway, she thought the Oradge was one of those ability users.
Well, that was because¡.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived]
-¡®I-I am a third-rate¡ who lost to the massage chairrRRRRR!¡¯ If you y this voice message, I¡¯ll lift your restriction heh
A person who sends such vulgar messages couldn''t possibly be that extraordinary. No, they must not be.
It was undoubtedly a momentary delusion to think, ¡®What if¡?¡¯
She turned her head to look at the ck, glossy massage chair. Her eyes shook as if caught in a storm when she looked at the massage chair ced in the center.
M-Maybe just for a little bit?
She was startled by her own unintended thoughts.
¡°E-Eut¡!¡±
In fact, losing(?) to the massage chair didn''t matter at all.
The condition was to handle her role as a Bluadge well. If she did, he said he would take her words seriously.
Still, he calls himself an emperor. So he wouldn''t break his promise, right?
As such, the massage chair was just a trivial wager.
Have you used this before? Would you still have the same attitude after using this?
It must have been a provocation based on such lowly mentality!
W-Who said I would lose?
She picked up the cup on the table and took a sip.
The ''Zero Coffee,'' which was recently a hot topic in the Integrated Dimensional Community, was in the cup. ¡®Zero Coffee¡¯ could only be purchased by users with VIP3 Grade or higher.
She had spent a staggering 10 million points to achieve VIP4 Grade and had 70 million Karma points.
It was a perfect drink for her, who couldn''t drink regr coffee due to insomnia. A perfect awakening drink without any side effects, with great taste to boot.
Her heavy head felt lighter and her previously blurred mind started to clear up.
¡°Haaa¡.¡±
Until just a few days ago, she had lived well without the help of such drinks.
But even with the awakening drink, something still felt off.
Even though it was Zero Coffee at the VIP4 Grade, it wasn''t a miracle drink that restored the body, after all.
¡°Ha.¡±
She kept sighing. It was inevitable.
Her body had already tasted a perfect condition void of insomnia.
Thatfort and relief.
The sensation of melting away the fatigue umted over the day and revitalizing a body strained by stress. The sense of vitality, as if she had returned to her energetic childhood, was unforgettable. Even the most brief use had significantly improved her quality of life.
The gap was so vast that she had to drink Zero Coffee to barely get by without using the massage chair.
And to be fair, relying on Zero Coffee alone could already be considered a loss¡.
She looked at the massage chair with wary eyes.
It was a truly dangerous item. Just one use made it akin to a swamp she couldn''t escape.
It was an object that gave a vague fear that it might significantly influence her from deep within her subconscious, thus making her no longer herself.
Moreover, it supports various¡ modes¡
Her ears turned red.
While lost in these infinite thoughts about the massage chair, she was pulled out of it by someone¡¯s visit.
¡°Director! The Crown Prince is visi¡.¡±
¡°Move aside!¡±
Bang-
The door to theb opened roughly, as a handsome blond man pushed the researcher aside and entered.
¡°Hmm¡.¡±
The Crown Prince, wearing a ck shirt embroidered with gold threads, looked around theb and frowned.
¡°This ce is still as dirty as always¡.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Keisha¡¯s mind snapped to attention at the Crown Prince¡¯s irritable voice.
The air felt heavy with the Crown Prince''s displeasure.
Putting aside his status, the Crown Prince was also a prominent figure as a mage. A genius who reached the 7th Circle at less than 30 years old.
It was natural for the mana around him to fluctuate ording to his emotions.
However, she didn¡¯t cower.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect an uninvited guest to show up, after all.¡±
¡°Well, you should always keep it tidy regardless, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°I have too much work to concern myself with that.¡±
She responded grumpily.
Though the Crown Prince had a hot-tempered and aggressive nature, and they had politically shed before, they were now in the same boat.
As such, there was no need for her to tremble in fear.
And she was also in a position where she couldn¡¯t be treated lightly as the leading figure in Magitek.
¡°What is that?¡±
The Crown Prince pointed sharply at the massage chair.
¡°¡.¡±
Keisha¡¯s mind went nk at his question.
What should she say?
A massage chair?
What should she say if he asks where it came from?
Her mind was racing.
Although they were temporarily allied due to political interests, he was someone she had fiercely contested over the existence of Magitek.
He wasn''t someone she could show weakness to easily.
However, before she could make any excuses, the Crown Prince approached and sat down on it.
¡°T-That¡¯s for prisoner interrogation and research on confessi¡!¡±
¡°Mmm.¡±
Rumble-
That shameless bastard of a massage chair started operating and massaging even with another person sitting on it.
¡°¡.¡±
She thought saying it was an interrogation device would divert his attention, but it seemed toote.
¡°Mmm¡¡±
Whirr- rumble-
The Crown Prince¡¯s constantly frowning brow smoothed out.
¡°Mm¡. It seems we now provide such high-ss services to prisoners.¡±
The Crown Prince¡¯s mouth twisted into a smirk. He realized it was a poorly made-up lie. It was undoubtedly a sarcastic remark.
¡°¡.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Whirr-whirr-
The Crown Prince''s face twitched. She could tell he was struggling to maintain his expression as his facial muscles rxed.
¡°Did I give too much budget? Who knew you were secretly developing something like this.¡±
¡°...It is not like that. It has nothing to do with the budget.¡±
Her face turned red with frustration.
¡°Is that so? Anyway, it seems to work great. I should¡.¡±
¡°That is not possible.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°At any rate, it is not possible. It is mine.¡±
¡°No, I am not trying to take yours. I am trying to order a new o¡.¡±
¡°It is handmade and came out by chance, so additional production is impossible.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Threatening with the budget will not work either.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
The Crown Prince looked at her with a face of disbelief.
Is she crazy? I always thought she wasn''t normal, but does she expect me to believe that now? It¡¯s not like I asked for something extraordinary¡ Well, I mean, this item is amazing, but¡ still? The Crown Prince red at her sharply.
However, there was no sign of her backing down. Just like when she had opposed his ns to abolish Magitek.
He wanted to retort to her unreasonable insistence, but¡
Rumble- whirr- crack- whirr-
¡°Mmmm¡.¡±
He suddenly felt weary. The tough tasks and pce intrigues were wearing him out, so he felt his mind and body rxing.
¡Well, this isn¡¯t why I came here anyway.
Still, as someone who is in partnership with her, I should at least be able to get one¡. The Crown Prince¡¯s expression changedically.
¡°Uh, um¡.¡±
And herplicated expression as she looked at him was no /genesisforsaken
Chapter 34: Debra (1)
***
The Crown Prince ultimately couldn''t hide his disappointment and left. He smacked his lips while looking at the massage chair until the end before returning to the Imperial Pce.
Only then did she feel relieved.
I absolutely can''t let it be taken!
Though she had restricted her usage time out of concern for withdrawal symptoms, the difference between self-restraint and literally not being able to use it because it was gone was immense.
¡°¡.¡±
She sat in the massage chair, calming her startled heart.
Whirr whirr- rumble rumble- whirr whirr-
¡°E-Eut.¡±As someone who was practically a workaholic, the effect was truly great. Perhaps the Crown Prince felt the same, which was why he felt it was such a shame.
¡°¡.¡±
After 30 minutes of massage, she reluctantly got off the chair. She didn''t realize her expression was not much different from the Crown Prince''s when he left.
I can¡¯t believe there are only 2 days left now...
That wicked Oradge!
I-If he was going to be generous, shouldn''t he at least let me use it for a month?! H-How can I know if it''s really good or not in just 2 days?!
But what could she do? She just¡ had to make the most of the remaining 2 days.
After all, recently, her work efficiency had doubled.
"By the way..."
Her face hardened. She was bothered by what the Crown Prince had said.
-It seems that punk will start moving in earnest soon.
-That punk? Do you mean...?
-You know, don¡¯t you? The one who joined the Second Prince...
She also became serious at the Crown Prince''s words. In fact, she had no interest in the royal session struggle and didn''t want to get involved, but she had a reason to join hands with the Crown Prince.
The punk the Crown Prince mentioned was extremely dangerous. So much so that she, who wanted to distance herself from politics, had to join hands with the Crown Prince.
She bit her thumbnail, showing an anxious look.
Could she really deal with that guy by joining hands with the Oradge?
Currently, the continent was suffering severely from mana pollution. With the development of Magitek, reckless development had caused all kinds of disasters.
In such a situation, that punk appeared like a savior.
Blue skin, ck pupils without whites.
He called himself a Celestial who descended from the sky.
The upper echelons of the Empire showed great interest in this unprecedented race.
-As you know, the continent has already suffered significant mana pollution due to reckless mana usage. At this rate, even the Magic Empire will end.
-If we stop the development of Magitek from now on, can''t we do something about it?
-How foolish. Do you truly think one can stop the advancement of technology artificially? And the mana pollution is already severe. It''s like a runaway train that cannot be stopped.
-T-Then, what should we do?
That punk had said his home was beyond the sky.
-Excuse me?
-We ¡®Debrans¡¯ will never turn a blind eye to your difficulties.
The officials of the Magic Empire were taken aback by his words. After all, his ims were outrageous.
-I intend to send a distress signal to my home, ¡®Debra¡¯.
He had two arms and legs like a human, but his appearance couldn''t be considered human.
-If you cooperate well, we will ept you as members and bestow the Blessing of Debra upon you.
-Bless¡ing?
-We can extend your lifespan by two times and free you from minor ailments.
At first, no one believed him. The idea that his home, Debra, existed somewhere in the universe beyond the sky was ridiculous.
Although she personally had some understanding of the universe through the Integrated Dimensional Community, the continent was only just beginning to show interest in the universe.
No nobles were tempted by his sudden appearance and his promise to guide them to the universe beyond the sky.
However, as mana pollution became severe enough to obscure the future and various problems arose, interest began to grow.
Moreover.
-Oh! Oh! Truly a Celestial! Thanks to you, my sick body is now healed!
-Ah, ah...! Is my daughter okay now?
-Y-You''re saying you can extend my lifespan?
-My legs... My legs can now move!
He began to take control of the Empire like a savior.
On top of that...
-KEUAAAAAH!!
-Even an 8th Circle is nothing. How dare you challenge a Celestial.
He easily defeated an 8th Circle Mage who had quarreled with him.
A pir of light descended from the sky, turning the 8th Circle Mage into ashes without even a chance to resist.
Considering that no 9th Circle had appeared due to mana pollution, he was undoubtedly the strongest.
-We Debrans have already conquered the realms beyond the sky. So if you cooperate, I shall report to my superiors and ensure your treatment.
-I, too, am merely a castaway, but if I can establishmunication, such things are trivial.
After that, he joined forces with the Second Prince and began receiving all sorts of support, thus conducting research on¡something. He started drawing on the continent''s resources and constructing buildings.
Perhaps he joined the Second Prince because the Crown Prince was an extremist who believed Magitek should be halted immediately for the continent''s sake.
It was around then that the Crown Prince came to her.
Saying how something was going wrong.
And after investigating together, they confirmed that the continent''s mana pollution was rapidly increasing.
ording to her calctions... in less than 100 years, it would be so drastic that it would be hard for humans to survive.
It was not just the Empire but the entire continent''s survival that was at stake.
So, she couldn''t help but feel urgent.
"The Oradge alone might not be able to solve this problem, but..."
The Oradge was the only hope she could cling to.
At the very least, if she could get a clue to solve the pollution or develop Magitek to counter that punk...
In a way, the Oradge was also a being from the universe, so he might know something about that punk.
"But still..."
It would be difficult, right?
She was desperate, practically grasping at straws. How much could she really trust the Oradge and follow his words?
Could the Oradge really do something about that Debran? Even if what he said was true, Debrans were also beings who roamed the universe, weren¡¯t they?
The pir of light the Debran had unleashed was still vivid in her memory.
When the massive pir of light struck from the sky''s end, she almost found herself praying to God, who she didn''t believe in.
It felt like divine punishment.
¡°¡.¡±
Moreover, the internal issues couldn''t be ignored. Though the Crown Prince was active, moving here and there, the results were unsatisfactory.
The punk¡¯s support base was already too solid.
If the Emperor moved, it might be different, but the Emperor remained silent on this issue.
"How frustrating."
She sighed continuously. On the bright side though, her stress had been alleviated somewhattely thanks to the massage chair.
It was then.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Huh? What''s so frustrating?
She was startled.
Perhaps it actually was the case...!
"Could it be that you were watching me and hearing what I was saying?"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Ah... well.
¡°!!¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Kek.
"KYAAAAAAH!!"
She screamed, recalling the events of the past few days.
"H-How could such a shameless...!"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Um. I wanted to keep it a secret because I thought you''d react like this, but now that you''ve caught me, I guess it can¡¯t be helped. So, how was the massage chair? Kek.
She felt like her eyes were about to roll back in rage. The ¡®Kek'' at the end made her feel like she was going to lose it.
What was at least fortunate, though, was...!
She was extremely grateful to herself for restraining from using the [Adult Mode].
"How... how...! You, youuuu! Voyeur! Pervert! Shameless!"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Ah, well, there''s no need to worry about that. I have a ratherpetent friend¡ who mosaics all the good scenes. Tsk.
"M-Mosaic?"
She didn''t understand what he meant, but it felt like her vision was going dark, making the sky turn more yellow.
What about when she sniffed the nket before bed, sang and danced in the shower, and punched arge doll to relieve stress?
Had he seen all that too?!
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Shh. It''s a secret (Wink)
¡°¡.¡±
What secret?! Did he think she would let it slide with that?
She was rendered speechless. She didn''t know where to even start and what to criticize.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Instead, I''ll extend the massage chair period. Heh.
¡°¡.¡±
Grit-
F-Fine. Yes. That''s not the important thing right now, after all.
Honestly, even if she tried to block his vision, she didn''t know what to do, so she couldn''t stop it.
And judging from the Oradge¡¯s past actions, who didn''t blink an eye despite being criticized harshly in the Integrated Dimensional Community, he wouldn''t stop even if she told him to.
"I-I¡¯m sure y-you know my situation if you''ve been watching me, right?"
Honestly, she didn''t think the Oradge could help, but she had to at least ask.
If it was the Oradge, who had been watching her, then...!
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Uh... sorry. I''m not that free. Heh.
¡°¡!¡±
The Oradge¡¯s tone as well as his every word was irritating.
She gritted her teeth and endured.
"Rather than extending the massage chair period...!"
Of course, extending the massage chair period was extremely, extremely, extremely important, but...!
She desperately held back her tears. She was a woman who could suppress her desires for the greater good! Surely!
"I need a different kind of help."
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Help?
"This is a very serious problem for me!"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Kek.
¡°¡.¡±
She trembled with anger at the Oradge''s message, but soon realized.
"Please... I¡¯m begging you. Please just listen to me first."
That she was in a position where she had to beg for mercy from him.
She knew that the Oradge was not someone who would easily grant her request just because she /genesisforsaken
Chapter 35: Debra (2)
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Well, let''s hear it for now.
¡°¡!¡±
Her face lit up with excitement.
"You said you are from an SF world, right?"[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-That''s right.
"So what happened was...."
She continued to exin her situation.
Thinking she had already shown every shameful(?) aspect of herself, there was nothing to hide or feel embarrassed about.
"...At any rate, that''s the situation."
The messages that had beening in constantly suddenly stopped. She felt uneasy.
Is there nothing even the Oradge can do?
She tried her best to hide her disappointment.
Didn''t she have low expectations anyway? She would have been happy to get some information about the Debran race or advice on Magitek.
Honestly, even if the Oradge''s abilities were amazing, what big help could be received through themunity?
The ''Dimensional Store'' didn''t seem to sell advanced weapons or anything high-tech. Of course, the technology involved in the production might be excellent, but in the end, the products were mostly general household goods and food. Furthermore, items she wanted to asionally research would be so damaged during disassembly that they were unrecognizable.
Of course, her VIP Grade was only 4 now, and she had heard that the Oradge was preparing a high-end store separately, but...
Was there any need to even see it? Wasn¡¯t it obvious what it would be like?
Moreover, with the Oradge not responding in this situation, she felt even more uneasy.
What is going on? Why the sudden silence? Does he know something about that race? If so, why is he hesitating? Does that mean they¡¯re that dangerous?
The Integrated Dimensional Community contained various worlds and there were many simr worlds. An interesting point was that several racesmonly appeared across different worlds.
For example, orcs, elves, dwarves, and dragons.
So, in the Oradge''s SF world, could there have been a race called Debra?
Whirrr- Rumblee-
To soothe her uneasy mind, she brought out the massage chair.
"I know you can hear me! I''m ready, so just tell me!"
She seemed to want to put on a solemn expression, but she couldn''t stop her face from rxing due to the massage chair.
"Why! Why aren''t you answering?!"
Ding-
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Huh? I went to eat LOL
"What?!"
No way. He''s saying he went to eat while talking about something this important?!
"E-Eek!"
Her face turned red.
I-I was being so sincere, though!
But did she have any other choice? She was in a subordinate position, after all
In the end, she had to exin everything again from the beginning. Though her voice was sulky, she did not ck in her exnation.
"...So that''s what happened. If you know anything about the Debran race, please tell me. I am prepared to hear it."
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Debra? What''s that? hehe
¡°¡.¡±
She exined a few more times, wondering what kind of nonsense he was up to.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Magitek and aliens? How interesting hehe
"I guess there''s nothing even you can do... right?"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Huh? Why am Iing up?
"Pardon?"
She felt that they were not on the same wavelength in this conversation.
"W-Well, I mean, even you...."
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Huh? Me?
"Yes. Even if it''s you, there''s nothing you can do about it. I understand. Especially if he¡¯s someone from space like you. I¡¯m sure you must be cautious."
She still remembered.
That terrifying Debran, that is.
His eyes filled with superiority as if nothing they did mattered.
Even when he pulled something against them, he instantly ended the situation as if he knew everything already.
He could drop a beam of light from the sky to burn the strongest mage and could eliminate any significant foe overnight, leaving them as corpses.
He was a being with iprehensible power, immune to even magic.
She and the Crown Prince might have been found as corpses if they had dared to cross the line.
He could make a paralyzed person walk, cure all kinds of diseases, and even extend lifespans with his mysterious abilities.
If he had appeared a little earlier, it wouldn''t have been out of ce for him to be called God.
No, in fact, even in this era, calling him God would not be an exaggeration.
The more despairing fact was that he didn''t even seem to be in a high position among the Debrans.
He talked as if he could grant anything once connected back to his race, but she didn''t believe him.
Though he pretended to be noble, there was a subtle sense of incongruity that a true noble like her could sense.
His contemptuous gaze and superior expression were real, but his actionscked ''dignity'' or ''ss.''
Well.... I guess in terms of dignity, the Oradge I''m talking to now isn''t much different.?
Anyway, these facts made her despair. Doesn''t this mean that even more terrifying Debrans coulde?
Even if they sessfully dealt with him, his homnd mightunch arge-scale invasion someday.
At that moment, a sound broke her train of thought.
Ding-
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Someone from space like me?
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Ah HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA
She felt genuine enjoyment from the Oradge''s message.
"What? Is he not?"
She tilted her head.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-HAHAHAHAHA nono it¡¯s nothing. Keep talking LOL
¡°??¡±
Anyway, her n was as follows.
Secretly hindering the construction of the structure he was building or at least preparing countermeasures against his magic nullification.
Currently, he was devoted to constructing a strange structure made entirely of machines. ording to the Crown Prince, it seemed to be in its final stages.
But directly touching him could lead to significant problems if the Debran race came looking. After all, wars often start from small pretexts.
So, the n was to dy the construction as much as possible and prepare to counter his magic nullification to defend against them if things went wrong.
"No magic worked on him.... It was truly terrifying."
She shivered, recalling how he endured countless magical bombardments unfazed.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Really? That''s kind of intriguing lol
She found the Oradge''s carefree reaction strange but didn''t dwell on it.
"So, I need your help. I can do anything you ask."
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Really? Can you say, ''I-I am¡a third-rate who has been defeated by Sir Massage ChairrrRRRRRR!'' too? LMAOOO
"Wha, wha!! T-That''s not what I meant!!"
Her face flushed red. As expected, the Oradge was never serious. Her cheeks puffed out in frustration.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-LOL
What is wrong with him?
I''m being so serious here.
But strangely, she felt relieved rather than angry like before. Was it because the Oradge treated it as if it was nothing much?
However, the Oradge continued his harsh words.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Head in the clouds, fr LOL
"Pardon? What does that mean?"
Head... in the clouds?
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-I mean, don''t you think that¡¯s the case? Do you think the Debrans or Cobrans or whatever will let you be, just because you don¡¯t go against that punk? Isn''t itmon sense to draw your sword first when you meet them?
Usually, that''s... not whatmon sense is, right?
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Well, I guess any pretext can be made up. But inherently, the point is whether you''re stronger or I''m stronger. And if you want to go more in-depth, it¡¯s a matter of who gets more damage.
That... seems a bit extreme, though....
"...It''s regarding the fate of the continent. Such actions could hasten the invasion."
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Are you sure that attitude is good enough?
"Pardon?"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-If you''re going to fight anyway, you might as well eradicate them LMAO
She shuddered slightly. The Oradge''s message almost seemed to smell of blood.
"That, that...."
Wasn¡¯t that too reckless?
And it was way too out of line.
That was what she thought.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Showing you''re batshit insane is usually a great negotiation tactic.
There were many illogical and strange parts in his ims, but... how should she put it?
A strange sense of satisfaction, as if he scratched an itch, cascaded over her
Was it perhaps the conviction or confidence in the Oradge''s tone?
Though baseless, she felt a rising sense of tion that following his words would surely lead to sess.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Well then! First!
"F-First?!"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Let''s buy this. I''ll give you this special deal, just for you.
"Pardon?"
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Ah, what are you doing, just sitting there? It''s a great opportunity to buy it for only 70 million points!
But... 70 million points is my entire fortune?
Finally, the following message was disyed to everyone using themunity.
Congrat) ¡®Magic Is Just For Support¡¯ sessfully purchased the ''Oradge''s Mercy Package for the Third-Rate'' from the Dimensional Store. /genesisforsaken
Chapter 36: Debra (3)
Keisha had to invest all her assets to purchase the [Oradge''s Mercy Package for the Third-Rate].
¡°E-Eeek!¡±
It seemed that the item, of which there was only one, was prepared just for her.
Why is the product name¡!
To make matters worse, as if it were a prank by the Oradge, a brilliant neon sign passed through themunity.
Congrat) ¡®Magic Is Just For Support¡¯ sessfully purchased the ''Oradge''s Mercy Package for the Third-Rate'' from the Dimensional Store. (tions
?What the fuckity fuck fuck fuck¡.
?LMAOOO fucking hell that¡¯s crazy
?What was the Oradge doing, making something like that?
?fuck me isn¡¯t that another Bluadge?
?what is up with the third-rate shit lolol
?LMAOOOO has the Oradge lost his mind LOLOLOL what are they doing in themunity LOL
?frfr LMAOOO
?(TheLichKingIsRich) Why does the Oradge ignore someone like me who listens well and can work without worrying about lifespan!!
?mfer wahhhing HAHAHAHAHA
?look here, another volunteer for very LMAO
?is he fucking crazy LOL is there anyone sane in thismunity HAHAHA
She quietly vowed not to go near themunity for a while.
She quickly closed themunity window and lowered her head.
On the table was the package she had purchased with all her Karma points.
Tremble tremble-
Her cheeks quivered with shame.
[Speedy! Precise! One-shot cut! Auto-targeting! Miniature sma Photon Cannon - Magic Wand Custom (Single-Use)]
[Perfect! Irond! Warm! Clean! Full-Body Defense Suit (3-Star) - Magical Girl Costume]
[Hacking Chip (???)]
No! Why! For what reason!
Countless questions passed through her mind, but there was no way to find an answer.
¡°Let¡¯s calm down¡. That¡¯s not the important thing, after all. Besides, I heard how to use it.¡±
Keisha tried to rationalize her situation as she put on the rag-like suit and took the magic wand, or rather, the miniature photon cannon.
¡°Keut!¡±
She felt like she could die from embarrassment, but she could close her eyes to such shame for the greater good¡.
Squeak-
The Crown Prince entered through the open door and paused.
¡°¡.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Silence ensued.
¡°Well, uh¡. I respect your taste, but¡ no, nevermind. I shall wait outside.¡±
Shake shake-
Squeak- thud.
She looked down at the magic wand.
¡Should I just shoot myself?
She suddenly wanted to die.
***
¡°I am more understanding than you may think. I shall try to appreciate your taste somehow.¡±
¡°Do you want to die?¡±
¡°Well, uh¡ saying that to the Crown Prince is a bit¡.¡±
¡°Be quiet!¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Keisha, dressed in a cute and bubbly pink outfit, was walking with a face that seemed about to burst red.
From her brisk walk, it was easy to guess that she wanted to move quickly.
The Crown Prince, also busy chasing after her, headed deep into the Imperial Pce.
¡°If it is not now, there may not be another chance. How about approaching more cautiously?¡±
¡°I thought it through carefully and mustered up the courage.¡±
¡°In that outfit, you mean?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
At her fierce re, the Crown Prince quickly closed his mouth.
¡°Anyway. Consider this thest chance. I don''t know what kind of proposal he will bring, but he suggested a closed-door meeting.¡±
¡°¡He will probably talk about His Imperial Majesty¡¯s condition.¡±
Although not known to others, she had heard from the Crown Prince.
That the Emperor was not in his right mind due to an unknown illness.
The Crown Prince was clearly suspicious of the Debran.
¡°It is probably a trap. However, it is also the only chance we have to act without worrying about the surroundings.¡±
The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes shone with determination. He was prepared to assassinate that bastard, even if it meant being dethroned.
From the way he fumbled in his pocket, it seemed he had prepared a secret weapon of his own.
¡°I had resolved myself because I thought such an opportunity would note again¡ but perhaps we are rushing too much.¡±
She stopped walking and looked at him.
¡°You know well that we can¡¯t turn back now, don¡¯t you? Even if we wanted to, we can¡¯t dy. If the contamination elerates any further, it will be impossible to recover.¡±
¡°You are right. But¡.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Your outfit¡ ahem.¡±
Twitch-
She finally lost her patience and kicked the Crown Prince in the shin.
¡°Argh!¡±
Ignoring the Crown Prince hopping and clutching his shin, she strode ahead. Nothing could stop her advance anymore.
***
A man gazed in awe at the giant pir, emitting a rough vibration and shimmering light.
¡°Beautiful.¡±
The giant pir, sorge that even ten adults couldn¡¯t wrap their arms around it, rose from deep underground and pierced through the ceiling.
He looked at the light emanating from the giant machine resembling a pir, his ck pupils gleaming.
¡°Etanium¡.¡±
¡®Etar¡¯, a miraculous fuel also called the power of the stars.
Etanium was the crystallized metal form of Etar ore. Processing Etar into Etanium was essential for efficient storage of Etar extracted from a.
¡°It seems my job is almost done now.¡±
Though he used a rough method that greatly consumed the¡¯s lifespan, once he extracted the Etar and offered it to the home country, his job would be done.
¡°Is this tiresome assignment finallying to an end?¡±
It had been a truly arduous time.
He was dispatched to explore and determine the future course of action in the first alien civilization encountered after leaving the Debra.
The choice he made was to ¡®harvest the¡¯s resources¡¯.
The pace of development of their Magitek wasn¡¯t inferior to their advanced civilization and the Etar deposits were very high, so it was the best judgment.
Of course, no matter how much they struggle and continue to develop, they couldn¡¯t do anything against the Debra. Even if their development speed was fast, the gap between the two civilizations had already widened significantly.
But the Etar deposits were another story.
His home had already sent probes all over the universe due to resource depletion.
Even if all he did was return, he could live the rest of his life boasting. That¡¯s why he was enduring in such a primitive and barbaric ce.
¡°Inferior species.¡±
That was his assessment of humanity.
Greedy, irrational, and constantly shing among themselves, thus resulting in division.
Their bodies were weak and they reeked so badly that they couldn¡¯t even be used as livestock.
¡°And they have so many suspicions for no reason.¡±
The one causing him constant trouble was nowing here for a private meeting.
He manipted the machine to disy a hologram.
It was one of the functions built into his spaceship, which had be an Etar storage.
Beep-
He saw the Crown Prince in ck clothes fumbling in his chest pocket, trying hard to hide his nervous expression.
¡°Hmph. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice your lowly tricks?¡±
It was truly pathetic.
He probably didn¡¯t even know he was being watched every moment.
¡°Huh? But that¡¯s¡.¡±
Beside the Crown Prince was a woman he recognized.
Well, it didn¡¯t matter that more people hade since they couldn¡¯t do anything anyway.
¡°Hmmm.¡±
He stroked his chin.
¡°Interesting. I am looking forward to it.¡±
He looked around at the devices floating nearby. They were invisible to the human eye, hidden with Transparency.
They were the most advanced weapons, equipped with functions from mana nullification devices to defense and interception systems.
¡°If anything happens, there¡¯s also the satellite bombardment anyway.¡±
There was nothing to worry about. He waited patiently for their arrival.
***
The Crown Prince had to clench his fist to calm his trembling heart. In a way, it was unlike his usual self.
However, it couldn¡¯t be helped
If I fail, it won¡¯t just end with me being ruined.
There was a heavy pressure weighing on his shoulders.
If I don¡¯t deal with him this time, the Empire will face destruction.
He couldn¡¯t bear to see that. Determination gleamed in the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes.
Many of the Empire¡¯s high-ranking officials had already sided with the bastard.
Yet, the Crown Prince was more concerned about the Empire¡¯s safety than his own.
I must seed.
He swallowed hard, thinking of the dagger in his pocket.
Magic didn¡¯t work on the bastard.
As such, he prepared the ¡®Mr of the Poison Dragon¡¯ hidden in his pocket.
An ancient relic from the Mythic Age when Dragons and Gods existed, the ¡®Mr of the Poison Dragon¡¯.
It was a relic that emitted poison hundreds of times stronger than the most potent poisons of the present age.
I just need to get in range.
Even a scratch from the dagger would do. The Poison Dragon¡¯s Mr would bring forth death through such a wound.
The Crown Prince and Keisha headed to the underground of the Imperial Pce, where hisboratory was.
Upon looking at the asional wires and ducts in the corridor, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes deepened. The underground prison, which once held prisoners, was now entirely converted into the bastard¡¯sboratory.
The reality of how the Empire turned out hit him hard.
Creak-
The rusted hinges of the thick iron door screamed.
As the door opened, a blue-skinned man greeted them.
¡°It¡¯s been a while. Was your name Miss Keisha? You look especially beautiful today.¡±
His snake-like gaze lingered on Keisha.
¡°¡What?¡±
For a moment, the Crown Prince¡¯s mind went nk.
Was that bastard serious? Or was he mocking her?
No. Looking at his expression, it didn¡¯t seem so.
Keuut! As expected of an alien¡! He¡¯s fundamentally different from humans.
He felt the racial difference in the alien¡¯s aesthetic sense once again.
From behind the Crown Prince, Keisha¡¯s voice, unable to lift her head in shame, came out.
¡°E-Eut!¡±
She ended up screaming as if having a seizure.
The Crown Prince couldn''t believe his ears when he heard her words.
"DIE!!!!!!!!!!"
What?
No, nothing has been done ye-
BOOOOOM-
A sh of light covered the space.
With that, the Crown Prince was able to witness a dragon''s breath, something only seen in the Mythic /genesisforsaken
Chapter 37: Debra (4)
¡°Th-This is¡.¡±
The staff of the Magic Wand split into four parts and shot a blue beam towards the wand¡¯s jewel. The metal of the body rapidly multiplied, forming a massive barrel over two meters long.
Mechanical devices flying around the barrel of the Magic Wand cooled it down, emitting acrid smoke.
The Crown Prince felt he would never forget this sight.
She stood there, holding the massive barrel, with none of her usual hysterical demeanor. Her expression, as if burned out like a great warrior, seemed almost empty.
He felt a sense of solemnity watching her gaze nkly at the energy fragments scattered like cherry blossom petals amidst the bombardment.
Was that all? No.
The target had disappeared without a trace, and the floor where the bombardment had passed was boiling withva, melting the metal. A huge hole was punched behind where it stood, revealing the sky. Even the clouds were pierced, forming air currents along the trajectory.
Gulp-The Crown Prince¡¯s throat bobbed.
He wouldn¡¯t have known time was passing if he hadn¡¯t consciously swallowed.
Never, never again¡.
The Crown Prince resolved never to mess with her again.
At the very least, let¡¯s not tease her about being an old maiden.
Yep, yep. That¡¯s the right thing to do.
He didn¡¯t want to experience that Dragon Breath firsthand.
¡°What¡ is this¡.¡±
Meanwhile, the person in question was engulfed in confusion.
After all, the power was beyond her imagination.
W-What did I just see?
That bastard had clearly activated some defensive mechanism. A blue light had enveloped his body, shimmering faintly. It was just that, whatever he did, he was pierced without any resistance by the giant beam.
The Magic Wand(?) was slowly turning to ashes and scattering. But she had no time to care about that.
[(Magic Is Just For Support): ¡W-What on earth are you?]
Since the Crown Prince was present, she sent it via message. She didn¡¯t want to seem like a crazy woman talking to herself.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-mm?
[(Magic Is Just For Support): Could it actually be that everything you said thus far is true?]
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-I¡¯ve never lied, though?
?
¡°¡.¡±
Despite the yful tone of the Oradge, she couldn¡¯t find it in herself tough.
This can¡¯t be true¡.
She wasn¡¯t an idiot.
The being who created such a miracle with what looked like a joke of a wand(?) couldn¡¯t possibly be a liar or a bluffer.
Upon thinking about the things he had said previously in the Community, chills ran down her spine.
To think that the things he mentioned, like blowing ups, were real.
He must be someone beyond her wildest imagination.
She looked down at the hacking chip included in the package.
Staring at the ck, blunt object, she noticed a faint blue light emitting from a tiny crack.
This must not be any ordinary item either.
Recalling the instructions he had given, she threw the hacking chip into the massive machine in theboratory.
Though she was shocked, she didn¡¯t forget what she needed to do.
The hacking chip flew through the air, hit a pir, and then attached itself, emitting thin wires.
Woooong-
The pir, which had been glowing blue since she first entered, began to change shape with subtle vibrations.
As a researcher, her curiosity piqued, but she suppressed it. Discovering what he was up to was more urgent than her curiosity.
A hacking chip... It must be in the package for a reason.
Therge pir, blinking blue, pierced through the roof of the Imperial Pce, forming a giant spire.
It was said to be formunicating with their homnd, but no one knew its exact purpose.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-hmm?
[(Magic Is Just For Support): Did something happen? What exactly is this?]
The Oradge remained silent for a while in response to her question.
Just as she was about to send another message out of impatience¡
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-It¡¯s an Ether cluster, huh? Primitive, but it¡¯s definitely that.
¡°What?¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Try throwing this at it too.
Wooooong-
At that moment, something dropped from the sky, just like when she bought an item from the Dimensional Store.
It seemed to be a device simr to the hacking chip included in the package.
She followed his instructions quietly.
Ether?
As a process simr to before took ce, the Oradge began to speak.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Mmm. This is way too inefficient, isn¡¯t it? Moreover, the usage method is so primitive that its efficiency is even more terrible.
¡°¡.¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-It¡¯s definitely Ether-rted. I mean, well, it¡¯s a difference between a campfire and nuclear fusion, though.
[(Magic Is Just For Support): What is that?]
The Oradge, who usually answered questions diligently, didn¡¯t speak on this matter. No, it seemed like he was lost in his thoughts, ignoring herpletely.
¡°¡.¡±
Still, she waited patiently, and the Oradge shared a few facts.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-How to put it¡? It¡¯s like destroying a worth 100 to extract a value of 5, I guess? I don¡¯t know what you mean by mana contamination, but this device seems to have had a significant impact.s drained of Ether don¡¯t just face physical catastrophes, you see.
¡°!!¡±
She found it hard to keep her head straight with the barrage of information.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-In other words, that guy has been sucking the¡¯s resources dry. Causing mana contamination in the process.
¡°W-What do you mean by that?¡±
A sputter escaped her lips. She couldn¡¯t care less about the Crown Prince right now.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Anyway. The guy is dead, but soon his species might react.
¡°Pardon?¡±
She struggled to keep up with the rapidly progressing conversation.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-It seems his bio-signal has already been transmitted somewhere hehe
As she mulled over his words, something dawned on her.
¡°T-Then! Shouldn¡¯t we have not killed him?!¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-ah no that¡¯s not it tho hehe
The Crown Prince was staring at her as if she was batshit crazy, but was that really what was important right now?
¡°You¡¯re saying that¡¯s not the case?¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-I¡¯ve already sent a signal by hacking them first, you see.
¡°What? What did you send¡.¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-To roughly summarize... This ce is a resource treasure trove overflowing with Etar, and the natives are fiercely resisting. Requesting support. End.]
What?!?
Wait, hello? Excuse me?
For a moment, she thought she misheard. What did he even think was the reason for her anxiousness all this time? And why else would she have assassinated(?) that guy?
Wasn¡¯t it to prevent the eleration of mana contamination and the invasion from his homnd, Debra?
Upon being struck with a wave of dizziness, she was reminded of the massage chair. To think that even in this situation, she thought of the massage chair he gave her. She felt a sudden sense of self-loathing.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-It¡¯s okay. We have Magical Girl Keisha-chan¡î with us, after all!
She felt lightheaded. He was cracking jokes right now? When there was about to be an impending-scale invasion?!
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-hehe anyway dwdw
¡°How can I not worry?!¡±?
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Because I¡¯m thinking of calling in a helper to experiment and also collect some Ether while I¡¯m at it hehe
¡°What?!¡±?
A helper? What did that mean??
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Of course, it¡¯s gotten quite a bit bigger tho hehe.
Was the Oradge just a lunatic? Moreover, an extremely powerful lunatic?
She started to feel scared.
However, she began to hear amotion from outside, forcing her to pull herself together.
Uh¡ Ah?
Now that she thought about it, such amotion wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed by the people outside.
She looked down at her clothes.
¡°¡.¡±
The greatest crisis of her life had arrived.?
?
***
?
The Debra, filled with spires piercing through the atmosphere.
Themand tower responsible forary security andmanding the entire military also handled defenses against potential alien civilizations. Themand tower stood taller than any other spire, easily recognizable.
Though it yed many roles, recently, it was focused on one specific task.
Handling the authority over space probes.
Currently, 300 space probes were dispatched beyond theary system. Themand tower managed the overall operations rted to this.
Beep-
In the upper floors of themand tower, a Debran in a high-ranking officer¡¯s uniform adorned with numerous insignias widened his ck pupils.
¡°This is the third time already?¡±
¡°Yes, it is excellent news.¡±
The first suitable was being slowly prepared for terraforming. Though it had few resources, it seemed good as a forward base for territorial expansion.
The second one was marked for ¡®scorching.¡¯ Primitive civilizations on the¡¯s surface were being eradicated to prepare for resource extraction.
And now they had found a third suitable.
Thus, there was no need to worry about resource shortages for a while.
Moreover¡.
Though the report was a bit strange, it said that the third suitable was overflowing with resources, particrly with an unimaginable amount of Etar.
Etar, the great power source that allowed the Debran race to conquer the universe.
However, the request for support was somewhat concerning.
Nevertheless, the report was trustworthy as probe soldiers could not lie. And only Debrans could send suchmunication anyway.
¡°Hmmm.¡±
Primitive natives resisting, even though they weren¡¯t able to reach space? It was hard to believe.
The bio-signal of the probe soldier indicated that he had sent themunication and then died. And regardless of the situation, killing a probe soldier was akin to touching the entire Debra.
¡°In that case, we must respond.¡±
The only answer to provocation was retaliation.
How dare such insignificant aliens touch one of them?
¡°Report to the higher-ups and prepare to gather all forces.¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
¡°We can¡¯t just disregard the Etar, after all.¡±
¡°So¡.¡±
¡°Prepare for a total war.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Eventually, 60 percent of Debra¡¯sary forces, amounting to space warships, began preparing for departure.
A total of around 24,000 space warships took off towards the where Keisha was.
This was an unexpected move that even Karlstein didn¡¯t anticipate. He couldn¡¯t have.
After all, for Debrans, Etar was a resource more precious than /genesisforsaken
Chapter 38: Prelude (1)
***
The ¡®Red Devil¡¯ Virdel, who destroyed the Empire, closed her eyes.
This isn''t enough to reach that realm.
She took her stance and lowered her body.
Suaaa-
In the silent forest where even the sound of insects couldn''t be heard¡
Only the sound of the wind asionally found her and soothed her loneliness.
Suaaa-
In front of a small grave, in a naturally formed clearing, the girl, Virdel, stood with a sword, eyes closed, focusing without a single movement.Her lower body was d in a strangely alien blood-red full te armor, while her upper body wore a simple shirt.
The girl held the scabbard with her left hand and gripped the sword with her right, poised as if ready to draw the sword at any moment. It seemed like the sword could spring out at any second.
Though she didn''t move an inch, the falling leaf that passed in front of her was cut in half as if sliced by the sword.
There was no sense of Mana nor Aura.
The sun rose, hung high, and set again, but the girl did not move, as if she had turned into a statue.
Finally, as the sun hid behind the mountains and the moon took its ce, the girl, who seemed like she would never move, opened her eyes.
¡°Haaa... In the end, I couldn''t cut it.¡±
Her self-deprecating voice echoed through the forest.
As she turned around, the air behind her rippled like waves. However, even this didn''t seem to satisfy her, as her steps were bitter as she walked away.
She recalled a voice from a few days ago, imagining a certain someone speaking.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Ah... The Hydra just won¡¯t cut it. To be fair, It''s because it''s a battle suit in the first ce.
¡°Is there no way?¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Well¡ I mean¡ Maybe if you can cut through dimensions? Then it could be possible? Hehe
¡°...I will achieve it no matter the cost.¡±
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-eh? ah lol don¡¯t worry too much about it. It just takes some time. We''re still researching, after all.
That was the end of the conversation.
Karlstein''s words, meant tofort her, felt different to her.
I will definitely cut through dimensions.
She wanted to meet him soon.
She was determined to seed in cutting through dimensions, beyond just Vacuum shes.
No matter how long it took.
She was bitter about not being selected by the Oradge this time.
As such, she firmly resolved not to miss the next opportunity.
***
Keisha, looking exhausted, slumped into the massage chair.
¡°Ugh!¡±
However, even the massage chair couldn''t calm her mind and body.
¡°Crown Prince... That son of a bitch! I will surely avenge this humiliation...!¡±
She gritted her teeth as she recalled that day.
That fateful day when people gathered after she had assassinated(?) the Debran.
Her eyes met with the Crown Prince, who had aplex expression.
Relief? Admiration? Fear? Pity?
Seeing the Crown Prince, who was overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions, she reflected on her own actions.
I¡¯m apletely batshit crazy bitch¡!
She had worn strange clothes, performed unbelievable feats, and talked to herself in the air.
It couldn¡¯t go on like this.
She decided to exin the current situation.
She was even prepared to reveal the [Integrated Dimensional Community] that she had kept secret to avoid being seen as a lunatic.
That way, she could also exin her strange outfit and magic wand.
However.
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-eh? Magical Girls should be a secret! That¡¯s how it be~!
¡°Wot?¡±
What was this guy yapping about?
[A message from the Administrator has arrived.]
-Revealing the secret will result in permanent ban hehe
¡°...E-Eek!¡±
In the end, what came out of her mouth was nonsense.
¡°Do not try to pry into a woman''s secret.¡±
It was one of the darkest moments of her life. So cringe it was that it made her want to tear her nket apart just from thinking about it.
Although the Crown Prince nodded with twinkling eyes....
¡°Announce the revival of the Mythic Age! A Saintess has finally been born after 7,000 years!!¡±
The Crown Prince, making sure to wink so that only she could see, spouted such nonsense.
¡°Look with your own eyes!! Witness the miracle as she defeated the vile alien species!¡±
The gigantic hole that pierced from deep underground to the sky slightly supported the Crown Prince''s credibility.
In fact, the high-ranking officials and mages who had gathered at the scene already knew that the sh piercing the sky a moment ago was unusual. Wasn¡¯t it perhaps possible if it was the legendary 9th Circle?
ording to what she heardter from the Crown Prince, he chose this method to manage the chaos that would arise from that bastard¡¯s death.
There must have been other ways, though?
He also said that if this resolved the mana contamination, they needed a hero to take credit for it.
But to her, the Crown Prince''s words sounded likeplete nonsense.
Unfortunately for her, someone lost their marbles upon seeing the Debran''s death, right at that moment.
¡°How dare you! I was next in line to extend my lifespan!!¡±
One of the crazed magesunched a surprise attack. A 6th Circle spell was aimed at her.
Being a researcher, her magic realm was significantly lower. Moreover, the suddenness left her no time to defend.
But.
Poof-
A spherical shield unfolded around her, instantly nullifying the 6th Circle spell.
At the same time, her outfit sparkled, scattering dazzling effects.
Ah...
With that, she awkwardly tried to remedy the situation and secluded herself for several days.
One day, the Crown Prince suddenly appeared, iming to have a gift.
She was stunned when she saw the statue disyed in front of the Imperial Pce.
Thud-
The statue depicted her in a sparkling outfit, puffing out Magic Breath or something.
Only she and the Crown Prince had seen the now-disintegrated Magic Wand.
Seeing the Crown Prince''s expression, she was convinced.
This motherfucker is mocking me...!
If she had one more use of the Magic Wand, she would have definitely used it against him!
Like that, as she gritted her teeth, cursing the Oradge and the Crown Prince while stabilizing the continent¡
One day, the same screen was broadcasted to everyone''s eyes across the continent.
¡°!!¡±
She instinctively knew it was Debra''s doing.
¡°Already?! Why now, of all times...!¡±
The Oradge had mentioned he would be unreachable for a while.
Szzzzz- Beep-
On the rectangr screen, a blue-skinned Debran in military uniform with numerous medals spoke solemnly.
-Inferior and primitive beings. As of now, ¡®Incineration¡¯ shallmence
The officer''s face exuded a sense of superiority far beyond the Debran she had killed before. His expression, looking at them like insects, was unmistakable even across species.
-We havee to judge your foolish sins. The sin of daring to touch a noble Debran. You shall repay with your lives. So, ept death quietly.
His expressionless announcement was devoid of any emotion. Almost as if stating an obvious fact.
Keisha gritted her teeth and hurried somewhere.
***
Even while broadcasting, the Debran officer felt a sense of wonder.
No matter how ordinary the probe soldier, or rather, the scout, was, they were equipped with a space probe and basic gear. They shouldn''t have died in such a primitive ce.
What exactly happened?
They had already scouted the target extensively. There shouldn''t have been any threats to the scout. As someone who had conducted Incineration and Data Collection on the second suitable, he knew this well.
But was it necessary to worry so much? It was just one scout after all.
They''ll crawl out if we press them hard enough.
Thinking this, he was about to order the entire army to attack. He had already received approval from the main force.
Now it was time to bestow a bombardment of purification on the foolish primitives.
Right then.
¡°Commander, a high-grade energy source has been detected!¡±
¡°What do you mean? Hasn''t the probe already beenpleted?¡±
¡°W-Well, about that...!¡±
¡°Other than the Etar collected by the scout, there shouldn''t be anything... Was the report wrong...?¡±
The Fleet Commander, in charge of the reconnaissance fleet, received the data handed over by his adjutant.
¡°High-Purity Etar? No... This is... It''s not Etar. Even Etar can''t reach this level. Something far superior to Etar...¡±
¡°The estimated amount exceeds thebined total of all the medium-sized battleship units! Moreover...!¡±
The Fleet Commander couldn''t believe his eyes as he reviewed the data.
¡°Is this really true?¡±
¡°Yes. The high-energy reaction is so concentrated that it''s immeasurable.¡±
¡°Yet it can still be so stable?¡±
¡°We are not able to understand it either.¡±
The Fleet Commander, initially looking serious, soon had a look of pure joy on his face.
¡°Adjutant! Send amunication to the Supreme Commander.¡±
¡°Yes! Understood.¡±
¡°Haha! This might be an energy source superior to Etar!¡±
¡°I-If that''s the case...!¡±
¡°This is a groundbreaking discovery! We must secure it! Contact the main force!¡±
The Fleet Commander barely suppressed a joyful scream.
Beep-
¡°Supreme Commander, this is the Reconnaissance Fleet Commander...¡±
As the Fleet Commander¡¯s report continued, the Supreme Commander¡¯s expression began to slowly change as well.
***
Shortly before the report reached the Supreme Commander.
Keisha entered her quarters near her privateb and searched for something.
A giant white metal case, towering over her height,id in the corner of the room.
It was something the Oradge had prepared for her to use in case of emergency while he was away.
After some hesitation, she finally activated the case.
Click- Click- Srrrr- Click-
Soon, something blindingly white pierced through the building and soared high into the sky.
Magical Girl Armor Mode /genesisforsaken
Chapter 39: Prelude (2)
***
¡°What is that?¡±
Something pure white soared up from the ground, cutting through the atmosphere.
He couldn''t help but be impressed by the sight of the craft climbing with an umbre-shaped airflow, thus causing a sonic boom.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to break through the atmosphere so cleanly.¡±
The Fleet Commander smiled as he watched the entity emitting rings of white waves and approaching in real-time.
That must be the identity of the unidentified energy source.
Its speed was remarkable, likely due to its small size.
He, who was leisurely observing the from 1,000 km above the atmosphere, gave an order.¡°Prioritize capture or seizure, and refrain from using the main cannon.¡±
¡°Yessir! Understood.¡±
¡°After all, if it gets hit by the main cannon, it might disappear without a trace.¡±
He had no concern for his safety. On the contrary, he was pleased with this as it caused him less trouble.
Moving the fleet below the atmosphere consumes a lot of Power and has many restrictions. Thus, he couldn¡¯t help but wee the unidentified craft flying toward them.
He was in themand and control room of a 200km-long Giga-ss Mothership, in charge of the Reconnaissance Fleet''s gship. Although the approaching object was a high-purity energy source, its total amount was not enough to challenge the entire fleet.
That wasn¡¯t all. In total, the Reconnaissance Fleet consisted of three Giga-ss Motherships, fifty attack carriers, over 200 Mega-ss battleships, and more than 700 regr battleships, cruisers, and destroyers.
Moreover, this was only a part of the main force. However, it was still more than enough to devastate a single.
Also, the power that such a small craft could generate was limited. It¡¯s not for nothing that battleships grow exponentially stronger as they getrger.
Therefore, he did not fear such a tiny craft less than 10m approaching them.
The craft that shot up from the ground stopped in midair before the fleet.
Its Speed Control Technology¡ is absurd.
The Fleet Commander observed the entire craft, unable to hold back his admiration.
Beautiful.
As a Debran who revered beauty, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the craft¡¯s appearance.
No, could it even be called a craft?
It looked like the upper body of a giant robot was wrapping around a woman from behind.
The woman¡¯s body was partially covered with white metallic bones, and metal tes covered various parts like armor.
Arge mechanical shield, emitting white fluorescent light, floated above her shoulders like shoulder pads, and arge mechanical arm extended from it, as if to assist her.
Additionally, behind the mechanical shield on her shoulders, there were 50m-long white wings hanging like a tail, with sharp metal tes embedded like feathers, emitting white mes.
Is such a¡ design even possible?
Above the woman¡¯s head, a mechanical structure reminiscent of an oriental helmet floated, with three protruding ornaments in the center.
Each mechanical structure moved organically around the woman at the center.
It was a design he wanted to emte.
However, as he was an officer to his very core, he thought it was beautiful but impractical.
After all, only the power source mattered; the exterior didn¡¯t.
He looked at the craft floating leisurely and revised his order.
¡°If we hit it wrong with the main cannons, there won¡¯t be even a trace of it left. Deploy interceptors.¡±
¡°Yessir.¡±
[All formations,unch.]
At themand, over 10,000 interceptors wereunched from 1,000 ships.
The sight of interceptors being deployed as the ships¡¯ hangars opened was beyond majestic. In fact, it couldn¡¯t be described.
An overwhelming force filled space, charging towards the unidentified craft.
And then, light burst from the white craft.
At that moment, the 50m-long wings spread out on either side, and the metal panels that made up the feathers fell off and whirled around her.
Snap-
Then she disappeared.
¡°!!¡±
Where did she go? Right above the oing interceptors.
In the mechanical hands assisting her, she held two thin, long curved swords, each 50m long.
They were the frames of the wings from which the metal feathers had fallen.
Boom boom boom-
The tens of thousands of long metal panels followed her, exploding all interceptors in her path.
It was as if a path of light was being created along her flight route.
Boom boom boom-
She left the exploding interceptors behind and swung the mechanical arms.
Suaaa-
It felt as if time had stopped.
And as she swung the 50m-long curved swords, the Debrans¡¯ nightmare began.
***
¡°Commander! A Mega-ss battleship has been sunk¡! Please authorize the use of the main cannon!¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Commander!!¡±
In the sight before them, the mechanical arms, turned into cannons, were firing stsparable to the Mega-ss main cannons.
Moreover, the tens of thousands of missilesunched from the surrounding ships were intercepted by the metal panels swirling around her.
Just the sight of it was enough to make them lightheaded.
Considering the resources and time it took to build a single ship¡.
¡°Commander! Please hurry and make a decision!!¡±
But despite his adjutant¡¯s urging, he couldn¡¯t speak.
-Make sure to secure it. It will be a clue to advancing beyond outer space and into the gctic system.
-Yessir! Supreme Commander!
-Remember. It¡¯s worth more than your life.
It was the Supreme Commander¡¯s order. Moreover, one that was emphasized repeatedly.
If he authorized the use of the main cannon and the target was destroyed, he would lose his head.
¡°Commander!!¡±
His trembling eyes froze.
At the moment when an attack carrier was sunk by the bastard¡¯s de.
¡°Unleash the main cannons of the ships. From now on, change the objective to elimination.¡±
¡°Yessir! Understood.¡±
Soon, a fierce battle began between 800 ships and a single humanoid craft.
***
¡°Kyaaah!¡±
Her eyes clenched shut. A massive beam of light, over 1km in diameter, grazed past her.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a force field ovepping the trajectory of the main cannon.
¡°W-Wahh, heung, eung, AHHHHH!¡±
She wept loudly. However, despite her actions, the craft continued to move at high speed, seeking another target.
[AUTO MODE]
That was the reason for herck of free will.
Booooooom-
Another ship exploded, turning into dust. In Auto Mode, it was able to identify the engine section so well that it seemed almost supernatural, while also causing explosions after evasive maneuvers.
Boom-
Due to the explosions, red and blue lights flickered everywhere, as if the Milky Way was spreading in space.
Perhaps it could even be said that flowers of light were blooming in what was supposed to be a void.
Swoooooosh-
The craft moved so fast that it was hard for even her to perceive, destroying everything in its path.
It was the very embodiment of destruction.
¡°Kyaaah!¡±
Thergest ship in the fleet fired its main cannon. Upon this, a circr wave spread from the shield on her shoulders, making a sharp turn.
As she moved, rings of waves emanated from her back, elerating her further.
Roaaaaar-
The attack made her skin tingle, just by being near its path.
However, her mindy elsewhere.
¡°Kyaaah! 124 million?!!¡±
[Real-time Karma Points]
[-124,127,580 P]
The minus Points were increasing in real-time.
[Real-time Karma Points]
[-124,370,122 P]
[-124,584,877 P]
[-125,890,344 P]
¡
[-126,255,335 P]
¡°Kyaaah! 126 million Points!¡±
The debt increased instantly whenever she destroyed a battleship.
¡°How does this make any seeeeeeeeeenSE!¡±
She could take out a Point loan from the Oradge with his permission. This was set by the Oradge for emergencies, and as much of this unknown power called Ether or whatever was used, the debt kept increasing.
Moreover, that debt didn¡¯t even include the cost of the armor she was wearing.
Considering she would also have to pay the rental fee for the craftter, it was indeed disheartening. In fact, it was downright deplorable.
After the Oradge had stripped her of all her assets, she had umted a considerable amount of Karma Points while working as the Empire¡¯s Saintess. But now, there was no trace of it left.
Booom-
But that didn¡¯t mean she could stop. No, rather, if only she could pilot it herself! Then she would have moved as economically as possible!
In reality, Auto Mode moved with maximum efficiency. But how was she supposed to know that? After all, she was already losing her mind, watching her debt Points were increasing with each movement.
But still, maybe she should be happy to have protected the world?
¡°Kyaaah!¡±
When considering the Oradge''s usual temperament, she had no idea how to repay the debt umting now.
But did she know? The Points being deducted in real-time were actually significantly reduced thanks to the Karma earned from saving the world. If she did know, she might very well have fainted.
She went absolutely batshit crazy.
Even though she wasn¡¯t piloting directly, she wanted to immerse herself in the craft¡¯s destructive actions to relieve her stress.
Because of those bastards¡ I¡!!
¡°DIEEEEEEEE!!!¡±
As if understanding her feelings, the craft¡¯s mechanical arms swung the curved des gracefully toward thest giant battleship.
A sh of white light sliced through the main cannon, striking the engine section with a direct hit.
BOOOOM-
¡°KYAAAAAAAAH! NO! I take it back! Cancel! Cancel! 180 million??!!¡±
She wanted to p herself.
With the explosion of a mothership, her Points also had an explosive increase. Into the negatives, of /genesisforsaken
Chapter 40: Total War
***
¡°Are you already leaving?¡±
Youngsik''s voice, full of regret, slipped out of his lips.
It had been 3 years and 6 months since the apocalypse broke out and the world was ruined.
People who were fine turned into zombies, society copsed, and people lived days where they guarded and killed each other.
The human civilization, which had been built over 6,000 years, was on the verge of extinction in less than 4 years.
To fight against zombies that evolved endlessly, humanity tried to rally around the Awakened, but it wasn''t easy.
Jealousy, envy, greed, and suspicion did not disappear even in this world. Instead, they only grewrger, gnawing at humans and slowly eroding them to shadows of what they once were.
Even Youngsik, who knew a rough outline of the future, was expelled from his own group and chased away with nothing. Didn¡¯t that exin more than enough?But hope is a mysterious thing, and it managed to survive and eventually blossom.
¡®It¡¯ appeared like aet, bringing the sound of thunder along with it.
Survivors who were hiding deep underground to avoid zombies first heard the thunderous noise that sounded as if the sky was falling.
This miserable fucked up life is over now.
That was what they resigned themselves to.
But soon, they began to feel something strange. After the noise ended, there was an unusual silence.
Zombies? Awakened? Bombs? Survivors curious about the source of the noise crawled out from their hiding ces. What they saw was a battlefield devastated by bullets and bombs.
However, upon witnessing the sight of streets with no zombies in sight, they turned speechless.
Youngsik reflected on the past few months he spent with Hyperion. In truth, he had to endure a grueling schedule; so grueling, in fact, that it was an understatement to call it a forced march.
But Youngsik quietly handled the schedule. He knew that the more Hyperion and he moved, the more someone could feel at ease.
In fact, all Youngsik did was menial tasks. Sometimes he met survivors to deliver Hyperion¡¯s messages. In other times, he took necessary actions. Mostly, he performed the chores Hyperion assigned him.
But the reason he could smile was because of the incredible miracles Hyperion aplished.
After months of searching and wiping out zombies¡
There were no more zombies left on Earth.
Unbelievably, Hyperion dered the end of the apocalypse and granted humanity its freedom.
The freedom to live without fear.
¡°Hoho¡¡±
Though he was bewildered at first when seeing Hyperion relentlessly search and destroy zombies as if meeting some sworn enemy, he now understood.
Hyperion changed gradually as it found and wiped out zombies, erasing the zombie waves known as cmities with bombardments.
It was hard to believe even with his own two eyes.
Youngsik felt a sense of inadequacy in his imagination. After all, Hyperion grew endlessly and began to equip itself with all kinds of weapons.
At that time, Youngsik almost mistook Hyperion for having the intention to blow up the Earth. By the time it swept through North and South Korea and Japan and advanced into China, calling it a spaceship would be quite shameless.
It could just be called a flying fortress, or even an aerial city. There were no zombies left alive in the path of the airborne city Hyperion, armed with all kinds of weapons.
Was that all? Hyperion miraculously found the ters and personally delivered fiery hell upon them.
Hyperion was as relentless in searching for zombies as it was for ters; it almost felt like it was chasing after its parents¡¯ worst enemies.
¡°Haha¡¡±
Youngsik recalled the time when Hyperion established a huge researchplex after sweeping through China.
At that time, thergest survivor group in China came to visit.
¡°Zombies are also citizens and property of the People''s Republic of China. Your rampage has plundered our property, so we demandpensation.¡±
Youngsik was dumbfounded.
Who did they think they were toe out so confidently? Were they not afraid of Hyperion?
¡°If you let us live in the airborne city, we can mutually benefit each other. You need workers, don¡¯t you?¡±
Youngsik, who was cleaning Hyperion¡¯s outer walls, realized something.
That these guys were seriously mistaken about something.
Hyperion was not a city, and there was no reason to take them aboard.
Youngsik tried to persuade them nicely.
¡°I¡¯ll ask, but do not expec¡¡±
¡°How dare a mere janitor dare to block our way?! Bring a higher-ranking official instead of a lowly worker like you!¡±
In the end, they drew their swords. What happened to them, you ask?
Shake shake-
Some seeded in boarding Hyperion while the rest were incinerated by Hyperion¡¯s fiery rain.
Boarding¡ Can it even be called that? Honestly, Youngsik actually felt sorry for them.
They ended up as the Blue Ghosts in Hyperion¡¯s mines, where their Abilities were extracted until they died.
Not just them, but other Awakened who coveted Hyperion also faced the same fate. Including Byungtae, his formerrade.
Byungtae, after several assassination attempts, eventually ended up falling into an eternal sleep, quietly having his abilities extracted.
There was a time when Youngsik argued with Hyperion about it, but now it was all in the past.
After seeing how the world changed with the Abilities extracted, he couldn¡¯t say anything.
Hyperion began to equip itself with all kinds of Special Abilities, including the Shelter Ability.
¡
Anyway, Hyperion promised to release them once the world stabilized, so he should just believe in its words.
Of course, after being released, they would have to live as ordinary people with all their Abilities extracted.
¡°It was fun being together, Hype.¡±
A blunt voice reached his ears as he looked up at the sky.
[Stop talking nonsense and clean that area properly, Human.]?
¡°What?¡±
Youngsik turned around in surprise. There was aplex mechanical device the size of a stadium floating in the sky.
[Did you perhaps doze off during yesterday¡¯s exnation?]
Youngsik flinched.
[It¡¯s not over until all the Karma is sucked out of this ce.]
Didn¡¯t it say that someone recently got scolded by a scary individual for using the power source recklessly¡?
[The main body, including the research facility, will stay here.]
Though it was equipped with basic armament, it was practically defenselesspared to a while ago.
Of course, even if it¡¯s just basic weapons, there¡¯s nothing on Earth that could dare to challenge it¡
And it would be the same even if it was before the world faced the apocalypse.
[Tsk.]
Still, Youngsik understood Hyperion¡¯s frustration.
After all, it had to remove all the attack facilities and armaments it had heavily invtested in.
[The Mk.2 Schizont will wander through dimensions looking for other colonies.]
¡°C-Colonies?¡±
[Why are you acting surprised, as if you didn¡¯t know?]
¡°I-I guess so?¡±
Though the term felt strange, Hyperion never actually plundered or looted anything.
It just helped rebuild copsed civilizations and restore order destroyed by the monster known as the apocalypse.
At any rate...
Just looking at the people¡¯s faces showed how much things had changed.
They harvested crops, rebuilt civilizations, and restored social infrastructure. There were no concerns about security or survival in their expressions.
[Zone 37-A12B: Criminal attempting rape and murder has been executed.]
Hyperion¡¯s eyes were everywhere and showed no mercy to criminals.
People addicted to violence and looting were forcibly reformed.
If someone tried tomit a crime, a warning would instantly pop inside their brain, and if ignored, they would be executed.
Due to this simple and straightforward rule, there were only model citizens left.
Gosh¡
[By the way, are you sure it will be fine?]
¡°Huh? Ah¡ that.¡±
Youngsik smiled.
¡°I don¡¯t mind. I rarely used it anyway. But I can leave onest review, right?¡±
[Do as you please.]
Youngsik logged into the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
[Welc^$&#$# to #&%& Integrated @$&% Community.]
Unlike before, the letters were broken and barely readable.
¡°Let¡¯s see¡.¡±
[@*!&#^& ##^@&@ @%#@]
The letters were all broken and hard to read, but he carefully pressed the button to write a post, recalling where exactly it was from his memories.
¡°It¡¯s not easy. huh.¡±
Soon, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use the [Integrated Dimensional Community] at all.
ording to Hyperion¡¯s exnation, it was an unavoidable event caused by sending the Schizont across dimensions. Due to iplete research, it had no choice but to consume hismunity channel.
That seemed to be the rough exnation.
Well, it did say something about the Schizont being the same entity or whatever. What a cryptic remark.
At any rate, Youngsik took a photo of the sky and wrote a heartfelt post in themunity.
Cosmic Emperor! Thank you!
But¡ I¡¯m not sure if it will upload properly.
Youngsik smiled as he felt the dark sky gradually brighten.
I¡¯m sure it doesn¡¯t matter.
Hyperion Mk.2, which had been covering the entire sky, crossed dimensions. Its size was so immense that it felt like the dark night turned into day in an instant.
***
[Moving to the target dimension.]
Pszzzzzz-
Hyperion''s body moved forward through a much more unstable and intense Astral Passage than the usual Warp of the Gctic Empire.
Though it was only for a brief moment, it felt like an eternity.
Rumble-
[Engine Damage Rate: 72.01%]
[Cooling Facility Damage Rate: 62.04%]
[Front Body Damage Rate: 34.28%]
[Outer Wall Damage Rate: 46.41%]
¡
[AT Barrier Remaining: 18.02%]
[Remaining Power: 37.12%]
Rumble-
[Hyperion Stage 12-17. Sessfully moved to the target dimension.]
Where Hyperion arrived, a war was raging.
Tens of thousands of space warships slowly withdrew their formation upon discovering Hyperion''s presence.
Beep-
[Selecting targets as per Master¡¯smand.]
Whirr- Clink- Clink-
From Hyperion''s body, which was several timesrger than the Debran¡¯s 1,800km-long Terra ss Motherships, a total of 1.28 million gun ports emerged.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Soon, the gun ports poured out a veritable Milky Way, decorating the universe with stars.
It was at this moment when the entirebat force of the Debra evaporated in an /genesisforsaken
Chapter 41: 《Great Sephiroth》
¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡.¡±
That was her impression as she watched the Debran army being blown away like fireworks.
It was overwhelming.
That one word was more than enough.
Even the main cannons fired from thergest mothership of the Debran army were easily blocked by the opponent with a hexagonal transparent barrier.
However, the opposite was different. Each shot fired as if it was a regr attack exceeded the power of the main cannons of the Debran army''s motherships.
Even a grazing hit prated all defenses, causing catastrophic damage.
While the opponent couldn''tnd a sessful attack, none of this side''s attacks were blocked.
It was truly an unreasonable situation.Thus, the battle was impossible to sustain.
After roughly a million beams of light were poured out, the Debran army''s formation was shredded and blown away by explosions.
It felt like watching a hundred thousandmon soldiers being thrown at an Archmage. Would that be how to describe it?
She was speechless as she watched the space warship fire beams of light without any tension.
A 4,200km long space warship.
Ah¡ calling that a warship seemed strange. After all, at a nce, it looked like a small made of machinery.
¡°¡.¡±
This must be the helper the Oradge mentioned, right?
If not¡ it would mean she had to fight against that kind(?) of thing¡.
That isn¡¯t possible, you know? Impossible, I''d rather die.
She recalled the past as she watched the battlefield.
It seemed like just yesterday when she was happy to create a design for a flight process that could fly out of the atmosphere.
But now¡ At this point, a bitterugh escaped her.
Just moments ago, she was despairing at the sight of the Debran army''s 2,000km space warship.
Come to think of it, the timing seemed so perfect. Did the Oradge n even this?
If it had been just a littleter¡.
Even with this special machine that the Oradge had lent, she wouldn''t havested long.
Earlier, it was horrifying beyond words.
Before the total war thatmenced, despite her Karma debt surpassing 300 million, she had momentarily enjoyed the joy of victory after destroying the reconnaissance fleet.
However.
When their main fleet arrived, she despaired.
At that point, she had no strength left to even scream at the scale of the fleet from another dimension.
No matter how fast her machine was, there were so many warships that even a proper barrage of fire could not be avoided.
It was truly a dilemma.
Moreover, the opponent deliberately targeted the to prevent her from escaping.
She had raged at the despicable tactic of taking hostages despite their overwhelming power.
Not only that, they gradually increased the intensity of their attacks, as if testing her limits.
And, as a result of her busily running around and blocking their attacks for a while¡
[-3,165,375,995 P]
3.1 billion¡.
¡°Is this what it means when debt doesn¡¯t even look like debt anymore because it seems so unrealistic?¡±
Now, it just looked like numbers.
But, well...
Even without her making a fuss, the Oradge wouldn¡¯t be able to help but figure out a way to extract something from her.
Yep.
Anyway, it seemed everything was over now.
When that gigantic warship first appeared, she wondered what exactly it was.
It seemed like it had been through rough times, with parts damaged and patched up here and there.
However, it seemed like it was just a ruse.
She leisurely swam through space, watching the cosmic battle between fleets. asionally, the aftermath of attacks reached her, but they were blocked in the air and caused no damage. It seemed the newly arrived space warship had taken some measures.
Yep.
Seeing that the debt wasn¡¯t increasing, it was certain.
Still, let¡¯s not get too close.
Unlike at the beginning, the Debran army was actively fighting back, exchanging fierce attacks.
But it seemed obvious that they couldn''t inflict proper damage.
So she leisurely watched the cosmic fireworks(?) and nced at themunity.
All while wondering if the Oradge had returned.
Huh?
But the Oradge was nowhere to be seen, and an odd aggro post was gaining attention in themunity. Not only that, it caused quite a stir.
This is¡.
A disturbing image that had painfully fractured text. Despite the painful sight, she looked to the end because of one photo.
It¡¯s the same as that warship!
The subject of the photo amidst the broken text was unmistakable. It was the same entity that was blowing up the Debran army in real-time from afar.
Only the lower part is visible in the photo, but it¡¯s certain!
However, some of the text was readable, with words like ¡®Administrator,¡¯ ¡®gift,¡¯ ¡®salvation,¡¯ ¡®hurray,¡¯ and ¡®steward¡¯ standing out.
Themunity¡¯s reaction was lively.
?the hell is that? a floating city?
?A city? Tf u mean? LOL it¡¯spletely covering the entire sky
?but doesn¡¯t it seem like the the ground and sky flipped?
?But is that really all machinery? damn isn¡¯t that like a dream LOL
?Must be a hoax LMAOO how could that even be real LOL
?But why is the text all broken? Is it just me?
?nah, it¡¯s the same for me
?they sure put effort into photoshop these days, huh AHHAHAH
?Did the Oradge y a prank?
?must be viral marketing LMAOOO
?Looks like they deleted the ount lololol
?that¡¯s so staged¡ how tf do u even believe that LMAOOO
?LOL r u kidding me? u seriously believe that?
Most reactions were negative, but quite a few believed it.
?why would they go to such lengths to stage this LOL
?i mean, this is on another level LMAO
?tf are they shooting a new edition of Independence Day or some shit?
?It¡¯s magnificent. How is it so big?
?If it¡¯s someone who made themunity store, they could surely make something like that hahahahah
?hey, guys? some of the people who provoked the Oradge have quietly disappeared too
?They probably just got tired and left themunity.
?If that¡¯s really a gift, how generous is the Oradge exactly?
?Give me a gift too¡.
?stop spamming fucked up pics first ??
?(Thisment has been deleted.)
?Anyway, better watch our mouths LMAOO
Amused by the situation, she uploaded a photo as well.
-Writer: Magic Is Just For Support
-Title: The Protagonist In Question Who Has Visited Our Dimension
(A photo of Hyperion cutting through the Debran army.jpg)
Of course, themunity went wild.
???
?Huh?
?WTF?
?no fucking shot how can it be that big?
?is that for real?
?try ying spot the difference no doubt 100% wille out
?of course it¡¯s a fake or photoshopped
?What did I just see?
?da fuq?
?WTF i can¡¯t fucking believe it LMAOOO but it must be real, right? HAHAHAH
?What¡¯s the Bluadge doing there? is she just lurking?
?Living up to her nickname AHHHAHAH
?how could they even begin to interfere LOL she¡¯s nothing more than a spectator LOL
e to think of it, didn¡¯t the Bluadge go to space too?
?LOL even being a spectator requires ability no? what a fucked up world fuckkkkk
Comments piled up. They were fiercely debating who was right.
¡°Pfft!¡±
She couldn¡¯t help butugh. Watching the users react and swarm like bees over a single photo gave her a rather strange feeling.
Anyway, she didn¡¯t want to get further involved in this mess.
She left themunity. The Oradge didn¡¯t seem to care about those reactions anyway.
Yeah, fine. What¡¯s there to life anyway? I just gotta make the most out of it.
This had probably happened after her debt exceeded 2 billion.
That moment when she turned to YOLO.
However, such thoughts were abruptly cut off.
[The steward this time is quite lucky, huh?]
¡°¡Pardon?¡±
Steward?
For some reason, she felt a chill run down her spine.
***
One of the ¡¶Roots¡· of the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·.
In front of a statue in a temple where white marble and tree trunks harmonized, the air shimmered. The shimmering soon turned into cracks, and a bloodied man rolled out onto the floor.
¡°Keuaggggh!¡±
The man¡¯s appearance could not possibly be described as uninjured. Half of his face was disfigured by burns, ice chunks stuck to him here and there, and silvery blood flowed from his wounds.
¡°Cough¡ Damn it!¡±
Barely managing to get up, the man limped hurriedly toward the depths of the temple. He reached a small spring the size of a pond and threw himself in.
Ssh-
After a while, he emerged with his upper body, his previous wounds healing.
Sssss-
A tree trunk came down beside him to support his body.
¡°Damn it!¡±
Although his external wounds were significantly healed, the man¡¯s grim expression didn¡¯t rx.
¡°To think that the barrier is broken¡ What is going on?¡±
Silvery blood still flowed from his cracked side and other parts of his unhealed body.
¡°I almost lost my divinity.¡±
Grittt-
He had almost crossed the river of no return after carelessly entering an unstable dimension.
¡°Surely it wasn¡¯t the actions of ¡®those bastards¡¯¡.¡±
His eyes burned with unbearable rage.
He had sensed that something had happened to the children not long ago. Unfortunately, as he was under house arrest, he couldn¡¯t take any action and had to stay put.
How dare they touch me¡.
A silver aura surged around him, ready to explode.
¡°Hoooo¡.¡±
Barely calming his mind, he pondered.
The children who had suffered this time were the ones who had caused his house arrest in the first ce, so he wasn¡¯t particrly upset about their extinction.
After all, he had even considered dealing with them personally.
But the damage to the barrier was a different story. The world he had to nurture was damaged, like crops being destroyed along with the field.
So, it would be impossible to restore it for a while.
Looking at his slowly healing wounds, he calmed his eyes.
Should I report this?
The man shook his head, thinking of a certain being.
No. Let¡¯s not.
There was no need to create more trouble.
That was his conclusion.
If it became known that the barrier had been damaged, he didn''t know what kind of punishment might befall him.
Even so¡
¡°I can¡¯t just leave it be. The one who dared to touch what¡¯s mine¡ I will find them¡.¡±
He clenched his fist so tightly it seemed it would shatter.
Soon, a silver current began to swirl around the temple.
The wrath of the Supreme God who ruled a world was not to be taken lightly, after /genesisforsaken
Chapter 42: Gacha Store (1)
***
-The result is not as bad as I thought.
"R-Right?"
Karlstein cleared his throat and nced at Aria. Fortunately, it didn''t seem like he would be scolded for his recent actions.
-The Ether supply rate from the Otherworld definitely exceeds my expectations.
It was rare for anything to exceed Aria''s expectations. She rarely makes such remarks unless something is truly exceptional.
Karlstein felt a sense of pride. This endeavor was something he had pushed forward with on his own initiative.
He pretty much used his own personal stash of funds, yet he didn''t notice the strangeness of him being so wary of Aria''s reactions. He had already be ustomed to Aria''s way of living.
"Compared to the Ether we gather from the entire Gctic Empire, it is nothing, but the efficiency we gain over the actual time spent is unbelievably high."Even when acquiring a single, the Ether that could be extracted from the Otherworld was overwhelmingly higher.
-However, the Ether required for the investment is also significant, thus causing a significant drawback.
"That''s... true."
Karlstein smacked his lips.
As part of an experiment for the advanced base n, they sent a Prototype Final Evolution Stage 12 Hyperion to another dimension.
Just sending the Stage 12 Hyperion cost a staggering 12 billion Karma Points. And that was even after they received an additional 3 billion from Keisha.
A total of 15 billion Karma Points.
Considering the Points he earned from the Integrated Dimensional Community, minus various expenses, he had about 20 billion Points left, which meant he invested almost all his assets.
Of course, when taking into ount the total sales from the Dimensional Store, it would amount to a muchrger value. However, its various developments and expenditures was already a substantial amount of itself.
This was simr to a business. It was not just about umting earnings. One must expand the business, and invest in research and the future.
Overall, it was easier to think of it as expanding the business by increasing the flow and pie of Points.
The Dimensional Store was nothing more than a cash cow; meanwhile, he was envisioning a bigger picture.
Therefore, Karlstein considered this endeavor a necessary investment. Bold investments are needed for long-term gains, after all.
To him, Karma was just a resource and a means. It should be used where necessary, and if needed, borrowed for investment. The goal was to gain more than the investment.
From that perspective, the dimension he focused on this time was quite intriguing.
A Sci-Fi alien appeared in a world where Magitek was the mainstay? And different civilizations were coexisting?
Having never seen such a case in themunity before, he decided to drop Hyperion there. Since the level of civilization of Debra seemed appropriately useful.
In fact, the Earth of the Apocalypse was too small a stage for Hyperion. Most of its civilization was destroyed, and it almost had to rebuild it from scratch.
Considering that, it was a good choice, but....
-It seems you''ll have to work a bit more for a while.
"Ugh..."
That wasn''t wrong. He spent too much at once. And his recent busy activities were partly to make up for it.
"Isn¡¯t that punk intentionally getting bigger just to screw me over?¡±
4,200 km, a size simr to the moon.
It was indeed excessive.
4,200 km might be considered smallpared to hisrgest warship....
But what was the point of just making it that big....
-That is why we rarely use it in the first ce. Especially since it is a prototype, the power required increases exponentially with size.
It was like upgrading a low-level character with inefficient ''size'' and ''weapons'' to the maximum level.
The 8.5 km Imperial Warship he used to ride was also a type of coreship. Like a Matryoshka doll, it couldbine with higher-level warships as needed, making it bigger or smaller ording to the situation. But because of speed and power, he mainly used the Imperial Warship.
Even I use only the Imperial to save on my resources, though...!
The feeling was akin to a parent seeing their unemployed child recklessly spend on luxury items after being provided with money for necessities and education.
"Is that thing rampaging on its own because it''s far away?"
Histest Hyperion model had a simr tendency. It grew in size and was obsessed with offensive upgrades.
Currently, it was kept at 300 km due to Aria''s supervision, but....
-Shall we dispose of it?
Aria''s cold voice interrupted Karlstein''s thoughts.
"Huh?! No! Do you know how much Ether went into that?! What are you talking about!"
-It is merely a sunk cost. Besides, it was nice seeing you work hard for a change.
¡°!!¡±
Aria had a surprisingly impulsive and aggressive side.
"No! No. Anyway, it was necessary for establishing an advanced base after taking over Debra. It''s not going to be sent out; it''s meant to be the main base. So it didn''t matter if it got bigger."
-Understood. Heh.
Aria''s lips curled up briefly before returning to normal.
Despite her cold words, she would have been disappointed if it were actually disposed of, as she had personally trained the strong AI.
"...Anyway, are we ready?"
-Yes, Master.
But regardless of whatever happened, he never, ever neglected the cash cow.
"Then let''s prepare to open."
Karlstein smiled with satisfaction.
"A preeeeemium store."
-Proceeding with the update.
***
[Do you wish to achieve your dreams?]
On the screen, a woman in a pink, fancy outfit was striking a lively pose. However, thements were not so enthusiastic nor kind.
?are u fr....
?lol.
?Ma''am. Please consider your age.
?she¡¯s pretty tho
?our little lively kitty andromeda
?My eyes!! MY EYESSSSS!!!
?A Bluadge posting a shitty meme? Now this is rare.
?Barkeep! Madam! Bring me some food here! I need it to remedy the cringe!
?Don''t give up your humanity, Human.
?the fuck has the Bluadge fucking gone mad?
?(TheLichKingIsRich) It seems our friend has crossed the point of no return.
?LMAOOOOOOO
?If you squint really hard, it kind of suits her.
?You have to practically half-close your eyes. Make your vision all fuzzy, ya feel? lololol
?Blurry vision ON.
?guys, that''s not even the point LOL what is up with that mech?
In the video, Keisha was showing all sorts of cuteness with an otherworldly level of cheerfulness. Initially, there were manyments about the video¡¯s protagonist, but soon the objects in the video began to catch people¡¯s attention.
?I have been training in seclusion for nigh 40 years now. However, training only seems meaningless upon this sight.
?gramps. why do you train? U just need to be lucky in the lottery LMAOOO nothing else matters
?the fuck was I doing in my past life instead of saving the countryyyyyyyyy lololol
?Gramps, go out and do some activities LOL you need to earn Karma HAHAHAHAH
?Hmm. That looks tempting even to this female.
?No! That''s an outfit made only for pretty girls! Why, how...!
?HOW DARE!!!!!! This female¡¯s, my, heart is still youthful.
?no, what? This isn¡¯t a matter of youth.
?but doesn''t she look dead inside? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA it''s a face that had no choice but to sumb to capitalism. I know that look very well from my past life.
?Huh? LOLLLLLLL now that you mention it, it kinda seems like that yeah? HAHAHAH
?looks like someone threatened her with a knife to make her film this heh
?Do Bluadges have to do that kind of stuff now? LOL
Although there were some sharp criticisms, the new video format posted on themunity was a big topic of conversation.
?what''s up with the video?
?can we post videos now?
?no, it seems only the Admin can do it for now, right? including the Bluadges.
?Can you earn Points from the views?
?how tf am I supposed to know that
?why does it seem like the Oradge live in a whole different world even though he¡¯s in the samemunity?
?if I knew, I''d be the Oradge instead LOL
?It seems like viral marketing for an uing update.
?so is the video fake?
?nah i don''t think so
In the video, Keisha was navigating through space and facing off against space fleets. Fortunately, the scenes of her screaming and swearing were edited out.
Bang-
A sh burst out from the transformed mech suit''s giant cannon, and the video ended.
[Do you wish to achieve your dreams?]
[Look forward to the next update. COMING SOON!]
*This video was uploaded with a rented product and a small advertising fee from the ''Cosmic Emperor''.
?tf? isn¡¯t this insane?
?Wow... I can spend my entire fortune if I can just buy that.
?How much do you have?
?37 Points....
?LMAO are u fucking nuts HAHAHHA
?how much can it be bought for? is it avable at the Dimensional Store?
?No, I''m VIP 6 and it wasn''t there. Maybe it''ll be avable at the new store that¡¯s going toe out?
?who nned that ad? I wanna p the shit out of them fuck
?fuck fr tho¡ my hands and feet are fucking itching¡
?Hoho.
There were many negative opinions, but the enthusiasm was equally strong.
?Can we enjoy an SF civilization too?!
?KYAAAAAAAAAH!
?release the TS pills first!!
?please don''t make it just food for the next update! ah of course, it¡¯s not like I would mind tho, hehe.
?Ssssseup. Speaking of which, Imma go grab some fried chicken.
?When will it be released?
?Dunno?
?AH! Boss, hurry up!!
?no but fr if had just one of those, I could totally turn my life around no cap
Karlstein''s cultural invasion was progressing /genesisforsaken
Chapter 43: Gacha Store (2)
[Dimensional Store]
[Purchased ¡®in Flour Bread¡¯ for 5P.]
[Purchased ¡®Clear Water¡¯ for 5P.]
[Remaining Points: 10,420P]
¡°¡.¡±
Namgung Jin picked up the bread that had fallen from the air and took a big bite. It melted softly in his mouth, almost unbelievably smooth for such a cheap price. A delicate and savory taste that could never be found in the Central ins.
He then grabbed the ¡®Clear Water,¡¯ sealed in transparent packaging, and put it into his mouth.
Pop.
With a slight resistance, the packaging burst, and clear water flowed down his throat. The packaging dissolved like water and was also swallowed without issue.¡°Whew¡.¡±
He had finished today''s meal.
Namgung Jin twisted his body to apply Golden Salve to the wound on his chest. It wasn¡¯t easy in the narrow cave, but he managed without difficulty due to the familiarity of such actions.
It had been months since he was chased by the underlings of the Demonic Cult. They had set up a massive Net of Heaven and Earth around him to capture thest direct descendant of the Namgung n.
¡°I have no face to show my ancestors¡ How utterly shameful...¡±
The once proud Azure Sky of Namgung had fallen to the bottom.
The Sword Emperor, Namgung of the Azure Sky, the Head of the Five Noble ns, and the Pir of the Orthodox Faction¡ªthese titles of Namgung''s fame had long been trampled under the schemes of the Demonic Cult.
¡°Cough!¡±
A bitter taste of blood rose from his throat. Hiding in a narrow cave for so long without properly treating his injuries had led to worsening wounds. Even the Golden Salve had its limits for treating external injuries.
Still, his situation was much betterpared to a while ago.
Back then, he couldn¡¯t even secure proper food and had to endure hunger.
Secretly gathering tree fruits to stave off hunger was a temporary solution, but as the encirclement became tighter, even that became difficult. It was hard to break through the or endure hunger while only in the First-Rate Realm.
If only I had a bit more time¡!
Had he reached the Peak Realm, he wouldn¡¯t have been driven to such a miserable state.
Namgung Jin, who hadpletely stepped into the First-Rate Realm at a young age, was recognized for his talent in swordsmanship even within the Namgung n. Even though this was partly due to the influence of the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
Regardless, it was all meaningless now.
What good is innate talent? A martial artist needs absolute time. For now, he was just a young kid with a body that has not fully grown. It might be a different story in the distant future, but that was not the case now.
The invasion of the Central ins by the Demonic Cult began before he could reach the Preak Realm. The Demonic Cult, which had been sharpening their swords, quickly destroyed the Namgung n and the Wudang Sect, showing a rapid advance.
¡°Damn Demonic Cult bastards¡!¡±
Sadness and anger surged in his eyes. This invasion by the Demonic Cult was different from before. Unlike the past, where they relied on brute force, this time they used all sorts of sinister plots and schemes to systematically destroy the Central ins.
¡°I cannot see a way out¡.¡±
Currently, the Demonic Cult was desperately searching for the Namgung n¡¯s secret vault. To capture him, who knew the location and key to the vault, they had dispatched dozens of Peak Realm martial artists to chase him.
In such circumstances, he was naturally grateful to the Administrator for allowing him to obtain food and water from the Dimensional Store.
Thump- Thump-
However, it seemed that this would soone to an end.
The vibrations were getting closer day by day.
They must have devised some means to find him.
He had intended to hide and endure until they retreated by using his remaining points.
As such, he had deliberately saved points, eating only bread and water.
¡°Haaa¡¡±
There were no clear strategies to resolve this situation through the other items of the store. He alsocked the points to raise his VIP Grade.
Should he perhaps enjoy ast meal before being discovered?
Such thoughts crossed his mind.
Just then, something shed before his eyes.
[The Dimensional Store Update is progressing.]
¡°?¡±
After waiting for a moment, the [Integrated Dimensional Community] reactivated.
¡°Dimensional Store¡.¡±
Upon checking the Store tab within themunity, he noticed some changes.
Previously, items listed in the [Dimensional Store] could be chosen and transferred directly.
But now.
[Do you wish to connect to the ¡®Premium Store¡¯? Y/N]
Connect?
Something was different. But would it hurt to try? Although he didn¡¯t have many points, he thought he could at least look around.
The Administrator seemed to do many mysterious things, after all.
Whoosh-
When he epted, he felt dizzy as if being sucked somewhere, and he lost consciousness.
***
¡°Hup!¡±
Namgung Jin was startled and looked around.
¡°¡.¡±
He quickly fumbled around his waist. But he couldn¡¯t find his sword.
Let¡¯s calm down.
Only then did he start to see the people around him properly.
Shadows?
People in dark shadowy forms were looking around.
Namgung Jin realized that he also appeared as a shadow to others.
Where am I?
It felt like another world. That was how truly mysterious the space was.
An infinitely vast empty dark space with endless precise blue lines crisscrossing it, and floating numbers and letters glowing in blue, changingplexly in the air.
Turning his head, he saw a promotional video that had been a hot topic recently, disyed prominently. Something a bit unusual was that there were other videos besides the one with the woman in strange attire.
Is that armor? And what is that?
But he didn¡¯t have time to watch the video.
¡°Huh?¡±
He noticed everyone looking in one direction and felt curious, so he approached. It wasn¡¯t easy to get close with all the ck shadows around.
Drawn by somepulsion, he approached and opened his eyes in surprise.
H-How peerless¡!
A truly peerless beauty was smiling brightly.
[I¡¯m wishing you all luck, okay?]
Ah¡.
Namgung Jin now understood why people were gathered there. Even though he couldn¡¯t see the expressions on the shadows, everyone seemed entranced with their mouths open.
Ah¡ Could it be that Daji, a celestial beauty who was said to have brought down dynasties, had looked like this?
¡°They say she¡¯s an idol?¡±
¡°What¡¯s an idol?¡±
¡°How would I know?¡±
¡°Who are you, anyway?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Hey. Don¡¯t talk to me. Points get deducted.¡±
¡°What?!¡±
Namgung Jin ignored the surroundingmotion and checked his points. Just staying in this space was deducting points. It seemed that talking or doing something also quickly deducted points.
¡°M-mm.¡±
Themunity was abuzz because of that woman who was said to be an idol from the Gctic Empire.
?woah...
?uh...
?Argh! This must be an illusion!! I, who trained for 30 years in celibacy..!
?wow...
?all the beauty in the world is gathered there¡.
?crazy.. this is fucking crazy.. this is absolutely insane..
?iyaaaa¡ how can someone look like that?
?just looking at her makes me happy¡ this is the first time ive ever felt this way..
?how many grandchildren should we have?
?wo eh
?Where must I go to meet thatdy?
?Is it true that after creating that woman, God specifically created this universe to show her off?
Indeed, she was extraordinarily beautiful. So much so that words couldn¡¯t describe her beauty. At first, he thought he was under a Bewitching Technique. Although it was clear she was not one of the human species, it didn¡¯t matter.
Even if it meant spending all his remaining points before dying, it would be worth it just to admire her beauty.
[Don¡¯t you want to take a look?]
When he met her eyes, he lost strength in his legs. Before he knew it, he had clicked [Draw] as she rmended.
From the spot where she stood, a bright light shone, and electric currents began to surge from a round device on the floor.
Zap-
[Wow! I have a good feeling about this!]
Her radiant smile seemed to light up the surroundings.
Ah, wait! Oh no! Should I have just saved my points to admire her a bit longer?
A single draw cost a whopping 10,000P.
But perhaps it was worth it since he could make eye contact with her?
¡°Ha, my goodness.¡±
What a ridiculous situation. He definitely didn¡¯t feel any artificial maniption that woulde from something like a Beguile Technique.
[Don¡¯t be too disappointed if the result isn¡¯t good, okay?]
She was even saying words of concern for him in between.
Ding-
However.
[Oh my?]
-Ta-da~!
[Congrattions! You have drawn an SSR-Grade ¡®Vibrode¡¯!]
From the glowing floor, a golden me burst forth, and a long object appeared.
Simultaneously, golden letters sparkled and shed throughout the strange space.
[''JinNotGungjin'' has drawn an SSR-Grade ¡®Vibrode¡¯!]
¡°SSR means it''s incredible, right?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve watched, but no one¡¯s gotten one yet. It¡¯s a first, apparently.¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t been here long though, right?¡±
Namgung Jin was in a daze. With the woman¡¯s congrattions, questions were flying at him from all directions.
¡°How is it?¡±
¡°Vibro¡ de?¡±
¡°Is it different from the R-Grade Vibrode?¡±
¡°Tell us what is different.¡±
¡°Of course, the grades are different, so it can¡¯t be the same, right? Haa, you are truly hopeless too.¡±
¡°Look here, you¡!¡±
When he came to his senses and reached out to grab the long object¡
Ding-
[Insufficient points. Exiting the Premium Store.]
¡°!!¡±
He returned to reality.
Uh¡? Then what about that just now¡?
Panicking, he fumbled around and grabbed something.
Phew. What a reli¡
¡°Found him! Fire the signal re!¡±
¡°That rat-like bastard!¡±
¡°Report to the Captain!¡±
The situation in the vicinity had no intentions of waiting for /genesisforsaken
Chapter 44: SSR Weapon (1)
"What a waste of the name ''Azure Sky''. Who would have imagined a Namgung cowering like a bug in a hole?"
"Hahaha! Isn''t this just like those Orthodox Faction fools, clinging to their empty fame?"
"They spout all that hypocrisy, but look how scared he is when deathes knocking."
"We''ve wasted precious time thanks to this."
Their words pierced his lungs like daggers.
Namgung.
He knew it too.
That his current actions were unimaginable for a martial artist of the great Namgung n.
Even if it had allowed him to survive by evading their eyes...Was it perhaps due to his own shame?
He bit his lip, unable to refute their loud taunts clearly meant for his ears.
-Jin... You must survive at all costs. We can always rebuild the nter. But in order to do that, there needs to be you. So, you must live on.
These were his father''s words on the day their n burned due to the Demonic Sect''s schemes.
"Seeing as he''s not even responding, he must know it too."
"Hah! If only everyone could see him like this."
"At this point, he should know better and crawl out with his own two knees."
"..."
Was it truly right to endure such humiliation just to survive?
He still didn''t know. All he could feel were his heavy shoulders.
Even if he survived and rebuilt the n, how could he recover their trampled dignity and honor?
Was he enduring this shame only because of his father''sst words? Or deep down, did a part of him want to survive, no matter how ugly the means?
Countless thoughts left behind self-reproach and deep scars.
But he soon realized that even such worries were a luxury.
He had no choice.
He drew out the Formation Talisman his dear friend from the Zhuge n had made as a joke, and stood up.
Right. No matter what, he couldn''t just lie down and die by their des.
At the very least, he should die swinging his sword. That way, he could be a little less ashamed before his ancestors.
Namgung Jin tightly gripped the sword at his waist and slowly emerged from the underground cave. Even as he squeezed his body through the narrow passage barely wide enough for one person, he couldn''t help but feel shame.
Then he noticed the Formation Talisman and a ck dagger, one shaku(1³ß, 33cm) long, left behind in the cave he''d just exited.
...
At a nce, it looked like a t dagger shaped like a dark thorn. The long, triangr de was densely engraved with wave-like patterns resembling fish scales.
For some reason, the people around him had reacted with congrattions and envy, but he couldn''t really see why just based on its appearance.
Moreover, it was a dagger. Not exactly a bad weapon, but he was still a martial artist of the Namgung n. An unfamiliar weapon would only be a burden.
Yet for some reason, he couldn''t easily dismiss it.
Was the Administrator some ordinary person? His every action had stirred up the entiremunity like a maelstrom.
Something prepared by such a being could not possibly be ordinary.
Namgung Jin carefully grasped the dagger.
Cold and chilling, yet¡
Light as a feather.
Ting- Ting-
A clear metallic sound rang out as he flicked it a couple times with his finger.
Was this strange sense of expectation unavoidable?
But he was conflicted.
This might be hisst chance to wield a sword in this life.
It could perhaps, no, certainly be thest moment for the great Namgung n''s swordsmanship to dance in the heavens.
Shouldn''t he then proudly disy the banner of Namgung with the beloved sword he''d received from the previous n Lord and used for 7 years?
As he emerged from the cave covered in dirt and dust, about fifty martial artists were looking down at him.
"Even the Beggar''s Union wouldn''t stoop this low, right? He¡¯s even worse than vagrants. Kekeke."
"Hahaha! To think this is how the Namgung n ends!"
"Those hypocrites with their noses always in the air."
"Drag him out!"
"Yes, Vice Captain."
A young man about Namgung Jin''s age approached with a swish of his jet-ck martial arts uniform.
Fierce ck Qi seethed throughout the body of the youth, who seemed to be at the same First-Rate Realm.
His smug face made Jin''s blood boil. It was as if he was saying, ''I''ll crush you and earn everyone''s approval.''
At least Namgung Jin didn''t draw his sword to show off. He didn''t think it proper for a martial artist''s mindset, regardless of Orthodox or Demonic Paths.
What frustrated him was that the punk''s Inner Qi levels was certainly not below his own, and-
BANG-
"Cough."
That his own body wasn''t in a normal condition.
Namgung Jin''s beloved sword flew through the air and ttered to the ground. His wrist tingled from the recoil. He''d reflexively drawn his sword in response to the surprise attack, but clearlycked the strength.
Losing one''s weapon during battle was the worst thing that could happen to a martial artist. It showed just how abnormal his body''s condition was.
"Hahaha. Did you see that? He is like a flower in a greenhouse. Look at this fledgling with no realbat experience stubbornly sticking to textbook movements. Isn''t he the perfect example of those Orthodox Faction weaklings?"
Namgung Jin bit his lip at the young man''s words, who was clearly trying to elicit a response from the spectators.
His desire to show off as an experienced expert was obvious.
And it wasn''t like his words were wrong either.
"Haha. You are no different from a clown with a sword. The title of martial artist is wasted on you. Why don''t you try juggling instead! Hahaha."
The punk¡¯s Heart-Shattering w Technique sliced through the air once more. The sharp w-like weapon flooded Jin''s vision as it rushed in.
Seeing the vicious smile behind the approaching ws, Namgung Jin realized the punk''s true intentions. He was deliberately avoiding vital points, intending to go as far as to humiliate and degrade even Jin''s death.
You think things will go your way?!
Namgung Jin pulled out the dagger from his chest and leapt straight at the punk. He unleashed the Stab of Mutual Destruction, disregarding even death itself.
Even if it cannot be honorable, I will not let you mock even my death!
But was it because the dagger was too short? Or was it because his condition wasn''t in good health?
The punk easily avoided it by twisting his upper body before the dagger could reach him.
Damn it! If only it was just a bit longer!
"Is that one of the Mutual Destruction Movements from the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky?"
"Seems like it''s my first time seeing it in person."
"Hoho. My oh my, those Orthodox Faction fools. Even their Mutual Destruction Movements are so by-the-book. Tsk tsk. Isn''t that right, Blood Soul Sword Bi-Gwang?"
"..."
The Demonic Sect''s Namgung n Pursuit Team was an elite unit consisting of a Transcendent Realm Captain, over ten Peak Realm Vice Captains, and more than three hundred martial artists.
And Blood Soul Sword Bi-Gwang, the strongest among the Vice Captains, was tacitly leading the unit in ce of thezy Captain. As part of the the Blood Demon Sect Leader¡¯s direct line of descent, Bi-Gwang''s status was extraordinary.
That''s how desperately the Demonic Sect needed the Divine Relic sleeping in the Namgung n''s secret vault, and how much attention they were paying to it.
It was none other than the Heavenly Demon Sword! They had to recover the legendary Heavenly Demon Sword.
"Vice Captain Bi-Gwang? Why are you so quiet?"
"Haha. Come to think of it, I heard that young man was close to Vice Captain Bi-Gwang."
"He did seem quite skilled even among First-Rate experts."
But for some reason, Vice Captain Bi-Gwang, who usually became talkative when praised, was silent with his eyes wide open.
"Vice Captain Bi-Gwang?"
That''s when it happened.
"Vice Captain Bi-"
The voice of another Vice Captain who noticed something odd about Bi-Gwang was cut off.
It was just as Namgung Jin and the Demonic Sect martial artist shed once more.
Sruuk- Pshht-
With the blowing wind, one Vice Captain''s head slid off and fell, and a stream of blood spurted from around Blood Soul Sword Bi-Gwang''s heart before he copsed with a thud.
"Huh? Uh?"
"What?!"
"Vi-Vice Captain Bi-Gwang?"
An eerie silence descended among the Demonic Sect members. And then...
"Wh-What?!"
"Arghhhh!"
Suddenly, perhaps three or four martial artists started copsing, blood gushing from their chests. Without any warning. Not even a trace of internal energy was visible.
"!!"
"Wh-Who is it?!"
"What''s going on!"
Namgung Jin, in the midst of battle, had no idea what was happening. But for the watching Demonic Sect members, it was nothing short of a cmity.
"Whoever the venerable expert may be, please show yourself."
"You seem to be a hero of the Orthodox Faction. Let''s see your face and talk. Though our factions differ, we know how to respect our seniors."
The Demonic Sect Vice Captains were extremely tense. Surely it must be a hidden Master beyond their reach.
A sneak attack that even Peak Realm experts couldn''t sense! And from the Orthodox Factions no less!
No answer came, even until the end.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jin felt something odd even as he swung the dagger.
What is this? Am I imagining things?
For a moment, he felt a strange sensation as if the de was extending. But since the dagger was light as a feather, he thought it must be his imagination.
This bastard¡¯s Movement Technique is nothing to scoff at!
The opponent easily avoided his attacks, twisting his upper body and using light Footwork.
That''s when the bastard turned his head, distracted by themotion around them.
An opening!
Namgung Jin swung the dagger horizontally in a wide arc to cut the punk down.
"Die!"
"How clumsy. Do you think I, from a mere attack like that..."
The punk avoided the killing blow by pulling his body back sharply. Unlike before when he just twisted his upper body to dodge attacks. Not just his Movement Technique, but his Footwork was extraordinary too.
Damn! Is this the end?
He had no strength left to move.
Huh?
Only then did Namgung Jin notice his surroundings, and he couldn''t help but be shocked.
"Wh-What is going on?!"
Everything around was sliced up as if cut by a giant de. Even the ground and rocks weren''t spared.
Slideee-
And the opponent who had dodged started separating into upper and lower halves.
"Urk."
"?!"
What?
Namgung Jin couldn''t understand the situation for the life of him.
***
"What aplex passage. It is as messy as a tangled spider web."
It was unlike the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·.
"At any rate, it seems to have been connected here..."
Krie finally managed to find traces of the Dimensional Passage and locate the culprit. One could say she got lucky.
"I should deal with this quickly and return."
Dimensions outside Sephiroth were like the deep sea, and staying too long was bad for her Divinity. Not only was there contamination, but being out of reach of the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·, the touch of Mother, was rapidly draining her Divine Power. If more time passed, she might not be able to return.
"Hmm...?"
That''s when Krie''s eyes fell upon a woman with starlight hair.
"Wench! Do you know where this is?"
A woman who gave off an inexplicably chilling feeling.
But what did it matter!
After all, she was Krie, the great Supreme God who presided over an entire /genesisforsaken
Chapter 45: SSR Weapon (2)
***
"Hmm."
Silvery liquid dripped from Maxien''s hand. The droplets scattered and vanished in mid-air.
She tasted a drop of the silver blood with her tongue.
"High-purity Ether? No, it seems a bit different..."
A faint trace of interest flickered across her face.
It was when she was returning to the defense after clearing the Kaijus outside the Barrier. After detecting an anomalous Astral Signal nearby, she headed straight there. Upon arrival, a 4-meter tall humanoid entity with red hair had appeared in space.
"A new type of Numbered Entity?"
It was a Kaiju that seemed to want tomunicate, in a rather deranged sort of way.If the troublesome types among mass-produced generic Kaijus were called ¡®Named Types¡¯, then¡¯"Numbered Entities¡¯ could be considered a higher ss of evolved Kaijus.
Higher-level Kaijus possessing independence and uniqueness.
Their sizes ranged from human-sized subminiatures to-sized giants, making them difficult to gauge.
And some are unnervingly human-like.
Since Numbered Entities came in all shapes and forms, it wasn¡¯t all that big of a surprise for one to look exactly like a human. It also seemed to emit the peculiar waves characteristic of Kaijus.
Of course, that red-haired one from earlier was subtly different. It felt somewhat weak to be called a Numbered Entity.
Hmm. If it had survived longer, could it have received a four-digit number?
It was naturally gifted in the art of escaping.
I hope I can see it again...
At some point in time, silvery blood had started swirling around her like a vast river.
Almost as if all the blood had been extracted from the entire body of something massive.
She called the cleanup crew on the ship and ordered them to collect the silver liquid.
***
"Keuaaahk!"
C-Crazy bitch!
Krie trembled with fear.
"I-If I had been just a little slower...!"
Goosebumps raised on her skin. She was truly a terrifying madwoman.
The eyes of the woman who had suddenly swung her sword were filled with intense insanity. In addition to that inexplicable madness, her gleaming eyes, which looked at Krie as if she were an inanimate object, were filled with curiosity.
How to put it? Wasn¡¯t it a bit like a child ying with an insect?
The moment Krie first met her gaze, she felt a deep sense of displeasure.
How dare she not know her ce...!
But even that onlysted for a moment
A sharp sh pierced through her. She tried to shout that such a crude attack would be useless, but...
"KEUAAAAH!!"
Arge amount of silver blood flowed from her pierced abdomen.
The moment the sh touched her, she sensed something was wrong. She quickly realized that this extraordinary attack could damage even her Divinity.
Krie hastily summoned her Divine Power. Silver mes enveloped her body.
However.
sh- sh- sh-
She couldn''t believe the sight of her own flesh being mercilessly cut apart. In the end, she had no choice but to start erging herself, epting the loss of Divine Power.
Her shed and split flesh recovered instantly, and her entire body grew endlessly. The Divine Power that had been confined in her small body burst out explosively, exuding a terrifying pressure around her.
[O¡¯ insignificant mortal.]
The giant Krie, surrounded by silver mes, truly looked like a god.
Power surged through her entire body. A power deep enough to turn a mere mortal to dust just by meeting her gaze.
Ah, ah...
Yes, this was the feeling.
The sensation of overlooking the world and holding the fate of insignificant beings in her grasp. It felt as if the power to split the heavens and earth, to destroy the world, was erupting from within her body.
[Fear me. And revere me.]
She didn''t know why that woman was in the vast realm of the void, instead of nted onto the ground.
[Die.]
But why would she need to know the circumstances of an insignificant being?
Her giant hand, carrying her will, swept through space. It should have been impossible to avoid.
[Hm?]
Was she mistaken? For a moment, she thought she saw the corners of the woman''s mouth curled up gently...
[KEUAAAAAAH!!]
An unbelievable, terrible scream echoed from the giant body. Twelve shes of light were tearing through her body, cutting it apart mercilessly as if slicing tofu.
At that moment, she concluded her judgment.
This... is not an existence I can face!
The moment she realized it was not the time to assert her pride, she immediately abandoned her erged body and separated only her soul to escape.
If the starlight-haired woman hadn''t been treating her like an experiment, adjusting the power of her attacks moderately, even that might not have been easy.
"Huh? Are you running away?"
Though she couldn''t understand thenguage at all, she had no choice but to abandon most of the Divinity residing in her physical body, inwardly grinding her teeth.
She immediately opened a dimensional rift and threw herself in.
sh-
[Keuk! This vicious wench!]
Even in that moment when only her soul was escaping, the woman''s attack grazed her, causing severe damage.
Is it those bastards from ¡¶Chaos¡·? No, maybe it¡¯s the ¡¶Trichiliocosm¡·?
No matter how she thought about it, the situation was not good at all.
Her mind raced withplicated thoughts.
But what did that matter now?
Having lost most of her power, she was about to drift through an unknown dimension!
Ah...
She remembered how herpanion used to criticize her, saying, ¡®Your impatience will bring great trouble someday¡¯.
However, what¡¯s the use of regretting what''s already done?
After finding a suitable dimension and gathering strength...!
At that moment, her eyes caught sight of the interface of a certain dimension.
It seemed slightly damaged and loose, as if she could somehow break through with her remaining strength.
[Just you wait!]
Right when Krie barely managed to open a gap in the interface by gathering her remaining strength¡
A red sword light flew towards her.
[KKEUAAAAAAAHK!!!]
***
Namgung Jin spent nearly an hour calling out for someone who he wasn¡¯t even sure were ancient or just deceased, before realizing it was an illusion.
It wasn''t some hidden Master. It wasn''t a virtuous swordsman from the Orthodox Faction passing by to help him. It wasn''t even the deities of heavens and earthing to his aid.
It wasn''t anyone''s help¡ It was solely due to¡
Is it... really just because of this sword?
The dagger obtained from the Administrator''s special Store. While unique in appearance, no matter how he looked at it, it was still just a dagger.
His hand trembled slightly. He had already finished some simple experiments.
When he lightly swung the sword, it cut through everything in its path regardless of terrain. When he thrust the dagger, it pierced a hole in the center of a rock 10 zhang (1 zhang = 3.03m) away.
Wh-What?
"..."
Namgung Jin stared down at the dagger, dumbfounded. This time, he enhanced his eyesight and hearing with Inner Qi and swung it again.
Sliceeee-
He seemed to hear a clean slicing sound as if the air itself was being cut.
But even with enhanced vision, he couldn''t see it properly.
I-Is this even possible?
Sword Qi? Sword Force? Or was this perhaps what the Mind Sword would be like?
Moreover, what is this unbelievable cutting power?
Then he realized something and immediately essed the [Premium Store] of the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
As expected, ck shadows were gathered around her at a certain distance, murmuring amongst themselves.
He called out to her without realizing it.
"Y-Young Lady! Could you please tell me how to use this dagger I received from you?"
Fortunately, she seemed to hear him. While proceeding with other people''s [Draws], she turned her head towards him, smiled, and waved her hand lightly.
When she did so, golden letters appeared before his eyes.
[Vibrode (SSR)]
-A highly stic weapon with a small amount of Eternium added. It automatically extends by analyzing the user''s motion and is essentially a double de which consists of a core de that causes material dposition waves and a monomolecr de that maximizes cutting power. Its durability is also excellent, and it is said that the great Karlst¡
Some kind of exnation seemed to be written, but he couldn''t understand it properly. Was it because he hadn''t slept well for the past few days?
Then he realized that just the act of staying here alone was deducting Karma Points, so he hurriedly terminated the connection.
Only then did he notice his remaining Points.
Huh?!
Was it because of cutting down those evil Demonic Cultists? Karma Points had umted.
[Remaining Points: 116,520P]
He was sure he had used up all his points and was at ''0''...
The days of eating only bread and water to save points shed through his mind.
Of course, he had done so to hide and endure as long as possible, but he couldn¡¯t help but drool while looking at othermunity users'' boastful posts. However, even if he hadn''t saved, it wasn¡¯t like he could do much with just 10,000 points. It took 10,000 points just to rise to VIP Grade 1, after all.
But...
T-The P-Points just multiplied?! Is this some sort of duplication technique?
A form that couldn¡¯t help but be drawn was forming in his mind.
If one Demonic Cult Master equals that, then...?
The sight of more Demonic Cult warriors approaching from afar filled his vision.
However, they now started to look like nothing more than walking /genesisforsaken
Chapter 46: SSR Weapon (3)
***
Unbelievable.
This doesn''t make any sense.
"Why? How?"
Soul Chaser Huan Huan Yao Yao tightly shut his eyes to the devastation around him.
How did ite to this?
He had prided himself on never being surprised by anything, having reached the Transcendent Realm through Illusion Techniques.
"How..."
His voice trembled slightly, his graying hair tied up as he approached fifty years of age.People tend to feel fear when faced with sights they cannotprehend.
"Cough."
It had started simply enough.
All they had to do was chase down the one remnant left of the fallen Namgung n and find the key to their secret vault.
It was a task that could have been handled by sending just one Peak expert from the sect, without him needing to get involved.
However, due to the importance of the matter and the need for swift resolution, he had deployed his subordinate units to cast a Net of Heaven and Earth.
He had been getting irritated, wondering where the target had been hiding all this time without a trace. Moreover, even the Vice Captain who had reported finding the target had gone silent, pushing his irritation to the extreme.
Was it because he usually left the unit management to them out ofziness? He thought it might be time to instill some discipline.
That''s when they found him. The Namgung n''s young brat.
Judging by the surrounding traces, it seemed his subordinates had already been dealt with. Surprising, considering the target appeared to be nothing more than a fresh-faced youth at the First-Rate Realm.
However, it could not be forgotten that he was an old hand who had roamed the ever so dangerous Jianghu for many years.
Before he even showed his surprise, he immediately made his move.
Jianghu was full of entric individuals and events that defied logic. If one were to be surprised by each of these, their head would be the first to fall off.
Though he sensed only a handful of Inner Qi from his opponent, he didn''t let his guard down.
He unleashed his Phantom Cloud Demonic Art. A vicious Illusion Technique that traps the target in a fog, showing them visions of being endlessly attacked by the beings they fear most.
His unique martial art that leads to death as the victim''s Inner Qi ispletely drained while they struggle in vain!
However, just as the brat seemed to fall for the illusion, iling his arms in panic like a startled deer...
Along with the brat''s scream, a scene of hell on earth unfolded.
***
"Have you heard that rumor?"
"Ah, about the Intangible Divine Sword?"
"Who doesn''t know about him these days? About the Intangible Divine Sword who can cut you just by meeting your gaze."
"Haha. That''s right. But from what I''ve heard, they say the Intangible Divine Sword is actually from the Namgung n bloodline?"
"There are rumors that a Sword Immortal descended from the heavens and possessed thest direct descendant of the Namgung n to punish the Demonic Cult bastards."
"Anyway, it''s fortunate. Thanks to him, the Demonic Cult bastards have all retreated, iming they need to regroup, right?"
"They say heroes emerge in times of chaos, and this fits perfectly."
The bustling inn suddenly fell silent. It was because everyone was listening intently to the conversation between the two martial artists. Realizing this, the martial artists cleared their throats and began speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"But... there are also rumors like this. Some say the Intangible Divine Sword was originally just an ordinary martial artist who obtained the power of an Immortal through human sacrifice, driven mad by revenge. Otherwise, how could someone jump from First-Rate to the realm of the Mind Sword in an instant? It doesn''t make sense!"
"Hieek!"
"How dare you speak of him like that!"
"Oh my, oh my."
The mention of human sacrifice caused a briefmotion in the quiet inn. Clearly, everyone showed great interest in the Intangible Divine Sword. Moreover, the martial artist speaking had deliberately chosen provocative words.
"Hmm... It''s true that when he ughters the Demonic Cult members, his face is filled with a terrifying aura."
"You know about that day too, right? The day the Heavenly Demon Sword appeared in the world."
"Kkkeung. That day, I truly thought a God of War, no, an Asura had descended."
The martial artist who continued speaking shuddered slightly, seemingly recalling the events of that day.
The incident that made the Intangible Divine Sword known throughout the Central ins, also called the ''Demon Sword Blood Battle''.
The Intangible Divine Sword brought the Heavenly Demon Sword to the Martial Alliance and made a grand announcement.
-The Heavenly Demon Sword you seek is in my hands! Come and fight me if you dare. I shall be waiting at Hubei, where the Wudang Sect used to be, in half a month!
It was the day when 30% of the Demonic Cult''s invasion force for the Central ins had gathered.
For some reason, even the Martial Alliance went to great lengths to publicize the Intangible Divine Sword''s outrageous deration.
And when that day came.
It was said that barely over a hundred Demonic Cult members survived to return.
Rumors spread like wildfire.
It wasn''t just Demonic Cult members who gathered in Hubei, where Wudang Mountain was located, on that day.
From wandering warriors who came to watch after hearing the rumors, to a significant number from the Orthodox Factions, and even officials from the government; they all came to witness.
An explosive tension enveloped Wudang Mountain. It was tense enough that a war could have broken out at any moment.
However.
-This is a personal matter rted to the Heavenly Demon Sword, so others should not interfere! Even if it is you Demonic Cult members! If you touch anyone else, you shall never find the Heavenly Demon Sword!
At first, the Demonic Cult members couldn''t hide their sneers. But that didn''tst long. As soon as he started moving, their expressions turned pale.
Those who witnessed the horrific scene that day didn''t dare to even think of challenging the Intangible Divine Sword.
It was a divine might so alien that everyone who watched somehow felt a sense of difort.
The phenomenon of hundreds of Demonic Cult members being separated with a single strike was enough to even cause a pandemic of optical illusions. After all, it couldn¡¯t be true.
Is there something wrong with my eyes? Why does it seem like my vision is split in half?
Eventually, a windstorm of Sword Qi erupted, inexplicably splitting everything within a 20-zhang radius around the Intangible Divine Sword.
The events of that day were still a hot topic of discussion.
"For some reason, they say he''s gone into seclusion now."
"Indeed. If he had pushed a little more, we could have driven out all the Demonic Cult members. What a shame."
"I heard it is because of the karma from killing."
"But weren''t those gathered at Mount Hubei that day the ones who had trampled the Central ins andmitted all sorts of heinous crimes? Why should the Intangible Divine Sword suffer mental anguish for that?!"
"Well... who knows. How can ignorant folks like us presume to understand his intentions?"
Surely, no one would dare to question the Intangible Divine Sword who had gone into seclusion.
And as for Namgung Jin.
sh-
[Reflex Enhancement Pill (R)]
- A pill that slightly increases the body''s reflexes and dynamic visual acuity.
sh-
[Force Field Control Device (SR)]
- A device that generates, fixes, and controls a hexagonal force field with a diameter of 60cm. It can be fixed to coordinates in mid-air, and its power source is...
sh-
[Semi-Permanent Barrier Generation Ring (SR)]
- A semi-permanent barrier generation ring that can be used even by ordinary people who can''t handle Ether. Directly designed by the Gctic Empire''s top designer...
He had obtained the Void Step Footwork and Protective Reinforced Qi.
***
-Author: JinNotGungjin
-Title: Is this good?
I got a Vibrode (SSR) on my first draw.. Is this good?
-Author: JinNotGungjin
-Title: I am relieved. I have been going through some tough times recently. It is not easy to talk about.
But still...
-Author: JinNotGungjin
-Title: This is what I got this time..
A bit disappointing. SR is just average, right?
Virdel closed themunity page with a frown. The posts she had just seen were controversial topics that had been causing a stir recently.
"..."
There was something vaguely unpleasant about those posts.
While she personally didn''t care much, if they were posts inciting discord within themunity, she would have to intervene directly, so she couldn''t help but worry.
Recently, changes in the [Integrated Dimensional Community] had led to a rapid increase in users.
If the new users were just engaging in normal activities, she wouldn''t need to pay much attention, but the reality was different.
With the surge in users, the number of ''abnormal'' users had also increased dramatically, keeping her busytely. Of course, the new Moderator ''MagicIsJustForSupport'' seemed to be working hard, so she still had time to practice her swordsmanship.
She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.
Ssseup- Haaaa...
The sound of the flowing waterfall faded away, followed by the babbling of the stream. Even the chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind disappeared as she gradually sank into the deep world of nothingness within herself.
All her bodily sensations focused inward, maintaining a state somewhere between the unconscious and conscious realms.
Twitch-
She felt something the size of a millet grain twitch near her heart. It felt different from the power source of her suit.
How to put it? A silver me, perhaps?
Whenever she entered her Imagery Domain, a silver me was always present.
What could it be?
She didn''t know.
But she couldn''t ignore it either.
That day not long ago, when she felt she had ovee a small wall while practicing her Dimensional sh.
She was aware that she had cut and annihted something, but she didn''t know what it was.
She could only worry about the anomalies that had urred since then.
Especially since obtaining this me, the strange sensations had been gradually expanding.
It was as if she could almost tangibly feel the world, the existence of dimensions.
But pondering alone yielded no answers, and it seemed she would have to ask the Administrator.
She hesitated, wondering if she dared to speak to him first, but...
She bit her lip and steeled her resolve.
[(DevilKingVirdel): Uh... Excuse me... May I ask you something?]
[(Cosmic Emperor): Yeah?]
Her face, which had been pale, regained some color as she received an immediate response.
[(DevilKingVirdel): Well... It is about something that happened recently....]
She earnestly exined the phenomena she had been experiencing.
[(Cosmic Emperor): Hmm. Is that so?]
Fortunately, he seemed to show /genesisforsaken
Chapter 47: The Overlord Guides The Way (1)
***
"A silver me, is it..."
Karlstein looked down at the new Kaiju report he was reviewing.
"Hmm..."
The report detailed Maxien''s encounter and elimination of a new Kaiju species, including its ability to grow in size and its appearance.
Just escaping from Maxien was enough for it to be assigned a four-digit Numbering. Even if it was at the bottom, there was a reason it was registered as a Numbered Entity - its potential danger. It appeared near the Barrier and seemed adept at surprise attacks and escapes.
Is it really a Kaiju?
They were currently researching its silver blood from various angles. It showed properties simr to Ether and had extremely high reactivity with the Astral Dimension.
However, its properties differed significantly from typical Kaiju body fluids, which was puzzling. It felt like something crucial was missing, perhaps due to insufficient research.It definitely does seem like it could be a key material for dimensional travel, though...
Even as just a supplementary material, it seemed to have various potential applications.
"Silver, huh..."
Karlstein''s eyes flickered with greed.
Could there be a connection between the silver me Virdel mentioned and the blood of the Kaiju that escaped from Maxien?
He had already received the analysis data from Virdel''s Enhancement Suit, Hydra. While there were limitations to the analysis due to it being a suit, it would still be helpful.
The rest was up to his subordinates to figure out.
But still...
¡°Maybe there are¡ more of those bastards? It would be nice to have more samples."
Karlstein clicked his tongue in disappointment.
***
Somewhere deep within the ¡¶Root¡· of the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·.
A woman, half-reclining on a massive throne made of silver tree trunks, yawned.
"These Rootlets don''t seem to be doing their job properly these days."
The woman''s appearance was beautiful as if painted, with her white hair emitting a soft silver glow, giving off a mysterious, arcane aura.
Hernguid eyes soon filled with irritation as her brows furrowed.
"Come to think of it, it is pretty infuriating, isn¡¯t it? If they received Sacred Blood, shouldn''t they be doing what they''re supposed to?"
As her voice exuded anger, the space around her began to ripple. A thin tree branch slowly descended from the ceiling and gently patted her shoulder.
The irritation in her eyes vanished as if it had never been there. Her hand, now full of serenity and apology, caressed the tree branch.
"Ahhh, Mother. I am sorry. I got unnecessarily excited. It''s because the children''s condition hasn''t been goodtely."
A drop of viscous silver sap formed at the tip of the tree branch.
"Well... It won''tst long, I suppose. With the busy situation at the front lines these days, some useful children have been pushed there too."
The woman smiled as she savored the drop of sap.
"More importantly, I hear some madman from the ¡¶Chaos¡· faction is stirring up trouble at the front lines? I wonder what those up above are doing... We should deal with it quickly to ease Mother''s worries."
The tree branch gently stroked the woman before curling back up.
"Haaa. Still, punishment is necessary. Those who couldn''t even meet their quotas..."
Silver mes enveloped her hand, and as she swung it, several human-like figures fell from within the mes.
"Shall confess truthfully before I shatter your dimensions."
Her sternmand was directed at the fallen figures.
Though they resembled humans, these beings with unique appearances were initially bewildered.
But that didn''tst long.
Whether it was the man who seemed to have been eating something, or the woman who appeared to have been engaged in some sensual activity.
They all immediately prostrated themselves, trembling violently.
The woman on the throne was one of the ¡¶Roots¡· blessed by the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·.
Her position was different from these beings who merely received scraps of grace from the true ''Roots''.
These suddenly summoned beings were mere tenants who appealed to the Root''s mercy so that they could borrow areas to manage. They were called ''Rootlets''.
The woman on the throne continued her rebuke, her voice alone exuding intense pressure.
"Recently, one Rootlet has left their assigned territory. And in doing so, ruined their domain."
Those summoned so suddenly could only listen, their bodies trembling.
How dare someone have the audacity to defy a Root?
Come to think of it, they had heard rumors about someone who couldn''t even meet their quota recently...
"I''ll give you a chance to find out what happened."
They could have argued about how this troublemaker had anything to do with them.
But they dared not even think of going against the woman on the throne.
"Now, disappear."
As the woman on the throne lightly waved her hand, the prostrated figures vanished instantly.
They must have returned to where they were before being summoned.
The woman on the throne sighed as she watched them disappear.
"Surely, they haven''t attached themselves to another side, have they?"
As she bit her lip and frowned, a heavy atmosphere descended upon the great hall where the throne stood.
"How dare they betray the great Mother who governs dimensions?"
While it couldn''t be said that they hadplete control, even ¡¶Chaos¡· and the ¡¶Trichiliocosm¡· couldn''t handle dimensions as well as their n. This was an undeniable fact.
Her aura turned chillingly cold.
"It seems we need to make an example..."
Grind-
***
"Are you really not going to tell us what method you used?"
"Hoho. All this is to uphold the banner of Jianghu, isn''t it? But are you not abandoning the greater cause due to greed?"
Namgung Jin, known as the Intangible Divine Sword, bit his lip.
What greed?
He wanted to strongly argue that it was they who were being greedy, but Namgung Jin silently bit his lip instead.
An Elder who survived the bloodbath at Wudang Sect and an old man from the Beggar''s Union sent by the Murim Alliance were looking at him with solemn expressions.
"After all, that incident urred at Wudang Mountain, our Wudang Sect''s main mountain, did it not? Surely I have the right to know. Am I making an unreasonable request?"
The Wudang Elder''s venomous gaze scanned Namgung Jin up and down. It was the look of someone who had already experienced the extinction of their sect and had nothing left to lose.
"Tsk tsk. Our Murim Alliance has been supporting you more than anyone else. We deployed our hundred thousand Beggar''s Union members to spread your message far and wide, working day and night to restore the Namgung n''s honor. But this uncooperative attitude of yours is a bit disrespectful towards that, is it not?"
Namgung Jin felt a surge of emotion at the mention of the Namgung n, but he forcibly held it back.
It was true that they had helped spread his deration of war widely. And it was also true that he needed the Murim Alliance''s cooperation to rebuild the Namgung n.
Reviving a n wasn''t possible with one¡¯s strength alone.
Because establishing a n required more than just military might.
Reputation, honor, and history needed to be built anew. A n without tradition was nothing more than a group of powerful thugs. Nothing more, nothing less.
And without the Murim Alliance''s help, rebuilding the Namgung n would take far too long, if it was even possible at all. Especially considering the nature of the power he possessed.
The n Lord must have fought fiercely against these wolves.
After all, was it even possible for there to be a gathering of people without politics? This must have been true even for the lofty Namgung n of the Azure Sky.
Do they have no fear, even after witnessing that day''s battle? He had already handed over the Heavenly Demon Sword as the Murim Alliance wanted, did he not?
Namgung Jin''s eyes shed dangerously.
Honestly, if he set his mind to it, dealing with these people wouldn''t be impossible right now. No, it would be as easy as plucking flowers by the roadside.
If it weren''t for the need to rebuild his n, Namgung Jin might not have had such concerns.
However.
What would happen if he cut them down?
They would start spreading rumors about Sorcery and the Demonic Path, branding him as an enemy of Jianghu. The Murim Alliance was already on high alert regarding his might that seemed to have reached a divine status.
And after that?
Yes, of course, he might be able to sweep away the Murim Alliance if he fought them. No, it wouldn''t be impossible at all.
But what then? Would he keep ughtering all who opposed him while shouting the name of Namgung? What if the government intervened then? And what about after he died?
If... he did whatever he wanted, how would he be any different from a Demonic Human?
Perhaps these people were acting this way because they knew this fact as well.
As his thoughts became moreplicated, he began to feel a sense of futility.
Of course, these people weren''t just making unreasonable demands for no reason. They weren''t actually spouting nonsense about revealing the true source of his divine might.
However, what they wanted was for him to unconditionally follow the Murim Alliance''s control.
In simple terms, they wanted him to do exactly as they said. In return, they would actively help rebuild the Namgung n.
Aplex emotion flickered in Namgung Jin''s eyes.
Yes, he could swing his sword a few times as they ordered.
ording to their argument, they were telling him to use that power for the right cause. If not that, then at least do as they say.
But what they wanted went too far.
It seemed they wanted the annihtion of everyone associated with the Demonic Cult, from viges forced to cooperate due to threats, to those quietly farming in the One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
It seemed to be both a way to secure political leverage against him and a check against the government. Namgung Jin couldn''t grasp anything beyond that yet.
Still... even so.
There''s a ''line'' that shouldn''t be crossed if one is human. This was true even for Namgung Jin, who had been blinded by the seduction of Karma Points.
These people were urging him to cross that ''line''.
Would he only be satisfied if he exchanged these frustrating old men for Karma Points? Must he really go that far?
Namgung Jin''s gaze flickered back and forth with hisplex emotions.
"..."
Finally, determination settled in his eyes. He couldn''t be dragged along forever.
And at that moment, someone appeared on the continent where Namgung Jin was, tearing through space.
She, who felt a deep disillusionment towards humans.
A woman wearing dark red full-body armor appeared at the One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, the main base of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
"Ah...!"
Though damaged and torn in ces, her full-body armor was imbued with a faint silver /genesisforsaken
Chapter 48: The Overlord Guides The Way (2)
***
[External Ether Cirction System Operating]
[Rapid Self-Recovery System - Body Damage 12.32%, 2 hours 43 minutes 28 seconds until full recovery]
[Emergency Repair System - Enhancement Suit Damage 32.05%, 7 hours 15 minutes 21 seconds until full repair]
[Remaining Power 3.2%]
She couldn''t muster any strength in her body.
When was thest time she felt this much pain? It seemed like she hadn''t experienced it in the past few months.
She barely managed to open her eyes and tried to move her fingers.She could move her body, but couldn''t exert proper strength.
Her eyes were open, but her vision was blurry and her ears were ringing.
Extreme exhaustion. That was exactly it.
"Ugh."
Was it because she rushed too much?
While practicing the Dimensional sh, there was some kind of change in the silver me within her body. It was just a tiny movement, but she could feel the difference.
Focusing on that strange sensation as she trained, she felt the silver me spread throughout her body, heating it up, and then her sh in the void cut through something solid.
From the split in the void, a suction force along with wind pulled at her entire body.
At that moment, she had to make a choice. Whether to surrender her body to this flow or give up.
She knew herself. That what just happened was mere coincidence. It wasn''t a result achieved entirely by her own skill.
However, the reason she hesitated was because of a vague intuition that if she threw herself into this flow, she might discover the key to the Dimensional sh.
She had been feeling frustrated, hitting a massive wall in her Dimensional sh training with no progress. It couldn''t be easy to cut something that didn''t actually exist, after all.
While she hesitated, the gap was closing. She had to make a decision quickly.
Then she realized that she could no longer feel the silver me within her body. Whether this was temporary or not, she didn''t know, but thinking that this opportunity might note easily again, she boldly threw herself in.
"!!"
A massive torrent engulfed her. It felt like diving into a steel wave with her bare body. She didn''t resist. She simply felt and engraved into her body every aspect of the torrent''s flow, texture, intensity, and speed.
The silver me in her body had disappeared, but the strange sensation of physically feeling the dimension was clearer than ever.
Time that seemed tost forever passed, and when her Power, which had been at 98%, was about to run out, she sensed danger and swung her sword with all her might to escape.
"Haa."
But was it because she had consumed too much mental energy? Her eyes, which were barely maintaining consciousness, began to close again.
When she opened her eyes again, numerous people were watching her.
***
"A person appeared from the Sacred me? And during the Sacred me Ceremony?"
"Isn''t this nothing short of a Divine Maiden descending?"
"That''s right. It''s not possible to deceive the eyes of so many Masters who were present, is it?"
"Shh! Be careful. Do you not know there is a lot of talk about this issue right now?"
This was the conversation between the elders of the Heavenly Demon Cult before Virdel regained consciousness.
"But judging by the appearance of the armor, isn''t it a woman? Why is the Cult Leader so concerned? After all, the Divine Maiden''s Order cannot interfere with our cult except for rituals."
"It''s because of the legend of the First Heavenly Demon, isn''t it?"
"The First Heavenly Demon? Ah..."
"You know, the legend that says the First Heavenly Demonmanded the world wearing dark red Asura armor and wielding the Heavenly Demon Sword."
"Ah yes... And then came to the One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, left the Sacred me, and founded the cult."
"It was a long time ago, though."
Currently, the Cult Leader was having a heated discussion with representatives of the Senatus and the Divine Maiden''s Order.
Some Elders were observing them from a distance.
"My, how the Cult Leader''s status has changed."
"Well, the current Cult Leader has caused many problems, starting with the issue of legitimate session..."
"He managed to unite everyone recently with the invasion of the Central ins, but... then that Intangible Divine Sword or whatever appeared and it all fell apart. Tsk tsk."
In previous generations, it would have been unthinkable to see such open defiance against the Cult Leader''s words.
The 32nd Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Cheon Yugang, was not a leader who ascended through normal means. He was a figure who rose to power through all sorts of sinister schemes. There was no small amount of opposition within the cult.
Moreover, after bing the Cult Leader, he threw away his previously shrewd demeanor and became a leader full of greed and stubbornness. It was inevitable that there would be such opposition. Even among the cult''s senior members, many were frustrated with the current situation.
"Anyway, since it''s been decided to ce her on the altar, let''s move quickly."
"Let''s do that."
And so, Virdel was ced on the Sacred me Altar.
***
"...How unpleasant."
She lowered her head and took in her surroundings.
In the vast underground cavern, scattered torches dimly lit the dark za. She was lying on an altar, and nearby, blue mes roared in a massive brazier.
At a distance, people in unfamiliar attire surrounded her, observing.
It was as if they were watching a monkey in a zoo, wasn¡¯t it?
Her mood rapidly deteriorated. Unpleasant memories from the past began to surface. The trauma that had led her to despise humans came flooding back.
Ah...
In the past, whenever crowds looked up at her, all sorts of insults, stones, and gazes of contempt and hatred would fly at her. Even if those who threw stones and shouted at her like enemies must have known she had done them no harm.
There was no trace of reason in the madness of the crowd. They just needed someone to curse, to tear apart, to hate.
Even though she understood this, epting it was a different matter. Indescribably horrible negative emotions were directed at her, and she couldn''t help but be exhausted.
What troubled her the most was...
Not the insults, not the stones, not the gazes of others, but her own emotions.
It didn''t take long for negative emotions no less intense than the madness of the crowd to build up in her devastated heart. At some point, she began to hate herself for making the choices she had in the past, and the tribespeople who had forced her to step up. In the end, she even started to resent her grandfather, the Tribal Chief, and her mother.
Horrified by herself, she buried her emotions and cut off her thoughts.
If it hadn''t been for that final reunion with her mother, she might have gone mad forever.
What remained for her was a terrible misanthropy. Added to that was a great interest and curiosity about the Administrator. She wondered if this terrible hatred for humans would disappear when she finally met him. Everything else was secondary.
As she opened her eyes and looked down from the altar, numerous gazes filled with different desires were directed at her.
Throb-
Some eyes were filled with wariness, some with greed, some were full of thoughts of using her, and some held unpleasant desires.
Somehow, she could naturally understand their words.
Whoosh-
"The heavens have sent down a messenger to aid me. Now that you have regained consciousness, quickly introduce yourself."
"Covering one''s face before the Sacred me is truly disrespectful. Shouldn''t we start by removing the helmet and then begin the conversation?"
"The armor couldn''t be removed earlier, I''m curious about what''s inside."
"If it''s a woman, there happens to be a vacant position for the Cult Leader''s new wife..."
They were all speaking at once, casting interested nces at her. Some had their hands on their sword hilts, wary, while others were slowly approaching her.
Then.
nk- Whoosh!
The underground cave shook for a moment, and the Sacred me in the massive brazier began to burn fiercely.
Instantly, the faces of the cult members watching her turned serious. Even the 32nd Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Cheon Yugang, was no exception.
"Wh-Why is the Sacred me...!"
"What does this mean?"
"All demons shall worship and submit to the seconding of the Heavenly Demon!"
"Hoho."
"All demons shall worship and submit to the seconding of the Heavenly Demon!"
"Uh, uh?"
The surroundings suddenly became noisy. Shock spread across the faces of all cult members in the underground cavern. Some were already banging their heads on the ground, chanting "All demons shall worship and submit to the seconding of the Heavenly Demon!", while others had even drawn their swords.
With the fiercely burning Sacred me at her back, her mouth slowly opened.
"From now on, answer all the questions I''m about to ask."
Her piercing gaze swept over those below the altar.
How exactly had she dealt with the Empire?
There wasn¡¯t much to it.
It''s not like she went around killing and destroying everything. The Administrator didn''t seem to like that approach either.
However, if there was one point where she felt she was in tune with the Administrator, it was this:
Kill everything that''s bothersome.
Having dered herself a Devil, she had no reservations.
There was just one exception:
Leave alone the utterly ordinary humans who live modestly without greed.
But humans who indulge in greed,mit crimes, or harm others?
Eliminate them all.
Of course, even with just that, the Empire had disintegrated.
Yes, perhaps she had deliberately sought reasons to kill humans.
"What are your sins?"
At her words, displeased emotions clouded the faces of the cult /genesisforsaken
Chapter 49: The Overlord Guides The Way (3)
[External Ether Cirction System]
This system, also known as ''External Ether Cirction Operation'', was essentially an achievement she had obtained on her own. It went beyond simply circting Power within the Enhancement Suit, constructing a cirction circuit within the body and functioning like a second organ.
This was her talent and aplishment that even the Administrator had praised, saying she had done well.
Whirr-
The remaining 3% Power began to circte through her body and suit, exerting force.
3% Power.
It was an extremely small amountpared to when she used to consume 10% for a single Vacuum sh in the past. Enough to run out of Power after moving just a few times. However, she hadn''t been idle either.
This Power Source was an unknown energy that could show vastly different results depending on how it was utilized.
She was confident she could demonstrate the same performance as before while using only a tiny fraction of the Power.She tightly gripped the gauntlet of her suit.
Creak-
The sound of metal screaming echoed from her fist.
Noticing her fighting spirit, people began to rush at her from all directions. Some who had been hiding in the ceiling and shadows suddenly jumped out, thrusting their swords at her.
She slowly acknowledged the situation around her and nodded.
Indeed, her eyes hadn''t been wrong. People who carry weapons and draw swords at the slightest provocation couldn''t possibly be normal.
The corner of her mouth twitched.
There was no need to go to the trouble of finding an excuse.
Let''s see.
She had experienced one-against-many battle situations to the point of nausea. So she knew well how to effectively lead the fight.
As she scanned her surroundings, her eyes fell on a middle-aged man.
The highest-ranking one here.
It was ambiguous to say he was the strongest, but it was easy to tell he was the person of highest status.
As quickly and efficiently as possible.
She wanted to clean up this ce quickly and then examine the so-called ''Sacred me''.
For some reason, it was a me that caught her attention.
And while she was at it, she also wanted to look around and see what kind of world this was.
"Hooo."
The chant "All demons shall worship and submit to the seconding of the Heavenly Demon!" kept reaching her ears.
¡Is it a religion?
Her brows furrowed.
Does something like a god really exist?
That can''t be. Even if they did exist, they wouldn''t be the kind of being these people think of. She recalled her past when she had cried out searching for all sorts of gods.
Then she hesitated.
No. That''s not necessarily true.
She naturally thought of someone who had saved her and who controlled all dimensions of themunity at will.
A being she thought was truly worthy of being called God.
She recalled the real name she had heard from him.
Karlstein Babylon.
Yes. If something like a god existed, she would choose him without hesitation.
Heavenly Demon?
To her, it just sounded trivial.
Perhaps guiding this ce''s religion in the ''right'' direction wouldn''t be uninteresting either.
She smiled cynically.
This time, perhaps rather than extermination...
Her eyes gleamed ominously.
Soon, her body began to move like a beam of light. Red blood sttered everywhere.
"Aaargh!!"
"Cult Leader!"
"How dare you!!"
sh-
***
Bang!
"What is going on? What do you mean retreat?!"
"How would I know what those Demonic Cult bastards are thinking?"
The Vice Leader of the Beggar''s Union sighed as he downed alcohol from his gourd. At this, an elder from the Spear Creation Sect fumed, unable to contain his anger.
"Are we just going to watch them quietly return like this?!"
"Hoho. Then what else? Do you wish to grab those quietly retreating fellows and start a war?"
"Of course we should if necessary! They started it first. How can we agree to let them decide the end as they please?"
"What about the opinions of themon people and smaller sects? They only hope it doesn''t escte into a full-scale war like the past Great Wars Between Orthodox and Demonic."
"That''s..."
"We also need to consider the Evil Alliance watching from behind. They are probably having a drinking party, just watching the show in safety."
Murim was divided into three forces: the Orthodox Faction, the Unorthodox Faction, and the Demonic Cult. The Evil Alliance was a union between the Unorthodox Factions. And they would surely be pping their hands in joy at a war between the Orthodox Faction and the Demonic Cult.
"Ugh... So did the Demonic Cult propose some kind of peace treaty?"
"Well, about that..."
The Vice Leader of the Beggar''s Union made a strange expression as he thought about something. The tip of his bright red nose twitched.
"They said they woulde alone."
"Who? The Vice Cult Leader? Or is one of the Six Great Demonic Path Leadersing in person?"
The Elders of the Murim Alliance present here looked at the Vice Leader''s mouth. The contents of the letter from the Demonic Cult side that had been sent to the Alliance Leader hadn''t been disclosed yet, arousing curiosity.
"It seems... the new Cult Leader will visit in person."
"New Cult Leader?"
"Did they change leadership in the middle of a war?"
"The new Cult Leader visiting in person?"
"Amitabha."
"Looks like things areplicated on their side too."
"But they truly have got guts. To think ofing alone into the heart of enemy territory."
"This might be a good opportunity to teach them clearly who''s above and who''s below."
The reactions around seemed to be thinking of ''peace treaty'' or ''surrender''.
At this, Vice Leader Geol Ungae clicked his tongue.
It does not necessarily seem to be quite like that...
He had an ominous feeling. ording to the spy nted in the Demonic Cult, this person had overthrown the upper echelons in an instant and risen to the position of Cult Leader.
Moreover, the feeling was different from the Demonic Cult''s official documents up until now. It was the same in that it wasn''t a dialogue but a notification, but...
To summarize, it said things like ''Will visit soon after retreating'', ''The Heavenly Demon Cult will be reborn as the Gctic Divine Cult serving a great ruler'', ''All whomit sins or harm others will be considered enemies of our cult''.
It didn''t make sense.
If anything, it was closer to a deration of war. It was also quite arbitrary.
And what''s this about a great ruler...
Are they referring to the Emperor, the Son of Heaven?
Even the Demonic Cult wouldn''t have a reason to provoke the government unless they''ve lost their minds. No, wait. They said they''re serving a great ruler, so are they saying they''ll kneel to the government? But judging by the tone, that doesn''t seem to be the case either...
What is this? A metaphorical expression? Political rhetoric?
The rumors about this so-called new Cult Leader were also unsettling.
The Vice Leader''s head was throbbing with a headache.
The Second Coming of the Heavenly Demon...
The Elders of the Martial Alliance, oblivious to the Vice Leader''s concerns, were raising their voices about spoils of war and reparations.
***
"Alliance Leader! Is it right for you to personally visit a junior who is far beneath us in terms of distribution?"
The shrill voice of the Elder from the now-extinct Wudang Sect, filled with nothing but poison, grated on the Alliance Leader''s ears.
The Alliance Leader furrowed his brows as he looked at the Elder who was raising his voice, focused only on distribution.
Is he in his right mind? How can he say such things after personally witnessing the divine might of the Intangible Divine Sword?
If it weren''t for his political usefulness as thest survivor of the Wudang Sect, or at least if it weren''t for their personal friendship, he would have shut that mouth immediately.
"It is we who need the Intangible Divine Sword''s help this time, so it is only right that we visit in person."
"This one is not satisfied with that either."
The Alliance Leader wanted to snap back asking what he was going to do about it, but he had to hold back. There was no time to worry about a single Daoist Monk right now.
The new Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Dealing with that was the urgent priority.
The Beggar''s Union did not seem to know detailed information due to the limitations of being an Orthodox Faction intelligence organization.
However, the Alliance Leader, through his personally nted informants, was one of those who knew in detail.
A woman who appeared iming to be a Messenger of God, serving a great ruler, swept away the Demonic Cult''s leadership, and took over the Heavenly Demon Cult in one fell swoop.
The letter stated she woulde in person to negotiate.
Considering the realms of the Heavenly Demon Cult''s leadership, which was naturally made ording to thew of the strong, her realm was estimated to be at least at the Profound Realm and at most Life and Death Realm.
Would she really juste for negotiations and leave quietly? That was unknown.
Even if that were the case, they couldn''t just let a Profound Realm martial artist go. Considering the greater cmity it could bring in the future, it would be right to deal with her in advance if the opportunity arose.
In order to do that...
"Intangible Divine Sword. I have urgent matters to discuss."
He arrived at the Intangible Divine Sword''s quarters, tucked away in a corner of the Martial Alliance. There was no answer to what he might be doing.
The Alliance Leader smiled confidently as he thought of Namgung Jin.
Yes. That¡¯s right. Don''t we have the Intangible Divine Sword on our side?
Previously, he had personally witnessed the divine might of the Intangible Divine Sword.
Could this be what the Mind Sword is like? Could this be what the Absolute Realm is like?
A divine mightparable to a Martial God. The Intangible Divine Sword who effortlessly unleashed Mind Swords that no one could block or avoid.
Moreover, it was fortunate that he was an individual easy to control.
Previously, he had been wary of the Intangible Divine Sword, but that was now a thing of the past.
Perhaps because he was still young, he showed political weakness. How such a young fellow obtained such power was a secondary issue.
From the moment the Intangible Divine Sword agreed to the Murim Alliance''s deal, he was already in a position where he couldn''t freely draw his sword.
When they aggressively threatened to use him as a sword, he seemed to have retreated passively out of fear.
The deal itself was ''to lend his power to the Murim Alliance just once. Other than that, he wouldn''t easily draw his sword'', but one way or another, after the deal was made, it was in the Murim Alliance¡¯s favor.
If the Intangible Divine Sword tried to wield his power freely, it would be beneficial just to weigh down his hands and feet based on the above agreement. As long as he didn''t refuse dialogue or show the typical upromising attitude of a powerhouse, it was enough.
Moreover, the new Cult Leader said she would visit in person.
It seemed like a perfect picture if they could have the Intangible Divine Sword assassinate the Demonic Cult Leader.
It could be said that killing an opponent who came alone to enemy territory as a messenger would be an action the Orthodox Faction couldn''t avoid responsibility for.
It would be killing two birds with one stone if the Intangible Divine Sword took the infamy and the Murim Alliance reaped the benefits.
Ah, of course, the best result would be if both sides were destroyed.
Well... if the Intangible Divine Sword turned out to bepletely uncontroble, that was a problem they could discuss countermeasures for when the time came.
"Intangible Divine Sword? Are you in there?"
And around the time the Martial Alliance Leader came to visit.
Namgung Jin waspletely absorbed in a conversation with someone.
(JinNotGungjin): Oh my, Teacher!! What brings you to call on me!
(JinNotGungjin): Huh? Yes? Ah, that is right. I am from the Murim World of Jianghu!
(JinNotGungjin): Ah, there are many simr worlds indeed. Yes, yes. I shall answer sincerely to the best of my ability!
(JinNotGungjin): Oh my, Teacher! It is my honor!
He was happily replying to messages from his spiritual mentor, ranked 3rd in the Unofficial Sword Debate /genesisforsaken
Chapter 50: The Overlord Guides The Way (4)
Namgung Jin had never seen a greater master than her in his entire life. Ah, of course, that isn¡¯t to say that there weren¡¯t even greater monsters in the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
However, what he was implying wasn''t exactly about martial prowess. It was more about martial arts theory? Martial studies? In the theoretical field, he felt an insurmountable wall that no one could ovee.
He even dared to say that, if there was someone who could be called the greatest in martial arts throughout history, it would be her.
When discussing martial arts with her, Namgung Jin felt like he was looking at a sky above the sky.
-(JinNotGungjin): The martial art I''d like to discuss this time is the Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder!
-(JinNotGungjin): Yes, yes. I shall start by telling you the Sutra.
-(JinNotGungjin): Yes. And the development of the Movements is... And the Inner Qi requires 30 years of cultivation...
It''s not like they were ever going to meet, and she lived in apletely different world. Surely, revealing a bit of his n''s secret martial arts wouldn''t have any impact. After all, there weren''t that many Namgungs in themunity to begin with.What surprised him more was her insight.
-(JinNotGungjin): Huh? No, this part is supposed to be done like this, though?
-(JinNotGungjin): What? Uh...? Heup!
-(JinNotGungjin): Um..., you are saying this seems different from the original intention of the ancestor who created this Secret Manual?
She said things that werepletely unbelievable.
However.
-Jin. I did not know yourprehension was this outstanding.
-Hoho. The Namgung n is truly blessed.
-Truly a talent so ster that it cannot be described as mere genius.
-If only your physical foundation was better... You could have been unrivaled under the heavens.
-Young Expert Jin, could you perhaps take a look at our n''s martial arts as well?
Namgung Jin realized that ordinary people could never understand geniuses. The seemingly nonsensical things she said sounded like apletely different world to him, or just gibberish.
How... is this possible? Just by listening and speaking, she could point out ws in Secret Manuals, and even go further toplement them, reaching a realm where she could create peerless martial arts.
Ah... A genius that ordinary people could never understand. A talent blessed by the heavens.
-(JinNotGungjin): Noonim!! No, Teacher!!! I respect you!!
-(JinNotGungjin): You must be busy, but please teach me!!
With his characteristic sociability, he received a lot of help from her. A single casual remark from her could unblock his stalled enlightenments. However, due to his insufficient physical foundation, he was still only at the First-Rate Realm.
Namgung Jin sincerely answered her various questions about Jianghu.
-(JinNotGungjin): Huh? The general sentiment of themon people?
-(JinNotGungjin): If you mean nobility... Ah, regarding the ss system¡
-(JinNotGungjin): Well... To be honest, aren''t martial artists just thugs with swords? Of course, I carry a sword too, but in the eyes of ordinary people, we probably all look the same. However, sects and powerful ns do take charge of maintaining public order. Moreover¡
-(JinNotGungjin): Huh? Effective insults for provocation? Um...
Namgung Jin answered everything he knew and didn''t know with all his sincerity.
-(JinNotGungjin): Ah... There is no need to thank me. Haha. I have received a lot from you too, Teacher. Besides, it has been a greatfort recently.
He didn''t know the details of her circumstances and situation. However, he found greatfort in her recent story about losing her family. After all, he too had experienced the extermination of his n.
"By the way, how did you move to another world? I cannot even imagine that such a thing could be possible."
Well, was there any need to be curious? It was not like he''d be able to understand anyway.
Sometimes when talking with her, he felt a sense of distance, self-deprecation, emptiness, and impatience. But now, those feelings were gone. He acknowledged what needed to be acknowledged and learned what needed to be learned. Naturally, he started calling her Teacher.
"Haha. Teacher, you''re going to appear in Jianghu?"
Just imagining it was enjoyable.
Well, from the perspective of that Murim, it might be a disaster.
Anyway, as he was about to end the conversation, he heard voices calling for him again from outside.
Oh dear, it seems I got too absorbed.
Namgung Jin politely ended the conversation and stepped outside.
It was the Murim Alliance Leader and the Wudang Sect Elder.
Namgung Jin cleared his throat unnecessarily, put on a serious face, and greeted them.
***
Murmur murmur-
Numerous martial artists were lined up at the main gate of the Murim Alliance. All the warriors of the Murim Alliance, including Elders and seniors from the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, ck Tortoise, and White Tiger Units, were waiting on both sides of the main gate.
The heat and confidence emanating from hundreds of warriors seemed to pierce even the sky.
"The Alliance''s prestige reaches the heavens."
"Hoho. To think ofing here alone without fear. No matter if it''s the Heavenly Demon, wouldn''t they regret it when facing our Alliance''s might directly?"
"We have to give credit for their guts."
"Perhaps they areing after giving up everything. Hoho."
"Look, someone ising."
"...Armor?"
The eyes of everyone in formation turned towards the outside of the main gate.
nk-
Someone wearing full-body armor soaked in blood was approaching. The blood dripping from the dark red armor seemed to stick to the ground, giving off a strong smell of sanguine.
What is this?
Setting aside the alien form of the armor, how to put it¡ Was it the attitude? The atmosphere? Everything felt out of ce.
Why?
"...!"
"Hoho..."
"Alliance Leader. Are you certain it is that person?"
"..."
"Truly a barbaric individual."
"Judging by the shape of the armor, it seems to be a woman."
"Judging from a glimpse of her figure..."
"How fearless. Does she not know where this is?"
Come to think of it, this was the main gate of the Murim Alliance headquarters. And it was guarded by numerous martial artists.
Was it even possible to walk so nonchntly under such piercing gazes in a ce like this?
Thud- Thud-
Regardless, the opponent arrived at the main gate and calmly surveyed the surroundings.
"Is this the ce called the Murim Alliance?"
What''s going on? I can''t sense any particr Inner Qi, though? Is this person really the new leader of the Demonic Cult?
However, before the Murim Alliance Leader could sort out his thoughts, someone pushed through the crowd.
"How dare you show your filthy face in a ce like this?"
The Alliance Leader was taken aback by the Wudang Sect Elder''s sudden outburst.
No, we haven''t even confirmed if this is really the Demonic Cult Leader y...
It was understandable. To him, who lost everyone including his sworn brothers, masters, and disciples in the annihtion of the Wudang Sect, the Heavenly Demon Cult was nothing short of a mortal enemy.
Still, shouldn''t he consider the time and ce?
"Your manner of wee is terrible."
A monotone voice flowed out from the red armor.
Shudder-
The atmosphere among the warriors instantly froze at the artificial voice that couldn''t be distinguished as male or female.
But why did she it feel like she was somehow smiling?
The Alliance Leader tried to stop the Wudang Sect Elder through Sound Transmission. However, before he could, the Elder had already drawn his sword.
"Wee? Did you say wee? How can you utter such words unless you are intentionally trying to insult our Murim Alliance!"
The Murim Alliance Leader realized that the Wudang Sect Elder hadn''t lost his reason and rushed out recklessly.
He was subtly pushing the idea that his actions represented the Murim Alliance while spitting in their face and reputation.
You cunning old fox!
First, I need to stop the Elder, then create a way for the new Cult Leader to respond...
"You talk too much. If you have drawn your sword,e at me. Or do you intend to fight with your tongue?"
"...!"
The Elder was struck speechless by the Demonic Cult Leader''s brazen provocation.
Perhaps the Elder himself hadn''t really intended to fight. Although his sect was annihted, he might have wanted to shout to the Orthodox Faction that they could rise again at any time, whenever he wished. Perhaps he had to mediate between them to save fa...
"Your master must bementing in the afterlife. For having such a filthy coward and hypocrite as a disciple."
"!!"
Was the Cult Leader trying to discuss the destruction of entire ns and bloodlines?! How could she use such low-level provocation?
However, even the same provocation can have different effects depending on who says it and who hears it.
For a survivor of the Wudang Sect, annihted by the Demonic Cult, this was the worst possible provocation.
In the end, the Elder, who had lost his mind in fury, drew upon his Six Yang Divine Arts to the extreme and thrust forward with the Great Purity Sword Technique.
So it hase to this after all.... No, perhaps this isn''t so bad.
Even though his wrath was substantial, judging by the unwavering trajectory of his moves and his concentration, it didn''t seem like he had drawn his sword carelessly. The close-range surprise attack of a Transcendent Realm martial artist was that fierce.
However.
sh-
"!!"
"Brother Mujin!"
"Amitabha."
"Elder!"
"Kkkeuaaaaaahk!"
As a stream of blood spurted from Elder Mujin''s severed right arm, sparks flew from the eyes of the warriors in the hall.
"You vicious Demonic Cult!"
"How dare you attack the Murim Alliance?!"
"Attack!"
"Demon Extermination Team, step forward!"
In an instant, the martial artists who hadpleted their battle formations began to surround the red armor with a menacing aura.
Oh no...! This does not look good at all. Even a one-on-one duel to the death with someone who came as a messenger could be problematic in terms of justification, but intimidation? Moreover, the visitor was the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
Even if they are the Demonic Cult...
However, the Murim Alliance Leader had no time to worry about such things.
"..."
He was too busy recalling what he had just witnessed.
What... did I just see? It clearly was...
It seemed that the ascending move of the Great Purity Sword Technique that Elder Mujin had disyed was perfectly replicated in the opponent''s hand. The reason he couldn''t bepletely certain was because it happened in such a fleeting moment.
No... It wasn''t exactly the same. Rather...!
It was as if the Great Purity Sword Technique had been evolved to a higher level, removing Elder Mujin''s unique habits and quirks.
His mind went nk at this impossible assumption. Perhaps the Masters of the Murim Alliance at the Unrestrained Realm and above would vaguely sense it.
The Murim Alliance Leader shook his head and barely regained his senses. It was simr to when the brain stops functioning after witnessing something iprehensible.
It is not the time for this.
In the ominous atmosphere where a bloody battle seemed about to unfold at any moment, he quickly sent a Sound Transmission somewhere.
-Intangible Divine Sword. It is your turn. As promised, deal with that person. No, just stopping them would be enough. I shall personally take responsibility and help rebuild the Namgung n!
Yes. You say you overthrew the Heavenly Demon Cult by force and seized the position of Cult Leader
But we have a card of that caliber as well.
If you have a new Cult Leader, the Orthodox Faction has the Intangible Divine Sword.
A divine figure of the Orthodox Faction no less formidable than you!
Come! Show the spirit of the Orthodox Faction!
Not long after sending the Sound Transmission, a beam of light shone down into the hall and the clouds parted. That wasn¡¯t all. A mysterious mist began to descend from the sky. It almost seemed like celestial music could be heard from somewhere.
The mouths of the Orthodox Faction warriors gaped open. The Murim Alliance Leader was no exception.
From high in the sky, someone wearing a bamboo hat was slowly walking down, stepping on clouds with their robe fluttering.
It was as if the Heavenly God had descended.
Everyone''s attention was focused on this figure.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jin was looking down, sweating nervously.
A-Aren¡¯t these theatric way too much? I didn''t expect there to be so many eyes watching!
The effect of the item he got from the gacha draw had far exceeded /genesisforsaken
Chapter 51: The Overlord Guides The Way (5)
Clouds, lighting angle, halo, sound effects, and walking on air... Good. It seems there are no problems for now.
Well... it might be a bit excessive, but Namgung Jin thought such theatrics were necessary. All sorts of dazzling special effects surrounded him.
Namgung Jin maintained a solemn posture as he slowly walked across the sky, stepping on force fields.
Being young, he needed such a weighty, dramatic entrance to rebuild his n. The reason he employed all these devices was that he needed to remain as a ''legend''.
He needed to show people. That the Namgung n had a martial artist beyond the heavens supporting it.
Honestly, he felt a rush seeing the Murim Alliance warriors gaping in astonishment...
This should be talked about for a long time toe.
Without a myth on par with Seniors such as the Sword Immortal L¨¹ Dongbin or Wudang''s Zhang Sanfeng, rebuilding the Namgung n might be impossible.
In the future, couldn''t he position himself as a Hidden Master, leave the administration to proxies or the Alliance, and just be a strong background support?This was the result of that thinking.
The martial artists were so shocked they couldn''t regain their senses, and the same was true for the Murim Alliance Leader and Elders.
It was an era where people would make a fuss about the Thunder God or Dragon God even if a mere thunderstorm passed by.
Hmm. If I didn''t have the [Integrated Dimensional Community] either...
The world truly was vast. To think that he would be able to show such impossible miracles without any effort.
Namgung Jin resolved to make good use of new knowledge to avoid bing a frog in a well.
Long live the Oradge, long live Gacha.
After finishing these trivial thoughts, he looked down at his opponent.
Surprised, aren''t you?
Haha.
But that thought was short-lived.
The reaction didn''t seem to be what he expected at all.
What''s this?
The red armor was tilting its head quizzically. The opponent held a chipped iron sword in their dark red armor.
What is this? This uneasy feeling.
Namgung Jin carefully descended, step by step as if walking on clouds, while closely observing the opponent. His eyes, hidden by the bamboo hat, busily scanned the other person.
What on earth is this?
He was puzzled.
Something seems familiar... Hmm. It''s on the tip of my tongue... Something that would be terrible if I don''t remember...
"!!"
Heup!
His theatrics almost shatteredpletely. It was because an assumption that absolutely shouldn''t exist, that didn''t make sense in the first ce, had popped into his mind.
No way... No way. No. Nah. It can''t be. Haha. Impossible.
Namgung Jin looked at the opponent again with trembling eyes.
It can''t... be...!
Shudder!
"Noonim!! Your unworthy disciple Namgung bows to the great Noonim!!"
The flustered Gungjin, no, Namgung Jin, hurriedly turned off the staging devices and rushed towards the opponent as if about to fly. He was so flustered that he didn''t realize he had actually amplified the mist, sound effects, and halo effects instead.
The mist exploded, light shed, and a piercing ringing filled the hall.
Rumble- Rumble-
Thunder struck and clouds surged, splitting the sky before rejoining, as if showing an apocalyptic scene.
However, this was only how it appeared to others. In Namgung Jin''s eyes, he only saw the red armor.
"Ahhh! Noonim!"
"?"
"Yes! That is right!! It is me! Me! ''JinNotGungjin''!"
Namgung Jin felt a chill the moment he approached her, but regardless, his joy was even greater and he approached happily.
"Ahhh, I did not recognize you, Noonim!"
"..."
Namgung Jin broke out in a cold sweat.
You idiot!
There was a part in the banner video at the Premium Store where the armor of ''DevilKingVirdel¡¯ was briefly shown. Of course, he wasn''t certain. At that time, he was so focused on the gacha that he didn''t have time to look at the video carefully. He had only glimpsed it in passing.
However.
What if it was real? If there was even a slight possibility, the proper thing to do was to bow his head immediately.
Moreover, there are rumors that all the Moderators are favored...!
No matter how he thought about it, prostrating himself was the best option.
Recently, he might have been strutting around in Murim thanks to the Gacha Store, but considering the scale of the Integrated Dimensional Community, he was nothing more than a day-old puppy.
Especially when ites to the Administrator and the Moderators...!
Namgung Jin remembered.
The fate of someone who had almost provoked the Oradge and nearly crossed the Sanzu River not long ago.
-Author: meYongYongie
-Title: Come here! Come at me! Oradge!
Dimensional magic? Oradge? I dare you. Try me.
?LOL goodbye
?seems like this is the end for u bye bye
?this guy doesn''t seem to understand the situation yet LOL take down the post, kid. you''ll end up dead at this rate.
?(Cosmic Emperor): Nuclearunch detected.
???
??
?(Cosmic Emperor): I sent a little gift :)
Apparently, he sent a small, eco-friendly one.
The follow-up post by ''meYongYongie'' shocked many people.
In the uploaded picture he shot for proof, saying he almost became a fire chicken1, there was a huge creature, charred and covered in pus, bowing deeply. Around the ruined surroundings, hot winds were swirling and red thundershowers were spreading.
Moreover, this creature was said to be a Red Dragon that governed fire.
In themunity, however, there were actually a flood ofments who praised him.
?iyaaa holyyy you survived. well done, our YongYongie.
?That''s a whole different league. You withstood that with your bare body?
?(meYongYongie): Almost died lol
?nah that¡¯s some extreme sports right there
?if that''s supposed to be small, I wonder what''s big
?Now it seems even the Oradge is enjoying it. If you beg properly after being beaten up a bit, he forgives you LOL
?but you need to know where the line is. if you go too far then there¡¯s no hope for you.
?frfr LOL i know because ive experienced it heh
?How do you know that?
?Hehe...
Anyway, Namgung Jin didn''t want to go against her at all, regardless of their acquaintance(?).
Vibrode? SSR? What use was that?
He was simply not in the same league as such veterans or experts.
"..."
She was pondering something with her head slightly tilted. Namgung Jin started to panic when there was no response from her.
"Um... Teacher?"
Namgung Jin rolled his eyes, showing a conflicted light, but soon his eyes cleared as if he had made a decision.
"Noonim!"
"?"
"Is there any need for you to dirty your hands, Noonim?"
Namgung Jin''s eyes hardened resolutely.
"Leave it to me. I shall sweep away all those arrogant ones!"
Namgung Jin pulled out something ck and heavy from his chest.
[Satellite Bomber TBR-32 (SSR)]
It was an SSR-Grade Long-Range Bomber Signal Device.
"I will burn them all to ashes so they can never rise again!!"
As far as Namgung Jin was concerned, as long as his opponent wasn¡¯t the Administrator and the woman before him, he wouldn''t fear even an army of 1 million from the Imperial Army.
"..."
Finally, she opened her mouth.
"I was nning to clean up about half and leave... But it seems that will not be necessary."
"Huh?"
He soon realized that he had almost been ''Thanosed'', if speaking in Community terms.
Namgung Jin felt cold sweat running down his back. Her mechanical voice sounded like the voice of the King of Hell, Yama.
"I''ll leave this side to you."
"Ah! Noonim!"
"?"
Fortunately, she didn''t seem to have any particr hostility. However, Namgung Jin¡¯s eyes wavered, before asking carefully.
"By, by any chance, have you joined the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult...?"
"Umm..."
"Ah, I didn''t mean joined, I meant to ask where you shall be staying!"
Namgung Jin quickly changed his words, sensing that she seemed somewhat displeased.
"I was nning to rename it to the Gctic Divine Cult and make some changes."
"What?!"
Gctic Divine Cult? Where did thate from so suddenly? Ah... Well, I guess there was a culture of deifying the Oradge in themunity.
Namgung Jin''s mouth watered.
This is surely a jackpot. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Namgung n to soar!
"Noonim!! M-Me too! No, I mean, if you would ept our Namgung n into the Gctic Divine Cult, we would serve day and night, engraving such loyalty into our bones and crushing our bodies in gratitude!"
Namgung Jin shouted as if he was about to bow down right then and there. She hesitated a little at this.
"...That side needs to be dealt with first."
Namgung Jin nodded, engraving her words in his mind.
"Yes! Noonim! I understand. Proving myselfes first, of course!"
Although Namgung Jin had taken it a bit too enthusiastically, she gave up on exining in detail. She wanted to return quickly and research the ''Sacred me''.
"See you again."
Virdel left after saying just those words.
Namgung Jin watched until she left and then turned around. His eyes were burning like an active volcano.
Politics?
Originally, those who have are the masters. It''s the truth that with power and money, nothing is impossible. With overwhelming power and money, politics might not even be necessary.
If politics were needed, wouldn''t that mean power and money werecking?
Haha. If Noonim wishes, I''d dly be an Overlord.
Still, let''s see... A medicine that extends lifespan by 10 years and...
Moreover, Namgung Jin had umted various rare items through Gacha, including even medicines for incurable diseases.
Namgung Jin, who returned through the apocalyptic mist, steeled his resolve as he looked at the Murim Alliance warriors.
From now on, I will preside over the Murim Alliance, the Orthodox Faction!
Namgung Jin''s will seemed to pierce the heavens.
Afterwards, there was naturally no small amount of resistance from the Orthodox Faction, but that didn''tst long.
When news spread that she had annihted the union of the Unorthodox Faction, the Evil Path Alliance, on her way back to the Demonic Cult, everyone fell as silent as a mouse. They all kept their mouths shut and watched carefully.
To have a leader like the Intangible Divine Sword? One who faced the Demonic Cult Leader alone? The same Demonic Cult Leader who had single-handedly annihted the Evil Path Alliance?
Ah, what more needs to be said?
Everyone held their breath and just watched cautiously.
***
Meanwhile, Karlstein made a strange expression when he heard the news of the ''Gctic Divine Cult''.
"Religion?"
-It is quite old-fashioned, but still a sure means of governance.
"Hmm..."
It was one of the methods Karlstein had used in an attempt to gain Karma. However, he had abandoned it because it wasn''t as efficient as he thought.
For him, there were countless paths he could choose without necessarily using religion as a means.
It might be different in other dimensions, though.
"I might as well provide some moderate support."
No one knew how much impact Karlstein''s ''moderate support'' would have on the Murim of Jianghu.
-Anyway, please take a look at this instead.
They were currently focusing a bit more on another matter.
The screen Aria brought up showed data withplex figures.
"...Cerebrate?"
-Yes. The experts'' opinion is that it''s closer to a Cerebrate rather than an organism or something with material characteristics.
Karlstein''s eyes filled with /genesisforsaken
Chapter 52: Blue Ray (1)
***
The silvery liquid named Astral Flow.
As the name suggests, this silvery liquid emerging as a crucial material rted to dimensions was a new material that had all of Karlstein''s expectations. Especially because it showed tremendous reactivity rted to the Astral Dimension, making its potential applications endless.
It was like the Philosopher''s Stone.
As they say, if Astral Flow could be installed like fiber optic inte cables in the Material Transfer System he had built, it could dramatically increase stability and efficiency.
Moreover, it could solve a significant portion of the numerous problems rted to ry instation with just this one material.
Currently, he was steadily proceeding with the construction of Dimensional Rys, but it was truly inefficient for him to be involved in and invest in everything from start to finish.
The tail might end up wagging the dog instead of vice versa.
Wasn''t that why he had rushed to move up the schedule for the next update that could drain Karma Points?But in the midst of all this, if this liquid material alone could solve half of his worries, how could he not be tempted?
The problem is that it''s difficult to obtain the material...
There were too few samples. And the required amount was toorge.
With more material, he could experiment in various ways.
As this material was unable to be found anywhere in the gxy, all he could do was wait endlessly for beings with silver blood to appear likest time.
What should I do...
He was in the midst of such worries. Aria''s voice broke his reverie.
-A Triple Numbering entity has appeared at the coordinates I just sent you.
"Triple Numbering?"
-Maxien, who was returning, has departed.
"Maxien..."
Well... For Maxien, a Triple should be easy...
Triple Numbering referred to special entities among Kaijus that were assigned three-digit numbers.
-It is a high-ranking entity even among Triples.
"Oh?"
-Yes. It is Blue Ray, numbered in the 200s.
No.221 ''Blue Ray.''
Among the countless Kaijus beyond the Barrier, these were special entities numbered by the Gctic Empire ording to their danger level. Even among three-digit Kaijus, there was bound to be a difference between those in the 900s and those in the 200s. Basically, being in the 200s meant it was quite high-ranking.
"Blue Ray is..."
Moreover, Blue Ray was a Kaiju specialized in high-speed movement and mid-range bombardment, which didn''t match well with Maxien''s abilities.
While he wasn''t too worried since Maxien had a record of repelling Double Numberings one-on-one, it couldn''t be said that she wouldn''t be affected by the issue of ipatibility with her opponent.
"Maxien might have a tough time, huh?"
-Yes. But the problem is...
Beep-
Blurry figures captured on the screen caught his eye.
"Hm?"
The screen showed three figures, presumed to be Cerebrates, observed near where ''Blue Ray'' had appeared.
Those honey pot-like Cerebrates are there too?
Hmm.
But what''s this?
Why are Blue Ray and the Cerebrates acting like they don''t know each other?
Kaijus were known to basicallymunicate like a collective by emitting certain waves.
Although Cerebrates were also reported to be a kind of Kaiju, why did it not seem that way judging from what was on the screen? Was it just his imagination?
Whatever the case, it was something to check directly.
He didn''t want to make Maxien struggle alone unnecessarily either.
"I''ll go right away."
-I shall prepare everything.
It would be troublesome if an irritated Maxien were to sweep away those honey pots without leaving a trace.
Karlstein hurriedly headed towards the area near the border.
***
[So what do we do?]
[I don''t know!]
[Why did it just have to be a Chaos punk!]
Three figures surrounded by silver mes were in disarray.
One had the appearance of a High Monk with a third eye on his forehead, another had a horse''s lower body and a human upper body, and thest one resembled a woman with six arms.
[Krie''s traces definitely led up to here.]
The High Monk was rtively calmer than the other two, assessing the situation rather than showing panic.
[So what do we do? The trail just stops here!]
[Then it would be urate to assume she perished here.]
[The problem now isn''t Krie. What does it matter now about someone who thrashed about like a whippersnapper and ruined a world?]
[In any case, since the Root ordered us to track, we should definitely find out the situation.]
[We might perish first before that, what are you...]
The three of them weremonly surrounded by faint silver mes, but they didn''t seem particrly close.
Nevertheless, the reason they gathered close together, seemingly relying on each other while being wary of their surroundings was...
[Isn''t that guy from the ¡¶Chaos¡· faction that''s been rampaging at the front lines recently?]
[Judging by the appearance, it seems so.]
¡¶Chaos¡·, one of the forces hostile to the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·.
It was a being withrge gun barrels on both shoulders and six pairs of membranous wings on its back. It looked like a mix between metal and monster.
It was a ¡¶Chaos¡· being that was said to be leading some groups and wreaking havoc on the front lines recently.
[But why are they fighting?]
[Who knows.]
Where they were looking, the Chaos being and a human woman were shing, sweeping through the surroundings.
Rumble- Rumble-
Although it was the middle of the void where no sound should be heard, the effects of the battle were reaching even here. Large and small fragments of light and waves were scattering, embroidering the universe.
[Won''t we get caught up in this too?]
[They had probably noticed us long ago.]
[...]
They were in a position close to spectating the battle scene from afar, but not quite.
As they moved away to avoid the battle, they could feel the other side paying attention and following them. It was truly an absurd situation.
They were fighting, but it seemed like they didn''t want to lose sight of this side...
[Aren''t they underestimating us too much? We might be easy targets alone, but there are three of us!]
[Still, they''re definitely not opponents to be taken lightly.]
In truth, although they shouted that out of pride, it didn''t seem very convincing. This was evident just from watching the battle scene between the Chaos being and the human.
[But how can a human be that strong?]
[It feels like a human hero facing off against a god.]
[Wouldn¡¯t it honestly be better if it was just a mere hero?]
[Still, wouldn''t that human woman be more open to dialogue than the one who massacred countless of our kind?]
[Are you suggesting we negotiate with a mere human?]
The centaur-like being seemed to have a hurt pride expression. He particrly despised humans. Although the others might have been tired of his unreasonable attitude, deep down, they agreed to some extent.
The ''human'' race was like livestock. Like microorganisms that added vitality to the worlds they take root in.
[Still, for the sake of the Great Sephiroth, we should be able to swallow our pride.]
[That''s not the only option.]
The six-armed woman''s eyes shed ominously.
[We should aim for a win-win situation. In any case, now that Krie''s demise has been confirmed, we can''t easily back down.]
[That''s right. Even if she was just a troublemaker like a whippersnapper, she was clearly one of our kind.]
[However, there''s something that bothers me.]
The High Monk''s third eye shone as he took on a more serious expression.
[Didn''t you feel a sense of difort when entering this dimension?]
[Huh?]
[I don''t feel anything at all, though?]
[Hmm...]
The High Monk felt something was off, but couldn''t exin it clearly.
[We need to be careful. How about retreating for now?]
No matter how he thought about it, the High Monk had a bad feeling and suggested retreating, but...
[Do you think the Root will leave us alone if we do that?]
[We need to bring at least some results. We might even be rewarded.]
[Sacred Blood...]
The other two didn''t seem to think that way, perhaps due to greed. The ¡¶Root¡· they served was a superior who was clear in distinguishing rewards and punishments. In fact, they were surely someone who would give out ''Sacred Blood'' even for minimal results. Such opportunities weren''tmon.
[On the surface, the Chaos being seems to have the upper hand, but it looks like it''s actually being pushed back. That human woman is no ordinary being.]
[Is she even human?]
[Who knows. But it doesn''t matter.]
After all, they weren''t weak beings either.
[Let''s support the Chaos being for now.]
[It''s dangerous, so let''s not get too close.]
[Understood.]
In normal times it might be different, but this was an urgent situation. They began tobine their powers, sharing their minds.
[We''ll target the human woman first.]
They were unaware that someone was rapidly warping towards the battlefield.
***
Maxien narrowed her eyes as she split the opponent''s blue bombardment in half.
This one...
It was definitely a being she remembered.
Blue Ray.
An entity in the 200s specialized in mobile bombardment, cunning enough to rival Double Numberings.
But if there was something strange, it was that it was much stronger than she remembered.
Have I gotten weaker?
That couldn''t be.
In fact, she wasn''t being pushed back. No, if she could just close the distance, she was confident she could behead such a being in an instant.
However, its movement speed was extraordinary. A speed clearly faster than in the past.
Even though she tried to close the distance while epting damage, she just couldn''t get closer. It could be said to be a difference inpatibility.
Boom- sh-
Another bombardment was split by a sword in mid-air.
Currently, 6 swords were spinning around her, and 4 swords were chasing after the being. She was also pursuing it with a sword in hand, but...
The distance just wouldn''t close.
It was not that she could only attack at close range. However, the further the distance, the more drastically her power would drop. This also meant that the closer the distance, the stronger her sword strikes would be.
Hoo... How frustrating.
Irritation clouded her eyes.
At that moment, she noticed three fly-like beings starting to do something foolish.
Should I deal with those guys first before facing this one?
Right as her gaze deepened.
Someone''s voice message arrived.
Her busy pursuit came to a sudden stop.
-Good work, Maxien.
She absolutely didn''t want to show such an unsightly appearance.
Though extremely angry at the current situation, Maxien¡¯s mood was partially relieved, because she quite liked his voice. Regardless, her cold gaze swept over the opponents.
"It''s over."
She no longer pursued them. The situation was already as good as finished.
A sh of destruction pierced through the battlefield where she /genesisforsaken
Chapter 53: Blue Ray (2)
***
Karlstein offered words offort to Maxien, whose eyes were zing fiercely on the screen.
It seemed she was truly angry that the battle wasn''t going well.
"Good work, Maxien."
Maxien bit her lip at his constion. He understood her feelings.
After all, she wasn''t someone who should struggle against a mere Triple Numbering.
Even if the opponent was specialized in high-speed movement, it was still a Kaiju numbered in the 200s. Considering her reputation as the Cosmic Sword Saint, it didn''t make sense that Maxien couldn''t even close the distance.
However, this was unavoidable.
It was also a restriction he had ced on her.The more power beyond a certain threshold her race, the Asterians, used, the more they gradually came to resemble stars.
They be ruthless and emotionless, eventually losing even the will to live.
A mental death.
It wasn''t just because of war that she had lost her fellow Asterians and survived alone.
From the beginning, the Asterians were rapidly heading towards extinction. It was almost inevitable from the moment they left their and ventured into space.
He had saved and taken her in, but...
-If I follow you, can I remain human?
-Yes. If that''s what you want.
-When I be a star someday, are you willing to nt flowers on me?
-That too. If that''s what you desire.
-I am in your care.
The promise made when they met.
He didn''t know exactly what it meant, but for an Asterian, the meaning of nting flowers was surely not trivial.
To keep his promise with her, he needed to restrict her power to some extent.
When Karlstein first met her, he was struggling just to take care of himself, so he couldn''t be certain if he could keep his promise to her. In a way, it was a situation where he could just persuade her with any promise she wished to hear and draw out her potential, without necessarily needing to think about keeping that promise.
However, he had made every effort not to do so.
Karlstein believed, and still believes, that her potential could fully bloom even without using her racial power.
As a result of that belief, the fact that currently only her eyes and hair resembled starlight was a sort of achievement.
Therefore, Karlstein tended to encourage her obsession with hunting Kaiju. Her going out to the front lines every day to hunt Kaiju and developing emotions close to madness was the right thing to do when thinking about the future.
It was the same case now.
She¡¯s a bit scary sometimes, but.
His feelings to help her and do things for the sake of their promise hadn''t changed.
Of course, it couldn''t be said that she had never awakened her potential at all.
My role from now on is to make sure such situations don''t ur.
She had kept her promise with him in most situations.
So it was also true that he felt rather proud of her.
Even in her current state, she was incredibly strong. This was undeniable. However, with her restricted power, she could only be effective at close range.
But even with just that, she was counted among the highest-ranking heroes of the Gctic Empire.
There were three who were considered the representative Great Heroes in the Gctic Empire.
The highest-ranking heroes that everyone had to acknowledge.
The pride of the Gctic Empire.
Maxien Asteria of closebat and one-on-one battles.
Cami Bashatiret of ultra-long-range sniping and fleet battles.
Andstly...
"Who am I?"
-...Karlstein Babylon.
"That''s right."
Creak- Creak-
Heavy sounds of friction leaked from the full-body armor he was wearing.
Grind- Grind-
The armor was constantly screaming as it struggled to withstand the power emanating from his entire body.
"Cami is busy right now... She''s working hard, so there''s no need to call her."
-....
At a small asteroid about 80,000 kilometers away from the battlefield where Maxien was.
Two long metal rods were embedded in the asteroid where he was standing.
To be more specific, long metal rods 30 centimeters thick and 1 kilometer long were deeply embedded in the ground near Karlstein.
The elongated metal lumps, also called ''Spears of God'', were emitting red Ether Waves.
"Hoit!"
-Force Field Control, Aiming Line Assistance, Ether Wave Adjustment...
His groans mixed with Aria''s voice.
As he grabbed the handle part of the metal and pulled out the rod, the ground split and vibrated roughly.
However, Karlstein''s posture remained as steady as if he were standing on t ground. This was likely because Aria''s Force Field Control technology was firmly supporting the ground te.
"It''s been a while since I''ve dealt with this distance."
Karlstein spread his legs and took his stance.
"Hoo."
Crunch-
The armor constantly emitted Ether Wave sounds.
Karlstein Babylon.
A tanker¡
As well as a medium to long-range bombardier.
He moved. After a run-up, he threw the spear.
Whoosh-
The spear that left his hand flew like an arrow towards the target point, trailing waves of circr rings.
The moment Karlstein''s ''throwing spear'' split the universe, the asteroid he was standing on was destroyed by the aftereffects.
Whuooooooo-
Beep-
A momentter.
The sh of destruction directly hit the heart of No.221 Blue Ray.
-Hit confirmed. Situation ended.
Aria''s calm voice announced the being''s death.
***
On the bridge of the Imperial Ship.
Everyone on the bridge quietly watched the screen without making even the slightest sound, as if agreed upon in advance.
"..."
"..."
Beep-
[Target hit.]
[Confirmation of life form annihtionplete.]
"Haah..."
Both the Captain and Chief Mate, who had been sping their hands, let out sighs of relief at the green text that appeared on the screen. The crew members below were no different.
"As expected..."
"Indeed."
"It''s still unbelievable no matter how many times I see it."
All crew members aboard the Imperial Ship were elites carefully selected from the Gctic Empire. In fact, they were the elite of elites, overflowing with battlefield experience.
But even for them, the sight of a Triple Numbering Entity getting annihted with a single shot never became familiar.
After all, the ''Numbered Entities'', monsters even among Kaijus, were nothing short of a cmity.
If recalling the past when just one four-digit entity had devastated several star systems, the scene they were witnessing now didn''t feel real.
"It''s truly amazing."
The reaction of the Captain, who had been responsible for the Imperial Ship for a long time, was particrly intense. Having the most battlefield experience before bing Captain, he knew that the current scene was nothing short of an impossible miracle.
His awe grew every time he watched the Emperor''s battles.
It was truly beautiful.
The scene of a red beam of light piercing through space and striking the heart of a Kaiju always set his heart on fire.
As he had lost his entire family to a Kaiju in the past, he didn''t hesitate to board the ship even at his old age to witness such scenes.
The nightmarish memories of battle. But within them, the Emperor''s presence was nothing short of a symbol of promised victory.
One who didn''t hesitate to ignite the mes of hope in the hearts of all imperial citizens.
The Captain''s heart swelled with emotion.
How long would he be able to follow behind the Emperor?
These days, he sighed, feeling that he might no longer be able to board ships due to his declining judgment that came with age.
Your Imperial Majesty...
The gray-haired Captain recalled the most intense battlefield of the past.
The horrific apocalyptic battlefield also known as the ''L¨¹pir Star System Assault Operation''.
He couldn''t forget that moment when the seemingly impossible operation called the ''Single Number Subjugation Campaign'' was proposed.
Everyone hesitated and tried to stop the Emperor.
Saying it was madness. That it was impossible.
That humans couldn''t defeat gods.
That he should keep his sacred imperial body safe.
However, the Emperor, who had brushed them all aside, spoke firmly.
"As of this moment, humanity will reim the Barrier."
The majestic operation that ended the Great War and the Emperor''s brilliant achievement.
The currently vacant position of No.6 was proof of this.
Who else could challenge a Single Number?
In the midst of the tremendous battle where 90% of the heroes who participated in the subjugation campaign died, an august Great Hero finally achieved victory for humanity.
Ahhhh.
He is a light too dazzling to even dare look up at.
The Captain sincerely wished that times like this wouldst forever.
***
The moment Karlstein''s throwing spear struck the heart of No.221 ''Blue Ray''.
Not far from that battlefield, behind a small asteroid, a certain being opened its eyes.
Kkireureuk- Kkireuk-
Thepound eyes of the being hiding its body on the asteroid slowly opened, emitting pitch-ck waves.
This being could instantly grasp the state of the current situation from the death of ''Blue Ray''.
Kkireureuk- Kkireuk-
The being pondered.
Whether it was right to continue hiding as it had been doing.
Kkireuk-
Or whether it should abandon the work it had been carrying out for a long time and step out directly.
Kkireureuk- Kkireuk-
Thepound-eyed being pondered for a long time, but the answer was already set.
It would abandon the ongoing work.
Rustle- Rustle-
The pitch-ck dark energy enveloping its body slowly began to dissipate.
The death of a low-ranking entity was no problem for it, but¡
It was too early for them to know about the existence of the ''Sap''.
The passage had to be closed.
The asteroid instantly vanished in the dark waves rising from its entire body.
Boooom-
This being, which possessed a speed iparable even to ''Blue Ray'', instantly reached the battlefield.
Thepound-eyed being, gleaming with an ominous ck color, appeared before the three who were wearing rather idiotic expressions.
Everything ording to Father''s /genesisforsaken
Chapter 54: Blue Ray (3)
A being shrouded in dark, ominous energy instantly beheaded two of the three. Those whose heads were severed didn''t even realize it until the moment of their death.
[Kyaaak!!]
The remaining one with six arms hurriedly tried to escape, but...
Whoosh-
A blue de-like w was already striking from behind. ck, ghostly mes streamed from thepound eyes of the attacking Kaiju.
-!!
At that moment, the Kaiju sensed something chilling.
This fast?
Whooooosh-The attack that had instantly killed ''Blue Ray'' was now surging towards them. A truly tremendous spear imbued with immense power was flying like an arrow, splitting space.
The distant sh suddenly arrived at close range.
There was no time to hesitate.
However, the reason thepound-eyed Kaiju could act calmly without rushing was because¡
It realized that the attack wasn''t aimed at it.
The expected path of the sh was somewhere between the starlight-haired human woman and this location.
Presumably, it was an additional attackunched to protect the starlight-haired human woman.
As expected, they hadn''t noticed its true purpose at all.
Thepound-eyed being was certain of achieving its goal. Those bastards had misunderstood its target.
If it could just eliminate all these parasites living off Dimensional Water and close the passage...
However, the Kaiju soon had to hurriedly twist its body.
Swoosh-
The red sh suddenly burned golden and appeared right in front of its face. An unnatural movement as if it had been aimed here from the beginning. As if causality itself had twisted.
The Kaiju''spound eyes widened in disbelief.
Th-This power is...!
***
Beep-
-We ended up losing it after all. It would be difficult for it to survive, though.
"..."
Karlstein''s eyes sank deeply. Analyzing the waves emitted by the Kaiju, it was estimated to be a Double Numbering Kaiju.
Moreover, a dangerous entity specialized in stealth and mobility.
"Is it a previously registered entity?"
-No. It appears to be a new type of entity.
"Hmm..."
If I had known this would happen, I would have brought more reliable armaments.
He had only brought two weapons to use as throwing spears.
It was regrettable, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.
After all, no one could have predicted such a being would suddenly appear.
Double Numbering.
Two-digit entities were on apletely different level from Triples. The fact that it had been hiding without being detected by any observation equipment showed how dangerous it was.
Considering that Single Numbers generally didn¡¯t interfere with human affairs, it would be correct to view Double Numbers as the actual leaders of the Kaiju side.
Yes, it was a pity, but it was right to conclude this matter here.
Moreover, the results gained from this incident were not insignificant.
If it had remained hidden, no one could have predicted what kind of disaster it might have led toter. The fact that it revealed itself and was repelled by having its upper body blown off could be considered a great achievement.
Besides, the reason why it came out, even releasing its stealth...
It seemed like it was to kill the Cerebrates...
Was it because it was more hostile towards the Cerebrates than humans?
Karlstein didn''t think so.
Rather, the Kaiju''s actions seemed more like trying to prevent contact between humans and Cerebrates.
This implied many things.
It was quite different from the behavior patterns Kaiju had shown towards humans so far.
How to put it¡ Perhaps you could call it a strategy? Rather than the irrational hostility shown until now, a more high-dimensional level of animosity was felt.
"Haha."
At this, Karlsteinughed.
Honestly, that was even better for him.
The opponent is acting strategically? This can be applied in reverse as well. Saying that the opponent has a strategic goal means that it can be used against them too.
If they are trying to prevent contact between humans and Cerebrates, we just need to do the opposite. That alone would be a blow to them.
So how could he notugh?
Even with half of its upper body blown off, it managed to kill all three Cerebrates before escaping. This being with such amazing life force eventually managed to open an Astral Passage and inserted its body into it.
If Maxien, who was at close range, hadn''t split it into upper and lower halves, it might have recovered its body someday and faced them on the battlefield again.
Where Maxien had been, the lower body of the Kaiju and silver liquid were floating around.
The corpse of the Double Numbering would be material for Ether weapons. And by researching this, better strategies and weapons could be produced.
Moreover, although it tried to collect the silver liquid, it failed. By the time it had killed the Cerebrates and collected about half of the silver liquid, Maxien was already at close range.
Thanks to that, they were able to secure the remaining half of the silver liquid.
However...
-There are anomalies in the Astral Signal Responses in that area.
Whatever it was that the Kaiju did on the other side of the passage, abnormal reactions were observed.
"Hmm."
As expected, it was certain that those bastards could properly handle the Astral Dimension.
Just as humans used the Astral Dimension for Warp, it seems they did the same.
It was not the first time a Kaiju has been observed using Astral Dimension Passages. However, they had never used it this tantly before.
In essence, it must have been that urgent.
The corner of Karlstein''s mouth turned up slightly.
The overwhelming pressure that had been crushing the surroundings since the appearance of the Double Numbering entity gradually subsided.
"We can''t know exactly what the abnormal reaction is?"
-It is not possible to determine to that extent.
"Hmm."
It was like saying that the Kaiju''s ability to use the Astral Dimension was superior to that of humans.
However.
How long would they be able to maintain that superiority?
Yes, the Kaiju constantly evolved.
But humans also continuously develop and evolve.
The speed of technological advancement?
The fact that humans reimed the Barrier was proof enough.
As long as they didn¡¯t do stupid things like the previous Emperor.
That wasn¡¯t all.
Hadn¡¯t he recently acquired a powerful means rted to dimensions?
-Master. Will you be alright? That power is...
"Hm? Ah..."
Karlstein looked down at his hand. Golden fragments were swirling around.
"It should calm down after I rest a bit."
-Master.
"At this rate, won¡¯t I have to walk back?"
-....
He saw the Imperial Shiping to an abrupt stop and hastily reversing in his field of vision.
-Ordinary people absolutely cannot withstand it.
"Well... Anyway, while I''m resting, hurry up with the next update."
-Understood, Master.
"It seems we need to proceed quickly with the Community side as well."
-I will implement it immediately.
Karlstein''s eyes burned with intensity.
***
[Curious about someone else''s life in another world?]
[Want to be a reliable sponsor for someone?]
[Your Constetion Grade is determined by your sponsorship points.]
[Constetion Grade? Check out the benefits based on Constetion Rankings! Rewards based on the viewership of the person you sponsor are also prepared!]
[Is your life in an otherworld not just tough, but downright desperate? Then why not apply to be a streamer?!]
[If you subscribe to the service now, for just...]
[Want to show off your life in an otherworld? Then...]
A major update was carried out in the Community.
It wasn''t a grand update. However, users from Earth couldn''t help but find it quite familiar.
Naturally, the users'' reactions were not just heated, but positively zing.
?LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
?There¡¯s not a single moment of boredom.
?Ah, what is it this time? As long as it''s not something crappy like the Gacha Store.
?(JinNotGungjin): That was not necessarily a bad thing, though.
?that''s only for guys like you ?? ah this fucked up luck based game
?u motherfucker. are u sure u didnt offer up ur ass to the admin? did u spread ur asscheeks open? how? why? how did u do it?
?I spent ten times more than you, but only got one SR. What the hell. How the fuck does it make any sense?
?(JinNotGungjin): Perhaps if you had spent just one more time, you would have gotten it too.
?has this crazy fucker lost his mind?! @^$#%^#^@&$*
Users who were tired of boring lives in their respective otherworlds especially couldn''t help but wee it.
?How should I describe it¡ What¡¯s this unpleasant feeling of various thingsing out but my pocket getting lighter?
?I was honestly getting quite bored, so this is pretty good. Shitty ssical literature was my only entertainment.
?it¡¯s a bit better for ppl who at least use their bodies. as for the liberal arts majors tho...
?Oradge, release virtual reality games! Release them!
?I wonder how the other guys are doing?
?ikr? i hope those guys get exposed LMAO they were probably just talking out of their ass since they are anon.
?LOL trueeee. if u take their word for it, they''re all sword masters and archmages LMAO
?Exactly.
?Is Magical Keishaing out?
?Young man. Your taste is quite unique.
?What''s this? High-quality paid service? This costs points too?
This time was different in that not only could you spend points, but you could also earn them.
?what''s this now?
?Dunno. The Oradge''s schemes are endless.
?Ah... I don''t have any points left now!
?Ah. I¡¯m broke this month tho.
?but it looks like you can earn points with this update?
?Apparently, if you apply separately as a streamer, the rewards are sweet af.
?but that''s only possible if you get sponsorships LOL
?Looks like the Oradge has gone crazy for money. what''s with the 10%mission?
?If ur so salty, why don''t u make it urself LMAO
?They say 5% will be used for ry expansion, and the other 5% for content development and research.
?ain no way they dont takemission on the developed content too HAHAHA
?ah whatever. go have a cry then.
?If you don''t subscribe, it doesn''t matter, right?
?ahhh how can I resist this HAHAHAHA ahhhhHHHH HAHAHAHAHA
?apply as a streamer, earn some points, then roll one SSR in the Gacha Store and my life would be set ez fucking p
?Are you crazy?
?just hearing it makes me dizzy ??
?A perfect example of how gambling ruins people.
Amidst everyone''s expectations, orck thereof, the Sponsorship System and Gctic TV were opened.
And surprisingly, the first streamer was a famous figure.
"Hello. This is Lich King Raymond of ''TheLichIsRich''. Huhu."
A skeleton was grinning eerily on the /genesisforsaken
Chapter 55: Galactic TV (1)
Live streaming service.
For users from Earth, this was a familiar type of content.
Of course, even among Earth natives, there would be differences, but generally speaking, there was no one who had never watched a video before. And it was especially so for users familiar withmunities; there would be no one who didn''t know YouT*be.
?To think I''d see this in my lifetime....
?wait, so I have to do this tier whatever sub shit even aftering to an otherworld?
?Hey, Oppas? You''lle watch if I start a channel, right?
?fuck off, you catfish bitch.
?so when is Keisha nooniming?
?Keu! It truly reminds me of home.?fr fr LOL it¡¯d be perfect to watch with some fried chicken and canned beer.
?but why is adult content blocked?
?the Oradge is surprisingly conservative ??
?nah what isn¡¯t this being tantly conservative?
?LOLOLOL be careful of what u say
?Oh, Earth, how I miss you....
While their reactions were indeed heated¡
They couldn''tpare to the reactions of the native Otherworlders.
-Wow....
-Is what''s showing on the screen being transmitted in real-time?
-Uh... Chat? Real-timemunication?
-How are we supposed to earn Points with this?
-We have to reveal our private lives?
-Isn''t this something only jesters would do?
-Oh....
-How fascinating.
Especially for Otherworlders who had never entered the Premium Store and thus never seen the banner videos, the shock was even greater. For them, this was extremely stimting content.
-Is what''s moving now an actual living person?
-Is there a person inside that?
-Wow.... So that''s what other worlds look like.
-It is quite different from us.
-I am envious.
-What a peaceful ce.
-Young Lady. You are truly splendid.
-That doesn''t look like a ce I''d want to go to.
-Do such worlds really exist?
-I guess where I lived was heaven all along.
Every time new content was opened, not only did traffic increase, but users who had stopped visiting also returned. There were even people who looked forward to the Oradge''s updates now.
And this event especially, unlike the previous Gacha Store update, received a lot of positive reviews.
It created a kind of flow where users could not only consume but also produce, and even exchange resources among themselves.
Moreover, in the case that their Otherworld a bit boring?
For users ustomed to the stimting modern world, this was like a refreshing carbonated drink.
-kyah! Oradge for Congress!
-What a hardworking Oradge. Imend you.
-this is the shit!
-yeah this is what it¡¯s all about. we need something like this to endure this shitty life, don¡¯t we?
It was especially the case due to the format of this tform; since users autonomously produce content themselves, it was natural that there would be plenty to watch.
And the Oradge was raking in Karma Points throughmissions from all of this.
The challenger who issued a challenge to such an Oradge, the first streamer ''TheLichIsRich''.
It was a broadcast titled [Is the Oradge Afraid of Me?].
"Oradge! Are you watching?!"
''TheLichIsRich'' had be thoroughly annoyed at the Oradge for not showing any reaction, whether through messages or replies.
As such, he started his broadcast by issuing a challenge to the Oradge.
"The Oradge must undoubtedly be afraid of this one''s growth."
?why is lich talking like that? he¡¯s speaking in honorifics to the oradge but he¡¯s also referring to himself as this one''? LMAOOOO just pick one or the other.
?seems like even he''s confused about what concept he should go for LOLOL
?maybe he''s nervous? LOLOLOL
?LOL fr fr LOL
?LOLOLOL
Other voices could be heard from beyond the screen.
-Lord Raymond, should I adjust the lighting like this?
-Hey! Vampire! Get out! You might melt under the lights!
-Could it be that Lord Raymond has been possessed? Or perhaps he has turned senile? Seeing how he is talking to himself in the air like that.
-Quiet! He''s not that far gone yet.
-Hey, Gargoyle! Is this lighting right?
-Make it a bit brighter!
The light that had been shaking back and forth in the center of the screen, emitting a gloomy aura, focused on the skull.
Hwaaaaaaa-
With that, a halo was created.
"..."
?euk! it''s blinding!
?HAHAHHAA the fuck are they doing?
?LOLOLOL
?LMAO the lich, the oh so great one, is so extra.
?ahhh....e to think of it, since he has no scalp... that means he¡¯s one of the baldmen
?LOL doesn¡¯t his eyes seem to be trembling right now?
?looks like even he knows this is embarrassing JAJJAJAAJ
"Ahem! Hem!"
Raymond stamped his staff on the ground with a thud.
Then, blue lights came on from the ceiling, illuminating the surroundingboratory.
?oh shettt lol it looks like there''s something there?
?kyaahhhhhh HAHAHA are we getting a special glimpse into the oh so great lich¡¯s collection?
?woah what are all those things in the back?
?there¡¯s a shitton of expensive-looking stuff too LOLOL
?Is it ab? Or a warehouse?
Raymond barely calmed himself and continued the broadcast. Surely someone of his caliber would be under the Oradge''s watch! He didn''t know why there had been no reply until now, but he needed to newly imprint just how great and dangerous a figure he was.
"Oradge! Did you think I wouldn''t know that you''re refusing tomunicate in order to keep me in check?!"
?what is this guy yapping about? LOL
?chunni mfer HAHAHAHA he think he¡¯s him
?LMAOOOO
?nah just let him be LOL he''s been like this for a while now HAHAHAH
"Huhu. Are you afraid? Of the fact that this Lich King Raymond is quickly catching up to you?"
The chat was filled with all sorts of mockery and insults towards Raymond, but he didn''t budge. The wall protecting his self-esteem was as hard as diamond.
"However, this one shall not act aloof like you! I have created this asion to prove that fact!"
?oooooh lololol it¡¯s the lich''s big reveal! what tips will he give?
?will the oh so great lich teach us some magic?
?since he¡¯s a lich he must have dabbled in some ck magic.
?nah this one¡¯s an especially severe case lolol he probably tried dipping his hands into all sorts of magic theories i think?
?seems like he must be bored LOL
"All Liches are great mages. No mage can match our mindset, having abandoned our physical bodies for magical research. We are of a different ss from those withered husks."
Raymond''s statement caused a flood ofints from White Mage users in the chat, but he paid no heed to them.
"Huhu. This one has long been researching the items sold by the Oradge. I shall prove that they can be sufficiently implemented with magical techniques."
?why do you even need to prove that?
?can''t you just buy it with points?
?lol the so-called rich oh so great lich has no points LMAOOO
?nah so like¡ why is it even necessary to make it with magic?
?won''t it just be an inferior version anyway? HAHHAAH
?wahhhhhh, whatever, wahhh im the great lich wahhhh and it''s great because it''s made with magic! wahhhhHHHHH!!
?look at him gritting his teeth LMAOO he cant say shit
?remember when he got roasted for not being able to make hair loss medicine? LOL that must have triggered him HAHAHAHAHHAH
"First, let''s check the principles behind how the products sold in the Oradge''s Store are made."
Raymond pulled out a [Reconnaissance Drone (R)] that he had barely managed to draw from the Gacha Store. It was Raymond''s No. 1 treasure, polished to a shine.
Ahem. [Reconnaissance Drone (R)]! Everyone must be envious, no doubt.
?ah tf what¡¯s this¡ i was hoping to learn some magic but he''s just showing off something trivial as fuck¡
?hey lich. shouldn''t you reveal things like ''Where do Liches hide their Life Vessels?'' u know that¡¯s what people want to see, right?
?mfer has zero taste or tact.
?ah just teach us magic already.
"Gah! How dare you! Only the Oradge can insult me!"
Ding-
[''I¡¯mBuyingGenitals'' has donated 1,000P.]
-gimme a strategy that can defeat a lich.
Pause-
What did I just see? Is someone asking the Lich King how to defeat a Lich?
"GAH!!! HOW DARE YOU?! All Liches are precious! As long as you do not provoke them first, they are beneficial beings quietly devoted to research in their dungeons!"
[''I''mBuyingGenitals'' has donated 10,000P.]
-so what''s the strategy?
The number of donated Points increased by a digit.
"...Gah! How dare you! This one is not a scoundrel who would sell out his own ki-"
[''I''mBuyingGenitals'' has donated 100,000P.]
-strategy.
"...Ahem! I suppose Liches from other worlds cannot be considered my kin. While this world is under my control, other worlds are not... Hmm hmm."
Raymond had recently spent all his fortune in the Gacha Store to obtain research materials. As such, his eyes wavered.
[''I''mBuyingGenitals'' has donated 1,000,000P.]
-spill
1 million Points???
Anger filled Raymond''s eyes.
"First, you need to understand the psychological characteristics of Liches. Those terribly calcting and safety-first Liches are truly vicious-"
It wasn''t long before Raymond''s broadcast title changed to [Lich King''s Guide to Defeating Liches!].
Other Named Users also started broadcasts.
Starting from [Gacha Stream of ''JinNotGungjin''.]...
There were also videos sharing knowledge and information like [Swordsmanship Lessons from an Imperial Royal Guard]...
And¡
[''meYongYongie'' Is your life tough, boring, and nd? 12 ways to provoke the Oradge without crossing the line.]
There was even a review of a field study performed by a Red Dragon. Extreme Sports? What¡¯s that? The only Extreme Sports this Red Dragon knows is Extreme Extinction.
Of course, most users watched streams rather than making them.
And among them, there was a video that recorded overwhelming views.
It was none other than the Oradge''s /genesisforsaken
Chapter 56: Galactic TV (2)
Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the Oradge did not start a live stream. He merely uploaded a couple of videos.
However, the reason he recorded the highest views was...
[If anyone has information about the Kaiju appearing in the video, or if there are any witnesses, contact us anytime. Depending on the information, we will pay a reward that amounts to anywhere from 100 million to 10 billion Points.]
10 billion Points?
With just 100 Points, one could afford a meal that even nobles couldn''t dream of. But 10 billion Points?
It was an amount that would allow one to live without worrying about food for a lifetime.
However, the 10 billion Points were quickly forgotten from people''s minds. Because in the video...
?dafok is that?
?the definition of Kaiju that I know is...?nah fam that ain''t cap, that''s a cosmic kaiju LOL
?isn''t the thing that just appeared-sized?
?what the? are those the ones that apparently remained unscathed even after nuclear explosions?
?uhhh...? is that...... splitting?
?Are all those swarming things... Kaiju?
?this is what they call Kaiju?
?Did you check the yback speed at the bottom? LOL
?the fastest(?) one is at X0.0001 speed LOL
?fr? lol
?uhhh?
?lol what looked like teleportation just now... was actually slowed down yback lol
?thanks for the sweet view.
Various cosmic Kaiju were introduced in the video. From Kaiju the size of mountains spewing tentacles from their entire body to ultrarge Kaiju chewing ups.
All sorts of Kaiju were captured in the video.
In fact, from the users'' perspective, it was no different from something straight out of mythology.
However, what was even more impressive was...
?uhhh?
?the humans fighting against such things are...
?are they really the humans like us?
?is it all just due to their equipment?
?cognitive dissonance ON
?is that sword technique that just sliced up the Kaiju actually possible to implement?
?i doubt even a hero with a holy sword would be like that.
?If just one of their soldiers came to our world, they could probably conquer it easily lol
?ohhhh... so that wasn''t just fireworks all this time?
?are all those things that were just shown spaceships...?
?I wonder how many tens of thousands of people are on each of those.
?....
Contrary to Karlstein''s expectations, the attention went in apletely unexpected direction. The focus was on the side defeating the Kaiju rather than the Kaiju themselves.
?Cosmic Mythical Battle.avi
?Ah. I enjoyed the movie. burp Now show us your actual reality.
?Wake up and stop dreaming something so absurd. O¡¯ Hero.
?even Ragnarok wouldn''t be like this LMAOO
?just what kind of battles have you been fighting?
?just who are you to be catching such Kaiju as if they were mice...
?so to be the Oradge, one needs to be at least this level...
?(TheLichIsRich): ....
?Hmm. This one is known as the Greatest Under Heaven in Jianghu, but... I shall just pass on this one.
?greatest under heaven < God-tier SF God-tier Soldier 1
?LOL
The video ended with a glimpse of the Oradge.
??
?did he just blow up a moon?
?LOLOL Wow! I never thought I''d see the sight of the moon being destroyed with my own eyes.
?It¡¯s hard to even imagine...
?what do we even call that. should we call that a throwing spear... or magic... or something else entirely...
?My brain has been wipedpletely clean.
?From now on, I shall absolutely never mess with the Oradge.
As the Oradge, wearing full-body armor with a red cape, threw a spear towards the sky, a celestial body akin to a full moon shattered into pieces. Then, the video ended.
No matter how much one might want to believe it''s fake, anyone capable of an iota of rational thought would know better.
Why would he go to such lengths to create a fake?
And it was not just once or twice; every time rumors about the Oradge spread, it was always something in line with this. By now, even if one didn¡¯t want to believe it, they had no choice but to ept it.
Beyondparison.
Beyond the heavens.
Untouchable.
It was impossible to contain the Oradge with any modifier. He was not someone who could be defined by the likes of them.
The second video was rtively easier to watch. Though that was only possible because it was in slow motion.
?what are those mobs?
?they don''t seem to be Kaiju, i think? they''re too weak.
?be for fucking real. they only seem that waypared to the previous video, but those are monsters too. they''re standing perfectly fine in the middle of space.
?Silver mes? So if we find information about those guys, we get the reward money plus extrapensation from the Oradge?
?That''s right.
?Breaking news) Fat Cap Artist deres he will blow up a continent
?brrr im so scared
?does anyone know them?
?they say dimensional travel is possible for them and they can gigantize?
?If it''s like that, I''d believe it even if they said they were gods lol
?nah bute on, how would ordinary people ever encounter such beings? LOL
?Dunno. maybe there are some transcendents out there.
?I''m a transcendent and I could insta-kill one of those Kaiju from the first video in 0.1 seconds. tho it¡¯s only possible because its me, of course lol
?Hmm... I wonder if I couldpete against those bastards from the second video?
?Old man. Did you check the yback speed?
?Ah...
?More like you¡¯d end uppeting with the on who would be split in half faster. okok?
It was shocking in many ways.
It was so majestic, so overwhelming that it reached the point of feeling unreal.
?fuck this life
?What have I been doing all this time?
?i¡¯m gonna quit being an emperor. this self-loathing is too much ffs
?LOL It''s a different world anyway, right? Cheer up.
?idk idgaf.
?The swordsmanship of thatdy from the second video is no ordinary swordsmanship.
?isn''t it just sh sh swoosh swoosh?
?Hoho. We all see different things from our own positions.
And so, under Karlstein''s intentions, the streaming service was sessfullyunched.
***
Karma Points were pouring in abundantly.
"Iyaaa... How much is all this?"
The Gacha Store was quite profitable, butmission business was truly the best. No matter how many items one sold, it could¡¯tpare to tform business. Of course, the market wasn''t that simple, and it was possible because he had released enough volume to vitalize the entire market, but...
For now, he could only marvel at the rapidly umting Points.
-I will now collect the budget for research expenses this time.
"No!"
At Aria''s single remark, the vast amount of Karma Points that had been endlessly umting disappeared in a sh, like a sry merely brushing past one''s bank ount.
Agh. My goodness. A man''s pridees from his wallet, you know!
-Do you have anyints?
"..."
Comints... I don¡¯t have any. Probably.
-I will deduct the support funds for Moderators as per your orders, advance payments for goods, server maintenance costs,bor costs for various content development, distribution costs. Oh, of course, including mybor costs.
Keuk!
What''s the Point of working hard! It''s leaking from everywhere!
-We spent especially a lot this time to advance the update. But I have still put in plenty of pocket money for you.
Karlstein¡¯s eyes wavered, rapidly checking his bnce.
About 10 billion Points remained.
W-Well, this is still something, right?
At any rate, it was still 10 billion.
Considering his spending habits, it might be considered small, but it was actually an amount ordinary people couldn''t even dream of.
For reference, he himself had no intention of streaming to gather Points.
It would be undignified.
The Emperor of the Gctic Empire and the Administrator of the Integrated Dimensional Community doing reactions for donations?
He absolutely couldn''t bear the thought.
"What should I do with this?"
Some might wonder. Pocket money for an Emperor? And the Emperor of the Gctic Empire at that?
But that was just because they didn''t understand.
The meaning of pocket money was not at all trivial. This amount meant that he could use it anywhere without interference. It was his own emergency fund that no one would meddle with no matter how trivial the use!
Usually, when he was with Aria, he tended to be conscious of her gaze. Even if she didn¡¯t explicitly show it or nag...
When he received Aria''s nces that seemed to say, ''While someone is trying to save every penny to run the empire, someone else is...'', his conscience would start to ache.
Of course, for things he deemed absolutely necessary, he could spend freely without such distinctions as ''pocket money'', but...
As they say¡
[Oh my? Handsome Oppa! Thank you for the donation! You''re the best!]
feeling pleased
[Ah! To the mysterious donor who sent the donation! I''ll use it well to feed our Happy something delicious!]
feeling pleased
[What? You want me to do more gacha even though I''mpletely broke? Ah! Another donation this big! As expected, gacha can''t be stopped!]
feeling pleased
[Holy shit! Big Bro! Hello? Did you send the donation by mistake? Is this for real? Or is it a hidden camera prank? The digits themselves arepletely different! This is crazy! We''ll make you the chairman of our stream!!]
feeling pleased
Originally, humans seeked happiness by spending time and resources on seemingly useless things.
But he couldn¡¯t squander the national treasury on such things, can he? Ordinarily, in such cases, there should be a separate department managing the Emperor''s private assets, but...
-What are you saying, Your Majesty!! That is absolutely uneptable!
-The Gctic Empire is already yours, Your Majesty. Why would you need such distinctions when you can simply use everything as you please!
-Rather, how about taking all the empire''s assets and then granting us a budget, Your Majesty?
-There are rumors that Your Majesty has been feeling jaded with official duties recently...!
It was once scrapped due to fierce opposition from the Ministers. Though the logic behind their opposition was somewhat strange.
Well, it''s awkward to refuse it when they''re saying it''s already all mine.
Was this what it meant when people say infinite freedom came with infinite responsibility?
That was why he couldn''t help but be even more conscious of others'' gazes.
If they had at least told him not to spend on such things, he would have risen up and fought against it.
-Oh! As expected, everything the great Emperor does must have meaning!
-Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
-If Your Majestymands, we would jump into a fire pit carrying firewood!
-....
However, there were too many overzealous Ministers.
His collection full of nostalgic allure wasn''t created for nothing either.
Would things like K-Chicken and K-Hanwoo really just be made out of nowhere? No, of course not.
They were merely the results of his direct investment and research to recreate the foods he liked in his past life. The same goes for ''Growth-Type Space Battleships'' and ''Various Concepts of Weapon Suits''.
They might not be cost-effective, but there were works filled with his stubbornness and idea of nostalgic romance.
"Sigh."
Karlstein let out a short sigh.
In fact, there was another reason why he felt the need for a secret fund.
Let¡¯s say he spends money in reality. What would happen? Setting aside the fact that it''s impossible to operate funds without Aria knowing, everyone from the Minister of Economy to the lowest manager in the Budget Execution Department would know every detail of his spending.
It was horrifying. It was no different from being dismembered alive.
[Breaking News: The Emperor''s woman is? His Great Imperial Majesty has made a huge donation to a streamer¡¯s strip show...]
Such a thing must never happen.
"No. Absolutely not."
Of course, even if it were discovered, there wouldn''t be any imperial citizens bold enough to criticize or denounce him, but still...
Forced into humiliation! Forced into shame!
Yes, he had no intention of volunteering to be the subject of some contrived humiliation porn.
Moreover, in the Community¡
"Ahem."
[Wee to the Integrated Dimensional Community, ''PayToWinGuy''.]
With his Administrator privileges, he could even set up alt /genesisforsaken
Chapter 57: Galactic TV (3)
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
-hi
"Oh my! Wee! Thank you for the donation! I''ll do my best to take on this challenge! Let''s go, let¡¯s go! Fighting!"
On the screen, a cute girl was choosing weapons before tackling a dungeon. In front of her were a spear and a short sword.
"Hmm. What should I use? I haven''t chosen my main weapon yet!"
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
-Obviously the spear.
Ahem.
He wouldn¡¯t do something as cheap as speaking through chat. Donation messages were essentially his chat window.
"Ah! Another donation! Is it some kind of event today?! Thank you so much!"
The brown-haired girl with twin tails repeatedly bowed towards the air to express her gratitude.
"Then shall we try using the short spear?"
At that moment.
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100P.]
-It seems you are greatly mistaken or unaware. Obviously it must be the sword.
Hmm? The sword is a good weapon too, but...
"Ah! The sword?"
The girl was a bit flustered.
What should I do? Whose advice should I follow?
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100P.]
-ignore the weapon noob okok? there''s a reason the sword is called the king of all weapons, right?
What? Weapon noob? Is this guy picking a fight?
A vein popped on Karlstein''s forehead.
In truth, he didn''t have an extraordinary level of expertise with spears; he just preferred them because they were easy to overwhelm opponents with physically while being convenient to use.
But about this ''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' with his strange tone¡
His way of speaking was irritating.
He couldn''t lose to someone like that.
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
-Spears are more efficient for beginners. Swords take too long to master. And the king of all weapons is actually the spear.
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100P.]
-Haaah?
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
-Also, if this is a dungeon, isn¡¯t it a practical exercise? Even experts can easily get hurt, you know? But the fact that you¡¯re rmending a sword to a beginner right off the bat? Your level¡ there¡¯s no need to even question what it is. heh.
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100P.]
-Bullshit. The king of all weapons is the sword. And are you going to live as amon soldier forever? Of course you should learn advanced weapon techniques.
A rebuttal came immediately.
Hmm. What''s this?
He could just let it go, but¡
What is this subtle unpleasantness stimting his oh so manly instincts?
-You think there are no spear experts? No matter how much you insist, the fact that spears are superior is a fact.
-Don''t butt in if you don''t know. Besides, isn''t a dungeon a melee? Of course swords have the advantage. They''re also easier to adapt to various environments.
-Short spears are the answer. And if you grip it widely, it''s good for defense too.
-From the start, swords can both thrust and sh, but aren''t spears just one-trick ponies for thrusting? Isn''t itmon sense that 2 is stronger than 1?
-Common sense my ass LOL
-Hah. You''re pissing me off. Unless you''re going to fight in formation, of course the sword is superior. Are you stupid?
Of course, donations went back and forth rapidly.
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100P.]
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100P.]
....
As the argument continued, a broad smile spread across the girl''s face.
And then finally¡
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 10,000P.]
-Fine. Whatever. Let¡¯s stop here. Who cares what you say. Anyway, spear gogo.
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 10,000P.]
-Only 10,000 points? What a waste of a username. What do you even do for a living?
The swordsman was pulling a "So what''s your tier?" move, or so it was called.
Me? I''m the Oradge and the Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
But I can''t say that, so...
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 10,000P.]
-im at least doing better than you, so dw
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 100,000P.]
-LOL ¡°level¡± my foot.. You scared?
100,000 points? Still, trying topete with me using Points is a bit...
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 1,000,000P.]
-Don''t act all tough. Just leave.
In the end, the two of them settled theirpetition through personal attacks on their character and honor, as well as making it rain.
Naturally, the chat went wild.
?who tf are these guys?
?idk. who cares if it''s a spear or sword?
?look at those amounts going up LOL they''ve entered a battle to the death LMAOO the extinction of their points
?wow. are they really doing this just because of their pride?
?OneArmedBlindSwordsman is a named user in the sword debate tab LOL
?I heard he single-handedly established a kingdom?
?How much Karma do you get for establishing a country?
?from what i can see, PayToWinGuy is probably gonna lose LOL usually people with usernames like that aren''t normal.
?but he probably still lives better than you
?My guy. can you not with the harsh truth bombs ffs
?LOLOL
?anyway, they''re definitely in a different league than us LOL
?i just came to watch hawawa high school chan''s dungeon run, but i''m getting quite a show.
As the amounts gradually increased, other viewers started to gather one by one.
?Is this where the battle to the death of their points is happening?
?What do you have to do to umte that many Points?
?wow LOL this is fucking hrious HAHAHAH
?damn, they''re throwing around 10 million points like it''s nothing LOL
?nah this is the shit HAHAHAHA
?cant believe im watching an extinction battle live LOL
In the midst of this, ''PayToWinGuy'' caused a hugemotion.
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100,000,000P.]
-heh
100 million? At first, the viewers thought they had seen it wrong.
Is he crazy? Why 100 million points for something like this?
It was an unimaginable expenditure for ordinary people!
?wtf 100 million?
?Since when did 100 million be something that can be thrown in the streets?
?seems like for him it¡¯s more than possible to make it rain with 100 million.
?iyaaaaa, i wonder what kind of people spend hundreds of millions of points on their pride
?They''re definitely not normal.
?From our perspective it might seem that way, but for them, maybe this is just pocket change?
?100 million is pocket change...? Am I misunderstanding the definition of pocket change?
?Anyway, they can''t be considered ordinary people.
?ur scared now, aren¡¯t u sword boy?
The girl was left speechless, her mouth agape at the battle between these big shots.
She would have been happy with a reasonable amount, but 100 million?
It was a number that didn''t feel real.
"..."
In the end, the sword guy admitted defeat while trembling in frustration at the 100 million points. Of course, leaving a message of spiritual or moral(?) victory before departing was the unwritten rule when it came to things like this.
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has donated 10,000P.]
-fck... Anyway, swords are the best.
Ding-
[''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' has left.]
?100 million?
?Holy shit!
?mfer ran away LOL
?what is this? some bullshit spirit victory? LOL LOL LOL this is hrious LOL
?LOLOLOLOL
?Wow, how many zeros is that?
?it¡¯s my first time seeing this username... Does anyone know who this is?
At any rate, from the girl''s perspective, she hit the jackpot. Her two eyes trembled violently in disbelief. In an instant, she had earned enough to graduate from dungeons and livefortably for the rest of her life.
"Th-This is..."
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 10,000,000P.]
-Anyway, I had fun. Take care and good luck.
"O-One, ten, hundred, thousand... Heup! Y-Yes! Th-Thank you so much! I''ll definitely use the spear! Thank you!"
The girl finally burst into tears, expressing her gratitude.
Karlstein wiped under his nose.
Well... Who cares whether it''s a spear or a sword¡
In the end, the one who fights better will win anyway.
He had donated in the first ce because he found it admirable that the girl was working hard to survive in the harsh environment of the otherworld, diligently hunting monsters. He found his own enjoyment in it, with the mindset of donating to a young breadwinner.
''PayToWinGuy'' and ''OneArmedBlindSwordsman'' ranked 1st and 2nd respectively on the Official Constetion Rankings of ''HawawaHighSchoolChan''.
A screenshot of the Constetion Ranking showing the donation amounts spread through themunity, causing controversy for a while and saying things like:
Who the hell are these guys?
Give that money to me instead. I''ll do anything you want.
She hit the jackpot just by trying to choose a weapon.
A screenshot of the girl crying was also preserved in themunity. She had to bear the envy and resentment of themunity users.
Afterwards, broadcasts with concepts like sword vs sword, spear vs sword, and mage vs knight popped up like mushrooms after rain.
And quite a few users realized.
If this takes off... couldn¡¯t it be life-changing?
The donation system. It''s just insane!
The number of users earnestly waiting for the selection of a Constetion increased.
Of course, Karlstein didn''t think that far. He was satisfied with just ying around for a bit.
"Ahemmm. Now what should I do?"
Of course, the reason he could rx like this was because he had worked hard. He had been diligently working on matters rted to Kaiju and the Silver Blood.
In fact, even now, all sorts of information wasing in through his main ount, and Aria was busy filtering through it.
And when it came to the field of research, talents from all walks of life were deployed and things were progressing smoothly, with astronomical investments already made where needed.
Need there be anything more to be said?
It wasn''t for nothing that Aria had generously handed over 10 billion. So, no one would say anything even if he took a break.
That''s why he was posting nonsense on themunity and watching various videos to soothe his mind and body.
Yes, this is the shit. This feeling of spending time doing nothing. A time of no productivity.
In the midst of this, there was a broadcast concept that caught his eye.
"Avatar blind date?"
What''s this?
[I''m going to propose marriage to the princess of a neighboring country. I heard she''s really beautiful heh depending on the donation points, of course-]
Marriage proposal?
A marriage proposal when I''m still single even after bing the Emperor of the universe?
Unforgivable.
[''PayToWinGuy'' has donated 100P.]
-how much and to what extent?
I''ll teach them a lesson with money!
***
"Everyone is present. It''s not an easy group to gather, but..."
Thenguid yet decadent voice of the silver-haired woman announced the opening of the meeting. As her voice rang out, the dark space around expanded infinitely, and polygons of cubes reassembled here and there, revealing the silhouettes of people one by one.
They all quietly looked at the woman in the center.
The First Chancellor of the Gctic Empire, as well as the Chief Secretary.
Aria.
Though she appeared to be an ordinarymoner without even a First Name, no one there dared to disrespect her.
After all, she was undoubtedly the closest confidant of His Imperial Majesty.
This was a fact that no one could deny.
Even the few who knew that she was not human, but an Android Terminal, felt the same way.
The atmosphere in the virtual conference room grew heavy at her opening deration.
"U-Umm."
Among them, there was arge man standing in the corner of the conference room, looking nervous.
Mylo Ranka.
A great hero who survived even the fierce battle known as the ''L¨¹pir Star System Assault Operation'' or the ''Single Number Subjugation Campaign''.
As one of the Hero Council of Salvation and the one who took the position of sub-tanker when His Majesty was absent, he was a member of the highest echelon of the Gctic Empire.
But even he could barely breathe properly in this conference room.
After all, there was not only ''Aria'' who was presiding over the meeting, but also the starlight-haired woman ''Maxien Asteria'' standing to her right.
Those two alone were formidable enough.
However, as he carefully turned his eyes, he also saw a small figure in a hood sitting in a corner of the conference room.
Cami Bashatiret.
Uniform metallic sounds echoed through the conference room from the gas mask worn over her mouth.
Ssaek- Ssaek-
But no one dared to question it.
The Head of the Executive Department, as well as one of the Great Heroes, which had the likes of Karlstein Babylon and Maxien Asteria in their ranks.
That was who Cami Bashatiret was. And no one dared to challenge her.
Only Aria, the top of the Internal Affairs Department, or Maxien, the Cosmic Sword Saint, could stop her. And they were already used to it, so they didn''t even pay heed to such things.
The same was true for Mylo.
"I assume everyone has checked the circumstances of this incident?"
"..."
There was no confusion in their expressions as they nodded or silently watched.
As befitting the closest confidants of Emperor Karlstein, everyone hade prepared.
"Is His Majesty''s sacred body alright?"
In response to someone''s question, the top figure from the Medical Bureau answered.
"There were no particr symptoms. It is truly fortunate."
"My goodness. Even after using that power..."
"That does not mean we can let our guard down. Especially since it is a matter rted to a Single Number. We do not know what might happen, after all."
A smallmotion arose in the conference room.
However, it soon quieted down at Aria''s next words.
"His Imperial Majesty''s [Mental Invariability] is fine. There is no need to worry to that extent."
Everyone clicked their tongues in amazement.
"It''s practically awe-inspiring."
"Who else but His Majesty could handle it?"
"That''s true."
"Hoho. As expected of His Majesty."
Everyone felt admiration and reverence.
However, amidst this, someone''s sharp voice made everyone close their mouths.
Ssaek- Ssaek-
"...Maxien. Aren''t you... too ipetent...? To make Him... use that power..."
It was Cami Bashatiret.
The atmosphere turned so cold it could freeze one''s lungs. At this point, Mylo just wanted to go home.
At least in his opinion, the Hero Council of Salvation had long since degenerated into an arena ofpetition for the position of future Empress, with everyone keeping each other in check.
Why was I even called here?
Mylo, with his sturdy, muscr build, felt like /genesisforsaken
Chapter 58: Secret Assembly (1)
***
Karlstein,pletely unaware of the situation in the Hero Council of Salvation, spent his time browsing the [Integrated Dimensional Community]. He had just finished participating in an Avatar Blind Date.
"Oh my..."
Karlstein, who had entered the ''Avatar Blind Date'' room with the ominous intention of destroying any couple within sight, was able toe out with a Buddha-like smile.
?What?!
?no way....
?where''s the so-called beautiful princess renowned even in neighboring countries at?
?The Harm of Exaggerated Advertising.avi?LOLOLOLOL
?look at that guy''s expression LOL
?but I think it''s probably the same for the other person too LOLOL
A rather tragic situation unfolded as donations continued in an attempt to somehow connect the two.
-Thank you foring out to this meeting, Sir Yuleta.
-Huh? Y-Yes... It is an honor to meet the rumored princess in person.
-It should be an honor. To think that a mere second son of a Count¡¯s household would dare to look at me. Really, Father is too much.
[''Cupid of Love'' has donated 1,000P.]
-confess your love gogo
-Uh... That. I apologize for being so forward, but... I love you.
-Hmph! At least you know beauty when you see it.
?ahhh....
?pls no more...!
?LOLOLOL
?What a fucking shitshow.
?thanks for the entertainment. im out
Karlstein was able to leave feeling content. As he was lurking here and there, bing a ghost of themunity...
"Huh?"
He caught sight of some suspicious movement.
Did I see that wrong? No, I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t, though? I definitely saw it, right?
It was amunity post with a title in sentence form that was difficult to understand. A sentence with meaningless words all mixed up? Something that seemed to make sense, but the meaning couldn''t be understood.
He looked for it again, but couldn''t find it, probably because it had been quickly deleted.
Well, someone might identally post something and then take it down right away. But this kind of situation didn''t seem to be a one-time thing. He had just passed over it carelessly before.
Something smelled fishy. Like a suspicious smell reminiscent of urban legends about North Korean spies?
If it had been a post with an ordinary title, he probably wouldn''t have paid attention to it.
They say humans are curious creatures by nature. It''s human nature to want to uncover what''s being hidden.
Traces that disappeared in an instant.
An ordinary user would have to wait endlessly until the same phenomenon was discovered again, but¡
Who am I?
The Oradge.
What can''t I do?
Nothing.
He personally executed the Administrator Mode. Karlstein felt no shame in abusing his admin privileges.
"Let''s see..."
He checked the logs that popped up.
"Not this one, not that one either."
Although there was so much information that it would be easy to get lost, thanks to Aria''s UI refinement, he could find it easily.
-Author: cknessOfDarkness
-Title: Badabi Badaboom sound main dealer with all his might very cold-blooded Casanova....
Qjjalttukhotjjaemnyinyutbyeokddwippeunddeuknigeuibeunhan....
?Confirmed
?Hi
?Ok.
What is this? cknessOfDarkness? Badabi Badaboom?
He looked through the post history, but nothing special was visible.
"Hmm."
Nevertheless, not giving up, he dug up even old posts and examined every corner.
"Aha!"
Then he was able to discover some strange circumstances.
"Iyaaa...! To this extent?"
They were having conversations by editingments on posts from a very long time ago.
It was a post so old that even the most diligent Bluadge couldn''t easily find it.
Aha.
He roughly grasped what the situation was.
The strange post uploaded by ''cknessOfDarkness'' seemed to be a signal. When the post was uploaded at a set time, the appointed people gathered at an old post and had conversations by editingments and replies.
A Secret Assembly?
?We will now begin the 6th Regr Assembly.
?p p.
?Ooh.
?Have you all been well?
They were actually conducting such a suspicious secret meeting?
Karlstein''s mouth was practically watering with anticipation.
He quietly observed their assembly.
Originally, in such situations, one should practice the "stfu&lurk" tactic. Shut the fuck up and lurk.
It meant to observe the situation first without thoughtlessly butting in.
?What do you think the Oradge is aiming for?
?To think he would start the concept of a streaming tform. I can''t even begin to guess what the Oradge is trying to do.
?Truly so.
?To think he would create such a vulgar service after sucking up all our Karma.
?Everyone is saving up their Points without spending them, right?
?Of course. Hoho.
Huh? What did you say?!
Oh, I see now, you were talking behind my back?
How could this not be interesting!
?(cknessOfDarkness): It might be a prelude to dimensional invasion. Like ''those guys''.
?It is not entirely impossible of a case. We already haverades who have gone silent, don''t we?
?That''s because they were unnecessarily provoked after watching that ''meYongYongie'' guy''s video...
?Hush! Be quiet! Newbie!
?Yessir....
?Anyway, it is not something to take lightly.
?Of course.
?The Oradge must be the Devil! To create such an absurd, satanic system called Gacha!
?Ahem. It seems users from Earth are familiar with it.
?....
This was undoubtedly a much more interesting scene than other nonsensical posts forcibly uploaded to attract people''s attention.
?(PayToWinGuy): Hello hello~! You''re having an interesting conversation, aren''t you?
"..."
But maybe it was too soon?
There was no response to the friendly greeting.
Silence.
Their lively conversation suddenly stopped.
Somehow, I feel a bit sorry...?
-(PayToWinGuy): Hey guys?
This is a bit awkward, could you please answer?
Poof!
It almost felt like he heard such a sound.
The post was deleted in an instant!
There were no traces left.
Like a group of hamsters encountering an elephant, they scurried away in a sh!
"Hehhh¡?"
Come on, I just said hello? Isn''t this too much?
Of course, he had captured all the DNPs. He had that much sense, after all.
"Heheh."
Karlstein hummed as he checked the logs of ''cknessOfDarkness''.
As expected.
?(cknessOfDarkness): I didn''t expect there to be a pervert who would dig through even past posts.
?Exactly.
?It was annoying to have to move.
?Have all the others arrived?
?Ah, the Saintess hasn''t arrived yet.
?Newbie, I have just arrived!
Look at how coordinated they are. Such unity! How cute.
They regrouped in an instant for their Secret Assembly!
They were pathetically suspicious.
?By the way, that guy who came in by chance earlier, the username is familiar.
?Hmm. I think it''s the guy who became a hot topic recently due to the donation rankings.
?Ah... I remember now. Isn''t he the one who was overflowing with Points?
?He could have been a new recruit, you know? He seems to have a lot of Points....
?(cknessOfDarkness): As you know, we only operate based on a rmendation system.
?That''s right. Of course it must be. After all, if anyone were to betray us, we might be cosmic dust along with our continent.
No, guys. I''m not that petty of a person....
Karlstein felt a tiny bit wronged.
The guys who received special(?) gifts so far were only those who messed with Dimensional Passages, though.
He didn''t vaporize entire continents just because someone talked a bit of smack.
Of course, they probably wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the de-like bans of hardworking Bluadges, yeah?
Anyway.
Since it wasn''tpletely wrong, he continued lurking.
?(cknessOfDarkness) More importantly, we have epted a new recruit this time.
?Oho.... I''m looking forward to it.
?Is it someone we know?
?Wow. Is it a talent rmended by Sir ckness?
?(cknessOfDarkness): That''s right. And you probably all know them. Of course, they are not human, but....
?Oh! Who could it be that you''re building up such suspense?
?(cknessOfDarkness) It is none other than...!
Oh! It''s none other than?
?(TheLichIsRich): Greetings, inferior humans. I am Lich King Raymond.
?Ooh!
?Wee.
?p p p.
?Hey, newbie! Aren''t you being too arrogant for a neer?
A familiar figure appeared.
Lich King Raymond?
Ah, that guy.
Karlstein somehow felt that the Lich guy would fit well with this kind of assembly.
?(TheLichIsRich): So what exactly is this ce for?
?(cknessOfDarkness): Fufu. Nice to meet you. There is no need to be too hasty. We have plenty of time. Isn''t that right, Mr. Lich?
?(TheLichIsRich): I''ve made progress in my recent research, so I don''t have time. I''d like to get straight to the point.
He''s made progress in his research?
Well, it''s not entirely impossible.
When items from the Dimensional Store contained advanced technology beyond what''s necessary, a sealed packaging option was automatically applied. When disassembled, they broke or exploded so they couldn¡¯t be examined.
However, for technologies that were too primitive for the Gctic Empire, they didn''t bother doing this. Often, it consumed more Points to seal them than not. Of course, the receiving side might have been delighted, thinking they managed to obtain some cutting-edge technology.
?(cknessOfDarkness): Don''t you have manyints about the Oradge too? You can slowly talk about that.
?(TheLichIsRich): Comints? Well... I do have manyints.
?(cknessOfDarkness): Haha. That''s right. As expected, my eyes couldn''t have been wrong!
?The Oradge is obsessed with Points right now!
?If this continues, themunity as we remember it will surely disappear.
?The pastoral atmosphere of the past hasrgely disappeared.
?Not that... it was ever particrly pastoral...?
?Be quiet, Newbie!
?We don''t know what impact each item will have on the worlds we live in. To release them so indiscriminately like this is....
?Some items with monstrous performance even break our individual will to train and make it meaningless.
?That''s right. Now there are fewer people who are serious about training. Many just squander their Karma hoping to get lucky with one gacha pull.
?They''ve also frequently disrupted the order of the world to acquire Karma Points.
?Such rapid changes are too dangerous.
?Ahem. Anyway, wee to this ce, Mr. Lich.
Karlstein wasn''t particrly bothered as these wereints he had already anticipated.
And¡
Was there really a need to address theseints...?
No. There wasn¡¯t
He wasn''t running themunity to look good to the users.
Of course, it might be worth considering shifting to a slightly softer direction to suck up more Karma, but¡
At that moment, Lich King Raymond left ament.
?(TheLichIsRich): To think I would live to see such pathetic beings. Aren¡¯t you all just losers full of inferiorityplexes and jealousy?
?(cknessOfDarkness): ...Your words seem a bit too harsh. Raymond.
?Inferiorityplex?!
?Ugh! The Lich hit straight at the bone! Where it hurts the most!
?Be quiet, Newbie.
Oh? Did this guy eat something wrong? Why is he suddenly taking my side?
?(TheLichIsRich): There''s no doubt that the Oradge is great. His technology and results speak for themselves. There''s no need to deny this.
?(cknessOfDarkness): What do you mean? Which side are you choosing right now?
?(TheLichIsRich): Now I see this was nothing but a waste of time. Whew. Listen well. If you''ve fallen behind, acknowledge it and learn from those who have gone ahead, chasing after them. Don''t just sit in ce spewingints. Are you envious of his technology? Jealous of his power? Then it''s time to whip yourself into shape, not just run your mouth.
?(cknessOfDarkness): Mr. Lich... Everyone, it seems I misjudged this person.
?(TheLichIsRich): ...It seems like it is impossible to have a rational discussion with you. I''ll take my leave now. Continue this useless conversation among yourselves. And for your information... I am not a person. Tsk.
?(cknessOfDarkness): ....
What the heck? Why is this guy suddenly acting like this? This is so awkward.
The Lich had already left, it seemed, as no morements were written.
The remaining members seemed to have quieted down in the chilly atmosphere.
Oh dear.
This isn''t what I wanted, though?
Lich, you bastard! You''ve poured cold water all over an interesting honey pot!
Anyway, now''s the time.
Karlstein''s eyes shed.
It¡¯s time!
?(I¡¯mThePirateKing1): Oradge, you fucking sonuvabitch!!
LEZ GOOO!
Karlstein instantly changed his /genesisforsaken
Chapter 59: Secret Assembly (2)
Chapter 59: Secret Assembly (2)
-(I''mThePirateKing): The Oradge is the root of all evil!!
?WOOOOAH!!
?INDEED!!
?YEAH!
?WAAAAAAAAH!
?HOEH!
?This guy''s got his head on straight!
?Good! I like it! You''re the newbie from now on!
-(I''mThePirateKing): Let''s overthrow the Oradge!!
?Huh? What?
?Uh, um?
?YEAH!
?Overthrow! Overthrow!
?Th-That''s a bit...
?Hoehhh?!
?Isn''t that going a bit too far?
They hesitated at the word "overthrow."
How could they be so cowardly! Of course, he had dealt with a few malicious users who ignored his warnings and messed with Dimensional Passages, but still¡
Hmm. Is this what it means to reap what I have sown?
But it seemed to have passed over well enough. The atmosphere that had drastically plummeted due to Lich King Raymond''s sharp words had revived a little.
Karlstein broke out in a cold sweat thinking about the earlier atmosphere.
?It''s not... wrong, I guess.
?Should I say it''s embarrassing if it''s embarrassing?
?Feeling down....
?Ugh!
?I''m sad!
?Sniff sniff.
?It is too in line with the harsh truth to refute....
?Hoehhh....
?Hmm....
The ships of the secret society members had been sunk by the Lich King''s truth bombs.
Wait, why are you guys suddenly engaging in self-reflection?
Don''t do that! Guys! Why is it suddenly an atmosphere of repentance!
Please act out a bit more wildly.
In the end, the atmosphere only revived after he shouted strongly about overthrowing the Oradge and rained 500P, enough to order two chickens through the Donation System.
"Phew."
Anyway.
?(I''mThePirateKing): Alright! Then let''s begin.
?Huh? But who are you?
?How did you get in here?
?Someone must have rmended him.
?Don''t tell me you got in by chance?
Of course, there were some who had well-found doubts. Every time that happened, Karlstein had to shout about overthrowing the Oradge andunch a gift offensive using the Donation System.
?(I''mThePirateKing): Is that important?! Everyone shout!! Overthrow the Oradge!! Long live chicken!
?O-Overthrow the Oradge!
?Overthrow!
?Resist dictatorship!
?Long live chicken! Long live c!
?Woooah!
?Stop the Oradge''s tyranny!
Somehow they were all poor, seeing as how they quickly crumbled in the face of the chicken offensive.
?Ah...! How can it taste like this!
?Sniff sniff. It''s my first time. Eating something this delicious.
?I''ve only been able to watch while sucking my fingers until now....
?It''s ecstasy.
?Mm! T-Training is important, but eating is important too!
?Th-That''s right! Eating is training too!
?This ck water! How can it be so sweet and refreshing!
?U-Umm.
You don''t even have 200P? You guys were that short on Points?
It''s not even that expensive, though?
He had doubts, but figured they must have their circumstances.
?(I''mThePirateKing): Room Manager! I don''t know what it is, but let''s start anyway!
?(cknessOfDarkness): Ahem. Well... Your identity will be revealed soon enough.
?Nothing can escape Sir Darkness¡¯s eyes from there, after all!
?Chicken... Now that I''ve tasted it once, I could eat ten chickens there!
?Is it finally starting?
Ooh! It seems like there really is something going on.
Karlstein nodded as he saw the users showing excitement at Darkness''s words to begin.
?(cknessOfDarkness): We will now begin entering the ''Dream World'' which we had to suspend due to the Oradge''s tyranny.
?Oh! Has the problem been solved?
?(cknessOfDarkness): That''s right. To avoid the Oradge''s eyes, we''ve recruited some of our kind from other worlds.
?Oh! As expected of Sir Darkness!
Hm? I don''t recall specifically banning anything, though? Other than punishing a few malicious users who messed with themunity''s transmission channels?
?I''ve been waiting!
?I''m looking forward to it.
?Let''s start quickly. I want to meet her soon.
?I... I want to see my parents quickly too!
Anyway, since they said they''re starting, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find out soon enough.
And so the secret assembly began.
?(cknessOfDarkness): Everyone, please lower your mental barriers as you did before. You must not resist. Your cooperation is necessary to enter the ''Dream World''.
?Yes! I''ve been diligently saving up Points!
?That''s right! I''ve been saving up hard, even holding back on things I wanted to eat!
?My heart''s pounding.
"?"
Guys, what''s this? Tell me too! Don''t just talk among yourselves!
?(cknessOfDarkness): As for Pirate King, who just joined us, you just need to follow what I say. I''ll take care of the rest.
O-Okay?
?(cknessOfDarkness): I will send the invitation. Everyone, please focus and maintain a calm state of mind. I will personally guide you to the ''Dream World'' where anything is possible and where you can meet precious people you''ve lost.
What, what? This is getting all serious! It¡¯s happening right away?
?(cknessOfDarkness): Then I''ll see you there, everyone.
?Yes!
?Hurry!
?Quickly quickly!
?(cknessOfDarkness): Night has fallen.
Huh?
"..."
?(cknessOfDarkness): Please close your eyes.
Let''s just do as instructed for now.
Karlstein closed his eyes.
"..."
As instructed, he broke down the barriers of the mind.
An open mind willing to ept anything!
"..."
Hmm. They''re not trying to scam me, are they?
Just as he was thinking ''I don''t feel anything at all'', after a boring stretch of time, he began to feel something thread-like from the connection linked to themunity. Something carefully approached him.
Something that approached by feeling around and bypassing the connectionwork as much as possible.
Oh! I don''t know what it is, bute quickly!
A single invisible, intangible thread wavered, almost reaching him before finally touching him.
Is it finally starting?!
***
Dream Demon.
Or a mysterious race also called the Dreamfolk.
Generally known as Incubi for male bodies and Subi for female bodies, the Dreamfolk were high-ranking demons who interfered with others'' dreams and used all sorts of tricks.
Among such Dreamfolk, there was a Subus Queen who deserved to be called ''Queen'' without question: Selena.
Above her jet-ck hair tinged with a faint light, a pair of blue horns curved, and on her shoulder des, two pairs of membrane wings were neatly folded, disying dignity.
Subus Queen.
As befitting the modifier ''Queen'' attached to her race name, she was fundamentally different from ordinary Dream Demons. Unlike low-ranking Dream Demons who barely survived by sucking others'' life force, she possessed the power to create and manipte the ''Dream World''.
At some point, Selena''s blue eyes opened gently and curved beautifully.
Hmm.
This moment when ''Karma'' gathers from users connected to the Dream World was always apanied by excitement.
The sensation of her world, which she created herself, bing more solid anding to life.
It was truly addictive.
Was it perhaps due to the users gathered from various worlds within themunity? The energy extracted from them was very effective in maintaining and cultivating her ''Dream World''. Iparably so.
Of course, receivingpensation was a matter discussed in advance with the customers. As it involved interfering with others'' dreams, the other party''s consent and cooperation were necessary.
Granting them the dreams they desire, and receiving Karma in return.
Wasn¡¯t it a win-win for both parties?
To be honest, in the past, she didn''t even know exactly what kind of energy she was receiving, but now she knows that it is ''Karma''.
After the Community Administrator refined the Karma Point system, the efficiency of extracting energy from users increased dramatically.
Just what on earth did he do and how?
It was beyondprehension.
However, recently, asmunity updates progressed, the ces to spend Karma Points increased like mushrooms after rain, making it difficult to gather customers easily.
Even existing customers are about to leave!
Moreover, the ''Dream World'' had its ownplex conditions, so she couldn''t ept just anyone as a customer. The ''Dream World'' was like a delicate work of art.
Still, if it is a matter of just adding one more person...
It was something she could do easily even with her eyes closed.
She began inviting users one by one through the passage connected to themunity, unfolding the Dream World.
They would enter the ''Dream World'', meet the people they want to meet, see what they want to see, do what they want to do, and spend happy times.
Good, good.
As she had been diligently researching while using themunity, things progressed smoothly. Except for thest newbie, she had connected with everyone at least once before, so there was less of a burden.
"Now... Newbie. Where are you?"
She slowly searched for the path, feeling around the passage connected to themunity with her power.
In the midst of this, she recalled a recent memory.
Shudder-
A memory so terrifying it made her body tremble involuntarily.
Previously, she had identally touched the wrong passage and incurred the Administrator''s wrath, almost entering eternal sleep.
I only realized that what was connected to themunity was a Dimensional Passage after reading the notice.
The Administrator was knowledgeable in many ways and also dangerous.
Because of this, she had to rack her brains researching ways to use the passages without getting caught by the Administrator, gathering 8 other Dream Demons from within themunity.
Fufu. As expected, unlikest time, there''s no reaction.
It was fortunate. It seemed he hadn''t noticed.
Last time, when she identally touched the wrong passage, a terrifying explosive(?) was delivered, blowing away her entire dwelling...
Ah! Is it here?
She was able to find the passage connected to the newbie called Pirate King. It took quite a lot of mental power just to get this far.
A passage that seemed stronger and wider than other passages.
Still, if I connect just this once, it should be easier from next time.
It was right when she thought that.
When she finally made contact with the newbie following the connected passage¡
Whoosh-
"Kyaaaak!"
Her mind, as if her entire soul was being pulled out, was sucked somewhere.
Whoosh-
In the pitch-ck darkness where nothing could be seen.
She came to her senses and felt around with her hands.
"Wh-Where is this?"
What entered her vision as she regained consciousness was a massive, enormous eye.
An eye sorge it was impossible to gauge its size, covering the entire sky, was floating in the air.
Ah!
"Keu, keuuk!"
Her mind is crumbling.
Her soul is being torn apart.
N-No!
I can''t stay here!
I mustn''t look at that!
A chilling sensation that felt like her very existence would scatter just by looking at it overwhelmed her.
"Keuaaaak!!"
Right in the midst of her struggle, her body refusing to listen to hermands¡
The massive eye filling the entire sky began to move.
Oh! Good heavens!
A terrible sensation that crushed the soul with just its existence!
If that gaze turns this way, I might be crushed along with my soul.
ck ck-
Her teeth chattered, making a sound.
"Keu, keueoek!"
Right as her eyes rolled back showing the whites and foam began to leak from her mouth¡
sh-
Whoosh-
The connection with that impossible existence was suddenly cut off.
"Cough..."
ck, dead blood suddenly gushed from her mouth as she returned to reality.
"T-That¡¯s insane!"
What did I just see?
Her entire body trembled like an aspen leaf.
That, that newbie.
He is absolutely not an ordinary being.
This is insane.
Blood flowed from her eyes as blood vessels burst.
Just that brief contact was almost enough to lead her to death.
Wh-What on earth did I touch?
She could not even begin to fathom what it /genesisforsaken
Chapter 60: Secret Assembly (3)
Chapter 60: Secret Assembly (3)
"Cough!"
Selena barely managed to pull herself together. If it weren''t for the mental resistance of a Subus Queen, she might have turned into aplete vige idiot.
Mental resistance? Resistance, my foot...
This wasn''t something to endure in the first ce.
"Haah..."
She finally caught her breath after confirming that the ''Dream World'' was safe.
Only her mind, which had attempted a direct connection, was damaged, while the ''Dream World'' fortunately seemed to be operating normally.
Of course, the Pirate King had not been able to enter.
Just who on earth are you?That question was at the tip of her tongue.
No, rather, she just wanted to run away from this ce immediately.
However¡
?(I''mThePirateKing): Huh? When does it start? Room Manager! Hurry up! I''m dying of waiting!!
?(I''mThePirateKing): Holding my breath until the Room Manageres. Grumble.
?(I''mThePirateKing): Owner, open the door!
"Th-This is insane!"
She couldn''t help but get goosebumps.
The newbie(?) seemed excited as if full of expectations. This crazy being that could no longer be called a newbie was making a fuss about not being invited to her paradise.
Quickly open the door, he says.
Invite me to the ''Dream World'', he says.
Was this the kind of terror one would feel if a vicious murderer was banging on a restaurant door in the middle of the night, demanding it be opened?
Ah... Could it be that this being already knew everything and was trying to kill her?
?(I''mThePirateKing): Open the door! My back hurts from waiting for so long!
?(I''mThePirateKing): Huh? Am I the only one who got kicked out?
?(I''mThePirateKing): Dark Boss~! I''m about to get upset! Open the door please uwu hehe
Was it because she had glimpsed a fragment of him? Every word he said seemed meaningful.
If I don''t open immediately, he''ll kill me...?
But even if I open it, I''ll die regardless...
What am I supposed to do?
"...!"
Or is he enjoying himself by presenting a dilemma and watching what choice I''ll make?
What answer should I give? What answer is he looking for?
If I just run away as I please, won''t there be consequences?
Now all sorts of thoughts were running through her mind.
The most terrifying being she had ever seen.
The massive eye still wouldn''t leave her mind.
The thick, cross-shaped golden pupil seemed to be watching over an entire vast world. Around the pupil, fluorescent blood vessels were seemingly an aurora spread widely like a spider web, and around the eye, a pitch-ck abyss enveloped it like fog.
"Ugh!"
Trying to recall it again brought an unbearable headache.
"Hoo, hoo."
What would happen if such an impossible being took notice of me?
No. Let''s answer first.
Although she didn''t know what the other party was thinking, it seemed they had no intention of revealing their identity.
Though she couldn''t understand at all, if that''s what the other party wanted, she should go along with it.
?(cknessOfDarkness): W-Well... Originally, if we''re notpatible, the connection... might not work. It''s unfortunate, but...
?(I''mThePirateKing): Huh? Is that so?
?(cknessOfDarkness): Huh? Y-Yes...
?(I''mThePirateKing): ....
Is, is he upset?
What''s going on?
Cold sweat broke out, dripping down her face.
She had no idea how to converse with him and in what manner she had to treat him.
Then she thought of something.
Ah! Come to think of it, he really, really hated the Oradge.
''I''mThePirateKing'' had been shouting about overthrowing the Oradge consistently since joining the assembly.
What could have happened between the two?
Somehow, it felt like a being of this caliber wouldn''t quietly hide from the Administrator''s eyes like herself, but would confront him boldly.
Her mind raced.
However, both the Pirate King and the Oradge were operating without obstructions. Did that mean that neither one was superior, but that they were equal beings...?
In any case, it was clear that neither of them were beings she could judge.
?(I''mThePirateKing): That''s a shame.... But why have you been acting strange? Your way of speaking seems to have changed subtly.
"..."
There''s no way I could act like before after seeing something like that.
Of course, she couldn''t say that even if she wanted to.
To her, both the Oradge, known to be the Administrator, and the Pirate King were the same kind of monster.
Anyway, since he seems to dislike the Oradge¡
Alright then. I should follow along with what he wants.
?(cknessOfDarkness): O-Oradge. Is a b¡bad piece of shit!
?(I''mThePirateKing): ?
?(cknessOfDarkness): The Oradge will live and die as a lifelong bachelor!
?(I''mThePirateKing): ...Huh?
?(cknessOfDarkness): That''s right! Oradge will be cursed!
?(I''mThePirateKing): I-Is that so?
?(cknessOfDarkness): May the Oradge choke while drinking water! May the Oradge stub his little toe on a door! He must have a weird personality and no friends too!
The Pirate King only added interjections, not whining orining like before.
W-Well, isn''t this a good response so far?
She seemed to have been cursing the Oradge for about 30 minutes. Of course, since the Oradge was undoubtedly a terrifying figure too, she only cast mild curses.
?(I''mThePirateKing): Kyah! The root of all evil! Oradge!
?(cknessOfDarkness): R-Right? Hehe...
Around that time, other users who had entered the Dream World started returning one after another.
It seemed they had been kicked out after consuming all the Karma they had paid.
Some were crying.
Some were happy.
Some were lost in wistful expressions, unable to speak.
Right. Let''s change the subject here and naturally disperse.
?(cknessOfDarkness): Did everyone have a happy time?
?Thank you, Sir Darkness.
?Thanks to you, I had a good time.
?Phew.
?Is it time to return to reality?
?Next time, I should save up a bit more Points.
?(cknessOfDarkness): As you all know, we do not know what will happen if the Oradge finds out about this meeting. So please keep it a secret, everyone.
?Of course.
?Such a thing must never happen!
?Scary Oradge!
?See you next time.
Their responses were nothing more than affirmations because she had been diligently instilling caution about the Oradge. She made sure to instill it firmly so that they wouldn''t get caught if they bbed elsewhere.
Just when she felt relieved that she had finally managed the situation well.
Whoosh-
Her nickname started turning blue.
?What?
??
?Hup?!
?Huh?
?Eh?
?....
A moment of silence.
?(I''mThePirateKing): What is going on here!!!! Hey, Boss!!! Have you betrayed us!?!!
Kyaaaak-
She felt like screaming.
Her brain couldn''t keep up with the situation.
[You have been appointed as a Moderator of the Integrated Dimensional Community.]
-Yes, yes, wee.
She could almost hear the sound of her mental state crumbling.
?(I''mThePirateKing): You must be the Oradge''sckey!! Exin yourself immediately!
N-No!
?(cknessOfDarkness): I am absolutely not the Oradge''sckey!!
L-Let''s send a refusal right away! Surely they wouldn''t force someone who says no to take the position!
At the same time, a message arrived from the Administrator.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-O¡¯ capable talent. If you do not want to taste a graviton bomb, submit to your fate.
Kyaaaaaaak! What is this?!
?(I''mThePirateKing): What''s going on here! Boss, hurry up! Exin!
?(cknessOfDarkness): I-I don''t know either!!!
Rather, she wanted to ask.
W-Why so suddenly?
Mental resistance? What a fucking joke. Now, she was able to fully experience what it meant to have a mental breakdown.
Her eyes trembled violently.
It was the crisis of her life.
***
While the Subus Queen Selena was facing the crisis of her life and having her soul thoroughly shaken...
In the Root of the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·, the voice of an angry woman kept ringing out.
"Aaaaargh!! You dare ignore my orders?!"
You couldn''t evenplete one simple order to catch one of the three who ran away?
Even after I gave you Sacred Blood?
She was about to go crazy.
"It seems I''ve been too lenienttely."
She realized she needed to take action herself.
Fine. I''ll use this opportunity to clean housepletely.
I''ve been treating them kindly all this time. Is that perhaps why? They keep crossing the line.
As she waved her hand, a door of silver light was created in mid-air.
She began tracing Krie''s trail through the silver door.
First, she moved to the world she had entrusted to Krie.
"Ugh!"
The middle of the void?
A scorching heat like entering an active volcano greeted her. Because of this, she had to draw on the power of Sacred Blood to envelop her body.
"What is this?"
But that wasn¡¯t all.
Sporadic shockwaves exploded, trying to push her back.
The end.
Was there any other way to describe it than that?
Red and blue auroras spread out like a vast sea, and here and there, groups of massive rock fragments moved irregrly, sweeping the surroundings.
U-Umm...
Even with her body wrapped in Sacred Blood, she could feel the heat. She was taken aback by the unexpected situation.
Having been part of the Root for a long time, this wasn''t the first time she had seen a world destroyed.
Andscape where all sorts of natural disasters swept across thend like a storm, with not a single living being remaining.
That was the end of the world as she knew it.
But, this¡ At the very least, she had never seen an end like this before.
What in the world happened here?
She couldn''t even begin to fathom what had /genesisforsaken
Chapter 61: Selena (1)
Chapter 61: Selena (1)
***
Subus Queen Selena found it difficult to regain herposure.
"No, why me of all people..."
Her residence had just finished being renovated.
And forcibly at that.
Gone were the ssical portraits and chandeliers, reced by cold metal alloy walls andplex machinery of unknown purpose that now greeted her.
"..."
But the thing was, she couldn''t reallyin because... it wasfortable. Toofortable, in fact, which was the problem.
Beep-A hologram window appeared before her eyes.
In the hologram window, her subus maid had a dumbfounded expression.
When she pressed a button on the hologram¡
Swoosh-
The door opened automatically, revealing the maid.
"!!"
As she looked at the maid, the surrounding lighting adjusted naturally, reducing eye strain.
"Lady Selena! What on earth is this...?"
"..."
It was understandable for the maid to be surprised, given that her castle had beenpletely transformed overnight. After all, her blue giant fortress, befitting her status as a Demon Realm Legion Commander, had been reced by a massive metal fortress overnight.
What was there to say?
That the Oradge hadpletely overhauled her residence?
Even she couldn''t believe it despite seeing it with her own eyes.
Metal creatures(?) with four legs suddenly dropped from mid-air with a Thud- and immediately started working.
At first, she was startled and about to attack, but¡
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Just leave them be. They''re sent to provide minimal safety and support for what I mentioned earlier.
"Y-Yes?"
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-By the way, they''re expensive, so work hard to pay them off.
N-No, wait.
I don''t think I ever asked for these, though...?
Of course, she couldn''t possibly argue.
"Th-Thank you!"
That was all she could say.
She could only watch as the workers sent by the Oradge emitted shing lights while measuring the surroundings, then proceeded to utterly demolish her beautiful ancient castle with a rumble.
"Ah, aah!"
Of course, she had already sent her subordinates and maids outside the castle.
It was good that she did.
If they had seen such monstrous things easily destroying the castle despite all the magic circles cast on it, they might have fainted in shock.
Even she couldn''t demolish it so easily. After all, the ore used in the castle''s construction were all rare metal known for their hardness, and they had even been imbued with magic.
Crack- Boom- Rumble-
After the silver quadrupedal workers moved, only empty space remained.
Workers stronger than a Demon Realm Legion Commander...
This absolutely cannot be shown to anyone.
At any rate, after the frenzied destruction ended, they began absorbing the debris and quickly constructing a fortress.
What kind of technology is this? Is what I''m seeing even real?
Watching the building expand at an incredible speed made her mind go nk.
But the surprise was short-lived.
Crack- Rumble-boom-
"My beautiful blue giant..."
Her elegant and beautiful ancient castle disappeared, reced overnight by a fortress that emphasized only practicality.
The design is too...
In the Demon Realm at least, there were no such buildings. So, this must be the Oradge''s taste.
Of course, oncepleted, it had its own charm.
It wasn''t in the form of an ordinary castle or fortress. In the center stood a long cylindrical tower, surrounded by huge, t oval structures.
It was fortunate that the castle walls remained, or it would have been too conspicuous.
Though it''s still quite eye-catching even now...
She sighed and fiddled with the hologram window. A blue hologram window subtly different from themunity.
She could inspect and direct everything in every corner of the castle(?) from where she sat. If needed, she could even summon all sorts of amenities before her.
Beep-
When she pressed a button, the weather for a year appeared on the screen.
Not the past year, but theing year.
Somehow, she felt like it wouldn''t be wrong at all.
Sky View?
Beep-
When she pressed the button, she could see the entire view of her domain from the sky.
"..."
When she pressed her finger and zoomed in, she could even observe a resident of the domain scratching his belly with a frown.
This is insane.
What kind of technology is this?
Even magic couldn''t be this precise and perfect.
No, it''s not evenparable from the start.
Hah...
While she was scanning her domain like such, she observed a young girl from her domain being chased by a demonic beast.
When she pressed a red button.
sh-
A red beam of light struck down from the sky, incinerating the demonic beast without a trace.
The girl who had fallen down gaped at the sight, then turned her head to look for whoever had helped her.
Right when Selena pressed another button...
"Be careful when hunting demonic beasts from now on."
As if her voice was transmitted immediately, the girl started bowing repeatedly towards the direction of her castle(?), startled.
Ah... Somehow this feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu...
Right. This must have been exactly how I reacted when the Oradge spoke to me.
That thought crossed her mind.
-Th-Thank you! Lady Selena! Thank you for saving my life!
And just like that, the inspection of her entire domain waspleted in an instant.
What was even more terrifying was that the hologram had functions to record and collect her actions and process them automatically.
It''s dizzying.
What kind of impossible technology is this?
What kind of civilization can easily aplish such impossible feats?
It''s beyond imagination.
With this technology and fortress, even a child could easily manage a domain.
She felt somewhat deted.
Shey on the bed, staring at the softly lit ceiling.
That moment still wouldn''t leave her mind.
[''Cosmic Emperor'' has donated 1,000,000,000P.]
-Use this much for urgent matters for now, I''ll provide moreter.
One, ten, hundred, thousand, million... O-One billion?
The Oradge had handed over 1 billion Points as if giving out pocket money.
As she had invested everything she earned into the ''Dream World'', it was her first time handling such arge sum.
"Good heavens..."
The Oradge said she could use it privately anytime besides for research and investment purposes.
B-But I absolutely can''t just spend it recklessly.
After all, how tactless would it be to do everything, just because I was allowed to?
I should use it sparingly, while reading the room.
At any rate, for a small-scale operation like hers, this was an unimaginable, enormous investment.
Moreover, all sorts of measuring instruments and research facilities were brought in.
They seemed to be devices for analyzing and researching her, who handled the ''Dream World''. Of course, he said he would share the research results when they came out.
"It¡¯s being done with too much sincerity..."
To the point of being unsettling.
Creating and nurturing the ''Dream World'' was instinctual due to her nature as a Subus Queen, but it was also a small hobby and source of happiness.
But with such serious support being offered, it was inevitable that she felt pressured.
-I''ll support you. In return, you should expand and develop this ''Dream World'' as much as possible.
-....
-You''re gathering Karma for that too, right? I''ll handle that support. Don''t worry about Points.
Of course, she should be happy about receiving suchrge-scale investment. She was also given permission to do anything as long as she didn''t damage the Dimensional Passages.
She even received a magnificent fortress more formidable than a Demon King''s castle as a gift.
However¡
When was the world ever that simple?
It was natural that if you receive something, you must give something in return. The saying that excessive luck can turn into misfortune didn''te from nowhere, after all.
And with such full-scale support... Wouldn''t she absolutely need to produce some results?
If she failed to produce results, she might just die.
-What? You failed? Die.
-What? You want more time? Disappear.
-What? You want to rest a bit? Graviton Bomb.
All sorts of imaginary scenarios hammered into her head.
Shake shake-
"I don''t know exactly what he wants, but let''s just do as he says for now."
She made a tearful face but didn''t give up.
Because¡
?(I''mThePirateKing): If you need my help, just say the word ok
?(cknessOfDarkness): !!
Honestly, it could actually be called quite touching.
Ande it was also a greatfort.
Her ally and hidden card that she could use against the terrifying Oradge!
Both were equally terrifying beings, though.
Right. Let''s just y both sides.
That''s the only way to survive.
Selena never realized until the end that the two were the same person.
***
Rex, the 2nd Legion Commander of the Demon Realm.
Arge man with four horns on his head entered the Subus Queen''s domain.
"The atmosphere here is truly off."
For demons, survival of the fittest and the strong ruling over the weak should only be natural.
Buting here always irritated him with its soft atmosphere.
"I must endure."
Ptooey-
Usually, a demon''s domain followed the owner''s habits. As such, the unpleasant weak atmosphere here must all be because of that woman.
His snake-like eyes narrowed vertically.
"Why on earth did Father put such a woman in the position of Legion Commander?"
What a waste of a position.
Even in terms of strength, she was the weakest among the four Legion Commanders.
"She is not qualified. Not qualified at all."
As he passed by, the crowd parted to either side.
Seeing the demons prostrate themselves with their heads down, trembling, improved his mood a little.
There was no being who could stand in his way, as he was the direct descendant of the Demon King and the 2nd Legion Commander.
"I heard that originally, the Subus domain was a city of pleasure and entertainment..."
But what is this?
What on earth was that woman doing as a Legion Commander? After all, the demons were raising livestock, tilling fields, and sweating.
"Hoo. Patience. I must be patient."
His veins bulged just from seeing the behavior of these worthlessmoners, as he was particrly impatient even among the Legion Commanders.
His eyes fell on the tall blue castle walls.
The corners of his mouth curved up.
Might as well receive some hospitality and tribute while I''m here.
To him, who came with the purpose of fulfilling his selfish desires, Subus Queen Selena was a delicious prey.
Although direct hospitality might be impossible since the Subus Queen must maintain her purity, her underlings should be no problem.
"Hehehe."
As he entered through the castle gates, a four-legged metal golem greeted him.
Moreover, the metal golem was busy moving back and forth in front of him, seemingly not even paying attention to his arrival.
What the hell is this /genesisforsaken
Chapter 62: Selena (2)
The unfamiliar form of the golem roused the Demon Realm Legion Commander Rex¡¯s curiosity.
Whirr- Click- Whirr- Click-
A four-legged metal golem moved busily, sucking up dust from the floor. Blue lights asionally shed from the golden edges visible on various parts of its silver body.
Oho. That''s no ordinary shine.
This would make good material for weapon decorations.
Greed filled his eyes, especially since he had a hobby of collecting weapons. The movement was quite smooth too, making him wonder how it was made.
Were there golems like this before?
The golems he knew were only those made of rock, moving unnaturally.
However, this light and agile golem was bouncing around, cleaning.I should take one of these too.
Just as Rex carelessly reached out to grab the golem¡
p-
"??"
The golem raised one of its front legs and swatted his hand away.
Rex was momentarily dumbfounded.
What?
It pped his hand away as if brushing off some dirty filth. Even Rex, who usuallycked tact, could sense the strange unpleasantness.
Rex couldn''t understand.
Putting aside his anger¡
It dared to swat my hand away?
The position of a Demon Realm Legion Commander wasn''t something one could obtain through mere chance.
Naturally, it was a position only the top-tier demons could reach in terms of strength. Even a simple movement contained formidable power that couldn''t be ignored.
Not only that, but what about his reflexes?
When the metal golem reacted as he reached out his hand, Rex had also unconsciously reacted again.
But the result?
p-
Rex looked down at the back of his hand.
His tough red skin was slightly swollen.
"??"
What happens when you can''t believe something even after seeing it with your own eyes?
Your mind goes nk as if thought has stopped.
Then what about when you finally grasp and understand the situation?
You be enraged.
"!!"
Rex''s brow furrowed deeply.
You dare hit me?
A mere servant of Selena?
His alreadycking patience had run out.
But a sticky smile flowed from his lips.
Why?
Because he could exact retribution from Selena.
If he turned this metal lump of a golem into a pulp and took it with him, she would surely grovel in fear.
With that thought, he reached out his arm again.
This time was different from before.
He wasn''t simply trying to grab it.
A fist.
Yes. His fist, with a clear intent to destroy, headed towards the golem.
You insolent thing!
However.
p-
"??"
It was even more swollen than before.
"Huh?"
A stupefied sound escaped Rex''s mouth.
Once again.
p-
"?!"
This... This!
p-
"!!"
Rex''s eyes began to turn red. Acrid smoke and sparks leaked from between his lips.
Huff. Huff.
It was the precursor to Overdrive.
The Overdrive of Demon Realm Legion Commander Rex?
Even the Demon King would have trouble stopping it.
Just as Rex, his pride damaged, was about to burst into Overdrive¡
"What business do you have here?"
Selena, the owner of the Subus Domain, appeared.
Riding on a metal disc.
Strange metal boxes also floated around her.
"?"
He was momentarily puzzled by Selena''s alien appearance.
The corners of Rex''s mouth curved up stickily. His vertically slit pupils scanned Selena up and down.
"It seems your manner of treating guests is aplete mess, isn¡¯t it?"
"I do not recall inviting you. So what is that even supposed to imply..."
"Kukukuk."
Even among Legion Commanders, the difference was clear.
Unlike Rex who spoke informally, Selena used polite speech.
This was unavoidable, if only due to the racial limitations of being a Subus. No matter that the modifier ''Queen'' was attached to her race name, a Subus was still a Subus after all.
Rex was a high-ranking demon who had inherited a strong bloodline of the High Orc lineage.
Moreover, his talent was also exceptional, so the difference was only natural.
"For now, please refrain from causing trouble here ande inside."
"Kukuku. Very well, I''lle in for now."
Rex gave onest greedy look towards the metal golem before following Selena inside.
"..."
Rex looked around the interior of the castle as he followed her. His expression changed subtly.
Hmm?
"..."
The utterly alien scenery bewildered him.
Doors that opened automatically without gatekeepers.
Elevators that took you to high floors in an instant without stairs.
Levitation Magic?
No. The Levitation Magic he knew never operated this precisely. Moreover, his body had high magic resistance, so it wouldn''t have worked on him anyway.
And what about the optimized lighting, humidity, and temperature?
Thefort that couldn''t exist in the harsh Demon Realm confused him.
As the woman in front of him muttered something, the entire building seemed to move, carrying out her instructions and following her orders.
Bulkheads opened automatically to create passages, and metal arms extended from the walls to deliver reports to her as she walked ahead.
A living building?
How else could one describe it?
All sorts of thoughts ran through his mind until he sat in the reception room, drinking automatically served tea.
He felt greedy.
With a castle like this, I wouldn''t envy anyone. Even Father.
This made him even greedier.
He observed the woman sitting across from him while rubbing his slightly swollen hand.
Right. This castle is too tempting to be used merely as Selena''s residence.
Yes. It doesn''t make sense for Selena, who is lower in rank than me, to reside in such a castle.
Comparing it to the castle in his own domain, this thought took an even firmer ce in his mind.
He mmed down on the reception room desk as if to destroy it.
Bang-
"Do you know that your servant attacked me?"
He had originally intended to smash it, but was surprised when it didn''t budge at all. However, he hid his confusion and shouted angrily.
"Should I take this as a challenge against me?"
Yes. Fear me as usual. Don''t you know exactly what happens when you provoke my temper!
However, his expectations were only half met.
She seems somewhat flustered, but... is she looking out for something other than me...?
What''s that?
The golem that had swatted his hand earlier?
"Ah! Don''t kill him! Despite appearances, he''s a direct descendant of the Demon King..."
Did I hear that correctly?
This c-crazy bitch dares to discuss whether to kill me or not...?
Seeing Selena not even paying attention to him, hepletely lost it.
Fine. If I render her half a corpse, she''ll grovel on her own.
Golem? Fortress? She''ll offer them up on her own.
No. If it is this level of insult, I should just kill her...
His fist, having instantly entered Overdrive, headed towards Selena''s face.
It was on apletely different level from before.
Of course. His Overdrive state was different from that of ordinary demons.
Red energy swirled along his outstretched arm.
Die.
The moment he thought that.
[Beep! Danger detected to the safety of a Level 1 Protected Individual.]
[Eliminating the threat to the Protected Individual''s safety.]
[Switching to Combat Mode]
Click- Click-
Whirrr-
Red light shed from the golem''s body as it instantly grew in size, with long metal protrusions emerging from its frame.
Rex felt as if time had slowed down. Yet even in that state, the golem seemed to move perfectly normally...?
Boom-
"Cough!"
Before Rex, who had been instantly knocked back by the golem''s lightly extended metal arm, could evennd on the ground¡
[Eliminating the enemy.]
"W-Wai...!"
sh-
A sh of light filled his vision as his consciousness was cut off.
Thud-
Rex, his upper body blown away, could no longer move.
"Kyaaaaaak!"
The following shockwave swept through the reception room, and wind blew in from the gaping hole in the wall.
Whirr- Click-
The metal robot instantly returned to its original form.
The wall also bounced and moved quickly, instantly filling in the gap, but¡
Selena''s bewildered mind couldn''t easily recover.
"Uh, uh...?"
Thud-
Selena''s legs gave out from the shock.
The Demon King''s son had been killed.
....
But that thought was only momentary.
Upon seeing the being that had killed a Demon Realm Legion Commander with a single shot¡
U-Umm...?
....
This is another problem in itself....
"Haah..."
She didn''t know what to think anymore.
She just wanted to stop thinking at this point.
She now had more reasons to try to stay in the good graces of both the Cosmic Emperor and the Pirate King.
***
A Dimensional Passage where space and time seemed distorted.
Like paint of various colors sshed about, the boundaries of colors were blurred, and the outlines of objects were hazy as if they might melt into the void.
Originally, Dimensional Passages were quite dangerous ces.
One misstep and one might be lost between dimensions.
Therefore, one should never even dream of fighting in a Dimensional Passage.
Boom- Bang-
[Die.]
-Kieeeeeek!
Kuwoong-
A huge silver tree trunk instantly sprouted, mming a massive Kaiju into the wall. The Kaiju, pinned to the wall of the Dimensional Passage, instantly evaporated.
Whether it fell into another dimension, became lost in space-time, or its existence was erased, no one could know.
That was how dangerous this space was.
However.
-Kyaaaak!
[Keuk!]
The giant who had summoned the tree trunk had its belly instantly pierced by tentacles, spraying silver blood.
[What are you paying attention to?! Focus!]
[Support him!]
[Don''t panic!]
[Sweep away those Chaos bastards!]
[Damn it! How did ite to this?!]
Dozens of silver-d giants were engaged in fierce battle against tens of thousands of monsters.
The monsters were rushing in en masse, disregarding their lives, while the Sephiroth n was barely holding them back in formation.
In a secluded corner of the battlefield¡
There, one of the Low Grade Roots was busily striking down Kaiju after Kaiju, supporting the battle.
[Watch out!]
A Kaiju had suddenly appeared behind her. She hurriedly raised silver mes to push it back.
She too, along with the Mid-High Grade Roots, was diligently pushing back and killing Kaijus, but the sea of monsters seemed endless.
[What on earth is even beyond there?!]
Even when they swept away the bastards in one go using Sacred Blood as fuel, they kept pouring in endlessly. asionally, High Grade Kaijus would appear, threatening their lives.
How did ite to this?
They had only been tracking one Rootlet.
The Chaos beings blocking the Dimensional Passage.
Bastards that rushed in madly before they could even avoid them.
And a battle in the Dimensional Passage, which was practically taboo.
They had urgently requested reinforcements from the High Grade Roots to deal with them, but the same was true for the other side.
The battle, which had started small, began to grow gradually.
A giant turtle-shaped Kaiju appeared, scattering countless small Kaijus.
A hideous ultrarge Kaiju shaped like the mouth of a giant beast indiscriminately sucked in both friend and foe.
In response, Sephiroth''s forces also began to cross dimensions and join the battle in an instant.
And a battle no less fierce than the front lines broke out.
The Kaiju bastards of ¡¶Chaos¡· rushed in as if they had met their parents¡¯ mortal enemies, pouring out waves of their ranks.
The ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·, feeling puzzled by this, gradually expanded their support to try to uncover the reason.
An unexpected pitched battle in the Dimensional Passage that had escted repeatedly.
The increasingly fierce battle began to flow in a direction no one had /genesisforsaken
Chapter 63: Trade (1)
Chapter 63: Trade (1)
Author: meYongYongie
Title: Rabbit that fell from the sky.
(Roughly a pulverized corpse.jpg)
?where exactly are you saying the rabbit is, Yongyong.
?Even Yongyong has lost his touch now.
?nah that ain¡¯t no rabbit, that¡¯s more like vomit.?Ah, isn''t this that thing? The recent strange rumors about corpses suddenly falling from the sky?
?But isn''t that like winning the lottery? I heard rumors that it''s an extremely good material.
?Seems like it would sell for a lot.
?Even a fist-sized meteorite is expensive, I wonder how much something like this would cost?
?I heard that in some worlds, there were even wars fought over them.
Recently, posts about monster corpses falling or meteor showers have been appearing frequently in themunity.
Of course, there were also many users who reacted negatively to this.
?again with the fuss?
?seems like everything be catching fire these days LOL
?There''s no one who has actually proven that something fell from the sky, right?
?They just upload so-called proof posts saying everything fell from the sky whenever they see something a bit strange.
?Some guy even said a silver aurora filled the entire sky.
?isn''t this simr to the divine possession trend from before?
?fr fr LOL if you look into it, it''s all just delusions and weird dreams LOL all nonsense.
Most people dismissed it as amunity happening where people were jumping on the bandwagon, iming they saw something simr.
This was true for Virdel as well, but she had already organized and reported it separately to the Oradge.
Virdel, who used the somewhat childish alias of Devil King, sighed as she closed themunity.
She felt guilty for not being able to properly manage themunity''s quality recently.
Although she had received permission from the Administrator, she still felt uneasy.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Hm? Of course traininges first.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-You said you''re starting to grasp something? Train. Of course, IRL lifees first, doesn''t it?
Hmm. She almost felt a little disappointed by his overly casual response, but¡
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Do as you wish.
How could she possibly feel disappointed when he was respecting her wishes?
"Hoo..."
Her eyes shone as she looked at the huge stele in the Heavenly Demon Vault.
"What could it be..."
A long, huge stele emitting a faint blue light was enshrined in the center of the Heavenly Demon Vault.
It should have been covered in dust from being buried in the treasure vault for a long time, but no such thing was visible.
However, as no effects had been discovered so far, it had been dismissed as just a giant night-shining pearl.
And that too, in a secret vault that only sessive Heavenly Demon Cult Leaders could enter.
"Hmm."
The front and back of the stele were densely engraved with tiny characters.
These were neither characters used in the Jianghu Murim where she was, nor characters she knew.
Unidentified characters that couldn''t be interpreted at all.
She was about to pass over it without much thought, but¡
Twitch-
As she quietly stared at the stele, she had a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as if she could somewhat understand the meaning contained within.
How should she put it¡ As she kept reading sentences that couldn''t be interpreted at all, it almost felt as if the true meaning contained within was being conveyed.
It was a strange sensation that couldn''t be described in words.
The same was true for the Sacred me of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
A Sacred me Stand where small blue mes were burning.
Although it felt hot enough to make it difficult to approach closely, when she actually approached and touched the fire, she didn''t feel the heat.
Rather, the Sacred me flickered vigorously as if weing her.
Moreover, other people couldn''t even approach it.
She spent several days examining the stele and Sacred me in the Heavenly Demon Vault like that.
Since the Heavenly Demon Vault and the Sacred me Stand were far apart, she forcibly ordered the Sacred me Stand to be moved to the Heavenly Demon Vault.
She began researching the two things that had bothered her since she first saw them, and it seemed like she was making progress little by little.
She stood up.
She began to move her body, holding the long and crude Heavenly Demon Sword said to have been used by the First Heavenly Demon.
Whoosh-
She moved her bodynguidly, following the inspiration that came to her.
A movement that was neither martial arts nor dance steps, but something in between.
This was a bewildering result even for her.
An awkward dance that was hard to believe came from her, who had originally been obsessed with more efficient movements.
However, it couldn''t be helped.
Every time she looked at the stele, something strongly stimted her inspiration, and eventually, this was the result of her starting to express it through the martiality (Îä) she knew.
Swish swish swish-
As she began to perform a sword dance while holding the sword, the nearby Sacred me danced with a whoosh.
Swish swish swish-
Whoosh-
It felt like she could clearly understand if she was enlightened just a little bit more.
For now, she was still at the stage of grasping the feeling.
Swish swish swish-
Whoosh-
The Sacred me danced every time she swung her sword.
She swung her sword, losing track of time.
The reason she was putting in so much effort was because¡
She had confirmed that there was a subtle resonance with the silver me sleeping inside her body.
Almost understood, but not quite.
How puzzling.
Could it perhaps be rted to dimensional travel?
Although it still felt like being surrounded by a hazy fog, it became clearer the more she swung her sword.
"Just a little more..."
She began to be strongly drawn in, not even knowing what she was training.
***
Boom-
[Ugh!]
As the space in the void split, a woman in half-torn white clothes popped out.
Ahh...
Silver blood was streaming down her entire body.
Damn it!
Why did I have to get involved!
I should have just stayed quietly with the Roots.
She had suffered all sorts of hardships after leaving the Sanctum, intending to find out the whereabouts of the disappeared Rootlets.
[Damn it...]
Checking her wounds, she saw there was no hope for recovery. It must have been a substantially high-grade Kaiju, as the wounded areas were turning purple and rotting away.
Her body trembled. Recalling the fierce battlefield just now, her body shook naturally.
The Dimensional Passage there was like a sea of blood and corpses. A sea formed of Kaiju corpses and the Sacred Blood of the Sephiroth n.
It wasmon for Chaos to covet the Sacred Blood of Sephiroth, and for the n to likewise collect the corpses of the Chaos bastards.
In other words, just sweeping up the spoils remaining on the current battlefield would yield an enormous harvest, but¡
However, the current battlefield was moving too urgently for either side to have time to care about spoils. Moreover, as it was a battle in the Dimensional Passage, the casualty rate was absurdly high.
The battlefield was transforming into a scale farrger than she had anticipated.
Support hade in even from the ''Branches'', who were of a much higher status than the ''Roots'', and the same was true for the Chaos bastards.
The battlefield gradually grewrger as both sides called in reinforcements.
She had barely managed to escape from there with just her body intact.
If she had kept fighting there endlessly, she didn''t know when she might die.
Someone might mock her for desertion, but this was unavoidable.
Originally, the ¡¶Roots¡· were not in charge ofbat. Perhaps if it was a matter of supply, it might be a different story.
The role of the ¡¶Roots¡· was to manage various worlds to procure raw materials for Sacred Blood, and to process those raw materials into Sacred Blood.
Wars with external forces were the responsibility of the ¡¶Trunks¡· or ¡¶Branches¡·, which was far from her jurisdiction.
Grind-
Moreover, fighting in the Dimensional Passage was far too dangerous. She thought she would die just from the fear that ce emanated.
Currently, both the ¡¶Great Sephiroth¡· and ¡¶Chaos¡· sides seemed to be recklessly pushing troops into the dangerous battlefield.
How did ite to this¡
And how much further would it escte?
In the midst of this, she was ambushed, and although she barely managed to escape...
[Cough...!]
It was after receiving fatal wounds that were already beyond recovery.
I knew this would happen...!
I should have escaped earlier!
She bit her lip after looking regretfully at the Sacred Blood streaming down.
She couldn''t face an annihtion as absurd as this.
She raised her head and looked around.
Where is this ce?
asionally, some n members do crashnd while dimensional traveling.
[I can''t feel the connection with Mother.]
In any case, this meant it was a dimension outside of Sephiroth.
[Right... Let¡¯s think positively.]
Dimensional Travel performed in an unstable Dimensional Passage during an urgent situation.
It wouldn''t have been surprising if her body had been torn apart in the cracks between dimensions.
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that she arrived in such an intact world.
[Still...]
Her physical body began to gradually fade away.
There wasn''t much time left.
[Let''s find something that can substitute for a body.]
If left like this, her entire body would be corrupted and she wouldn''t be able to avoid annihtion.
She closed her eyes and began to resonate with the world.
Fragments of information about the world rushed in.
Hm? What''s this?
Martial artists wearing clothes with wide sleeves were engaged in aerialbat while wearing various machines.
The way they were flying around somehow¡
Their attire didn''t match the civilization level of the world at all.
But this was an emergency situation.
There was no time to pay attention to such trivial matters.
Those things could be looked into after finding a new body.
Ah...! Found one.
A human with extremely high resonance was caught in her senses. Moreover, it somehow smelled faintly of the n.
With a body like that, I should be able to recover quickly.
Her body burst into silver mes, then transformed into a small, round ball of light.
[Ugh... This feels awful.]
It couldn''t possibly feel good to be in a state where only the soul was extracted after losing the physical body. However, it was unavoidable in order to preserve as much of the remaining power and essence of the original body as possible.
[Quickly!]
She flew instantly towards the body with the highest resonance in this world.
I can see it.
A woman wearing red armor.
As she got closer, she couldn''t help but marvel. It was nearly impossible to find such a suitable target for possession, after all.
[Come on, hand over your body!]
The silver ball of light instantly approached the girl and attempted to make contact.
And at that moment.
"?"
[Kyaaaaaaak!!]
Beep-
[Power Absorption System Activated]
[Unidentified Energy Source Confirmed]
[Target Analysis]
[FAIL!]
[FAIL!]
[Comparing Simr Case Analysis Data]
[Sacred me - 34.68% Match]
[Grade 2 Ether - 2.82% Match]
Beep-
[Proceeding with Absorption]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
[Rapid Absorption System Activated]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
[Unconfirmed System ess Attempt Detected]
[ERROR!]
[Initiating Subsystem Separation as well as Forced Ether Synthesis]
[Progress 0.02%]
Beep-
Virdel, who was briefly conversing with Namgung Jin who had visited the cult, tilted her head.
It was because she heard a voice from the armor bestowed by the Administrator.
[Kyaaaaaaak!! H-Help me!!]
"..."
"What''s wrong, /genesisforsaken
Chapter 64: Trade (2)
Chapter 64: Trade (2)
Gctic Divine Cult.
Feeling frustrated with her training progress, Virdel briefly left the training hall.
In the midst of this.
-Cult Leader! The Murim Alliance Leader has secretly visited!
-What should we do?
-Should we prepare the armed forces?
"..."
Murim Alliance Leader? Who? Is there still someone left to kill?
Ah...She could barely recall the memory.
She headed towards the main hall where the reception room was located.
As she descended from the training hall located on a high snowy mountain, a different scenery from before greeted her.
Whoosh- Click-
Warriors of the Divine Cult flying around on t metal tes.
At a glimpse of the training grounds, sparring with lightsabers was in full swing, while on the other side, shooting practice was underway.
Pshew- Pshew-
Pshew- Pshew-
"Hmm..."
Is this¡ right?
I''m not sure.
She had only released a bit of the Oradge''s support to the Divine Cult.
"It shouldn''t matter."
He must have bestowed it for this purpose.
The Gctic Divine Cult was growing vigorously.
Should it be seen as mass-producing... mechanized infantry units of the future?
Murim people seemed to be suitable talents(?) for rough handling.
In truth, she didn''t know what she was doing either. She had only realized that she had no talent for managing forces.
She was just running things smoothly with the Oradge''s support. She had already entrusted most of the management of the Gctic Divine Cult to the Vice Cult Leader.
-Chuwuung! I am Zhuge Hyun, who will build the great Gctic Divine Cult in service of the Cult Leader!
Ah... This guy was also rmended by Namgung Jin, right?
Actually, when she was considering just scrapping everything due to doubts about expanding her influence, he was the talent Namgung Jin rmended to use however she wished.
He was said to have been driven out of his family due to false usations...
A guy who uncannily sensed what she wanted, even if she didn¡¯t say it, and took on all the troublesome tasks, expanding the Gctic Divine Cult.
She didn''t particrly expect loyalty, but she kept him around as he seemed unlikely to betray her, at the very least.
Well... Even if he does betray me, it''s a problem that can be dealt with when the timees.
When she arrived at the reception room, Namgung Jin, wearing a splendid metal armor, stood up abruptly. Perhaps due to the armor''s characteristics, a halo shimmered faintly.
He must have tried to tone it down, though.
"You have arrived! I, Namgung Jin, pay my respects to the great Moderator!"
"..."
Virdel, ustomed to Namgung Jin''s fussing, simply nodded and sat on the sofa.
"U-Umm. What''s your business?"
"Haha! I came to pay my respects to Noonim, and I also have something to report separately."
Knowing that she disliked formalities and preferred directness, Namgung Jin immediately brought up his business.
"It seems the government has started to act suspicious again."
"I thought you said you would handle that yourself."
"I know. Of course."
The government had shown wariness towards the rapid expansion of the Gctic Divine Cult.
However, this was expected, and Namgung Jin had been diverting the government''s unnecessary attention elsewhere by outwardly acting out a hostile rtionship between the Orthodox Faction and the Gctic Divine Cult.
But it seemed even that had its limits.
"Couldn''t we just sweep them all away?"
Namgung Jin flinched at Virdel''s emotionless remark.
"Th-That!"
This person before me was someone who would really do it if she said so...!
When Namgung Jin reflected on himself, he didn''t have any grand beliefs about upholding justice or practicing righteous virtue and chivalry.
B-But still, that''s a bit...
It wasn''t that he was opposing her. He just thought that if there were other methods he could try, it was only human to at least look for them.
"Haha... Aren''t they all potential talents who will eventually join under the Gctic Divine Cult? I''ll step forward and try to handle that part. I absolutely won''t trouble you, Noonim."
"..."
"I''ve onlye today to give a report, so please trust me!"
"...Alright."
Only then could Namgung Jin feel relieved at her response.
Keuhh. Today, he was able to protect Jianghu.
Of course, the ever so sharp Namgung Jin didn''t outwardly show this and only bid farewell confidently.
"I shall visit again when newses in!"
"There''s no need to do that..."
Namgung Jin tried not to show even a hint of negligence when dealing with her.
He had vaguely realized it. That for her, he had not yet entered the category of ¡®one of my people¡¯.
To her, he was probably just slightly better than a roadside pebble.
This was true even though he asionally visited to receive advice on martial arts.
"Then I shall visit again, Noonim!"
Someday, she shall open her heart to him!
Of course, it was inevitable that his own self-preservation was more precious than the principles of Jianghu.
***
"What''s wrong, Noonim?"
"...It''s nothing."
After sending off the puzzled Namgung Jin before he left, Virdel returned to the training hall.
[What''s going on?]
[Where is this?!!]
[Kyaaaak! My essence... it''s being extracted!!]
Virdel didn''t say a word despite the noisy voice buzzing in her ears. She just moved silently.
After all, it wasn''t her who was in a hurry, but rather the voice.
Only after returning to the Cult Leader''s exclusive training hall did Virdel open her mouth.
"What are you?"
[E-Eut..!]
The voice of the woman residing in the armor was filled with bewilderment at Virdel''s heartless and cold response.
Usually... in situations like this, wouldn''t one be surprised or curious? Even if not afraid... they would at least show some interest.
However, the mechanical voice, unlike that of a human, conveyed extreme indifference and coldness.
[I-I am a member of the Great Sephiroth.]
"..."
[But it seems there was a problem when I settled here, and I can''t remember much else.]
"..."
[It seems to be because of this armor, is there any way to...?]
"Why are you asking me that?"
[W-Well...]
There was no way she would have an answer to that.
The woman was at a loss for words at the response that was even colder than expected.
[I can sense a familiar energy from you! You can probably feel it too, right?]
"..."
[It seems our connection is not just any ordinary acquaintance!]
"So you''re saying you''re useless."
[What?!]
I see.
So this girl is that type of personality?
The woman could somewhat grasp the girl''s essence.
Although the woman didn''t know how she ended up in this situation, it was clear that to escape this situation, she needed to gain the girl''s cooperation.
[N-No! That''s not it!]
The girl seemed to categorize people based on their usefulness. If that was the case, there was only one answer.
[I can interpret the characters on the stele you''ve been staring at!]
It was a matter of proving her usefulness.
The woman had cleverly noticed that the girl couldn''t properly read the characters on the stele.
"Hmm..."
It was certainly a different reaction from before.
The woman felt joy at the girl''s response.
But the joy was short-lived.
Virdel silently stared at the stele, then picked up her sword and began training.
At this, the woman sensed her failure.
[E-Eut!]
She really seems like she wouldn''t bleed even if pricked with a needle.
The woman''s mind raced.
What should I do... What should I do... What should I do?
It''s not like I can live trapped in this armor forever.
Drastic measures are needed.
First, provide information to build trust!
[This is definitely a script used by members of Sephiroth. Perhaps you could call it a Divine Script? And it''s absolutely impossible to interpret just by looking at it!]
"..."
How about that? Doesn''t it pique your interest?
But still, there was no response.
[Keut!]
In the end, the woman had to reveal more information before she could open a dialogue.
[This is... definitely left by the n. However... it doesn''t seem to have been someone with particrly outstanding abilities. Or perhaps... even if not from the n, did they devise a method to use it? In the end, they failed though. Fufu.]
Twitch-
When there was a reaction from Virdel, the woman smiled in victory.
"Failed?"
[Yes. In the end, if you''re not from the n, you can''t read it or learn it, so isn''t that a failure?]
A voice filled with mockery and pride.
"Hmm..."
[You seem interested in that too, so how about it?]
"What do you mean?"
[Won''t you make a trade with me?]
"A trade?"
[Yes. Fufufu. We''ll be beneficial to each other.]
"..."
Whoosh- Whoosh-
Virdel started swinging her sword again.
The woman was dumbfounded.
Back to square one, it seems.
[Eek! I don''t know what''s wrong, but I''m sorry!]
"..."
Is she some kind of ghost who died after being unable to train?! What is wrong with her?!
A girl who closes her eyes and ears and swings her sword as soon as her interest wanes slightly.
Whoosh- Whoosh-
The sound of the iron sword being swung was enough to give one neurosis.
Moreover¡
Beep-
[Forced Ether Synthesis Progress 0.03% -> 0.04%]
Beep-
[Kyaaaaaaaaak! It''s being extracted!!]
The essence that could be called her core and origin was being forcibly extracted into the armor.
[S-Stop it!!]
[Kyaaaaaaak! H-Help me!!]
Obviously, the pain couldn''t possibly be small.
The pain of one''s very existence being torn apart.
Only then did Virdel stab the iron sword she was holding into the ground.
"A trade..."
[Huff, huff, huff.]
"A trade is a term that applies only to equal parties."
Whoosh- Whoosh-
After that, Virdel remained silent. However, Virdel''s intention was clear.
A trade?
Are you even worthy of being a trade partner right now?
Do you think you can get away with such a half-hearted attitude?
[!!]
The girl wasn''t just indifferent.
She clearly knew her superiority.
Ah, ah...
The woman realized.
The opponent was not a greenhorn who could be easily deceived.
This wasn''t a situation that could be dealt with by just talking.
In the woman''s perception, she saw a small blue me burning in one corner.
[...]
The woman realized once again that she needed to give up a lot to obtain the /genesisforsaken
Chapter 65: Trade (3)
Chapter 65: Trade (3)
The flesh of the Great Sephiroth, and its supreme, sublime treasure.
The Mother''s blessing that everyone, whether it were the ¡¶Roots¡·, ¡¶Trunks¡·, or ¡¶Branches¡· of Sephiroth, desires and yearns for.
And that''s not all.
The ¡¶Fruit¡· is what even the highest-ranking entities of Chaos covet.
A priceless treasure that was the best material, treasure, and elixir for all powers rted to dimensions.
Of course, the blue me there wasn''t the real ¡¶Fruit¡·.
To be precise, should it be called a degraded version? Or perhaps a counterfeit?
It was more like a failed product made by processing the crumbs of the ¡¶Fruit¡· as much as possible.
But it should definitely have some effect.When thinking that way, the person who created that stele and blue me was undoubtedly someone rted to a Sephiroth member.
Considering they dared to attempt to imitate Mother''s grace, they must have been a madman.
In any case, since she was about to benefit from it, she couldn''tpletely condemn it.
If I just have that...
Thirst rose. Even though it was just a counterfeit and a degraded version, in the current situation, it was more than she could ask for.
Then a thought urred to her.
Perhaps...?
Yes. A way to not only recover her power but also advance to a higher realm!
Originally, she had nned to either open a Dimensional Door to return to the Sanctum or request help from arade.
The former would take time to recover her strength, while thetter would greatly damage her pride.
However.
Even if it was a counterfeit, a Fruit was still a Fruit.
What if I use that to open a new passage and fix it in as a connection to the Sanctum...?
She recalled the battlefield where ¡¶Chaos¡· corpses and silver Sacred Blood flowed like a sea.
Wars always came to an end eventually.
Even after the fierce battle ends, neither side would be able to linger for spoils due to the risk of esction.
After all, if one side makes a move, the other side is bound to respond.
So, if the n seeds¡
A sea of treasures.
An inexhaustible spring.
An elixir mine.
She would want for nothing. It would probably be more than enough to recover all the losses incurred from abandoning her physical body.
[Hehehe.]
"..."
To think they would leave such an incredible treasure just lying around.
This was why mortals were called stupid.
Inferior beings.
Foolish creatures who can''t see what''s in front of them even with eyes.
Even this girl, puffed up with temporary superiority, is no different.
[This is undoubtedly one of the Dimensional Spells written out in this world''s method. I''m not sure about thetter part though.]
"Dimensional Spell?"
[Hmm... The term is all thates to mind, but I''m not sure exactly what it is.]
"..."
Of course, for now, she should y along to some extent to gain trust.
There was just one thing she had to aplish.
She just needed to encourage this girl to make contact with the Fruit.
That was the end of it.
After that, she could just turn the girl into a vegetable, steal her body, and use the Fruit''s power to escape from this damned metal lump.
[Hoho. That part there can be interpreted ambiguously, so you should understand it differently.]
As if conscious of the woman''s voice, the girl''s movements changed slightly.
The woman inwardly smiled in victory.
Yes. That¡¯s right. I just need to humor her until then.
I just need to endure until then.
Go ahead and be smug all you want.
The woman revealed a lot of information in the process of the girl interpreting and mastering the stele inscription.
In reality, the stele inscription was content that transformed Dimensional Spells into this world''s form of martial arts, and there was no small margin of error.
In this part, she also had to pour her mental energy into interpreting and researching Dimensional Spells.
Is the goal to make it usable even by humans who are not part of the n?
However, there were quite a few parts that werecking, missing, or incorrect for that to be the case.
She tried to exin those parts in as much detail as possible while keeping pace with the girl.
As they say, sincerity moves the heavens, don¡¯t they?
The girl spoke first.
"What you want is that, isn''t it?"
[....]
"You''ve been particrly tight-lipped about the Sacred me."
The woman was startled by the girl pointing at the Sacred me.
She had definitely been a blockhead who had been focusing only on training without paying attention to her surroundings.
However, this changed things. This meant the girl had been observing her all this time as well.
Why did she deliberately say she had lost her memories?
It was because, right now, she was in apletely subordinate position. Therefore, to avoid being pushed too much on the defensive, she had pretended to have lost her memories, trying to gloss over things.
"Hmm."
[....]
"It shouldn''t matter. It seems you''ve received permission too."
Huh? Permission? Who gave permission?
"Anyway, once I fully grasp the entire content of the stele, I''ll do as you wish."
[!!]
"If I find even the slightest negligence in that regard, it will be as if nothing happened."
Yeah, that¡¯s right. What does that matter?
I just need to get my hands on the Fruit.
In the woman''s opinion, Virdel seemed like the type to absolutely keep her word once given.
Alright. I''ll give it my all.
And so began the coboration between the woman and the girl.
Perhaps because she was putting her heart into it for the sweet reward of the Fruit?
The results starteding faster than expected.
[!!]
"Haa..., haa."
The void rippled and a crack appeared.
It was only at the level of a subtle crack, but it had clearly left a mark on the Dimensional Wall.
[....]
Can this really be seen as just a matter of talent?
Of course, although she had helped as much as possible, she had only reinforced the theoretical aspects, and even she couldn''t guarantee its effectiveness.
Seeing her aplish it so demonstratively left the woman dumbfounded.
"I''ve got... the general idea."
[...You''ve got the general idea?]
"For now, this is like this..."
Virdel once again fell into a spiritual state of perfect selflessness
The woman was at a loss for words.
...Well, it doesn''t matter. Whether it''s bluster, lies, or delusion.
As long as the goal is achieved.
As a bit more time passed like that¡
Whoosh-
[!!!]
A clearly visible crack.
[Th-This is a sess! Of course, it''s unimaginable to squeeze through here and go to another dimension, but it can be said to be a sess in opening a door!]
"Is that so? It''s certainly different from before. It seemsst time was just a coincidence."
[This is impossible...!]
It was so clearly impossible.
And what did you say? Before? Coincidence? What on earth are you talking about?
The woman wanted to question her immediately out of surprise, but held back.
Right, it''s going to be ''my'' body anyway. It''s not toote to find out then, right?
[Th-Then about the promise...?]
"..."
Fortunately, it seemed she hadn''t forgotten the promise.
Yes. That¡¯s right. A mortal body can''t pass through a dimensional passage anyway. The entire soul would probably be torn apart and be lost between dimensions.
In other words, it was meaningless unless she provided additional help!
She had subtly dropped bait about that. Just in case she tried to break the promise at the end, so she could threaten her.
Even Chaos beings need to go through a special process to stay in Dimensional Passages.
There was no way a mortal could withstand the pressure of the passage.
However, fortunately, it seemed there was no need to resort to threats.
"Let us get ready, then."
[Fufufu. Alright.]
Now then. It''s time to obtain a new body.
***
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-That was some pretty delicious information, huh?
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-I think I''ve got a rough outline. Good work.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-But that punk still hasn''tpletely let their guard down. It''s full of superficial information. Of course, even this has been a great help.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-What? Haha. That''s not it. You''re already doing plenty well as you are now. I have separate expectations for you.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Hmm. Rather, about that Sacred me, was it? I think it''s better to just ignore that... There are minimal safeguards in ''Hydra'', but... due to circumstances, it''s even worse than regr suits when ites to stuff in that field.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Well. I don''t want to rmend it, but your will is what''s important.
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Right. Anyway, good work. If you need anything, just let me know anytime.
Virdel collected herself in front of the Sacred me Stand. It was hard to calm her mind when she recalled her conversation with him.
For now, the soul(?) residing in the armor was quite an easy-to-read fellow. Although she tried to gloss over things by saying she had lost her memories, how could her acting not be awkward?
Moreover, she showed a cautious attitude, trying not to bring up the topic as much as possible when talking about the Sacred me.
What could that mean?
Obviously, it meant it was something that would harm her. That was why she was trying so hard not to even mention it.
Thinking that way, the expected repertoire would be trying to steal her body, wouldn''t it?
In truth, if she had been an ordinary Otherworlder, she wouldn''t have been this suspicious.
However, the [Integrated Dimensional Community] was full of all sorts of people, and all kinds of stories were spread out like a sea.
How to put it¡ It was kinda within the range of reasonable expectations, wasn''t it?
The Administrator expressed concern and said there was no need to do this, but¡
I want to be of more help.
No, perhaps it was a desire to meet him as soon as possible?
At that moment, the woman''s voice echoed in her head.
[What? You''re not going to break your promise now, are you?!]
[If you''re thinking of teasing me, stop it! It''s not funny!]
Ha. Teasing? Funny?
As if.
She always did her best. Because saying she did her best to get just a little closer to him was not enough.
He was clearly showing interest in her.
But was that really the kind of interest she wanted?
No. She knew that clearly.
It was easy to understand if she thought about how she treated Namgung Jin, Vice Cult Leader Zhuge Hyun, and others.
It was just that kind of emotion. Like the fleeting interest one might have in a street dog passing by.
They could never be equals.
It was just one-sided interest.
And even that could be withdrawn at any time.
Was that kind of interest enough?
First, I need to prove my usefulness.
For that¡
I should be able to take some risks.
No, rather wouldn''t I need to risk my life to have even a slight chance?
I wonder what kind of world he lives in.
Virdel put aside her thoughts and slowly began to walk towards the Sacred /genesisforsaken
Chapter 66: Trade (4)
Chapter 66: Trade (4)
***
...Where is this ce?
A dark space where nothing could be seen enveloped her.
Ah. I see.
Have I been defeated?
Was it too much after all?
Virdel reflected on her situation.
The battle for dominance in the Imagery that followed the moment she touched the Sacred me.
But the result was as could be seen.Haah.
Then is this hell?
Well, if this is hell, maybe hell isn''t so bad.
A space filled with pitch-ck darkness.
Her mind, floating in that space, was empty and void.
Is this the end?
Thinking that way, she felt a sense of lightness.
If there was onest lingering regret, it would be not being able to meet ''him'' in person?
I really wanted to see him, though.
A life spent caged and as a scapegoat.
A hellish life that was longer than the days she had lived normally.
In a life that was like a pit, themunity was practically her only world.
However.
Reality was cruel, and the virtual could not be reality.
Her world was essentially false.
No matter what she aplished in the virtual world, it had no connection to reality.
It was in the midst of this that she met him.
A great being who pulled themunity into reality.
A being who made her realize that her world was not false, but real.
Karlstein Babylon.
Should I have listened to his advice after all?
He had said there was no need to respond to the promise.
Because of my desire to meet him proudly, it ended up like this.
Even if he were to call me a ''useless woman'' right now, I would have nothing to say.
I really was useless, after all.
....
So this is how it ends.
Am I satisfied with this?
....
A space where terrible memories of the past prick her entire body like needles, and all sorts of thoughts swirl around.
A space where it felt as if her unconscious had risen to the surface, swelling like a balloon and ransacking her mind.
As she was gradually forgetting herself and slowly sinking into the abyss as if falling into a dream...
[Zzzt... zzt... Backup... System... Switching.]
A mechanical voice.
[ER... ROR]
[ERR... OR]
[...Forced Awakening... zzzt... Process... Allocation...]
Ha. Haha.
I wonder why I feel likeughing?
It was as if she could hear his voice.
-Lifelong Bluadge.
What have you done to be resting?
Did you think you could run away without my permission?
What are you doing not opening your eyes right now?
Although the mechanical voiceing from the suit was clearly not his, somehow it sounded like his voice.
Right. My life was not my own.
-First of all, do not ever get hit around by anyone. That¡¯s the first condition.
...I got beaten. Am I disqualified?
Although his words were truly selfish and tyrannical.
Those words that became a guidepost for her, who had lost all her siblings, parents, and n, and had no reason to live.
Perhaps they were words spoken after seeing through herck of attachment to life?
There was no need to burn with hatred towards humans.
That one sentence was enough to be her driving force in life.
In a colorless, ashen world, he was the existence that moved her, whose wick had burned out.
Beep-
[Emergency Recovery System Activating]
This must be the minimal safeguard he mentioned.
Somehow, I feel like my senses are returning a little.
...Right. I won''t give up until he directly says he doesn''t need me anymore.
And so I prove my usefulness and receive a reason to live.
That was the implicit deal between him and her.
In the pitch-ck, dark Imagery, the girl''s outline slowly began to appear.
In her right hand was a dazzlingly bright sword.
-Isn¡¯t this fascinating? You definitely have talent. Hmm. I''d like to introduce you to someone I know. That punk is quite knowledgeable in that field, you see.
Yes. The talent he recognized is in this hand.
I don''t know who this ''someone I know'' he''s talking about is.
But there''s no doubt he showed interest in my talent.
-Well, don''t overdo it. Do what you want to do.
His casually spoken words clearly contained ''consideration'', ''recognition'', and ''interest''.
So it''s inevitable that I would be even more curious.
I wonder what kind of person he is?
Why did he show kindness to me?
How do I appear in your eyes?
To get answers to these questions, I can''t end it like this.
Sseup- Haah-
As her outline in the dark Imagery where nothing could be seen fully appeared and took a clear form...
She demonstrated with her own hands the dazzling achievements she had gained while researching the stele.
Saaaak-
No. This much is still not enough.
The experience and enlightenment gained from the unknown space she passed through while moving to this ce called Murim.
I need to incorporate the experience and enlightenment from that time as well.
The strange passage where she had to endure pain as if her entire body was being torn apart. It was clearly a ce where she could feel a bizarre yet mysterious sensation.
The experience in the Dimensional Passage gave tremendous inspiration in interpreting and mastering the stele inscription.
She pours out all those achievements this time.
The achievements gained through the stele inscription were not simply for the Dimensional sh(?). As far as she could feel, the key points of the stele inscription were clearly converging into one.
In order to reach a higher dimension.
As if a mortal were to oppose an immortal.
As if she wished to reach him, whom she could not reach.
Martial arts to ovee something that could not be ovee.
Yes. That was the will and belief of the one who created the stele inscription.
She began to perform an unnamed Sword Dance in this dark mental space. This Imagery of hers.
Saaaah- Saaaah-
The sword of light in the Imagery cuts through the darkness.
Like the hand he extended to her life, which had previously only been dark.
sh-
Without a moment''s hesitation, a sh of light split the space.
[Kyaaaaaaak!!]
Yes. This feeling. This is it.
***
Just before Virdel Awakened.
The girl in red armor was touching her body with a satisfied smile.
"Hmph hmph. As if something like that could resist?"
The woman who had seeded in taking over the girl''s body hummed a joyful tune.
"Ah, now I feel like I can live."
Having barely escaped with just her body after receiving a fatal wound to her core, and then having to fight for dominance in the Imagery.
It was inevitable that there would be a mental burden.
Even so.
A mortal was a mortal.
She had given her all, if only because the girl who dared to oppose her was so impudent.
The girl''s mind was probably buried deep in the abyss of the unconscious, losing her sense of self.
"Hmm? But..."
She looked down at the body she had newly acquired.
"I thought the body would be just as innately talented, but..."
Grind- Grind-
"It''s quite ufortable, isn''t it?"
The brow of the woman who had stolen the girl''s body furrowed slightly.
"Hmm. Since I''ll have to use it for a while anyway, should I do some work on it?"
And somehow, she could feel the essence of the n within her body.
Is it about the level of a Rootlet?
Although it¡¯s nothingpared to the Fruit.
But still, this is something.
Thanks to this, there should be no problem with body modification.
She began to burn the impurities in her body using the power of the Sacred me.
Since I''ve decided to do it anyway¡
More cleanly.
More purely.
More perfectly.
Whoosh-
She began to adjust even the position of bones and muscles.
Crack- Crack-
"This is why mortals are..."
The twisted and awkward positions of bones and organs found their proper ces, and the body began to transform into one optimized for handling Sacred Blood.
If someone from Murim had seen this, they would have been astonished, calling it Overhaul Rebirth.
Crack- Crack-
"Ah... I can''t forget about that either."
She began to search for the coordinates of the battlefield using the remaining power of the ¡¶Fruit¡·.
"Now, as long as I just open this and fix it in ce¡ Fufufu."
Everything was going smoothly.
As the saying goes, it was ''a blessing in disguise''; the crisis on the battlefield was nothing, and everything was going smoothly.
If I recover my strength like this and get my hands on the treasure ind-like spoils?
Fufufu.
I wouldn¡¯t envy even those haughty ¡¶Branches¡·.
Just as she thought that.
"Hm? It''s still remaining? That can''t be?"
She frowned as she sensed the remnants of the girl sleeping in the unconscious of the Imagery.
"As if this mere-"
Before she could finish her words, she could feel herself being torn apart from the soul level.
[Kyaaaaaaak!!]
***
"Haa. Haa."
What on earth happened?
I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.
My head is throbbing, and my stomach is churning.
Stagger-
And what is this?
The current body doesn''t feel like my own.
Awkwardness.
A sense of difort.
The problem was that it felt incrediblyfortable, though.
Stagger-
Still, it seems I need time to adapt.
"Ha, haha..."
Lifelong¡
It seems it''s still valid.
She painfully began to ess themunity and leave a message for him.
***
"What''s the situation?"
[Unstable wavelengths are still being observed.]
"Hmm..."
Karlstein sank into contemtion, pressing his fingers to his temples.
"Since it''s near the Barrier, we can''t easily dismiss it."
[That is right.]
Hmm.
Unstable Astral Wavelengths observed near the Barrier.
What on earth happened? This has never happened before.
Considering the importance of the Barrier, it was not something that could be easily overlooked.
"But it''s not like we have a clear method either."
[We have taken all the measures we can from our side, but...]
"The Barrier is a ce where no amount of attention is ever enough."
[Or should we use this opportunity to...]
"..."
Are you still talking about that?
Karlstein could understand what Aria was trying to say.
War.
She meant to advance beyond the Barrier while subjugating the Kaiju.
[We''ve made plenty of preparations so far, have we not?]
"That''s... true."
The Gctic Empire was by no means weak.
They had alreadypleted preparations for the great war against those /genesisforsaken
Chapter 67: Awakened Virdel
Chapter 67: Awakened Virdel
[We have alreadypleted the preparations.]
"..."
Right. She wasn¡¯t wrong.
With just one word from him, a great war would begin across the entire universe.
Along with the mobilization of Fallens, the entire fleet near the Barrier would cross over, and the Gctic Empire''s fleet would advance, exterminating Kaiju even at the cost of destroyings.
The Gctic Empire''s administrative system would immediately respond by switching to a wartime system, and all military factories under the Empire''s direct jurisdiction would operate non-stop 24/7, 365 days a year.
Pressure from the 4th and 5th Corps would begin on the ¡®Sparrow¡¯, the space pirate alliance, and ¡®Mighty Corp¡¯, the mega-corporation alliance, which were human forces outside the Gctic Empire. The Automatic Interception System ¡®KAI¡¯, which the Gctic Empire had ambitiously prepared, would be activated.
[Just one word is enough. Just say that we will begin.]
Aria''s voice without inflection.A calmness that was hard to believe when speaking of humanity''s fate.
The Gctic Empire was already that prepared, perhaps even excessively so.
"..."
But would that be enough?
It was not a matter of doubting sess or failure. No matter how long it took, the Gctic Empire would ovee it as it always had.
The problem wasn¡¯t victory. It was the process and the result.
This was reality. It was not a game where you could reach the ending with just a "Clear" message.
It was impossible to end a war without any damage. Naturally, one could not win every battle.
With each choice, countless lives would be erased and disappear in vain. No one knew how much blood would have to be shed.
And we can¡¯t underestimate those Kaiju bastards either.
Moreover.
The choice made now might raise the curtain on a war that couldst for tens of thousands of years.
Even the Gctic Empire couldn''t remain intact if war continued endlessly.
So advancing beyond the Barrier wasn¡¯t something that could be chosen out of mere ambition.
Once chosen, it could not be undone.
So no matter how much he thought about it¡
"It''s still too early."
When there would be less damage. When it was more perfected. When it was more certain.
Even if we win, if we don''t consider whates after, I can''t hold my head high as Emperor.
Especially when I think about having to bear all the aftermath and cleanup forever.
"Moreover, it might be a misconception that we know everything about those Kaiju bastards."
[That''s...]
Even Aria had nothing to say to this.
"There are those newly discovered ones too, right?"
Those silver fly-like ones.
Sephiroth, was it?
Of course, the ones he saw directly weren''t much.
But it would be a mistake to think they were all like that.
If they were just that level, the Kaiju bastards wouldn''t have paid any attention to them.
This was something that could be sufficiently predicted from the information heard from Virdel.
"Hmm."
Even at the immediate moment, unstable Astral signals were being detected near the Barrier, but there was nothing they could do from their side.
Thanks to this, the potential value of the [Integrated Dimensional Community] was skyrocketing endlessly.
Research on the Astral Dimension was still far fromplete.
The conclusion drawn from all of this was¡
Postponement.
That would have certainly been the case, but.
"...?"
[A message has arrived from the Moderator.]
-(DevilKingVirdel): I have something to report.
....
He couldn''t help but change his mind as he listened to her report.
***
It was when Namgung Jin was descending from the main hall and returning.
"Haha. If it isn''t the Alliance Leader?"
"?"
A middle-aged man, though more on the older side, blocked his path.
"It''s been a while."
"..."
There couldn''t be many people who could speak down to the Murim Alliance Leader.
And the old man before him was in such a position.
Neung Dogun, the Northern Dipper Divine Sword, also known as the Emperor''s hidden de.
But I heard he rarely leaves the Imperial Pce...?
"Did youe to the Divine Cult alone?"
The Empire''s greatest Master, famous for both his status and skill.
There were widespread rumors that if he had set his mind on Jianghu, he would have been the Greatest Under Heaven.
In a way, he was no different from the one who directly created the concept of non-interference between the government and Murim.
But why would such an old monstere to the Divine Cult?
"At any rate, this is fortunate. I was feeling lonely, so let us go together."
"Haha. Given my position, I am quite busy with public and private affairs..."
"I think you might not be unrted to this either. His Majesty seems quite displeased."
This old geezer...!
The way he threatened by mentioning the Emperor seemed quite familiar.
Well. Besides his skill, there''s no one in the Central ins who would openly go against the Emperor''s will.
Did Ie here in too light-hearted of a manner, saying I was just going to quickly visit Noonim?
Namgung Jin had left most of his equipment behind.
"If you insist, let us go together."
Right. I can''t leave this haughty old monster from the Imperial Pce alone with Noonim.
"You are different from the rumors. Seeing as you areing alone to enemy territory like the Divine Cult."
"What does the Murim Alliance Leader have to fear?"
"Hmm... It does not seem that¡¯s all there is to it."
There was a limit to the superficial opposition between the Divine Cult and the Murim Alliance.
Probably everyone who needed to know was already aware of the bond between Namgung Jin and the Cult Leader.
"An alliance between the Murim Alliance and the Divine Cult... His Majesty would be worried."
Namgung Jin''s expression furrowed at Neung Dogun''s words with hidden meaning.
"Isn''t there a policy of non-interference between the government and Murim?"
"Haha. That is something that can only be said if the martial artists stir up a reasonable amount of trouble."
"..."
Namgung Jin''s right hand moved towards the sword at his waist.
He always carried his sword with him, at least.
However, the old man just looked at Namgung Jin with meaningful eyes.
"You may draw it if you so wish. The Intangible Divine Sword, is it? I have lived long enough, and if this one life can erase Murim, it would be a cheap price."
"..."
"The Murim Alliance? From the Imperial Pce''s perspective, it is nothing more than a local powerful n."
"..."
"Martial artists tend to look down on the million-strong Imperial Army."
"!!"
"Have you ever even tried to imagine the number one million?"
The old man pointed at a mountain visible in the distance.
"Do you think it would reach a million if you filled a space from there to there with people?"
"..."
"Well, a small number of Murim powerhouses are certainly extraordinary. But do you think the Imperial Pce would fear such individuals?"
The old man shook his head.
"No. You can easily understand just by looking at me. The foxes and snakes of the Imperial Pce do not fear me."
The old man''s eyes, which hadn''t slowed his pace, became serious.
"It is not just about force. Everyone has desires. And as long as desires exist, there are bound to be weaknesses. Or maybe there''s something they want to protect. Like your Namgung n."
The old man smiled lightly.
"Opposing the Imperial Pce is no different from fighting the entire world. Haha."
"..."
"You probably have not even seen a proper army, have you?"
"..."
"So do not make foolish choices."
With those final words, the old man strode towards the main hall.
"..."
Namgung Jin watched the old man''s back for a moment before hurriedly following.
Ah.
Neung Dogun, youmon mortal.
Do you have two lives or something?
How foolish must you be to be satisfied?
But I can''t me him.
After all, no matter how much one exined to a frog who had never seen outside the well, it would never be able to imagine the universe.
I¡¯m not sure now. I wonder¡ What will happen?
The fact that this old man left the Imperial Pce meant that the Imperial Pce was making a deliberate move.
What are you even trying to do?!
As Namgung hurriedly followed the old man...
A woman was already blocking Neung Dogun''s path.
"Huh?"
But somehow she seemed familiar...?
A woman with one side of her hair white and the other ck was blocking Neung Dogun''s path.
"I''d like to see a proper army. How can I do that?"
"Hooh... Are you the newly appointed Cult Leader, Young Lady?"
Uh...? This voice?
Cold sweat formed on Namgung Jin''s forehead.
Ah... That¡¯s right.
In truth, he knew. The fact that she was Virdel.
He had seen her bare face before when receiving martial arts instruction.
But the reason he couldn''t be certain despite that was...
"What...?"
She was way too different.
Was it even possible for a person''s impression to do aplete 180 like this?
Certainly, her previous features remained the same, but... how could it also be so different?
Her impression, which used to resemble a deep abyss, now looked like andscape painting.
Yes. If I had to put it into words, it''s like a towering tree in andscape painting.
Beauty.
Mystique.
Composure. Leisure. Transcendence. Nirvana. Nature.
Was it an illusion, just a mistaken delusion, that all of these were felt from her?
Namgung Jin felt cognitive dissonance from her voice.
Before, she definitely wasn¡¯t¡
But despite that, the aura and atmosphere she exuded¡
Were her eyes originally this red?
Even her way of speaking has changed.
Is it even possible for a person to change like this?
She who had no interest in worldly affairs now seemed full of vitality.
As if color had been mixed into a monochrome ink painting.
It wasn''t for nothing that Namgung Jin couldn''t recognize her.
"Hohoho. I am touched that you came out to greet this old man. Hoho."
Neung Dogunughed good-naturedly as he looked the woman up and down.
"I never imagined the new Cult Leader would be such a beautiful woman. Hohoho."
Hey, you old coot.
Are you kidding me? That ain¡¯t it.
No, wait. I''m not saying she''s not beautiful.
It''s just that, that, she''s not someone you can casually flirt with like some ordinary vige girl!
"N-Noonim. Did you perhaps dye your hair...?"
Well, there were hair dyes in the Dimensional Store, after all.
Moreover, the armor she always wore was nowhere to be seen, and Noonim was now wearing what looked like everyday clothes.
Of course, it was quite out of ce for this era.
"I''d appreciate it if you stopped with your jests."
Flinch-
Neung Dogun''s expression hardened at Noonim''s words.
"Haha. A jest? Did you say a jest? The one jesting is you. How dare you mention an army?"
Neung Dogun''s face turned stern. As if he had suddenly ced the dignity of the Imperial Pce on his shoulders.
"There is a way, in fact the best way, to know about an army. Why don''t you try facing it directly?"
The old man, Neung Dogun, must have noticed that the woman before him was no ordinary person. Seeing as how he was mentioning the Imperial Pce and the Imperial Army, there was no doubt he felt that way.
However.
"Hmm... That sounds good."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"I''ve been wanting to learn a bit about war, so this is perfect. Ick experience in that area, after all..."
War just for the sake of experience?
"Are you crazy? I-Is that something a person should say? Is this because you are a demonic leader after all?"
"Hm? Weren''t you the ones who came here to fight us in the first ce?"
"Th-That''s!"
"Anyway, I look forward to it. I was thinking there might be a big war soon, so this is perfect timing. We might have to take the initiative... Since I am sure we have trained them adequately as well..."
Her voice was far too calm for someone facing a million-strong Imperial Army.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jin was breaking out in a cold sweat.
She''s too different. Iparably so.
Is she really the same person...?
What happened in that short time?
Moreover... War?
Namgung Jin recalled the Divine Cult warriors training on Skyboards.
Just what... are you nning? /genesisforsaken
Chapter 68: Million-Strong Army (1)
Chapter 68: Million-Strong Army (1)
"N-Noonim, what happened...?"
Namgung Jin addressed her, not even paying attention to Neung Dogun leaving while grinding his teeth.
"Hm? Ah..."
Every single one of her reactions was incredibly fascinating.
To be truly honest, up until now, when he looked at Noonim, she had seemed like a walking corpse, or perhaps a walking disaster.
Of course, that didn''t mean he thought of her, who was like a teacher to him, as unpleasant or anything like that.
But seeing her lively expression as she slightly furrowed her brow, he somehow found himself at a loss for words.
"Hmm? I suppose it''s because of the Overhaul Rebirth? That must be it."
Huh? Overhaul Rebirth?Also, isn''t that supposed to only change the physical body?
"Hmm. I definitely feel like something has changed."
"Uh, um..."
"How should I exin it... Like shedding the shell of my soul? No, words can''t really describe it."
Although I don''t understand what she means...
Namgung Jin''s eyes wavered at the sight of Virdel, who somehow seemed more human-like.
"A-Anyway, Noonim."
"?"
Ah, what is this? I can''t get used to this!
Namgung Jin tried hard to calm himself down.
I absolutely won''t make any mistakes!
"A-About thatwar, what''s going on with that...?"
"Ah."
Her lively expression turned quite serious.
"He gave me a separate task."
"I-Is that so?"
What kind of task did he give her, to involve war...
Gulp-
"It seems I''m still woefully inadequate if I want to follow him."
No, if Noonim is inadequate, then what about me...?
Of course, I haven''t actually conversed with him, but...!
"Especially when ites to war, I knew nothing, but now a good opportunity has arisen, hasn''t it?"
Op... Opportunity?
It was the moment when the Imperial million-strong army was relegated to being mere teaching material.
"Anyway, I''ll be busy for a while, so there''s no need toe visit."
"...!"
Somehow, he felt left out.
Well, I guess¡
Unlike me, who''s just wrapped in expensive equipment, Noonim is the real deal.
"...I understand for now. However, if newses from the government, I shall visit again."
"Do as you please."
She lightly acknowledged his greeting and then vanished.
What on earth is going on?
Namgung Jin swallowed his frustration.
Still.
The oue is obvious.
He was just curious about what kind of task He had separately assigned her.
***
"Military Governor, have you been well?"
"Haha. I believe this is the first time we''ve met since thest banquet."
They sat with courtesans on either side, passing drinks back and forth.
"It seems the Chancellor intends to use this opportunity to push out the martial artists..."
"Well, we can''t keep turning a blind eye to these ruffians who act without knowing their ce, can we?"
"Only the Demonic Cult in Thousand Mountains is truly pitiful. They''ve caught unwanted attention."
"He''s determined to sweep away all the bandits who disturb the country with their deceptions this time."
"I''ve heard such rumors too. They say the leader of the Demonic Cult is an incredibly beautiful woman."
They had heard the rumors. That a beauty at the caliber of toppling nations had taken the position of the Demonic Cult''s leader.
Some even joked, wondering if she had risen to that position through her beauty alone.
"Oh... I think I''ve heard that rumor too. They say everyone who sees her loses their senses, even forgetting to breathe."
"Haha. There must be some exaggeration. But considering it''s reached even our ears, she must be quite beautiful, right?"
"Moreover, His Majesty is fond of beautiful women, so those below must see this as an opportunity they can''t miss."
"That''s right. If they can just capture and present this new Cult Leader, they could receive both merit and His Majesty''s favor, couldn''t they?"
"Of course, whether His Majesty''s grace would reach down to our level is another matter."
"Haha. That''s for the elders to worry about. For us, isn''t it enough to just make a name for ourselves by achieving merits in this war?"
"It''s certainly true that such opportunities are rare."
For military officials, what better chance to gain merit than war? Moreover, this time the risk was low.
"Still, we can''t underestimate the martial artists."
"Haha. The strategies that can be employed with a small number of powerful individuals are endless."
"But that''s said without knowing our government army."
"Hahaha. That''s right."
"To begin with, aren''t the martial artists of Jianghu just a group that praises each other as the best in their small pond?"
"They''re all talk. It''s truly foolish. They seem to think that military officials whobine both literary and martial arts are just sitting around doing nothing."
"Isn''t this situation created by their delusion that martial arts are their exclusive domain?"
Those who already knew, knew, after all.
"Can they even imagine a unit specially trained in martial arts? Haha."
"That''s right. After all, the military is a group that will do anything to kill people."
"It seems the government has also decided to take action because of rumors that the Demonic Cult is using some unknown power."
"Haha. They''ve even prepared arge number of Thunder Bombs, so that says it all."
"I hear that this time, even the Imperial Guards and the Eastern Depot1 will be involved."
"I wonder if there will be any merit left for us. Thepetition might be too fierce."
They actually hoped the situation would escte further. If the Murim Alliance also joined, it would greatly increase both the justification and opportunities to achieve merit.
"Have you heard about the Imperial Hound?"
"Ah... They say he went as an envoy this time, yes?"
The Imperial Hound.
It was truly a derogatory term, but the faces of the officials having this conversation showed no particr emotion.
How could one survive in the treacherous central government if they feared a mere dog on a leash?
"I hear he incurred His Majesty''s wrath because of that incident..."
"The fact that he let someone go after witnessing them insult the Son of Heaven proves he''s truly just a dog."
"Regardless, thanks to the Imperial Hound, a feast for gaining merit has been prepared, so let''s not hate him too much."
"Of course! Hahaha."
"Ah... I heard Lord Hong will be leading the vanguard this time..."
There wasn''t a trace of tension on their faces as they discussed the war. To them, this war was just like a feast.
"Haha. I''m truly looking forward to it."
***
sh-
Virdel tilted her head as she looked down at her hand.
In front of her, a crack-like fissure was rippling in the void.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Hyun, who was watching from the side, swallowed hard and trembled.
Wh-What is this presence?
When the Cult Leader waved her hand and split the void¡
He almost screamed and his legs nearly gave out. The pressure emanating from her when she cut the void was certainly not human.
Wh-What is that?
There was a crack in the void, like broken ss. The fissure that even caused optical illusions was slowly healing.
Is this reality? Am I not dreaming?
The sight of the world he existed in cracking like broken ss.
It felt alien.
And there was also a sense of difort.
Zhuge Hyun was quite a rational person. In fact, too rational to think this was reality even after seeing it right before his eyes.
Pinch-
He pinched his cheek, but nothing changed.
Zhuge Hyun barely managed to steady his breathing and calm down.
"C-Cult Leader. The preparations areplete."
And what about her beauty? Until now, the Cult Leader had always covered her face with a helmet. Even when not wearing the helmet, she always had messy hair and exuded a dark aura, so he had never thought about it.
What on earth did she do...
Dazzling skin and eyes like red jewels.
Hair that reflected light as it swayed.
Even her beauty didn''t feel like that of a mortal of this world.
Zhuge Hyun forcibly shook off the feeling of being in a dream and calmed his heart.
He was the Vice Cult Leader of the Gctic Divine Cult.
This was no time to be distracted, with war against the government¡¯s army looming.
"Cult Leader. I heard you won''t be taking the field directly..."
"Ah."
She said indifferently while inspecting her body.
"Vice Cult Leader."
"Yes!!"
Zhuge Hyun snapped to attention at her clear voice, like the rolling of jade beads.
"Are you worried?"
"Huh?"
Well, you''re probably someone who could crush a million-strong army alone, but¡
"There''s a limit to the forces the Divine Cult can mobilize currently. Moreover..."
When she seeded as Cult Leader, most of the high-level Masters of the Demonic Cult lost their lives.
At the hands of none other than the current Cult Leader.
"We are severelycking in the number of Masters. When it is not just a battle, isn¡¯t the number of troops absolutely crucial in a war?"
At that, Virdel smiled lightly as she looked at Zhuge Hyun.
"Ah... That''s why I''m looking forward to it. Vice Cult Leader. I heard you have talent in troop deployment?"
"Huh? Th-That''s..."
"I think you''ll probably show me the picture I want during the war."
"That..."
"I''ve excluded the most elite units as I have separate preparations for them, but don''t you think it''s notcking?"
Zhuge Hyun was at a loss for words at her response.
It''s not wrong, but...
Originally, war was about risking everything and fighting a life-or-death struggle with the opposing force.
However, the Cult Leader had excluded the most elite units and even prohibited the use of most weapons of mass destruction.
As such, the given troops were only about five hundred.
Five hundred against a million?
And even those five hundred weren''t proper Masters.
They were warriors who had barely be familiar with their equipment, not even reaching the Peak Realm.
Although she said she would provide additional support as needed...
The crazy ones who could fly and strike down with energy beams had been taken away for the Cult Leader''s special training.
What should I do...
"You can do it, right?"
Her clear voice broke Zhuge Hyun out of his thoughts.
"...Yes! I will not disappoint you!"
Zhuge Hyun had no choice but to reluctantly /genesisforsaken
Chapter 69: Million-Strong Army (2)
Chapter 69: Million-Strong Army (2)
***
Ah... No.
How did ite to this...
General Hong Giyoung was at a loss for words at the sight before him.
How on earth should one respond to something like that?
"Aaaaargh!"
"Be careful!"
"Wh-What is that?!"
"Just run away for now!!"Pshew- Pshew-
Pshew- Pshew-
"Shield bearers, move forward!"
"Th-The shields are useless!"
"Keuk!"
"Where are the archers! Get the archers ready! Form a fire with volleys and drive them back! Even if they can fly, they must have limits!!"
The sight of Demonic Cult members flying through the sky on t metal pieces.
Was this what the Heavenly Army descending from the sky would look like?
"Adjutant... What on earth is that?"
"Th-That... I also..."
Those who had proudly attended the departure ceremony, shouting slogans to eradicate the Demonic Cult, now faced an unimaginable sight.
Flying... Demonic Cult members!
"Their numbers are few! Don''t be afraid, everyone! Archers! Protect the archers!"
"Hundred-man unit! Preemptively upy the ces where they mightnd!"
"That one wearing the strange helmet on their head must be themander! Shoot them down!"
If there was any constion, perhaps it was that their numbers weren''t that great?
If their numbers had beenrge as well, they might not have been able to do anything.
As such...
General Hong Giyoung gathered his wits and issued orders.
"Their only goal is to slow down our advance."
Although they were gradually eating away at our forces from the outskirts, they aren¡¯t boldlying forward. As if they are trying to tie us down.
If you thought that you would seed in that, you''re mistaken, Demonic Cult bastards.
This wasn¡¯t the main force.
It was just the left wing of the vanguard.
They were carrying out sporadic surprise attacks to slow down the unit''s advance, but it wasn''t enough to make us pull back our troops and retreat.
"It''s uneptable for twenty thousand soldiers to be tied down by just twenty men."
General Hong''s eyes shed.
It was humiliating.
The sight of twenty thousand troops being tied down and floundering because of barely a hundred men.
"Focus on minimizing casualties and creating a fire with arrows and cannons! They are not invincible either!"
That''s right. Even those riding on metal pieces and wearing metal weren''t invincible.
Two of them who were directly hit by cannon fire had already exited the battlefield.
Although they couldn''t say they had killed them, they still discovered that they weren''t invincible.
"Don''t be afraid! We have a million-strong army behind us!!"
"Eradicate the Demonic Cult!! Let''s sweep away those Demonic Cult bastards!"
At General Hong''s thunderous voice, each camp began to show signs of vigor.
Waaaah-
Boom- Boom-
Along with the sound of war drums, the great army stomped their feet.
Boom- Boom-
It was as if an earthquake was urring.
"Don''t be afraid! We are the sword and spear of His Majesty, the great Emperor!"
That''s right. It''s uneptable for morale to drop because of just twenty men!
Meanwhile, on the Demonic Cult side, which had fielded twenty men against the army of forty thousand.
"Ouch! That hurts."
"Kukuk. You should be more careful."
"Haha. Still, it''s lucky that you can talk like that after taking a direct hit from a cannon."
"Aiyo. I''m dying here."
The armor had an extremely small scratch.
Although there would be no problem sending the wounded(?) soldier with a white cloth tied around his arm back to the battlefield...
"Haha. You''re out? You''re going to get scolded by the Vice Cult Leader, aren''t you?"
"Damn it! Of all times, it had toe flying when my vision was blocked!"
That''s right.
If the armor received a certain level of impact, you were considered "out" and had to leave the battlefield.
"The Cult Leader is of course great and mighty, but... why did she create this elimination rule..."
"Kukuk. Maybe it''s so that people like you don''t fight without using your head?"
"And there''s even a limit on the number of bullets..."
"Anyway, I''m out. I have to stay at the main hall for at least three days."
"Tsk tsk. That''s why you should have been more careful."
"Haha. Well then, let''s start the next operation as per the Vice Cult Leader''s orders."
"Right. After all, we just need to slow down their advance."
It was a conversation among the Demonic Cult members that was hard to believe was taking ce during a war.
***
"What on earth is this report?!"
"Th-That..."
"Governor! Are you telling me that the report I''m looking at is true?!"
The Governor lowered his head at the roaring voice of Left Commander Huang Wuji.
"How, how am I supposed to report this to His Majesty?!"
"..."
The left wing of the vanguard had been annihted.
At first, it seemed like their advance was just slowing down, but at some point, they fell into a fire trap and werepletely wiped out.
Moreover, their right wing was currently being chased by an unimaginable unit and was half-destroyed.
"Governor! If you have something to say, say it with your mouth!!"
Bang Bang-
Even at the sound of the wooden table being struck as if it would split, the Governor couldn''t raise his head.
"Hoo. Release those bastards from the main force."
"Huh? But those are..."
Thud-
"Ugh!"
"Can''t you get your head on straight? Whether we use a knife for killing cows to kill chickens, or find another way, we need to resolve this somehow!"
"Yes, Elder Commander''s words are correct."
"Release the Punishment Unitposed of heinous criminals towards the Demonic Cult. And increase the advance speed of the main force as well. I have a bad feeling about this."
"Yes, I will convey your orders."
"Hoo..."
But was Left Commander Huang Wuji''s concern perhaps toote?
Reports of defeat began to arrive from all units one after another.
Starting with the annihtion of the Punishment Unit...
It was total annihtion or half destruction.
Complete defeat or retreat.
There was not a single piece of news about victory in any of the reports.
But the misfortune of the Imperial Army did not end there.
"T-That¡¯s insane!"
"How are we supposed to deal with something like that!"
"Run!!"
"Aaaaargh!"
sh-
Boom-
A metal sphere that asionally appeared.
Dozens of supply wagons burst into mes from the beam of light shot from it.
Some martial artists used their Qinggong to quickly chase after it, but by the time they arrived, the giant metal object had already disappeared.
Ah... The supplies!
"Thousand-Man Commander! Fortunately, it seems there were no troop casualties! This is truly a blessing!"
No, you shouldn''t be happy about just that.
The Thousand-Man Commander in charge of supplies clutched his head.
The biggest factor in sustaining arge army was, no matter what anyone said, supplies. Arge army without supplies? It was no different from a rabble.
In the first ce, supplies were absolutely essential to maintain arge army.
"Thousand-Man Commander! What should we do!"
"S-Send messengers to other supply units-"
"Thousand-Man Commander! A messenger has arrived from the 23rd Supply Unit!"
"What?! That''s great! Quickly, bring them here-"
"...It seems they are in the same situation as us."
"What?!"
The Thousand-Man Commander felt like the sky was turning yellow.
This kind of incident wasn''t happening in just one ce.
Those Demonic Cult bastards using unheard-of strange objects to employ all sorts of military tactics, before leaving leisurely.
Total Enemy Strategy, Great Achievement Strategy, Adaptive Strategy, Deception Strategy, Attack and Defense Strategy, Enemy Movement Strategy, Surprise Strategy, Extraordinary and Orthodox Strategy, Division and Specialization Strategy, Indirect and Direct Strategy, Don''t Exhaust Strategy...
There were too many to count. As if they were testing out military tactics.
It was enough to drive one crazy.
If it were just military tactics, they might be able to break through somehow. However...
-Th-They''re flying through the sky?
-What? Arrows that can''t be seen with the eyes?
-It-It wasn''t an Illusion Formation? Then what on earth did we see?
-A Stealth Technique that even the Great Assassination Unit couldn''t detect...?
-Th-The supplies!!
-The entire unit suddenly fell unconscious?
-A huge hole has opened up on our advance route and we can''t pass through...?
-We suddenly lost our sight when a sh of light exploded!
-The 3rd and 4th Corps have been annihted...?
-General! You must escape!
How were they supposed to stop these bastards using such ridiculous strange objects?
All sorts of bad news flew to the upper echelons.
They hadn''t even reached the vicinity of the Demonic Cult''s main mountain, but the situation was steadily worsening.
The direction all of this was heading towards was... Total annihtion or defeat.
If there was just one hope left...!
"We''ll have to rely on those Absolute Martial Unit bastards."
"There''s even aughable saying that they could change the Imperial Dynasty if we just gather them together."
"Watch your mouth."
"Haha. It''s just a joke. Anyway, isn''t this enough?"
"Ugh, but still..."
"A special operations unit of ten thousand martial artists has arrived at Shiwan Mountain (One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains) while avoiding the enemy''s eyes. Isn''t it as good as over? Hahaha."
"I hope the operation seeds safely."
"Haha. You worry too much."
The strongest unit, a martial artist corps created to counter Murim.
The infiltration of the Absolute Martial Unit was imminent.
***
Virdel was lost in thought on her own.
Should I reduce the troops even more?
Should I restrict the firearms more?
Virdel was having thoughts that would make Zhuge Hyun jump up in shock if he heard them.
Well, it can''t be helped. If I use full force, there wouldn''t even be a war in the first ce.
War was only possible between simr opponents.
However, the current gap was even greater than a fight between an infant and an adult.
So, to experience and observe war while studying, restrictions on our side were rather necessary.
"He must be considering an unimaginably huge war that I can''t even imagine."
As always, she was just trying her best. She didn''t care at all how it might look to others.
"The Gctic Divine Cult, was it..."
He had shown interest in the Murim people.
n n
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-Enhanced physical specs, aggressive, and agile to boot? Hmm. They might not be bad to use as mercenaries, huh?nn
At this, Virdel realized.
Mercenaries? Troops?
Then...?
It was not about creating any regr grand army.
Instead, they were just a mercenary guerri unit that can be used like chess pieces when needed?
Considering the ''Dimensional Door'' ability she had just obtained, it wouldn''t be impossible.
"Hmm."
Upon thinking that way, she realized she herself had too many shorings.
War wasn¡¯t something done alone.
She had experience destroying an empire alone, but she had no experience fighting a war of many against many.
So she intended to observe as much as possible during this opportunity.
"After this is over, it might be good to raise a proper unit."
The support funds she had received from Him still had plenty left.
As she was observing how the war was unfolding, realizing it wasn''t as helpful as she had thought...
"Cult Leader!!"
"Vice Cult Leader?"
"Huff huff! About ten thousand martial artists have attacked the Formation and are currently approaching the main hall!"
"Hmm?"
It seemed they hadn''t noticed because she had prohibited the use of reconnaissancemunication devices for the sake of a smooth(?) war.
"Ten thousand?"
"What should we do about this?"
Zhuge Hyun, who had only been in charge of administration from behind a desk, had only always been smiling after witnessing the Divine Cult''s activities in this war with his own eyes.
"Huff, huff."
It seemed he had rushed over in a hurry, perhaps feeling burdened even for him by ten thousand martial artists.
"Well... If they''vee all this way, we might as well sweep them awa..."
Then she arrived at a certain thought.
Ten thousand martial artists?
....
Hmm. Perhaps?
After all, isn''t it up to the captor to decide how to use prisoners?
The corners of Virdel''s mouth curved /genesisforsaken
Chapter 70: Million-Strong Army (3)
Chapter 70: Million-Strong Army (3)
She thought there was no need to continue the war any longer.
"Ahhh... Let''s end this now."
"Huh? What is it that you mean...?"
"Good work, Vice Cult Leader. I''ll handle the rest. I just thought of something. Could you call Namgung Jin for me?"
"U-Understood."
A bewildered Zhuge Hyun.
What on earth was she nning to do?
It was difficult to guess the Cult Leader''s true intentions.
"There''s no need to hold back anymore. We can just remove all restrictions and push through to the Imperial Pce. If I tell Namgung Jin, he''ll take care of it.""Huh? Excuse me?"
Zhuge Hyun struggled to keep up with her words.
"Good work. Observing the troop deployment and military tactics gave me a general idea."
"Th... Thank you?"
"Right. Anyway, you go out this way and focus on expanding the scale of the Divine Cult''s training facilities as much as possible."
"Tr-Training facilities? As much as possible?"
"Yes. To put it simply, think of operating the entire Divine Cult as a logistics base."
"Huh?"
Wasn''t... the Gctic Divine Cult a religion?
At the very least, it could be seen as a Murim faction...
Zhuge Hyun was confused about the Gctic Divine Cult''s identity.
Anyway, what could he do when the august Cult Leader spoke thus?
"Understood! I shall handle it as you said."
"Good, then carry on."
She drew her sword through the air.
As she did so, a crack appeared in the void, and a gap opened with a ripping sound. She inserted her body into it without looking back.
The Cult Leader disappeared instantly as the crack closed.
....
Zhuge Hyun, who remained behind, scratched his head.
"Hmm... Ten thousand... martial artists... war... Imperial Pce... training facilities... as much as possible."
This was all there was? It was the end now?
"I suppose it doesn''t matter since she seems to be taking action directly?"
Zhuge Hyun gave up trying to understand.
Anyway, let''s start with what she ordered.
After all, Zhuge Hyun was recognized as a top talent in administration rather than as a military strategist.
***
Rip-
The void split open and Virdel appeared.
"!!"
"Halt!"
"Form ranks!"
"Wh-What was that just now?"
"That¡¯s insane! From the void, she¡!"
Below where Virdel had appeared, about ten thousand members of the Absolute Martial Unit were climbing the treacherous mountain with a menacing aura.
"Ah... You all look sturdy. Somehow, I''m happy about that."
St-Sturdy?
What on earth is she talking about?
"From now on, you are all prisoners of the Divine Cult."
From now on? Prisoners?
Is she crazy?
A woman of unparalleled beauty suddenly appeared from the void and dered that they were prisoners now.
How could they notugh?
"Hahaha! Prisoners, you say! If it is your beauty, mydy, I''d dly be a prisoner!"
"Kukuk. Hey, isn''t that joke going too far?"
"Wow, is that some kind of Stealth Technique? But she doesn''t seem to be in her right mind."
"Do we need to deal with her?"
"It doesn''t matter if we''re discovered now anyway, right? We''re already right in front of the Demonic Cult''s main base."
"True. Then should we make her guide us?"
"That sounds good."
Although she appeared from the void, there were ten thousand of them here.
There was no reason to be afraid.
"Hmm. I suppose I should start with some moral, or rather mental, education first."
Hernguid yet clear voice pierced the martial artists'' ears.
"Haha. Education? How about some sex education, Young Lady?"
"Kukuk!"
"We don''t have time! Let''s deal with her quickly and go down! The rewards this time seem like they''ll be hefty."
The Absolute Martial Unit was ustomed to lewd talk and harassment due to the nature of the military.
However, they soon had to shut their mouths.
"Hmm. Even if I kill half of them, five thousand remain, huh? I guess I can push them a bit harder then. No, since they''re prisoners anyway, should I design a hell course until only a thousand elites remain?"
Whoosh-
An unbelievable aura burst forth from the woman, instantly overwhelming everyone present.
Tremble-
Wh-What is this?!
Th-This is!
Ugh! M-My body won''t mov...!
My-My Inner Qi is freezi...!
Keuk! Keoek!
"They really are perfect for rough handling."
Unlike before, her beautiful smile now carried an ominous feeling.
A chilling smile.
The Absolute Martial Unit instinctively realized.
Ah.
Something was terribly wrong.
The thought that they were absolutely fucked in the ass refused to leave their minds.
***
"Have you heard about that?"
"About what? Ah... You mean that story?"
"Yes. The whole country is in an uproar about it right now, isn''t it?"
"Well. For lower-ss people like us, nothing much has changed."
"Even so. To think the Great General would fall to the Intangible Divine Sword..."
"If it had ended there, it wouldn''t be talked about like this."
"Are you talking about that? About how the Imperial Pce waspletely overturned?"
It was said that the high-ranking individuals of the Imperial Pce had their heads cut off one after another. All the high officials who usually were busy exploiting the people couldn''t escape this cmity.
"I heard rumors that the Intangible Divine Sword led the charge andpletely blew away the pce..."
"Huh. Isn''t the Intangible Divine Sword the leader of the Orthodox Murim Alliance? Why did he join under those Demonic Cult bastards?"
"How would I know? But... They say the Cult Leader''s beauty surpasses that of Chang''e1 of the Moon Pce."
"Ooh! As expected! There must have been such circumstances! But is her beauty really that great?"
"What else needs to be said? Even the Intangible Divine Sword fell head over heels for her!"
Currently, all sorts of rumors were circting about the Demonic Cult.
From divine generals of the Heavenly Army descending from the sky and incinerating a hundred thousand soldiers in one strike, to all high-ranking military officials being assassinated in just one day.
That an iron-d Kaiju appeared from the Demonic Cult, impervious to any attack, and wiped out the Imperial Army.
There were even rumors that the Son of Heaven¡¯s manhood was cut off in one stroke.
The people should have been trembling in fear at all these ominous rumors.
The Demonic Cult''s invasion of the Central ins!
Weren''t the Demonic Cult members those who craved human flesh and kidnapped children and women?
With the military copsed, what else could they rely on?
Intangible Divine Sword!
Hero of the Orthodox Faction!
Our hope!
The beacon of hope!
Please step forward!
But that was only for a moment.
That great Intangible Divine Sword visited the Imperial Pce as ackey of the Demonic Cult.
-Unconditional cooperation. There will be no other negotiation besides this.
Seriously? Wasn''t that just asking them to hand over the country?
The Imperial Guards who couldn''t stand watching the Intangible Divine Sword''s behavior drew their swords, but...
-Aaaaargh! My arm!!
-Uwaaak!! The attacks don''t work!
-In-Invisible and formless Force!
-Ugh!
They all ended up rolling on the ground, crippled.
The Intangible Divine Sword rode that momentum and went right up to the Son of Heaven¡¯s face to deliver a strong warning.
Even Neung Dogun, said to be the Imperial Pce''s strongest, couldn''t evenst a second against the iron-d Intangible Divine Sword, so what could be done?
Everyone made a fuss, beating the ground and crying that the sky had fallen as they watched the back of the Intangible Divine Sword leaving the blood-soaked Imperial Pce behind.
But what''s this?
Somehow, life seemed to have improved.
The Intangible Divine Sword of the Demonic Cult(?) asionally distributed the Imperial Pce¡¯s assets to civilian homes, and was incredibly good at uncovering corruption. In fact, he even sent all corrupt officials to the execution grounds.
Was it perhaps because of this?
Surprisingly, the world kept going as it normally would.
No, in fact, it turned even better.
"Ahem. Have you heard about that?"
"The Demonic... no, the Gctic Divine Cult is recruiting people."
"Apparently, it doesn''t matter if you don''t have talent? They can forcibly create it for you."
"I heard if you just get selected, it''s aplete 180 turn of your life."
"They say all that''s needed is absolute loyalty and perseverance, don¡¯t they?"
Currently, everyone knew that the Gctic Divine Cult was showing ominous changes.
Starting with rumors of huge silver metal walls being erected and giant iron towers reaching to the sky, to ims that you could fly through the sky just by joining the cult.
They even say that people who joined the cult had their skin be smoother, wrinkles disappear, and lifespan increase.
Since joining the cult was no different from bing an Immortal, it was natural for everyone''s attention to be focused on it.
As the Gctic Divine Cult poured out vast wealth and epted everyone frommonborers to martial artists indiscriminately, their momentum seemed to pierce the heavens.
Virdel''s n to turn the Gctic Divine Cult into a logistics base was steadily progressing.
***
Gurgle- Gurgleee-
Gruk- Kieeek-
A vast space filled with enormous flesh, from which unidentified sounds asionally emanated.
The entire space pulsated like a living organism, emitting energy.
On a massive throne made of flesh, a being with a metal spear pierced through its chest opened its eyes and spoke.
[...How goes the war?]
A gigantic being over 1km in size.
Horns protruded from both sides of its head, purple carapace covered its entire body like armor, and tentacles connected to the throne undted constantly as if injecting something.
[...]
Numerous Kaijus lined up below on both sides of the throne.
Countless reports rose from them. Even without expressing innguage, there was no difficulty in conveying to the throne''s owner.
[I see....]
The Kaijus lined up trembled at the mental waves emitted by the throne''s owner. With each word uttered, it seemed as if the massive they stood on was writhing.
[It is not yet time.]
Ssssss-
[If we interfere rashly, we will only burn more fiercely.]
The throne''s owner lowered its head to look at the blue metal spear pierced through its chest.
Gulp- Gulp-
Kuguung-
Unbelievably, as a result of a mere change in emotion, the massive dark currents surrounding the began to boil like mes.
Ssssss-
A gigantic belt-shaped ck hole burned like an active volcano.
[It can''t be helped. Order only the General-Grade entities to return.]
Udduk.
The tentacles connected to the throne suddenly stopped moving.
[However.]
Boom-
[There''s no need to forcibly bring that punk back.]
Shudder-
A few Kaijus standing at the end of the line shuddered.
[It will do well on its own.]
The tentacles and fleshy walls connected to the throne began to pulsate /genesisforsaken
Chapter 71: Galactic Empire
Chapter 71: Gctic Empire"All forces, advance."
It was just one sentence from Karlstein Babylon''s mouth.
Yet, it was the trigger for the entire Gctic Empire''s fleet to start moving simultaneously.
Beep-
[3rd Corps advancing, all clear.]
[2nd Corps initiating incineration of Terona-ss nt contaminateds.]
[37th Mobile Reconnaissance Battalion progress report....]
[B-307 Advance Route Asteroid Belt confirmed.]
[Traces suspected to be Entity No.6778 discovered. Requesting support.]
The Gctic Empire''s advance had begun.It was the dawn of the Gctic Empire, which had been quietly crouching and umting strength since thest war, with the Barrier as its boundary.
A giant colossus had risen. A being that would trample everything in sight as it passed.
The Space Pirate Alliance ''Sparrow'' was in chaos trying to recall their forces andy low, and the same was true for the mega-corporation alliance ''Mighty Corp''.
-Fucking hell! Gather the boys right now! Right now!! Report to the alliance! Tell them to call an emergency assembly!
-As of now, we''re entering a full rest period except for minimal trade lines. Withdraw immediately.
They each hid in their main bases and refrained from external activities in their own ways.
No, they absolutely had to.
If they caught attention unnecessarily, they would die.
Everything they had built up would turn to ashes.
If they got caught in the wrong ce at the wrong time, their heads would fly as an example.
The Gctic Empire''s state of war.
The news that Emperor Karlstein himself had moved meant that he would give his all against any enemy. As such, it was all the more serious.
Of course, both ''Sparrow'' and ''Mighty Corp'' had their own tricks, having built their own forces outside the Gctic Empire.
But that was just a ''trick'' at best.
The king of the mountain, the tiger, had bared its ws, meaning it intended to crush and destroy anything that bothered it.
If they unnecessarily caught attention by standing out, they might have to engage in all-out war with the Gctic Empire.
So they could only bow their heads deeply and keep their eyes open, watching carefully.
Although Karlstein was known for beingzy, it was alsomon knowledge that once he moved, he wouldn''t stop until he saw things through to the end.
Naturally, they had no choice but to be cautious.
-Fuck. What kind of sudden misfortune is this?
-Money cannot substitute for life. Withdraw and retreat immediately. Those who do notply will be expelled from Mighty Corp.
The Gctic Empire had chosen a peaceful path until now.
-Hm? Okay. I''ll let you live, so do what you want. But you know what happens if you cross the line, right?
They could each pursue their own interests to a reasonable extent, using their judgment.
Even the Gctic Empire couldn''t do everything as it pleased. Its size was too massive to pay attention to every little thing.
But now.
-I''m moving now, okie?
-You better not catch my eye. No, actually¡ Please, I hope that happens.
-Please, just let at least one of them get caught.
That was exactly it.
It wasn''t for nothing that the main cannons of the 4th and 5th Corps were pointed towards ''Sparrow'' and ''Mighty Corp''.
An iron will to engage in all-out war immediately if they truly became bothersome.
Although ''Sparrow'' and ''Mighty Corp'' were skilled at hiding, there was no force that dared to raise its head, betting all its human and material assets existing in the light.
The Gctic Empire was like a bulldozer destroying everything in its path.
Zzzt- Zzzzt-
[D7FD889 Star System¡¯s Kaiju Contamination Level confirmed at 76.77%.]
[Confirmed. Nova approved.]
[Confirmed. All fleets within the relevant star system are to retreat immediately.]
[Roger.]
Indiscriminate bombardment towards the Kaiju began.
[Purification of the relevant area isplete. Will retreat after installing ''KAI''.]
[Confirmed.]
''KAI'', the Anti-Kaiju Automatic Interception System.
The Gctic Empire''stest colony type with an interception system boasting 99% uracy, detecting sporadic Kaiju appearances beyond the Barrier.
The Gctic Empire''s advance proceeded smoothly, like a ship with the wind at its back.
However.
"Something feels off."
[What do you mean?]
Karlstein, lost in thought, tapped his fingers on the desk.
"Yes. That¡¯s right. Our progress is far too smooth."
[Are you hoping for failure?]
"Of course not. It''s just... right now... I feel a sense of difort."
[It is indeed true that higher-grade Entities are not visible. The numbers are too few.]
"Even if it''s difficult to observe higher-grade Entities outside the Barrier with our systems, it shouldn''t be to this extent."
[When looking at the reports from Fallens, it certainly seems so.]
"Right, there''s no way those bastards amount to just this much."
Although they had advanced smoothly beyond the Barrier, smashing contaminateds and exterminating countless Kaiju.
It felt like something was missing.
"It feels like we''re just cleaning up small fry."
[Kaiju do havemanding Entities, so we should consider the possibility of a strategic retreat by the Kaiju.]
"If that''s the case, it would be fortunate."
How shoul he she exin it?
Looking at the overall war situation... the characteristic tenacity of Kaiju? Their relentlessness? It didn''t feel present.
[We''re showing a 63% achievement rate up to the first objective.]
"That''s smooth progress."
After steady advancement, they install the automatic interception colony ''KAI'' to confirm the territory and establish a safe zone.
It was truly an ideal expansion and consolidation of territory.
Despite this, there was this sense of difort¡ Was it simply because they hadn''t discovered higher-grade Entities? But even if that were the case, there were few higher-grade Entities to begin with.
It could be the case since all the Heroes of the Gctic Empire were currently deployed, subjugating any that appeared.
"I don''t like it."
[Should we stop the operation?]
"No."
That was out of the question.
The entire Gctic Empire was already moving organically for this operation. It couldn''t be stopped based on just one uncertain feeling.
However.
Karlstein recalled what had happened before. The incident when a Kaiju appeared and instantly killed the silver fly-like beings just as they were about to capture them.
At that time, that Kaiju clearly had a goal. An impulsive action with a motive.
Right. Although often obscured by indiscriminate hostility towards humanity, when looking at the overall picture, there were many cases where that wasn''t necessarily true.
This isn''t something to be taken lightly.
Why are they being so passive?
It was iprehensible. Thanks to that, they had advanced beyond the Barrier without much damage. But still¡ Something wasn¡¯t right.
"Hmm...!"
Then he recalled Virdel''s report.
Kaiju and Sephiroth.
Although he had put out a bounty for information in themunity, there was hardly any substantial information. If anything, he had only learned about the general situation thanks to Virdel.
Tok- Tok-
The regr sound of tapping on the desk.
Aria''s silence.
Tok- Tok-
Tok.
Karlstein made a decision.
He would intervene.
If they won''te up to the stage, then we''ll just have to go find them.
We have no choice but to forcibly create a battlefield and draw them in.
"What happened to the coordinates Virdel provided?"
[They remain the same as before.]
"They were coordinates presumed to be an Astral Dimension Passage, right?"
[Yes. It''s a ce we can''t do anything about with our current Warp technology.]
"It was also suspected to be the cause of the unstable wavelengths near the Barrier recently."
[It''s a ce that''s not easy to observe either.]
Isn''t it quite a hot spot?
How upsetting. Are they excluding us or something? That¡¯s a bit hurtful.
"If they won''t invite us, what choice do we have? We''ll have to create the stage ourselves."
[What shall we do?]
"Let''s move up the currently ongoing project, ''World''. And expand its scale too."
[U-Umm. Then...?]
"For anything else we need, we''ll have to ask Virdel."
[...Understood. We shall proceed that way.]
The ''World'' project, a Virtual Dimension Creation Project using the ''Dream World'' of the newly joined Bluadge, Subus Queen Selena.
He intended to use that.
"Ah. Don''t forget to send one ''KAI'' to Virdel."
[Understood.]
Only then did Karlstein feel like his mind was at ease.
***"KYAAAAAAAAAAK!!"
[''Cosmic Emperor'' has sponsored 1,000,000,000,000P.]
"..."
Selena''s mouth fell open.
I-Isn¡¯t this insane?
Wh-What is this!
One, ten, hundred...
Her eyes spun wildly.
"Is, is this a joke? Or, or did he send it by mistake?"
Is this even a real number?
An enormous sum of 1 trillion points.
Even if told to use it all, she couldn''t.
Why on earth?!
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-gogo
Huh?
What? Go where? Go what? Does he mean to use it?
[A message has arrived from the Administrator.]
-gogo
Ah...
Of course, if he says to use it, that''s what I should do, but¡
Is this really okay?
To use such an enormous sum?
One would be happy with a reasonable amount.
But receiving such an absurd amount naturally made one fearful.
Selena''s heart pounded.
If, if I invest all of this...?
What would happen?
Even now, she had all but lost her control over the ''Dream World''.
She was just cramming in the Karma the Oradge had invested.
The ''Dream World'', which had grownrger than its container, was no longer just her world.
Tremble-
Is, is he really trying to create a new dimension?
That should be impossible, right?
And there¡¯s no need for that either.
She had already received the coordinates.
To prepare to connect with the space at those coordinates.
It wasn''t easy to understand what he meant.
For now, Selena was reading through various materials and papers he had given her until her eyes hurt.
At first, she really thought the Oradge might have gone crazy.
However, as she gradually looked through the materials he sent, she couldn''t help but think ''maybe''. Just maybe.
Somehow, as time passed, it seemed like he knew more about the ''Dream World'' than herself, a Subus Queen.
Now, she was in the position of learning from him.
As she read, interpreted, and reviewed the materials the Oradge gave her¡
"I-I just need to do as I''m told, right?"
Who would dare refuse his orders?
She had engraved it in her heart, seeing the Demon King who had already turned to ashes from the thick fiery beam shot by the worker(?) he had sent.
Absolute loyalty.
Absolute obedience.
"Ugh, ugh..."
The position of Bluadge was far too burdensome.
Selena looked around. Although she was livingfortably thanks to the building he had provided...
All sorts of documents and books scattered messily.
Meals, cleaning,undry, all of these could be handled with just a finger, but...
What did that matter?
In her spare time, all she could really do was study!
Now she couldn''t even rest!
Selena couldn''t rest easy even after newly bing the Demon King.
Chapter 72: World
Chapter 72: World"Anyway, I have to do as I''m told."
Selena began pushing Karma into her ''Dream World'' Authority.
"Ugh."
The sensation of her entire soul being sucked in. But at the same time, the feeling of conceiving and creating a new world was a privilege that only she could experience.
1,000P
100,000P
10,000,000P
...
As the amount of Karma Points invested increased, the Dream World became more solid and detailed.
By the time over 100 million points of Karma had been invested, beads of sweat formed on her forehead."Uuuugh!"
Like a child struggling to properly wield a heavy iron sword, she was already feeling her limits.
But she had endured this much before.
Selena bit her lip after checking her bnce.
At this rate, who knows when it will end.
Although there was no need to finish quickly, this was an order from none other than the ''Cosmic Emperor''. She couldn''t drag it out indefinitely.
Her strong fear of the Oradge strengthened her resolve.
"Even if it''s a bit reckless..!"
She began to increase her speed with the help of various artifacts and the machinery he had sent.
By the time over 10 billion Karma had been invested, she felt like she wanted to lose consciousness.
However.
"Ugh! The performance is... too..."
The machinery built ording to the blueprints sent by the Oradge.
Of course, she hadn''t installed it herself. It was the work of the great Sir Worker(?).
Was that why?
The performance was too excellent, far too excellent.
So much so that even if she wanted to faint, she couldn''t!
Whenever it seemed a bit dangerous, numerous mechanical devices around where she sat moved busily as hologram numbers changed rapidly.
The entire space''s machinery caressed her in ways she couldn''t evenprehend.
Before she knew it, she would feel fine again.
Is this really okay?
It felt like being forced to run even when she wanted to walk.
She was anxious, but what else could she do!
There was no choice but to run like crazy!
Contrary to her thoughts, she couldn''t design the ''Dream World'' with precision.
Increasing stability, focusing on resilience and expandability, or setting themes full of her preferences.
She couldn''t even dream of such things.
Just cramming in the massive amount of Karma was overwhelming enough.
Before she knew it, she had surpassed 100 billion points.
Endure it. I must endure it.
When else would she have such an experience? Given the full support she was receiving, this experience probably couldn''t be bought with money.
As she continued to push in Karma endlessly for days on end, expanding the ''Dream World''...
She sensed that something had gone wrong.
From the ce connected to the coordinates he had given her, something massive began to cross over.
Huh?
An alien silver energy, somehow different from the Karma she was handling.
Huh?
Flustered, she tried not to lose control, but once the influx of this alien energy exceeded a certain level, even that became difficult.
To avoid losing control, she drastically increased the amount of Karma input.
She was able to regain her bnce, if only slightly.
"Ugh!"
But it was still precarious.
A sense of crisis overwhelmed her.
Because of this, she didn''t stop inputting Karma. Limits or not, she just kept pushing it in.
If she loses control like this, everything will be for naught!
No! She couldn''t produce such a result after receiving this much investment!
All sorts of ominous rumors about the ''Cosmic Emperor'' came to mind. Her will surged forth vigorously.
As a result of recklessly pushing in massive amounts of Karma without looking back...
"Eh?"
Something was different. It wasn''t the usual sensation.
"Eeh?"
The sensation of the ''Dream World'' sucking in Karma in reverse!
The ''Dream World'', having crossed a singrity, was trying to devour all of her remaining Karma. Not only that, but it seemed to be sucking in even the alien energy from the other side.
More terrifying than an empty bank ount bnce was...
Boom-
"Uh oh?!"
Th-That''s not it!
If it sucks in so recklessly...!
"It''s going to burst!"
Kkuung-
It almost felt like she heard that literal sound.
A heavy vibration shook her mental image.
Kyaaak! I¡¯m screwed!
Vulgar words sprang forth involuntarily.
She couldn''t stop the ''Dream World'' from starting to suck in everything around it like a ck hole.
"KYAAAAAAAK!"
***At that time, in a certain Dimensional Passage.
[The damage is severe.]
A man wearing aurel wreath on his head clicked his tongue as he looked down at the battlefield.
[Why on earth to this extent....]
On the battlefield, the battle was in full swing.
-Kieeeeek!
-Grrrr
-Kyaaaak!
Silver giants facing off against frenzied Kaiju charging at them.
Although they seemed to have the upper hand at a nce, considering their numerical disadvantage, it wasn''t such a good result.
At that moment, a silver figure flew towards him.
[It seems those bastards are at their limit too. Looks like they''re about to retreat.]
[Hmm... Indeed.]
Compared to the beginning, their offensive had certainly softened. Continuously sending Kaiju must be burdensome for the ¡¶Chaos¡· side as well.
[A battle in a Dimensional Passage.... It''s unheard of.]
[Collecting spoils... we''ll have to give up on that, right?]
[There''s no way around it.]
Crack-
The man with theurel wreath burst a Kaiju that fell above his head with one hand.
The two remained vignt while surveying the battlefield.
[If only the battle would end, we could try something...]
[The more we desire, the more those ¡¶Chaos¡· bastards will too.]
[We have no choice but to both back off.]
[Damn it.]
They gained nothing and suffered massive damage.
[At least a victory is a victory.]
[That''s true.]
The Kaiju side began to retreat stealthily.
In response, the Sephiroth side started to pull back their forces.
Reading the situation, both sides were pulling back their frontlines.
The end was now in sight.
[If we could just deal with that one...]
In the direction they were looking, a giant turtle Kaiju was continuously spewing out other Kaiju.
A rare Kaiju of the ¡¶Chaos¡· faction called the ''Summoning Turtle'' or ''Dimensional Turtle''. Its size was so vast that even the giant form of the silver giants couldn''tpare. It was an ultrarge Kaiju blocking nearly half of the Dimensional Passage.
The ability to instantly move nearly infinite Kaiju through connected Turtle Kaiju from other dimensions.
Moreover, it was a Kaiju of concern that could make summoned Kaiju withstand the Dimensional Passage by coating them with its bodily fluids.
Crack-
Those with some standing within Sephiroth wanted to deal with the Turtle Kaiju first, but...
[Kuk.]
[Are your wounds alright?]
It wasn''t easy.
The Turtle Kaiju itself could be killed without much difficulty if given enough time.
However.
A small red Kaiju sitting on top of the giant Turtle Kaiju''s shell.
A Kaiju with four arms, two legs, and red des protruding all over its body was leisurely watching the battlefield with a long staff resting on its shoulder.
A high-ranking Kaiju of the ¡¶Chaos¡· faction.
''Red Ghost¡¯
A name given within Sephiroth because it was elusive yet ghostlike in battle.
The Red Ghost was on a different level from other Kaiju who blindly charged in relying only on their physical strength.
The wound on his waist was also inflicted by the Red Ghost
.
It had turned dark red and was spreading poison throughout his body.
As he was gritting his teeth towards it...
[Wait....]
[!!]
[This feeling is...?]
Something strange was happening.
[Everyone, use Sacred Blood to deploy Formations!]
[Kuk!]
[What is going on?!]
[This feeling is definitely from those inferior dregs...!]
[But the scale is...!]
[Impossible!]
The Dimensional Passage began to shake violently and be unstable.
[Kyaaak!]
Someone who was thrown off by the sudden change collided with the wall of the passage and disappeared from existence.
-Kieeeeek!
-Kuaaaaa!
This was no different for the Kaiju.
Everyone on the battlefield felt tension and fear.
The Dimensional Passage was already a ce with high instability, making it difficult to move carelessly. Especially this passage, which was so narrow that extra caution was needed!
[Dodge!]
[Everyone gather!]
The outlines of all beings in the passage became blurry.
[Ugh!]
[Kuaaa!]
A powerful shock that shook their very existence overwhelmed everyone.
Eventually, a pitch-ck spot appeared in the central void.
The spot began to swirl and growrger.
A vortex like a bottomless abyss that sucked in everything gradually engulfed the passage and grew enormous.
All beings there, along with Silver Blood and even Kaiju corpses, were sucked in.
[Quickly connect with Mother!]
That way, we can at least leave coordinates!
A minimal lifeline.
This was no different for the Kaiju side.
Sensing something ominous, the Red Ghost cut open the Dimensional Turtle''s belly and took out its heart, taking at least some kind of measure.
However.
Soon after, darkness fell as the ck vortex swallowed the entire passage.
***"How''s World?"
[It seems the initiation was sessful.]
"But the control over it is..."
[That is the problem, but...]
"Isn''t this an error?"
[The observation results are surprising.]
Karlstein and Aria looked at the same screen with interested gazes.
[Yes. It seems some anomaly has urred.]
"It''s truly enviable."
All sorts of figures on the hologram were breaking through the ceiling.
An absurd, enormous Ether reactionpared to the input amount.
Various other data were being observed as well.
"This would more than cover all the war expenses for this first operation."
[Wouldn''t it be dangerous?]
Karlstein looked at Aria with a grin.
"Me? In danger?"
Haha.
"Since we invited them to the battlefield, shouldn''t we go greet them?"
[The spoils should be quite substantial.]
The wall of the room where Karlstein was slowly opened, revealing a dark metal tube.
As Karlstein approached, theplex opening mechanism of the metal tube automatically opened.
Inside was a body strikingly simr to Karlstein Babylon, with its eyes closed.
"The downgrade is unavoidable, but..."
[It should be fine for temporary use.]
"Take good care of the main body. And finish up the first Barrier Advance."
[Please do not worry.]
"Alright. Shall we go wee our guests then?"
A huge capsule was already prepared in the center of the room.
And at that time, in one of the dimensions¡
"Yong-hi, yong-hi, oh oh, everyone yong-hi!"
A red-haired boy was smiling mischievously while looking at the empty air.
"Everyone''s been waiting a long time, right?"
His appearance of talking to himself while staring at empty space was incredibly bizarre.
"Today is the advanced edition! It''s an exciting game of just slightly touching the passage using Dimensional Magic."
?this guy, look at him go again. he just can''t hold back.
?isn''t it a disease at this point? LOL
?(TheLichIsRich): Yongyong Sensei. It is hard to keep up with your tutge.
?even a dragon developed this magic by luck LMAOO i mean doesn¡¯t that say it all LOL
?Can he survive this time too?
?seems like the Oradge is secretly enjoying it too. maybe he''s deliberately keeping him alive?
?do you really think that looks like he''s trying to keep him alive?
?it looks like he''s hitting him just enough not to die LOL
''meYongYongie'', who was quite popr in the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
"The materials needed would be a Dragon Heart... and a sturdy body that can withstand the Oradge''s nuclear noogie, I guess? Hahaha."
However, Yongyongie had no idea what he was about to experience.
Chapter 73: FlameYongYongie
Chapter 73: meYongYongie"First of all, you need toy down an Absolute Barrier as a base! Otherwise, you can''t even start! I always stack multiple Absolute Barriers before going in."
?Sensei. U know the difficulty is already insane from the start, right?
?ah HAHAHAHA if you want to be fine after messing with the Oradge, you need at least that much
?(TheLichIsRich): Absolute... stacking... taking notes....
?dont u have to be at least at the 9th Circle for an Absolute Barrier?
?LOLOLOL how many people can even do that LOL
?Children and the elderly, please do not attempt this.
"Hmm hmm. Of course, you''ve taken care of me Resistance, right? I pass on this part due to my racial characteristics. However, for other resistances, I use Artifacts..."
?looks like just one act of extreme sports could make ur family go broke LMAOOO
?and you have to use them like consumables LOL?just what in the world...
?fr this guy¡¯s a lizard who sold his soul for dopamine LOL
?LOLOLOL ah to take this course you need to be at least a dragon LOL
?I¡¯ll be satisfied just watching.
?You mean that''s all you can do, right? Watch, that is LOL
YongYongie, wrapped in all sorts of Defensive Magic Circles and Artifacts, looked extremely pleased.
"Haha. Shall we begin then?"
?LEZ GET IT!
?KYAHOOOOO!
?gogogo
?Let''s go!
?SEND IT!!
?LOLOLOLOL
As YongYongie activated the trigger, light shone from the Magic Circles densely filling the surroundings.
The Magic Circles rose up, absorbing the massive mana from the Dragon Heart ced in the center, andbined with each other to create a spectacr light show.
?this is the shit!!
?he¡¯s fr a fking magic master LOL
?seems like a clueless kid but actually a magic genius? LOLOL
?he is clueless though LOL
?ve for dopamine LMAOOO
"Alright, alright! Here we go! It''sing! It''sing! It''sing!"
Usually, when you mess with a Dimensional Passage, one of four things gets delivered:
Nuclear Bomb
Gravity Bomb
Cluster Bomb
Maic Bomb
This was a fact that he, a Red Dragon, had learned through personal experience!
"What will it be this time?!"
?lez go nuke!
?LOL I was shocked when the cluster bomb exploded LOL
?ah even dragons get hurt by physics HAHAHAH
?Etiquette Education Bomb LOL
72 Magic Circles derived into 284plex Magic Circles activated, starting to slightly touch the passage connected to the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
Of course, since YongYongie didn''t really want to die, he only touched it slightly.
Eventually¡
"It''s here!! Hahaha!! It''s a Gravity Bomb!!"
?YongYongie''s favorite bomb delivery ty very much
?LOLOLOL ah the extreme ride is here
?LEZ GO!!
?LOLOLOLOL
The warhead began to fall from the sky.
"Uwaaaaah! The first thing to do is to get as far away from the explosion center as possible!"
A direct hit is dangeroussss!
Swoooosh-
The moment YongYongie urgentlyunched his body, the ck warhead falling from the sky made contact with the ground.
Boom!
Crack-
Crackcrackcrack-
Boooooom-
"Kyaaaaaaak!"
A dome-shaped force field began to rapidly expand from the explosion center.
Rumble- Rumble-
Whoosh-
Boom boom boom-
Inside the dome, ck lightning was pouring down like rain, shaking everything around.
YongYongie, who had safely moved to the edge, suddenly lost his bnce and began to be dragged towards the explosion center.
"Kyaaaaaaak!"
Gravity Anomaly.
Gravity Distortion Zone.
His body was being sucked into the center of something that could only be described as such.
It was difficult to even open his mouth properly, but thinking of his viewers, YongYongie forced himself to speak.
"Th-That hehehe, next brrrrr, important brrrrr, thing is speed!"
A sort of professional spirit, you could say?
?The next important thing is speed?
?wow, what is that?
?Look at the speed at which YongYongie''s artifacts are breaking.
?all stacked shield magic ispletely destroyed! LOL
?I see why he said an Absolute Barrier was necessary....
?nah that¡¯s crazy work
The gravity within a radius of tens of kilometers around the explosion center began to distort, trapped in a ck dome-shaped force field.
The ground split and rose, and rocks, trees, and everything inside began to go wild like pebbles in a can. It was as if they were being forcibly pulled from all directions, bursting, breaking, and being destroyed.
YongYongie desperately unleashed magic and began to fly inside the gravity field.
He had to squeeze out all his strength to try to get as far away from the explosion center as possible just to barely maintain his current distance.
"Ererererere!"
YongYongie''s body began to spin around inside the force field at the speed of light, bouncing around like a ping pong ball as if teleporting.
"Kyaaaaaaak!"
A thrill that made his whole body tingle and his mind go nk!
?um? but it seems different fromst time?
?what about it? where?
?Look over there. On the left.
?eh? you''re right? what''s that?
?looks like a ck hole...?
YongYongie, screaming crazily and excited, didn''t notice.
"Kyahahahaha! This is the best! So thrilling! And it always feels new!!"
?uh uh, is that ck thing getting bigger?
?YongYongie. Wake up. Something''s gone wrong LMAOO
?LOL frfr but it seems like he can''t hear anything because he''s having too much fun LOL
?LOLOLOLOL YongYongie''s Jordan River Express¡ seems like it¡¯s bye bye.
?is this the crime for degeneracy? but it looks like something''s different this time?
?Huh? Is it just me or is the screen breaking up?
?Same here. The screen started breaking after that vortex-like thing appeared.
"Huh?"
By the time even YongYongie noticed, it was already toote.
"Kueeek!"
Crackcrackcrack-
Swooosh-
YongYongie''s body was instantly sucked into the ck current.
....
?Nani?
?Ah...?
?He was a good dragon.
?Farewell, YongYong.
?We will not forget.
?LOLOLOL nah thats crazy work
?fr? that was the end?
?Is he dead? What was that?
Comments worrying about YongYong poured in, but YongYong had already disappeared, and YongYongTV soon ended.
Themunity buzzed with discussion about meYongYongie''s video for a while.
***"Ughhhh. I feel like I¡¯m gonna die."
Am I dead? Am I alive?
He was in such a miserable state that even he was confused.
"Ow, my whole body aches. What kind of misfortune is this. Ugh."
But...!
It was fun.
No regrets!
"But where is this?"
The thick fog made it impossible to see ahead.
-Kieeeeek!
The sound of an unidentified beasting from somewhere.
But who am I?
A Red Dragon.
I''m not someone to be scared by just this kind of environment, right?
YongYong cast magic as easily as breathing.
"Ugh?"
There were two problems.
One was that although he used Fire Magic and Light Magic, the fog didn''t budge at all.
Whoosh-
The other was that the mana in the air wasn''t obeying properly.
Whoo...sh.
A fireball that burned without strength and then went out with a poof.
"..."
YongYongie, who could control mana as easily as breathing and had never failed with Fire Magic, was greatly shocked.
"Come to think of it..."
Why is my body so heavy?
Ugh.
It''s not even easy to move.
As if gravity several times stronger is pressing down on my body.
His body wouldn''t struggle just because gravity increased a little. But here, it wasn''t even easy to keep bnce.
The mana itself is heavy.
Dragons were creatures that were born from mana and returned to mana at their end.
As such, he must have been affected by that.
"Still, I have to move."
After all, he could sense killing intent that would surprise even a dragon throughout the fog-covered forest.
"Ugh. I can''t even dare to undo the Polymorph."
If he returned to his original body right away, he''d be no different from a walking target.
The risk was too high to do that in this unknown ce.
At that moment.
Whoosh- Rustle-
"Huh?"
Something approached.
-Kyaaaak!
The being that appeared through the grass was a monster the size of a goblin with dark skin.
"Haa?"
No matter how abnormal his body condition was, would he lose to such a lowly creature?
YongYong lightly cast a spell.
"Hellfire."
He had adapted in that short moment.
Poof-
The crimson Hellfire directly hit the face of the creature that looked like a horrible mutant goblin.
Keuuuu.
As expected of me.
Although it wasn''t even half the power of his usual Hellfire, there was no problem casting the spell.
The owner of magical talent, recognized as outstanding even among dragons!
But¡
"Huh?"
-Kirruk
The goblin didn''t fall even with the zing Hellfire on its face.
"Hellfire."
Poof-
If the power iscking, then just hit them once more!
-Kieeeeek!
The mutant goblin with its head on fire charged with its yellow teeth bared.
Uh, uh?
Damn it! A mere goblin dares to...!
Of course, it was quite different from a goblin''s appearance. But still!
YongYong''s eyes rolled in rage as he gritted his teeth.
Thud Thud.
Back and forth.
After a fierce battle of biting and tearing, he was finally able to take down the creature.
"Huff. Huff. It was... nothing..."
It is I! YongYongie! A Red Dragon!
If only my body was normal!
At that moment.
-Kiruk
-Kieeek
-Grrrr
Three mutant... goblins walked out of the fog.
No, one of them is a bit big. Is it the size of an Orc?
"..."
In the end, YongYongie executed a strategic retreat and was barely able to find a ce to hide and catch his breath.
Of course, it goes without saying that he fought countless fierce battles in the process.
Somehow, each and every monster appearing from the fog gave him a hard time.
"What kind of messed up ce is this?"
Oradge, I was wrong! So please send me back!
Of course, there was no way an answer woulde.
The [Integrated Dimensional Community] was also not working.
Something was detected by his confused senses.
"!!"
Damn it!
What is this now!
A presence that shakes the soul? Fear?
Boom boom boom-!
A deafening sound exploded despite the distance.
His body fluttered like a piece of paper and flew away.
He barely managed to keep his bnce, using a tree branch as support.
"!!"
A shiver rising from the tips of his toes!
A nervousness he had never felt before, born as a dragon, the greatest creature on earth!
The curiosity ingrained in YongYong''s genes began to raise its head.
Gulp-
At that moment, the [Integrated Dimensional Community] connected.
?huh? ur alive?
?where is this?
?what''s going on? ur stream is going crazy, disconnecting and reconnecting.
?something''s weird. there¡¯s so much static.
?I can''t hear any sound!
?YongYongie didn''t die LMAOOO
However, YongYongie couldn''t think about checking themunity.
What is it? What on earth is there?
YongYongie cast all sorts of stealth magic and defensive magic on his body and carefully moved forward.
?hey, why is he so tense?
?seems like he''s the most nervous he''s ever been LOL
?YongYong, answer us!
?even the donation system isn''t working now LMAO
?Oradge, what are you doing not working!
Carefully.
Stealthily.
As YongYongie approached with all his senses on high alert...
"!!"
He could see someone''s back floating in the sky.
What is this? It feels familiar somehow?
Golden armor covering the entire body.
Long poles spinning around.
YongYong''s mind raced.
?what is it? what is it?
?who is it?
?YongYongie seems genuinely surprised?
?is thatttt... a spear?
?oooh HAHAHA
?why is our YongYongie so surprised LOL
?he''s be a total coward LMAO
?is that person in the middle of a battle?
YongYong finally recalled something.
No way.
"!!"
It can''t be?
YongYongie''s mouth fell open.
Chapter 74: Scary Hyung (1)
Chapter 74: Scary Hyung (1)I''m sure I''ve seen this before...?
The Administrator of the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
The full-body armor in the photo that the Oradge uploaded before was simr in shape.
Is it real? Is it actually real?!
The Oradge?
YongYong''s mouth wouldn''t close.
Well, I mean...
The Oradge.
A being trailed by countless rumors.
A being who shocked everyone by innovatively changing the Integrated Dimensional Community.One could feel fragments of his greatness from the new items sold in themunity.
The self-proimed Cosmic Emperor.
What kind of person is he really? Is he truly the Emperor of the Universe? And what kind of being is the Emperor of the Universe to be able to y with the [Integrated Dimensional Community] like a toy?
A figure surrounded by all sorts of questions.
?ah, the screen is breaking up again.
?why is the connection like this? YongYong, where on earth are you?
?Oradge! Why is the server like this! Do your job!
?who was that just now? Even through the screen, there was some extraordinary aura... LOL
?yeah i felt it too.
?huh? I didn''t feel anything at all
?from what I saw, only those who are somewhat skilled would be able to feel it.
?so you''re saying you''re somewhat skilled, huh?
While themunity was abuzz with variousments about the man in golden armor, YongYong had no time to pay attention to that.
All his nerves were focused on the man as if being sucked in.
The man in golden armor grabbed one of the long spears spinning around him.
The moment the man gripped the spear, YongYong felt a chill.
Gulp-
All he did was lightly grip the spear shaft, but...
Why do my legs feel weak?
Is this how a lowly creature feels when facing a Dragon Fear?
Although those in themunity didn''t seem to properly sense the man''s presence and thus didn''t notice...
Was it because YongYong had felt the overwhelming presence that had been crushing his soul earlier?
He was certain that this man was the Oradge.
Opposite this man was a giant centipede monster roaring fiercely.
I-It''s huge!
Even though he himself wasn''t small when he returned to his dragon body¡
Even he wasn''t that big.
Boom-
It felt like seeing a crawling mountain range.
Carapace that looked harder than steel.
Pincers sharper than swords.
Deadly poison dripping from its mouth.
A body asrge as a massive mountain range.
The ground shook with each of its movements.
How do you even catch that?
Considering how he had to struggle so much to defeat even goblin-sized monsters in the fog...
Even if size didn¡¯t necessarily mean strength...
One thing was certain.
That thing was fucking strong.
It was undoubtedly a monster straight out of myth.
Boom-
Kieeeeek-
When the centipede monster raised its body, there was no end in sight.
Just how big is it?
It merely raised its long body, but it cast a shadow over the entire area, blocking out the sky.
Zzzt-
?oh! It''s connected.
?ugh! tf is this gross ass image?
?call a Bluadge! take it down!
?is YongYong crazy?
?what did I just see?
?wh-what is that?
?is that its actual size?
?maybe YongYong shrunk?
?YongYong you bastard, if you''re messing with us adults, ur dead
?ah, it''s disconnecting again.
Themunity connection was still unstable.
At that moment.
Swoosh-
The man in golden armor holding the spear moved.
...A throwing spear?
Considering the size of the centipede monster, the spear was not even the size of a needle.
Wasn¡¯t this like David and Goliath?
A small human facing off against a giant mythical monster.
Even if it''s the Oradge, isn''t this too much?
Even goblin-sized monsters withstood YongYong''s 8th Circle Magic, Hellfire. Then what about this centipede monster?
However, the moment the spear left the man''s hand, YongYong realized.
Holy shit!
It wasn''t the time to worry about the man.
He needed to take care of himself first!
"!!"
YongYong hurriedly deployed an Absolute Barrier and stacked various Shield Magics.
The blue metal spear thrown by the man split the air like an arrow.
Swoosh-
Boom-
The blue metal spear, pushing aside all the air and creating a massive current, fell like a meteor.
The spear, which would have been smaller than a needlepared to its opponent, pierced through the hard carapace as if it were tofu.
Boom!
Following the trajectory of the spear, massive waves of energy spread out inyers, forming circr rings.
The fog that hadn''t budged despite YongYong''s efforts instantly dissipated, clearing the view.
Boom-
And right after the spear touched the ground.
A massive explosion urred, and the ground began to flip over.
In an instant, the air contracted, pulling in the surrounding air towards the explosion center and rising towards the sky.
Following that flow, a massive current gushed up, and white shes colored the surroundings.
And a giant cloud blooming in the sky.
Then the shockwave rushed towards where YongYong was.
"Ogok!"
The massive boom that followed immediately after¡
"Kyaaang!"
YongYong''s appearance after witnessing all of this was no longer normal.
"Uh... buh..."
They say you can''t even speak when you''re too shocked.
YongYong, who had been fluttering like a storm in a teacup, barely opened his eyes and looked around.
The surroundings had already beenpletely overturned by the effects of the explosion, and fog was rising again over it.
"Keuuuk..."
?can I breathe a bit now?
?what the fuck was that?
?He threw a spear and a nuclear explosion happened.
?mom i wanna go home.
?LOLOLOLOL
?holyshet
?I''m speechless.
?could that be... ''Him''?
?H-Him?
?that shimmering orange light....
?I thought the silhouette looked familiar.... Wait. Let me go find that photo.
?it''s probably deleted by now tho?
?so YongYongie got cocky and ended up being dragged away by the Oradge?
Thement section, which had been quiet as if frozen for a moment, began to scroll up.
?this is insane, what the hell is this!
?the Oradge? that¡¯s the Oradge?
?did YongYongie meet the Oradge?
?KYAK!
?YongYong, hurry up ande to your senses and start streaming!
?yeah man, hurry up and spill the tea about what you saw firsthand!
?the screen just keeps flipping and shing so we can''t see anything properly!
?kyah our YongYongie met the Oradge too. Has he finally made it?
?He is the Supreme Dignity.
?fr....
?is that the dimension where the Oradge is?
?is that the Oradge everyone''s been so hyped about?
Zzzt-
Of course, even this was soon cut off due to the unstable connection.
"YongYongie feels like dying."
A groan uttered out of habit.
There wasn''t a spot on his entire body that didn''t ache.
Groan groan groan.
He wanted to just sprawl out and sleep like this, but¡
"Ugh..."
Jolt-
YongYong got up.
Ah, well, that was because¡ How could he just lie down after encountering the Oradge!
Swish swish-
Looking around, he saw a round machine about the size of a head floating in the air, emitting a blue force field amidst the wastnd background.
"Uh uh..."
Right. He remembered.
The metal machine that flew towards YongYong when he felt his life was in danger from the aftershock.
If it weren''t for the blue force field emitted by the metal machine, he might have already returned to the embrace of mana.
"O... radge?"
It''s real. It''s the Oradge!
If a being of that caliber isn''t the Oradge, who else could it be?
He couldn''t think of it any other way. The throwing spear too.
Awe and fear washed over him like a tidal wave.
"I-I guess I can''t even dream of running away."
The metal machine.
It seems to have some kind of marking.
-if u run, u die.
The machine emitting the blue force field seemed to be saying that.
This is not the time for this.
YongYong hurriedly straightened his posture.
Snap.
He tidied up his appearance and knelt down, sitting respectfully.
A posture he had never taken in his human, or rather, dragon life.
Is this posture correct? Did I make any mistakes?
He tried to imitate the posture humans take when showing extreme respect.
Tidying his hair, even using magic to wash his face.
As YongYong was bustling about, a heavy voice reached his ears.
"Hm? Why are you doing that?"
Tenggg!
YongYong almost screamed.
Barely holding it in, YongYong lowered his gaze 45 degrees and greeted ''Him'' with a solemn mindset.
"Greetings! I am the Community''s cutie talent ''meYongYongie''!"
"Huh?"
"It is an honor to meet the great Ora... Administrator!"
Zzzt-
?fuck this is driving me crazy! why does it keep cutting off!
?huh?
??
?what?
?whoa....
?kyak!
?This is insane.
?are you....
For a moment, themunity connected and someone''s face was captured head-on.
?are you kidding me...
?why is he so handsome.
?kyah! oppa!!
?that¡¯s crazy
?fuck life really is unfair.
?The gap between us is so big that I don''t even feel jealous.
Tsupat-
YongYong ended the broadcast while sweating profusely.
Teng!
I forgot to turn it off!
Surely he won''t just chop me down for broadcasting without permission, right?
Tremble tremble-
Perhaps he noticed YongYong''s extremely nervous appearance?
"Haha."
Afortableugh escaped from him.
Am I saved?
"That¡¯s right. So you''re YongYongie."
"Yes, that''s right!"
"Right. The one who kept doing things he was told not to do."
"What?"
YongYong''s face turned pale.
No, no...!
He couldn''t think of any excuses.
"I-I''m sorry!!!"
YongYong quickly performed a full bow he had learned from themunity.
"Hahaha. It''s a joke."
As he cautiously raised his head, he could see the man''s silhouette obscured by the backlight.
"I have something to ask."
"Yes! Ask me anything!"
"Can you connect to themunity?"
"Huh?"
As expected of the Oradge!
To ask about themunity even in this situation!
"I-It cuts off, but it connects asionally!!"
"Really? Why can''t I connect, though? Anyway, that''s good. Send a message to my ount. And to Virdel too."
"Yessir!"
"Oh, and."
"Yes?"
For some reason, YongYong swallowed hard.
The man spoke to YongYong in afortable tone.
"What are you capable of doing?"
Somehow... although he was smiling, it felt like facing the scary hyung1 from the neighborhood?
"Your answer?"
Tenggg!
He¡¯s somehow scary!
"I, I!"
YongYong hurriedly began to speak.
He spilled everything, from what he could and couldn''t do, starting from his birth to his growth process.
Somehow, it felt like he had no choice but to.
Mom! I''m scared!1. An honorific used to address an older male.
Chapter 75: Scary Hyung (2)
Chapter 75: Scary Hyung (2)-Hmm.
-Oho.
-Really?
-That''s impressive.
Was he perhaps excited by his interjections?
YongYong didn''t stop detailing his self-promotion.
-That''s right! That much is nothing to me!!
-If it''s something like that, I''m an expert!
-Ahahah!
The joy of being acknowledged by such a great being.In truth, for a dragon like him, this kind of experience should be beneath him, but...
Considering the other party''s status, there was no sense of difort at all.
"Excellent."
"Huh? Yes, that''s right! Moreover, I also... when ites to magic... Oh, that? It''s easy..."
"...Subspace?"
"Yes! That''s right!"
Hahaha. Maybe I was nervous for nothing.
He''s actually a really kind hyung, isn''t he?
"Hehe."
"It''s good that you can do so many things."
"...Yes? Yes!"
Hm? Something feels off.
What is it? This sense of difort?
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
YongYong looked up at him in surprise and saw a benevolent smile on his infinitely handsome face.
Uh... was it my imagination?
"Hahaha. Why? What¡¯s wrong?"
"N-Nothing, sir!"
Tremble tremble-
For some reason, YongYong felt a chill.
YongYong''s pupils trembled slightly.
"Well then, YongYong..."
"Y-Yes! Yes, Hyung-nim!"
YongYong unconsciously tensed up.
The Oradge was still wearing a benevolent smile.
"Our YongYongie, you can do so many things, huh? I really want to praise you, you know?"
"Huh? Th-Thank you?"
"Great! I''ve decided!"
Wh-What?
What?
What did you decide?
A sense of unease washed over him.
A chilling feeling as if some dark, huge hand had approached without him noticing. Like a noose.
No!
I don''t know what it is, but I have to avoid it!
"Th-That..."
"Alright. I''ll appoint you as a Bluadge."
"What?!"
Wot? N-No...
Aren''t Bluadges just unpaid ves who delete gross images?
"Why? Don''t you like it?"
Karlstein asked with a smile.
YongYong broke out in a cold sweat.
There''s no need to volunteer to be an unpaid ve deleting gross images...
Moreover, as a Red Dragon, blue is a bit... It reminds me of those one-trick Ice Magic users...
These were thoughts he couldn''t voice out loud.
"Our YongYongie, you don''t like it?"
Shudder-
Why does his refreshing smile feel so terrifying?
Still, being forced into this role is uneptable!
Somehow, I have to find a way to refuse...!
"N-No, it is not that! I-I am still far toocking..."
"Haha. No, you''re excellent."
Tenggg!
This feeling of sinking into a swamp!
I can''t escape!
Kuaaak!
As YongYong met Karlstein''s golden eyes, his mind gradually went nk.
"Mm, mm. Very excellent."
Shudder-
Somehow, his praise doesn''t make me happy.
In the end.
"Hehe. Thank you!"
Yep. He¡¯s an unstoppable force.
Let''s just submit.
"Right, our YongYongie can do well, can''t you?"
"O-Of course! He-Hehe."
"For now, I''d like you to be my porter for a while."
P-Porter?
You''re asking the Lord of Mana, the Regtor of the Middle Realm, the Supreme Being, the Master of mes, a Red Dragon, to be a porter?
"Haha. You can do it well, right?"
Huh? Well...
"O-Of course! Aren''t I an SSS-ss Porter after all!"
"Is that so?"
Facing him as he grinned, it was the moment YongYong took his first step into society.
Zzzt-
The signal seemed unstable as themunity connected, disconnected, and turned on by itself. The message transmission he had asked for earlier seemed to be dyed too.
Beep-
Oh? It''s off again.
However, YongYong had no time to pay attention to that.
"Anyway, this is my first time here too, so follow me closely."
"...Yes! Yes! Understood!"
First time? Wasn''t it the Oradge who summoned me here?
Did the Oradge get caught up in this too? It doesn''t seem that way though?
"There are quite a lot of good materials here, aren''t there?"
"Huh? Yes."
The bones and hides of the monsters were indeed extraordinary.
"Anyway, there''s nothing to do until support arrives, so we might as well pick up some trash."
"...Trash?"
Treating those terrifying monsters as trash?
"..."
As he walked leisurely as if out for a stroll, he tilted his head while looking at the empty air.
"I guess themunity doesn''t work without the main body after all?"
Huh? The main body?
What on earth is he talking about...
"At any rate, so this is what ''World'' is like."
As he waved his hand, the fog in front of them was pushed back.
The fog that hadn''t budged even with all sorts of magic, though?
Wh-What''s the secret?
No, wait, o¡¯ Lord Oradge. Where on earth is this ce to begin with?
How can goblin-like creatures remain unscathed even after being hit by Hellfire?
He had many questions, but YongYongie had to silently follow behind him.
***At that time.
Somewhere underground in the Gctic Divine Cult.
-Kuaaak!
-Kyaaak!
-DIE!
-It burns!
-P-Please spare me!
-Enough already! Please let me out!!
-Just hold on a bit longer!
-Kuhak!
Screams that made one think they were in the midst of hell.
-Are you going to give up here?
-Get a grip! It''s almost over!
-Hold on just a bit longer!
-If you faint, we start over from the beginning!
Ten thousand martial artists were being drilled and drilled again under the instructors'' directions.
-Everyone follow along! For His Majesty Karlstein!
-F-For His Majesty Karlstein!
-Your voices are too weak! Do you think you can survive here with voices like that?!
-Repeat after me! Gctic! Divine Cult!
Various training equipment that was challenging even for martial artists.
An underground cave where escape was impossible to even dream of.
A difficulty bordering on torture.
Iron-blooded instructors akin to evil spirits.
It was no wonder there were wails of anguish.
-It''s too painful!
-No more!
-We must escape from here quickly!
However, this ce called the ''Eight Gates of Hell'' was a ce one could only leave through death.
Before passing through the 8 Gates, the pain would only repeat endlessly.
-Kyaaak!
-Kuhak!
-N-No!
The ten thousand or so martial artists who had been captured while trying to raid the main hall of the Gctic Divine Cult were spending their time in hell.
The name ''Absolute Martial Unit'' had long been erased.
-Kuak! Gctic! Divine Cult!
-Gctic! Divine Cult!
-Kuluk! Gctic! Divine Cult!
-Woo! Woo!
A hellish training course involving forced indoctrination facilities and all sorts of drug enhancements.
Once they pass through the Eight Gates of Hell, perfect elites with both body and mind trained would be born.
Recently, as martial artists who had passed through all Eight Gates began to emerge one by one, the Divine Cult''sbat power was increasing exponentially.
An elite soldier training facilitybining martial arts and cutting-edge technology.
It was at the level of mass production, like a factory.
"Hmm..."
A woman pondering something while looking down at them through a ss window.
The leader of the Gctic Divine Cult.
A Moderator of the Integrated Dimensional Community.
Virdel was having trouble concentrating.
"..."
"Noonim, is something wrong?"
Namgung Jin expressed his puzzlement at her unusual mood.
"It''s nothing..."
Virdel was unable to focus at all, as her contemtion continued for a while.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jin was watching the warriors in the Eight Gates of Hell and breaking out in a cold sweat.
It''s not like you¡¯re raising an army of Jiangshi or something.
What on earth are you trying to do...
On one side, people were being forcibly indoctrinated in capsule-like devices, while on the other side, machine devices were injecting drugs through various needles.
Below, a scene of hell was unfolding, and in some ces, battles of killing and being killed were taking ce.
...
Is this really okay?
But then again, when you look at those who have passed through the Eight Gates of Hell, it seems fine.
The only drawback is that they show excessive loyalty and seem machine-like.
It''s better than losing their lives, I suppose.
That was the only way he could think about it and move on.
"Then... I shall visit you again, Noonim."
Currently, the Central ins were peaceful. There were no forces that dared to defy the Gctic Divine Cult. Not unless they wanted to immediately face a flying army of Force Users.
Even after sending Namgung Jin away, Virdel didn''t open her mouth.
meYongYongie....
Hmm. What kind of feeling is this exactly?
It''s frustrating and my nerves are strangely on edge.
I feel irritated and impatient.
Is it jealousy?
A vod she hade across by chance the other day.
Since she couldn''t watch it live, she only grasped what happened through a separately organized post, but she could guess roughly what had urred.
...How dare he.
"..."
Just how...
Anger was rising.
She shook off the aftermath of her sticky emotions with a deep breath.
"Jealousy... It''s an unfamiliar emotion."
Was this also thanks to the Overhaul Rebirth?
Many things had changed since the previous Overhaul Rebirth.
How to put it¡ It was as if ayer of her mental shell had been peeled off?
The terrible memories of the past that had always weighed heavily on her mind now felt like distant history.
She could look at things more objectively, with more peace of mind.
Just with that, the world that had looked ashen to her was now tinged with color and vitality. The sensation of her once endlessly heavy emotions bing fluffy and alive.
It could be said that she had thrown off the heavy shackles that had tormented her for a long time.
Of course, it wasn''t perfect. It was just one stage of growth, so her essence hadn''t changed.
She still found humans so disgusting that she didn''t even want to think about them.
At that moment, a message came from the person in question.
"...?"
Virdel''s face was surprised as she read the message.
This is?
The sender was ''meYongYongie'', but the content was from Him.
"!!"
It was asking if she coulde to the world called ''World''.
And if she coulde, to prepare to participate.
A bright smile bloomed on Virdel''s face.
Ah...!
Finally.
Will I be able to meet Him directly?
If that''s the case, I can''t prepare carelessly.
Virdel looked down at the martial artists in the Eight Gates of Hell with cold, shining eyes.
"To prepare properly, I''ll need to drill them a bit more."
For some reason, the martial artists in the Eight Gates of Hell had to tremble in anxiety as goosebumps rose.
-Kuaak!
-This is too much!
-Save me!
-Sob sob!
Chapter 76: Bridgehead
Chapter 76: Bridgehead"YongYong. Are you following well?"
"Yes, Hyung-nim! The dismantling work is almost done! I will catch up soon."
"Well done."
As expected, he''s quite useful.
Is a dragon truly a dragon after all?
Very, very excellent.
YongYong was using magic tailored to each Kaiju''s attributes to collect byproducts.
sh sh-
Swiftly swiftly-
Cutting, extracting, burning, roasting.Freezing, cooling, spreading, picking up.
After doing it a few times, he seemed to have gotten the hang of it, repeatedly dismantling and looting ording to the characteristics of the byproducts.
Karlstein smiled with satisfaction as he watched YongYong.
Magic is quite convenient, isn''t it?
To think he could create a Subspace, though not infinite, and put items in it.
Of course, the Gctic Empire had such technology too, but it was only used for military purposes and couldn''t be used as easily and conveniently as this.
We can increase the speed a bit more, then.
"Now, let''s move on to another ce..."
Just as Karlstein was retrieving his spear from the body of a fallen Kaiju¡
Boom boom boom-
Crack-
Kuwoong-
Kuaaaa-
Three giant rock Kaiju, nearly 10 meters tall, approached, toppling giant trees.
However, there was no way he would be nervous about this.
Rather, he was thinking of something else as he tilted his head.
"Hmm. Should we collect the trees too?"
This ''World'' waspletely different from ordinary dimensions.
Everything from the density of the air, gravity, to the earth and vegetation was different.
Tough, stubborn, hard, and sturdy.
So much so that one would want to research how it was created.
Rather, Karlstein was satisfied with such aspects.
It felt like traveling as an ordinary adventurer, you could say?
"The byproducts are certainly extraordinary."
Theb would be pleased if I threw these at them.
Although he could only do a simple analysis, he could clearly sense the tremendous Ether reaction. Moreover, the reactivity towards the Astral side was also excellent.
If we make equipment with materials like these, it would be revolutionary for Dimensional Transmission.
Currently, it required massive amounts of Ether to send intact equipment. Or it was impossible to send at all.
That was also the reason why he couldn''t ess with his main body.
He had tried a few times, but Selena, the Subus Queen, couldn''t handle it.
She begged for her life, saying it was impossible to connect.
Well. I understand.
Even I think my main body is a special physical form.
After all, it''s a body rted to a Single Number.
"Hup."
The lightly thrown metal spear pierces through two of them simultaneously.
Soon after, another spear he thrust out burst the body of the remaining one.
Kueeek-
Kuaaak-
The three rock Kaiju stop moving after struggling.
"Hyaaah! How should we dismantle these ones?"
"Just take a few as samples."
"Ah, no! I will try to do it first!"
YongYong, who appeared from behind, started to work on the rock Kaiju, moving swiftly.
As Karlstein extended his hand, the metal spears stuck in them floated and returned to him.
Chajak. Chak. Chak.
They quietly entered the spear sheath floating behind Karlstein''s back.
Kaiju corpses scattered messily.
Countless corpses were strewn on the ground along the path he had moved.
"It''s certainly a waste."
"I will try to salvage as much as I can!"
Karlstein stroked his chin while examining the remains of the rock Kaiju.
I''d need to investigate urately, but it seems simr in nature to those beings that were spraying Silver Blood back then.
Since the research level regarding the Astral Dimension was low, the more research materials, the better.
"Aria will like this."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Haha."
Let''s proceed with analysis and processingter.
What''s certain is¡
This ''World'' was definitely not created by Selena''s power alone. Although he had supported her with 1 trillion Karma Points, this ce far exceeded that scale.
It''s certain that there was some external influence.
And that was probably due to something inside the Dimensional Passage.
Karlstein looked around the fog-covered forest.
Last time, they had failed halfway because of a Double Numbering Entity, but...
This time, I''ll suck everything dry.
***¡¶Great Sephiroth¡·
A ce where the entire space was made of tree trunks and branches.
In the center was a huge round table made of raw wood, and in the middle of the round table, a silver spring shimmered like a mirror.
And dozens of silhouettes surrounding the round table were takingfortable positions, entrusting their bodies to the branches.
Bang!
Everyone''s attention focused on the sound of someone strongly striking the round table.
[...Is that really true?]
[It seems so.]
[Those dregs, a shame to our n, did such a thing?]
[Hmm. ording to what I heard from the one who was on the battlefield at that time...]
[How dare that filthy Dream Demon not know their ce!]
[Those inferior maggots did that? Isn''t the report mistaken?]
They were in the midst of a meeting about recent events.
Although they had suffered a lot of damage on the recent battlefield, considering the scale of the battles taking ce across all dimensions, there was no need to hold such a meeting.
It was amon urrence, after all.
However.
The reasons why they couldn''t just let it slide were the following
First, those dregs of Dream Demons, who usually trembled just at the sight of them, had impudently caused trouble.
Second, the problem urred on the battlefield with ¡¶Chaos¡·, of all ces.
Andstly, third.
[The connection is still maintained, right?]
[Yes. But it seems somewhat different from the fake dimension created by those Dream Demons.]
[Hmm.... Is it really not something those punks did?]
[There''s no way they have such abilities.]
[Then who on earth could it be?]
[Is that important?]
[That''s right. That''s not what''s important. What''s done is done, and we just need to reap the benefits.]
[The Dimensional Strength was unbelievably solid.]
[It''s hard to believe, but it was a dimension with at least a High-Grade Sacred Blood reaction.]
[Then we absolutely can''t miss this.]
[The same must be true for those Chaos bastards.]
[However... we don''t know how long it willst. The stability has decreased quite a bit.]
[Before it''s toote...]
Their opinions were converging into one.
[Last time, there were big losses due to fighting in the passage... but this time is different, right?]
[That''s right. There''s no need to test the waters unnecessarily.]
[It''s also an appropriate ce to establish a bridgehead.]
[We can just add some reserve forces.]
[Then is the decision made?]
Everyone looked in one direction.
A woman wearing a splendid silverurel wreath.
She nodded.
[We will send additional reinforcements immediately.]
[We wish you good fortune.]
It was the moment when Sephiroth''s reinforcements were being added.
And this was no different for the ¡¶Chaos¡· side.
***"YongYong."
"Yes! Hyung-nim!"
"Do you know what this is?"
"W-Well..."
Karlstein was looking at a small puddle with a strange expression. Of course, it wasn''t an ordinary puddle.
"The color is unique, but is it that special?"
"Maybe...?"
A small puddle where shimmering silver spring water was bubbling up.
"Hyung-nim, do you perhaps know something?"
"I''m not certain, but..."
Karlstein''s eyes sparkled as he stirred the silver spring water with his spear.
"You don''t know about it either, right?"
"Huh? Yes. To me, it just looks like slightly unusual water..."
"It''s bubbling up from the ground...?"
Isn''t this the blood of those fly-like beings?
Why is it bubbling up from the ground?
Anyway.
What is this?
It seems we shouldn''t just collect the Kaiju byproducts.
This liquid, called Silver Blood, was currently the hottest material in the Gctic Empire.
It was even used in creating the current body.
Even if it was not used for Dimensional Travel, its applications were endless.
When used together with Ether, its efficiency increases, making it no different from a top-grade material.
What an unexpected bonanza, huh?
"Hey... this is a jackpot. YongYong, try digging here a bit."
"Huh?"
No wait, Hyung-nim. Even magic doesn''t work well on the terrain here.
And yet, are you seriously asking me, a Red Dragon, to dig the ground?
"Clear some trees around here too."
?ah, dragons are exceptionally good at digging!
?YongYong, go bring some water.
?our YongYongie is so good at chores.
?YongYongie? More like Choonsikie1, no? LOL
?your name is Choonsik from now on. pparently that¡¯s what you are now LMAO
?Choonsik, what are you doing! Move faster!
?LOLOLOLOL
?what are you doing? Hyung-nim is waiting!
Wait, Hyung-nim. Please. There are people watching...
Of course, he had received permission from his Hyung-nim. He said it was okay to turn on the broadcast when connected.
But maybe I should have turned off the broadcast if I knew it would be like this?
This is so embarrassing.
However.
"Oh my, Hyung-nim! I was just about to start digging!"
"YongYongie, who listens to Hyung-nim''s words so well! I shall charge forth!"
He doesn''t have even the slightest thought of talking back.
"Aren''t I a human excavator after all!"
YongYong, who had even abandoned his own identity.
In fact, YongYong was just a nickname used in themunity, and he had a cooler name, but he had long forgotten it!
The moment he called him ''YongYongie'', his name was already YongYongie.
"Th-Then can I return to my original body?"
"Ah, right. You said you were a dragon, didn''t you?"
"Huh? Yes..."
"No, wait. Step aside for a moment."
Heuup-
Karlstein took out a short spear from his spear sheath and took a stance.
More sharply.
More narrowly.
More deeply.
Kuguung- Bang!
A sound like a bomb exploding was heard.
When the dust settled.
Swoosh-
A hole dug deeply like a sinkhole.
And it was done so easily and deeply.
W-Wait... But even magic didn''t work that well here¡ How?
As YongYong was about to express his bewilderment.
Pushuut-
Swoosh-
Silver liquid burst out like a fountain, iparable to a mere puddle.
"Oh, what is thi-"
YongYong stopped mid-sentence and stepped back in surprise.
Uwak! What the?
He was startled by the overwhelming aura emanating from Him.
As YongYong hurriedly stepped back to observe him, he could see an expression he had never seen before.
A familiar expression he had often seen in the world YongYong came from.
Gr-Greed?!
"Ah, this can''t be done carelessly."
"Huh?"
...C-Carelessly, you say?
"We should properly settle down here. YongYong!"
"Y-Yes, yes! Hyung-nim!"
"Can you help me a bit?"
"Aiyo, of course, that goes without saying!"
"Let''s prepare the ground a bit before support arrives."
"Yessir!"
What kind of support could it be?
Where is this ce?
What is the Oradge plotting now?
YongYong''s questions only deepened.
However, one thing was certain - he was looking forward to it.1. Choonsik is a character used in Kakao. A kind of mascot.
Chapter 77: Encounter (1)
Chapter 77: Encounter (1)"Hmm. For that, I need to get in touch with Aria."
There was still no answer.
The first phase of the Barrier Territory Expansion seemed to be progressing smoothly, so there shouldn''t be any problems in the Gctic Empire.
Or has the ount¡¯s connection beenpletely cut off?
That would be troublesome.
To properly secure a foothold, human and material support is needed.
Gush gush-
Silver liquid bursting out like hot spring water.
As expected, this can''t be given up.
***YongYong''s pupils, in the body of a young boy, split vertically.Swoosh-
It couldn¡¯t be helped if he wanted to maintain the Polymorph while fully drawing out his abilities.
Tsupat-
YongYong''s body disappeared as if teleporting.
He appeared on top of a giant Kaiju''s body.
"Hyah!"
The dagger in YongYong''s hand moved like a beam of light.
In a hue that was sometimes red, sometimes blue.
The attribute changed brilliantly ording to YongYong''s hand movements!
sh- sh- sh-
The dagger that had been moving as if possessed, dancing, suddenly stopped.
Because it had already achieved its goal.
There was no need to move anymore.
Thud- Thud- Thud-
Flesh and skin fell like rain.
"Cha-hah!"
The byproducts disappeared into the magic circle YongYong summoned.
"Phew."
YongYong wiped the sweat from his forehead and immediately moved to repeat the same action.
If he''s even a littlete, he''ll fall behind!
It was merely dismantling Kaiju that had already been caught, right? He can¡¯t fall behind because of just this!
The Oradge had already gone far ahead long ago.
At this speed, there''s no way to close the distance!
But the gap doesn''t seem to be closing at all.
Ah, was being a porter this hard?
sh sh sh-
sh sh-
Tsupat tsupat-
sh sh-
He ran until his feet sweated and swung the dagger until blisters formed on his palms.
It seems like the porters I''ve seen before were amazing guys.
In YongYong''s world, there were often humans who came iming to be Hero Parties, and among them was always a gloomy-faced porter.
Is this somewhat betterpared to those guys who were always mistreated?
Even so...
-Kuaaak!
-Kieeeeek!
-Krrrrrk!
-Kuwaaak!
Kaiju swarmed endlessly.
It had been like this ever since the silver hot spring burst.
Because they''re rushing in like crazy, the Oradge was busy intercepting them, and YongYong was desperately salvaging byproducts.
Is this really okay?
Bigger ones had started appearing too.
Kaiju rushed in like waves.
Sometimes they would appear from behind and pounce on YongYong.
At those times, he would cast all sorts of Debuff Magic on the monster like Grease and Slow, then alternate between Hellfire and Frozen Crystal to give them a rapid full course menu of both heat and cold.
Then, he finished with an electric sauna of Lightning Shower.
Patztztzut!
Poof- Poof-
"Kueeeeek!"
This is crazy.
How much mana went into taking down a Kaiju just the size of an Orc?
Of course, muchrger ones would ambush him too, but...
Boom!
Bang-
The majesty of the Oradge, bursting them with just one throwing spear from an invisible location, took care of them.
"Ah..."
Just keep diligently picking things up.
That''s the way to survive.
While he was awakening to his talent as a porter...
[Oh my? What a cute child?]
A chilling voice.
[I was just in need of some minions.]
Anguid woman''s voice disrupted YongYong''s concentration.
"...!"
[Hmm.]
[It''s not the time for ying around. If you''re going to take him, quickly imprint on him, if not, kill him.]
[Why are you in such a hurry?]
Ah...
An overwhelming feeling that could be felt from the gic level enveloped YongYong.
Dragon.
The greatest and strongest creature on earth, also called the Guardian or Regtor of the Middle Realm.
However, there was also a legend that dragons were born as proxies sent down by the gods to protect the Middle Realm.
Why was that legending to mind now?
[Oh my, this one''s quite perceptive, isn''t he?]
The woman gently patting the trembling YongYong.
[What do you think? He seems quite useful, doesn''t he?]
[Hmph.]
And the man with folded arms talking to the woman.
When did they approach?
I didn''t sense them at all.
YongYong was overwhelmed by the aura they emitted and couldn''t move his body.
Why is my luck so bad these days?
I keep getting beaten here and there.
And there are monsters everywhere I go.
Starting from goblin-like Kaiju that can withstand Hellfire, to this woman and man here, and finally the Oradge.
[Hmm. Is his talent a bitcking? He can''t use magic properly?]
[That''s because he''s being suppressed by the pressure of this world. Even we are affected when moving, so he''s quite decent considering that.]
[Hmm. Is that so?]
They were having a conversation he couldn''t understand at all.
Just what are their identities?
[Anyway, let''s take him with us. I''m also curious about what he was picking up so diligently.]
Wh-What are you saying? This isn''t mine!
YongYong''s mind snapped to attention at those words.
If what he had diligently picked up was his own, he wouldn''t have been surprised.
Th-This is Lord Karlstein''s...!
With that thought, his fear seemed to dissipatepletely.
No matter how extraordinary these beings were, they were not on the same level as the Oradge.
Lord Karlstein is on a different level.
This was a fact he had directly experienced and observed with his own body.
Is that why?
Courage welled up.
After all, it was said that even the dog of a noble house tends to put on airs.
"I do rmend you withdraw before you regret it."
[Huh?]
[...?]
Still, because he''s a bit scared, he used honorifics.
"I-I already have a m-master!"
For some reason, it was embarrassing to say out loud.
But YongYong was proud.
After all, among all the beings he had seen so far, there was no one like the Oradge!
The overwhelming difference in caliber of the soul that made one tremble just by encountering him!
"If you withdraw now, I shall put in a good word and let this slide!"
You must have felt it too, right?
That overwhelming presence.
If he felt it, how could these beings not?
YongYong didn''t think so.
How about it? There are Kaiju everywhere anyway, so wouldn''t it be better to end this nicely?
But perhaps that was only YongYong''s thought.
[Haa?]
[Kekekeke!]
The man looking dumbfounded and the woman bursting intoughter.
"??"
No, guys. I''m really not joking.
You do know you are people who would go to the afterlife with just one bamboo spear from the Oradge, right...?
The woman wiped the tears from her eyes fromughing and spoke.
[Ah, it certainly was no joke.]
[I thought he was a lunatic.]
[Mhmm, that''s right. He probably wouldn''t even survive one-on-one, right?]
[He truly is a powerful being.]
Had they already encountered him?
Even these beings didn''t deny that the Oradge was strong.
As expected of the Oradge! A majesty that even enemies can''t help but praise!
Huh?
But why are they so calm?
I said my master is the Oradge, though?
Wait a moment. They encountered him and are still standing here?
The woman didn''t hide her sneer as she looked at YongYong.
[But what should we do? Your so-called owner should be struggling for his life right about now?]
Huh? What did you say?
YongYong''s mouth fell open.
He couldn''t believe it.
No way!
The Oradge, struggling for his life?
It didn¡¯t match up at all.
It was like the most ill-fittingbination of words in the world!
The woman grinned as she watched YongYong, who couldn''t easily believe it.
[We came thoroughly prepared too, you know.]
"!!"
[It''s certainly interesting that there''s an intelligent being here. But we''re not so free as to show mercy.]
The way they spoke didn''t seem to be referring to just a few individuals. As if they had an entire force...
Flinch-
Only then did nervousness appear in YongYong''s eyes.
What''s going on? They came prepared? Are they saying they''ve been preparing to attack this ce for a while? That can''t be right? The Oradge didn''t say anything...
All sorts of questions raced through YongYong''s mind.
[But you know what?]
The woman''s expression gradually hardened.
[If you''re too impudent, it''s not very pretty. Why don''t you tone it down a bit?]
"Keuk!"
Swoosh-
An overwhelming aura enveloped YongYong. YongYong tried to dodge urgently, but his mana seemed frozen and he couldn''t move an inch.
Ugh!
[Do we look like we''re on a level to have a casual conversation with you? If so, that makes me a bit angry...]
The woman who had been speaking with a bright smile hardened her expression and emitted an aura, causing the atmosphere to change drastically.
Ugh!
[You''re quite impudent for a lowly creature, aren''t you?]
Lowly creature?
It felt strange for a dragon, who usually thought of humans as lowly creatures, to be called a lowly creature.
What...! Are they saying they''re gods or something?
"K-Keut. S-Still. N-Nothing... will change."
[Hm? Still?]
"Th-The O-Oradge is... i-invincible, after all!"
[Oradge?]
[Is that his name?]
At that moment.
Swoosh-
A presence all too familiar to YongYong.
A chilling sound that tore through the air.
Boom-
It happened in an instant.
The woman''s right arm flew off and was knocked away.
[Kyaaaak!]
Judging by her scream, it seemed like she survived.
Did it miss? How unusual for him to make a mistake...
But he realized it was a misconception when he noticed the man was nowhere to be seen.
Turning his head, he could see the man pinned to a giant tree by a spear.
[Kuhak!]
A deeply contorted expression.
A face panting in fear.
Thud thud-
Heavy footstepsing from beyond the fog.
Thud thud-
"Ah. To think treasure goblins woulde on their own feet."
[What did you say?!]
"I''m so grateful."
[You...]
The venomous voice of the woman whose right arm had been blown off.
On the other hand, YongYong felt like he had gained an army of thousands.
Tenggg-
Why were you sote!
Karlstein, covered in silver liquid all over his body, emerged from the fog.
"Isn''t that right?"
The woman showed a very tense appearance in response.
Hey? You punk! You know? Me and Oradge Hyung-nim! Hey, do you get it? Huh? We going hunt together and stuff! Do you understand now? Huh? We eat together too! Huh? Do you still not get it? Anyway, we''re like brothers!
YongYong''s pride soared endlessly.
Chapter 78: Encounter (2)
Chapter 78: Encounter (2)
[Who is ''that'' man everyone''s talking about?][633]
[(Breaking) The Oradge actually appears. A face sculpted by God? It¡¯s insane!][2556]
[The man who lives life alone: Who is he?][125]
[Cosmic Emperor! Let''s dig into his background.][1566]
[The Oradge''s private life.avi][3633]
[Oradge! Who is he? Exclusive Ccoverage! YongYongTV!][4421]
[Comparisons of the Oradge''s power shown so far.txt][7741]
[World?! Where is this ce where goblins are fine even after being hit by Hellfire?][664]
[YongYong. Gets hired as an SSS-ss Porter! Rumors say he''s been unofficially appointed as a Community Bluadge....][864][YongYongie: I already have a master. Is this okay for a dragon''s honor?][257]
[Oradge Photo Shoot! Exclusive Reveal!][1506]
Themunity was already in an uproar due to Karlstein''s appearance. Numerous videos and images of Karlstein were circting, fueling the topic.
?stop making such a fuss LOL
?Just how strong is he?
?it''s not a matter of strong or weak, he''s just on a different level.
?isn''t YongYong''s Hellfire just too weak? LOL
?i cant believe a dragon is actually used as a power level measuring device. it¡¯s the end of times.
?maybe all of YongYong''s abilities so far were exaggerated?
?yeah that¡¯s right. is it okay to be that bad at using magic?
?are monsters spawning endlessly? Why are there so many?
?the Oradge is on a full hunting spree but there''s no end in sight.
?is YongYong''s looting speed fr rn?
?hey, you. r u saying a dragon is being serious? that much should be natural for them, right?
?YongYong being serious about being a porter LOL
The videos being uploaded were all unbelievable.
So much so that even seeing it with your own eyes, you''d suspect it was fake.
?the Oradge is insane, isn''t he?
?fr he''s not human. A man more monstrous than the Monsters.
?iyaaaaa. look at the Oradge''s majesty. it makes my chest swell with pride LOL
?I feel proud just watching.
?Let''s behave, kids.
?wait r u fr? he''s an emperor but he''s also physically strong?
?a man who even manages themunity on top of that. what on earth is he evencking?
?wtf LOL
?why are you bringing up themunity there?
?kyah! oppa! ur gonna be the end of me!
Unlike previous videos, this was an up-close coverage video overflowing with a sense of being on the scene. YongYongTV''s subscriber count had already surpassed 1 million and was topping the rankings.
?iyaaaa. he surpassed the big-breasted elf noona? YongYong is doing some crazy ass work rn.
?LOL rapid rise in rankings thanks to the Oradge hype.
?ikr he even overtook NyangNyang, the top of the cute beastkin category.
?There''s a rumor that he would have hit #1 if the actual connection was stable...
?It keeps cutting off. It''s driving me crazy.
?Well, it''s a transmission system issue, so.
?Oradge, what are you doing not working!
?The Oradge is busy hunting LMAOOO
?ah then who''s going to tend the cows! shouldn''t he be managing themunity?
?LOLOLOLOL no shot you say that in front of the Oradge, yeah?
?ah dude I want to live a long life too LOL
Moreover, when intelligent beings appeared that even YongYong, a Red Dragon, couldn''t move against, everyone was surprised.
I mean, YongYong is a dragon, right? If it was the Oradge, sure, but...
And what? The Oradge is struggling for his life?
?that ever so proud dragon can''t even move.
?he looks like a student getting his lunch money taken by the neighborhood bullies.
?look at him using honorifics LOL isnt he too polite for a dragon?
?Don''t call him a dragon. He''s a shame to the race.
?LOLOLOL
?Is the Oradge really going to die? Those guys look fucking strong.
?You can tell just by their movements. Thatposure isn''t something you can fake.
?what happens if the Oradge dies?
?What do you mean what happens. We just won''t be able to eat chicken anymore.
?That''s impossible! That can¡¯t be!
?isn''t the Oradge seriously in danger?
However, rather than believing in the Oradge''s crisis, attention was focused elsewhere.
How to put it¡ Perhaps it was curiosity? Anticipation?
?can we finally see the Oradge in serious mode?
?Even when hunting, the Oradge seemed to be doing it casually.
?oooh, it seems they''re an organization?
?yeah no shot he has a chance in the face of a group beating LOL
?Ah, YongYong! What are you doing! You should at least pull your own weight!
?LOL i want to see the Oradge get pissed off.
Of course, they couldn''t see what they wanted.
It was because the connection with the Integrated Dimensional Community was unstable.
***Eriel, the woman whose arm had been blown off, affiliated to the ''Branch'', couldn''t hide her nervousness as she watched Karlstein emerge from the fog.
How on earth did he appear here?
The 3rd Division should have been in charge, though?
Seeing the Sacred Blood soaking the opponent''s armor, anxiety welled up.
No way? Really?
Did they get taken out?
That''s impossible.
There''s no way.
The 3rd Division of the Blue Branch was a specialist in group battles.
Although Eriel of the 2nd Division of the same Blue Branch was individually superior in terms of power, that was only in one-on-one battles.
The 3rd Division, consisting of 48 members, was a team famous for their exceptional teamwork. A team organized to deal with strong individuals.
The elite of the elites among the Blue Branch forces.
To say that theirbined formation was broken by a single individual?
No joke could go that far. So there must have been some mistake.
[What happened to the others?]
"Huh? Ah..."
She asked, just in case.
At her question, the brow of the opponent in golden armor furrowed slightly.
"They were troublesome guys."
[What?]
"Maybe I should say I experienced what it felt like on the opposite side? It felt like I was being raided. Haha."
What''s with thatposure? And what''s a raid?
He can say such things after encountering them?
That must be bluster.
[Nonsense!]
"Hm? What is?"
Seeing his nonchnt face, anger welled up.
Her right arm that had been blown off had already recovered.
She burned the Sacred Blood in her body to draw out power.
Swoosh-
She felt an immense power in her body, close to omnipotence.
But I still can''t let my guard down.
She recalled their first encounter, setting aside the 3rd Division.
Of course, she hadn''t faced him directly.
She had only watched from a distance.
Even then, she thought he was extraordinary.
Because he was unbelievably strong.
A golden armor ughtering Monsters.
She had also faced some Monsters directly after first arriving here.
-This... isn''t an ordinary Monster. It seems to be mixed with those Chaos beings.
-Kuk! Don''t let your guard down! If we''re not careless, we can deal with them without much trouble!
Although it was difficult to adapt due to the high Dimensional Pressure of this world, that was only for a moment. Her race actually preferred worlds with higher Dimensional Pressure.
This could be considered a privilege of their n.
Although not to the extent of beingpletely unaffected, it was practically nothingpared to the opponent.
Of course, this didn''t apply to beings born in this world, unlike those who crossed over from external dimensions.
He was probably one of those cases.
Monsters that were too strong even considering the Dimensional Pressure.
Yet the golden armor ughtered those Monsters with long-range bombardment.
So she couldn''t let her guard down.
"Kiriel! What are you doing? Are you just going to keep watching?"
At her call, a presence was felt from behind.
"Hmm.... It won''t be easy."
The man, who had alreadypletely recovered his body, was drawing the sword at his waist. Kiriel had also watched the golden armor''s ughter from afar with her.
In response, the woman drew her bow.
Silver energy began to surge from the bodies of the woman called Eriel and the man called Kiriel, and wooden ornaments began to cover their bodies.
The two, now wearing wooden armor with a faint silver glow, raised their weapons and drew out their energy.
Even if they had to consume Sacred Blood, they would go all out!
Their swords and arrows rushed towards the opponent like shes of light.
Die!
***Karlstein looked down at his hand.
A small, fine crack that was difficult to see with the naked eye.
Karlstein clenched and unclenched his fist.
There are many inconveniences, huh.
In front of him, the man and woman were charging in, covered in wooden armor.
He was reminded of those who had rushed in en masse earlier.
They were certainly troublesome.
At first, he thought it was an unexpected windfall, but...
Due to the characteristics of this ''World'' and physical limitations, he couldn¡¯t underestimate them.
Of course though, the thought that it was a windfall hadn''t changed.
Hmm.
As Karlstein raised his hand, two short spears slid out from the spear sheath in the air.
Karlstein, holding one short spear in each hand, moved his body.
Bang-
An incredible speed that caused a light sonic boom!
One of Karlstein''s short spears deflected the silver-surrounded arrow, while the other headed for the man''s head.
[!!]
The opponent was startled when he saw the short spear flying towards his head rather than his sword.
But before he could even be startled, the short spear reached his head.
A linear, powerful attack that could be mistaken for a club rather than a spear!
Boom-
The man''s body burst, and silver liquid sttered widely.
Swoosh-
Slide-
However.
The man''s body, regenerated as if surging from behind, swung his sword.
At the same time, two arrows flew from the front.
"..."
Karlstein''s brow furrowed slightly.
As expected, they wouldn''t die easily with ordinary attacks.
After checking previously, he found out that if he kept bursting them, they would eventually die.
It can''t be helped.
Even if it puts a strain on this body, to kill them for sure...
An overwhelming aura covered the battlefield as red energy exploded from Karlstein''s body.
[Kuk!]
[Ugh!]
"Kyaaak!"
Before they could even react, his red-tinged short spears split the space.
Swoosh-
Get fucked, idiots.
Chapter 79: Sacred Relic
Chapter 79: Sacred Relic"Tsk, these flies."
The surrounding ground waspletely overturned as if an earthquake had urred, and there were silver puddles here and there.
"Collect every drop without wasting any."
"...Y-Yes! Yes, Hyung-nim!"
YongYong trembled, unable to even make proper eye contact.
A dragon feeling fear from overwhelming violence?
Anyone who heard this might dismiss it as nonsensical gibberish.
But when it came to the Oradge, it was a different story.
The Oradge in golden armor, shaking off silver liquid.
Red energy that hadn''t fully dissipated was still leaking from his entire body.Gulp-
He was a being who awakened the bestial instincts in a dragon.
He felt instinctive fear from the overwhelming violence just now.
"Hmm. Has it be a bit troublesome?"
He scratched his chin.
The man with the sword burst hundreds of times before finally failing to revive, and the woman retreated.
"No. I should say it''s rather good. The more resources, the better."
How can he be so calm?
Hundreds of times? No. In fact, I couldn''t even count urately.
Even I, a dragon, couldn''t follow what he did with my eyes.
Not only those who instantly recovered or revived, but also the Oradge who killed them all was extraordinary.
He didn¡¯t think he would ever forget the image of the Oradge, who continued to kill them repeatedly like a machine.
***[Cough....]
The aftereffects still haven''t faded.
What was that?
The battle was one-sided. Thinking they were evenly matched was a grand delusion. It couldn''t even be called a battle.
A one-sided ughter.
They had to die countless times under his merciless violence. And they repeatedly revived by consuming massive amounts of Sacred Blood.
Since she was in charge of long-range attacks, at least she was barely able to retreat. Of course, even that was achieved after dying dozens of times.
[Keuuuk....]
With little Sacred Blood left in her body, it was difficult to even regain her senses.
Th-That vicious human.
At first, she thought he was going all out. But when that bastard annihted Kiriel, she realized.
He deliberately... didn''t kill us right away!
That was right. As if he was watching them revive repeatedly, intending to extract all their Sacred Blood.
H-How is that even possible?
Even those ¡¶Chaos¡· bastards who covet Sacred Blood wouldn''t do such a thing.
[Ugh.... Is this the right way?]
The fog has thickened. If she consumed a moderate amount of Sacred Blood, she could brighten her vision, but she didn¡¯t have enough left for that.
[I need to conserve even a little.]
As she was carefully moving forward while conserving her Sacred Blood...
Kirruk-
Kuruk-
Along with the sound of an unidentified beast, a terrible stench hit her.
[!!]
That¡¯s right. She shouldn''t have only been wary of that golden armor punk. This world had long since be a battlefield with ¡¶Chaos¡·.
She obviously should have been cautious of the Chaos beings too.
The presence of the golden armor punk in the previous battle was so overwhelming that she momentarily forgot.
But was it perhaps toote?
Thud. Thud.
Whoosh-
Something fell, cutting through the air.
Papak-
She hurriedly twisted her body and kicked off the ground.
Boom-
[Ugh!]
Even the aftershock pushed her body back.
When she opened her eyes and blew away the dust, a Kaiju appeared in her sight.
On the sunken ground stood a Kaiju with a sleek body and des on both arms.
[A Higher Order Entity!]
Damn it.
Of all times!
[Cough!]
Silver liquid spurted from her mouth.
Usually... even if it was not a Transcendent Entity, she might be able to somehow face off against a Higher Order Entity, but the situation is different now.
A Higher Order Entity when she was low on Sacred Blood?
Even for her, it was too much.
Despair washed over her eyes.
Am I really going to die like this?
Should I have fought to the end earlier?
Wasing here a mistake?
Should I havee with another division?
Bted regrets flooded in.
No.
This is all because of that golden armor bastard.
It was not her own fault.
The existence of such a being here didn''t make sense in the first ce. How could anyone have predicted it?
Crack-
The Kaiju with des was suddenly right in front of her.
As she closed her eyes, sensing her annihtion...
[What are you doing here?]
Kuwoong-
Crack- sh-
Kieeeeek!
[Ah...!]
She opened her eyes with a joyful expression.
The 1st Division of the ''Red Branch''.
Dozens of n members were floating in the air next to a middle-aged man with arge build.
Boom- Crack- Kuwoong-
Her anxietypletely dissipated.
From behind her, she could hear the sounds of the 1st Division members driving back the Higher Order Entity.
[You don''t look to be in good shape.]
[I am Eriel of the 2nd Division of the Blue Branch. Thanks to you, my life was saved. Thank you.]
[I know who you are.]
She, Eriel, was the blood rtive of a Higher Order Elder.
Usually, for the 1st Division, which was the elite of each affiliation, there was no need to know about the 2nd Division of other affiliations, but she was a bit different.
[What on earth happened for you to be in this state....]
At the middle-aged man''s question, her breath caught in her throat.
How should she exin?
In the end, she began to report everything she had just experienced.
Basically, the 1st Division of each affiliation also had the right tomand lower divisions of other affiliations.
[Hmm....]
[Haha. You jest.]
It was natural that they didn''t believe it.
That she, including the entire 3rd Division, was defeated by a man who appeared human? That he was strong enough to annihte dozens of division members? And that he wasn''t even from the Chaos faction?
[It seems you need some rest.]
How could it be possible for a human to be as strong as a Transcendent Entity of ¡¶Chaos¡·?
[Besides, you didn¡¯t directly see the 3rd Division being defeated, did you?]
[Th-That''s....]
That''s true. Eriel of the 2nd Division was acting separately from the 3rd Division, after all.
[If it were a Transcendent Entity of Chaos, we would know. We brought Sacred Relics with us, you see.]
The middle-aged man with arge build pointed to the silver club at his waist.
Sacred Relic.
A supreme treasure made from the Dimensional Tree, the body of the Mother. A symbol and privilege allowed only to the leaders of the 1st Division of each affiliation.
In terms of the Great Sephiroth''s grace, it was at a level iparable even to Sacred Blood.
There were even rumors that sacrificing an entire world was needed to process and create just one Lowest-Grade Sacred Relic.
It was a treasure among treasures that not only the Sephiroth n but even those Chaos bastards drool over. If one could handle just this alone, even a talentless n member could instantly demonstrate immense power.
Even Eriel, who had a Higher Order Elder as a blood rtive, momentarily felt greed. It was easy to see how rare it was.
[So there''s nothing to worry about.]
The confident voice of the middle-aged man with arge build.
Usually, she wouldn''t doubt it either, but...
That punk was somehow different.
She couldn''t understand exactly, but something was different.
Was that battle really his full power?
She couldn''t be certain.
So she couldn''t rx.
Even if the man opposite her had a Sacred Relic.
No, especially because he had a Sacred Relic.
What if it gets stolen?
There''s nothing more terrible than that.
It was not for nothing that it''s only allowed to Division Leaders.
So, she had to say it clearly.
That they shouldn''t let their guard down.
[Kiriel couldn''t even lift a finger against him. He''s not an opponent to be taken lightly.]
The moment she finished speaking, silence fell around them.
Oh no!
All members of the 1st Division were warriors with strong pride.
Her words wouldn''t be taken kindly.
She thought they would listen seriously because Kiriel, who had been annihted, was a reserve candidate for the 1st Division of the Blue Branch, but...!
[Just because you''re close to the Elder, don''t look down on us too much.]
[He''s just a candidate after all. Just rest for now.]
[We won''t let our guard down, but....]
[Isn''t he just a human?]
[Telling us to be wary of a human. This is insulting at this point.]
The disgruntled voices of the 1st Division.
N-No!
It won¡¯t be enough, even if you prepare with your full power against that monster!
The uneasiness wouldn''t go away. It felt like she would definitely regret it if she sent them like this.
In the end, she had to steel her resolve.
"If I return this time, I will speak to the Head about potentially gifting a Fruit. So please, listen carefully."
[A Fruit?]
[....]
[Is it true?]
[Ooh.]
Although Sacred Relics were said to be no less rare than Fruits, there was a decisive difference.
Sacred Relics could only be obtained on loan, and only those at the level of 1st Division leaders are given the opportunity.
On the other hand, Fruits could be gifted.
Gulp-
A proposal that could only be made by Eriel, a blood rtive of a high-ranking figure.
All members of the 1st Division of the Red Branch were surprised.
[Are you serious about that?]
[If so, we can''t easily dismiss this.]
[If Eriel is saying this much, he must truly be an extraordinary being.]
Seeing them finally listening to her words, Eriel feltplicated emotions, but she didn''t show it.
[He is absolutely not an opponent to be underestimated. Please prepare thoroughly.]
She began to share the fact she had discovered.
His weakness, which seemed impossible to find as he appeared so perfect.
[It seemed he cared deeply for the boy next to him. Although he didn''t show it, he seemed to be trying to prevent harm froming to him.]
Presumably, the child was a dragon.
And he must undoubtedly cherish that child very much.
[So we must use a hostage!]
Hostage.
If she hadn''t brought up the Fruit, they would have been very displeased, but now they were at least pretending to listen.
[...Alright. We''ll take it into consideration.]
[Look forward to it. We''ll handle it for sure.]
Only then did Eriel feel relieved.
[Yes, then I will return to the Sanctum.]
[Rest well.]
If she had said this much, even the haughty 1st Division would pay attention.
They would use the Sacred Relic right away, and they had a hostage too.
She felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
***"YongYong."
"Yes, Hyung-nim!"
"Why are you so weak?"
"Huh?"
"Haven''t you been eating properly? How can you use any strength if you''re so weak?"
"Ah, ha.ha."
Is this something you say to a dragon, the greatest and strongest race on earth?
"How can I fight properly when I''m worried about you?"
"Kuk!"
An emotion I''m feeling for the first time in my life!
Is this what powerlessness feels like?
The majesty of the Oradge made even a dragon feel powerless!
Still, I''m touched!
Is he worrying about me?
But that was only for a moment.
"If you die, it''ll be a big problem, you idiot. Do you know how much that all costs?"
Ah... yes.
What was that called again? A walking bonus? Inventory?
...Still, it''s nice that he''s worrying!
"I''ll do my best, Hyung-nim!"
"Hmm."
Is he not satisfied with something?
Karlstein looked at YongYong with a strange expression.
"Have you ever thought about getting surgery for body modification?"
"...Eh?"
Wh-What on earth are you saying?
That''s the kind of line a mad ck Mage obsessed with experiments would say.
"I should get an estimate, huh?"
Huh? N-No, what estimate? I never said I would do it!
"A Cyborg Dragon, is it..."
What''s with that ominous title?
I don''t know what it is, but please stop considering it right now!
Tenggg!
Fortunately, YongYong wouldn''t be dissected.
"Oooh, they''re here."
"?!"
"Let''s wee our guests, YongYong."
Huh? I can''t sense anything though?
YongYong struggled to keep up with the Oradge''s conversation.
Chapter 80: Murim White Troops (1)
Chapter 80: Murim White Troops (1)Formerly the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Family¡¯s Absolute Martial Unit, Ghostly Demonic Divine Sword.
Currently a Corporal of the Gctic Divine Cult¡¯s Murim White Troops, Jeon Sochang.
Both titles referred to the same person.
Ghostly Demonic Divine Sword Jeon Sochang!
Jeon Sochang, now using his forgotten past title of Ghostly Demonic Divine Sword, was sixty years old.
Sixty was often said to be the age when one has umted life experience, matured in thought and judgment, and could ept others'' words.
However, for a martial artist, the age of sixty was unwee.
No matter how much one''s Inner Qi deepened to maintain youth, there were limits. The prime of the physical body had passed, muscle sticity decreased due to aging, and reflexes deteriorated.
It could be said to be the twilight years for a martial artist.
However, Ghostly Demonic Divine Sword Jeon Sochang wasn''t having any such gloomy thoughts at present. Rather, he was burning with passion while embracing a new life.For the great Gctic Divine Cult! For His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!!
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
Warriors of the decisive battle shouting with veins popping in their necks, matching the instructor''s chant. Of course, Jeon Sochang was among them.
"Those whose names I call, step forward!"
A strange madness. A strange excitement. A strange tension.
Everyone was lined up in rows and columns, staring at the instructor with burning eyes.
"Lee Pilbaek! Ryu Sacheon! Ma Gunpil! Cheong Hong-...."
Those whose names were called showed ecstasy on their faces as they headed towards the tform.
On the other hand, Jeon Sochang was anxious. What good was it that he had made a name for himself in his youth? The participation list was determined solely by current ability.
Jeon Sochang took a deep breath to calm his anxiety.
-I must be chosen.
If only I could see His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!
If only I could give this life for the Gctic Divine Cult!
What else would be needed?
Jeon Sochang, harboring a strange madness like the others.
However, there was no sign of his name being called, and he gradually became uneasy.
Please, please, please, please!
Did heaven perhaps hear his pleas?
Finally, his name was called.
"Lastly, Jeon Sochang. That''s all! The rest, prepare to return to the Eight Gates of Hell."
When his name was called, Jeon Sochang clenched his fist.
Yes!
"Kuaaak! This can''t be! Why was I left out?! My heart for His Imperial Majesty Karlstein is real! I won''t lose to anyone!"
"The Eight Gates of Hell again?"
"Grumble."
"Y-Your Imperial Majesty K-Karlstein!"
Although he had never seen him in person, His Imperial Majesty Karlstein was more familiar than his own name thanks to endless vod reviews and mental education!
"Huhahahahaha!"
"Finally!!"
"Great!"
"Phew...."
"Mother!!"
"O¡¯ heavens above!"
The martial artists whose names were called couldn''t hide their joy.
An overwhelming heart!
Uncontroble excitement!
Everyone was of one mind.
The instructor nodded as he looked at them and began to lead.
"Everyone follow me. You are experienced warriors who have passed strict criteria and proven correct ideology and perseverance. The shameful past of the Absolute Martial Unit has already been washed away."
Jeon Sochang recalled the past times as he followed the instructor.
He had participated in the raid on the cult as the Deputy Commander of the Absolute Martial Unit under the government''s orders.
However, the time before joining the cult was already like a discarded past.
The memories he was recalling were after joining the cult!
Welling up-
It was a grueling time.
All sorts of bizarre training equipment and mental education that pushed one to the limit of limits of limits.
After spending time close to his very limits, there was forced immersion in medicinal baths.
Zzzt-
A sensation as if the skin was being peeled off!
Pain as if entering a fire pit!
Strangely, whening out of the medicinal bath, fatigue would fly away and the whole body would recover.
And after that?
Straight back to training again.
After repeating this process countless times, one would create a body no less than that of a Master of the External Arts.
Bulge- Flex-
Even the skin that had sagged due to aging became revitalized.
To the point where the terrible pain of the medicinal bath became wee!
Now even needles couldn''t prate!
After that, one would enter a metal tube-like device for bodily measurements.
Based on the measurement results, each martial artist would receive appropriate drug injections. Not only that, but martial arts suitable for each individual''s characteristics would also be given.
Then what about the martial arts training?
Once again, one would enter the metal tube to forcibly(?) receive knowledge.
Although it was martial arts one had never known before, knowledge as if one had trained for decades would be instantly imprinted in the mind, and one would be able to perform it proficiently.
Of course, during this process, one would also be newly imprinted with the greatness of His Imperial Majesty Karlstein, the Gctic Empire, and the Gctic Divine Cult through mental education.
Although there was some initial resistance to the forceful injection that bordered on brainwashing.
Eventually, one couldn''t help but realize. This was grace, this was divine favor. If only one could serve His Imperial Majesty Karlstein by his side, one would even enter the pit of hell!
Afterpleting ideological verification as such, one would enter a ce called the Virtual Training Room(?).
A blunt, elongated metal cylinder that could barely fit one person lying down.
Upon entering there, a whole new world would unfold.
Ah...!
One would spend countless hours in a ce where hunger, thirst, and pain were not felt.
From learning to use all sorts of cutting-edge devices to training in the bestowed martial arts.
10 years, 20 years, 30 years.
Until they had mastered all of it.
After spending countless years like that anding out, everyone would be surprised.
-Not that much time passed?
But how could that be the end of it?
Embodiment.
As if the body, every single muscle, remembered everything learned there.
Of course, there was a feeling that the head had be a bit dull and simple, but this too was nothing for the sake of the omnipotent His Imperial Majesty Karlstein.
Then came countless Elixirs.
They were probably Elixirs brought in from all over the Central ins. After all, there was nothing the Gctic Divine Cult couldn''t do in the Central ins.
Originally, Elixirs shouldn''t be mixed and taken carelessly. However, as if even this had been considered, one would rapidly increase their Inner Qi and realm by eating Elixirs instead of meals.
It didn''t matter if one''s intellect decreased a bit.
One would enter the Virtual Training Room again and repeat the process untilpletion.
Although many martial artists dropped out and had mental breakdowns in the process, if one endured and withstood all those processes¡
The Profound Realm.
One would reach that supreme realm.
In the first ce, the Eight Gates of Hell could not be passed without reaching the Profound Realm.
After that, one would directly use the equipment practiced with for decades in the Virtual Training Room, going through all sorts of simtions like group battles, individual battles, special missions, and so on.
Only then would one graduate from the Eight Gates of Hell.
Jeon Sochang too had digested all of that, which was why he could proudly stand here.
The ce they arrived at while suppressing their overwhelming emotions.
"Equipment will be distributed here. You all know how to use it well, right?"
¡°"Yes!"¡±
Familiar equipment that felt like they had used for decades greeted him.
Weapons, Neutralizers, Skyboards, Suits....
"This is equipment issued to you individually. Let''s take a moment to pray to the great His Imperial Majesty Karlstein."
....
They took a moment to pray. Some shed tears, and some even fainted.
At the very least, everyone here must have the same feelings towards His Imperial Majesty Karlstein and the Gctic Divine Cult!
"Now then, it''s a bit early, but it''s time for actualbat."
"!!"
"The decision was made suddenly due to circumstances. However, this instructor doesn''t think you are unprepared. If you were, you wouldn''t have been able to graduate from the Eight Gates of Hell in the first ce."
Jeon Sochang felt his heart racing.
To think he could finally do something for His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!
And so.
After hearing the mission briefing andpleting all preparations¡
They were able to greet the Cult Leader.
A woman wearing a ck martial attire with dragon embroidery on the upper body and dark red metal armor on the lower body.
Ooh.
Truly a beauty descended from the heavens.
Although one might be captivated by her somewhat unique hair color and august beauty¡
The martial artists gathered here quickly shook it off.
Because they would soon be able to greet His Imperial Majesty.
Because they were about to face the most heart-pounding event in their lives.
The Cult Leader''s beauty was nothingpared to that.
"Then we begin."
After hearing the Cult Leader''s clear voice, they could witness her power with their own eyes.
Rip- Crack-
Tztztz-
Patztztz-
As space split open, a terrifying aura enveloped the surroundings.
E-Euk.
Their knees almost gave out, but those here were experienced warriors.
They might fall, but they would not retreat!
Thus, a door made of light was created in the void.
"The Dimensional Door cannot be maintained for long! Enter swiftly!"
They snapped to attention at the Cult Leader''s voice, which sounded exhausted.
Thump- Thump-
All those grueling times were for this moment!
For Him! For the Gctic Divine Cult!
Wasn''t it for this that they endured those times, to be of even the slightest help?
Now they were ready!
Now.
We''reing to meet you.
His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!
Long live the Gctic Divine Cult!
And so, after passing through the door made of light¡
Boom-
Bang-
Kuung-
Kwaaang-
They were utterly dumbfounded..
Jeon Sochang realized he had fallen into the midst of a mythical great battle that only appeared in legends.
"Kuak! Everyone, deploy Shields first!"
"Vanguard, follow me! Get on the Boards immediately!"
"If you stop, you die!"
Being in the Profound Realm would be helpful?
This is fucking insane.
That was a thought one could only have before actually encountering this.
Jeon Sochang, who had be an ordinary person among Immortals, hurriedly moved his body ording to orders.
But their hearts were all the same.
¡°"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"¡±
The confusion at the sudden situation was only momentary.
Fire burned in everyone''s eyes.
The fire of conviction to sacrifice oneself for the Gctic Divine Cult and His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!
And so, hundreds of SF Profound Realm martial artists entered ''World''.
Chapter 81: Murim White Troops (2)
Chapter 81: Murim White Troops (2)The mere act of standing there weighed down a heavy pressure on the entire body.
[You insects!]
They were strong. It was not easy to even move.
The illusion of a giant tree trunk covered the sky and fell. It was like Buddha''s hand descending.
Ugh! I must avoid it.
"Activate the Astral Neutralizers! It makes movement much easier!"
The Astral Neutralizers used before using the Dimensional Door.
They activated these Astral Neutralizers attached to their full-body Suits.
Tztztz-
As a multicolored force field enveloped their entire bodies, the pressure weighing them down decreased significantly.Tsupat-
Kuguung- Crack-
Even if they''re strong, it''s not impossible to face them!
"When attacking, you must imbue your attacks with Intent! Otherwise, the attacks won''t be effective!"
"For the Neutralizers, use weapons and ammunition that has even a small amount of Ether added!"
The Murim White Troops leaped around here and there using Footwork and Qinggong.
They were gradually adapting as they faced these beings that seemed like the Heavenly God.
Intent.
At the Profound Realm, everyone had some understanding of the Mind Sword. And the most important aspect of the Mind Sword was Intent.
There was no martial artist here who couldn''t handle Intent.
""Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!""
[Y-You... lowly human bastards!]
Boom- sh-
Tztztz- Tsupat-
Martial artists flying quickly through the sky riding Skyboards.
They were even engaging in extreme aerialbat, using techniques like Void Stepping to leave their Skyboards and return. They fought in the sky as if it were t ground.
"Abandon the greed to defeat them alone! We are the White Troops! Combine your strength!"
Originally, martial artists were very conservative when it came to Joint Attack Techniques.
However, there was absolutely no martial artist here who thought that way.
Their identity was not as martial artists, but as an army.
[Kuaaak!]
Concentrated bombardment of Force imbued with Intent beamed, and in between, Profound Realm martial artists leaped in to tear apart the enemies'' bodies.
"Starry Heaven Sword Technique!"
"Heaven-Shattering Nine Thunder Way!"
Peerless Divine Arts unique to each of them unfolded through their lightsabers, emitting dazzling shes of light.
With each strike, Imagery was imbued, condensing massive energy directed at the opponent.
[How dare you...! You insignificant beings!!]
"Hit and run!"
"Focus!"
The enraged silver giant swung its fist, but¡
"Use the sma Ether Bullets!"
"Everyone dodge! This time we¡¯ll use Ether Concentrated Shells!"
Swoosh-
"Hurry!! We¡¯re pulling out!!"
"Just a bit more!"
Boom-
Patztztztz-
Kuung-
All sorts of heavy firearms hit the enemies directly, dealing damage and obscuring their vision.
Those who had demonstrated their skills on Skyboards rejoined the main force and continued the raid.
"Focus all your efforts on drawing their attention and dispersing their focus!"
"Now''s the time!! Charge in! Stick close!!"
"For the Divine Cult!!"
They didn''t dare to be greedy about killing the silver giants.
They just needed to draw the giants'' attention and disperse it.
"Hold on!"
Of course, the existence of Profound Realm Murim Practitioners was quite irritating to the Sephiroth n.
[Th-These...!]
[Impossible!]
[Are even mortal beings at the level of Heroes of worlds?]
[Don''t let your guard down! As long as we''re careful, they''re not dangerous!]
[These bastards!!]
They would tackle one thing at a time. Whatever they could.
Just that was enough. Just that.
The Murim Practitioners frantically swept through the battlefield, asionally ncing towards a certain part of the battlefield.
Kuung-
Kwaaang-
[Kuaaak!!]
[S-Save me!]
[No! My Sacred Blood!]
[Kyaak! Dodge!]
[N-No!]
[That¡¯s not... human...!]
[Don''t panic!]
A battlefield where ughter was unfolding.
Although they couldn''t see clearly due to the distance and hazy fog, they could feel it.
That an enormous myth was unfolding.
A battlefield where giants wrapped in silver energy were being brutally burst apart.
Ah... His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!
Every time he swung his giant spear d in golden armor, the giants were busy screaming and having their bodies burst apart.
Kuguung-
A battlefield where massive red energy gushed up, dyeing the fog red.
He was in the center of that battlefield. He was fighting alone against such powerful enemies.
Their hearts swelled with pride.
"Hohhh...."
"I am in awe."
"As expected of the Gctic Divine Cult."
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
"His Imperial Majesty Karlstein!"
When they saw the battlefield where a mythical great battle was unfolding, strength welled up in their tired bodies.
"Hold on! Our role is just to protect!"
"Protect His Imperial Majesty''s pet dragon!"
"As expected, His Majesty is someone who even dominates dragons!"
"Don''t let even a speck of dust harm him!"
"Over there!! Focus!"
Meanwhile, YongYong, who heard their words, had an indescribable expression on his face. Of course, YongYong was also active, supporting the Murim Practitioners with magic.
"F-Fuck...."
It was hard to believe that such words came from the mouth of a noble dragon who never swore.
?LOLOLOLOLOLOL
?LOLOL PET DRAGON LOLOLOL
?ah, that''s not wrong though HAHHAHAHAH
?LMAOOOOO how far can the dignity of a dragon fall?
?ah, is this really the strongest creature in fantasy, a dragon? AHHAAHAHHA
?LOLOLOL
Unfortunately, themunity was connected at this time, so the broadcast was on.
"My entire life as a dragon...."
YongYong''s dejected and dumbfounded expression was transmitted in its entirety.
?being treated like a low-level mob is crazy HAHAAHHA
?LOL ah you''re just a walking treasure goblin! LMAO
?yeah, if you''re an SSS-ss Porter, you need to be protected.
?LOLOL the Oradge''s struggles to protect his inventory!
Of course, regardless of YongYong''s dejection, themunity users showed interest in the Murim White Troops.
?that''s insane bruh
?what is that?
?Artifacts?
?can''t you tell just by looking? lol
?are those actual mechanized infantry?
?Powered suits? Exoskeletons?
?they look to be in the Unrestrained Realm at the very least....
?Judging by what they said about Intent earlier, I''m guessing they''re at the Profound Realm.
?is that even possible?
?a Profound Realm unit of troops?
?ah.... if just one of those guys came to our world, world domination would be ez fucking p.
?That''s crazy.
?so fcking cool.
?is the country the Oradge rules a ce where guys like that are all over the universe?
?why do those lightsabers look so strong?
?It looks like they actually are strong. Even the giants are trying to avoid them.
The sight of hundreds of martial artists engaging in aerialbat while riding boards had its own charm.
shing lightsabers and brilliant beams embroidered the sky, various force fields unfolded, and countless explosions urred.
The emotions YongYong felt in the middle of this majestic battlefield were indescribable.
In reality, each soldier(?) seemed like someone who would be revered as a Hero in YongYong''s world.
Of course, the modifier "Hero" was only applicable among humans.
However, people in that very realm were forming groups and armies.
Even a dragon would have to lower its tail before them.
Poof-
Tztztz-
sh-
Woong-
Pshung pshung-
An unbelievable performance.
Judging by the fact that they could directly damage the giants, they had aspects that surpassed even YongYong himself.
They, wearing various equipment made of metal, engaged in fierce battles while embroidering the sky with explosions.
Even though magic didn''t work...
The thought that came to him was¡
"Cyborg Dragon...."
Deep anguish could be felt on YongYong''s face as he muttered to himself.
?what?
?that''s crazy work LMAOOOO
?r we gonna get a Metal Dragon? HAHAHAHA
?Let''s try begging the Oradge.
?YongYong! Snap out of it!
?The feels are real.
?LOLOLOL
?How romantic¡ How¡ sentimental¡ The vibes¡
?LOLOLOL
?YongYong, let''s get stic surgery from the Oradge!
Themunity users were just joking around, but YongYong was seriously considering it.
Anyway, that was something to worry aboutter.
For now, protecting the Oradge''s luggage(?) was the priority.
I''m definitely not hiding because I''m scared! It''s unavoidable if I want to protect the Oradge''s assets!
Dozens of warriors were positioned around YongYong.
They seemed to be elites even among the Cyberpunk Murim Practitioners.
It felt more like they were wearing robots made of thick metal rather than armor.
They seemed to be observing the front lines andmanding the battlefield without showing any agitation.
What on earth is going on...
asionally, when an enemy wrapped in silver energy tried tounch a surprise attack.
Woong-
[Zzzt-]
[Everyone, activate the small Ether Main Cannons.]
Woong-
Zzeong-
Light beams more powerful than any other weapon rained down.
Majestic light beams formed a fire, annihting the enemy''s body.
The enemy tried to charge in several times while reviving, but judging by the fact that they eventually gave up, it didn''t seem easy to break through.
Woong-
Patztztz-
The force field shield covering the surroundings also seemed to have an effect.
This is insane.
Still, they could somehow hold o-...
At that moment, an rm rang in YongYong''s mind.
Huh?
Looking around, it was clear that even the elite soldiers were flustered.
Everyone was looking up at the sky.
Ah...!
A giant silver club covering the entire sky.
"!!"
A massive club descending that felt divine enough to make one''s head bow involuntarily.
Something was different.
Is this what it''s like when the sky falls?
How to put it¡ It was as ifyers of space were being pushed and ovepping as they fell.
All the soldiers'' bombardments were directed towards the sky simultaneously. As high-level martial artists, they all had excellent reflexes.
A rain of bombardment.
However, the falling silver sky didn''t waver.
It was as if space was twisting, distorting their bombardments?
W-We need to dodge...
But where can we dodge when the sky is falling?
The blurry silhouette of a giant swinging down its club covered the entire sky.
And at that moment, a chilling aura enveloped the entire battlefield.
Everyone turned their gaze from the sky to look at one ce.
Karlstein Babylon.
The aura came from where he was.
Although martial artists who had reached a certain level could use their Inner Qi to not even blink at ordinary light, they all had to close their eyes.
Closing one''s eyes during battle was shameful.
But no one could think that way.
Was it to protect their own eyes?
Or to protect their souls?
An ancient golden sh exploded.
YongYong, the martial artists, and the enemies all had the same thought.
I''m going to die.
Save me.
Kill me.
Those on this battlefield were people who could handle Imagery to some extent.
They all felt the same thing.
My Imageries are copsing!
The reason they felt this way was certainly not because they were weak.
It was just the natural order.
It was like a phenomenon that just had to be epted.
The moment the golden sh pierced the sky.
The entire Murim White Troops knelt and offered prayers.
Ahhh, o¡¯ God Almighty.
They had no choice but to tremble in awe.
Chapter 82: Prohiden (1)
Chapter 82: Prohiden (1)"So it ends up like this after all?"
Karlstein''s clicking tongue broke the silence on the battlefield.
Fine golden cracks spread all over his body.
"Is this the limit?"
Hmm.
Karlstein looked around.
The battlefield was quiet.
The illusion of the unidentified club falling from the sky had disappeared without a trace.
The blurry silhouette swinging down the giant club vanished without even forming a proper shape after Karlstein''s single strike.
It was a moment when everyone was speechless, unable to believe the sight before their eyes.Thud thud-
Even the Sephiroth n trembled and couldn''t move carelessly.
Shock, horror, fear, anxiety.
All sorts of emotions were swirling within them.
Thud thud-
With each of his steps, his body gradually turned into golden ash and scattered.
Even as his body was copsing in real-time, he headed towards where the Murim White Troops had appeared.
The Murim White Troops were already gathered there, lined up in formation.
As if understanding without words, they knelt on one knee and bowed their heads, lined up on both sides.
Clink- Clink-
Karlstein felt a strange emotion as he looked at them, standing in formation without moving or making a sound.
Thus, he arrived at a ce where a crack was rippling in the void.
Tztztz- Patztztz-
The crack, which was initially less than 10m, had now expanded to a height of 100m.
Thud-
Thud-
Thud.
The moment he arrived.
A massive metal object began toe through.
Patztztztz-
Patztztztz-
As if the size of the crack was barely enough, the metal object wasing through slowly.
A round metal ring?
A ring that looked like aplex assembly of machines.
Inside the round ring was a smaller ring.
And inside the smaller ring was an even smaller ring.
A huge metal facility that looked like a disk formed by rings came out through the crack.
The Gctic Empire''s recentlypleted masterpiece.
The Gctic Empire''s prepared Automatic Interception Turret for the war against Kaiju.
''KAI''.
Woong-
The machine devices forming the metal rings began to operate, shing blue lights.
Woong-
Right after, a figure walked out of the crack.
The leader of the Gctic Divine Cult.
A Moderator of the Integrated Dimensional Community.
It was Virdel.
For some reason, her entire hair had turned white.
She tried to hide her exhausted appearance as she crossed the crack and stepped on the ground.
Tsupat-
The crack disappeared immediately after.
She raised her head and stopped moving the moment her eyes met his.
"!!"
"You came?"
Karlstein, with golden cracks all over his face, weed her.
***What would it feel like to face him directly?
Would the emotions I''m feeling now change?
I won''t know until I face him.
"..."
I feel nervous.
What if this terrible hatred for humans doesn''t disappear even when I meet him?
That''s why I''m scared too.
What if he feels just like any other human even when I meet him?
I would be a little... no, very sad.
Because there would be no human I could like in this world, including myself.
Humans are still so disgusting.
Although thanks to Overhaul Rebirth, memories of the past feel like ancient history, this proposition remains unchanged.
The ashen emotions I feel because of this.
Loneliness? Solitude? Despair?
Emotions stemming from the fact that there isn''t a single human I can like, with no rtives left.
The emptiness of feeling like I''m alone in the world.
If there was even one human in this world that someone like me could like.
Then perhaps¡
But I still don''t know. Emotions are more subtle than one might think, so no answeres from just thinking about it in my head.
I''ll know when I meet him.
I really wanted to meet him.
The being who saved me.
Whoosh-
Her hair began to turnpletely white.
As the Dimensional Door activated, the Murim Practitioners began to cross over.
Tztztz-
She had to pour all her energy into maintaining the Dimensional Door.
"Hoo...."
It felt like all the energy in her body was being drained.
But she couldn''t end it here.
To go meet him, she had toplete the task he asked for.
After all the martial artists had crossed over, Virdel gripped her sword again.
"Even my full power isn''t enough."
She had to surpass her limits.
He had said it was okay to juste over if it seemed impossible, but she couldn''t do that. She didn''t want to show even a hint of negligence in meeting him.
Hydra, which had only covered her lower body, fully activated and covered her entire body.
It''s been a while.
Since reaching a certain realm, she had tried not to use the upper body armor as much as possible to reduce dependence on the armor.
This was possible because she had be ustomed to handling Ether.
[Ether Output - 105%]
[Ether Output - 110%]
[Ether Output - 120%]
.
.
[Ether Output - 148%]
The Ether sleeping in her body circted inside and outside her body along with the armor''s Power Source.
Tztztz-
Behind her was a metal structure supported by hundreds of martial artists.
Its height exceeded 30 zhang.
A crack of moderate size wouldn''t be enough to pass that through.
"Hoo...."
The air around her became heavy, and small stones began to float up.
Right after, as she unleashed a strike, the Dimensional Interface split and the crack expanded.
Kuguung- Crack-
Her vision went dark and she felt dizzy.
"Ugh."
She did it.
"What are you doing! Move quickly! The Cult Leader is waiting!"
"Be careful there!"
"Move faster!"
"Pull the rope!"
After transmitting the structure he had asked for, she barely regained her senses and took a step forward, calming her trembling heart.
Woong-
He must be beyond this.
And the moment she met him, she could smile brightly.
Thank goodness. It is such a relief.
***Crack- Crack-
His body crumbled and scattered golden ash.
There wasn''t much time left.
The enemies were in a temporary lull, but they wouldn''t stay like that forever.
"Virdel. We don''t have much time."
"Th-That...!"
"Yeah. I don''t think I can hold on much longer."
"..."
Her smiling face hardened when she saw the fine golden cracks on his face.
"...I-Is it p-perhaps that-"
"I''ll activate ''KAI'' for now. There shouldn''t be any problems with defense. You can handle it well, right?"
"...!"
"Then I''ll trust you."
His body was already half turned to ash and scattering.
Virdel''s eyes trembled uncontrobly.
Karlstein smiled and looked up at the sky. The huge metal structure floating above Virdel was moving.
The numerous rings forming the disk began to rotate, and red energy concentrated in the center.
Woong- Woong-
Beep-
Karlstein set up ''KAI'' using the Master Code that only the Emperor of the Gctic Empire could ess.
Although he couldn''t bring the entire main body, this was good enough to use as an automatic turret.
Beep- Beep-
He set the targets, set the allies, set the attack range, modified the power settings and Virdel''s authority, and so on.
After activating ''KAI'', Karlstein smiled faintly at her.
"If you look around the battlefield, there should be a silver club. Make sure to get it."
With those final words, he began to turn into golden ash.
Virdel, who watched hisst but notst moments...
Felt a hot emotion. An intense emotion felt from each and every cell.
Filled with rage, Virdel looked around at the enemies on the battlefield.
As he, who had brought shock and terror to the battlefield, disappeared, they began to move one by one.
However, faster than that, a rain of destructive shes began to pour from ''KAI''.
Tztztztztz- Patztztztztz-
Tztztztztz- Patztztztztz-
KAI, shooting thick red lightning as if it had eyes.
[Kuaaak!]
[Keogek!]
[Wh-What is this!]
[This is insane!]
[What is that thing!]
The Murim White Troops began to move quickly in response.
She too gripped her sword firmly and began to move.
Her sword, which had reached beyond the Natural Realm, cut through space.
[Kuaaak!]
[Retreat!]
[Run away!]
[Request reinforcements!]
[Reporting to superiorses first!]
[Damn it!]
[Keuhaak.]
A silver rain began to fall.
***Near the Barrier of the Gctic Empire.
Boom- Boom-
Kwaaang-
sh-
Kwaaang-
[Repeating. This is Colony Delta B-7125. Zzzt- We can no longer... Zzzt- Zzzt- hold... Zzzt- Zzzt- on.]
Zzzt-
Themunication connection was not smooth.
"How...!"
How are those bastards here!
The person in charge of the colony couldn''t hide his despair as he looked out the window into space.
A giant eyeball wrapped in dark red flesh with membrane wings was staring at the colony.
Commonly known as an M-Sight.
A Named Type Entity that rendered all electromaicmunication devices useless. Even emergencymunications using Astral Signals are useless at close range.
What was even more despairing was that...
"How..."
A 15m tall Kaiju covered in smooth full-body armor.
One with a pair of arms and legs simr to a human body.
A starlight mane extending from the crown to the tail.
Prohiden.
A Double Number Kaiju that nearly drove the once-powerful Asteria race to extinction with just its brief appearance.
Ahhh. Why? How?
I heard that one doesn''t act in groups, though...
Behind it, he could see three ultrarge Kaiju and countless Kaiju armies.
Shudder.
Despair.
Death.
Resignation.
Why? How?
How could they appear at the Barrier, evading the Empire''s eyes? At this time when the Empire''s Heroes have advanced beyond the Barrier for territorial expansion!
However, his questions went unanswered.
Because the moment No.17 Prohiden moved, the subjects that were capable of hearing an answer were all but annihted.
The ¡¶Chaos¡· camp had begun to move.
Chapter 83: Prohiden (2)
Chapter 83: Prohiden (2)
***"The 3rd Defense Line has been breached."
"M-Sight Entity confirmed. Switching to Emergency Internal Channel due to possiblemunication contamination."
"Stealth Minefield¡¯s annihtion confirmed."
"Two Division-ss Kaiju reactions confirmed in Delta B-2241 sector. Uncertain if that''s all."
Beep-
"Confirmedplete retreat until the Delta C-1540 Colony."
"Beginning instation of 5th Defense Line."
"4th Defense Line is also being reinforced. 72nd Fleet Division deploymentplete."
"Sector Delta C clear. No Kaiju visible so far."Beep-
Aria continued manipting the hologram screen without stopping her hand movements while listening to their reports.
Of all times.
To think this would happen when Master was away.
Beep-
Where did the problem arise? They should have been sufficiently prepared.
The 1st Territorial Expansion waspleted safely, and they were currently preparing for the 2nd Territorial Expansion.
Territorial Expansion wasn¡¯tpleted simply by nting a g.
A space would only be incorporated into the Gctic Empire''s territory when the Kaiju Appearance Detection System, Interception System, and Astral Signal Management System to prevent unauthorized Warps in advance were all installed andpleted.
This time, considering it was beyond the Barrier, they even installed the Automatic Interception Colony ''KAI''.
Yet, as if mocking this, Kaiju at the scale of a legion appeared near the Barrier.
"I guess Kaiju really can''t be taken lightly after all."
Aria''s brow furrowed.
She had spoken so confidently to Master.
As such, it was more than a little damaging to her pride.
This surprise attack by the Kaiju was no different from hitting the Gctic Empire from behind. There had been almost no Legion-ss Kaiju activity in the past few decades.
What caused them to move?
Is it because of the Empire''s advance beyond the Barrier?
But if that were the case, the Gctic Empire seemed to have retreated without much resistance when expanding its territory recently.
How to put it¡ It was not that there was no resistance, but more that there were no fatal counterattacks enough to escte the situation, so to speak?
Was it because they were too careless because of that?
No. Rather, it might be because they weren''t careless and gave it their all that this happened.
With most of the Gctic Empire''s Heroes deployed to the front lines, they might be aiming for the absence of Heroes. Moreover, even Master is absent.
So, the current surprise attack by the Kaiju Legion could be said to be a rather painful attack from the Empire''s perspective.
Well... Still.
Of course, this only applied to the line outside the Barrier. The Defense Line installed inside the Barrier couldn¡¯t be broken through with just one legion.
-Amunication connection request hase from Grand Duchess Cami.
Aria immediately epted themunication.
Amunication from one of the Great Heroes. It was wee news.
Beep-
"It''s been a while, Cami."
-Ssaek, ssaek.
Cami''s figure wearing a gas mask appeared beyond the screen.
-It''s been... a while.
"Unlike then, you seem to have lost your spirit. Where did the Cami-chan who used to corner Maxien go?"
-Sh-Shut up!
"By the way, you''re aware of the situation, right?"
-Y-Yeah....
"It''s not the time tough and joke around."
-That''s right.
"Does this mean you''re contacting us because...?"
-Yeah.... I''ll, go.
"Hmm."
There was a green-haired woman with a hood on the screen.
Although her expression couldn''t be seen properly due to the gas mask covering her nose and mouth, there was no fear in her eyes despite knowing the current situation.
"Will you be alright? No. 17 is absolutely not an opponent to be taken lightly."
-I-I know that too.
How could she not know?
A Named Entity.
Just being on the Empire''s Named Kaiju list meant it was no ordinary being. However, ''Prohiden'' was a whopping Double Number.
What''s more terrifying is that it had the Number 17.
Number 17.
One of the highest-ranking Entities even among Double Numberings.
Double Numbers were on a different level after the 50s.
After the 50s, the difference could be clearly felt between them even if the number changed by just one.
Moreover, if it was Number 17...
It was closer to a Single Number than a Double Number.
An opponent that was impossible to face alone.
"You''re in a rear position, aren''t you? It''s too dangerous to go out without other Heroes in the vanguard."
-T-That punk M-Maxien did it too, though....
"The Double Numbering Duchess Maxien managed to defeat alone was only No. 48. Besides, she is exceptionally skilled in that area. This is not a good opponent to face just out of a sense ofpetition."
-I-I know that too.
Did she truly understand properly? It was a whopping No. 17, after all.
An opponent that couldn¡¯t be mentioned lightly even as a joke.
"Even though you know, you..."
-Wh-What else can I do?
"..."
-I-If the Gctic Empire falls apart, h-he''ll be sad.
"Hmm."
-E-Eut!
"Is it the power of love?"
-E-Eek! It''s not like that! I-I just feel sorry for him, that''s all!
"Fufu. I understand. Then, I''ll leave it to you. Please avoid engagement as much as possible and just keep them in check."
Given Cami''s characteristics, she should be able to handle it well as long as she doesn''t let them close the distance.
-O-Okay.
"Still, please use proper honorifics when referring to His Majesty."
-E-Euk! O-Okay....
Hmm.
It was certainly true that if Cami Bashatiret stepped in, it would reduce the burden on the Empire.
Given the characteristics of her ability, she wouldn¡¯t go out alone.
Although she couldn''t bring her fleet under hermand right away due to the urgent return, when she went out to battle, she would lead an elite fleet.
That was her real ability that made her revered as a Great Hero of the Gctic Empire.
Yes. With her, there''s nothing to worry about.
"What a relief. I was wondering what to do."
Just having a single Great Hero deployed extremely increased stability.
By the way, when will Master return?
***Just the rumor that Cami Bashatiret was joining brought vigor to the battlefield.
"Hold on! We just need to hold on! Lady Cami ising!"
"Is this all you''ve got! Pull yourselves together!"
"Don''t give up! We just need to reach the backup point. Everyone, stay alert!"
"Hold on somehow! If we just hold on, the Empire will gain ten times the time! Dy as much as possible until we solidify the defense line!"
Everyone started to gain strength. They just needed to hold on until she arrived!
Just a little more!
Just one more enemy!
Cami was the most battlefield-specialized ability user among the Great Heroes.
Naturally, her joining was something to wee with open arms for the soldiers active on the front lines.
Zzzt-
However, there were things that couldn''t be done with will alone. If everyone could ovee trials with will alone, there would have been no wars in human history.
[This is Delta B-7258. The location of M-Sight is currently unknown. However... at least 3 Division-ss Kaiju are surrounding us, and no ultrarge Kaiju types are visible.]
Zzzt-
[Reporting that the colony''s main resources and personnel have safelypleted evacuation.]
Zzzt-
[This is Delta B Command Room. ...Will you be alright, Colonel?]
Zzzt-
Thosemunicating now knew. The one rying the colony''sst moments couldn''t retreat.
The person in charge of Delta B-7258 voluntarily stayed behind alone to fulfill his duty until the very end.
[...So it was you, Major. Haha.]
[Colonel...]
[Please take care of my family on Isengard.]
Zzzt-
[...I salute you, Colonel, for fulfilling your responsibility to the very end. Please don''t worry about your family. Thanks to you, and only you, they will live in a safe ce, more abundantly than anyone else. I will personally ensure they are looked after until the end.]
[Thank... you. Then... goodbye.]
Click-
When he pressed the cold metal button, themunication connection was cut off. This was necessary to preventmunication contamination from M-Sight.
He wanted to leave more final words, but.
"Hoo...."
Hundreds of screens connected to the colony were disconnected one by one and destroyed. In the glimpses of visible screens, Kaiju were breaching the colony''s defense systems.
He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a faded photograph. It had turned yellow from being taken out and looked at every time he went out.
"Don''t forgive your father. And I''m sorry, honey."
Zzzt- Pop!
Zzzt- Pop!
The more disconnected monitors there were, the closer death approached. As he was taking in the Kaiju legion through the few remaining screens...
"!!"
Something caught his eye.
Is that...?
A Named Entity not in the reports?
His pupils trembled finely.
The impact of just one Named Entity is indescribable. The appearance of an entity that hadn''t been reported until now implied many things.
But had God perhaps not abandoned him just yet?
sh-
A fierce beam of light fell, drawing a strange curve above the Kaiju legion.
Boom-
As if it wasn''t too far away, the aftermath of the explosion reached the colony''s main control room.
Kuung- Thud- Thud-
The beams of light increased one by one.
The Colonel could realize something.
"Ah...!"
Cami Bashatiret.
It was her.
Kuguung- Kuung- Thud-
Beams of light fell like rain, and soon the main cannons formed a fire, striking the enemy camp.
sh-
shes that couldn''t be fully captured on screen burst out all over the battlefield, dyeing the screens white.
Zzzt-
[Is there anyone still left?]
Ah...! O¡¯ God!
The Colonel felt an indescribable excitement as he received themunication.
Zzzt-
[Th-This is Colonel Matteo, the person in charge of Colony Delta B-7258.]
[Mhm. Good work.]
The voice of a little girl.
But he received greatfort from that voice.
Cami Bashatiret.
Head of the Executive Department.
Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Special Task Force.
Cami, a Great Hero of the Gctic Empire, had arrived.
sh-
Ultra-long-distance sniping, from a distance that couldn''t even be estimated, shot down the Named Types positioned among the Kaiju legion.
sh- Boom-
But was that all? No.
The Kaiju waves began to be swept away by the movement of a fleet moving like a single organism.
Only then could Colonel Matteo wipe his face with trembling hands.
[Th-Thank you!]
Zzzt-
[Don''t mention it.]
With this attack, the Gctic Empire''s first proper counterattack in this raid had begun.
***"Hmm."
Countless red dots formed a three-dimensional battle formation in front of Cami''s eyes.
ordingly, she busily manipted the panel, inputting the fleet''s movement routes and attack timings down to the minute.
Manuallymanding the entire fleet from a distance?
Some might say it''s impossible, but for her, it was a different story.
Of course, the detailed movements would be handled by the crew on board.
"This one is in the way, huh?"
The Ether weapon fixed above her shoulder began to concentrate ultra-high-density Ether.
"Hmm. This one is also in the way. This one will be for the next shot..."
The moment a satisfied smile appeared on the lips of the little girl muttering softly.
A sh of Ether covered the surroundings.
The hearts of 24 Named Type Kaiju and a Triple Numbering Kaiju in its path were pierced through.
And at that moment¡
Somewhere in a secluded part of the battlefield¡
A Kaiju that had been closing its eyes opened them, revealing a glow that radiated purple light.
Chapter 84: Prohiden (3)
Chapter 84: Prohiden (3)
***No. 17 Prohiden.
Even among the 10s, Prohiden''s presence was by no means light.
Originally, the academic consensus was that Kaiju only evolved as designed from birth. The theory was that even Higher Order Entities had limits to their growth and didn''t exceed their designed range.
However.
There was an incident that overturned such academic announcements.
That was Prohiden''s first debut.
Prohiden, who had been registered as No. 9986, entered the Triple Numbering in just a few years.
That alone surprised everyone in academia, but...
-You''re saying it gained an additional Unique Ability?-A Kaiju that grows so rapidly... And an adult at that...
-This is clearly an Irregr. It''s an impossible growth rate.
-We must eliminate it. As quickly as possible.
-Still, there should be limits to its growth, right? Once they leave the Larval Stage and be full adults, there''s almost no growth.
-Who knows. It might not be a full adult yet.
-It doesn''t make sense data-wise.
-Perhaps... it might be in the process of evolving into a Complete Form.
-Complete Form...
-It''s too early to discuss that. It''s just a theory.
-Is there any other way to exin the current situation?
Higher Order Kaiju went through 3 stages of evolution: Larval, Subadult, and Adult. The Complete Form was merely a theoretical realm that took into ount Single Numbers.
Even the act of researching Single Numbers wasn''t easy.
At any rate, the academic opinion converged on one point.
That creature must be dealt with.
There was no opposition to this.
However, humanity had always been on the defensive against Kaiju, and taking an offensive stance such as invading their home base was nearly impossible.
-We need to prepare ambushes at all points where it''s expected to appear. So we can intercept it at any time.
-We need to install an permanently-connected emergencymunicationwork and respond organically.
-The cost won''t be small.
-Is cost the issue right now?
-Even the Gctic Empire isn''t infinite.
-Still, we need to raise the priority on this issue even if we have to push ourselves. It''s too dangerous. A Kaiju that grows so rapidly...
-Hmm. Even so, there are already many dangerous Entities among Double Numberings. Aren''t we currentlycking in preparation for them as well?
-That''s true, but...
While such debates were going back and forth, and preparations were being made to surely eliminate it...
-It has appeared on Ste of the Asteria race.
-What? Is that true?
-M-Mmm!
-After not being seen for a while...
-Isn''t this rather an opportunity?
-If it''s Ste, even it shouldn''t be able to do anything.
-We can trust the Asterians.
-Rather, we should provide additional support to prevent it from escaping...
However, unbelievably, Ste fell before they could even lift a finger.
Prohiden, who single-handedly brought one of the most powerful cosmic races, the Asteria, to near extinction, was subsequently registered as a Double Number.
Its unbelievable growth rate instilled a sense of crisis in the Gctic Empire''s upper echelons, and they btedly tried to kill it, but...
In the L¨¹pir Star System Operation, where the Single Number Subjugation Campaignmenced, the bastard managed to achieve something and killed the Double Number 17 ''Soiati'', who was also a Kaiju, before disappearing quietly.
Thus, the Gctic Empire had no choice but to ce Prohiden in the vacant 17th position.
It was also irregr for a Higher Order Kaiju to kill another Higher Order Entity.
Including its absurd growth rate, it was an anomalous being even among all sorts of Kaiju.
It was too dangerous. How much it had grown had not been urately revealed until now.
However, after witnessing scenes where it seemed to receive orders from other Double Numbers, they could only specte that it hadn¡¯t reached the level of Single Numbers, also called the Complete Form.
Moreover, as if it had some restrictions, it particrly didn''t touch civilians. This also became a reason for lowering the Gctic Empire''s vignce, but...
An Irregr was still an Irregr.
From the Gctic Empire''s perspective, Prohiden was an existence as irritating as a thorn in their foot.
Of course, Cami would know these facts, so she would only keep it in check from ultra-long distances, avoiding engagement as much as possible.
The Heroes who were at the front lines had started to return one by one, and Aria had finished her own preparations, so there shouldn''t be any worries.
It should have been so, but...
***Beep- Beep-
Beep- Beep-
Sharp mechanical sounds ringing regrly in sync with heartbeats.
Karlstein looked down at the girl submerged in the solution inside the pure white capsule before him.
Beep- Beep-
A green-haired woman was submerged in the solution, half-naked with a respirator attached, creating bubbles.
Beep- Beep-
Bubble- Bubble-
The girl, with her left arm blown off and arge hole in her abdomen, showed no signs of opening her eyes.
"Cami..."
How did she...
He had been with Cami for a long time, just like Maxien.
Unlike Maxien, who showed sharp noble dignity in public, Cami was a child who couldn''t control social distance whether in public or private.
-Karl! Let''s y one more round! Next time you''ll be able to win!
-Ehehe.
-I don¡¯t want to! Go away!
-I-I can do it too!
-Hiiing.
Cami, who was like a youngest sister to him.
Seeing her submerged in the capsule solution without even being able to open her eyes made his blood boil.
"Hoo...."
A red light shed momentarily in the sigh Karlstein let out.
"Who did this to her?"
[It was No. 17 Prohiden.]
Aria''s voice was heard through the silence of the recovery room under the strict protection of the Imperial Pce.
"Cami wouldn''t have engaged recklessly, though?"
As his anger rose, the air waspressed downwards, and the recovery room shook slightly.
[Master, please calm down. It''s not good for Cami.]
At Aria''s calm voice, the aura rising from Karlstein gradually subsided.
The opponent was No. 17 Prohiden.
It was a top-tier Entity that even Karlstein wouldn''t find easy to deal with alone.
[We were overwhelmingly winning the battle, but...]
"Are you saying it was bait?"
[It is not certain.]
"..."
Saying it was not certain meant... there was a sufficient possibility.
"But Cami should have been able to retreat safely, right?"
[Cami pushed herself too hard trying to evacuate the fleet, and then...]
"So that''s what happened?"
Beep- Beep-
Karlstein''s eyes sank deeply.
She was always a rather affectionate girl, after all.
"It''s unlikely they deliberately targeted Cami.... What about their movements?"
[Currently, Prohiden and other Special Entities have hidden themselves, and their exact locations are unknown.]
"M-Sight..."
From the Gctic Empire''s perspective, it was more troublesome than Named Entities.
"We can''t use Nova near the Barrier either."
There are many constraints in various aspects.
"Still, we have to do what we must."
[What shall we prepare?]
Karlstein stroked the capsule with his hand.
"Gather all avable forces."
[....]
"Issue a mobilization order."
[I will prepare ordingly.]
Karlstein turned his back on the capsule.
"Prepare Weapon No. 0 too."
[That''s...]
Ether Weapons had unique code numbers.
Karlstein Babylon, in particr, was famous for using various unique Ether Armaments.
[The after-effects won''t be small, though?]
"It''s just insurance."
[Master....]
Although he clearly said so, Aria could tell that Karlstein intended to use the ''Weapon No. 0''.
How could she not know after all the years they''ve spent together?
''Weapon No. 0'' was a weapon used even in the Single Number Subjugation Campaign.
It was Karlstein''s Exclusive Ether Weapon that took at least a year to recharge for reuse.
[...Understood.]
Aria could understand Karlstein''s will.
In fact, such arge force wasn''t necessary to hunt down just one Legion-ss group of Kaiju.
Nevertheless, Karlstein''s decisive action was...
It was probably the minimum courtesy for a Great Hero who had protected the Gctic Empire.
Karlstein strode out of the Imperial Pce without hesitation.
***Beep- Beep-
Bubble- Bubble-
The silent recovery room after Karlstein left.
Swoosh-
As the door to the recovery room opened, a silver-haired woman in uniform entered.
ck- ck-
Where she stopped was in front of the recovery capsule containing Cami Bashatiret.
Aria folded her arms and gave a sideways nce.
Beep- Beep-
She gazed at the green-haired girl who had suffered severe injuries.
At that moment.
The girl slowly opened her eyes.
Bubble- Bubble-
Bubble- Bubble-
Bubbles rose from Cami''s mouth.
"Haah...."
As Aria manipted the panel, a change urred in the respirator inside the capsule, and the girl''s voice could be heard.
[D-Did he leave?]
"He should be in the midst of preparing for the expedition by now."
[Keung! Th-Thank you.]
"It was partly my mistake too. I should have prepared more perfectly."
[No. B-Because of me, we....]
Cami, looking gloomy but also embarrassed.
Aria let out a small sigh at that.
"Haah. I granted your request, but Master has probably already noticed to some extent."
[Hueek?]
"Master is never one to be foolish."
[S-So embarrassing!]
Aria shook her head.
"Still, your injuries aren''t light."
[Th-This much will heal quickly!]
"Anyway, you heard him, right?"
[E-Eut!]
Although her mind was hazy due to the ongoing drug administration, Cami clearly remembered.
That moment when he showed anger for her sake.
Bubble- Bubble-
Suddenly, bubbles rapidly formed from her mouth, and her face turned red enough to be visible even through the ss.
"At any rate."
[....]
"Do not forget you owe me one."
[O-Okay.]
"Anyway, get plenty of rest for now. You need to recover quickly to help Master, don''t you?"
[Y-Yeah....]
Leaving behind Cami who had fallen asleep, Aria shook her head and left the recovery room.
Although Cami had thrown a childish tantrum out of embarrassment, her injuries weren''t light, to the extent that it would be believable if she were said to be in aa.
That was why there was some leeway given.
Of course, there was no disagreement about having created a small secret from Master, but¡
Everything is for Master''s sake.
There was not the slightest fluctuation on Aria''s face.
Chapter 85: Prohiden (4)
***sh-
The fleet''s simultaneous fire swept away the Kaiju.
The Kaiju legion''s advance halted under the power of the main cannons forming a fire.
Thud- Thud- Thud-
Missiles poured from the battleships, tracing arcs as theyunched forward, and flight squadrons deployed from each battleship, densely filling the battlefield.
[Spare silo chargingplete. Second bombardment ready.]
[No abnormalities in the Cooling Reactor.]
[One minute until effective firing range.]
[Implement responsive maneuvers, and authorize free fire upon reaching effective range.][Grade 4 Ether Concentration detected at marked coordinates.]
[Prepare for impact.]
[Ether Shield activation at 40%.]
Communications came in one after another.
The Kaiju couldn''t put up much resistance. They were swept away in droves, turning into cosmic dust. They looked as if their bodies were frozen, unable to even properly maintain bnce.
Of course, that was because of¡
Gooo-
The Imperial Ship at the very front.
The Kaiju couldn''t keep up with the golden wavelength emitted from the Imperial Ship.
A ship said to be operable only by Karlstein Babylon, the Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
On the bridge of the Imperial Ship, Karlstein was infusing Ether into the Ether Amplification Device in real-time, projecting a faint golden wavelength across the entire battlefield.
It was a wavelength with such a heavy presence that even allied soldiers felt their knees weaken.
Some might scoff at being intimidated by mere presence, but¡
He was different.
After experiencing the Single Number Subjugation Campaign, He had changed somehow.
It wasn''t just psychological pressure, but a truly overwhelming aura that made one''s legs tremble.
Ordinary people without considerable courage couldn''t even face Him. Moreover, now He was amplifying the Ether wavelength while raising His presence to the fullest.
It couldn''t be anything but a disaster for the Kaiju side.
And that wasn''t all.
Countless space battleships densely filled the cosmos.
An endless wave of ships was advancing, easily chewing through the Kaiju. The Kaiju forces weren''t even allowed to retreat. They were just being one-sidedly beaten.
"It''s been a long time since we''ve seen His Majesty so angry."
"It''s natural for him to be this angry, given the rumors that Grand Duchess Cami was injured."
"Hoo.... Have I grown old? Just keeping up with His Majesty is exhausting now."
"Well, His Majesty''s Ether is special after all."
"Let''s hang in there a bit more. It''s tough for us, but it must be hell for those Kaiju bastards."
"Haha. Let''s go kill them."
Although the golden wavelength couldn''t help but affect allies too, it was still bearable. This was because Ether Wave Neutralization Devices were installed on all the space battleships mobilized this time.
"But we don''t see many Named Entities."
"If Grand Duchess Cami was injured, there should be quite a few, right?"
"He might have dealt with them first."
"Is that so?"
Like their thoughts, Karlstein also felt something was off, making him feelplicated.
What was he missing?
How to put it¡ It almost felt like something essential was missing.
Then a thought suddenly urred to him.
Come to think of it, although they had seeded in invading the Barrier, they didn''t enter the interior. Was it really because of the Gctic Empire''s defense facilities?
No.
This Kaiju attack clearly had a purpose. Setting aside what exactly that was, wasn¡¯t it strange that after managing to capture the area near the Barrier, they didn''t take any follow-up measures and just waited quietly?
There weren''t many nt Mother Types that contaminated entires either.
It also didn''t quite add up that they attacked the rear to check the Gctic Empire''s second advance.
If that were the case, the frontline outside the Barrier should have been shaken simultaneously with Prohiden''s invasion, but it was progressing smoothly without any problems.
"That¡¯s right. It feels like it¡¯s something like..."
A separate unit...?
"Hmm..."
How to put it¡ Kaiju had always acted like a single collective, but this time it felt like Prohiden''s own separate unit, so to speak?
[Recapture of Sector B-8129plete.]
[No reactions of Kaiju appearances at current location C-5644.]
[Beginning recapture of Sector B-6672.]
Looking at the iing reports, he started to get a sense of something.
It seemed Aria had noticed the same thing.
[They''re buying time.]
"Using one legion as bait?"
[Well, who knows? Kaiju have rarely shown this kind of behavior pattern.]
"..."
Prohiden wasn''t visible, but the others were being steadily incinerated. The Gctic Empire was quickly recovering the area near the Barrier.
"We''re not seeing as many Named Entities as expected either."
If that was the case¡
This won''t do.
"Aria, prepare the fastest speedboat."
[...Are you thinking of infiltrating alone?]
"If they''re buying time, we just need to do the opposite."
Infiltrating deep into enemy territory alone was nothing short of madness, but...
[I shall have the necessary devices installed.]
Karlstein was different. He hadn''t volunteered to take the position of a tank for nothing.
"Prepare Weapon No. 0 and No. 6 too."
[Yes, understood.]
No. 6 was a bnced armamentbination of a spear and shield that Karlstein used when taking the front lines personally.
"Just prepare the fleet to open the way, and I''ll depart immediately."
[...Understood.]
Of course, Aria wouldn''t be pleased with Karlstein entering enemy territory alone.
It was inevitable that a slightly pouty tone leaked through.
[Your stubbornness is unstoppable, Master.]
"Look like I can finally use my body for the first time in a while."
***Somewhere near the Barrier.
A Kaiju with a starlight mane was sitting on the back of an ultrarge Kaiju, intently observing something.
Zzzrr- Zzzrr-
A tinum-colored egg emitting a strange wavelength.
Thump- Thump-
The tinum-colored egg was pulsating, contracting and rxing slightly as if it were alive.
Prohiden had been watching the egg carefully enshrined in the nest for a while.
Then.
Thud. Thud.
As careful footsteps were heard, someone approached.
A Higher Order Kaiju covered in red carapace knelt before him and bowed its head.
Swoosh-
Prohiden, a purple light in its eyes, quietly listened to the red Kaiju''s report.
Nod.
At Prohiden''s slow reaction, the red Kaiju rose.
The tinum-colored egg briefly entered the red Kaiju''s field of vision.
Pause.
The red Kaiju''s eyes trembled for a moment before regaining stability.
Soon, the red-carapaced Kaiju began to retreat.
But at that moment¡
Puhaaak-
The starlight mane pierced through the red Kaiju''s heart.
As the red Kaiju turned its head with a creaking sound, The flickering purple light of Prohiden¡¯s gaze was thest thing reflected in its eyes.
Thud-
The fallen red Kaiju never opened its eyes again.
Prohiden looked down at the red Kaiju.
How impudent. To dare harbor greed.
As Prohiden waved its hand, the red Kaiju''s corpse turned to dust and scattered.
Prohiden returned to the egg''s side and began to gaze at it again.
There''s no time.
It''s dangerous.
He ising.
Bait is just bait.
It might buy some time, but it won''t be able to stop Him.
The purple eyes gazing at the egg flickered dimly.
It must be protected at all costs.
Even fellow Kaiju can''t be trusted.
It can''t be hidden any longer either.
To do that, it needed to use that passage that was currently blocked to escape.
As purple-eyed Prohiden twitched its finger, dark red flesh rose from the floor and carefully covered the tinum-colored egg.
Just a little longer.
***"Hmm."
[Yong-hi! Isn''t it about time you stopped teasing?]
[Dragon''s pride, my foot. I''ll acknowledge it if you can say the same thing in front of the Oradge.]
[I worked hard today too. It actually felt like hell.]
[Oh oh. A million Point donation if I interview that person passing by?]
[Wait a moment.]
Zzzt-
[Did you call for me?]
The screen showed a martial artist wearing martial attire and carrying all sorts of mechanical devices.
[Could we perhaps do an interview?]
[A-An interview? What''s that?]
[Well, you see....]
YongYong on the screen nced sideways at someone. At a woman in red armor sitting cross-legged in meditation.
[Um... The Blu-, no. I mean. Do you perhaps know anything about your Cult Leader-]
Karlstein chuckled and ended the broadcast.
Themunity was abuzz with all sorts of spective posts about the Oradge and stories about World, where YongYong was.
He''s doing well, huh.
Karlstein closed the Integrated Dimensional Community.
When he first opened his eyes after the body he possessed dissipated, the signal seemed unstable, but now it was connecting again.
Hmm.
He had only checked because he had a moment of free time.
After all, right now, it was a wartime situation.
Naturally, it was right to focus on the current matter.
"What''s our current location?"
[Two hours until the target point.]
"Hmm..."
The target point was the middle of an area estimated to be where the Kaiju were gathered.
Karlstein''s head tilted slightly as he examined the 3D map marked in red.
"This ce is..."
[Do you have any ideas as to what it is?]
A point at the edge of the map, not marked in red, caught his eye.
"Isn''t this where those Sephiroth bastards came before? Though it''s quite far."
[It is not exact, but it is nearby.]
"Hmm..."
Karlstein was silent for a moment before his eyes suddenly lit up.
"Right. We shouldn''t just consider Kaiju and the Gctic Empire in the same way we did before."
[What do you mean?]
"Let''s modify our route. We need to stop by that ce first."
[Understood. Modifying the route. Estimated time to arrival is 7 hours 48 minutes 12 seconds.]
"Can''t be helped even if we take a bit of a detour."
Only then did Karlstein nod and lie downfortably.
"Aria."
[What is it?]
"From what I could see from YongYong, he seemed to be earning surprisingly well. Should I start streaming too?"
[....]
"I could replenish some of the Ether I used this time too."
Karlstein scratched his chin.
"If I do some donation reactions, couldn''t I make a big score? Haha."
[Do as you please.]
"Hahaha."
Though it was unbelievable for someone infiltrating enemy territory alone, they were still as peaceful as ever.
Chapter 86: Prohiden (5)
Chapter 86: Prohiden (5)¡°This isn¡¯t as easy or convenient as I make it out to be, you hear?¡±
nk-
Boom-
A powerful shockwave erupted from one of the panels floating near Karlstein, sending nearby Kaiju flying back.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Then, another panel crackled with energy, emitting a stark white maic field.
¡°Skreeee!¡±
The two Kaiju Karlstein had targeted were pulled into the maic field.
Slice-
He lightly swung his spear, lopping off the heads of the Kaiju.¡°I do admit though, they¡¯re handy to have around.¡±
Zzzzt-
Red electric current sparked from three more panels, firingsers that raked the ground.
Fwoosh- Fwoosh- Fwoosh-
The thick, scorchingsers left nothing but ash in their wake. And as if taking turns, more panels started to shootsers, ravaging the area.
Kaboom- Zzzzt- Fwoosh-
The 24 panels hovering around Karlstein were all working busily.
¡°But these are controlled only through Telepathy, so I bet it¡¯d take you guys a while to get used to.¡±
?¡.
?look at ¡®em go.
?is this what one-man party hunting is all about?
?he¡¯s controlling all 24 himself?
?Sword Intent?
?Oradge-sensei has his gear do all the work for him.
?Didn¡¯t those things shrug off missiles like nothing? They¡¯re just melting, aren¡¯t they?
?personal gear that¡¯s stronger than a space battleship¡?
¡°That battleship is a speedboat type, so it¡¯s a bit on the weaker side.¡±
?my guy¡ if a spaceship that shoots thousands of missiles is weak then¡
?What kind of Kaiju survives getting hit by those?
?space kaiju, obviously lol
?But isn¡¯t it slightlycking for an AOE?
¡°Well¡ they can do this kinda thing too.¡±
The 24 panels gathered together, centering on the spear Karlstein held, and formed a massive cannon barrel. He grabbed the handle, pushed in Ether, and a sphere of tremendous energy began to form before him.
Pzzzt-
The asteroid Karlstein stood upon cracked, and pieces of rock flew up.
?it couldbine as well lmao
?What can¡¯t it do? It even helped him move earlier.
?automatic tforms that can go all directions¡
?that started out as a shield lolol.
?A shield attached to his spear at that.
?is it some 15-stage transformation shield or what¡?
A red light erupted from the gun barrel.
Zzzaang-
The recoil was powerful to the point of throwing Karlstein backward, and the st was bright enough topletely block his vision.
Thousands of Kaiju along the path of the light were consumed by mes, rendered to ashes.
Boooom-
It took moments before the light finally died down, destroying the heart of a colossal Kaiju hundreds of kilometers long.
?whoa, it¡¯s falling, it¡¯s falling!
?1 shot. KEK
?now you see it, now you don¡¯t.
?ayo wasn¡¯t that a huge mfing kaiju?
?I didn¡¯t notice because the perspective is a little off¡ but wouldn¡¯t it be the size of the average country?
?If that appeared in our world, it¡¯d be the end.
?the heck, but didn¡¯t he kill it easier than licking icecream?
?Isn¡¯t it just big?
?ainnoway bro lmao
?so, Mister Oradge! are you not selling that 15-stage transforming shield?!
?can I get the equipment Oradge uses if I gacha hard?
?what do you think lololol
?shit, and here¡¯s me needing to put on a shit show to kill a single ogre.
?You don¡¯t even need 24. If you had just one of those¡
¡°Hmm. A 15-stage transforming shield¡ that¡¯s not exactly wrong. It can even do this.¡±
Karlstein let go of the cannon barrel and it split apart, each piece starting to attach to his full-body armor.
nk- nk-
Whir- nk-
Karlstein appeared to have doubled in size. Starting from pauldrons, the panels formed a breastte, vambraces, greaves, and even wings on his back.
Thump. Thump.
The ground cracked with each step he took.
?wut?
?It¡¯s abining robot this time¡?
?uhh¡?
?iIt¡¯s kinda childish¡ but the power is insane¡
?R O M A N C E.
?ikr lol why is it¡¯s performance so good.
[Switching to Speed Mode]
Chzzk-
The panels attached to his full-body armor changed into a streamlined form, revealing boosters.
Blue light burst from the boosters, signaling their activation.
?whew.
?LOL boosters LMAOOO
?bro¡¯s got it packed with everything lol
?and you wouldn¡¯t buy it? kek
?rofl i¡¯ll bark like a dog if he sells
¡°Mm. Don¡¯t know if your eyes can keep up.¡±
Zfft-
And then he was gone.
???
??
?uh. So this is how Oradge views the world?
?I think he¡¯s living in a different timeline?
?can¡¯t see anything
?yo Oradge fix the camera! i can¡¯t see shit!
Kaboom- Boom- Pfff- Boom- Rumble-
As Karlstein began to move, it appeared as if the Kaiju were being wiped out by an eraser.
?holy shet. I pity the Kaiju.
?I¡¯m from the Kaiju Rights association. Please cease this massacre.
?M A S S A C R E.
?Stop! I can¡¯t see a thing!
?How fast is he moving?
?at the speed of light..?
?HAHAHAHA
?isn¡¯t he teleporting?
The Kaiju poured in endlessly, yet there was absolutely no tension in the air.
Furthermore¡
?Reinforcements are here.
?Look at those numbers.
?Oradge¡¯s minions.
?They¡¯ve done absolutely nothing but following him since before.
?Those guys are something else too. When the ships catch up, he sets off like he¡¯s running away, and then the chase continues.
?I thought Oradge was being run down by those space battleships.
?how could they even keep up at the speed he¡¯s melting the Kaiju lolol
The number of viewers in Karlstein¡¯s equipment demonstration was exploding. He drew enough interest to begin with, being such a mysterious figure, but with a demonstration like this?
It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that most of the online Integrated Dimensional Community had flocked over to watch.
-It¡¯s gotta do at least this much to be called gear, right?
?and here I was giggling about the staff I blew bank on recently¡
?Guys¡ I watched from the start, and what he¡¯s showing now is actually pretty normal.
?Normal?
?fr lol
?I thought it was fake at first.
?doubt people would make SF movies like that haha
?where¡¯s the bnce in this kek
?What the hell does Oradge evenck?
?If he¡¯s an emperor who has everything, shouldn''t he be a pot-bellied old man?!
?Why, God, why¡.
?I feel sorry for the Kaiju instead.
?it¡¯s a total Kajiu ughter stream.
The Oradge introduced new equipment one by one every time the donation points reached a certain threshold.
-Showing off a reaction is a bit embarrassing as the Oradge, don¡¯t you agree? Haha.
The viewers tried to ignore his half-serious joke, however¡
?Uhh. aren¡¯t the donations practically piercing through the sky?
?Not just the sky. It¡¯s about to punch through space.
?Seems like all the bigshots havee out of hiding.
?look at Oradge getting all the attention.
?Well wouldn¡¯t you be curious? Lol
?That¡¯s what qualifies as SF gear?
?iI doubt everyone uses that kinda stuff. iIt must be high-end since he¡¯s an emperor.
?Those cyberpunk martial artists got good stuff themselves, but this makes theirs look basic af lmao
?Aren¡¯t you misunderstanding something? The opponent just can¡¯tpare. It¡¯s like the difference between a steel sword and a nuke.
?lol for real let¡¯s not get the wrong idea just cause Oradge can steamroll
?People would die by the masses trying to take down a single one of those Kaiju.
¡°Let¡¯s stop the gear show here. I think it¡¯s going to get a little hectic starting now.¡±
Upon spotting several Named Entities, Karlstein deactivated his armor form and switched to shield form.
?What? Starting now? I think we¡¯re about to lose our minds already.
?bro still got more equipment to show lol
?How much is all that donation¡
?my life¡ what is the meaning of my life¡.
?sigh.
?yo, so will you sell it to us!! don¡¯t just keep showing off!!
?I heard he¡¯ll release a fewter if he¡¯s in a good mood.
?FR?
?at a bigass premium yeah ROFL
?Will anyone¡ buy it?
?There are plenty who want to buy. It¡¯s just not many can afford.
Encounters with Named Entities had been rare, but now they began to appear.
Boom- Crunch- Krch- Booom-
As if he had been ying around to this point, Karlstein began to move with a ferocity he hadn¡¯t shown before.
Krrp-
The image of him tearing apart a monster with his bare hands was transmitted to the screen in graphic detail.
?aah¡.
?goddamn!
?thats gotta hurt like shit.
?Oradge tears monsters apart barehanded~
?i can¡¯t tell who the Kaiju is here.
?this is depressing¡.
Karlstein headed deeper and deeper among the enemy. In his focus, the chat window waspletely out of his mind.
Po-
Waves of Kaiju were pushed back as heunched his spear.
Rumble- Boom-
The Kaiju were deleted by the horde. One giant Kaiju exploded into pieces.
Krrng- nk-
Karlstein used his full-body armor to block an iing Kaiju¡¯s teeth.
Poww- Pzrk-
His movements were almost mechanically simple yet dynamic. Karlstein destroyed any foe that entered his path, making him look like a ck hole that sucked in Kaiju.
His various mechanical devices provided assistance, firing off all kinds ofsers and bullets.
The Community users gradually fell silent at the spectacle.
?¡.
?Wow¡.
?that¡¯s nuts
?such a killing machine
?I don¡¯t know who the machine is anymore?
?dont mess with him kids.
They stared ck-jawed at his massacre. It was almost beautiful!
However, Karlstein didn¡¯t have time to check the Community¡¯s reactions.
¡°This is taking too long.¡±
[Judging from the level of resistance, it seems we havee to the right ce.]
¡°That¡¯s a relief, but¡¡±
Booom- sh-
-Krr.
-Skree!
-Khaargh.
The Kaijuunched themselves, trying to slow him down, even by a little, while the Named Entities mixed among themon pack attempted long-range attacks from time to time.
Booom- sh-
Even for someone like Karlstein, it was impossible to avoid losing time, bit by bit.
Then, after thinning the ranks of Kaiju with a toss of his spear, something amidst the enemy entered his vision.
It was that bastard.
¡°¡Aria. Did you see?¡±
[Yes. I saw clearly.]
It was No. 17 Prohiden, riding an ultrarge Kaiju, leading a pack of Higher Order Entities out of the battlefield. It even had two M-Sights on it.
Karlstein only saw its back, but how could he not recognize who it was?
¡°Where do you think you are sneaking off to¡¡±
He grinned, drawing on the Ether within his body. The M-Sight¡¯smunication jamming waves momentarily flickered.
[Clear the way.]
Woooom-
The fleet that had followed behind Karlstein to this point started to change formations.
?hey, Kaiju! Run!
?skedaddle!
?Oradge has gone berserk!
?where are you runnin!
?hahaha the kaijus screwed. caught trying to escape
?Kaiju: How tf I got caught?
?aah! Oradge¡¯s approachin!
The whole Community was making a huge fuss, just like how they usually were.
Chapter 87: Prohiden (6)
Chapter 87: Prohiden (6)[Open the way.]
Emperor Karlstein''s singlemand sent the countless crew members aboard the battleship into a frenzy.
"Get a move on!"
"No mistakes!"
"Stay sharp! This is the Emperor''s order!"
"Status of the auxiliary engine!"
"No issues."
"Report from the ships that are ready!"
The crew members moved frantically. Whose order would they dare disobey? They were practically on the front lines for this very moment.
The 186th Regiment, part of the Imperial Guard, was a unit organized solely to clear the way for the Emperor. A fleet specialized in unleashing all its power at once.Ether began charging in countless silos across 88 ships.
WOOOOM-
[All silos 100% charged.]
[Power unit all green.]
[Auxiliary engine on standby.]
[Shield loss rate 7.8%, good.]
[Main cannon output 120%.]
[All missiles ready forunch.]
[Vanguard, spread out in V formation!]
This fleet existed to remove anything in the Emperor''s path with an output close to overdrive.
[Ether Wave Generator operational rate 42.5%.]
[U-77 Gravity Field installed.]
[Astral Wave Inductor attached.]
[Silver Road operational.]
[Ether Anti-Friction Cont applied.]
Preparations were fully in ce just to make his path clear.
BOOOM- FLASH-
The fleet opened fire in unison.
Zzzt- Zzt-
All Kaiju in the main cannon''s path burst into mes and were pushed back, clearing the way. Higher Order Entity or not, all were repelled by an intangible force.
Grinning, Karlstein stepped onto the shimmering, intangible passage before him.
"Nice."
WIZZ-
And he instantly shot forward, making a beeline for Prohiden, who turned its head.
?His Majesty''s teleporting!
?wooooah!
?i''m swooning!!
?He¡¯s casually using something that must cost a fortune like it¡¯s disposable?
?bro he''s the Space Emperor, he ain''t gonna be short on $$$!
?He''s on his way now.
Thanks to Karlstein''s courtesy, the Community''s users were watching a slowed-down video at a tenth of the speed instead of a live stream. Even so, they could clearly feel it: Karlstein''s insane speed, rivaling that of light.
PHEENG-
Even in the vacuum of space, Karlstein could feel immense resistance.
?I guess he''d been skinned alive if he was bare-bodied?
?skinned? nah he would''ve just burned to a crisp lol
?If he rammed into something at that speed, wouldn''t it be like a meteor?
WIZZ-
One of the hallmarks of a tank, who would handle Higher Order Entities amidst a crazy torrent of Kaiju, was a tough physique able to withstand explosive speeds. Karlstein had already caught up to Prohiden.
Karlstein''s spear veered toward Prohiden like a ray of light.
SSSK-
A crescent moon of red light headed towards it.
KABOOM-
The spear was deflected by Prohiden''s Starlight Mane. However, there was no time to dwell on it.
As Karlstein''s onught resumed, Prohiden started facing Karlstein properly.
Prohiden''s purple eyes gleamed along with the shine of Karlstein''s golden armor as they engaged inbat.
KABOOM- BOOOM-
Ether Waves erupted in a deafening cascade.
BOOOM-
Prohiden¡¯s immense strength, contained within its 15-meter frame, advanced toward Karlstein.
TAANG- BOOOM-
But Karlstein was not driven back. They began unleashing monstrous attacks on each other.
BOOM- BOOOM-
?uh, this is in slow-mo?
?yeh¡
?i still can''t tell what''s up
?Ahem! Harness your Inner Qi and let it sharpen your sight.
?prolly my brain can''t keep up even if my eyes process it
It was a brutal exchange of blows with the giant Kaiju.
Is he really human?
?bet the kaiju doesn''t think oradge''s human either
?it''s a showdown against Kaiju
?nah just a showdown between Kaiju
?the winning side''s my side!
?His movements are truly the epitome of efficiency and simplicity¡
?Power and speed intertwined has forged the most sublime technique.
s! These are no mere random strikes! Every attack, every defense is perfectly calcted...
?stop it old kung foo guy!
?gtfo nerd!
?look at the coteral dmg yo
The two were locked in closebat, tearing through the vast expanse of space. Ether Waves erupted, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. Even a nearby asteroid would be shattered into fragments if caught in the crossfire.
The same fate befell the Kaiju. The fierce struggle rendered every nearby Kaiju to dust, leaving not a trace of bone behind.
BOOOM- BOOM-
When Prohiden suddenly created some distance, Karlstein would hurl his spear with massive force and quickly close in. They took turns chasing each other while engaging in closebat.
?ahhh¡
?just how strong is he? this is unreal
The fleet, along with the Kaiju, retreated a significant distance to avoid the aftermath of the battle. The human fleet fired their remaining ammunition, assumed a tight formation, and concentrated on defense and reloading their main cannons.
Against a Named Entity like Prohiden, there was little the fleet could do. All they could do was pray for His Majesty Karlstein.
The oue of the battle ultimately depended on the two of them.
?iz dis drag*nball live action?
?How is this even SF?
?must be myth genre
?shit! did you guys see that huge kaiju near them get exploded just now?
?spontaneousbustion!
?it got squished just like cake¡
Prohiden''s Starlight Mane grazed past as its massive fist crashed onto Karlstein''s head.
TANGG-
Karlstein snapped his head back into position and immediately thrust his spear into the Kaiju''s abdomen.
BOOOM-
The Kaiju tried to create some distance, but it wasn''t easy.
"Running away? Not so fast!"
Karlstein hurled his spear to block its escape route and set in pursuit. He charged like a rabid dog, as if confronting the killer of his parents.
"You seem to keep worrying about your little friends¡"
As he spoke, Karlsteinunched his spear.
KABOOM- BOOM-
[!!]
Two M-Sight''s were annihted in a single throw.
"But now you don''t have to worry anymore, huh?"
Karlstein grinned at Prohiden.
?woah smiling like the devil!
?Satan: first kill what''s dear to the opponent. noted
?i can''t tell who''s the viin here
?Poor Kaiju.
?run away!
?rooting for ya kaiju!
The loss of the M-Sights clearly seemed to affect Prohiden. The Kaiju''s fury was palpable.
"Ready to give your all now?"
Regardless, Karlstein remained calm.
Prohiden began to change in response.
PZZT- FWOOSH-
Purple mes cascaded from its body like a waterfall, amplifying its purple aura. Massive Ether Waves formed what resembled a butterfly''s wings behind the Kaiju.
Karlstein exhaled and released red Ether in response.
When they finally collided.
?uh, uh? wtf am I even seeing?
?bro¡ we can''t tell even with this slow-down?
?madd
?The stream''s disconnecting.
?how intense do you gotta fight to lose the Community connection?
?hawawa¡
TAANG-
The atmosphere distorted as both were thrown back.
"Wow, you''re no joke either."
?joke? is he kidding?
?Is that really what you''d say?
?he sed ''either'' tho.
?Weak.
?it does look like Oradge''s having it a lil easier
?bro¡ humans are supposed to gank by default
?Maybe Oradge''s holding back?
Meanwhile, Karlstein inwardly grumbled about the Kaiju.
I should''vee better equipped.
It was hardly easy for a human(?) to battle in space bare-handed. This was why humans relied on an arsenal of weapons.
If only I had some allies with me.
Karlstein furrowed his brow. The fight wouldn''t end at this rate. He preferred to end it quickly to minimize casualties on his side.
Naturally, Prohiden felt the same. There was no benefit in prolonging the fight.
Both began to summon forth Ether, seemingly in unspoken agreement. Ether Waves endlessly intensified. At the same time, Karlstein grabbed a rough-looking metal rod shot from one of his ships.
It was Weapon No. 0, a spear code-named Mistilteinn, which took at least a year to charge.
As the spear began to surge with golden Ether, Prohiden conjured a huge silver wooden sword from thin air.
Silence fell between them.
Karlstein narrowed his eyes at the silver sword, sensing something familiar about it. But there was no time to ponder.
Both charged at each other simultaneously.
Then.
A massive light burst forth, engulfing the entire region.
[Ugh!]
[Engage shields!]
[Cluster together!!]
[Shields operating at 120%!]
[This is the limit!!]
[Hold on!!]
The fleet''smunication system was filled with panic. The ships, with their shields at full capacity, were battered as if caught in a storm. Nearby Kaiju vanished without a trace.
And the oue...
Karlstein scowled.
The Kaiju''s silver sword was falling apart to ashes, while Prohiden had vanished through a spatial rift.
"¡It ran?"
Karlstein scoffed incredulously. An ovepping memory resurfaced¡ªa Kaiju he had stabbed in the heart yet ultimately escaped.
Though well¡ there was a difference this time: a tinum egg slowly descended in space. It had failed to fully cross the rift with its former carrier.
"Hm."
Given that Prohiden had carefully stored this egg in its Starlight Mane, it had to be something precious.
When their eyes met as the Kaiju escaped, Prohiden had hesitated, ncing at the tinum egg. This had Karlstein believing it would give up its escape attempt.
But in the end, it chose to escape with half of the remaining Kaiju.
Karlstein doubted the bastard was in a right state either. Mistilteinn''s power wasn''t something that could simply be avoided.
Prohiden had given him an odd look before vanishing through the rift.
Karlstein sighed with pity as he looked around at the abandoned half of the Kaiju army. Prohiden couldn''t take them all.
"Well¡ I suppose this is enough to satisfy Cami. Aria, you can track its coordinates yes?"
Thought I''d let you go that easily? Where are you going? If it''s a good ce, I''ming too!
Karlstein picked up the 1-meter long oval egg.
"Hmm?"
The tinum egg began greedily absorbing his Ether.
Chapter 88: Reconnection
Chapter 88: Reconnection
***"How could this be..."
tter-
"Was I the frog in the well all along..."
His bones rattled. He had remainedpletely still while watching the broadcast.
"It''s far more impressive than I expected."
tter-
The Lich King.
The Pinnacle of ck Magic.
The Ruler of the Dark Veil.Known by various titles, hey deep in his throne, looking up at the ceiling.
"A new world..."
That¡¯s right. What other words were needed?
A new world.
This was the Lich King''s impression after watching Karlstein''s stream.
He rose from his throne and began pacing around it. A habit when deep in thought.
"A civilization that magic could never hope to imitate..."
The asional alien objects visible in the great hall.
New culture that magic couldn''t even begin to replicate.
And that wasn''t all.
Just how powerful was it...
Raymond, who had been muttering to himself, suddenly stopped.
Clink-
Creak-
Someone hade to the hall where he was.
"What is it?"
The one who met the Lich King''s gaze was covered head to toe in ck armor.
A Death Knight, also known as a Knight of Death.
One of Lich King Raymond''s subordinates.
-Lord Raymond. The Elven Alliance hase.
"..."
Clear pronunciation unlike an undead.
This meant it was a high-ranking Death Knight that had taken much effort to create.
-They seem to havee because of the mana stone mine discovered recently.
"Haa. That..."
This world was divided between Raymond of ck Magic and the Elven Alliance of White Magic.
"...I see. I''ll meet them in the reception room shortly."
That mere mana stone mine.
Raymond was indifferent.
This was a reaction he would never have had before.
Raymond had grown tired of squabbling with the elves. In the past, he had shed with them in an effort to expand the horizons of ck Magic, but that was now in the past.
"I do not want to obsess over such trivial things anymore."
After seeing a mountain of gold before his eyes, why bother with annoying things just to get a lump of copper?
He no longer cared.
"If it''s bothersome, why not just give it to them?"
That''s how little he cared now.
***Vi, a High Elf of the Elven Alliance.
As part of the alliance''s delegation, she was extremely nervous about meeting the Lich King.
Although a High Elf, she was still young and inexperienced. As such, this meeting with the Lich King was arranged by her n for her growth.
But that didn''t mean it could be handled carelessly.
Especially since this concerned the mana stone mine, she absolutely had to produce results.
"Is this the reception room?"
-....
The ck-armored figure that had led her here didn''t answer.
Vi, who hadn''t expected an answer anyway, slowly looked around the reception room.
Hmm. It''s not as dark as I thought.
She had naturally expected a gloomy atmosphere like a Demon King''s castle for a meeting with the Ruler of the Dark Veil.
"Then I will wait here."
At her words, the ck Death Knight quietly left.
"Their hospitality is terrible."
In truth, Vi being a guest from the Elven Alliance was somewhat of an uncertain position.
She began to slowly examine the reception room.
Is this the Lich King''s taste?
A neat-looking reception room.
Many items made of metal were visible.
It¡¯s not... bones.
"Hmm?"
I don''t particrly sense any mana, huh?
The faint sound of musicing from somewhere.
And that was not all. There was also strangelyfortable lighting.
It was definitely off when she opened the door, wasn¡¯t it?
"Hmm..."
For now, she sat down on what looked like a chair.
Nothing looks worse than standing while waiting.
Leather? Metal? Wood? A sofa made of a strange material.
As she leaned back¡
Poof-
"Ah..!"
She let out an exmation.
Afort that gently embraced her whole body without being unpleasant.
"Hmm..."
This is bad. I might fall asleep at this rate.
Vi snapped to attention and straightened her posture.
If she leaned back on the backrest, she felt like she might rx endlessly.
It was a diabolic chair.
What is this?
Is it a specially made sofa to break down mental barriers for negotiation?
Gulp-
Besides that, there were many things she had never seen before, like a device that purified the air, a strange cylindrical device that adjusted temperature and humidity, and an odd metal te on the table.
What is this?
The craftsmanship looked as if it had been made by a dwarf artisan. Simple yet refined workmanship.
Curious, she touched the metal te on the table.
Tap.
Whirr-
Pop-
"!!"
For a moment, she almost unleashed magic, drawing on her mana.
That was how startled she was.
"Wh-What is this?!"
A blue light created an illusion in mid-air.
Is this actually Illusion Magic?
No. I still don''t sense any mana.
Moreover, even Illusion Magic couldn''t create something this detailed.
When she put her finger to the illusion, the light began to change rapidly.
Uh, uh.... Is this how you do it?
Although she didn''t quite understand, the controls were easy to grasp even with just a little use.
Hmm?
The view of a strangely shaped human¡¯s back made of light.
When she touched the protruding light, it began to walk step by step.
Hmm?
There were many buttons that could be pressed, but she quickly got the hang of it by pressing them one by one.
And so, she gradually became absorbed in this object.
Until the Lich King arrived, that is.
Creak-
Raymond opened the door and entered, but there was no response.
"..."
The Lich King made a strange expression as he looked at Vi, who was engrossed in the hologram game console he had left in the reception room.
"Ahem."
Tap.
"Ah..!"
Only then did Vie to her senses.
As the Lich King looked at the screen, he saw a character enthusiastically beating up monsters.
"..."
"..."
Well, he understood.
The magic of this thing called a game.
The sense of omnipotence as it moves ording to your controls.
The strangely difficult level of challenge.
The sense of achievement when you ovee it.
"I left it for waiting guests, and it seems you''ve been making good use of it."
"..."
Her face turned red, and she quickly tried topose herself, but how could the Lich King not know?
"Anyway, you came because of that mana stone mine from before, right?"
"...Y-Yes."
It felt like she was already losing before the negotiations even began.
She bit her lip.
The reception room was a trap!
However¡
"Alright. Do as you please."
"Excuse me?"
Raymond was indifferent.
Is this also a trap?
But there was no change in Raymond''s expression.
"I haven''t even stated our conditions yet."
"Hm? Ah... Well."
What''s going on?
This isn''t just anything, it''s a mana stone mine.
The most valuable resource on the continent!
And a huge mine where you can easily obtain such a resource!
Even for elves living in the great forest, mana stones were an indispensable resource, used in magical materials and all sorts of Artifacts.
To say "do as you please" with such a mine without any negotiation?
He must be jesting.
"Th-These are the conditions we''re proposing."
Thinking she should at least do her job, she handed him a sheet of paper. Although she stumbled over her words, overwhelmed by the bizarre situation.
The Lich King nced at the conditions proposed by the Elven Alliance, but he seemedpletely uninterested.
Then.
The Lich King suddenly stopped.
"?"
Even Vi could notice the small but clear change.
Blue mes began to rise from the Lich King''s eye sockets.
"Wait."
Vi tensed up.
As expected...!
They said he was capricious, after all.
Surely he wouldn''t do anything to her, a member of the delegation.
No. If it¡¯s the infamous Lich King...
She began to feel uneasy.
But she couldn''t show it.
She tried her best to respond calmly.
"...What is it?"
But regardless, the Lich King was just staring into space with his palm outstretched.
"..."
1 second, 2 seconds, 10 seconds, 1 minute...
Even as time passed, the Lich King didn''t even nce at her.
Then he turned his head and said to her.
"As a High Elf, you must know a lot about vegetation, right?"
"Huh?"
What''s with this sudden question?
Meanwhile, Lich King Raymond could barely contain his excitement.
He had just confirmed the ''Notice'' posted on the Community.
[Notice]
Those interested in World. Those who want to challenge. Those interested in offline meetings. Capable individuals. Friends wee. Now epting applications.
Preferred Qualifications:
-Those skilled in construction.
-Those with strong bodies.
-Those confident in cooking.
-Those excellent in geography and mechanics.
-Schrs.
...
-Those knowledgeable about vegetation.
-Anyway, anyone with outstanding skills.
The Lich began tough eerily.
Vi began to tremble in fear.
"Hahaha."
The reception room vibrated slightly with hisughter.
The Lich King, now spewing streams of ck mes.
"I will hand over the mana stone mine even without such conditions."
The Lich King tore up the negotiation document he had received from her.
"But I have a condition."
"...!"
The Lich King''s burning gaze turned towards her.
"You will have toe with me."
"...!"
She struggled to follow the Lich King''s conversation.
***"Aria, can I leave the rest to you?"
[There will be no issues.]
The battlefield had been cleaned up.
After Prohiden left with half of the Kaiju legion, dealing with the remaining ones was quick.
The spoils of war were quite substantial.
First, the Kaiju corpses.
Because there were especially many Special-Type Kaiju this time, they were able to obtain useful experimental materials.
Usually, Special-Types didn¡¯t appear on the front lines often, even for their own protection.
And then.
The silver greatsword, half turned to ash.
Or no, maybe it''s a wooden sword?
"This... seems simr to what those Sephiroth bastards were carrying."
It was sent to theboratory through Aria. It would be experimental material to be thoroughly examined for dimensional research.
"And this egg..."
Judging by how precious it seemed to Prohiden, it doesn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary egg...
Although it was absorbing Karlstein''s Ether, there had been no other changes so far.
Currently, this egg wasn''t reacting to anything else, only to Karlstein. That''s why he kept it nearby.
"Anyway, there shouldn''t be any problems with the nned 2nd Expansion."
After this invasion, the Kaiju side''s counterattacks had noticeably weakened.
They retreated as they were pushed.
"I don''t know what they''re trying to do, but securing an advantageous position is good for the future."
Even Karlstein didn''t think of fully taking over the 2nd Expansion¡¯s territory beyond the Barrier. The area expanded in the 2nd phase beyond the Barrier was likely to be the front line.
"They certainly won''t just sit still."
They would push in eventually.
If the Gctic Empire just prepared its defenses well until then, it could reap great benefits on the front lines against them.
"And the tracking coordinates?"
He couldn''t just leave that bastard alone.
How dare it strike first and run away?
[About that....]
"Hm?"
Aria had a slightly ambiguous expression.
[The ce initially confirmed was ''World''.]
"World, you say?"
Wait, I had to create a new body just to go there.
But this bastard retreated straight there?
How did it do that?
"Is it really because of that greatsword?"
[The Astral reaction is quite unusual.]
"You said wecked samples... The current one is too damaged."
[We should be able to produce some results, but it will take time.]
"Can''t be helped."
Karlstein pondered as he tapped the egg.
"Then what about the newly prepared body?"
[Preparations are almostplete.]
World? Did you think I couldn''t follow you there?
Just you wait, Kaiju bastard.
"This one had slightly different characteristics, right?"
[Yes. As per your request, Master, Metal Domination Factors have been included.]
"Hmm... It was tiring to run around directly. And I couldn''t use it for long either."
Karlstein rubbed his palms together.
"Anyway, I need to finish this properly this time."
[I have taken the necessary measures.]
"Good. Then I''ll leave it to you."
[Yes, understood.]
Preparations for Karlstein''s second ess to World wereplete.
Chapter 89: Offline Meeting
"Is it not time yet?"
"Apparently, it isn¡¯t just yet."
"The situation isn''t very good."
"Can''t be helped. Still, it''s fortunate that we got additional supplies."
"That''s true."
"Hoo... These damn monsters keep attacking endlessly..."
"What else can we do but keep our spirits up? At least we have the Cult Leader behind us."
"Right. We should stay strong as members of the Divine Cult."
They were wearing mechanical armor made of thick metal, working together to fell trees, uproot them, andpact the ground.
"It''s falling!""Confirmed!"
"Be careful over there!"
"Pay attention!!"
The Murim White Troops were bustling around a wide open space.
They were using Sword Force to cut down trees, and using their Inner Qi and powered suits topact the ground.
For some reason in this world, even trees couldn''t be cut down with ordinary strength.
"We can''t retreat!"
"Set up the palisades!"
"Hurry! Before the next wave of attacks begins!"
Monsters had beening non-stop for days. They took turns standing guard and put all their efforts into defending their base, but it wasn''t easy.
There were too many shortages. Theycked manpower and supplies. Even dealing with a single monster was difficult for an ordinary soldier.
"Hoo."
"What about the Cult Leader?"
"Still the same."
"It seems she''s recovering her strength, so she probably won''t take action directly for a while."
"She had no choice but to do so to solve the supply issue."
"Hmm. But the atmosphere is strange."
They seemed to know each other, but there was an awkwardness in the air.
Their gaze was directed at three women sitting together.
A woman with ck hair and eyes, wearing sses.
A Subus Queen with blue horns and hair.
And their Cult Leader.
"I am called Keisha Winsler."
"I''m Selena."
"As I said before, Virdel."
Slightly apart from them, a red-haired boy, YongYong, was watching them with sparkling eyes.
"Ooh... This is...!"
Of course, he was also streaming.
?Bluadges... having an offline meeting?
?Oh my.
?a mod socializing.... this is grounds for impeachment!
?why weren''t we invited!
e to think of it, isn''t YongYong an unofficial Bluadge too? lol
?seems like the Oradge just threw it out there and forgot all about it lol
?he probably found YongYong unsatisfactoryter.
?YongYong can''t even be a proper porter.
?Abandoned YongYong.
?But it''s true that he has the least presence there.
?How could a dragon fall so far...
?shouldn''t he at least be a Metal Dragon?
''Keisha Winsler'', who came driving an Ego Ship filled with enormous supplies.
''Selena'', who contributed to creating this ce, ''World'', and was researching it.
''Virdel'', who opened a Dimensional Door and brought them here directly.
And SSS-ss Porter YongYong.
?YongYong''s too pathetic, isn''t he?
?That''s dragons for you.
?they¡¯re just lizards who knows a bit of magic lolol
?Somehow mymon sense is being shattered.
?Don''t tease him too much. He''s the only one who kindly turns on the stream for us.
?Sob! YongYong''s the only one who ys with us!
?lolol turns out he''s a warm-hearted guy!
Unlike YongYong, who was showing intense curiosity towards them, the women each had their own thoughts.
To pay off my debt quickly... I need to stand out. The Oradge is clear about rewards and punishments.
Those chosen by Him...?
So these are the Moderators chosen after me....
"What about Him...?"
Subus Queen Selena spoke first.
From her perspective, the Oradge was her main interest rather than the other Bluadges.
There seemed to have been some issue during the stream...
Why isn¡¯t he here?
Though, that doesn¡¯t mean the thought of talking to him privately isn¡¯t somewhat scary.
"Who knows."
"..."
However, the other two didn''t know his detailed whereabouts either.
"Then it seems we''ll have to ovee this difficulty on our own."
Nod-
Everyone agreed with that statement.
"It''s true that he told us to gather, right?"
Keisha''s gaze turned to Virdel. Virdel sat there silently.
Nod.
When Virdel first appeared by splitting the air, it was so surprising.
I thought I was going to faint.
I spent days while barely getting any sleep, busy with management work after taking over the Debra with a single massive ship.
Just when I thought things were finally stabilizing and bing livable, suddenly...
I was conscripted.
"Y-You say He is calling?"
Nod-
At the blunt words of the woman who appeared by tearing through the air, she hurriedly prepared and came over.
In truth, she knew she would be called up like this someday. She just didn''t know it would be in this way.
Debra?
-Y-Yes....
-Hmm! It would be perfect as a logistics base, wouldn''t it?
-Excuse me?
What was logistics?
Wasn''t it managing, supplying, and supporting the personnel and materials needed for military operations?
Also, military operations?
Gulp.
But what else could she do? She had to do as he said.
That''s what she had been doing after bringing Debra to its knees with a massive space battleship.
-There will be a day when you see the light.
-This damn debt....
-Gyaaaak!
At some point, the Oradge stopped giving her separate instructions, but with such arge debt still remaining, she couldn''t afford to rest.
And so, she had focused on turning the entire into a logistics base.
Now it was time to show what she had prepared.
3,000 Debrans.
100 small supply ships.
And countless requisitioned supplies.
This was just the first supply.
That was how she entered World.
On the other hand, Selena couldn''t hide her anxious gaze throughout.
His summons!
Him, whose mere presence nearly turned her into an idiot when she faced his origin!
For her, who had glimpsed his essence, just keeping her mind together felt like her soul might leave her body.
If worsees to worst... I still have him as well!
''IAmThePirateKing''.
If it''s dangerous, I can ask the Pirate King for help.
That¡¯s right. So let''s calm down for now.
"Hoo...."
Selena''s blue pupils gradually regained stability.
"Anyway, it seems he''s entrusted this ce to us for now, so we really do need everyone''s help."
The other two nodded in response.
"First, Ms. Keisha, please take charge of all matters rted to supplies. And Ms. Virdel, please handle fortress maintenance andbat-rted issues. I''ll investigate this ce a bit more."
Virdel''s ability to find them and bring them here urately was not just due to her own capabilities, but also partly thanks to Selena''s help.
Selena''s cooperation was necessary to find the coordinates and connect them urately.
"Hmm."
A small sound from Virdel.
The three women had something inmon:
A subtle sense ofpetition.
To pay off even a little of my debt by impressing the Oradge...!
Although I contributed to creating World, I still can''t do much. If so¡
....
However, how could they forget? Exactly who the orders came from?
"Then I''ll be counting on you."
"Leave the supplies and administration to me."
"Leave the Kaiju to me."
Under the unity of the Bluadges, a fortress began to be built centered around the silverke Karlstein had discovered.
The temporary fortress, which had almost been lost to the Kaiju while Virdel was bringing the other two, quickly regained its vitality.
***Gurgle- Gurgle-
Kuee- Kiek-
The 15-meter giant body was gone, reced by a 2-meter tall Kaiju with a starlight mane.
Prohiden was lying in a silver spring that had pooled like a pond in a huge cave.
Gurgle- Gurgle-
Kuee- Kiek-
All sorts of Kaiju were swarming around, and some of them were continuously spewing out small Kaiju.
Countless Kaiju headed outside the cave as soon as they were created, and even then, they tried not to go near the starlight-maned Kaiju.
That was how much they feared it.
However, Prohiden didn''t care about them at all.
Prohiden was recalling what had happened before.
That power was certainly...
On Prohiden''s side, an alien golden wound remained unhealed. But even such a wound wasn''t Prohiden''s concern.
The starlight-maned Prohiden revealed its purple eyes as it recalled Karlstein, the man in golden armor.
Yes. It might be better to leave it to him for now. Fate was flowing towards that bastard.
Being by his side would be the safest.
Moreover.
Even Prohiden couldn''t guarantee hatching the tinum egg.
The ''egg'' that absorbed not only Ether but also mental powerpletely.
Prohiden, who had been carrying that egg for a long time, was now reaching its limit.
Ssssa-
A faint purple mist began to rise from Prohiden''s body.
Rather, now it was as if the restrictions had been lifted.
The tinum egg...
After cleaning up the surroundings and fully blooming its power, it could be retrieved again.
Of course, cleaning up the surroundings wasn''t an easy task even for Prohiden. Even after finishing that, it would still have to ovee Him.
First, it had to steal ''that'' from the Dimensional Tree n.
There was still a long way to go.
Ssh-
Prohiden scooped up some spring water with its hand and looked at it for a moment.
A bizarre world where the Silver Blood of the Dimensional Tree springs forth from the earth.
To adapt to the Dimensional Pressure of this ce, it had to give up part of its injured body and shrink to its current size.
Ssh-
The silver spring water flowed down and was being absorbed into Prohiden''s body little by little.
Some of the spring water flowed to other Kaiju mothers nearby, creating countless entities.
Ssh-
After stirring the water once more with its hand while soaking in the spring, Prohiden closed its eyes again.
The starlight mane became even more intense and dense.
It was an excellent ce for recovery.
Ssh-
Chapter 90: Crash Landing
***While the women were fiercely working to defend the upied territory in World while waiting for the Oradge, Karlstein found himself in an unexpected situation that left him quite perplexed.
This ce is....
Murmur murmur-
Under a clear sky without a single cloud, the heat was sweltering.
Despite the sauna-like hot weather, tens, hundreds, thousands of people were forming a procession.
"I hope I''ll finally be selected this time."
"How could that be easy? They say you need ancestral luck just to be considered a candidate."
"Still, we can dream, can''t we?"
"Kekeke. You''re twenty now, isn''t it time to grow up?""Haha. Age is just a number! Shouldn''t a man chase his dreams?"
"Ehhh."
People lined up passing by Karlstein''s side.
"Let''s not block the way, understood?"
Thwack-
At the words of someone bumping his shoulder as they passed, Karlstein raised his head.
For now, I need to figure out where this is....
For some reason, his body felt heavy.
Should I say the density is no less than World, no, perhaps even higher than World?
The pressure weighing down on his body was enough to cause a slight tingling pain.
It was probably due to this body.
Since this body had special abilities imnted for the construction and management of the fortress in World, its basic physical capabilities were quite low.
It might be sturdier than an ordinary person, but it was iparable to the body he had possessed before.
Was I too hasty?
It took quite a long time to create an Avatar. The higher the performance, the exponentially longer it took.
The cause was likely that only the absolutely necessary functions were included due to the rushed second production this time.
"There are too many people..."
"We have to get results somehow this time."
"Hoho."
"If I get any older, I''ll have to give up forever."
"Is it ever easy to be an Immortal?"
"That''s why I''m going to give up after thisst try."
Immortal?
Come to think of it, the people''s clothing reminded him of ancient China with its wide garments.
Murim? Jianghu?
If that was the case, it might be a bit familiar.
"I wonder how many will be selected this time..."
"I heard only two were chosenst time?"
"I heard the oneing down this time is someone Lord Qingyao knows. They say he is easygoing and benevolent, so they expect him to choose quite a few."
"Is that why there are so many people here?"
Passersby grumbling in the sauna-like heat.
But they disappeared in an instant.
It wasn''t anything else, but that he couldn''t follow them as they were buried in the crowd. That was how many people were diligently climbing the mountain along the huge mountain path.
Thud.
"Aish, how unlucky. Don''t block the way and get lost!"
"Ptui!"
"If you''re scared, go back down right now! Don''t just hang around!"
Standing still in the middle of the crowd, he kept getting bumped into.
"Hmm..."
Murim?
Somehow, it didn''t seem like that was all there was to it.
Haah.
Karlstein slowly followed the crowd up for now.
There was no other choice.
About the Integrated Dimensional Community¡
Why is it not working again?
It didn''t workst time either, so they said they specially added terminal functionality this time.
Aria wouldn''t have made a mistake either.
In any case, it seemed certain that he had fallen into an unexpected situation.
It''s a headache.
This is all because of that tinum egg....
Seriously.
Who could have known things would turn out like this?
The tinum egg stolen from Prohiden.
He had entrusted it to Aria and conducted various experiments, but there was little reaction. It only absorbed a tiny bit of High-Purity Grade 1 Ether, and even that had to be forcibly injected for it to barely ept it.
When trying to project into the egg''s interior, no equipment was of any use, and even when trying to collect a part of the eggshell, not even a scratch could be made.
He thought about stabbing it with his exclusive Ether weapon, but if the egg was destroyed in the process, that would be troublesome too.
Anyway, the egg that greedily craved only his Ether ended up being ced by his side like that.
Well... As long as there was no direct contact, it didn''t absorb enough to be a problem. Even if he touched it, it wasn''t particrly ufortable.
Would you notice if you scooped out a bucket of water from a vast ocean?
He kept it by his side to observe the egg''s reactions.
The problem urred when he connected to the Avatar.
[Body transmission in progress. Initiating dive. 3, 2, 1....]
As he was about to pleasantly let go of his consciousness while listening to Aria''s calm voice.
A high-density tinum Ether wave burst from the egg.
Ether wave? No. It¡¯s something closer to Astral properties...?
With that thought, the connection to the Avatar began, and when he opened his eyes, he was here.
Murmur murmur-
"Make way!"
Clop clop- Clop clop-
"Who would bring a four-horse carriage to such a main road..."
"Are they crazy?"
"Even if the road is wide, on a mountain path... tsk tsk."
"Shh! Be careful. A high-ranking noble must be riding in it."
"I don''t know why the Immortals don''t fling away guys like that."
"My goodness you! You have guts! So much so that I can practically see it!"
The crowd, which had been walking densely like a can of sardines, parted like the Red Sea.
"Yah! Yah! Make way!"
Karlstein also staggered back, dragging his body that felt like a wet cotton ball.
"So that rumor was true."
"What rumor?"
"I heard that Lord Qingyao personally sent out invitations to local dignitaries and high-ranking people this time. It seems many more will be selected than we expected. Seeing how they boldly sent out invitations."
"Isn''t that good news then?"
"You know one thing but not the other. Do you think high-ranking people woulde empty-handed? Of course, they''ll bring loads of gold and treasures suitable for offering to the Immortals."
"Surely not? Would the Immortals even care about gold and treasures?"
"Aiyah. This person, really. Are you pretending not to know or... tsk tsk. Of course, those who offer something would be looked upon more favorably, wouldn''t they?"
"That''s right. At least they''d catch their eye. Aish... I thought I might have some hope."
"Isn''t that just how life is? Haha. But you never know, so we try our luck."
"Right. Let''s hurry on."
Most of the conversations among passersby were simr to this.
They''ll be selected, they have to be chosen, they''ll be Immortals.
Hmm.
Although he wasn''t sure exactly what an Immortal was, seeing how everyone harbored aspirations and expectations, it seemed to be an important position in this world.
"Shall I slowly take a look around?"
Karlstein had regained hisposure by now.
He remembered Aria''sst words.
-I''ve included a logout function. Of course, it''s not as convenient a system as in games.
-Hm? Logout?
-It''s a function to forcibly disconnect from the Avatar.
-Oooh, that''s pretty good, huh?
-Because of your unauthorized diving, those girls made such a massive f... Anyway.
-I-Is that so?
Aria''s expression looked like she had a headache. Although he didn''t know why, Karlstein quickly turned his gaze away with clouded eyes.
I hate troublesome things!
Anyway, because of that, he was less worried. Karlstein walked along with the crowd, feeling the sensation of being an ordinary human for the first time in a long while.
Let''s just look around casually and then go back.
As he was walking like that.
"Brother? Where did youe from, Brother?"
A bald middle-aged man approached him with a simple smile.
Bald, huh....
No, wait, stop the prejudice!
The middle-aged man showed a warm smile.
He seemed friendly at first nce.
"Let me ask you something. Can you hear me well?"
"Oh, so you can speak, Brother? But are you in your right mind? Of course I can hear you!"
At that, Karlstein grinned at the middle-aged man.
Right. This is perfect. I had many questions.
***And at that time, in the depths of a great pce built somewhere.
In a strange room where numerous giant stone tablets and ponds were positioned here and there, ignoring gravity, a young man in a robe suddenly stood up.
"Huh? What''s this?"
The young man tilted his head, repeatedly opening and closing a few fingers, then quickly ran to stand in front of a certain stone tablet.
"Hmm?"
The young man stared intently at the stone tablet.
On the surface of the gray stone tablet, blue characters were intertwined, floating around.
"Has a problem urred in the Lower Realm?"
Ah.
How troublesome.
"It seems some misceneous junk has drifted in again. Haah...."
It couldn¡¯t be helped. Since this was the position he was given to handle such matters, he would have to deal with it directly.
When the young man took out a bell from his bosom and shook it, a clear and bright sound rang out.
The young man waited for a while, staring at the stone tablet with furrowed brows, when someone appeared behind him.
"Did you call for me?"
A rough voice akin to metal being scrapped.
The young man pointed at the stone tablet while looking at the owner of the voice.
"It seems there''s a problem with the interface here, can you go check it out?"
"Yes. That is not a problem."
"Then I''ll leave it to you. I''ll give you cultivation resources as a reward."
"Understood, Eldest Brother."
The man in his twenties who had spoken in a deep voice bowed politely and then disappeared silently.
The young man who remained behind let out a sigh of relief.
"I won''t get scolded by Master for passing off the work, right?"
Still, it was better than going down to the Lower Realm directly.
The thought of having to seal his realm and go through various procedures to go to the Lower Realm gave him a headache.
The young man sat cross-legged again and closed his eyes.
It''s fortunate that the youngest disciple who just finished a mission was here.
If it¡¯s the cult disciple, he should be reliable.
The young man''s breathing gradually became finer as he sank deep into unconsciousness.
***At the same time, in the depths of an Imperial Pce filled with advanced civilization.
"..."
A silver-haired beauty was ring at something as if she wanted to kill it.
How on earth.
Why.
How?
Why?
There was no one to answer her questions. She couldn''t get answers from an egg that couldn''t speak.
Crack-
Could something have happened to Master...?
Around her, the imperial guards from the pce were operating various equipment and investigating the room.
"There is an Ether reaction, but nothing else unusual. The Ether reaction is not that high either. Is there perhaps a problem?"
"No. Forget what you saw today."
She had no intention of publicly advertising the Emperor''s absence.
At Aria''s order to end the situation, the Imperial Guards filed out.
"Haah..."
Aria wore a tired expression.
If this matter became known, there would be a truckload of people unnecessarily rushing over, abandoning their duties. Specifically, people who were not easy to control when Master was absent.
Aria red at the tinum egg again.
"Just what..."
Of course, the tinum egg didn''t move at all.
Aria activated a hologram and checked some data.
Fortunately, although unstable, the logout function is working normally.
If so, that''s fortunate, but¡
The fact that the imperial guards were dispatched won''t be hidden forever.
They''lle rushing in, asking what on earth happened and where His Majesty went.
Ah.
As if it wasn''t busy enough already.
Shake shake-
She shook her head.
There were too many overzealous people.
Aria had not yet realized that she herself was included among them.
Chapter 91: Selection Ceremony
***I see.
Xianxia, is it?
He got a rough idea.
Xianxia...
Interest gleamed in his eyes.
As expected of those punks from thatrge continent, isn''t Xianxia all about growing endlessly without any rhyme or reason?
He didn''t know exactly. He only knew it was fantasy involving Immortals.
Roughlyparing, if SF represented the supreme, ultimate power, wouldn''t Xianxia be the forefront of extreme individualism?
Alright. Let''s take this opportunity to see what Xianxia is like."But your clothes are a bit..."
Hm?
Karlstein looked down at himself.
A ck, tight-fitting outfit with a subtle sheen.
It was a basic suit with blue circuits subtly drawn on it.
Ah.
He hadn''t nned on running around directly this time, so he came dressed lightly.
The only equipment he brought was the basic suit.
Of course, he could change it into clothing form immediately.
But it would stand out.
And it already stood out enough as it was.
"Well, I understand. It must be your passion to catch the eye of an Immortal somehow. You''re not the only one like that, haha."
What an understanding fellow.
Still, let''s change it appropriately when I get the chance.
As he walked up chatting with the bald middle-aged man, a vast open space came into view.
-Alright! Everyone line up!
-What are you doing there! Get in line!
-Form ranks!
-Can''t you stand straight?
-Do you want to get kicked out?
-Move quickly!
Dozens of martial artists wearing robes with blue patterns were controlling the crowd.
"Are those people Immortals?"
"Huh? What nonsense. Don''t say such things anywhere else. You might get struck by lightning."
The middle-aged man put his index finger to his lips in shock.
"Those are people sent by Lord Qingyao. He probably sent them expecting arge crowd."
That didn¡¯t seem to be the only reason.
Those who came up in carriages were separately escorted by the martial artists sent by Lord Qingyao, unlike the ordinary people who were mercilessly beaten with clubs if they displeased them.
"Can''t you stand straight?"
Thwack- Thwack-
"Ugh! Kuk!"
At any rate.
There was no problem as long as he didn''t stand out from others.
As he was waiting while observing the people around him, someone who looked like a supervisor appeared on a high tform.
"I am the supervisor in charge of today''s selection ceremony. Follow the instructions well."
Arge middle-aged man with a beard spoke arrogantly while stroking his chin.
His flowing robe and long beard reminded one of an Immortal.
Oooh.
"Is that person an Immortal?"
"...No!"
The bald middle-aged man kindly exined.
"He''s in charge of the First Gate. Did you think it would be so easy to meet the Immortals in the sky, who are like legends?"
My, it''s quite difficult to meet an Immortal, huh.
For now, since that''s what he was told, Karlstein quietly followed the instructions.
After that, everything proceeded smoothly.
-Do you see that peak over there? You need to reach there. It probably won''t be as easy as you think.
A height that an adult could reach in half a day of climbing.
But all of the thousands of people have to do it?
However, once they actually started climbing the lush mountain, he quickly understood why they set up such a Gate.
"Huff huff, let''s go together. How are you so fast?"
Unlike Karlstein who was strolling with his hands behind his back, the middle-aged man was zigzagging up the mountain.
"..."
"Huff, huff. It feels like the distance isn''t shrinking no matter how much I climb."
Well, of course, since he was stumbling on a mountain path that would usually take half a day even if climbed normally.
When he turned his head to look at others, everyone was simr to the bald middle-aged man.
People were climbing the mountain as if they were blind men, even though their eyes were open.
Hmm.
Is it some kind of Illusion Formation?
Unfortunately, Karlstein didn''t feel it at all.
"Just hurry up ande."
Well, it worked out well since this body was alreadycking in stamina. Let''s take it easy.
He leisurely climbed the mountain, asionally forcibly leading the middle-aged man.
-This quickly?
-Hoho. You have passed the First Gate.
-Go over there and wait quietly.
Come to think of it, while everyone was stumbling, there were some who were walking properly.
Of course, not everyone went through the Gate properly.
The boys and girls in wealthy-looking attire who had moved by carriage climbed up normally along a specific path, as if by agreement. Although it was a slightly roundabout path.
"Haha. If it weren''t for Lord Qingyao, they would have been stupidly wandering in ce like that."
"Well, with my willpower, it shouldn''t be a problem."
"Then shall we test it?"
"...There''s no need to waste time unnecessarily."
Illegal admission? Is that what this is?
However, he didn''t care how corrupt this world was, so he waited normally.
"I heard you were first in the First Gate?"
"Do you have any secrets?"
"What do your parents do?"
Some approached Karlstein with interest.
"Tsk tsk, what an arrogant bastard."
"Don''t catch my eye from now on. If we happen to meet at the foot of this Wugong Mountain, don''t think you''ll be able to walk away..."
"Hmph!"
"A guy with no backing."
"Lowborn scum! He doesn¡¯t know his ce!"
There were some side effects from shooing them away with a wave of his hand because it was bothersome.
Anyway, having passed the First Gate safely, he passed the simrly conducted Second and Third Gates without much difficulty.
After passing the three Gates, only about a hundred people remained.
It seemed ridiculous that one could be selected as a candidate to be an Immortal with just this, but...
It was somewhat interesting that only those who seemed capable in some way or appeared healthy in mind and body remained.
It seemed it wasn''tpletely ineffective.
Of course, the illegal admissions were exceptions.
"You all look terrible. Follow me this way. We need to prepare to meet the Immortal."
After being forcibly washed, changing clothes, and receiving mental education several times, all preparations were finallyplete.
Can I finally see them?
There was an altar ced in the center of the wide, t mountain peak that had been cleared into an open space.
A female shaman performed a dance in front of the altar, then sprinkled ck powder from a jar ced beside the altar onto it, igniting blue mes.
Whoosh-
Eventually, everyone looked down at the ground in the attention posture as they had been taught.
Whoosh-
The female shaman circled the altar, sprinkling powder and muttering something.
Then a thick fog began to settle.
Beams of light asionally shone through it.
My, what a shy entrance.
Yawn.
Isn''t this fake? It''s too showy.
Aren''t Immortals supposed to be about non-action, contentment in poverty, and being satisfied with what they already have?
Karlstein yawned.
Regardless, the shaman''s muttering grew louder and began to resonate.
And then.
Whoosh- Whoosh-
As the blue mes grew several timesrger, the fog suddenly receded.
Immediately after, an old man with the appearance of an Immortal walked out of the mes above the altar.
Iyaaa. The production is on point.
Though that didn¡¯t stop Karlstein from thinking that it was unnecessary theatrics no matter how he looked at it.
Ooooh, is that an Immortal?
He finally got to meet a real Immortal.
Hm?
Karlstein''s puzzled eyes scanned the Immortal.
Ether?
***What''s this?
While everyone was looking at him with eyes full of admiration, there was one young man giving him a strange look.
How much effort had he put in for today, only to receive such a reaction?
It was vexing, but he endured it.
Recklessly blowing off someone''s head just because their gaze was impudent didn''t fit the purpose of this charade.
Anyway, his goal was to select talented individuals.
"You''ve alle well. Fufu."
The old man''s heavy voice pierced everyone''s ears.
"Come forward one by one and extend your arm to me."
The old man raised his Spiritual Power and lightly waved his arm.
Then, a boy at the very front was dragged forward.
"Huh? Mmph?!"
Pulled forward against his will, the boy extended his arm.
The old man projected a fine stream of Spiritual Power into the boy''s body.
The stream of Spiritual Power circled the boy''s body and then entered a fist-sized stone in the old man''s hand.
"..."
The selection stone remained motionless.
At that, the old man waved his arm to dismiss the boy. Simultaneously, a girl was dragged forward.
"Ungh!"
The girl went through the same process as the boy. The result was the same.
The boy and girl realized from the old man''s cold expression that they hadn''t even been selected as candidates.
However, their bodies were bound as if tied up tightly and they couldn''t open their mouths, so they could only watch the others.
In this way, hundreds of people were dragged before the old man for judgment.
"Aish."
"What a shame."
"Tsk."
People were mercilessly eliminated.
After measuring for a long time like this, the first person to pass appeared.
"Hmm! This much is eptable."
"Hup...!"
"It will take time, but if you are lucky, you might be able to bloom."
The boy was overjoyed.
Unlike the other children who couldn''t move or speak, he was granted free movement.
"Go over there and wait."
"...Yes! Understood!"
The boy went to where the old man pointed with a happy face and waited quietly, clenching his fist.
I did it! To think I could really enter the Immortal Path!
Mom! Dad! Please congratte me!
After the first person passed, a strange excitement spread among those waiting.
Of course, this was the same for Karlstein.
For a different reason.
Although it''s a bit different, it''s definitely Ether. The density is weak but it''s refined. To think there could be such regted Ether!
Karlstein''s eyes sparkled.
As Karlstein was observing the old man''s Ether like this, the second person to pass appeared.
"Hoho. This is a joyous asion. A heaven-sent talent. You will surely achieve greatness!"
A calm girl was chosen. She was one of the people who hade by carriage.
The girl''s cheeks flushed for a moment, but she quickly hid her joy and stood beside the others who had passed.
After that, the selection continued, and three more people were chosen before Karlstein, who wasst.
One of them was unexpected.
"You shall need heavenly luck, but... it is not impossible."
"R-Really?!"
The old man didn''t answer and just pointed at the waiting area with his chin.
The bald middle-aged man ran over hurriedly.
He was expressing his joy with his whole body.
Karlstein was dumbfounded at this.
As expected, the previous Gates were meaningless.
The bald middle-aged man would have failed even the First Gate if Karlstein hadn''t helped him.
Anyway, it was finally Karlstein''s turn, thest one.
Woong- Whisk-
A strange strand of Ether flew and touched his body.
Ah...?
The old man''s eyes widened.
Huhhh?
Chapter 92: Heavenly Spiritual Root
***The selection stone in the old man''s hand cracked and shattered.
"!!"
The old man was startled.
However, his regretful look was only momentary.
He cast a heated gaze towards the young man.
What an incredible Metal (½ð) energy! And to think it is a Heavenly Spiritual Root (Ììì`¸ù) at that!
An unbelievably pure Heavenly Spiritual Root of the Metal Element.
Spiritual Root referred to an Immortal''s talent for handling the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth.
Among them, a Heavenly Spiritual Root was a single-Elemental Root among the Five Elements of Water, Metal, Fire, Wood, and Earth, and could be called a heaven-sent talent.If one cultivated Metal Element Cultivation Techniques, there would be no obstacles, and the cultivation speed would be far superior to ordinary multi-Element Spiritual Roots.
Ah.
What great fortune!
A Heavenly Spiritual Root was a talent cherished even within Immortal Sects.
He must be secured at all costs.
But why did the selection stone break?
Shake shake-
Is that important? The Heavenly Spiritual Root is what matters!
"Hahaha."
The old man smiled and burst intoughter that echoed throughout the mountain.
"Let''s return to the sect immediately. I owe that punk Qingyao one. Tell him I shall visit him separatelyter."
As the old man waved his arm, a leaf that came out of his sleeve grew enormous.
"Now, everyone get on!"
The selected boys and girls nced at Karlstein before demurely getting on the leaf.
"Kuh! I knew you''d be chosen if it was you!"
The middle-aged man approached him and acted friendly.
"For someone who said that, weren¡¯t you avoiding my eyes earlier?"
"Ahem! Hmm!"
When the middle-aged man was chosen, he had subtly avoided Karlstein''s gaze.
"After receiving your help, I didn''t know what face to make if only I got in."
"Let''s just leave it at that."
Karlstein had just said it casually, and he got on the leaf following the old man.
A technique to shrink and expand volume...?
It was not that the Gctic Empire couldn''t do it, but it certainly couldn''t do it this easily.
There''s a lot to reference here.
YongYong''s Subspace Magic didn¡¯t use Ether, so there was almost nothing to reference, but for this case, it was different.
"Well then! We shall depart now. It will probably take about two months of travel. Let us hurry!"
To Karlstein, it felt like the old man was finely manipting Ether to float the giant leaf.
Ether.
Currently, he couldn''t feel any Ether from his body. It was as if it waspletely blocked, not moving, like a rock submerged underwater.
Perhaps the connection to the Community being cut off was because of this.
At any rate.
There was no major problem with traveling.
On the way, he heard various exnations from the old man.
"A Heavenly Spiritual Root is a heaven-sent talent. You will not be able to learn techniques of other Elements, but that''s no problem. You just need to learn techniques that match your Spiritual Root''s Element."
Isn''t that a bad thing?
"If you just put in effort, you shall be able to raise your realm several times, no, ten times faster."
"Hahaha. Even within the sect, you will be treated preciously. Whether it is cultivation resources or proper masters, they will do everything they can for you in the sect."
"Although Heavenly Spiritual Roots are also ranked ording to the purity of their Element, you are..."
"What is the use in saying it! You have the purest Spiritual Root I have ever seen!"
The old man''s eyes sparkled as he spoke rapidly.
Karlstein had felt a bit disappointed at hearing he could only learn techniques of one Element among the Five Elements, but seeing how expectant the old man was, maybe it wouldn''t be so bad?
Karlstein hadn''t had high expectations to begin with anyway.
"You''re scheduled to be assigned to the Qi Refining Pavilion."
"Qi Refining Pavilion?"
"You can think of it as the ce where Immortals smelt and refined their Dharma Tools."
After yapping all about how good it was, in the end, he would just do a production job?
"It''s perfect for learning Metal Element Cultivation Techniques in particr. Moreover, our me Metal Sect excels in forging Dharma Tools."
The old man''s voice was full of pride.
Was the old man also from the Qi Refining Pavilion?
"It will not becking in helping your talent bloom. Fufu."
"I see."
Hmm.
Well... Since that''s what he says, there''s no need to throw a tantrum.
The boys, girls, and even the middle-aged man were looking at Karlstein chatting with the old man as if envious.
Clear discrimination.
It seemed the old man wasn''t paying attention to the other children at all after measuring Karlstein''s talent.
"Haha. I shall tell you about the history of our sect."
The old man kept Karlstein by his side and didn''t want to be apart from him even for a moment.
For Karlstein, who didn''t feel anything special about flying through the sky, it could have been somewhat boring.
However, he alleviated his boredom by hearing useful information from the old man, receiving jealous looks from the young people, ttery from the middle-aged man, and strange nces from the girls.
Below the leaf, a vast forest stretched out endlessly. Even though the leaf''s speed was not slow at all, there was no end in sight.
Such a daily life wasn''t bad, but¡
Traveling for two months stuck closely with an old man he didn''t even know?
And with an old man who kept throwing heated gazes at him?
Hmm.
Even so, this ain¡¯t it.
Ah.
At least the function named ''Logout'' allowed for reconnection.
The problem was that this body would be left unattended while disconnected, but he roughly solved this by giving appropriate hints to the old man.
He said he sometimes falls into long, deep sleep like Sleeping Beauty.
Although his conscience itched at the old man''s surprised face, it was better than revealing that he was the Cosmic Emperor, right?
Well, even if problems arose...
Although bodies that could be possessed were valuable, it wasn''t something he couldn''t obtain again.
Considering the war situation beyond the Gctic Empire''s Barrier and the aftermath in World, he couldn''t just dawdle forever!
This current situation of falling into a Xianxia world was an unexpected event. He couldn''t drag it out indefinitely.
It''s not because he didn''t like traveling alone with the clingy old man!
Probably?
Karlstein watched for the right moment and muttered inwardly.
Logout!
Click-
His vision went dark and his body copsed as if a thread had been cut.
When he opened his eyes like that.
[Eung? Master?]
As he came out of the capsule, he found Aria ring at the egg.
***"Ah... I''m back."
Aria blinked her eyes as she looked at him.
Karlstein grinned.
"Hoit."
Was it because he returned to his main body?
His mind, which had been suppressed in the Avatar, found its ce again and he could clearly feel the vast power of his body.
Crack-
When he clenched his fist tightly and then opened it, the space around his fist rippled slightly.
"I can''t stay connected for long either."
The stuffiness was unavoidable.
When Karlstein looked at Aria, she was staring at him with wide eyes.
"Why are you making that face when I''ve returned after a long time?"
Hm? What is it?
Then Aria''s answer came.
[Forced disconnection should require a minimum amount of time, should it not?]
"Huh? Ah. It seemed like that. When it became seven days and nights, no, a week, I could faintly feel the sensation."
[Master....]
"What?"
Aria showed him the hologram data and spoke dazedly.
[Not even a day has passed since you connected to the Avatar.]
"What?"
Karlstein tilted his head at the unexpected words.
Did I measure the time wrong there?
Wait no. That can''t be possible, though?
[Judging by your reaction, it seems to be true.]
"Uh...."
It''s not that they hadn''t researched time differences with other dimensions before. Of course, they had conducted research and investigations on this, and although there were subtle differences, they had never been as clear as this time.
"Anyway.... Is this a good thing?"
A dimension with a time ratio difference of at least ten times....
Depending on how it was used, it seemed like substantial gains could be made....
Interest and curiosity about Xianxia welled up in Karlstein''s mind.
At that moment.
Bang-
"Aria! What happened!"
A green-haired girl burst through the door.
"Eh? Cami?"
Cami froze when she saw Karlstein standing there perfectly fine.
"Uh, uh?"
"You took off your gas mask? That¡¯s rare. Didn''t you say you didn''t want to breathe the same air as us-"
"Kyaaak!"
"??"
For some reason, she screamed and then ran out the door.
[We''ve been spared some trouble.]
"Hm? What do you mean?"
He didn''t know what was happening, but¡
Bang-
"Is His Majesty-"
Maxien, who came in simrly, paused for a moment when he saw Karlstein.
"...well?"
"Eh? Yep."
Maxien looked at Aria once and then sighed.
"At any rate, I am d that nothing happened. Please take care of your health."
Tap.
Maxien closed the door and left.
Bang!
"Chancellor!"
Thud!
"Madam Secretary!"
Bang!
"Your Majestyyyyy!!"
Bang!
"I humbly beg for Your Majesty¡¯s understanding!!!"
After experiencing the same situation a few times like this.
"U-Umm...."
[...I would appreciate it if you acknowledged my efforts.]
"R-Right."
To enter and leave the Imperial Pce''s Great Hall like It was their own home....
However, in the eyes of those who burst through the door, a glimpse of madness could be seen.
As if they would even risk death, if....
No, that can''t be.
Karlstein shook his head.
He felt exhausted already without having done anything.
Moreover, Aria''s gaze was not normal either.
I need to change the subject!
"A-Anyway, how did things progress in World?"
[...You came right on time. Just when we needed you, Master.]
"Really? Is there a spare body to possess?"
[Fortunately, I had one manufactured in advance. However.]
"Oooh, as expected of Aria. However?"
[There are some things you should know.]
Karlstein congratted himself on changing the subject and listened to her words.
Chapter 93: The Great Galactic Empire
[You should put on some clothes....]
"!!"
Only then realizing he wasn''t wearing clothes, Karlstein hurriedly got dressed.
No wonder they were so shocked!
But why didn''t anyone say anything!
He sighed and listened to her exnation.
[The spare body to possess is just that - a spare. The Metal Domination will be noticeably different. However.]
"However?"
[It could be said that it''s rather enhanced in terms of electronic devices.]
"Hmm."Metal Domination was the ability of an upper Double Number Entity that was subjugated by the Gctic Empire in the past.
One of the Kaiju that inflicted considerable damage to the Gctic Empire.
The bastard that handled all sorts of metal masses was a cmity that tormented the Gctic Empire for a long time.
And it was one of the Kaiju executed by Karlstein''s own hand.
Metal Domination.
Although it couldn''t match the Kaiju''s innate ability, it was an ability that the Gctic Empire could utilize to some extent.
Kaiju Factors weren¡¯t something that sprouted just by nting them. It was an ability that could barely be digested only with Karlstein''s Mental Invariability characteristic.
At any rate, it wasn''t possible to generate Factors infinitely.
"That''s more than enough."
[Then I will prepare with that in mind.]
"What''s the situation?"
[It does not seem very good.]
"Really? Well, I guess it wasn''t easy."
[Still, with KAI and Hyperion joining, we have been able to have a bit of a breather.]
"Mm. That''s good. Then what about the control of Debra?"
I heard that Hyperion''s contribution was significant in governing Debra.
[There shouldn''t be any problems. If they have any sense, they would not dare to rebel. And if they are that stupid, they are not worth using.]
"Is that so?"
If Aria says so, it must be.
"Is there no problem with multiple connections?"
[As long as it is not simultaneous connection, there''s no problem since the Avatar is just a terminal like the body I am currently using. More importantly, how is Master''s mental characteristic?]
"Hmm.... It''s strange. It seems to be maintained for now."
[Is that so?]
Aria''s expression brightened.
"But it feels different from when I''m in my main body."
[What do you mean?]
It''s hard to exin in words, but...
I guess if the main body is like an infinite ocean, the Avatar feels like it has a certain limit?
I don''t know what will happen after the limited seawater dries up.
[Then... it could be dangerous.]
Aria''s worried gaze turned towards him.
That was probably what Aria is worried about.
What if the memories and emotions that have been endured with [Mental Invariability] until now suddenlye flooding back when the mental barrier was removed?
It was hard to gauge how it would affect him. There might be an aftermath like a dam bursting. Aria didn''t seem to think optimistically that [Mental Invariability] would be maintained forever.
[Master must be eternal.]
"...Huh?"
It was a tone that gave him an inexplicable chill, but...
"R-Right."
Karlstein could understand. If recalling when he first imnted a Single Number¡¯s Factors, Aria''s worry wasn''tpletely iprehensible.
Anyway, can''t we just disconnect before it bes a problem?
Moreover, [Mental Invariability] doesn''t even get scratched by Double Numbers.
"You''re worrying too much."
Aria''s mood softened.
Phew.
[Master?]
"Yeah?"
What is it? Is there something else?
Karlstein became slightly anxious.
Fortunately, it didn''t seem to be anything serious.
[When you enter World this time, please research the silver branches obtained from those beings.]
That thing entrusted to Virdel.
"Alright. I''ll pay special attention to it. Shall we start then?"
Let''s quickly take care of this and go y in the Xianxia world.
***Karon, Commander of the 27th Regiment, 16th Division, 1st Corps of the Debra Defense Force.
When he appeared on the streets, everyone looked at him with respect.
Debrans lined up to sprinklerge sums of money for a brief meeting with him.
The position of a Defense Force Commander was that of a top-tier noble.
But now¡
"Oh my, you''vee!"
Karon released the locking mechanism attached to the shoulder te of the martial artist surrounded by heavy iron armor in front of him, helping to remove the armor.
"Whew. It''s tough."
"You''ve worked hard!"
Karon, a blue-skinned Debran, received the armor handed to him, sprayed it with a special solution, and began wiping it until it shone with a rag.
"How was today''s battle?"
"Whew. It seems we''ve safely gotten through another day."
Karon diligently wiped the heavy iron tes that he had carelessly taken off.
It had been a long time since he''d forgotten about his past glory. No, even if he hadn''t forgotten, he forcibly didn''t recall it.
His friends who were caught up in past glory had already been demoted to 4th-Grade citizens and were wandering around the slums.
By a single space battleship.
And with a single battle, the Debrans realized.
They absolutely couldn''t win.
Numbers? It was meaningless.
As Debrans who had actually ventured into space, they couldn''t help but know the moment they confirmed the specs of a single space battleship.
The technological gap.
The gap in civilization.
They personally realized the enormous gap.
Yes, with many sacrifices, they might be able to do something about that one ship over there.
But what about after that?
Shake shake-
With just two battles, the Debrans called for surrender immediately.
It was not just the space battleship; how could they dare to rebel against the force that created this space battleship?
Of course they couldn¡¯t.
And so, a single human woman came to the surrendered Debra.
Governor Keisha Winsler.
Her rule over Debra began. Citizens were ssified into sses, divided into those who were useful and those who were not.
After that, exactly 27 rebellions urred. Rebellions that didn''t evenst a single hour.
The resistance waspletely rooted out, and they were oxidized without any fruitful results.
And then....
As time passed, some informative rumors were released and cutting-edge equipment bestowed by her was distributed. With this, the Debrans couldn''t help but revere the Gctic Empire.
Th-This is possible? What kind of technology is this? Unbelievable!
What in the world was this Gctic Empire that conquered not just space but even dimensions....
And then the troop recruitment began.
Troop recruitment began with all sorts of benefits and rights given as rewards along with a promotion in citizen grade.
Of course, Karon applied too.
Not just for the benefits, but he also wanted to experience the Gctic Empire firsthand.
Just how great could it be.
Just how excellent could it be.
Why couldn''t Debra even properly resist?
Was it a problem with our grit?
He wanted to know the answer to those questions.
And so, he arrived at this ce called World.
Is this really a dimensional war?
What the...!
Humans who could fly through the sky even with bare bodies were flying around the battlefield covered in cutting-edge equipment.
There was even a being called a dragon that used magic, and all sorts of unknown monsters appeared.
Whoa....
But was that all?
Keeeng- sh-
A ring-shaped sphere floating above the upied territory.
Blue shes shot from the rotating rings incinerated countless monsters.
Whoosh- Whoosh-
And then.
sh- Boom-
The space battleship ''Hyperion'' floating high in the sky.
Although its exterior was reduced, Karon clearly remembered as he was amander.
The unbelievable power of the ship called ''Hyperion''.
sh- Boom-
However.
"Kuk."
Gravity so heavy it was hard to even stand.
Firearms with greatly reduced power.
Kaiju surging forward like a tidal wave against this.
After seeing all this with his own eyes, he realized.
Dimensional war... it''s certainly not easy!
Even amidst all this, the ship Hyperion was exuding a tremendous presence.
But what about the Gctic Empire that was waging such a great war?
"Hoho."
Moreover¡
The scariest thing was¡
-Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
-Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!
-For the Gctic Empire! For the Gctic Divine Cult!
Perfect mental armament.
Just what kind of person is this ''Your Majesty'' to be worshipped like a god?
Even as everyone was struggling against the waves of Kaiju, the fighting spirit in people''s eyes didn''t break.
-We just need to hold on until His Majesty Karlstein arrives!
-Are we going to show a shameful appearance! Hold on! Fight!
-We are the Gctic Divine Cult of the great Gctic Empire! Everyone, have pride!
-For the great Emperor Karlstein! For him!
Just what kind of human could inspire such fanatical belief....
Karon''s questions would soon be answered.
-Everyone bow! It is Emperor Karlstein!
-His Majesty hase to personallymand!
-Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
-Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!
-Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
A crucible of madness.
"I-Is that person His Majesty?"
"The ruler who dominates dimensions...."
"The Emperor of the Gctic Empire...."
"Ho. Just being nearby makes my skin tingle."
"I can''t even breathe."
The Debrans who hade as supply troops fully realized.
Indeed, he was no ordinary person!
The Emperor of the Gctic Empire handled cutting-edge equipment with just a gesture, like they were his own limbs.
"Activate Overdrive."
They almost fainted seeing him talk about legendary space battleships and interception turrets as if they were consumables.
This man was the number one being of the Gctic Empire.
Indeed¡
As soon as he arrived, the battlefield began to liven up. As if everything until now had been just a prologue.
The morale of the soldiers that pierced the sky.
The Emperor''s overflowing confidence and spirit.
There was not a single thingcking.
The counterattack of humanity, which had been suffering from waves of Kaiju, began.
Just what kind of ability will he show?
Karon''s heart began to pound.
"F-For the Gctic Empire!"
So much so that such words spontaneously burst out.
Chapter 94: Blitzkrieg
Inhale- Exhale-
Heavy air.
Pressure weighing down on the body.
Dulled Ether.
I''ve definitely arrived this time.
Karlstein looked around and grinned.
Haphazardly constructed barriers of wood and metal.
Watchtowers and bunkers installed at intervals along the barriers.
Murim White Troops standing guard everywhere.
Hyperion and interception turrets in the sky.And¡
Swoosh- Step- Step-
"We greet Your Imperial Majesty Karlstein."
"O-Oradge!"
"Ungh...!"
"YongYong is here too!"
Four people instantly appeared before Karlstein.
"Is this the first time we''re all seeing each other together? Somehow it''s be a gathering of Moderators!"
Ignoring the four with their various gazes, Karlstein immediately got to work.
"Let''s deal with the urgent matters first."
Pzzt-
"Selena. I''ll need your help fixing coordinates."
"...Yes!"
Selena, with a hint of fear visible.
"And Virdel, assist with the material transfer."
Virdel, with an intense gaze.
Pzzt-
"And Hyperion..."
[We greet the eminent Great Hero of the Gctic Empire, Emperor Karlstein Babylon.]
Hyperion, answering demurely.
"Yep. Let me use some of your parts."
[If that is your wish, then dly.]
"Keisha, you take the Debrans and handle supplies and fortress expansion."
"A-Alright."
And Keisha, flustered by Karlstein''s strange charisma.
"And the defense will be handled by the fortress itself. The Murim White Troops will switch to offense."
"!!"
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
"Woooah!"
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
Karlstein grinned as he looked at the frenzied crowd.
It wasn''t for nothing that he inserted the Metal Domination Factor into this Avatar.
Snap.
With a snap of his fingers, the haphazardly installed metal structures all floated up into the air at once.
Unlike in Xianxia, it''s applying without any problems here.
Nod.
Karlstein began to simultaneously handle the four tasks he had ordered.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Behind Karlstein, who was scanning the crowd, metal bulkheads began to form, creating an impregnable fortress.
Pzzt- Boom- Keeng- Click-
Disassembled armaments from Hyperion and KAI were installed along the bulkheads.
"Remember. This is just a base camp. Our only goal is attack."
"We will remember!"
"Yes! Understood!"
Though it did feel like he was forgetting something...
"Tengggg!"
***The fortress began to change at a level ofplete transformation.
Sturdy and tall metal walls rose up, and automatic turrets and various firearms installed at regr intervals spewed fire.
Support supplies poured in endlessly, and the Murim White Troops were reinforced.
Step- Step- Step-
The well-disciplined Murim White Troops finished arming themselves with newly supplied equipment and set out from the fortress to hunt Kaiju. Profound Realm martial artists armed with cutting-edge equipment formed battle formations.
Boom-
With Hyperion''s detectors acting as themunication hub, the interception units moved organically. In cases where difficult opponents were expected even for the Murim White Troops'' level, Virdel would sortie along with Hyperion.
"It''s still not enough."
Even so, Karlstein wasn''t satisfied. His greed didn''t stop at this level.
If we''re going to do it, let''s do it properly.
"Construct 2nd and 3rd barriers and expand the territory."
As Karlstein instantly installed the structural framework, Debrans rushed in to reinforce the details. Selena immediately began research along with establishing a research institute, and everyone moved busily as one body.
"The resource reserves of World are beyond imagination. This isn''t something that could be created with just 1 trillion Karma Points."
This was a clear fact.
Sure, 1 trillion Karma Points wasn''t something to be called "just". Even so, it wasn''t enough to generate the resources of the entire World.
"Analysis of resource reserves is a lower priority. We will kill and scrape up everything we can see."
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
Following Karlstein''s orders, unmanned ships were continuously transmitted from the Gctic Empire.
Seeing this aggressive investment, everyone had the same thought.
Gulp-
He''s serious.
He means business.
Could it be that even this much is nothing to the Gctic Empire?
Regardless of such reactions, Karlstein issued orders without hesitation.
"These ships are equipped with basic automated systems. Debrans with boarding experience should be able to operate them somehow."
A defense fleetposed of unmanned ships patrolled around the barrier periodically and bombarded, while a field fleet made up of Debrans and Murim White Troops swept through everything with the momentum to burn it all down.
Unfortunately, while it was possible to transfer items from the Gctic Empire dimension to here, it was impossible to move people. Even Karlstein had to take the approach of transferring a Avatar and then connecting to it.
Sending materials from World was also still impossible. Unlike Ether, it was different. Although Selena was constantly researching for this purpose, it was unknown when results woulde.
The Gctic Empire''s Astral Barrier was probably estimated to be the cause.
However, such things were of no concern to them.
Unceasing orders and victories.
That alone was their driving force.
"Select additional Debrans who have experience operating ships!"
"Supply Battalion Private Karon! I have received the order!"
"Kill all the Kaiju and take their byproducts!"
Karlstein''s lightning-fast actions.
Karlstein''s exploding charisma.
Matching this, there was only attack, attack, and expansion.
Karlstein Babylon, Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
His majesty, which couldn''t be hidden even by a low-grade Avatar, shook World.
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
"For the great Gctic Empire!"
A great me burned in everyone''s hearts.
Thus, fighting spirit and momentum continued, seemingly unable to die down.
It was the scene of an endlessly rising morale of an army.
"Kill!!"
"For the Gctic Empire!"
"Bow down!!"
[D-Damn insects!]
"2nd Silo Chargingplete."
"Fire main cannon."
[Uwaaaaak!]
It waspletely opposite to their previous defensive stance against Kaiju waves.
Even those directly participating in the battlefield felt a thrill.
Thus, madness was added to madness.
"Sweep them all away!"
Even so, Karlstein didn''t lose sight of priorities.
"The silver spring is Priority 0. If discovered, upy it with top priority."
Silver spring water wasn''t only found in Karlstein''s upied territory. The Gctic Empire seeded in securing two additional springs on top of that.
"It¡¯s too far away? Then multi-task!"
With near-infinite resources pouring in from the Gctic Empire, and human resources flooding in from Murim and Debra, their expansion was terrifying.
"The next Priority 1 is those Sephiroth bastards. Hunt them down!"
Attack. Hunt. Attack. Expand. Hunt. And attack.
[Dodge!]
[These bastards... they''re crazy!]
"Gctic! Gctic! Gctic! Gctic!"
[Aaaak!]
[Where''s the support?!]
[The higher-ups told us to retreat. Losing the Sacred Relicst time was a big mistake.]
[Ugh!]
However, even for Virdel, there were many formidable opponents.
"Kuhuk!"
[You''re quite good for a human.]
[Impudent thing.]
[You keep climbing higher when we show mercy.]
[You think you can face all of us alone?]
But¡
"Lady Virdel. May I lend a hand?"
Swoosh-
[How dare you!]
[Who are you!]
An old man wearing a deep bamboo hat, dressed in martial attire with a single sword.
"Well. Do we need words between us?"
Boom- sh-
[Hmm..]
"Master Wuji! It would be a shame to leave us out!"
[Where is this ce? Summoner.]
[There are monsters... everywhere.]
[Still, I don''t feel the restrictions of the world.]
A Spirit Summoner whomands Spirit Kings and an Elf Archmage with long ears.
"The 32nd Holy Sword''s owner, Hero Versya, reporting for duty!"
"Ruler of Niflheim, King of Hell Mephir."
"I am Raul, the Demon King of Wisdom."
The Transcendents from the Community had joined the battle.
Tap tap.
"Is this the ce called World?"
"Ungh! Where on earth is this ce for the air to be so heavy?"
The Lich King and High Elf.
Of course, the two with the lowestbat power among the volunteers were selected for the position of ¡®researchers¡¯.
Still, they were all individuals who had reached the peak in their own worlds.
Naturally, there was also a battle of nerves between them.
"A hero... In our world, they all died by my hand."
"Hoho. Such sorcery won''t work on me."
"Hahah. It seems it will not be boring at least."
"Can you handle a Spirit King?"
"Tap tap. Magic is truth...."
"Lich King, you stay out of this."
They could have been difficult to control due to their arrogance.
However, first due to World''s ominous environment..
"Hmm. It feels like my Inner Qi is frozen."
"Even the Spirit Kings seem to have trouble using their power...."
"Why is my body like this?"
"Have they already adapted to this environment?"
Then, after facing the Oradge, they all lost their words.
When they first arrived in World, they all showed stiff appearances.
"Hm? What''s wrong? Rx and enjoy yourselves. Just make sure to do your assigned tasks properly."
"Hoh...."
"Hahaha. The world is vast indeed."
"Just how...."
"It doesn''t even seem to be his main body...."
"It seems that besides us, no one else can perceive his essence."
Insane. Is that monster really the Oradge?
The Transcendents who could glimpse even a little of the Oradge''s origin kept their mouths firmly shut.
Haha.
In the end, their choice resulted in¡
"I''d like to request an interview."
"Please, your generosity...."
"I have something to consult about!"
"Just a moment of your time!!"
Everyone wanting to talk with the Oradge.
"Hm. Work first. Interviewster."
They were tly rejected.
But all their expressions weren''t dissatisfied.
"I''ve already read your reasons for applying. Those who work hard will get good results."
At the Oradge''s rxed gaze¡
"Ooh!"
"Indeed...."
"A clue to prevent world destruction...."
"I will do my best with my meager abilities!"
"You promised, okay?"
Will welled up in everyone''s eyes.
"Lady Virdel! We shall show you that we are not to be underestimated!"
"Leave this to me!!"
"Everyone, follow me!"
"Kill them!!"
"Ugh! It''s not easy!"
"So are you going to give up here?"
"No way! For the sake of those waiting for me! I cannot give up!"
"This is so much fun! Huhaha!"
They showed fighting spirit bordering on madness.
Chapter 95: Expansion
***"Hmm. Is everything roughly sorted out now?"
Although it had only been a few days, he had pushed things forward quickly and decisively, and now things could run to some extent even without him.
The fortress''s defense was solidified with automated machines, while the fleet and White Troops took turns handling external expansion.
Under Keisha Winsler''s leadership, supply and resource management was proceeding smoothly, and the fortress was rapidly expanding.
She definitely has talent for internal affairs.
Maybe I should send her to Aria for trainingter?
"Hieek?!"
Leaving behind Keisha, who seemed to suddenly get chills, Karlstein inspected the researchplex built near the silver spring inside the fortress.
"Hut!""H-Have youe, Your Majesty!"
"Your Imperial Majesty Karlstein!"
"I shall call personnel to attend to His Majesty immediately!"
"W-Wee."
"Hmm."
Nod.
"That''s enough. Continue with your work."
A research institute consisting of densely packed metal buildings.
Even now, additional buildings were being constructed.
Although the research institute had just been established, the Lich King, High Elf, and talents from Debra and various Murim dimensions had been brought in to assist Selena.
Karlstein dismissed the people and finished his inspection.
It would take time for results toe out. Researchers in the Gctic Empire would probably need to cooperate remotely to conduct research on World.
Matters rted to the research institute couldn''t be resolved in a short period.
Karlstein activated a hologram and also checked the industrialplex near the research institute.
Reports full ofplex numbers and graphs dizzied his vision as they rapidly changed.
"Hmm..."
He could grasp the general situation.
"Excellent."
Leather and organs treated with special solutions entered massive machine facilities in orderly lines.
Materials thatpleted primary processing were sent to other factory facilities to undergo secondary, tertiary, and quaternary processing ording to each material.
Debrans moved busily in between, checking quality and inspecting for any abnormalities.
They werepressed by giant presses, furtherpacted, and then neatly stacked in huge warehouses.
Some materials were sent to the research institute, some to Ether processing nts, and some were immediately reproduced as war supplies.
Nod.
"This side is also progressing without problems."
Materials that were difficult to utilize immediately were stored as samples and then sent to Ether processing nts to be reproduced as power sources.
The Ether produced in this way was left with enough quantity to maintain the fortress, and the rest was all sent to the Gctic Empire.
"The efficiency is better than I thought."
Karlstein''s lips curled up at the results, which were no less than the [Dimensional Store].
"Not bad at all."
The guys recruited from the Community were doing better than expected too.
-Life is boring. I want to meet strong opponents.
-To obtain clues to save the world.
-To see the limits of magic.
-For the revival of my affiliated faction.
-To rebuild the ancient kingdom.
They had all applied for their own reasons.
He nned to give them appropriate rewards through interviewster.
A reward personally given by the Emperor of the Gctic Empire?
They would probably have to prove themselves. Whether they were worthy of receiving his reward.
"It''s still going smoothly so far."
Because of their aggressive expansion, those Sephiroth bastards and Kaiju were currently hesitating. Or rather, they seemed to be retreating.
But they couldn''t expand infinitely like this.
Would they really tolerate all of World''s resources being taken by this side?
He didn''t think so.
They would probably start responding soon.
Until then, he would keep pushing relentlessly. While waiting for their reaction.
Alright.
For now, I''ll take care of this much and take a break.
Karlstein entered the capsule exclusive for Avatars and disconnected.
***[The momentum is ominous.]
[If it were just momentum, we wouldn''t have gathered like this.]
[Keuung....]
[To be pushed back by mere humans.... This is humiliation.]
[Watch your words.]
[We can''t consider them simple humans, can we?]
Silhouettes surrounding a small silver spring.
They were urgently holding a meeting because of humans of a kind they had never seen before.
[Is it human technology?]
[Such... things were created by human technology alone?]
[It''s an unbelievable power.]
[It cannot even be called an Artifact, as it doesn''t seem to be magic either.]
[And their numbers are not small.]
It was absurd.
A powerful army armed with metal.
It was certainly clear that humans were operating them, but these were things they had never heard of or seen before.
How could humans go that far?
[They are constantly expanding.]
[How long do we have to retreat?]
[There are some strong ones among them that can''t be ignored.]
[Kuk.]
It wasn''t something they could do, feeling threatened by mere humans and requesting help from superiors.
[What are the Higher Order n members who arrived here doing now?]
[They must be performing the ritual.]
[The ritual to connect to Mother....]
A being called Mother, Sephiroth, or Dimensional Tree by the n.
The root and origin of the Sephiroth n. The Alpha as well as the Omega.
[If only the ritual seeds....]
[Of course, we still need to drive out those Chaos bastards and those... humans.]
[Haah....]
[Rather, how about we all gather our strength and end it at once? If we just endure some damage...]
They kept retreating to reduce damage, but what if they ignored even that damage and struck at once?
[Didn''t you all feel it then?]
[That....]
[It''s not something to think lightly of.]
[....]
However, the reason they couldn''t do that was probably because an unbelievable being was observed on the human side. Probably a being that even amanding officer couldn''t handle.
Fear leaked out faintly under their serious expressions.
[It''s insufficient to simply dismiss him as a transcendent being....]
[This isn''t something we can decide among ourselves.]
[Damn it.]
It was frustrating. This current situation where they could do neither this nor that.
It was already taxing enough just dealing with the Kaiju on the Chaos side.
But now, as the humans armed with metal rapidly expanded recently, they had to keep retreating.
[But we can''t just abandon the Sacred Relic that was taken like this, can we?]
[No matter how low-grade the Sacred Relic is, we can''t let it fall into human hands. We must retrieve it.]
[There''s no need to even mention how much impact each Sacred Relic has caused when it fell into the hands of those Chaos bastards.]
That''s right.
Losing a Sacred Relic was a huge mistake for them.
Wasn''t that why themanding officer leading the different affiliates gathered here now had issued a gag order and returned to the superiors?
[How about quietly asking another Higher Order n member with connections?]
[That....]
[There''s someone staying here who has connections with an Elder, isn''t there?]
[Eriel....]
[It''s dangerous. That would be openly defying themanding officer.]
Themanding officer leading them wasn''t ipetent, but he was quite cautious when it came to politics.
[Moreover, if the main force finds out about this, our treatment will worsen too.]
[So let''s return to our respective divisions andfort them well.]
In the end, no clear n came out until themanding officer returned.
[For now, just focus on reducing damage.]
[Haah....]
Their sighs grew deeper day by day.
***Meanwhile, the Community was bustling in its own way.
?are those the ones who were chosen?
?no way lol aren''t they all named?
?is being a named the basic requirement to participate in the circle jerk...
?Seems like there are some I''ve never seen before too.
?a newbie got chosen?
?Must be someone who was just lurking.
?They all seem capable.
?aren''t they the rumored transcendents?
?no wtf let us join too!!!
Fromints about circle jerks¡
?anyone else fail the recruitment?
?111
?22
?I failed too.
?Ah my PTSD ising back.
?Why did I fail? I pride myself on being stronger than that Lich bastard at least.
?that¡¯s right! at least tell us why!!
?that''s right!
?The prevailing theory is that the Lich wasn''t chosen for hisbat power.
?maybe you didn''t praise the Oradge enough?
?haah.... I really wanted to be chosen.
?agh damnit lol
?do you need to have saved a country in your past life to be chosen? lol
?Why are there so many people who failed?
?LMAO everyone was acting like they wouldn''t apply but look at you all now
?ikr lol
?I''m just envious.
To theints of users who failed the recruitment notice, various reactions came up.
If there was amon interest among them¡
?ikr. the ''Oradge''s reward'' mentioned in the notice. who wouldn''t drool over that?
?i wonder how much a reward guaranteed by the Oradge would be?
?a reward given by an SF Absolute?
?My mouth is watering.
?how can I HOLD BACK!!
?KYEEEEEEEEEEK!!
However, less than ten people were chosen.
?aiya Oradge!! increase the quota!
?that¡¯s right! there are at least ten thousand people waiting!
?(Open the door meme)
?PLEASE!!!
?Owner!! Open the door!!
?let me in too! I don''t even want a reward!
Everyone was interested.
The Oradge said there would be additional recruitmentter, but there was no way that the patience of Community users could be that high.
All sorts of gross images and memes were spammed and there were signs of a riot, but...
There was someone whoforted them.
"Yong-hi! Yong-hi! Did everyone wait?"
?even if it''s just a pie in the sky, keep streaming so we can see.
?Wee, porter.
?wht did u say? dragons are the weakest?
?when the Lich King entered, yongyong at least managed to escape from being the youngest lol
?youngest AHAHAHAHAHAH where''s dat dragon''s dignity?
?so when are you getting the enhancement surgery?
?LOLOLOLOL
?i mean hey in thest stream he was getting a consultation.
?lol he said he''d think about it until today lol
YongYongTV, the Community''s self-proimed cutie talent of a jester, was soothing the users''ints.
Chapter 96: Excuse Me? What Did You Say?
YongYong looked quite serious.
"Ahem. I have an important announcement."
?I can guess what he''s going to say.
?important announcement my ass lol
?LOL didn''t you say you''d never modify the strongest body on earth?
?That''s what everyone thinks before stic surgery.
?Once you get it, there''s nothing better, you see.
?wait, SF mecha surgery? how can YOU RESIST THAT!!
?It''s so obvious.
"I looked into ways to minimize damage to my body, but it didn''t meet expectations."?what did you say?
?isn''t your expectation way too high?
?ikr lol there are many treatments to get stronger without body modification
?that''s because you can''t beat transcendents with just that lol
?ah how much stronger do you need to be with one treatment to be satisfied LMAO
?how can you resist getting stronger? lol
?lifetime as a Bluadge forpensation of the enhancement surgery lol
?voluntary very LOL
?But the Oradge said he''d definitely enhance you.
"Ahem! Everyone be quiet!"
YongYong''s face turned red, but he soon erased his expression and showed a serious look.
"Anyway, I, YongYong, had no choice but to decide."
?he must be itching for enhancement surgery after being bullied by other transcendents lol
?he feels oddly out of ce even among the Bluadges lmao
?Maybe it''s because his gender is different?
?ah what does gender matter for a dragon HAHAHA
?LOL looks like the porter wants to quit now.
"To keep up with the times, I''ve decided to go down the Cyborg Mecha Tech Tree!"
?WOAHHHH!!
?LOLOLOL the times AHAHHHAHAH
?ah isn''t everything below SF behind the times? lol
?The noble dragon''s pride has long since shattered.
"Anyway, since the procedure will take time, I won''t be able to stream for a while starting tomorrow!"
?nani?
?wot?
?wait, owner. what do you mean?
?i''ll die waiting!
?apparently it''s too cruel to show lol
?LMAO how much are you going to modify?
?No, YongYong. A dragon can¡¯t get stic surgery!
?Stop it!
?You dare! Your body is given by your parents!
?huh? doesn''t YongYong not have parents?
?let''s refrain from joking about parents lol
?no really, YongYong was naturally born LMAO that''s what dragons are like over there.
?Ahem! Let''s speak nicely!
?So you''re streaming today at least, right?
"You see this?"
YongYong waved a white paper.
?wht¡¯s with the paper?
?What is it?
?Why are you so proud?
?that expression is kinda annoying
"It''s an unlimited cost approval form issued by the Oradge himself!"
?tf how much are you nning to modify?
?He was surprised when he saw the estimate during the consultationst time.
?He came prepared, huh.
"Hahaha. To be honest, I''m a bit scared. But since we''re doing it, shouldn''t we do it properly?"
YongYong headed to the Enhancement Clinic he had visited before, half nervous and half excited.
A ce that all humans dispatched to World must go through.
For the first time, you could receive basic free treatment, and you could freely choose additional enhancement treatments by collecting rewards ording to your merits.
When YongYong arrived, a robot that looked like a human greeted him.
An android dispatched only to some special facilities.
Apparently. it was directly transmitted from the Gctic Empire?
"I shall escort you to the VIP facility."
?Oradge you evil bastard.
?why do we only see male androids?
?Kyah! Oppa!
?get a grip, it''s just a pile of machines!
?Why are they all so handsome?
?Apparently, the prevailing theory is that the Oradge sent only male androids to humiliate us?
?be careful. they seem rly foking strong.
?yeye i saw it too. wasnt it tearing apart Kaiju with their bare hands?
?fuck me... im a mere human who isnt even stronger than robots.
?Calm down. You''re not good-looking either.
YongYong followed the guide while trying to calm his pounding heart.
The ce they arrived at was a spacious underground facility. It was a ce where various robots and equipment were moving busily.
Huh? Wasn¡¯t it on the ground floorst time?
"We have received word from His Imperial Majesty Karlstein. We will continue the consultation after you return to your main body first."
Ah right. I was in Polymorph, yeah?
He asionally forgot.
YongYong canceled his Polymorph.
Woong.
Eventually, a huge dragon revealed its true form.
[Grrrr.]
A massive yet smooth body.
Red scales with a glossy sheen.
A dragon''s yellow pupils split vertically.
An overwhelming majesty enveloped the room.
?ah, right. he was a dragon, ye?
?It''s been a while.
?YongYong, can''t you give me just one heart?
?i''d be satisfied with just one scale....
?what''s with this gap moe?
?Keuhhhh. From scales to organs, there''s nothing to waste....
?looking good G
At that moment, a new blonde male android in a gown approached with an indifferent expression.
At the same time, various measurement devices swarmed around the dragon.
Beep- Whirr- Beep-
The android narrowed its eyes while checking the measurement data.
"Hmm. It is certainly a sturdy body."
[Grrrr.]
Sparks were flickering in YongYong''s breath.
?is that all you have to say about a dragon?
?LMAO ''it''s certainly a sturdy body'' lol
?Mr. SF doctor is saying he¡¯s not sturdy enough yet.
?Doctor! Can our YongYong be pretty?
?YongYong! Is your dragon''s pride okay with this!
"Hmm. First, Ether Weapon Surgery will be performed so that Ether Waves can be automatically manifested in Breath, and Sterium that can withstand even a battleship''s main cannon will be applied to the bones."
"We''ll add nanomachines that generate neurotransmitter enhancers, self-healing agents, muscle enhancers, Ether circuit enhancers, and also..."
?yeye it¡¯s all good~
?Being strong is the best.
?Doctor Sensei. What exactly are you trying to make?
?a second father?
?HAHAHAH mfer i told u YongYong doesn''t have parents
?why is this fucker so obsessed with orphans?
?a fully enhanced YongYong....
?I want to get it too.
?an apocalypse-ss dragon is about to be born, huh.
?reality is the Oradge''s pet.
[....]
Unlike the dragon with aplicated expression, the android remained calm throughout.
"In addition, we''ll perform surgery for various optical weapons and metal skin. And we''ll attach particle weapons to the chest area and detection devices near the tail."
[I see.]
"Here''s the list of particle weapons and optical weapons to be installed. They''re high-end weapons close to the Gctic Empire''stest technology. It wouldn''t have been possible without His Majesty''s approval."
[...Thank you.]
"They''ll be detachable for periodic upgrades. Once we add the Force Field System equipment and Ether-powered flight wings, that should be it."
?look at how his speech changed when he returned to his main body.
?mfer saying ''I see'' LMAOOO
?his speech pattern is so cringe.
?ah is arrogance a passive skill for the main body? lol
?Doctor. Isn''t this at the level of basically making a whole new body?
?It''s just changing everything.
?he''s bing a cyborg, that''s what.
?can¡¯t u see what''s written? it looks like a lot.
?they''re going to put all that in?
?the Gctic Empire''stest technology....
?is he bing Super Mega Ultra Power YongYongmon now?
?he''s bing the ultimate weapon dragon.
"Then we''ll begin the procedure. You''ll be in a sleep state during the process, and it will take some time due to the many enhancement options."
"Ah! The procedure requested by the patient, to imbue Ether Waves into specific magical? actions will require considerable adjustment even after waking up."
[Why is it that you are doing all this? Based on what confidence?]
"Didn''t His Majesty''s approvale through?"
[What if I were to betray you?]
"Pardon?"
The android''s eyes widened. A momentter, as if finally understanding, it burst intoughter.
"Ahaha! You are quite humorous. Ahaha."
Augh so natural it made one doubt if it was really an android.
"Haha. Do as you please. Betrayal? Even if that were the case, it would be a result His Majesty has anticipated."
[That is quite a strong faith.]
"It''s not faith, it''s truth. And His Majesty..."
[Hm?]
"Is not a being you could dare to challenge with such weapons. Even if we attached the Gctic Empire''s Nova, it would be the same."
?LMAO he¡¯s telling him to stop talking mad shit
?that''s some crazy ass bluster.
?YongYong, ur dreams are too big. you''ve seen the Oradge too, haven¡¯t u?
?And it wasn''t even his main body.
?How dare you! How dare you think of challenging him!
?YongYong. You should know your ce lol
?LOLOLOL
[Is that so? I never had any intention of defying Him anyway.]
"Rather, His Majesty might find it interesting. That it wouldn''t be boring. So I''ll cheer you on, haha."
YongYong nodded and opened the Community''s broadcast window.
[Anyway, the broadcast ends here. I''lle backter. Look forward to it.]
?where are you going!
?show us too!
?Dragon''s Secret Flesh.avi
?Other Bluadges don''t even care about broadcasting, tho¡
?who''s going to take care of us now!!
?fucking hell thts so fucked up. at this point, id rather be a bluadge, just to show the people what¡¯s up.
?who said you could?
?im holding my breath until you turn on the broadcast. heup!
?Grumble.
?Come back soon.
The chat window kept scrolling up non-stop.
However, the modification procedure wasn''t an area that could be disclosed.
[Then, farewell for now.]
YongYong steeled his resolve and entered the procedure.
***¡¶Three Thousand¡·.
ording to Buddhist doctrine, a thousand worlds bundled together was called a Small Chiliocosm or Small Thousandfold World, and a thousand Small Chiliocosms bundled together was called a Medium Chiliocosm or Medium Thousandfold World.
And a thousand Medium Chiliocosms gathered together was the Three Thousandfold World or Great Chiliocosm.
Kkeuung....
Karlstein, who had connected to a different Avatar than the one in World, was quietly lying down and listening to the voices around him.
Is this dimension special?
Unlike in ''World'' where he could move immediately after connecting to the Avatar, he couldn''t move his body right away.
It felt as if his body and soul were separate, so to speak?
Of course, that sensation gradually faded. It seemed synchronization needed time.
Karlstein waited leisurely and listened carefully to the voices nearby.
"He''s not waking up."
"Hoho. You cannot wake him up either?"
"Hmm. I do not know the cause. Is there a problem with his soul?"
"We have already been to Cultivator Heo."
"In the end, you came to me because you could not find a solution, right?"
Ah.
Come to think of it, this Xianxia had a difference in time ratio.
I''m not sure exactly, but hasn''t several dozen days passed?
No wonder the old man who brought him was worried.
"You said it was sleeping narcolepsy, right?"
"That is what he said, but I do not know for certain."
But considering that Karlstein''s excuse was just narcolepsy, what must the old man who brought him have thought?
Hmm....
"We cannot lose a child with such great talent."
"Heavenly Spiritual Root...."
"If it were just a Heavenly Spiritual Root, I would not be making such a fuss."
Even if a Heavenly Spiritual Root was considered great talent, it wasn''t as if there were no cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots in their me Metal Sect.
"Have you ever seen such a high purity energy of Metal?"
"It''s certainly amazing. I thought it was a body made of metal."
"He will undoubtedly be a great talent for our me Metal Sect."
"Haha. Indeed, with such pure Metal Energy, he is definitely a talent our me Metal Sect needs."
"You know too, do you not? That our me Metal Sect''s position in external affairs has fallen ridiculously recently."
"That''s...."
The me Metal Sect was a cultivation sect famous for refining Dharma Tools used by cultivators.
However, recently, with the rise of a cultivation sect called ''Daohong Valley'', the me Metal Sect''s position was shaky.
"By bringing in and properly nurturing such talent, we can look forward to the future."
"Keuung...."
Haha. Well, at any rate, Karlstein wasn''t displeased that the body he possessed was considered talented in this world.
"But what use is it if he doesn''t wake up? They say they have dealt with food and nutrition issues with Spiritual Power, but we cannot leave him like this forever, can we?"
"Is that not why I came to you?"
Sensation was gradually returning.
Hmm. Should I go ''Ta-da!''? Karlstein thought of such a joke.
"Rather, how about refining him into a Jiangshi?"
"Oho?"
Excuse me? What did you say?
"With such high purity Metal Energy, it would be good to have the Elders refine him into a Jiangshi."
"That''s...."
What? Jiangshi?
Karlstein was dumbfounded.
Wait a fat minute. What are these guys saying?
Chapter 97: Ma Yucheol
Jiangshi? What did I just hear?
Fortunately, Karlstein wouldn''t be a Jiangshi while still alive.
"Hmm. It seems he has regained consciousness."
"Oh! That''s fortunate. We can forget about the Jiangshi then."
"It is a shame, but that would be for the best."
"Are youing to your senses?"
Karlstein opened his eyes as he sat up.
The old man weed him with a gentle smile.
A peaceful face that showed no sign of having just considered turning him into a Jiangshi.
"I am d you woke up."He spoke with such nonchnce, as if Karlstein wouldn''t care even if he had heard.
What a tough worldview this is. Of course, if we''re talking about that, my world isn''t any less so.
At any rate, it''s not like he could confront them about it.
"How long was I lying down?"
The old man''s pupils sparkled at Karlstein''s calm question.
"Quite a long time. If we had not intervened, your life might have been lost."
"...Is that so?"
"You do not seem very surprised. Are you used to this?"
"I am just epting and adapting to it."
"Is that so? Still, the symptoms are much more serious than expected. Could it not be dangerous?"
"..."
You lot look more dangerous to me.
"It''s fine since it''s always been like this."
Anyway, Xianxia was a world that dealt with energy presumed to be Ether.
He needed to survive as much as possible, if only to gain information.
Aria said she would try to track the coordinates of this ce.
Grin-
It''s good that there won''t be any boring moments.
There was plenty of time until the second tracking of the Kaiju,m Prohiden. It was because it would take time to create a proper Avatar, as he couldn''t catch it with a shabby one.
Plus, there''s the time ratio too.
Until then, let''s finish adapting here.
"I think I''ll be fine for a while. I''ll let you know right away if I see any signs."
"Haha. Alright. Let me know anytime if you think there might be a problem."
"Yes, I understand."
"Then let me introduce myself formally again. I am Elder Ma Yucheol of the Qi Refining Pavilion of the me Metal Sect."
"I look forward to your guidance, Elder."
"Your admission to our sect is as good as confirmed anyway, so call me Master Ma."
"Thank you. Please speakfortably."
"Let''s do that."
The old man who introduced himself as Ma Yucheol said farewell to the middle-aged doctor and took Karlstein out.
"The children who came with you will stop by another ce for additional screening."
There were six in total: the calm girl, the bald middle-aged man, three boys, and Karlstein.
Come to think of it, didn''t the old man highly praise the girl''s talent too?
"You are scheduled to be assigned directly to the Qi Refining Pavilion, so there''s no need for additional screening. I have already confirmed it."
"Thank you."
The old man put him on a leaf and flew through the sky.
A scenery of numerous pavilions built in deep mountains.
It was in harmony with nature without destroying it.
Is this the ce called the me Metal Sect?
"This is the central area in charge of managing the main sect, and the Qi Refining Pavilion is a bit further."
Even with the old man''s flying leaf, it took another hour to reach a rocky mountain where smoke was rising here and there.
"This is the Qi Refining Pavilion. Until you properly awaken your Spiritual Power, you will not be assigned any separate tasks."
Just focus on cultivation properly, is that it?
It seemed to be because he was considered a talent that they expected much from.
The ce they arrived at was a neat hut at the foot of the mountain, slightly away from the rocky mountain where the Qi Refining Pavilion was located.
"I shall have someone bring up what you need for living, so go in for now."
"Yes."
The old man entered the hut, taught him the method to cultivate Spiritual Power, and then took out dozens of books from his sleeve.
Is it some magic pocket or something?
"Do you know how to read?"
"...I''m not sure."
"Well, there are quite a few children like you."
The old man then took out a ck wooden tablet.
"I have injected Spiritual Power, so for now, learn this first. It contains not only general characters but also enchantment characters."
"If you put this wooden tablet to your forehead and concentrate, the contents will flow into your mind."
"Of course, if you do not put in effort, it will just pass by, so learn it sincerely."
"Thank you, Master Ma."
"Good. I have high expectations for you. Then I will drop byter. I will assign someone to look after you soon."
He made a fuss about his talent being outstanding, but he''s not going to oversee him directly? Well... to be fair, it''s morefortable to be alone.
The old man left those words and quickly departed on his leaf.
"Phew...."
He''s finally gone.
Since opening his eyes, things had been hectic. Karlstein slowly looked around the hut.
Old but sturdy walls. A hut built inside the walls.
And there was a small spring in the backyard.
I have to soak my body here for a day and a half?
It was said to be for awakening Spiritual Power.
With the talent of a Heavenly Spiritual Root, he should feel it soon, or so they said.
Hmm.
Karlstein went to the backyard and scooped up some spring water to examine with his eyes.
It seemed to sparkle faintly.
At any rate.
To awaken Spiritual Power, he was told to soak his body here and repeatedly recite the verses of the ''Grand Void Cultivation Sutra''.
Of course, learning the characters came first.
"Hmm...."
The wooden tablet was interesting too.
A long wooden piece connected by strings.
When Karlstein put it to his forehead and concentrated, the contents recorded on the wooden tablet quickly shed through his mind.
"Oho...."
The Gctic Empire has simr equipment. However, it put a lot of strain on the brain, so caution was needed when using it. But this wooden tablet didn''t seem to cause such strain.
"It would be good to introduce this with some proper adaptation."
Nod.
Anyway, the amount of books to memorize was vast, but there was no problem. After all, even if it was an Avatar, enhancements like memory were set as default.
The old man said it would take at least a year even if he learned quickly, but from Karlstein''s perspective, it seemed like it would take a month at most.
More than that, the faintly sparkling spring water in the backyard was bothering him.
"He said not to drink it, right?"
Lick-
A nd taste with no particr vor. However, there was a strange sensation of warmth and coolness at the same time.
Is it just my imagination that it feels simr to the silver spring water in ''World''?
Turning his head from the spring and looking beyond the walls, a lush mountain covered in light fog greeted him.
He was told not to go far beyond the walls. If he entered the forbidden area with Formations and boundary stones, he would face trouble.
The mountain where the hut was located was one of the areas strictly managed by the me Metal Sect, and originally a ce where he couldn''t stay, he was told. However, the old man had specially obtained permission to awaken his Spiritual Power as quickly as possible.
He also said that permission was granted because he couldn''t go to the forbidden area even if he wanted to.
But I don''t think I was affected by Formations or boundary stones during the selection ceremony?
Grin-
Wasn¡¯t it natural to want to go somewhere more when told not to?
Karlstein rubbed his palms together.
I wonder what''s there.
Of course, that''s forter.
For now, learning the characters, absorbing the books, and awakening Spiritual Power came first.
Ether....
Ether was definitely felt from the old man. It must be rted to what the old man called Spiritual Power.
Matters rted to Ether were the Gctic Empire''s top priority.
Let''s look around the forbidden area after mastering Spiritual Power first, when there''s time.
Whatever it was, Karlstein had absolutely no intention of not going.
***"To permit that ce without even going through the formal admission procedure."
"Hoho. Wasn''t Elder Ma too hasty?"
"Even if he is a Heavenly Spiritual Root, isn''t this going too far?"
"And to say he''s assigned to the Qi Refining Pavilion?"
"Didn''t we agree to decide on his assignment after treating his poor physical condition?"
"If you have a mouth, speak up."
"Sect Leader, please say something too!"
Elder Ma Yucheol was snorting with a picky and stubborn face he had never shown to Karlstein.
At that, the elderly Sect Leader opened his mouth.
"Junior Brother Ma. This is different from what you told me."
Ma Yucheol couldn''t be too aggressive towards the Sect Leader.
"Senior Brother. Haven''t you been having headaches recently because of Daohong Valley? With that level of Metal Energy, it is more than enough to turn this situation around."
"Still, there are procedures, aren''t there?"
"Ahem."
Ma Yucheol cleared his throat unnecessarily.
He knew that he had proceeded recklessly.
"He is a child with such outstanding talent. And he is especially a talent needed in the Qi Refining Pavilion."
"That is a hasty judgment. Especially on the path of cultivation, is there anything that can be guaranteed?"
"Seventh Senior Brother also diagnosed that boy. Even Seventh Senior Brother, who is excellent at judging talent, was amazed."
Seventh Senior Brother referred to the doctor who had tried to treat Karlstein''s narcolepsy.
"...Why are you being so stubborn about this?"
"Ahem."
Ma Yucheol had something to say, but it wasn''t something to be said in this ce.
"I will speak to you privatelyter."
"How arrogant!"
"A private audience? Are you saying we should not hear it?"
"The prosperity of the Qi Refining Pavilion is a thing of the past."
"Sect Leader. Please consider fairness and justice. His speech is truly disrespectful!"
"Tsk tsk."
The other elders shouted as if they would eat Ma Yucheol alive.
Ma Yucheol frowned at this but didn''t open his mouth.
Where people gathered, there were highs and lows, and not everyone could be of one mind.
"Since Junior Brother Ma says so, I''ll listen first. However, understand that I may disclose it to the Elders here after confirming the matter."
"Yes, I will do so."
Ma Yucheol answered confidently.
Perhaps the Sect Leader would understand too. Exactly why he wasn''t telling others.
A secret technique that no one has mastered.
A legend that almost no one remembers now.
The highest-grade Cultivation Technique that the founder of the me Metal Sect supposedly stole from the Upper Realm.
A treasure that must never be discovered by other Immortal Sects.
He intended to have him learn the Supreme Void Metal Thunder Treasure Scripture.
It wasn''t for nothing that he taught him the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra.
Chapter 98: Excuses
"There''s more than I expected, huh?"
Karlstein examined the books without rest. Even so, more than half remained. It was truly a vast amount. Although he learned the Spiritual Power Cultivation Technique from Ma Yucheol, he first had to master the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra, and for that, preliminary study was necessary.
"Ugh..."
It felt like his head was about to cramp.
Above all, learning the characters took longer than expected.
Of course, if others knew his learning speed, they would be shocked.
"Gahwi. Are you reading properly before turning the pages? If you just flip through like that, nothing will remain in your head."
Gahwi.
It was the name Karlstein came to use here. A name given by the old man who couldn''t pronounce his name properly.
It sounded vaguely simr in the local pronunciation and wasn''t bad, so he epted it.The woman who just spoke was someone the old man had assigned, Senior Sister Zhang Yihong.
-My master told me to take care of you.
-Although they say your talent is outstanding, you''re still a novice. So you can treat me as your Senior Sister.
-The path of cultivation cannot be mastered by talent alone. Remember that arrogance is poison to cultivation.
-Alright. I''ll speakfortably from now on.
A pretty woman, but with a strange quality that seemed to follow a field manual to the letter.
"Haah. How long will this take..."
asionally, Senior Sister Zhang''sints could be heard, but it wasn''t iprehensible. She was taking care of a young boy who couldn''t even cultivate yet.
Still, the Senior Sister didn''t cross the line.
Perhaps because she was thinking of the future?
In this Xianxia world, ability determined everything.
If he were to develop the talent of a Heavenly Spiritual Root and rapidly raise his realm as Ma Yucheol said, Karlstein could even be her superior one day.
Of course, even if that didn''t happen, she didn''t seem like someone who would easily cross the line.
"Just do what you need to do. Don''t make unnecessary noise."
"Wh-What! You brat! Is that how you speak to your Senior Sister!"
Rather, it was Karlstein who crossed the line.
"There''s no need to visit every day, after all."
"It''s a task my master entrusted me with. I can''t handle it carelessly!"
"I don''t think Master meant for you to be a nanny when he asked you to look after me."
"Th-That''s..."
"Why don''t you just go down and cultivate? Senior Sister, you''re in a hurry to cultivate too, right?"
"Ugh."
The reason Karlstein spoke like this was because she had a stubborn side.
Was she just unnecessarily responsible?
It seemed like she wouldn''t understand if he spoke casually.
"I''ll call if I need help. I also have the talisman Senior Sister gave me for emergencies."
"Th-That should only be used when it''s really urgent. It''s expensive..."
"And I study better when I''m alone."
"...Alright. I suppose you''re saying that out of consideration for me."
That wasn''t really it. But there was no need to clear up the misunderstanding.
"You seem to be worried because of the narcolepsy, but you don''t need to. Just drop by every few days to check."
"If that''s what you say, then I suppose so."
Finally, unable to resist his persistence, Senior Sister Zhang went down the mountain.
A wooden que gleamed at Senior Sister Zhang''s waist.
A que prepared by their master.
Apparently, it was a treasure needed to enter and leave this ce?
"Alright then."
Now that the nuisance was gone, he headed to the spring in the backyard.
Originally, he was told not to enter until he mastered the verses of the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra.
"Heave-ho."
Ssh-
He threw himself into the spring water that strangely sparkled even in the shade.
"Phew..."
A contradictory sensation of warmth and coolness enveloped him.
He closed his eyes, resting his arms on the edge like an old man in a bathhouse.
Ether.
Regarding the sense of difort he had felt since opening his eyes in Xianxia¡
It was because he couldn''t feel the Ether of his main body.
"Hmm."
Originally, the Avatar should draw on the Ether of the main body.
This is troublesome.
"Hmm..."
It''s not like the connection ispletely severed though. There''s definitely a connection, but...
What could be the problem?
Wait. Could it be?
He closed his eyes and observed his internal state. Closing off his sight, hearing, and even touch, he focused solely on his internal senses. While he couldn''t observe internally for long with his main body, there was no problem with the Avatar.
...The connection is definitely there. There is a response.
But, yes. There¡¯s something. Something is off¡
A feeling of interception in between?
Suddenly, a thought urred to him.
A subtly familiar sensation.
Isn''t this feeling simr to when that tinum egg was absorbing Ether?
If there was a slight difference, it seemed that the energy flowing from the spring water wasn''t being absorbed.
The feeling is simr, but it seems subtly different from Ether.
Is Spiritual Power lighter and freer than Ether? Moreover, the energy the old man projected was even regr.
Of course, Karlstein thought Ether was superior ifparing advantages and disadvantages, but he wasn''t sure about applications.
On the other hand, the Dimensional Pressure here was much higher.
Hmm.
At any rate, it''s a dimension with much to research.
Karlstein began to recite the verses that came to mind.
Woong-
Grand Void Cultivation Sutra.
He had already mastered the first verse. Although he hadn''t learned all the books necessary for preliminary study, it was worth trying.
After all¡
It was a cultivation technique that holds the Grand Void in the mind.
Grand Void (Ì«Ì“).
Isn''t that just the universe?
That was how Karlstein interpreted it.
Thinking he knew more about the universe than anyone else in this world, he began to learn the technique ording to his own interpretation.
This was something neither Senior Sister Zhang nor the old man knew.
Woong-
The sparkle of the spring water he was soaking in intensified. A subtle energy from the spring water enveloping his body pricked his entire body.
Swoosh-
Ah.
He could feel Spiritual Power from the spring water, and it began to be absorbed into his body little by little.
Swoosh-
The absorbed Spiritual Power circted through his body with a creaking sound. There was no problem as he was used to circting energy through his body.
However.
Whoo-
The Spiritual Power slowly escaped as if evaporating. How to put it¡ He was unable to hold onto it?
But he already knew this would happen.
This time¡
Karlstein began to absorb the energy with all his might.
Tztztz- Tzz-
The spring water''s energy was rapidly absorbed to the point where Karlstein''s entire body tingled.
Zzzzt-
No, it was beyond tingling, to the point of numbness.
A truly dangerous act.
However, Karlstein focused on cramming it into his body, whether his body burst or not.
Zzzzt- Psst-
The spring water turned red as his skin burst in ces.
Just when he felt he had truly reached his limit.
sh-
Karlstein opened his eyes and hurriedly turned on the [Integrated Dimensional Community].
-@%!Wel#e!6@12!35.
Though the text was broken, a connection was made.
Immediately upon seeing that¡
"Logout."
Pit-
A dark shadow covered his vision.
At the same time¡
Karlstein opened his eyes with a sh.
[You have returned already?]
Aria''s voice greeted him.
But there was no time to enjoy the reunion.
"Aria! What about the coordinates of the dimension I just connected to?!"
[The numbers have certainly changed. What happened?]
"We''ll confirmter! First, the item transfer!"
[Understood.]
Perceptively, Aria didn''t ask what to send.
After experimenting with this and that¡
Zfft-
[The ry does not work at all. There are restrictions on the items that can be sent.]
"That''s fine! Just send it for now."
[Understood.]
Aria moved her fingers busily to transfer items ording to his request.
Just when he thought he could take a breather.
[For some reason, the connection has been cut off again.]
"Hmm..."
[Still, Ipleted the second transfer. It seems to be basic supplies and conventional weapons, at most.]
"Oh, really?"
Fortunately, things seem to have progressed as Karlstein expected.
"I''ll exinter."
Karlstein checked the time and hurriedly entered the capsule to attempt connection to the Avatar.
"Oh right, what about that egg?"
[The Ether Reaction Value has increased slightly.]
As I thought, it was you?
[However, it seems that egg''s help is needed when you connect, Master.]
"It was like that when connecting before too."
Fearing it might cause problems again, when it was ced far from his body, he couldn''t connect to Xianxia. When ced nearby, there was no problem connecting.
Geez. Should I like it or hate it?
For now, I''ll let it slide since I need its help to connect.
Even if it''s impossible to draw on the main body''s Ether, there are still ways.
[Alright. Please check it for me. I will see you in a bit.]
Karlstein said farewell to Aria and hurriedly connected.
Zfft-
***"He fell asleep again?"
"Yes. As Master said, he seemed unconscious."
"Hmm.... It''s troublesome if this keeps happening."
"Is Junior Brother sick somewhere?"
Zhang Yihong''s face looked quite worried.
The old man spoke coldly to that.
"That''s not for you to worry about."
"...Yes."
"Let''s go see for now."
Ma Yucheol put Zhang Yihong on a flying Dharma Tool and hurriedly headed towards Metal Spiritual Mountain where the hut was located.
Zhang Yihong said it hadn''t been long since he fell into narcolepsy. She discovered it on her way back after forgetting something.
However, in the meantime, the Junior Brother had been soaking in the Awakening Spring, and his entire body was covered in wounds.
That was why Zhang Yihong urgently came to find him.
What on earth happened?
I told him not to enter before mastering the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra¡
Awakening Spring.
One of the me Metal Sect''s treasures that greatly helped in awakening Spiritual Roots.
If he entered without learning the technique, his body would burst.
Ma Yucheol hurried, increasing the speed of the flying Dharma Tool.
He seemed intelligent, but does he have a rebellious nature?
If so, there''s a need to scold him sternly this time.
After all, the path of cultivation was full of all kinds of dangers.
Such a nature sometimes brought about fortuitous encounters, but it certainly didn¡¯t lead to a long life.
Caution is an essential virtue for cultivators.
However, his mouth opened slightly at a sight different from what he expected.
What is this...?
***Meanwhile, Karlstein scratched his head at Ma Yucheol and Zhang Yihong''s visit.
Why now of all times?
Karlstein was in the middle of organizing the items transmitted from the Gctic Empire when he received the sudden visit.
"What... is this?"
Uh, be careful.
That''s an enhanced grenade.
"And that is..."
Ah, that''s a Sky Board...
"Just what is all this?"
Karlstein, buried among the junk(?), was speechless.
"Uh, um..."
"Moreover, didn''t I tell you not to enter the Awakening Spring? If you have wounds, show them now."
Ugh, this seems like it''s going to be troublesome.
Karlstein''s mind raced.
Is there a way to resolve this entire situation in one go...?
Scratch scratch-
"A person from ancient times suddenly appeared and gave me these... Dharma Tools before leaving."
They were startled.
Huh?
"What?"
"Junior Brother, what did you say?"
"I had no choice but to enter there because this person of old times told me to."
Huh? Why are they making such a fuss?
"Wh-What?! S-Say that again!!"
"J-Junior Brother!!"
Their mouths gaped open.
...H-Huh?
Chapter 99: Cultivation
"Exin in detail."
At the old man''s serious tone, Karlstein began to make up a story.
"Hmm. It was someone wearing golden armor. I couldn''t see clearly because of the halo. It was too dazzling."
He acted out a slight fear with trembling eyes.
"Armor? I see.... The halo makes sense too. Indeed, an ordinary person wouldn''t be able to look directly at them."
Huh? Yes....
Let''s just say that''s correct.
"They said they woulde back when the time is right and left a lot of things."
"...They said they woulde back?"
He set up this excuse in advance since he wouldn''t be receiving item transfers just this once.Ma Yucheol fell into deep thought at this.
This Metal Spiritual Mountain isn''t a ce just anyone can enter.
The restrictions ced on Metal Spiritual Mountain were set up in ancient times, even before the me Metal Sect was created. Even the me Metal Sect, which had researched the restrictions for a long time, couldn''t enter without a special wooden que.
If it''s someone who can infiltrate without anyone knowing....
They must be someone the me Metal Sect couldn¡¯t handle.
But it is difficult to think this child, Gahwi, is lying...
A shape he had never seen before.
Materials he couldn¡¯t even guess the origin of.
Smooth and glossy metal processing.
Uniform and perfect craftsmanship.
How could a child without Spiritual Power obtain such things?
Even a passing dog wouldn''t believe it.
Greed shed momentarily in Ma Yucheol''s eyes. Befitting someone belonging to the Qi Refining Pavilion, he could tell at a nce these were no ordinary items.
However, the greed in his pupils disappeared in an instant.
These were items given by an unknown person of elden times. Rash greed could cost him his life. His cautious nature was a big reason he had survived to this age.
"Hoo...."
"Junior Brother! Did you perhaps hear their honored name?"
"...I did not hear it."
Ma Yucheol scanned the items with his Spiritual Power.
"Was there nothing else they said? About our me Metal Sect, perhaps..."
Ma Yucheol''s eyes sparkled with expectation.
Karlstein felt a pang of conscience but brazenly continued.
"They might have said something, but I can''t remember. Especially after entering the Awakening Spring."
"I see...."
Karlstein had an utterly serious expression. As such, no one thought it was a lie.
But lies be exposed when they drag on. So this story had to end here.
"That''s all I have to say."
"When theye back, tell them I would very much like to meet them."
"Yes. I understand."
Meanwhile, Zhang Yihong showed aplicated expression behind Ma Yucheol.
Envy? Jealousy? Emptiness? A sense of deprivation?
Hmm....
No, what? It was just an excuse I made up. Is it that shocking?
Unlike Zhang Yihong who kept her mouth shut, Ma Yucheol seemed to have many more questions.
"Have you ever met an Immortal before?"
"No."
"Or have one of your ancestors perhaps be an Immortal?"
"I''m not sure."
"Hmm...."
After that, Ma Yucheol asked about his past in detail, but of course, there was no harvest.
"At any rate, it seems to be a fortuitous encounter, so cherish it."
Yet Ma Yucheol''s eyes showed inner regret.
There''s risk in forcibly taking them, and there are eyes watching.
But just giving up here is regrettable, as there are many things I¡¯m curious about.
Would be what he feels right now, yeah?
Should I show some generosity?
"Haha. Since I received them, I should be able to decide how to use them, right?"
"Hut!"
"Junior Brother!"
The two were startled.
"Of course, considering the feelings of the person who gifted them, I should restrain myself."
"..."
"Th-That''s right."
The two looked dejected.
They''re so easy to read.
Karlstein cleared his throat and spoke softly.
"But wouldn''t they understand if it''s just one or two items?"
"!!"
"Mmph!"
The two were visibly delighted and surprised.
Haha. This is fun.
That''s right. Even in Xianxia, they should be able to recognize the greatness of civilization!
Before leaving, Ma Yucheol threw him a small pouch. It was a subspace pouch called ¡®Storage Pouch''. Before, he didn''t give it saying it couldn''t be used without Spiritual Power.
I guess you have to give to receive, huh?
***After that, Karlstein''s cultivation progressed rapidly.
And as just over three months passed¡
The preliminary study, which was expected to take at least a year or two even for a Heavenly Spiritual Root, was almostplete.
If he hadn''t logged out intermittently, it probably would have finished several times faster.
It was an unbelievable speed considering others with Spiritual Roots took over 10 years doing odd jobs while awakening their Spiritual Power.
"Heunggg."
"You should go back now. It''s distracting."
"A-Ahem!"
Senior Sister Zhang had apletely rxed expression in the massage chair.
Crunch-
The stimting taste of special cookies enveloped her tongue.
It seemed like just yesterday she was saying that to be an Immortal, one must maintain proper posture and control appetite by staying away from spicy foods.
"Uuuh."
Where did her by-the-book personality go? She became aplete sloth.
Of course, Karlstein''s influence yed a big part in this change.
-A-Already? You''ve progressed that far? Even while ying so much?!
The studies were almost finished, and now a small amount of Spiritual Power had begun to umte.
-I told you spicy food is not allowed! To purify mind and body, you must reduce food intake!
-It tastes good, though?
-But how do you already have Spiritual Power!!
-Isn''t it fine as long as I get results? It won''t be long before I call you Young Lady Zhang instead of Senior Sister Zhang.
-Wh-What!
Even though it was absorbed into the body, the Spiritual Power that used topletely dissipate gradually began to remain as the rate of leakage decreased.
Senior Sister Zhang, who was shocked by Karlstein''s terrifying growth rate, gradually lost words.
Now...
"This is paradise.... Yawn. There''s no need to cling to immortality and abandon the present...."
"Senior Sister, you need to go."
"J-Just a little longer."
"Today is important cultivation, so pleasee back tomorrow."
"Hiing."
The innocent expression of someone shocked by the wonders of civilization was gone. There was only a Senior Sister Zhang who eyed the chance to stay.
For reference, the voice recorder given to her during the first item transfer was taken by Ma Yucheol. Rather than being forcibly taken, it was exchanged for cultivation resources.
One way or another, it was equally difficult to refuse Ma Yucheol''s suggestions.
Ma Yucheol took the night vision goggles and her voice recorder and entered closed-door cultivation.
Apparently, he had some kind of inspiration?
At any rate, he sent her away despite her reluctance.
Although it was entertaining to watch her fall for all the modern conveniences installed in the hut, there was something he had to do today.
Karlstein ingested various pills and injected drugs brought from the Gctic Empire.
Then he headed to the spring in the backyard.
"Hoo...."
His senses became keen and vitality surged, probably due to the effects of the drugs.
It was the result of taking various doping potions, sensory enhancers, and Ether Reactivity Enhancers.
"Today I must break through properly."
The minimum gateway to bing a formal cultivator.
He was on the verge of 1 Star in the Qi Refining Stage.
Karlstein entered the spring water and began to practice the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra he had researched with Aria.
Swoosh-
What was written in the books was too abstract and conceptual, so he had Aria conduct research.
Thus, the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra became somewhat renewed with her help.
Swoosh-
Spiritual Power began to circte along the acupoints throughout his body.
One k¨¨1, one sh¨ªch¨¦n2, two sh¨ªch¨¦n.
Time passed.
Karlstein, who had fallen into a state of No-Self, forgot the flow of time.
Only the verses of the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra floated in his mind. When he squeezed out his concentration to the limit of limits like that¡
Woong-
The circting Spiritual Power suddenly sank into somewhere around his sr plexus and jolted.
"Hmm."
He had stopped herest time. Trying to proceed further consumed too much mental and physical energy.
But now, after doping, it was different.
Under Karlstein''s terrifying concentration, Spiritual Power pushed towards his sr plexus and collided again.
Thud-
Drip-
Although he had injected enhancers, he couldn''t stop the blood flowing from his mouth due to internal injuries.
I''ll end it this time.
He didn''t want to drag it out.
Again.
Thud-
Heave-
Ugh.
I¡¯ll do it until it works.
Once, twice.
Five times, ten times.
Wait, isn''t a Heavenly Spiritual Root supposed to be amazing talent? Why is it so difficult?
Surely Ma Yucheol wouldn''t have lied? And he himself couldn''tck intelligence, right?
Enraged, Karlstein crudely pushed Spiritual Power into his sr plexus.
Just break through already!
Then at one moment.
Boom-
A massive explosion urred as if a Big Bang had urred inside his head.
Gulp-
Ugh.
Hot blood rose in his throat.
But he smiled.
"So this is it..."
His sr plexus opening without obstruction. The feeling of meridians opening up one after another and circuits being engraved in his body in an instant. And Spiritual Power beginning to circte much faster through there!
Haah.
A sense of refreshment and thrill enveloped his entire body.
It''s certain. This feeling.
Strength overflowed throughout his body.
Ah, perhaps?
Karlstein began to draw more Spiritual Power from the spring water and circte it in his body.
More. More. More.
Just a little more.
His greed raced without end.
Once more with this feeling!
Boom- Boom-
Consecutive explosions urred in the universe expanded by the Big Bang.
An endlessly expanding universe.
An infinitely expanding Grand Void.
Spiritual Power in his body surged in like a flood.
Ah....
Boom- Bang- Boom- Bang-
How many explosions urred?
Golden light flowed from Karlstein''s pupils as he opened his eyes.
"Huh? 17 times?"
I heard the Qi Refining Stage only goes up to 17 Stars, though?
Is this not it?
I thought I went up 1 Star with each explosion....
Did something go wrong?
However, it didn¡¯t seem like something went wrong. After all, Spiritual Power akin to a great river was flowing in his body.
Huh?
What exactly happened?1. 15 minutes2. 2 hours
Chapter 100: Inhuman Passing of Knowledge?
To cut to the chase, he had gotten a bit ahead of himself.
Aiyo, I thought I could coast through easily.
"Tsk. I got my hopes up for nothing."
"Y-You''re insane!"
Senior Sister Zhang looked at him as if she was seeing some kind of monster.
"H-How did you reach 6 Stars of the Qi Refining Stage in one go?"
"Huh? Only 6 Stars?"
"Are you crazy, Cultivator Ga?"
Meanwhile, Zhang Yihong was beside herself with shock.
It took her over 20 years of cultivation just to reach 8 Stars of the Qi Refining Stage and be an Immortal.Although the Qi Refining Stage is said to be the lowest realm among Immortal realms, even entering the Qi Refining Stage with the qualifications of an Immortal was like threading a needle.
"Only, you say?"
Zhang Yihong wanted to p her Junior Brother''s face.
It took her 20 years of hard work to achieve what thiszy bum aplished in just three months. And yet, the wordsing out of his mouth were like this.
Moreover¡
What kind of Spiritual Power is like this...
There was a reason she was looking at him like he was some kind of monster.
"This is insane...."
Judging by the density of Spiritual Power, his realm was clearly 6 Stars in the Qi Refining Stage. Just two levels below her own.
However, the amount of Spiritual Power she sensed was not at that level.
What is this? Why does it feel like when facing Master Ma...
N-No, it must be my imagination.
After all, her master had never shown his full power in front of her.
She calmed herself and carefully measured her Junior Brother''s Spiritual Power.
Something feels off.
It''s like she couldn''t see the bottom of his vessel?
Like groping in an invisible fog.
It was perplexing.
Is it really 6 Stars?
At any rate.
She had never heard of someone jumping straight to 6 Stars immediately after awakening their Spiritual Power.
It was truly an unbelievable miracle.
Is this even possible?
Originally, to raise one''s realm, one must continuously practice appropriate cultivation techniques while consuming various cultivation resources like Elixirs. Enlightenment was also essential in this process.
One''s realm didn¡¯t jump up just because Spiritual Power increased rapidly like with this punk.
"..."
Perhaps the person of elden times he encountered before had intervened?
Since it would take quite a high realm to pass through Metal Spiritual Mountain''s restrictions, it meant they were a powerhouse of a realm she couldn''t even imagine, and if they had directly intervened...
It''s notpletely impossible, right?
"Haah...."
What exactly happened?
His smiling face as he crunched on fruit looked annoyingly smug.
And he''s so good-looking too....
Still, she should congratte him.
"Congrattions, Junior Brother. A Heavenly Spiritual Root is indeed amazing.... To reach 6 Stars right away."
"Haah.... I''m quite disappointed."
What?
Pop-
A vein popped on her forehead.
Hoo. Calm down. He probably didn''t say that with ill intent.
There are many powerhouses in the cultivation world that are beyond imagination. One must never let their guard down. So maybe he''s saying this to avoid being arrogant.
"Cultivation takes more time than I thought. Even though I worked quite hard."
What? What''s this about time?
Is this kid making fun of me right now?
"Anyway, I understand. I need to do better. I''ll use any means necessary...."
"..."
Her Junior Brother had a serious expression.
He means he won''t be arrogant and will work hard, right? Y-Yeah, that must be it?
"Hmm. It''s a shame I couldn''t call you Young Lady Zhang."
Eek!
"Not a chance! I won''t just be ying around either. Though I have been ying a bittely...."
"Yeah, yeah."
"...Anyway, follow me. Master Ma said toe see him when you awaken your Spiritual Power."
"How bothersome...."
Her Junior Brother was openly showing disrespect.
She had to resist the urge to give him a knock on the head.
What''s so great about his talent?
Sigh.
Perhaps the senior-junior rtionship between them wouldn''tst much longer.
***Karlstein rode his Sky Board, casually following her while lost in thought.
Hmm. I was sure about the feeling, though?
6 Stars in the Qi Refining Stage.
It''s certainly an extremely fast growth rate, as Senior Sister Zhang said.
But it''s not quite satisfactory for him, the Emperor of the Gctic Empire, is it?
"Tsk."
He had his pride, after all.
The reason he was pondering this was because he had a strong intuition that the 17 explosions in his Imagery were definitely not ordinary.
It was close to certainty. He could tell that much.
But the result was only 6 Stars in the Qi Refining Stage?
The disappointment was immeasurable.
Hmm.
Although Karlstein seemed like a monstrous neer to Zhang Yihong, it was probably difficult for him to grasp the true meaning of the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra through self-study.
To begin with, his thought process was closer to science, prioritizing efficiency and correct answers, which didn''t match well with conceptual secret manuals.
The Grand Void Cultivation Sutra had a structure of creating a small universe in the mind¡¯s Imagery and gradually expanding it through cultivation.
Even understanding and creating a single universe required infinite imagination.
No one could yet understand Karlstein''s state of creating 17 Grand Voids from the start.
Right, as Senior Sister said, it might not be anything special. If so...
Karlstein''s will burned fiercely at the result of "only" 6 Stars.
I can''t give up on coasting through.
Quietly holing up in a cave and focusing solely on cultivation didn''t suit his personality.
He increased the speed of his board and closely followed her.
I need to consult with Aria.
Should I create an Automatic Cultivation Macro? Or maybe try manufacturing an Elixir of Antiquity?
Whoosh-
"Hurry up!"
"Yes, I''ming."
For now, meeting Master Ma came first.
***Karlstein followed her to Ma Yucheol''s cultivation chamber, but couldn''t meet him.
I wanted to ask him some things about the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra.
A stubborn young man was blocking her and him.
"Teacher has entered closed-door cultivation. No one can enter."
The young man was blocking the entrance to the cultivation chamber like Zhang Fei1 from the Battle of Changban2.
"I just came to handle what Master instructed me to do."
"Are you saying Master gave an order I don''t know about to you, who isn''t even a formal disciple?"
"...Pardon?"
"Are you saying a mere nominal disciple is closer to Teacher than me, a formal disciple?"
Karlstein tilted his head at the young man''s sudden outburst.
What''s wrong with him?
Nominal disciple.
A disciple who only borrowed the name.
Unlike formal disciples, they just do some errands and enjoy some prestige by having their name listed. That''s all it meant.
Of course,pared to formal disciples like the young man in front of them, she, as a nominal disciple, was practically an outsider.
She hadn''t even received permission to call him Teacher.
"Stop talking nonsense and leave. At any other time it might be different, but Teacher is doing important research now. Soe back another time. Tsk."
The young man rejected her and nced at Karlstein behind her.
Is that guy''s talent really so outstanding?
As a formal disciple, it was infuriating.
Of course, Teacher¡¯s attention was limited, and the more outstanding people came in, the more someone with moderate talent like him would be ignored.
In a way, it wasn''t wrong to call it gatekeeping.
Only 6 Stars... and quite unstable at that.
Thinking that he was even below himself made the young man even more dissatisfied. If his realm had been higher, he might have given up entirely.
"Anyway, go back for now."
Thus, the two were driven away after receiving such cold treatment.
She couldn''t say anything more after the young man''s rejection.
On the way back.
Her expression was even more depressed.
Karlstein was puzzled.
"What''s up? Weren''t you close with Ma Yucheol?"
"...Junior Brother. No matter what, casually calling Master''s name is..."
Normally she would have scolded him harshly, but she seemed tock energy and only mildly rebuked him.
"Huh? Is there really something going on?"
She couldn''t properly refute even when being disrespected by the young man. Even though their realms seemed about the same.
Gatekept by an 8 Star nobody.
Is 6 Stars really not enough? Do I need permission to breathe if I¡¯m only 6 Stars?
Even so, that''s too much. Whether nominal or formal, aren''t they both disciples? Is the difference in standing so great as to be disrespected to that degree?
The level of contempt towards her when rejecting them was by no means low.
-Even entering as a nominal disciple should warrant proper courtesy, yet you shamelessly show your face.
-In the end, aren''t you just a servant to take care of the Junior Brother who will enter as the youngest?
-Get lost. I don''t want to exchange words with you anymore.
But she just kept her head down and listened silently.
On the other hand, he only showed a re towards Karlstein without saying anything particr.
"Senior Sister. Did you perhaps cause some trouble in the past, or is there some secret about your birth?"
"...No."
She kept her mouth shut.
After returning to the hut, he gave her a special chocte bomb frappe tofort her and went back to his room.
Normally she would have smiled broadly with a stupid expression, but there was no sign of improvement.
"Hmm."
At any rate, he had things to do, so he cast the magic spell, narcolepsy.
"Logout."
Click-
Indeed, 6 Stars isn''t satisfactory.
Considering her anecdote, even 8 Stars didn''t seem much different.
A breakthrough method was needed.
"Aria!"
[You have returned?]
"Yes! Let''s make a Macro!"
[...What are you talking about?]
Aria was dumbfounded.
"The cultivation had some effect. If we reference it well, it might be effective for those Murim White Troops guys too."
[Is that so?]
"Yeah. So, Macro!"
[....]
Inhuman Passing of Knowledge? One-Man Inheritance? Abandoning the Original System of Ancestors?
Such things meant nothing to Karlstein.1. Zhang Fei, courtesy name Yide, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Liu Bei in thete Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China2. The Battle of Changban was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in October 208 in thete Eastern Han dynasty of China. The battle took ce at Changban.
Chapter 101: Incompetent Hero
[Master.]
"Yes?"
Aria''s voice was low.
Although he couldn''t read anything from her expression, he could discern to some extent from her voice.
That''s the expression she has when there''s bad news.
[It seems we will have a casualty soon.]
"A casualty?"
There couldn¡¯t be a war without casualties. Even for the great Gctic Empire.
So it was somewhat of an unexpected statement. After all, it was something all too obvious.
"What happened?"[It''s one of those invited to World.]
"By invited, you mean..."
It referred to the Transcendents from the Community.
"...Is that so?"
They were carefully selected talents, after all.
Currently, the instation of defense facilities and interception facilities at the World base was almostplete.
It shouldn''t be easy to break through unless it''s a formidable enemy, right?
"I''ll drop by. Prepare what I asked for in the meantime."
[Yes, understood.]
Zfft-
***"Cough¡ I am the owner of the 32nd Holy Sword... Hero¡ Versya..."
"Stop speaking. You''re only shortening your time."
"Is... that so?"
"Yes."
"Kuhuk."
Blood spurted from the man''s mouth.
Most of his vital organs had already been destroyed, and the lower half of his body, sliced diagonally in half, was nowhere to be seen.
Despite this situation, he was able to keep breathing and speaking, partly due to his transcendent willpower, but mainly thanks to the syringe stuck in his burst heart.
Hero Versya, barely clinging to life with the Gctic Empire''s emergency treatment.
"...It is alright. I was... already prepared."
"If that''s the case..."
The Spirit Summoner decided to watch over his final moments.
"At least you can go in peace. ''He'' will surely fulfill your wish. You did well. You probably volunteered with hopes not much different from ours."
The Spirit Summoner''s gentle hand stroked Versya''s forehead. A sense of relief filled Versya''s fading eyes.
"Cough... We must all be simr."
"Indeed. So if you have anyst words... speak freely. We can at least grant you that much."
The Spirit Summoner seemed experienced in such matters, calmly and familiarly watching over Versya''s final moments.
"Kuhuk. I see. Then will you listen to my story?"
-Look here! If there''s any painkiller left, pour it all in!
-It seems mixed with cursed energy. It''s not just physical wounds.
-How are the wounded on that side?
-Thanks to Sir Versya, fortunately, there aren''t many casualties.
-We could have lost this entire base if we weren''t careful.
The surroundings were busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle.
They knew that without Versya''s final sacrifice, they wouldn''t be standing here like this.
Knowing this, they were all the more focused on their tasks to honor his sacrifice.
"I am Versya, Owner of the 32nd Holy Sword."
"I know."
"The name of an exceedingly ordinary hero."
"A hero doesn''t seem to fit well with ''ordinary'', though."
"Haha. Is that so?"
Versya smiled wryly.
***He was ordinary.
During his school days, he could get decent grades, but he didn''t have the brains to achieve anything through study.
Sports were the same. He could y around with others, but he wasn''t good enough to choose it as a career.
As a student, one might get sick of being ordinary, but things change as you live. He was an ordinary person, so he was used to ordinariness and thought of it as just another way of life.
However, dying in an unexpected ident might have been a bit out of the ordinary.
But considering humanity as a whole, it probably wasn''t that special.
Then he was summoned to another world.
-Wee, Hero.
-Can you perhaps hear us?
-Please save our world.
Ah...
He became special.
But that illusion was short-lived. Just because he, who was extremely ordinary, was summoned to an otherworld didn''t mean he would be special.
Exercise, training, cultivation were all too tiresome, and after just two hours, his concentration dropped as he got bored.
He tried to do something based on his previous life''s knowledge of soap, cooking, systems, science, math, etc., but being ordinary, he didn''t know enough details to utilize in this other world.
It was not like he could create a non-existentputer to make use of his previous life''s skills.
He was too clumsy for swordsmanship.
He was too dumb for magic.
His political sense was too poor to manage a territory.
He didn''t show any sense of justice or spirit of self-sacrifice needed to be a hero.
Was an ordinary person helpless even in an otherworld?
Still, he didn''t give up on being a hero. After all, didn¡¯t giving up also require courage?
But he didn''t want to live so fiercely either.
To begin with, the expectations for him weren''t that high.
There were many other heroes in the world besides him.
An ipetent hero, neither noble nor ambitious.
And he metpanions fitting for such a person.
A mage who couldn''t graduate from the Magic Tower.
A quack priest kicked out of the Church.
A dwarf who preferred using equipment to making it.
An archer better with daggers than bows.
A cowardly barbarian warrior.
They werepanions with unremarkable talents andcking qualities, just like him.
But they were still too good for him.
Ordinary but always new adventures.
Trivial but enjoyable daily life.
Not grand, yet still valuable.
Rather, because it was them, they could empathize with those who didn''t even have the strength to ask for help.
They shared pain, empathized, and saved them.
A Hero Party that took requests from the poor and hunted low-level monsters.
-Haha. We did it again today!
-Goblins are scary!
-Today, only half of my spells failed!
-I didn''t shoot arrows into your butts today either.
-Then what''s this in my armor?
-Huh?
-Kyaak! Run! We''re under attack!
It was hard, but they could stillugh.
Because there were always people who needed help.
There were plenty of small requests that glory-seeking heroes wouldn''t even nce at.
-I guess even guys like us are needed, huh?
-I feel proud.
-Today was fulfilling too.
-You just slept all day though?
-That''s why it was fulfilling.
-Oh my.
Companions who could cherish each and every adventure of helping people and bringing back their smiles.
So he could only say they were too good for him.
However, perhaps the ending for them, who were ordinary in an extraordinary world, was predetermined.
They were truly wonderful people, but it was a harsh world for those with wide-reaching kindness and weak to emotions to survive in.
"Kuhuk..."
"Take a deep breath and calm your mind. There''s still time left."
Versya''s eyes were fading.
He was probably looking at his pastpanions with blurred eyes.
"Cough. That''s how... I lost¡ them all."
"Is that so?"
"Haha. But... they didn''t go in vain. I... am proud of them."
To save a girl taking care of her sick mother.
For a child who should have been in its parents'' arms right after birth.
For a boy soldier who joined the war to find his brother.
For women who took up arms and risked their lives to protect children.
They died one by one.
And they left one by one with smiles.
-I am... satisfied.
-Why did you hurry so?
-Their tears haunted me...
-You did well...
-Did the child survive?
-Stop! Don''t say anymore! Just hold on a bit longer!
-No. Even I know that much.
-Sob!
-What about the child...?
They closed their eyes worrying about those left behind until their dying moments.
To Versya, they were true heroes.
-Why on earth!
Those who epted even Versya, who couldn''t understand the value of sacrifice.
-Haha. Don''t be sad. We''re just going ahead to wait.
-I... I hope you will only join us after a long time...
-I¡¯m sorry. That I''m going first.
-I believe in you.
-It will be hard... but you can ovee it.
And so he became alone.
"It''s just my turn now."
Versya''s eyes slowly closed.
"They were wonderfulpanions."
"Haha... Too good for me."
"Were they..."
"But it was fine. Until that moment."
"Until that moment?"
"...No one remembered them."
He thought it might be because they didn''t achieve great feats or subjugate infamous demons.
However¡
"I couldn''t... stand them being ignored and insulted."
Ipetent Hero Party. Odd jobs. Problem children. Losers.
All sorts of contempt poured out.
"At that time, I... thought it was all my fault."
Various kinds of disrespect poured onto him who was left alone.
As the situation on the continent worsened, the criticism towards the ipetent hero intensified. Moreover, towards those who had been with him as well.
"If only I had died, they wouldn''t have had to face such contempt..."
His eyes closed. He was barely opening his mouth.
"The story after that is nothing special. It''s ordinary."
"Why is that?"
"I just... tried not to let their names be in vain. That''s all..."
"You must have gone through a lot to be as strong as you are now, haven¡¯t you?"
The Holy Sword, given only to the strongest hero.
However.
"Haha. Compared to the adventures with mypanions, it is all just trivial stuff. Cough."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
There was not a hint of hesitation in his voice.
The Spirit Summoner smiled at that.
"Then haven''t you fulfilled your wish? As your fame grew, the evaluation of them must have changed."
"Haha..."
Versya shook his head with difficulty.
"Theirst wishes weren''t for me to be special."
The strength was leaving Versya''s voice.
"The continent is facing destruction."
"If even you find it difficult..."
"Yes. It is not an easy situation. It is beyond my abilities too."
"I see..."
The Spirit Summoner didn''tment on that.
"What were theirst wishes?"
He simply asked what pastpanions''st wishes Versya was following.
At that, Versya''s lips curved into a smile.
"An ordinary... daily life... for everyone..."
Versya couldn''t continue speaking.
"You are already a splendid hero..."
The Spirit Summoner closed his eyes for him.
*
Versya, which had now be his name.
-Shouldn''t our party have a name or something too?
-A name? Is it necessary?
-How about Versya?
-What does that mean? Mage.
-Yeah. It means ''courage'' in the Rune Language.
-Isn''t that far from who we are?
-Shut up! Names are supposed to be cool!
-Hahaha. We''ll just have to be a party worthy of the name!
Theirughter weed Versya.
:"
Chapter 102: Versya
What is a hero?
A problem solver who handles difficult situations?
A breakout star that everyone is excited about?
A small elite special unit?
A pushover forced to sacrifice?
There may be various meanings of hero, but in the Mazer Empire, the name "Hero" had a somewhat special meaning.
Imperial Pce of the Mazer Empire.
"Chancellor. What on earth is happening?"
"Have you found the cause of the rift?"
"We haven''t been able to find out anything.""At this rate, the Great Barrier will..."
The ministers'' usations were close to panic.
Their pupils trembled violently with urgency.
This was no different for the Emperor sitting on the throne.
"What are we to do..."
"Your Majesty, even the Magic Tower says they have no countermeasures."
"The Church of Ruth is the same."
"To think there is a spatial rift inside the Great Barrier..."
Everyone couldn''t hide their worried expressions.
"Everyone, calm down."
"What about the Hero Corps?"
"The mobilization of the Hero Corps is almostplete."
"That''s somewhatforting."
A mysterious spatial wave appeared in the sky above the empire.
A rift urred immediately after the spatial wave was observed.
The rift, which was thinner than a thread, was gradually widening.
What on earth was happening for space to be splitting apart like this?
If the Great Barrier were to be destroyed...
Outside the Great Barrier, the environment is uninhabitable for humans due to toxic energy. The continent was already in an elerating state of destruction.
Currently, they were barely maintaining the Great Barrier by gathering all the power of the continent.
"What''s the situation outside the barrier?"
"There are no major changes at the moment. As usual... the demonic beasts are just rampaging."
"Your Majesty. All members of the Hero Corps have been mobilized."
"Is that so? Bring them here immediately."
The Emperor hurriedly summoned them. Their usefulness in such an emergency situation was undeniable.
"Have you arrived?"
""We greet Your Imperial Majesty.""
"With your abilities, you must have sensed the rift in the sky. What do you think?"
The Hero Corps.
Beings who achieve all sorts of military exploits while being dispatched to various ces to protect the continent.
"..."
However, even they didn''t have a clear solution. As the Emperor said, they had sensed something ominous through the rift in the sky, but that was all.
The heroes were mobilized and discussions continued with the imperial ministers, but there was no answer.
They had even postponed subjugation missions in various regions to prepare emergency measures.
"In the end... is there no other way?"
If the Great Barrier is destroyed, a wave of demonic beasts would pour in along with the toxic energy.
In other words, it would be the extinction of humanity.
The conclusion was that the entire Hero Corps would gather to intercept whatever came out of the rift, and to hurry preparations in case the Great Barrier was destroyed.
-Move quickly!
-Hurry and move! Leave!
-This ce could turn into a battlefield at any moment!
-Set up palisades! Supply weapons to the men and gather food!
-How is the repair work on the city walls progressing?
An anomaly urring within the Great Barrier was tantamount to threatening the survival of humanity.
The rift gradually grewrger and began to spark ck electricity.
Someone might say it was an overreaction, but not to them. For those who asionally summoned heroes from other dimensions, such incidents were not entirely unheard of.
Everyone trembled in fear.
Young men patrolled with clubs in hand.
Even the elderly took up weapons, each with their own resolve.
Mothers tightly held their children''s hands andforted them.
Girls prayed to small statues of the Goddess.
Everyone shook with terror.
Pzzzt-
"ording to what the Magic Tower has found out... an enormous energy is concentrating."
"What''s the nature of this energy?"
"...We do not know."
As the rift widened, a chilling energy leaked through the gap. It was enough to feel the pressure throughout the entire empire.
Then.
Pzzzt- Tzzt-
The rift expanded into an oval shape with a crack.
An ominous energy leaking through the gap.
Finally, something began to reveal itself.
"Impossible..."
"It''s... enormous..."
The remaining forces of humanity gathered below the rift.
-242 heroes.
-992 Hero Corpspanions.
-2,322 Magic Tower personnel.
-182 Church of Ruth clergy.
-998 Imperial Guards.
-120,000 Imperial Capital Defense Forces.
-122 Special-Grade Mercenaries.
-About 10,000 lower-grade mercenaries.
Every single one of them who were gathered was astonished.
Oh God...
Goosebumps rose.
It was huge.
Beyond the mirror-like surface of the rift, shes of light constantly tore through space.
shes that seemed capable of destroying anything.
Boom-
"Everyone, prepare!"
"The Magic Tower''s preparations areplete!"
"Everyone... let''s meet again after surviving."
"Is this as far as we go?"
"Don''t give up hope!"
Although only glimpses could be seen through the shes, everyone could sense it.
That an overwhelming incarnation of destruction was crossing over to this ce.
Ah.
Despair filled everyone''s eyes.
But they didn''ty down their weapons.
Because we all received teachings from him.
"Fire all at once!"
"Activaterge-scale magic!"
"Heroes, prepare to intercept!"
"It''s off! It''s not working at all!"
"What is it? Magic?"
"No... It''s definitely not magic!"
They began a unified attack, but it was only for a moment.
Everyone began to drop their weapons.
Thud. Thud thud. ng. Thud.
"Ah, ah..."
"So it was like that..."
"Oh God."
Giving up?
It wasn''t like that.
A name that was by no means light in the Mazer Continent.
A single name written on the outer wall of the huge metal body that crossed the rift.
Hero Versya.
Everyone lowered their weapons and ced their right hands on their hearts in respect at the name ¡®Versya¡¯ written in their characters.
Whether it was children¡
Young girls¡
And even heroes too.
They were of one mind.
The Demon God Subjugator.
The Protector of Humanity.
Humanity''s Greatest Hero.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief at the name Versya.
The greatest name on the continent, who had left abruptly saying he would find a solution, had appeared.
Once called the Ipetent Hero, but ultimately became the great hero who subjugated the Demon God.
The Benevolent Mage, Keycillin.
The Noble Priest, Hirihi.
The Brave Dwarf, Ainkel.
The Lofty Ranger, Shati.
The Miraculous Barbarian Warrior, Totur.
Versya, who met them and ultimately became the continent''s strongest hero and the Owner of the Holy Sword.
They didn''t hide their respect for the Hero Party Versya, which meant courage. A symbol teaching that anyone could be a hero.
"But what on earth is that..."
"How can an ind fly in the sky..."
"My goodness..."
Huge inds made of metal came through the rift one after another.
Just 3 days after the rift opened.
A deration was posted in the square stating that the disaster of the Demon God, which had nearly driven humanity to extinction, had been resolved.
However, those who were saved couldn''t smile. They couldn''t hold a victory celebration.
Because Versya, the true hero in their hearts, had not returned.
Why did he not show himself?
***"Your wish has been fulfilled. You said you wanted to give everyone an ordinary daily life, right?"
But there was no answer to Karlstein''s voice.
"Since you can''t answer, I handled it my way... Well, it should be fine."
Around him, other Transcendents were gathered. They seemed at a loss for words at the scene they had witnessed until now.
"With this, the payment ofpensation isplete."
The Emperor''s word is absolute. He always keeps the promises he makes.
"It took quite a lot of resources, so it''s best to give up any thoughts of running away on your own."
"..."
The Transcendents couldn''t take their eyes off the crystal wall in front of them.
Versya, with his eyes closed as if time had stopped, was inside the oval-shaped crystal.
"..."
"..."
"Anyway, this should solve the problem for now."
Three days ago, Karlstein had encased the lifeless Versya entirely in crystal.
Using ''that'' power.
-Th-This power is...!
-U-Umm. It is truly chilling.
-Ah. I want to praise myself for not losing my mind.
-This is not any simple mineral.
Karlstein judged that this was the only method avable in the current situation.
"When we can send him to the Gctic Empire, I''ll thaw him out then."
Though I''m not sure if he''ll survive.
Crumble-
The right arm of Karlstein''s Avatar crumbled to ash.
"Geez. Seriously? After just this much?"
"..."
The watching Transcendents couldn''t easily open their mouths.
"Anyway, I hope you all work hard too. And... when you have timeter, try getting a consultation at the Enhancement Clinic."
"Un...derstood."
"..."
"...Got it."
"Hoho."
They barely managed to open their mouths to answer, but it was difficult to regain their senses because of what the Oradge had shown.
¡®What on earth was that?¡¯
¡®This isn''t just simply freezing... It''s as if time has stopped.¡¯
''Clearly, the life signs had ceased. But... it''s as if it''s reversing...''
''I never want to feel that chilling energy again.''
Gulp.
The Transcendents once again reminded themselves that the Oradge was no ordinary being.
Of course, his strength was one thing, but they had also witnessed the process of him fulfilling Versya''s wish.
And they also saw the video the Oradge shared, saying to beat him up if he says anything different when he wakes up.
The toxic energy that had taken root across the entire waspletely purified, and the countless demonic beasts moving in the toxic energy were subjugated in an instant.
They even watched as a round, huge spaceship drove a pir into the, reviving even thend devastated by toxic energy.
Everyone rubbed their eyes.
At this point, isn''t he just a god?
It took only 3 days to resurrect the dead and save an entire.
"Anyway."
Karlstein looked at them.
"What exactly happened?"
They couldn''t possibly understand the being in front of them.
:"
Chapter 103: A Bolt Out Of The Blue
Versya.
The exact results could only be known after being able to send him to the Gctic Empire.
Is it not toote?
At least they were lucky in that they could have some hope.
"It was those Sephiroth bastards."
"It seems they dug a trap and lured us in. There were enemies among them that were difficult for just one or two of us to handle."
"Is that so?"
While they used to move in small groups before, now they wereing out strategically in armies.
Moreover, the strong ones who had beenying low for a while have also started to move, or so they said.
"Hmm..."The base in World was still unstable.
Although support from the Gctic Empire, including fortresses and fleets, was following, it was ultimately a force prepared for a war of attrition and battles of quantity.
It was bound to be vulnerable to a small number of powerful individuals.
That was why they recruited some Transcendents, including Community Moderators.
"It seems they''ve started to keep us in check too."
They must have started responding ording to our expansion.
The Kaiju bastards were as usual and didn''t show any special behavior.
"Hmm."
Reports of the enemies'' traps, surprise attacks, and organic counterattacks kepting in.
However.
"If it were just one particrly strong one, I could handle it directly..."
It was not like their base had been clearly revealed.
And Karlstein couldn¡¯t always be stationed in World.
He couldn¡¯t keeping out directly to handle everything like before forever. If that were the case, he wouldn''t have invited these people from the Community.
Unless it was something that can be decided in a short time, the base in World needed to be made to run well even without him.
"Let''s increase the scale of support a bit more."
Aria will probably nag at me, but¡
It doesn''t seem like I can handle it right away.
Still, since this incident will probably use up the lifespan of the Avatar anyway, I should show myself directly at least once.
They must have let their guard down thinking the previous Avatar had disappeared...
I should remind them of the fear they had forgotten.
It should at least buy some time. And YongYong should wake up soon too.
Two dayster.
A golden sh bombarded the base where a Sephiroth unit was staying, and they had to recall their fear once again.
Those who barely survived and fled after being swept away en masse trembled in terror.
***Karlstein opened his eyes in the capsule.
[Have you returned?]
It was Aria, who always weed him upon his return.
"You know the situation?"
[Yes, I will increase support to the World base.]
"Yeah, thanks."
Karlstein nodded at the immense power he felt in his main body.
Creak- Creak-
Just clenching and unclenching his fist made overwhelming power writhe.
Karlstein closed his eyes.
He tried moving the vast Ether dwelling in his body.
Grand Void Cultivation Sutra...
He tried to move the Ether ording to the method of the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra, matching the verses.
Twitch-
"Hmm..."
As expected.
It''s subtle.
It doesn''t seem to have no effect, but...
It was like stirring with a finger in the middle of a vast ocean.
In other words, the cultivation technique called ''Grand Void Cultivation Sutra'' wasn¡¯t enough to handle the Ether contained in his main body.
It is a bit disappointing, but¡
Still.
He learned that even the first cultivation technique he learned wasn''t without effect, so it could be considered an achievement, couldn''t it?
A cultivation technique limited to the Metal Element, following the Avatar¡¯s characteristics.
Moreover, it was just a basic technique that was learned first.
What if he learned a higher-level techniqueter?
It''s chilling.
What if he could freely utilize the infinite Ether sleeping in his body?
After all, even with the rough utilization method of just pouring it out, there were hardly any opponents who could handle it.
...It wouldn''t be impossible to subjugate those bastards.
As expected, it won''t be that easy, but.
[Preparations for the macro program areplete.]
Karlstein snapped out of his thoughts at Aria''s call.
"Already?"
The cultivation macro he entrusted to Aria was not unrted to ''World''.
In research linked with the Community''s Transcendents, ''Ether'' was superior to any other energy.
The greatness of Ether.
And the Xianxia cultivation techniques that could move that very Ether.
If they could find the right cultivation technique, they could pass it on to others too.
If that happens, it would be much more advantageous in dealing with the few strong ones in World.
"Have you checked the data?"
[You can consider the first verificationplete, though we still need to umte a bit more.]
"Haha."
Inhuman Passing of Knowledge? One-Man Inheritance?
Can such a closed system really surpass SF?
Sharing knowledge and information, establishing numerous hypotheses.
Conducting numerous experiments ording to each hypothesis and umting data.
Extracting better results through sufficiently umted data.
And starting again from sharing those results. A system that circtes countless times.
It was a structure where humanity could only be stronger.
"At any rate, I guess I can''t even dream of retirement if it¡¯s like this."
Karlstein made aint that wasn''t really aint. Immediately after, he attempted to connect to the Xianxia Avatar.
"Please also prepare a new Avatar for World."
[...It is already in production. Please use it sparingly, Master.]
"Yeah okay, haha."
***-Junior Brother! Junior Brother! Wake up quickly!
-Huh. I clearly sent word in advance that I would visit.
-Kyaaak!
-Get lost!
-What is this?
-There are many objects I have never seen before.
-Truly insolent. How dare he note to greet me immediately.
-Is it this hard to see the face of the youngest disciple?
Commotion heard in a dream-like state.
-It seems he cannot open his eyes?
-Hmm. There does not seem to be anything particrly wrong.
-There seems to be some problem.
-Wench. Did Teacher know about this?
-...Yes.
-What is this?
-That¡¯s what I''m saying.
-How about taking it if it pleases Senior Brother Fang?
-Hmm. I suppose I can think of it as a gift from the one who will be the youngest disciple.
-Haha. That''s not wrong.
-And what''s this?
-Oho. It''s full of interesting things.
There was quite amotion.
Geez, can''t you keep it down...
sh-
Karlstein opened his eyes.
Swoosh-
For a moment, Spiritual Power flowed out from his body and swept around.
"??"
Contrary to expectations, the surroundings were quiet.
"Huh?"
The room was empty except for Senior Sister Zhang.
"It doesn''t seem to be... a dream, though..."
Various facilities and items ced in the hut for convenience were gone.
"Senior Sister?"
Senior Sister Zhang was hugging her knees in a corner of the dark room with the lights off in the early evening.
"Sniff."
What? Is she crying?
Well... Looking at her condition, it didn''t seem like she had been mistreated, but her cheek was swollen red as if she had been pped.
"Hmm? Are you awake?"
Senior Sister Zhang, looking dejected, wiped her tears and forced a smile.
"What happened?"
"Ah... I''m sorry."
"Huh? No. Just tell me what happened. I think I heard something while half-asleep."
Among Ma Yucheol''s disciples, there seems to be one with multiple masters. A disciple with several oh so great teachers.
It was someone called Senior Brother Fang, and apparently his background was not ordinary.
Even Ma Yucheol was being forced to pass on the Qi Refining Pavilion''s techniques under such pressure.
"I''m sorry.... I couldn''t stop them."
"Huh? Ah.... Well, that much is fine."
I did put the important things in the Storage Pouch anyway.
"But they didn''t touch the Storage Pouch, right?"
"That... that would be no different from theft."
What? By my standards, taking the household furniture and taking the Storage Pouch is also robbery, though?
"And didn''t you say not just anyone coulde to this Metal Spiritual Mountain?"
"That''s..."
Apparently, the person backing him is in a position where he can easily obtain a Spirit que that allows passage through Metal Spiritual Mountain.
"Anyway, don''t worry about it. Why are you crying?"
Where did the usual spirited Young Lady Zhang go?
"It might be because of me..."
"Hm?"
"Of course, if Master Ma had been here, things wouldn''t have gone this far..."
As stated before, Master Ma was holed up in the cultivation chamber doing closed-door cultivation, saying he was researching some items he had received from him.
"Senior Brother Fang must not have heard properly since he just returned today, but it seems you were looked down upon because I was attached to you. And I couldn''t say anything about the truth of the person from ancient times because Master had issued a gag order..."
"Uh..."
It was absurd enough that he, the Emperor of the Gctic Empire, had been robbed, but it wasn''t easy to understand her words either.
Was it because the culture is different?
There were many behavioral patterns that were iprehensible.
Not that he particrly wanted to understand or study them.
"Anyway, what they took were just odds and ends, so it''s fine."
"...It must have been a fortuitous encounter, though."
"..."
What fortuitous encounter? They were basically just camping equipment sent from the Gctic Empire. Truly mere odds and ends.
At any rate, since not knowing this fact, she seemed to feel guilty.
No, what? It''s not like she invited them, nor did she take anything.
"Hmm. But why did Senior Sister just let it happen? Are you weak?"
Young Lady Zhang became even more dejected.
"It''s not wrong to say I''m weak, but..."
Young Lady Zhang had trouble opening her mouth. There was also a faint hint of anxiety, wondering if he would despise her like others after hearing it.
There was no way that would happen, though.
Not everything could be conveyed just by words.
"If it''s hard to say, you can tell meter."
Karlstein looked around.
They cleaned it out thoroughly.
The massage chair, cooking utensils, daily necessities, etc. were nowhere to be seen.
"Can''t you report it or something? They''replete thieves, aren''t they? Haha."
Rather than being angry, it was more dumbfounding.
What is this bolt out of the blue?
To think the house would be robbed.
And by a member of their own sect, no less.
Haha.
"U-Umm.... It''s probably because we''re closer to temporary disciples or trainees, rather than formally admitted disciples..."
"Huh? Wait, didn''t they treat me like they would wee me immediately because of the Heavenly Spiritual Root? Why temporary?"
"Master... said he was entering closed-door cultivation... so he didn''t properly process the admission..."
What''s with this guy?
Isn''t he supposed to take care of his own business?
"Sigh.... Well, let''s forget about the lost items. They weren''t that important anyway."
It won''t even take a minute to refill them, after all.
Ah, of course, I should never forget that bastard''s name and what he did.
"So what''s the bastard''s name?"
"Fang Lunyi."
"Fang Lunyi?"
"He''s also a Heavenly Spiritual Root like you."
Heavenly Spiritual Root?
Is that so? He¡¯s a guy with simr talent and backing, huh?
Chapter 104: Prohibition
***"Senior Brother, these are truly fascinating objects."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, look at this."
"Hmm. How was this processed?"
"Moreover, this precision doesn''t seem ordinary."
"Oho. It''s full of interesting things."
Fang Lunyi showed interest as he looked at the items spread on the floor.
"These are things even I have never seen before."
"If even Senior Brother hasn''t seen them, they must surely be extraordinary items...""How did he obtain these?"
"Who knows."
Fang Lunyi.
As a direct descendant of the me Metal Sect''s Grand Elder, he was a member of the Fang n, a prestigious cultivation n. Since childhood, there was nothing he couldn''t have, and he had encountered all sorts of precious things.
Yet even for him, these were objects he had never seen before.
"But I cannot seem to figure out how to use them."
"Ah, this seems to work when you press here."
"Hm? What is this used for?"
"I''m not sure."
Of course, Fang Lunyi was curious about the objects before him, but he didn''t make a fuss like the junior disciples.
He had his dignity, after all.
He was just satisfying his curiosity by watching the disciples gather the items and touch this and that.
"Senior Brother! Look at this. It seems you pull this ring here."
Ping-
"Huh? What''s this? The body and head separated?"
"Let me se-"
At that moment. The round metal object with the pin pulled out caused a slight vibration. It was an extremely short time, barely a fraction of a second.
An intense light exploded, and countless needle-like metal particles burst out as mes ignited.
"Watch out...!"
"Dodge!"
Boom-
Along with a tremendous sound that deafened their ears, their vision turned white.
Their insides were shaken, and their skin was burned, losing sensation.
"Aaaagh!"
"Kuhuk!"
"..."
"Ugh."
As the smoke gradually cleared, three severely injured people and Fang Lunyi, who was barely standing, were revealed.
In that short time, Fang Lunyi''s instinctive activation of his defensive Dharma Tool could be said to have been instinctive.
Creak-
However, it was inevitable that everything, including the furniture gathered separately in the cultivation chamber and the nearby herb garden, had be like a beehive.
Moreover, the three who were severely injured were in a miserable state.
"What on earth...!"
What is this?
Fang Lunyi felt the crisis of death for the first time in a long while.
"Aaaagh."
"M-My fingers!"
"Kuhuk!"
He felt unbearable anger at the surroundings that had turned ck as if hit by an incendiary bomb.
"This kind of trick...!"
Hot anger welled up, making him feel like his head would explode.
How dare they pull such a prank?
Lunyi vowed to go to that bastard immediately and give him a beating. No, he would wring his neck right now...!
However, something invaded the cultivation chamber faster than that.
A yellow talisman wrapped in blue light.
A Sound Transmission Talisman?
A talisman that stores voice and delivers it to the target.
Lunyi received the Sound Transmission Talisman and infused it with Spiritual Power.
-Come to the Immortal Pavilion immediately.
"!!"
At someone''s undeniablemand, Fang Lunyi had to postpone his punishment of that punk.
"Damn it! Just you wait."
***Should I have attached a self-destruct device?
Unfortunately, there was no such thing. He didn''t expect it to be robbed so easily, after all.
To begin with, Karlstein hadn''t thought of putting a detonation device on household items.
Still, I must surely get payback someday.
Hmm. Come to think of it, I don''t see the regr grenade I had taken out for experiments.
That''s a separate issue.
"Anyway, that guy is also a Heavenly Spiritual Root? I guess Heavenly Spiritual Roots aren''t much after all?"
Did he live so poorly that he had to resort to petty theft?
Senior Sister Zhang was dumbfounded at this.
"...Of course, he''s one of the promising talents in the me Metal Sect. He''s skilled, and his name is known even in the cultivation world. They say if he had been a bit more diligent, the me Metal Sect''s position would have been different."
Oh, is he that outstanding?
Rather, Karlstein smiled contentedly.
"It''ll be fun to beat him up, then..."
Hearing his muttering, Zhang Yihong wondered if she had heard wrong. When talking with Junior Brother Gahwi, she felt likemon sense was being twisted somewhere.
"If you''re thinking of getting revenge... it''s better to give up. The person backing Senior Brother is truly a high-ranking individual."
"That''s even better."
"Hmm...?"
"Anyway."
Senior Sister Zhang found it difficult to regain her senses due to Karlstein''s strange charisma.
"Don''t worry. It''s not like I''m going to do anything right away."
Zhang Yihong ced her palm on her forehead.
In the end, isn''t that saying you''ll do something anyway?
She shook her head.
Whatever will be, will be.
"By the way, Senior Sister."
"Hmm?"
"Do you know anything about this Metal Spiritual Mountain?"
"...?"
Almost nothing was known about the Prohibitions of Metal Spiritual Mountain. Countless powerful individuals had emerged since the me Metal Sect was established. The fact that nothing has been discovered despite this clearly implied something.
"It''s been revealed that the outermost Prohibition is an Illusion Formation that doesn''t harm intruders, but that''s all."
Among those who broke through the Illusion Formation and challenged beyond, none returned.
However, it was said that beyond the Prohibitions, there was a treasure buried that could buy the entire me Metal Sect.
"But that was just testimony from people who couldn''t even remember properly."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"It seems there are people who havee back?"
"There were just people who imed so, but nothing clear was revealed."
"Hmm."
"ording to other eyewitness ounts, there was a time when the aftermath of a battle between powerful cultivators reached here, causing the Prohibitions to shake unstably. It''s said that for a moment, part of it was revealed, and there''s an anecdote that a city covered in True Silver was sighted."
True Silver?
"That metal, which is also used as a material for Dharma Treasures, is something even high-realm cultivators can''t get enough of."
"Material? That sounds interesting."
To put it simply, a Dharma Treasure was a superior version of a Dharma Tool.
No, in fact, they couldn¡¯t even bepared.
Unlike ordinary Artifacts called ''Dharma Tools'', ''Dharma Treasures'' were not easy for a lower-realm cultivator to see even once in their lifetime.
So the value of True Silver, which could be used as a material for Dharma Treasures even if it was just a basic material, was unimaginably high.
"Anyway, shall we go?"
"What? Where?"
For a moment, she couldn''t understand his words.
"Where else? We should go find the treasure mountain, shouldn''t we?"
"..."
What had he been listening to until now?
No rather, if it was that easy to find, would it still be there?
She wanted to say that, but seeing her Junior Brother¡¯s confident face, she couldn''t open her mouth.
"..."
Of course, Karlstein didn''t have such thoughts just to blindly chase after treasure.
It''s just that¡
Woong- Woong-
Since settling in this hut on Metal Spiritual Mountain, he had asionally felt an inexplicable, strange sensation.
As if it was calling him? There was something that oddly grated on his nerves.
"I was also curious about what exactly is there."
After all, doesn¡¯t it basically mean it¡¯s a relic from ancient times?
And one with tremendous treasures hidden?
"Junior Brother. Did you really hear what I said? First of all, there''s no way we''d get permission, and it could be dangerous."
"It''s all good."
"What?"
"Anyway, it''s all good."
"..."
She gave up on the conversation.
Why is he saying he''ll take me along?
She couldn''t know her Junior Brother¡¯s inner thoughts.
***Boom- Pzzzt-
At the southernmost continent of the world Karlstein had entered¡
There were mountain peaks so rugged and high they seemed like they might pierce the sun.
Suddenly, a hole opened in the sky and starlight poured down like a waterfall.
Swoosh-
Through it, a faint human silhouette appeared, passing through the curtain.
"Is this the ce?"
It took enormous resources to descend to the Lower Realm.
Although he received some support, his own wealth couldn''t help but be involved. However, the reason he epted the mission to the Lower Realm despite this was because...
"I hope I can find clues here."
Because there was something he was looking for.
"I can finish the mission itself anytime."
The man took out a mirror from his bosom and reflected the night sky.
Rustle- Rustle-
Faint starlight gathered densely and settled on the mirror''s surface.
Woong-
The surface moved as if drawing constetions.
"The location has been specified."
There were no particr problems.
The mission itself would be over in an instant.
There was still plenty of time.
He moved to handle his personal matters first.
"I should stop by nearby ces first."
A bloody wind began to blow in the direction he moved.
***Meanwhile, Karlstein...
"Ah... Junior Brother, I... my body..."
"Get a hold of yourself! Senior Sister!"
Neck Slice!
Thwack-
Thud.
"Treasures... everywhere. Is this True Silver? A-And t-there are Elixirs over th-!"
"Neck Slice!"
Thwack-
Thud.
"Kyaaak!"
"Neck Slice!"
Thwack-
Thud.
Senior Sister Zhang loses consciousness from Karlstein''s hand chops.
"Hmm!"
Every time they passed through a gate, he knocked out Senior Sister Zhang, who was affected by the Illusion Formation, and steadily crossed the Prohibitions.
Of course, Karlstein wasn''t affected by mere Illusion Formations.
"Ugh... Where is this?"
"We''re almost at the center."
"A-Already? We crossed the Prohibitions?"
She was flustered.
When she closed her eyes for a moment and opened them, their location had changed.
"But why does my neck hurt so much?"
"Who knows."
Karlstein didn''t bother to tell her.
"More importantly, look at this."
"This stele is...?"
Senior Sister Zhang fell into deep thought as she examined the Enchantment Characters on the stele.
Karlstein nodded contentedly at this.
Hmm. I did well to bring her along.
I need to know what''s what to properly loot, after all.
For him, whockedmon sense in this world, she was like an excellent guidebook.
"It seems to be a warning message."
"Is that so?"
Grin-
Valuable things usually had thorns, wouldn¡¯t they?
"Then we definitely can''t stop!"
For some reason, she suddenly protected her neck.
W-Why did I do that?
Chapter 105: Puppets Of The Tower
As they passed through four gates, a different sight greeted them.
Boom-
"Ugh."
"?"
After passing through a colorful mist, a massive gold-ted tower revealed itself.
Her mouth closed at the tower''s imposing presence.
"..."
However, for Karlstein, it was merely interesting.
"If there was such a tower, it should have been visible from outside the Prohibitions."
After all, Karlstein was immune to all Prohibitions rted to illusions and mental effects."Is there a spatial difference? Hmm."
Moreover, they had to travel quite far to pass through the Prohibitions, so it was a vastnesspletely different from what they had seen from the outside.
"E-Euk. M-More importantly, are you okay? Your Spiritual Power..."
Since the tower appeared, the Spiritual Power circting in their bodies seemed to freeze, unable to move.
"I can still manage the minimum operation to use the Storage Pouch, though."
"That''s probably only possible because it''s you. I feel like my Spiritual Power ispletely frozen."
"Is that so?"
Well, it''s not like I expected her to fight or something anyway.
"Let''s go for now. Something shoulde up."
"Don''t youck a sense of crisis?"
"Don''t you think it''s stranger to turn back aftering this far?"
"Th-That''s..."
A mysterious gold-ted tower within the Prohibitions.
It could be said with certainty that there was no cultivator who would just pass by after seeing this.
"Why is Spiritual Power restricted, though?"
However.
As Karlstein waved his finger, the metal lump he was holding floated into the air.
"Hmm... This ability works fine?"
"Junior Brother, how did you do that? It doesn''t seem like you used Spiritual Power."
Spiritual Power wasn''t his only means. He didn''t know how to use Spiritual Power offensively with what he had learned so far anyway.
He was just umting and refining Spiritual Power while learning cultivation techniques like Inner Qi Cultivation Techniques.
"Let''s go."
Karlstein smiled brightly.
Zhang Yihong was at a loss for words.
"I-I''ll go with you!"
As she was unable to use Spiritual Power now, he was her only lifeline.
It was practically the same as him dragging her along from the start.
Creak-
As he approached the entrance, the door opened automatically.
"Is this a wee?"
What greeted them upon entering was...
"Huh?"
"J-Junior Brother."
Senior Sister Zhang instinctively grabbed his clothes in fear.
Dozens of people in various outfits were hanging in the air, motionless with empty eyes.
However, their outward appearance was no different from humans.
Zhang Yihong was frightened by this bizarre sight.
This was because they looked so vividly human, yet at the same time were fixed in twisted postures that normal humans couldn''t take.
As Karlstein stepped inside and took a step forward,
Creak-
Dozens of eyeballs moved towards him.
"Oh!"
Were they alive?
Senior Sister Zhang seemed to have already half-fainted at the bizarreness.
One more step.
Creak-
Are they just watching?
That can''t be.
Step-
As he took a few more steps towards the center, they fell to the floor like puppets with cut strings.
"There''s no need to wait for them, yeah?"
He knew what was what.
These weren''t disyed to kindly guide them.
Creak-
"Don''t worry. Just rest behind me."
He took out something long and ck from the Storage Pouch.
Click-
"Let''s see how tough they are, shall we?"
E-19A ster Rifle.
An early model ster-type automatic rifle spewed fire towards the front.
Boom- Boom- Boom- Boom-
ng-
The one at the very front was blown away and rolled on the floor.
"Oho?"
As expected, they weren''t human.
If they were ordinary humans, not even bone fragments would have remained.
Creak- Creak-
The one with dents all over its body struggled like a broken machine.
But the problem was the others.
With Karlstein''s preemptive strike as a signal, they began to swarm in.
Boom- Boom- Boom-
The rifle wasn''t ineffective. They couldn''t move after taking a few hits.
However, one rifle couldn''t stop all of them rushing in from all directions.
Even so.
"Hahaha."
Various firearms poured out of Karlstein''s Storage Pouch.
Karlstein, who lightly floated the firearms in the air, smiled joyfully.
"I never said there was only one."
Fire erupted simultaneously from various firearms.
Boom-
"Let''s see who wins!"
Karlstein had engaged in modern warfare instead of the mere fistfighting he was expected to do.
***Zhang Yihong couldn''t close her mouth.
Boom-
Ratatata-
Th-This is...
Fire spewed from all sorts of metal lumps her Junior Brother had taken out, sweeping everything in front.
"As expected, the tougher ones appear more frequently as we go up."
So what?
Everything was burning and being destroyed under the dozens of shes from the metal lumps.
sh- Boom-
Dozens of metal objects were spinning around her Junior Brother, spewing fire. From other metal objects, bullets were being fired with air-ripping sounds.
It was truly like an iron fortress.
Moreover, the speed of the projectiles was difficult even for her, at 8 Stars in the Qi Refining, to easily detect.
The principle seemed simr to the mortal world''s incendiary bombs or artillery, but the power was iparable.
If it weren''t for the unknown transparent barrier her Junior Brother had set up, even a graze would have turned them to dust.
"Phew."
Junior Brother Gahwi walked leisurely as if on a flower-viewing outing.
Am I perhaps caught in an illusion?
How desperate must she have been to think such thoughts?
Dharma Tools?
What kind of Dharma Tool couldunch such shy and continuous attacks without Spiritual Power?
She had never heard of such a thing.
Even those that looked incredibly tough at a nce were being shattered to pieces, unable to even approach.
The surroundings had already turned into ruins, raising clouds of dust.
Thud- Thud-
If there was any constion, it was that the outer walls of the tower remained intact?
"Th-This is..."
"Kahaha!"
She couldn''t continue speaking as she looked at her Junior Brother, whose eyes seemed to gleam with a certain madness.
***At the top floor of the tower.
Creak- Creak- Creak-
A voice was heard from somewhere on the top floor, which looked like aboratory.
[A Noble Archer...?]
That being, whose consciousness was connected to the tower, had known from the start that there was amotion on the lower floors. The disturbance had started from the first floor and was quickly heading upwards.
But the speed of ascent was too fast.
The tower was a spatial Dharma Tool made of Sealing Stone that sealed Spiritual Power.
It was not a ce that cultivators with sealed Spiritual Power could possibly break through.
Nevertheless, if they could pass through unhindered to this extent, perhaps only A Noble Archer would be capable of it?
However, it didn''t seem to be an archer, as there was no particr reaction from the Prohibitions set up against an archer.
[....]
asionally, there were cultivators of the Body Tempering route, who trained their bodies to the extreme without Spiritual Power, but floors were already prepared to deal with them too.
In the end, they would just be new materials for him.
Until now, cultivators who broke through the Prohibitions and invaded the Sealing Stone Tower had all be materials for puppet dolls without exception and were disyed on the lower floors.
The same would be true for thoseing up now.
[It doesn''t matter who.]
They wouldn''t be able to reach here anyway.
Especially the floor right below the top floor.
Even the tracking of a famed archer couldn''t pass through there.
tter-
However, if there was a cultivator who could break through everything and reach the top floor.
It must be the one he had been waiting for.
Truly.
It truly shouldn''t be possible.
But if so.
[Hehehe.]
It must be someone who would fulfill his long-cherished wish.
Of course, he didn''t have high expectations since not a single person hade looking for him in such a long time that he had almost lost his sense of self.
***Boom-
"The firepower is starting to run out."
"Impossible."
The Senior Sister had been repeating those words like a parrot while following behind.
"Shouldn''t Dharma Tools used by cultivators be able to do this much?"
"Well..."
It''s not impossible, but...
In order to be fine like her Junior Brother after pouring out so many, it was not a matter of Dharma Tools, but rather something only high-realm cultivators could do.
"Hmm. They don''t go down easily. There doesn''t seem to be any particr weak point. You called them Puppets, right?"
"Y-Yes."
Puppets, called the Flower of Dharma Tool Crafting.
However, even the Qi Refining Pavilion of the me Metal Sect found it difficult to create Puppets.
In front of Karlstein, hundreds of Puppets were forming Formations and moving organically as they rushed towards him.
Some of them even used sorcery.
Boom-
However, the hundreds of firearms Karlstein had taken out were no less formidable. Among them were even cannons of a size iparable to ordinary rifles.
"Hmm. If I increase the firepower more, I don''t think we''ll be able to withstand it."
They were enduring the aftermath with a few defense kits for emergencies, but anything more would be too much.
"Is this as far as the shooting game goes?"
"What?"
Karlstein showed no sense of crisis at all.
He began to personally move.
Crunch-
"I''ve got a rough feel for it now."
"...!"
As he clenched his fist in the air, one Puppet nearby twisted and stopped moving.
Crunch-
"It''s not easy."
"W-What on earth?"
"Surprisingly, these guys seem to be made of metal too."
Crunch-
Karlstein turned one into scrap metal and shook his head.
"Still, it''s too tough..."
But he still showed no sense of crisis.
After all¡
"It might not be as fun, but..."
There was no need for him to destroy them.
As Karlstein waved his hand, several Puppets staggered.
Not only that, but those attacking, those defending, and those rushing in¡
All of their postures wavered and their Formations crumbled.
Countless bombardments poured through the gaps.
Boom-
Even the firearms began to show strategic movements rather than indiscriminate bombing.
"I wonder what the reward will be?"
To her, who was only at 8 Stars in the Qi Refining Stage, all of this felt like a dream.
But even pinching her cheek didn''t change anything.
"Junior Brother... Perhaps..."
"Yes?"
"Were you hiding your realm and infiltrating the me Metal Sect for some reas..."
"What are you saying?"
"A-Are you a person of ancient times hiding their identity?"
"..."
"W-What should I do? All this time I-"
"Senior Sister."
"Yeah? I mean, yes?"
"Get a hold of yourself."
Shake shake-
Did I not give enough Neck Slices?
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 106: Puppet Demonic Warlord
"Hmm. What should we do?"
"How about... turning back now?"
"We haven''t really gained anything yet."
"The things we''ve obtained along the way aren''t insignificant..."
"But you said they''re things that can be easily bought with Spiritual Stones, even if expensive, right?"
Spiritual Stones were the currency of the cultivation world. They were ores containing Spiritual Power.
"Can we really say there''s great value in things that can be easily bought with money?"
"Well, that''s true, but..."
Is this something a person who''s been a cultivator for less than a year should be saying?
Many of the things they had obtained while climbing the tower were certainly precious enough to make their eyes widen, even for cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage like them.Elixirs, ores, Spiritual Herbs, and so on. Just selling these would be enough to buy cultivation resources without worry throughout the Qi Refining Stage.
However, it seemed these didn''t satisfy her Junior Brother at all.
"It seems we''re almost at the end... but it''s been too easy, don''t you think?"
"I think that''s something only you can say."
Hmm.
Karlstein tilted his head in puzzlement.
After all, it was true that he had dealt with the Puppets rtively easily using heavy weapons and climbed up.
"Didn''t you say this was a relic from ancient times, existing even before the me Metal Sect was established?"
"Yes. That''s probably right."
"And yet it''s being breached so easily?"
"Normally, it''s impossible to defeat the Puppets with Spiritual Power sealed."
Zhang Yihong remembered.
How the Puppets'' movements had noticeably changed as they climbed to the upper floors of the tower.
At the end, she couldn''t perceive their movements at all with her naked eyes. Even her seemingly invincible Junior Brother Gahwi had gotten injured.
During the battles, she had to wait quietly on the lower floors until he called for her.
To her, his words werepletely iprehensible.
"Still, something doesn''t feel right."
"Junior Brother, how about we go back then?"
Karlstein tilted his head.
"Senior Sister, don''t you have any greed?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, what? To think of suggesting we go back in this situation..."
"..."
"Or are you afraid I won''t share any of the treasures?"
"Th-That''s not it. You came this far with your strength alone, how could I be greedy?"
"Is that so?"
"...Yes."
"Then why?"
"Because life is the most precious thing."
That''s right. She¡¯s correct, but...
Is she really without greed?
"Anyway, we should see this through to the end."
As Karlstein said this and stepped onto the stairs leading to the upper floor, just as he had been doing...
Ping-
Karlstein''s body, which had always seemed to stand firmly and proudly, wavered.
"Junior Brother!!"
Karlstein pushed her body away while staggering, throwing her down the stairs.
And then.
Click-
His vision went dark.
***[I can''t believe it.]
?
What''s that sound?
[I''ve been waiting for this moment, but I thought it was impossible.]
An unidentified voice.
[This ce was created by gathering the souls of metal.]
What do you mean soul? How does metal have a soul?
[You can hear the voice of metal too, can''t you?]
The hell is he saying.
[Ah... The impossible has be reality. The time has trulye to fulfill my wish. Just the fact that you can hear my voice like this...]
Wish?
[Haha. It seems I got too excited and rambled on my own.]
You only realized that now?
[What is your desire?]
Desire? Desire, is it...
[Haha. There was no need to ask. Because I can fulfill all of it for you.]
Hmm...
[I''ll give you unimaginable, immense power.]
...Power?
[Power. Yes, with power, you can achieve anything.]
Are you trying to discuss power with me right now?
[What do you think? You just need to answer.]
Haha. You''re underestimating me, and by quite a lot.
[You must be faintly feeling it now too.]
That¡¯s right. I can tell that the current situation isn''t ordinary.
This... isn''t some kind of illusion.
[Let me introduce myself first.]
I''m not particrly curious, but...
[The name might have been forgotten by now, but I was once called the Puppet Demonic Warlord.]
Puppet Demonic Warlord?
***The Puppet Demonic Warlord.
An entric who was so obsessed with creating Puppets that he even turned his own body into a Puppet.
There were even wars between major cultivation sects to possess him.
However, he had no interest in such things.
He dedicated his entire life solely to creating Puppets.
Infamous in ancient times, he raided even the secret vaults of numerous major powers to focus on creating the Puppet he dreamed of.
For the Puppet Demonic Warlord,pleting that final Puppet was his only reason for living.
The problematic material was Sealing Stone.
Sealing Stone, which sealed Spiritual Power, was actually a material he could have obtained sufficiently with his realm. Although it might have taken some time.
However, what he truly aimed for was the Grand Soul Stone, said to be the highest grade among Sealing Stones.
The Grand Soul Stone, which few even knew about, was only possessed in small quantities even by major cultivation powers. Hidden deep in their secret vaults.
He couldn''t give up.
The Grand Soul Stone was absolutely necessary to create the ultimate Puppet he aspired to.
If only he could see hispleted masterpiece move!
Despite his considerable realm, he finally managed to steal the Grand Soul Stone for this purpose.
However, no matter how high his realm was, it wasn''t enough to easily shake off the pursuit of the cultivation world¡¯s entire forces, and he eventually found himself in danger of being hunted down.
Nevertheless, the Puppet Demonic Warlord finally shook off the pursuit and seeded in escaping to the Lower Realm with only his final masterpiece, despite being severely injured.
However, was it because his final masterpiece, which he hadn''t given up on even when driven to death, deviated from his expectations? Or did a problem ur during the process of escaping to the Lower Realm?
Even his Puppet Techniques couldn''t make it move.
He had thought it would beplete if he just added the Grand Soul Stone...
Ah...
He thought it was almost done.
A Puppet using ''that'' as the core material.
His unrepeatable masterpiece.
Even if he tried to repair or reinforce it, the materials were all unobtainable in the Lower Realm.
Moreover, his body was unable to function properly due to severe injuries.
Moreover, among the various cultivation powers, none were as persistent as those Noble Archers. Even though he had escaped to the Lower Realm, if he stood out too much, they might track him down.
In the end, toplete his final masterpiece, he even used his own body, which he had turned into a Puppet, as material for repairs and finally seeded.
Thus leaving only one piece behind.
Phantasmal Metal Body....
The final masterpiecepleted by dedicating everything.
Such a masterpiece could only be moved by a Phantasmal Metal Body.
Phantasmal Metal Body.
A quality that even the Puppet Demonic Warlord didn''t possess.
A quality that simultaneously possessed the attributes of illusion and metal, and could reach the extreme.
One needed to have that level of quality to be able to move his masterpiece.
But where could he find a cultivator with a Phantasmal Metal Body?
To think he couldn''t find an owner after creating it!
To think it couldn''t move even though the Puppet and Puppet Techniques were prepared!
To think he couldn''t even see it move alive after creating it!
As a creator, could there be anything more heartbreaking?
Phantasmal Metal Body was a quality hard to find even in the Upper Realm. As such, it wasn''t something that could be easily found in the mere Lower Realm.
In the end, the Puppet Demonic Warlordid out powerful Prohibitions that could only target a Phantasmal Metal Body and sealed himself.
After a long time, enough for the years to wear away...
Finally, thest piece arrived.
The final piece he had wished and wished for reached the floor right below the top floor where he was.
If it was someone who could break through the lower floors that turned all beings into metal and talk with him...
[Are you satisfied with your current power?]
"Well, I don''t think I''m particrlycking."
What an impudent brat.
[Do you think you were able to break through my Puppets and climb up here because of your own strength?]
"..."
[The very fact that you arrived here alive would have been impossible if it weren''t for your physical constitution.]
"Hmm. So was that why? I thought the attacks felt strangely lukewarm."
The prepared Puppets were structured to gradually weaken in response to the purity of the Phantasmal Metal Body quality. After all, he couldn''t suddenly kill the Phantasmal Metal Body he had longed for.
"It was too easy, though."
[....]
Of course, even so, it wasn''t something that could be easily destroyed.
Especially with Spiritual Power sealed.
To begin with, the Puppets on the lower floors were meant to subdue and capture the target alive.
It wasn''t something that could be climbed while destroying so crudely.
Even the Puppet Demonic Warlord hadn''t expected this fact.
Is that why this brat was so arrogant?
"So what will you give me if I do what?"
[....]
Why is he so rxed?
Ah. It''smentable.
If only the body had remained intact, he would have made this brat bow his head immediately!
"You wanted this conversation because you have something you want, right?"
That''s right. The brat''s words were correct.
[....]
Yes. What does it matter?
Fine.
[What I want is for you to inherit my Puppet Techniques.]
"Huh? All of a sudden?"
Yes. That''s enough.
[Inherit my Puppet Techniquespletely and use my masterpiece. Show me my masterpiece moving. That alone would satisfy me.]
"..."
[Be my disciple. I''ll make you the strongest under the name of the Puppet Demonic Warlord.]
"Disciple?"
[That''s right. I''ll make you the greatest in Puppet Techniques, surpassing anyone else. The name of the Puppet Demonic Warlord is by no means light.]
The brat might not know, but just the name Puppet Demonic Warlord was enough to make the world stir.
No one could match him in Puppet Techniques. To the extent that it remained unchanged even after so many years had passed.
[With that alone, you can have the final, greatest masterpiece I created.]
What do you think?
It should be an irresistible temptation.
[It''s a masterpiece that can''t be matched no matter how many of the Puppets you faced are gathered. No, in fact, it''s shameful to evenpare it to those trash Puppets.]
I''m proud. Of my Puppet Techniques and masterpiece.
Can''t you tell that even the trash Puppets on the lower floors were no ordinary Puppets? Where else would you find Puppets that move so vividly as if alive?
However.
"Uh... For some reason, I don''t wanna. I won''t be a disciple."
What?
[Why?]
"Huh? Oh, I don''t intend to take someone as a master or anything like that. It¡¯s kinda embarrassing."
[....]
How to put it?
Should I call it audacious?
Should I say he doesn''t know the ways of the world?
Couldn¡¯t he tell from just the Prohibitions that he, the Puppet Demonic Warlord, was at an extraordinary realm?
[Do you think you''ll have such an opportunity again?]
"I just don''t wanna. What else can I do? Haha."
Crack-
If he had a body, it would have made such a sound.
"Then the negotiations have broken down?"
[Do you think you can escape from here? This 49th floor is a ce no one can escape from. It''s a ce where you''ll be slowly absorbed while alive and turn into metal.]
"Hmm?"
[So be my disciple.]
"Nope. I don''t want to."
[....]
This crazy brat!
Even though I''m offering it for free, he refuses!
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 107: Hunshi
[Do you think just anyone can inherit my Puppet Techniques? Are you saying you¡¯re so foolish that you can¡¯t even properly grasp such an opportunity?]
Foolish, huh¡
Although he couldn¡¯t know the exact identity of the one speaking, by this point, it was impossible not to realize that the one who made this tower was at least no ordinary being.
It was most likely that not only the Puppet Techniques he said he would teach, but also the Puppet he called his final masterpiece must be extraordinary.
However.
[You don¡¯t seem to understand at all what an unbelievable stroke of luck it is for you to inherit my Puppet Techniques.]
¡°Well. That remains to be seen.¡±
That wasn¡¯t reason enough for him, the Emperor of the Gctic Empire, to lower himself to this guy.
But the punk didn¡¯t seem to think so.
[It¡¯s troublesome topare my Puppet Techniques with other Puppet Techniques.]His pride could be felt in every single word.
[The essence of Puppets is ¡®imitation¡¯. The essence of Puppets is that they are created to imitate something. It¡¯s a sad reality that even such a basic fact has been forgotten.]
[Most Puppet creators want to make stronger, more special Puppets. That¡¯s no different for me. However.]
[Unable to let go of a craftsman¡¯s stubbornness, they only cram in their own desires. That¡¯s how Puppet Techniques have been established and solidified.]
Uh, excuse me, mister. I ain¡¯t gonna understand even if you exin.
The mysterious voice poured out as if filled with resentment.
[More special abilities. More brilliant ideas. More unexpected functions. Well, I don¡¯t know about the current era, but it¡¯smon for creators to project their own egos and realize their desires.]
Did he notice Karlstein¡¯s boredom?
[Gah! Listen properly! I¡¯m telling you how ridiculously fortunate this opportunity is for you!]
Haha. Right. There are always people like this.
Karlstein exercised a bit of patience. After all, he wasn¡¯t uninterested in this situation.
[At any rate!]
Okay. Yeah. At any rate?
[I thought that to create the strongest Puppet, I needed to imitate the strongest being. My goal was to embody the essence of the subject exactly, discarding any personal desires.]
The strongest being, you say¡
[And I, with my not-so-narrow knowledge, finally found it. A being that could be called the strongest.]
Oho.
Even Karlstein couldn¡¯t help but be interested at this point.
[¡®That¡¯ appeared suddenly without any precursor. It was as if it had simply dropped from thin air without a trace.]
Is that so?
[¡®That¡¯ revealed itself for only 3 days. And during those 3 days, it destroyed the Three Purities1 Dao Sect, which was the greatest cultivation sect across all Immortal Realms, and ughtered countless powerhouses of the Immortal Realm. No one could stop it.]
¡°¡¡±
Karlstein had heard something about this world. That the territory of Immortals wasn¡¯t a worldposed of just one dimension.
The strongest across all Immortal Realms¡
[A being that single-handedly created a dark age in the Immortal Realm in a short period, called ¡®Hunshi2¡® by gossipers.]
They say that eventually, all the strongest in the Immortal Realms joined forces and seeded in repelling it. However, they only drove it away, not killed it.
[That¡¯s probably a rumor appropriately distorted to suit the tastes of the major powers. The prevailing theory is that ¡®Hunshi¡¯, which ughtered countless powerhouses, disappeared instantly even after winning.]
Afterwards, the Noble Archers were established, and forces were formed to guard against and prepare for the invasion of certain beings.
[A truly unbelievable being, one that could actually be called beyond the heavens. I could understand why the major sects took the lead in erasing its existence.]
[Tsk tsk. But no matter how much they erase and distort the records, they can¡¯t change the truth.]
The guy¡¯s voice sounded triumphant.
However, even Karlstein had to be serious at the next words.
[Hunshi is a being that blurs the boundary between ¡®reality¡¯ and ¡®unreality¡¯.]
¡°¡?¡±
[And my final masterpiece is a Puppet that imitates that ¡®Hunshi¡¯.]
The boundary between¡ reality and unreality?
[What do you think? Can you still say you¡¯re not interested?]
Karlstein was silent for a while.
Because something came to mind.
No way¡
No, that can¡¯t be.
At the very least, the being he was thinking about wouldn¡¯t show such ¡®human-like¡¯ movements as this guy was describing.
[Huhu. Seeing that you¡¯re silent, it seems you¡¯ve made your decision.]
The mysterious voice had changed to a confident one before he knew it.
[Haha. Soe in obediently as my disciple, if only to receive my masterpiece.]
Sigh¡ No. It must be a useless thought.
This is a problem that can be verifiedter.
It wasn¡¯t something to worry about right now.
Right. What¡¯s important now is negotiating with this guy.
Until now, he had casually refused, but that wasn¡¯t Karlstein¡¯s true intention.
¡°I had a fun time listening. But is that the end?¡±
[What?!]
The reason Karlstein was going this far was because¡
[Why? What on earth is your reason?! Did you not hear what I said? It¡¯s that very ¡®Hunshi¡¯! Just uttering it makes everyone tremble in fear!]
¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s none of my business.¡±
[Y-You! H-Have you gone mad! !%@#$^%!@#$^]
The guy¡¯s excited voice echoed in his skull.
That¡¯s right. Puppet creator. I can tell just by seeing you ramble on and get excited like this.
He knew he had the upper hand. Because the one who needed him more than anyone else was this guy.
To make such a great masterpiece and yet try to persuade him to be a disciple?
The upper hand in negotiations was decided from the start.
¡°Putting aside whether it¡¯s Hunshi or whatever, I don¡¯t see at all how you¡¯re such a great being?¡±
[Haah¡. How have Ie to be disrespected even by such a youngster¡ Time is truly fleeting.]
¡°Haha.¡±
There was something puzzling while listening to the guy¡¯s words.
I wonder if¡ Puppets might be somewhat connected to Avatars.
Of course, there would be a difference between simply controlling and directly possessing.
Yet he couldn¡¯t recognize my Avatar at all.
His words were grand, but this was a matter of verification.
Believing the punk was apletely different matter.
To believe his words without question?
Karlstein, at least, hadn¡¯t lived so lightheartedly.
It might be good to join hands with the guy for research rted to Avatars. It seemed to have reached a standstill recently.
However.
The method of persuasion was wrong.
Huh? No matter how you look at it, isn¡¯t this guy the desperate one?
He might be more insignificant than I thought.
[Kuuuuk!]
Should I loosen up a bit at this point?
¡°Well, if you agree to all my conditions, it might be worth considering¡¡±
[What did you say?!]
If the punk had a body, he might have grabbed the back of his head.
¡°Shall we talk slowly?¡±
[Eek!]
True engineering nerds were usually weak in negotiations.
As such, handling the guy was all too easy.
***Boom-
¡°Dodge! Run away!¡±
¡°Quickly spread this news!¡±
¡°Everyone run!¡±
¡°Kyaaak!¡±
¡°Grand Elder!!¡±
¡°Uwaaak!¡±
¡°Survive and deliver the news to the Southern Alliance!¡±
Under his gestures, countless screams echoed into the sky.
The screams became melodies, and their cries became rhythms that pleased the man¡¯s ears.
The man, wrapped in five-colored clouds, tookfort in their despair and drank from his cup of alcohol.
¡°It¡¯s truly frustrating that not even a clue appears. So shouldn¡¯t I at least fill my selfish desires for constion?¡±
Below him, as he sat in mid-air drinking from his cup, blood became rivers and seas, giving off a thick smell of fishy sanguine.
¡°Hmm. It seems I¡¯ve filled about 40 percent.¡±
The man gazed ecstatically at the crude needle floating in the air.
¡°It was worth it to actively ept Lower Realm missions after all.¡±
It¡¯s not like the man would be happy to be burdened with troublesome missions.
However, he silently epted them only when dealing with Lower Realm missions.
Because there were no eyes watching.
Because there was no need to hide his true nature.
Moreover, it was also to carry out another secret mission from a different affiliation.
¡°This must be what they call killing three birds with one stone. Hehe.¡±
The man¡¯s eyes turned blood-red.
As he waved his hand, a giant hand formed from the sea of blood, grabbing a resisting cultivator and dragging them into the sea.
¡°Kyaaak!¡±
¡°You bastard! How dare youmit such atrocities while wearing human skin!¡±
¡°Unforgivable!¡±
¡°You will surely face retribution.¡±
Below the man, cultivators who were still resisting were being swept up and swallowed by waves of blood.
¡°Don¡¯t be sad. You have been of great help in refining my Blood-Draining Needle.¡±
Even while taking hundreds of thousands of lives, the man¡¯s expression showed only extreme calmness.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Suddenly, the man raised his body and tilted his head.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
The starlight in the mirror hanging at his waist began to fade.
¡°Escape? No. That¡¯s not it.¡±
Seeing that there was still starlight remaining, it didn¡¯t seem like they had fled to another Immortal territory.
¡°But the signal is unstable.¡±
What could have happened?
Not all beings that drift in from other dimensions are strong. In other words, they can die at any time even in the insignificant Lower Realm.
Tsk. Of all times.
Judging by the unstable signal, it seemed the target¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t good. If he waste, he might not even be able to retrieve the corpse and fail toplete the mission.
The mission from the Noble Archers, his superficial affiliation, was practically mandatory.
The man made a troubled expression as he looked at the sea of blood spread out below.
¡°I need to hurry.¡±
Of course, the man had no intention of stopping the refinement of the Blood-Draining Needle.
The man formed Mudras3 and began to blow blue energy extracted from his mouth into the blood-red needle.
Woong-
The sea of blood began to churn violently and condense.
¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡±
Endless screams echoed.1. Sanqing may refer to: Three Pure Ones, or Sanqing in Chinese, the three highest Taoist deities; Mount Sanqing, mountain in Jiangxi, China.2. This means Chaos Era/World in its literal trantion. However, since it seems to be a being, I just did the romanticization.3. A mudra is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.
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Chapter 108: Perfect Negotiation
Tremble.
Although it was a space where no form could be seen and only voices could be heard, Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s trembling could be felt.
[Y-You fiendish bastard!]
¡°So how do we get out of here?¡±
Karlstein pretended not to hear.
[How did I end up¡]
Karlstein even started humming!
[E-Eek!]
Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s pride was shed by the punk¡¯s tongue.
He had pleaded and begged for him to ¡°please¡± be his disciple.What crazy bastard did I get caught up with!
That damned talent of his is the problem.
Even if the punk became a disciple, it wouldn¡¯t be a normal master-disciple rtionship. To agree to all of the punk¡¯s conditions would be like serving a disciple as a master.
A disciple like a master? How did this make any sense?
To think the Puppet Demonic Warlord had fallen so low!
The fiendish punk of a disciple was meticulous and without gaps.
No, this bastard is just crazy!
He realized words couldn¡¯t handle him.
But the Puppet Demonic Warlord hadn¡¯t lived his years in vain.
Just you wait!
If things went ording to the n he had set up when creating the Prohibitions¡
Hehehe.
Dealing with the bastard would be no trouble at all.
¡°Old man, let¡¯s go.¡±
[What?]
What kind of way of speaking¡
Let¡¯s just be patient for a bit.
Even if his manners are a bit bad¡
¡°Are you going to live here forever?¡±
[¡.]
However, that little bit might prove to be difficult.
***Transmission of Puppet Techniques.
Full cooperation when it came to sharing knowledge.
Transfer of ownership of created Puppets.
Even ownership of the results.
In addition, he had to conduct joint research and perform all sorts of odd jobs at the disciple¡¯s request.
He had no rights other than calling him ¡®bastard of a disciple¡¯. He even insisted on not calling him Master.
[Gyaaaak!]
So much responsibility on the master alone! How could there be such an unreasonable treatment!
Well. If there was any constion, it was that the bastard agreed to cooperate in inheriting his legacy.
You think this Puppet Demonic Warlord will move ording to your will?! Hmph. Once you taste even a fragment of my Puppet Techniques, you won¡¯t be able to escape!
The Puppet Demonic Warlord was certain that this bastard of a disciple would soon beg him to please teach him.
He will have no choice!
Of course. After all, whose legacy was it? It was none other than the Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s!
The eyes of a mere Qi Refining Stage Cultivator from the Lower Realm couldn¡¯t be trusted! He couldn¡¯t appreciate greatness!
There was a certain knowhow to it. Even an ignorant person would soon realize these were no ordinary Puppet Techniques!
Hehehe.
The upper hand was already decided from the moment the punk agreed to receive teachings!
And what? Requests?! Odd jobs?
He was a bastard who boldly said he wanted to treat his master as a servant. What a crazy bastard!
Kuk! How humiliating!
He barely managed to secure the right to refuse requests.
-Well, whether you can refuse or not remains to be seen over time.
Hmph! Once you start inheriting my legacy, do you think you¡¯ll have time to look elsewhere? When you will be so busy that you won¡¯t even have time to blink?
It was a misunderstanding born from not knowing Karlstein, who was used to handling engineering nerds.
¡°I¡¯m in an Avatar right now, you know?¡±
What? What is that? Avatar?
¡°I¡¯m in another dimension.¡±
What nonsense¡
[Impossible! Are you trying to make fun of me! No matter how pathetic I look, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t notice that much.]
¡°Tsk tsk. Seems like you¡¯re unable to me yourself for yourck of discernment.¡±
[E-Eek!]
Every word this bastard said was disagreeable.
However.
[What is this?]
¡°Want to take a look?¡±
[Puppet? You were a Puppet? No! It¡¯s different from that too. Did you say Avatar?]
This ce connected to the top floor was where imagination and reality were mixed.
With the punk¡¯s ¡°permission¡±, he was able to examine the body called an Avatar a little.
[What is this? This doesn¡¯t make sense, though?]
¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s do the rest outside.¡±
[What?]
As soon as the punk finished speaking, his consciousness examining the bastard¡¯s body was bounced out.
[This is urgent! There can be nothing I don¡¯t know! This is impossible! Show me quickly!]
¡°Nope, I don¡¯t want to.¡±
[Hurry!]
Although he had only tasted a fragment, he realized the punk¡¯s body was no ordinary matter.
[Don¡¯t tell me, was it true that you could get out on your own even if imprisoned here forever¡]
Then a thought suddenly urred.
[Wait! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not a Phantasmal Metal Body?!]
¡°If you want to know, let¡¯s go outside.¡±
The punk was merciless.
In the end, he had to reluctantly manipte the Prohibitions and invite him to the workshop on the top floor.
***[Hurry up and tell me! What¡¯s going on!]
Karlstein was looking around, ignoring the Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s words.
A workshop with an atmosphere simr to aboratory.
If there was a difference from the Gctic Empire¡¯sboratories, it was thatplex Sorcery Formations were emitting light here and there?
¡°Is this your main body, old man?¡±
A palm-sized wooden doll ced in the center.
[¡Tch.]
It was a crude wooden doll made of brown wood material.
¡°Anyway, where¡¯s the Puppet?¡±
[Hmph¡. As promised, I will hand over my masterpiece in full only when you can handle it sufficiently.]
¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s just take a look around.¡±
[Follow me.]
Hop-
So it wasn¡¯t just for disy? It could move too?
Woong-
As the Puppet Demonic Warlord, who imed to be his master, manipted the Sorcery Formations, the scenery changed instantly and they were outside the tower.
¡°Ooh¡¡±
[Hmph¡.]
¡°Oh right, what about the woman who came with me?¡±
[Wait.]
Woong-
A faint light appeared on the gold-ted tower, spitting out a blue ball of light.
¡°Kyaaak!¡±
Yep. Mhm. I¡¯ve roughly gathered what I needed to¡
¡°Anyway, so?¡±
Tak- Tak-
The wooden doll, awkwardly moving its short legs, approached the tower and raised its arm to touch it.
Rumble-
The entire surrounding ground shook and silver light began to burst from the gold-ted tower.
Crack-
A massive energy that made it hard to breathe surged up, dyeing the sky.
¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡¡±
[Yes, this tower is the main body of my masterpiece.]
Haha. You¡¯re surprised, aren¡¯t you?
However, the damn bastard of a disciple¡¯s reaction was different from expectations.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
The wooden doll stomped the ground.
[GAL1(ºÈ)!!!!!!!]
The Puppet Demonic Warlord was hurt by the punk¡¯s reaction.
***¡°Alright, alright. I said I¡¯m sorry, okay? I was just so surprised that I couldn¡¯t react.¡±
[¡.]
He had to soothe the sulking old Puppet.
It was the price for insulting his masterpiece that he had spent tens of thousands of years creating, dedicating his entire life and even his physical body.
¡°Hahaha. Geez, you¡¯re so narrow-minded.¡±
[What did you say?!]
Ah, of course he was a bit surprised.
Even when he was breaking Puppets inside the tower and attacking the upper floors, he thought this tower wasn¡¯t an ordinary ce.
The tower wasn¡¯t a simple building.
Lush jungles, endless seas, scorching deserts, freezing valleys - environments that couldn¡¯t exist inside a tower greeted him. He had to defeat armies of Puppets that were unaffected by ordinary heavy weapons there.
Of course, for Karlstein who had all sorts of items tailored to convenience, it was just an unremarkable environment, and SF heavy firearms would embarrass ordinary heavy firearms.
Mental resistance probably yed a part too.
[If it weren¡¯t for your Phantasmal Metal Body quality, you would have wandered inside the tower forever!]
The scream of an old man whose pride was hurt was terrifying.
He had to listen to the man boasting about the tower for over an hour.
He seems to havepletely forgotten his doubts about the Phantasmal Metal Body quality.
[That ce is both unreality and reality! Moreover¡]
[It¡¯s not fully refined yet! Growing¡]
[Able to embody anything, bing everything imaginable¡]
¡
[This wouldn¡¯t have been possible without my Puppet Techniques¡]
[Even the major powers of that time were desperate for¡]
[A masterpiece among masterpieces that¡¯s embarrassing to even call a Puppet¡]
¡
[Even the materials are from ¡®Hunshi¡¯¡]
[¡®Genesis¡¯ is undoubtedly my masterpiece and the greatest Puppet in the Immortal Realm!]
He really was a true engineering nerd.
He listened to some exnation that only the old man understood for an hour.
¡°R-Really? No way!¡±
¡°Hup!¡±
¡°Such a thing¡!¡±
¡°Aah!¡±
If he had to guess, it was possible that the exnation was extended due to Senior Sister Zhang¡¯s reactions.
Well, thanks to that, the sulking old Puppet seems to have cheered up, so should I let it slide?
[Anyway, I have something serious to talk about.]
It wasn¡¯t serious until now?
Haha.
Still, he couldn¡¯t ignore the old Puppet Demonic Warlord. No, rather than the old man, he couldn¡¯t look down on this world.
In fact, when he heard information about the being called ¡®Hunshi¡¯, only one thing came to mind.
Single Number.
No. 4 Proxitan.
The boundary between reality and unreality?
If what he heard was really true, it must have been that guy¡¯s ability.
They drove out Proxitan on their own?
If that¡¯s true, the potential of Xianxia can¡¯t be ignored.
At any rate, the old man didn¡¯t seem to know the details either.
The old man is amazing too. He says he made something quite simr to the real thing based on records and information.
He collected and stole traces left by the one called ¡®Hunshi¡¯ to create it, or so he says?
If those words are really true, I¡¯m curious about what it will look like when the refining isplete. Instead of that shiny turd-like tower appearance.
But you know¡
Shouldn¡¯t it be the old man¡¯s turn to be surprised this time?
¡°Old man.¡±
[What is it?]
The Puppet Demonic Warlord tensed up at Karlstein¡¯s suddenly serious voice.
¡°Have you heard of SF?¡±
[S-What?]
¡°Haha.¡±
Engineering nerds always sold their souls to the greatness of civilization.
And so, you probably won¡¯t be able to escape.
Ever.
¡°Don¡¯t beg too pitifully, okay?¡±
[What nonsense are you spouting?!]
The old man did not yet know what exactly his future would hold.1. A way to say HOW DARE YOU!!!
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continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 109: Explosive Growth
[What is this? Didn¡¯t you say you had never learned Puppet Techniques?]
¡°¡¡±
Crunch-
Whirr- Click- Whirr- Click-
In front of Karlstein, a small robot was pushing away mountains, digging deep underground, andying foundations.
[Did you learn Puppet Techniques after all?]
¡°Hmm¡¡±
This was a new worker robot he had brought in.
It was a product with significantly downgraded materials and software while maintaining performance.
It was a unit specialized for Dimensional Transfer.From the robot body the size of a small child, all sorts of mechanical arms extended out, building structures at the level of shelters.
[What kind of joint structure is that, to have no angr limitations¡]
[What¡¯s that? The metal is melting like y and being molded as desired¡]
[How is it building to exact specifications without even a millimeter of error¡]
[I clearly don¡¯t sense any Spiritual Power, though?!]
[Ah, why is it building walls with such aplex structure¡]
[I see. It looks simple, but it¡¯s a structure that disperses impacts from all directions¡]
[What did you do to the joints? It¡¯s as natural as if it was one piece from the beginning¡]
The wooden doll followed the worker robot around, constantly muttering.
¡°To me, a living wooden doll seems more fascinating.¡±
The Puppet Demonic Warlord seemed to have lost his soul, unable toe to his senses.
Usually, the more you know, the more you see.
Architecture was the flower of engineering. As such, the Puppet Demonic Warlord couldn¡¯t hide his excitement as he examined the technology that went into building the underground shelter.
[Ah! This structure can certainly be applied to Puppet creation!]
[I see. So that¡¯s what the meaning of this arrangement was! Ah, this too¡.]
Moreover, that robot was just a part of it. Currently, Aria was producing custom products in the Gctic Empire that were specialized for Dimensional Transfer to this dimension.
Weapons would need to be brought in gradually too.
¡°Old man! This Prohibition is sturdy, right?¡±
[Huh? Ah, the Prohibition? There¡¯s no perfect Prohibition in the world, but this one can¡¯t be broken by mere Lower Realm standards.]
¡°I see.¡±
Karlstein smiled with satisfaction.
¡°It would be good to open a separate passage from here to the hut as a base. The Spiritual Power here is certainly very good for cultivation.¡±
[Even in the Lower Realm, Spiritual Qi umted over tens of thousands of years can¡¯t be little. If you look, there might be ces where Spiritual Qi has pooled to form springs.]
That was how the spring where Karlstein cultivated came to be.
¡°Junior Brother¡ This spiritual mountain is the me Metal Sect¡¯s property. If we get caught¡¡±
Senior Sister Zhang had been anxious throughout, watching him develop this ce.
¡°Who knows if we might get kicked out of that hut? That¡¯s why I¡¯m digging a rabbit hole in advance. I¡¯ll let you use it specially too, Senior Sister.¡±
¡°Uh, huh?¡±
Senior Sister Zhang¡¯s eyes trembled.
¡°I hear you haven¡¯t even received a proper cultivation chamber?¡±
¡°W-Well, that¡¯s true, but¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to get busy from now on. I n to move actively.¡±
It will be different from before.
Having confirmed the potential of this ce, development was essential.
If need be, he was even considering dimensional incursion.
[By the way, would it be alright if I disassemble this Puppet once?]
The small wooden doll looked up at him restlessly.
¡°Well¡¡±
Hmm.
Karlstein still couldn¡¯t gauge how helpful the Puppet Demonic Warlord would be.
I should also think about fusing Xianxia¡¯s Puppet Techniques with AI robots.
There should be ways to use him somewhere.
***The Puppet Demonic Warlord felt like his eyes were going to roll back in shock.
[How can this be¡.]
How could¡?
Impossible.
Is this possible?
[Huhhh¡.]
Moreover, no Spiritual Power could be felt.
But what was this autonomous and perfect movement?
[Are you¡ truly saying you didn¡¯t use Spiritual Power?]
¡°Of course.¡±
It was unbelievable. That it moved like that without Spiritual Power.
For him, it was technology beyond imagination.
No, It was more than that.
Comprehensive technology was concentrated. All into just one Puppet that simply built buildings.
[¡.]
He now understood why the new disciple showed no interest in Puppet Techniques.
Well, for someone who casually uses such Puppets¡
Of course, in terms ofbat, it probably couldn¡¯tpare to his Puppets, but¡
Perhaps even this thought might be premature.
He had only seen a Puppet that builds houses(?).
[Ah¡.]
Even a simple house-building Puppet looked like a treasure ind to his eyes.
What¡¯s the principle behind that technology?
What kind of technology is that?
What results woulde from applying that to Puppets?
That¡¯s technology I want to steal right away.
How on earth¡
It endlessly tempted his eyes and mind.
[Ah¡.]
The beginner¡¯s mind he had long forgotten while being absorbed in Puppet creation for ages.
His childhood when he showed interest while moving small wooden dolls.
It revived and tormented his body and mind.
Watching the Puppet move colorfully without rest, he felt a sense of defeat.
One question circled in his mind.
Could the Puppets I created perform such movements?
[Ah¡.]
No way. Or perhaps¡
Has Puppet Technique developed over time?
Has the worldpletely changed over tens of thousands of years?
[Am I¡ obsolete¡?]
Moreover, what¡¯s that?
Besides the one swinging dozens of mechanical arms to build buildings, there was an adult woman-sized Puppet moving around, tidying up the surroundings.
The Puppet in strange attire looked like a maid in charge of the disciple.
If he hadn¡¯t secretly watched the cooking process earlier, he would have thought it was human.
Originally, no matter how naturally created, Puppets couldn¡¯t perfectly express the movements of the human body.
Joints, center of gravity, sensory organs, etc.
Because the mysteries of the human body couldn¡¯t all be uncovered by human technology.
However.
The scene he was watching was shattering all of his values.
Things he thought impossible were realized before his eyes, stimting his desire for exploration.
I can¡¯t believe it¡.
The disciple who could answer his curiosity had gone into cultivation.
He said to do whatever he needed to do, as he wouldn¡¯t be able to wake up even if disturbed.
Ah¡.
The Puppet Demonic Warlord, dwelling in the wooden doll, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off until the shelter waspletely built and a huge mansion was constructed.
Ah¡.
***Karlstein wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with just building one shelter.
¡°Aria, analyze this too.¡±
[Understood.]
He assigned the analysis of the Puppet Techniques and cultivation methods he had received from the Puppet Demonic Warlord.
¡°Also, send me the data on the current Avatar. They say its physical constitution is a Phantasmal Metal Body, but I don¡¯t understand it at all.¡±
[I will send it right away.]
¡°Phew¡.¡±
He had told Aria about the punk called ¡®Hunshi¡¯ who was presumed to be the Single Number Proxitan. Of course, Aria showed interest too.
¡°You still haven¡¯t been able to locate him, right?¡±
[Yes. With Gctic Empire¡¯s current technology, we cannot fully pinpoint the location of a Single Number.]
¡°Hmm. It doesn¡¯t seem unrted though.¡±
[It seems Master¡¯s work will increase.]
¡°Ugh.¡±
As it could be rted to a Single Number, it meant Karlstein¡¯s work had increased.
¡°Is it still difficult for the others to use Avatars?¡±
[There is progress in the research, but it seems difficult for now.]
¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±
[Mental connections beyond the Astral Dimension are impossible without considerable resistance, after all.]
Currently, the situation was that the 2nd Expansion beyond the Barrier had beenpleted.
Because the Kaiju bastards were unexpectedlypliant in giving up territory, his subordinates were about to have nothing to do.
¡°Anyway, take care of that matter too.¡±
[Understood.]
¡°I wonder if by the time this matter is roughly wrapped up, it will be possible to deploy others¡¡±
[It is difficult to give a definite answer. It might be possible for World, but not for that ce.]
¡°Is Xianxia just a special case? Hmm. I see. I¡¯ll finish dealing with things over there first ande back.¡±
Until now, he had tried to stay quiet and grasp the political situation of that world, but it seemed he needed to hurry a bit.
Even if there was a big advantage in the time ratio, there was no need to wait leisurely forever.
***When Karlstein focused intently on cultivation, his growth speed was terrifying.
[It¡¯s an impossible speed.]
He umted Spiritual Power at a speed that made even the Puppet Demonic Warlord marvel.
[Is it because of this? What kind of medicine is this?]
Numerous supplements and enhancers sent from the Gctic Empire.
Additionally, he brought in pharmaceutical facilities and began producing Spiritual Pills.
¡°Old man, it¡¯s good to know a lot, isn¡¯t it?¡±
[¡.]
Alchemy, the secret technique for producing Spiritual Pills.
Although the Puppet Demonic Warlord had no outstanding skills other than Puppet creation techniques and Puppet Techniques, he knew the basics.
Even if it was just basics, this was the Puppet Demonic Warlord who had rampaged in the Upper Realm. His basics were at a level not easily imaginable in the Lower Realm.
¡°Old man, why isn¡¯t this working properly?¡±
[This is too early¡. It¡¯s absolutely not possible with your realm.]
¡°It seems almost done though?¡±
[That¡¯s¡ but.]
Qi Refining Techniques for creating Dharma Tools.
This was the easiest field for Karlstein, who had brought in custom-made facilities.
And the creation and refining of Dharma Tools went through certain manufacturing processes.
¡°Hmm. As expected, materials are severelycking.¡±
He could draw basic materials from the Gctic Empire, but that was it.
Many of the special materials needed for refining Dharma Tools couldn¡¯t be found in the Gctic Empire, and many of the Gctic Empire¡¯s excellent materials couldn¡¯t be transferred due to restrictions.
Still.
Whirr- Click- Whirr- Click-
[¡.]
The Puppet Demonic Warlord was at a loss for words as he watched the mass production of Dharma Tools with a production system in ce.
[Just what am I seeing¡.]
¡°Hm? What did you say?¡±
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continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 110: Plum Shadow Pavilion (1)
The Puppet Demonic Warlord couldn¡¯t scold Karlstein for dabbling not only in Puppet Techniques but also in Alchemy, Forging Techniques, and other cultivation methods.
It was because he really did have time to spare.
¡°I¡¯ve already finished this one, though? Teach me something else.¡±
[What? Already¡.]
Karlstein¡¯s cultivation speed was terrifying. It was the result of Automatic Cultivation and the talent of a Heavenly Spiritual Root.
[Wasn¡¯t he sleeping?]
¡°Junior Brother now cultivates even during narcolepsy¡¡±
Under the full support of the Gctic Empire and the guidance of the Puppet Demonic Warlord, he thrived like a fish in water.
[It¡¯s impossible with the Qi Refining Stage. You need to reach the next realm, the Foundation Building Stage, for it to be possible.]
¡°Then there¡¯s no helping it.¡±At that, the Puppet Demonic Warlord had nothing to say.
Could it be said that he was too perfect a disciple?
After all, even his realm was¡
¡°Junior Brother¡. No, I can¡¯t even call you Junior Brother anymore.¡±
¡°Yihong. Call me Senior Brother.¡±
¡°¡¡±
He who was at 8 Stars of the Qi Refining Stage not long ago had risen to 13 Stars of the Qi Refining Stage. Even though Zhang Yihong, not wanting to fall behind her Junior Brother, had cultivated hard and risen to 9 Stars.
¡°Hong. Fetch me some water.¡±
¡°¡¡±
She strongly felt the futility of life.
At any rate.
¡°Is it time to step outside now?¡±
¡°Everyone will be shocked and fall over.¡±
[I¡¯m certainly curious. I wonder how the world has changed after so many years.]
There was a limit to staying cooped up in a room cultivating forever.
¡°What did you say was needed to reach the Foundation Building Stage?¡±
***Karlstein, who hadpleted the construction of the shelter within the Prohibitions of Metal Spiritual Mountain, also opened a side passage with the help of the Puppet Demonic Warlord.
He didn¡¯t go out through the main entrance(?) leading to the hut.
¡°It¡¯s troublesome, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°No but¡ Master must be waiting¡¡±
He didn¡¯t know many people, but if he encountered Ma Yucheol, there would be a lot to exin, starting with what had happened.
¡°He¡¯ll probably forget after some time passes. He didn¡¯t seem to care much anyway.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Zhang Yihong absolutely didn¡¯t think so, but she kept her mouth shut.
Well, in the current situation, if they encountered someone, it was obvious that troublesome things would happen for Junior Brother Gahwi.
¡°When I reach the Foundation Building Stage, won¡¯t Ma Yucheol be a fellow Senior Brother? Then troublesome things should decrease too.¡±
¡°No, what¡¡±
How could he think of abandoning the original systemid down by their ancestors so nonchntly?
No, it¡¯s not wrong, but¡
The cultivation world was a world where ability and realm were everything.
Even if you started as the youngest disciple, if you surpassed others in realm, positions would be reversed in the Xianxia world.
Only ability! Only realm!
That was rather to Karlstein¡¯s liking.
¡°Rather than that, can you be an Elder with just the Foundation Building Stage?¡±
¡°
The next realm after the Qi Refining Stage was the Foundation Building Stage.
It went beyond just refining Spiritual Power. Perhaps it could be called the realm of properly condensing it within the body?
Although the culture differed slightly between cultivation sects, generally, cultivators at the Foundation Building Stage managed the main sect.
Starting from the Core Formation Stage, the next realm, they focused on personal cultivation and didn¡¯t take on misceneous management positions.
¡°From Masters of the Core Formation Stage and above, they are practically the keybat strength of sects.¡±
¡°Is that so? Hmm. That sounds convenient.¡±
¡°Convenient¡?¡±
Zhang Yihong was confused due to Junior Brother, no, Senior Brother Gahwi, whose values were very different from ordinary cultivators.
¡°Anyway, you said we need something called the Foundation Building Pill to reach the Foundation Building Stage, right?¡±
¡°Yes¡¡±
This was unavoidable even for a Heavenly Spiritual Root.
umting cultivation within the Qi Refining Stage to rise from 1 Star to 13 Stars could not bepared to crossing over to the Foundation Building Stage.
The process of crossing from the Qi Refining Stage to the Foundation Building Stage required not only Spiritual Power, ability, and enlightenment, but also special Spiritual Pills and luck.
¡°Probably less than 10% of cultivators at 13 Stars of the Qi Refining Stage cross over to the Foundation Building Stage.¡±
Even saying 10% was generous; in reality, it must be much worse.
¡°Even monsters of talent can¡¯t avoid this? How troublesome.¡±
¡°Monsters of talent¡?¡±
[Just what does he think cultivation is? Forget it! Don¡¯t pay attention to this punk¡¯s words!]
This time, it was the Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s turn tofort Zhang Yihong.
[More importantly, let¡¯s hurry and go! Seeing this punk, the world must have changed a lot too. I can¡¯t wait!]
¡°It¡¯s better not to expect too much¡. Gahwi is particrly unusual¡¡±
¡°Hahaha.¡±
Karlstein told Zhang Yihong to just speak casually. It felt awkward to hear formal speech like ¡°Senior Brother¡± at this point.
¡°Ah, is that the shopping street?¡±
Tall pavilions were lined up, and numerous cultivators were striding through the streets. Flying was prohibited here, so even cultivators had to walk on two legs.
¡°Yes. All those stalls are free markets, and the pavilions are run by shop owners who paid tribute to the me Metal Sect and obtained operating rights.¡±
¡°Hmm¡. A market in a sect, huh.¡±
The me Metal Sect alone had over 300,000 members.
¡°I guess it¡¯s natural for a market to form?¡±
Although called a market street, it was an area the size of a decent city.
¡°Our me Metal Sect¡¯s Dharma Tools are quite famous outside, so outsiders frequentlye and go.¡±
¡°Is that so.¡±
[I can¡¯t wait to look around!]
Thanks to Zhang Yihong, who had stayed in the me Metal Sect for a long time, they could wander the streets without getting lost.
[Ah, hurry inside! Inside!]
The old Puppet was urging them with an excited voice like a child.
However, it didn¡¯t take long for that voice to change to disappointment.
[What on earth is going on?]
¡°¡¡±
[Why are there only such crude things¡.]
¡°Old man, what did you expect?¡±
[Impossible! What about the technology that went into your Puppets?!]
¡°That¡¯s why I said not to expect too much.¡±
[How can this be?]
The old Puppet had only seen the items Karlstein had brought from the Gctic Empire, so he seemed to have thought the world had changed a lot during his seclusion within the Prohibitions.
It was a great misunderstanding.
[Technology and civilization are like the wheels of a carriage! There can¡¯t be something tilted to just one side!]
¡°Haha.¡±
[Ordinary people can¡¯t have better technology than cultivators. I mean, putting aside everything else¡.]
The Puppet Demonic Warlord, who had been muttering in frustration, suddenly stopped.
[Just what is your identity? Things don¡¯t add up at all. The technology used in your Puppets is absolutely not something that can be created in such a crude civilization.]
¡°How many times do I have to say it? I¡¯m the Strongest Supreme King God Emperor of the Universe.¡±
Karlstein¡¯s yful tone.
[I knew you were crazy¡ but you¡¯re an even crazier bastard than I thought.]
¡°Hahaha.¡±
Because of this behavior, the Puppet Demonic Warlord was still half in doubt, unable to fully believe his words.
[At any rate, let¡¯s go back. If it¡¯s just this level, there¡¯s nothing more to see!]
¡°What? Already? We haven¡¯t even looked around properly?¡±
[I hate to say this, but after seeing your Puppets, looking at these crude Dharma Tools feels like my eyes are rotting. It would be more beneficial to dissect your Puppets.]
¡°Who said you could? Haha.¡±
[Kuh!]
He ignored the old man¡¯s minorints.
¡°Let¡¯s go there first.¡±
¡°Huh? Th-There?¡±
The ce he pointed to was the tallest pavilion, obvious at a nce.
Zhang Yihong stuttered in surprise.
¡°Hm? Is there a problem?¡±
¡°That ce¡ I know it only deals in high-end products. They won¡¯t ept just anyone.¡±
¡°Then there¡¯s no problem, right?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not just anyone, am I? Haha.¡±
[¡.]
¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡±
As Zhang Yihong had said, it was indeed a pavilion that gave a splendid and high-ss feeling, unlike other ces. The eyes of the cultivatorsing and going from the pavilion were also fierce.
Of course, Karlstein headed towards the entrance more confidently than anyone else.
***¡°How boring.¡±
Plum Shadow Pavilion, the best-selling pavilion in this marketce.
He, who was guarding the entrance of Plum Shadow Pavilion, nodded while scanning passing cultivators with his eyes.
His role was to stop poor lower-realm cultivators who mighte just to look around.
There were especially many such cases when the Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s me Metal Sect branch first opened.
¡°Now even those punks don¡¯t show up much.¡±
Those who knew, knew. That ordinary funds were far from enough.
Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s prices were much higher than other ces.
Because of that, one might think customers would stoping, but that was absolutely not the case. That was because they only dealt in high-quality Dharma Tools.
¡°Hm?¡±
A man and woman in strange attire caught his eye. He quickly scanned them from head to toe.
What¡¯s this?
They don¡¯t look like they have enough toe to a ce like this?
He had been guarding this entrance for over a decade. He had honed his eye to the point where he could gauge people just by looking at their attire.
In his eyes, they were¡
Judging by their attire¡ they don¡¯t seem like much.
Especially the woman, who looked anxious, with a strangely excited expression noticeable.
It was obvious. They must have heard rumors about Plum Shadow Pavilion ande to take a look.
Normally, he would block them, making excuses about rmendation letters and chasing them away. Even better if they resorted to force.
After all, his realm was at the Foundation Building Stage.
However, the eyes of the man beside her were not ordinary. Although he wasn¡¯t showing it openly, how to put it¡ His eyes seemed to look down on the world.
That level of aura can¡¯t be shown by someone at the Qi Refining Stage, though? But his Spiritual Power is¡ at the level of 13 Stars.
That confidence and dignity, as if able to sweep away anything blocking his path.
He was ever so perplexed, wondering how this could be possible.
Moreover, that innate dignity.
It was not something anyone can imitate. He had the unique dignity that only those in high positions could possess.
What should I do¡
The reason Plum Shadow Pavilion paid an enormous amount of Spiritual Stones to station him, a cultivator, at the entrance was to filter out riffraff on his own.
He had to manage the quality from the entrance so that the ss of customers wouldn¡¯t be damaged.
However, before he could finish his judgment, the young man approached and spoke first.
¡°Hm? What? Do you have something to say?¡±
Ah. I see.
This one passes.
That boldness of casually speaking down to him, who openly revealed his Foundation Building Stage realm.
He was either someone with a death wish, a madman, or no ordinary big shot.
Because even though he was just doing the job of a doorkeeper for thepensation¡
¡°Esteemed Yu. Thank you for your hard work today as well.¡±
Behind the ambiguous couple, a young cultivator approached, bowing politely.
He was a familiar face. He visited frequently too.
¡°Ahem. It seems the item you requested has been prepared.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
See?
Even this young man, a direct descendant of the me Metal Sect¡¯s Grand Elder, treated him politely, didn¡¯t he?
So¡ the arrogant fellow in front of him must surely have an unimaginable backing¡
¡°Huhh? Wench! You are?¡±
¡°Eh? What¡¯s this? Senior Sister, do you know each other?¡±
¡°That¡ the one who robbed your house before¡¡±
¡°GAL!! You wench! What did you just say?! And you, are you the one who just joined as the youngest?¡±
Chaos unfolded.
What on earth is going on?
Chapter 111: Plum Shadow Pavilion (2)
Chapter 111: Plum Shadow Pavilion (2)¡°Go inside for now.¡±
Sensing the potential for amotion, the cultivator guarding the entrance allowed them entry.
¡°After all, even if you want to cause a ruckus inside, you won¡¯t be able to.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Fang Lunyi, who looked like he was about to grab someone¡¯s cor, fell silent.
¡°Huh?¡±
Karlstein found this rather puzzling. Zhang Yihong added an exnation.
¡°If you start a fight inside the Plum Shadow Pavilion, it won¡¯t end with just a warning.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°The Plum Shadow Pavilion is a major power with branches in not only the me Metal Sect but also various other cultivation sects. I heard that the Foundation Building Stage Senior at the entrance is there purely as a warning.¡±¡°Hmm.¡±
Well. It probably doesn¡¯t matter.
The point is, once we go inside, that Fang guy won¡¯t be able to bother us anymore.
¡°Then let¡¯s go in. I can deal with that guy anytime anyway.¡±
¡°¡¡±
[I hope there are at least some useful things here.]
As Karlstein ignored Fang Lunyi and strode into the pavilion with her, Fang Lunyi¡¯s face turned both red and pale.
The Foundation Building Stage cultivator waved his hand with an annoyed expression.
¡°Even if it¡¯s you, you know what happens if you cause trouble inside, right? From there on, it¡¯s not my jurisdiction.¡±
¡°Yes, I am well aware of that much.¡±
Fang Lunyi, who had calmed his excitement, gritted his teeth.
He still remembered the vicious trick that bastard had hiddenst time.
Crunch-
Moreover, for some reason, he could sense Spiritual Power at the level of 13 Stars from that punk, just like himself.
I clearly heard he had just joined not long ago¡
Even for a Heavenly Spiritual Root, there was a limit. Yet, he seemed to cross such a line.
¡°That bastard¡¡±
Impossible. It can¡¯t be. His talent surpasses mine, who received full support from my n? More than me, who is also a Heavenly Spiritual Root?
¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡±
There must have been some trick.
Fang Lunyi hurriedly followed after the punk.
***¡°Yuyu. It¡¯s your turn. There will be a male and female customer upstairs.¡±
¡°Really? Finally!¡±
The girl Yuyu answered with an excited voice.
¡°Yes. Just do as you were trained.¡±
¡°Yes! I understand.¡±
Yuyu checked her attire, clenched her fists, and firmly pressed her lips together.
I must not make mistakes!
I just need to do as I was taught!
Yuyu calmed her pounding heart and walked briskly.
The Plum Shadow Pavilion had a system where each customer that entered was assigned a guide.
As a given for the high prices, it came with excellent quality, stability, and personal service.
Yuyu had been taken in here and educated, but this was her first real experience.
The fact that such an opportunity came to her meant that the customers weren¡¯t as big shots as expected.
However, that didn¡¯t mean mistakes were allowed!
I¡¯ll do my best for my younger sibling and family!
Performance would lead topensation for her, which could also help her family far away!
The more generous the customers were, the more would fall to her, but Yuyu didn¡¯t even hope for that much.
Just don¡¯t make mistakes!
Weren¡¯t the customers cultivators?
If she made a mistake, they might scold her harshly.
Of course, customers who caused problems would be hunted down by Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s cultivators spread across the entire continent or dealt with personally by the Branch Manager!
So just don¡¯t make mistakes! You can do it, Yuyu!
After casting this spell on herself, she greeted the customers with a bright smile.
¡°Hello! I¡¯m Yuyu, and I¡¯ll be serving you today!¡±
¡°Hmm?¡±
¡°Uh¡ Hi, kiddo.¡±
¡°Qi Refining Stage Cultivators can use up to the 8th floor! Shall we go?¡±
¡°Sure. Can you exin what¡¯s different on each floor?¡±
¡°Yes! As we go up, the grade and price of Dharma Tools sold increase. However, you need to pay a separate entrance fee for the 7th floor, and only those recognized by the Branch Manager can enter the 8th floor.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
The young man and woman answered her wordspliantly.
Fortunately, the customers she was in charge of didn¡¯t seem to be very intimidating cultivators.
Thank goodness!
As she started guiding them while exining¡
Her eyes met with someoneing down to greet another customer.
A young man passing by with a sneering smile, mocking her.
At that, Yuyu¡¯s eyes trembled slightly.
Unlike Yuyu, who had been taken in almost like being sold, this young man had entered through connections from above.
Perhaps because he disliked how Yuyu was favored by the employees of the Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s me Metal Sect branch, he had been bullying her at every turn.
And of course, because of this, it resulted in all sorts of chores and errands under the guise of education. Recently, he had even stolen her customers, causing her deployment to be repeatedly dyed.
¡°Is there any particr item you¡¯re interested in?¡±
As she had been trained, she started guiding without showing such emotions.
¡°Let¡¯s look around up to the 6th floor for now. I have apanion who¡¯s particrly interested in Dharma Tools.¡±
Is that Unni very interested in Dharma Tools?
There was no issue in doing that.
¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll guide you!¡±
Yuyu began her guidance.
However, the customers seemed to be skimming through faster than expected.
Are they not satisfied with this level?
The center of the group seemed to be the man in the lead, but his expression was hard to read.
¡°Then we¡¯ll move to the next floor!¡±
Even as they passed through the 2nd, 3rd, 4th floors and reached the 6th floor, the customers showed no interest in any items.
I guess they just came to look around.
As they reached the front of the 7th floor after skimming through the 6th floor¡
I won¡¯t be able to meet my performance goals, but at least I didn¡¯t make any mistakes.
¡°This is the end of the 6th floor. From the 7th floor, an entrance fee of 1,000 Spiritual Stones is required.¡±
¡°1,000?¡±
Just the entrance fee was 1,000 Spiritual Stones.
Considering that lower Qi Refining Stage cultivators receive a few dozen Spiritual Stones as monthly sry from their sects for performing their duties, this was quite arge amount.
In ces other than this Plum Shadow Pavilion, 1,000 Spiritual Stones would be more than enough to obtain Dharma Tools that one desired.
¡°This is Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s policy, so there¡¯s nothing we can-¡°
¡°Pfft! Hahaha.¡±
At that moment,ughter was heard from behind the group of customers.
¡°Seeing you surprised at just a thousand, I can tell exactly what your mere status is.¡±
Yuyu could tell who the owner of thatughter was.
A direct descendant of a high-ranking figure in the me Metal Sect.
For important customers, even those in charge of guiding would memorize them in advance.
And behind him¡
The young man who had been bullying her at every turn was guiding the direct descendant. With a subtle sneer on his face, just like the direct descendant.
How could they¡!
Yuyu was angry. Showing such a sneer towards customers was clearly wrong. It was behavior that even those with basic training wouldn¡¯t do.
¡°How did you evene here in the first ce? We use Plum Shadow Pavilion to avoid encountering lowly beings like you.¡±
¡°Pfft. Oh my, Young Master. It is our oversight.¡±
The young man ttered him in response.
Wh-What should I do?
Yuyu was flustered by the unexpected situation.
However, there was no need for her to do anything. Her customers didn¡¯t seem to care at all from the start.
¡°Your name was Yuyu, right? I¡¯d like to sell an item first.¡±
¡°Huh? That¡¯s possible. Could you tell me what item it is?¡±
¡°Yeah. What was it called? Heavenly Thunder Jade? Apparently, its power is simr to that.¡±
¡°What? Heavenly Thunder Jade?¡±
To be in charge of customers at Plum Shadow Pavilion, one had to know Dharma Tools in detail.
¡°Th-That is a one-time use Dharma Tool from ancient times¡. It is not an item I can handle. I¡¯ll bring the Branch Manager!¡±
¡°Huh? You will? I¡¯ll wait here then.¡±
But before Yuyu could leave¡
¡°Wait a moment. Customer.¡±
¡°?¡±
The young guide who had been bullying her stepped forward.
¡°Fraud or deception can be a huge problem at Plum Shadow Pavilion.¡±
¡°¡Fraud?¡±
¡°What are you doing? These people are customers!¡±
¡°You stay out of this, brat. The customer I¡¯m guiding said they don¡¯t seem to be suitable customers for Plum Shadow Pavilion.¡±
The young man boldly showed a disrespectful gaze towards her customers.
¡°It would be fortunate if it only ends as a problem¡ But you might even have issues with your cultivation life.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Although he seemed to be giving advice, the meaning was by no means good.
His tone was as if he was questioning whether they had any right toe here.
¡°I don¡¯t particrly intend tomit fraud though.¡±
Fortunately, her customer didn¡¯t show any particr emotion despite his rudeness.
¡°Where are you from? It seems you¡¯vee to the wrong ce, but if you confess now, we won¡¯t make an issue of it.¡±
¡°Haha.¡±
His tone was as if he had already decided they were fraudsters.
This was not how one should behave, neither by Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s policy nor towards cultivators.
Of course, he shouldn¡¯t act like that.
Even if the young man had entered through connections, he had no authority to say whether something would be a big issue or not.
However, the direct descendant, who was the young man¡¯s customer, was watching with interest, smiling coldly.
Wh-What should I do?
Aside from her feelings towards the young man, this situation was difficult for her with herck of experience.
She needed to stop the young man¡¯s rudeness immediately, but the young man¡¯s customer, who was said to be a high-ranking person, showed interest instead.
However¡
I need to serve these people!
¡°St-Stop it! This rudeness is not right!¡±
¡°What? You bitch. What did you just say?¡±
The young man red at her, freely using vulgarnguage even in front of customers.
Yuyu shrank back, perhaps due to the usual bullying.
But fortunately¡
¡°Stop.¡±
As someone came down from the 7th floor, a voice like rolling jade beads echoed through the hall.
¡°Br-Branch Manager!¡±
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 112: Plum Shadow Pavilion (3)
¡°I apologize for the rudeness.¡±
A beautiful voice enveloped the hall.
¡°I am Soho, in charge of Hall 1 up to the 8th floor.¡±
A beautiful woman with white skin, wearing silk clothes and a thin fur around her neck, approached with a slight smile.
Her voice melted the tense atmosphere like a spring breeze.
However, that was only for a moment.
An icy gaze was directed at someone. It was the young man who had arrogantly questioned Karlstein.
¡°No matter how renowned your family is across the continent, that does not apply to you. Unless you intend to look down on the Plum Shadow Pavilion, you should stop there.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Know that this incident will not be taken lightly. Apologize to the customer right now.¡±¡°I cannot ept this! This person¡¯s identity is unclear-¡°
¡°Shut up! Before I kill you right now!¡±
The spring breeze-like atmosphere was gone, and tangible killing intent poured towards the young man.
Tremble-
The young man¡¯s eyes became faintly unfocused, and his pants were stained a dark color.
¡°Kuh, kuk. The¡ Jin n¡ will not let this¡!¡±
¡°If you came to spy on the Plum Shadow Pavilion, stick to your purpose. Do not cause unnecessary disturbances.¡±
¡°!!¡±
¡°If our Plum Shadow Pavilion could be swayed by a single cultivation n, do you think we could have grown this big?¡±
The woman named Soho¡¯s eyes turned red. The young man¡¯s eyes filled with fear.
¡°You are truly beyond help. If you do not apologize right now, I will expel you from the Plum Shadow Pavilion from this moment on.¡±
At that moment, someone spoke up.
¡°There¡¯s no need to protect that guy.¡±
¡°Junior Brother, what do you mean?¡±
To say there¡¯s no need to protect the young man to the woman who looked like she was about to kill him right away?
Zhang Yihong questioned in puzzlement, but Karlstein just smiled strangely.
¡°¡¡±
Although Karlstein didn¡¯t care about the young man¡¯s rudeness, it didn¡¯t mean he would forgive himpletely.
He merely put it as a lower priority, intending to exact retribution for the arrogant behavior someday.
The young man¡¯s fate was already as good as decided. And the woman had sensed that momentary, faint killing intent and intervened.
Did Soho guess Karlstein¡¯s inner thoughts?
She gestured and sent the young man flying up the stairs to the 7th floor.
¡°¡The Jin n is not to be taken lightly. Will you be alright? I was not just trying to protect that punk.¡±
As she said, she didn¡¯t hide the worried look in her eyes for Karlstein.
However, Karlstein¡¯s answer was as if it were natural.
¡°Of course.¡±
Soho checked his eyes again, asking for Karlstein¡¯s intention once more. The previous words were nothing short of a provocation against the Jin n.
¡°I cannot silence him. There are eyes watching too.¡±
Soho nced at Fang Lunyi. If Fang Lunyi, who was present here, went around saying that he had insulted the Jin n, the Jin n wouldn¡¯t stay quiet.
The answer to that was the same.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
Soho¡¯s eyebrows twitched at Karlstein¡¯s answer, which showed not even a hint of anxiety.
Just who on earth was this person? Did he have backing that surpassed the Jin n? If so, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t know about it.
The man before her had excellent talent, but he was still only at 13 Stars of the Qi Refining Stage.
The Jin n was a cultivation n that no cultivator could be unaware of. It wasn¡¯t a family that could be dealt with by talent alone.
Soho became curious. However, now was not the time to satisfy that curiosity.
¡°I understand. If that is what the customer wishes.¡±
Soho called for a new guide for Fang Lunyi and warned in a low voice.
¡°I will not tolerate any more disturbances.¡±
¡°¡¡±
She seemed to know that it was Fang Lunyi who had instigated the young man from the Jin n. Fang Lunyi¡¯s expression hardened, but he didn¡¯t refute.
He was the type to know when to back down.
Soho smiled towards Karlstein.
¡°However, I cannot not check. Could you show me the Dharma Tool you said has power simr to the Heavenly Thunder Jade from ancient times?¡±
Karlstein nodded and took out a dark metal object from his bosom, lightly tossing it to her.
Even she was startled by his action.
If it really had power equivalent to the Heavenly Thunder Jade as he said, she wouldn¡¯t be unscathed in a defenseless state.
However, she could quickly calm down as she felt no particr Spiritual Power and no explosion urred.
¡°You seem to have a talent for surprising people.¡±
¡°Haha.¡±
She tilted her head, looking at the metal object handed over by the confident Karlstein.
At that moment.
Fang Lunyi, who had been hanging back, raised his voice.
¡°You bastard! That¡¯s¡!¡±
Soho turned back in puzzlement, and Fang Lunyi strode forward, pointing at the metal object and growling.
¡°To dare bring that out in front of me, you¡¯ve got some guts.¡±
¡°Do you know this object? I cannot feel any Spiritual Power from it.¡±
¡°Hoo¡.¡±
Fang Lunyi, who had been excited, calmed down at her question.
Soon, Fang Lunyi showed a cold smile.
¡°Hmph! This is a low-grade Dharma Tool that this bastard prepared to trick me before.¡±
Karlstein was dumbfounded.
What is this guy saying? This crazy fucker.
¡°You really are out of your mind. Branch Manager! This punk is a fraud! To im a Dharma Tool that can be blocked by just one defensive technique is the Heavenly Thunder Jade!¡±
¡°Low-grade¡?¡±
The Heavenly Thunder Jade was a high-grade Dharma Tool from ancient timesparable to the highest grade, despite being single-use.
In other words, although it was only one-time use, its power was tremendous.
The Heavenly Thunder Jade was far too powerful to be blocked by a mere Qi Refining Stage defensive technique.
So from Fang Lunyi¡¯s perspective, who had seen it with his own eyes, it was absurd.
Trying tomit fraud openly in Plum Shadow Pavilion?
Very, very good. You have been caught red-handed.
¡°Haha! Do you think Plum Shadow Pavilion is some neighborhood store? It¡¯s praiseworthy that no Spiritual Power can be felt, but to im it has powerparable to the Heavenly Thunder Jade! Your boasting is truly amazing!¡±
¡°¡We should hear this person¡¯s side too. Is this true, customer?¡±
Soho turned her gaze towards Karlstein to confirm.
No matter how great the backing the other party had, it wasn¡¯t something that could be overlooked if they were trying tomit fraud in Plum Shadow Pavilion.
A faint pressure emanated from her towards Karlstein.
However, Karlstein¡¯s reaction was different from expectations.
¡°Pfft! Hahaha.¡±
¡°Why are youughing? Have you gone mad after being caught trying to deceive me and the Plum Shadow Pavilion?!¡±
There was Fang Lunyi, who seized the opportunity to use him of trying to insult the Plum Shadow Pavilion, and Karlstein, who couldn¡¯t stopughing.
¡°Ahaha.¡±
Fang Lunyi felt like he was going crazy at Karlstein¡¯s clearly contemptuous gaze.
¡°Branch Manager! You won¡¯t just let this slide, will you? We must punish this guy immediately.¡±
Karlstein smirked.
¡°Get lost. Unless you¡¯re going to check it yourself. Don¡¯t bother me unnecessarily.¡±
Imagineparing a high-density smapression bomb made to avoid Dimensional Transfer restrictions as much as possible with a stolen ordinary grenade.
From Karlstein¡¯s perspective, it wasughable.
¡°Fine! I¡¯ll check it myself! Branch Manager! In exchange, give me a chance when punishing this punk!¡±
The Branch Manager inwardly shook her head at Fang Lunyi¡¯s excitement.
¡°Haah¡. We cannot not check anyway. Is that alright, customer? In exchange, if the power of the Heavenly Thunder Jade is confirmed, we will definitelypensate you. Moreover, we will also grant you approval to enter the 8th floor.¡±
¡°Branch Manager! That¡¯s impossible. Let¡¯s check right now.¡±
¡°Do as you please. But I¡¯d like to receive one of the items from the 8th floor aspensation.¡±
Soho had a strange impression while watching Karlstein, who didn¡¯t lose hisposure even in this situation.
Is it really true?
At any rate, it didn¡¯t matter since both had given their consent.
If a problem arises, I can stop it myself.
As her realm was not low either, she sent Yuyu away and immediately led them to the underground floor.
Fang Lunyi was grinning, Zhang Yihong was anxious, and Karlstein was still smirking.
¡°Branch Manager! There was no need toe all the way down here. I saw it clearly with my own eyes! Right now-¡°
¡°Whoa, whoa. If you want to kill yourself, do it alone. I¡¯ll pass.¡±
¡°What are you saying, you crazy bastard!¡±
Fang Lunyi felt uneasy as Karlstein didn¡¯t lose his smile until the end.
And didn¡¯t the metal object seem a bit different from before?
However, he was able to regain his confidence.
I also have the defensive Dharma Tool I recently acquired, after all.
Fang Lunyi recalled the Dharma Tool in his bosom.
That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s finish this bastard off for sure this time.
No matter who your backing is, you won¡¯t be able to escape unscathed after causing trouble in the Plum Shadow Pavilion.
Fang Lunyi pulled the pin of the metal object handed over by the bastard with a slight tinge of nervousness and excitement.
¡°Ah, you need to press the button, no, the switch in the center too! Good luck!¡±
And Karlstein quickly took care of Zhang Yihong and hid behind the Branch Manager.
Since before, this crazy bastard has been¡
Somehow it was infuriating.
Just you wait!
At any rate, Fang Lunyi pressed the small switch as the guy instructed.
However, there was no special reaction.
See, there¡¯s no way-
At that moment, a sh exploded. A sudden sun descended into the basement.
Pzzzt- Boom-
The high-grade Spiritual Stones embedded in the basement¡¯s Sorcery Formations rapidly lost their light, and the sound of defensive Dharma Tools shattering filled the air. Then, there was Fang Lunyi¡¯s miserable scream.
Chaos unfolded.
Chapter 113: Plum Shadow Pavilion (4)
¡°Kuuuh¡.¡±
¡°Ungh!¡±
It was a miserable scene in the basement.
Acrid gray smoke.
Shattered defensive Dharma Tools.
A ckened floor.
Melted walls.
A crater in the center.
And Fang Lunyi, in a miserable state, was coughing up blood.
This is insane! Was he trying to assassinate the direct descendant of the Grand Elder? No. It didn¡¯t seem that way.Cold sweat formed on Soho¡¯s back.
After all, didn¡¯t he clearly say it had power equivalent to the Heavenly Thunder Jade?
¡°Whew, the effect is certainly impressive.¡±
His rxed voice came from behind her.
If it had been at the level of the Heavenly Thunder Jade as he said, it wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this.
After all¡
¡°This surpasses the power of the Heavenly Thunder Jade¡. What on earth happened?!¡±
¡°Ah, this recent modification turned out better than expected.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Modification? Is he saying he made it himself?
Confusion settled in her eyes.
Honestly, if talking about just power, it was slightly inferior to the Heavenly Thunder Jade.
But that wasn¡¯t the problem.
The defensive Dharma Tools werepletely shattered. The Dharma Tool in Fang Lunyi¡¯s bosom that he had activated instantly had long since turned to ash.
Even the technique she had quickly deployed was almost broken through. If she hadn¡¯t done even that, Fang Lunyi would have lost his life.
How¡
An explosion phenomenon where almost no Spiritual Power could be felt.
In contrast, the technique she had deployed for protection didn¡¯t work properly.
Almost as if it was an explosion with resistance to Spiritual Power.
The effectiveness of defensive techniques was halved.
Impossible¡.
¡°iyaaa. You managed to survive.¡±
Managed?
If she hadn¡¯t hurriedly deployed a defensive technique, he could have died. The direct descendant of the me Metal Sect¡¯s Grand Elder, that is.
Does he truly not know what he almost did?
¡°Hahaha.¡±
That annoying smile.
A vein popped on her forehead.
At that moment, the half-corpse that had almost been reduced to ashes by the explosion opened his mouth.
¡°¡You, you fuc¡ker¡¡±
A desperate anger as if facing a mortal enemy could be felt, despite having almost died just now.
Fang Lunyi waspletely burned ck.
Although she had tried to help, it was a severe injury that would take a long time to recover. The critical wounds might even leave scars.
However, going any further would not be good for Fang Lunyi, for the Plum Shadow Pavilion, nor for the unidentified customer.
She sent a medicinal pill flying into the mouth of Fang Lunyi, who was trying to lunge at them with a dying body while grinding his teeth.
¡°Mmph!!¡±
¡°I will put him to sleep for recovery.¡±
¡°Mmph! Mmph! Kuk.¡±
Thud-
Fang Lunyi went limp.
Soho shook her head and opened her mouth.
¡°We absolutely do not take responsibility for matters outside the Plum Shadow Pavilion.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
The culprit answered with a grin from behind.
Just what kind of confidence is this?
It seemed meaningless to scold him any further.
There was no need to do so either.
She just needed to make a profitable deal for herself.
A deal with a big shot who could ¡®modify¡¯ somethingparable to, no, even more special than the Heavenly Thunder Jade, and casually throw it away for experimentation.
Setting aside the annoying face that she wanted to punch¡
¡°Let us talk upstairs. I would like to see other Dharma Tools if you have them.¡±
She couldn¡¯t help but smell an enormous amount of money from the annoying young man before her.
And the Plum Shadow Pavilion was a ce that operated for thorough profit.
***Fang Lunyi was carried away, grinding his teeth and spewing out anger.
¡°Haha. How is it? Do you feel better now?¡±
¡°¡A-Are you talking to me?¡±
¡°Yeah. You got hitst time, right?¡±
¡°¡¡±
[Th-That crazy bastard.]
Zhang Yihong had aplex expression, both moved and perplexed, while the Puppet Demonic Warlord sighed.
¡°¡Will it be alright? Surely the aftermath won¡¯t be easy to deal with¡¡±
¡°I rather like it, though? Haha.¡±
[It seems like he¡¯s looking for a ce to die.]
After all, they couldn¡¯t kill him here.
As the Branch Manager said, there were quite a few eyes watching.
She shuddered at Karlstein¡¯s words, which he muttered alone.
¡°¡Hoo.¡±
Like her, the Branch Manager¡¯s face looked like she had aged several years.
¡°As I said, this matter is unrted to the Plum Shadow Pavilion. You must deal with it yourself.¡±
Her authority and responsibility were only within the Plum Shadow Pavilion, after all.
¡°That¡¯s what I was hoping for.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°By the way¡¡±
Karlstein¡¯s eyes sparkled.
¡°What¡¯s your realm?¡±
¡°¡I cannot tell you.¡±
¡°Oho.¡±
The Plum Shadow Pavilion was unique in many ways.
Karlstein tapped the armrest with his finger.
The Branch Manager seemed to be the strongest among the cultivators he had seen so far.
He wasn¡¯t sure of her exact realm, but his skin tingled when she first appeared.
Perhaps that was why Fang Lunyi didn¡¯t readily take action despite his provocation?
Well¡ Thanks to that, that guy managed to survive.
¡°At any rate, you wish to sell arge quantity of Dharma Tools? If it is like the one from earlier, we can purchase them at the highest price.¡±
¡°Haha. The Dharma Tool I want to deal inrge quantities is a flying Dharma Tool.¡±
¡°¡Flying Dharma Tool?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
The subsequent transaction waspleted swiftly.
The contract focused on selling Sky Boards, which had a rtively low unit price.
Sky Boards poured out of the Storage Pouch.
-What? It can be used with just minimal Spiritual Power?
-And there¡¯s such arge quantity?
-The speed is that of a mid-grade flying Dharma Tool. But it is definitely¡.
Sky Boards could be used even by people with almost no Spiritual Power.
Although there was a usage time limit, there was no problem as long as they were exposed to sunlight regrly.
A flying Dharma Tool that even lower-realm cultivators could easily use without Spiritual Power consumption?
-If¡ this is true¡ the lowest and low-grade flying Dharma Tools will be obsolete¡.
-Even in terms of price, it¡¯s reasonable¡.
-High volume, yet low margins?
And with exclusive supply.
At this, the Branch Manager¡¯s eyes widened unbelievably.
-Yes, in exchange, as you said, we will procure the items you request as quickly as possible.
In return, Karlstein received a guarantee that the items he requested would be procured with top priority.
Of course, he also sold a couple of high-density smapression bombs.
¡°Huhu. Now I won¡¯t have to worry about Spiritual Power, right?¡±
It seemed there would be no worries about Spiritual Stones with just the Sky Boards.
[You¡¯ll be raking in Spiritual Stones like leaves. How¡]
¡°I-Is this even possible?¡±
¡°She was someone I couldmunicate well with. Senior Sister, if you need anything, just say so, huhu.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Senior Sister Zhang was so happy she couldn¡¯t sit still.
Of course, the old Puppet was happy too.
[You must get your hands on that!]
Aspensation for the high-density smapression bomb, he was able to receive an antique from the 8th floor.
A small stone.
[Hmm. This is¡]
Even the old man wasn¡¯t sure what it was, saying he¡¯d let him knowter.
¡°Now that we¡¯ve made a formal contract, let¡¯s head back.¡±
He would import materials spread across the entire continent to produce Dharma Tools and medicinal pills.
Of course, he had no intention of selling the medicinal pills yet. He nned to prioritize producing cultivation pills for his own consumption.
¡°For now, the Sky Boards alone should be enough for Spiritual Stones.¡±
If there was one regret¡
The arrogant servant from earlier had already fled, probably realizing he was no ordinary person.
Instead, the child named Yuyu was able to receive an enormous reward.
Apparently, she achieved an incredible performance thanks to Karlstein?
On the final farewell, Yuyu ran out with her small feet, hugged his leg tightly, and teared up.
¡°Thank you!¡±
¡°Won¡¯t you get scolded?¡±
¡°Th-The Branch Manager will understand this much!¡±
¡°Haha.¡±
Afterwards, they left Plum Shadow Pavilion and returned via the side passage.
Now that he had secured a trading partner who could procure necessary items, had plenty of Spiritual Stones, and had the Puppet Demonic Warlord as a teacher¡
Karlstein had no need to show himself to the me Metal Sect immediately, so he holed up in the base within the Prohibitions.
¡°Is it cultivation time now?¡±
¡°Time?¡±
There was no need to go out after this.
Of course, the me Metal Sect was in an uproar because of Karlstein.
A me Metal Sect trainee who severely injured the direct descendant of the Grand Elder?
The me Metal Sect¡¯s Law Enforcement Department came out aggressively, but they couldn¡¯t find him.
-Bring him here right now! I said to catch that bastard!
-There are no more traces. The trail ends here.
-What happened to the woman who was with him?
-It seems she has already gone into hiding too.
-Surely the main sect is strictly managing entry and exit?
-Well¡ Whether he soared into the sky or sank into the ground, we can¡¯t see him at all.
-Huhhh¡.
Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just the Law Enforcement Department looking for him.
-Where! Where on earth did he disappear to! What have you done?!
-Calm down, Elder Ma.
-Sect Leader!
-You should stop too. Unless you wish to sour the Grand Elder¡¯s mood.
-Th-The talent who could learn the Supreme Void Metal Thunder Treasure Scripture has disappeared!!
Everyone was looking for Karlstein, but he couldn¡¯t be found anywhere.
When Karlstein asionally visited Plum Shadow Pavilion, he came and went, hiding his appearance with techniques learned from the Puppet Demonic Warlord.
And so, 10 years passed.
***¡°I¡¯m back, Aria.¡±
[Did you have any results?]
¡°Of course. The Core Formation Stage is right around the corner.¡±
[Is that so?]
The Core Formation Stage, the next realm after Qi Refining and Foundation Building.
They say that once you reach the Core Formation Stage, you can walk around with your shoulders held high in the main sect.
The Foundation Building Stage was also a high realm, but it still smelled strongly of an administrator in charge of practical affairs in a cultivation sect.
However, the Core Formation Stage was different.
You would be one of the pirs of the sect¡¯s fighting force.
¡°For now, the Plum Shadow Pavilion said they would try to procure the materials needed for Core Formation, but it doesn¡¯t seem easy.¡±
No matter how great Plum Shadow Pavilion was, it wasn¡¯t enough to just produce Core Formation Stage cultivators.
¡°Anyway.¡±
There was a bit of time before the Plum Shadow Pavilion procured the remaining materials and he reached the Core Formation Stage.
¡°Ungh.¡±
In fact, Karlstein hadn¡¯t been solely focused on Xianxia.
He would return intermittently to check on the Gctic Empire¡¯s affairs and the Integrated Dimensional Community¡¯s matters.
Karlstein had been quite busy moving around for the past few months.
¡°How¡¯s the Puppet Technique?¡±
[The effect is certainly amazing. It also has goodpatibility with Avatars.]
The cultivation methods Karlstein had brought were researched in various aspects.
Among them, the Puppet Technique seemed particrly useful.
[Once the research isplete, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to integrate the entire Community.]
¡°Huhuhu.¡±
The n was steadily progressing.
¡°Let
Karlstein closed his eyes and focused on the Ether he felt within his body.
Twitch-
The Ether in his body, like an ocean or infinite sea, surged for a moment.
Swoosh-
But that was it.
There was definitely a reaction, but it didn¡¯t move as he thought.
¡°Hmm¡. It¡¯s still not easy to utilize with my main body.¡±
The problem was the vast amount of Ether.
There was no problem using it in the Avatar.
It seemed like a higher level cultivation method was needed.
¡°Well, still.¡±
The various cultivation methods learned in Xianxia were not useless.
The cultivation methods he had brought were currently being distributed to everyone in ¡®World¡¯.
Of course, they needed to be modified and adjusted to fit individuals with Aria¡¯s help.
¡°How is it?¡±
[It is definitely¡.]
The Murim White Troops and the Community¡¯s Transcendents.
They werepletely immersed in the Ether Cultivation Technique that applied Xianxia¡¯s cultivation techniques.
Of course, it was obvious that theirbat power had increased unbelievably.
After that, even the Sephiroth side couldn¡¯t recklessly attack.
¡°More importantly, what about Prohiden?¡±
The unfortunate fact was that they still hadn¡¯t found Prohiden.
[I wonder if it has already escaped from ¡®World¡¯.]
¡°Hmm¡. Can we track it?¡±
[It is in progress, but that seems to need time too. There are still too many unsecured areas.]
The Sephiroth and Kaiju factions in World also faced major changes.
They were constantly expanding with the momentum to have a proper showdown.
¡°Until now¡ expansion was more advantageous than confrontation.¡±
But that too would end soon.
¡°Is it time to properly take over World now?¡±
[It seems Master¡¯s activity will be needed.]
Shake shake.
I¡¯m pretty sure I was dreaming of retirement¡
But somehow, he had be the one working harder than anyone else.
[By the way, Master.]
¡°Yes?¡±
Is there something else?
[It seems Versya has woken up.]
¡°Really? Shall we go take a look?¡±
Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t bad news.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 114: Ranking
-Hahaha.
-Now, go back quickly. The world seems to need you yet.
-Come again once you¡¯ve finished everything! Versya!
-¡What do you mean?
-Mhm. You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you? Our dream.
-Yeah¡ Of course. A normal life for everyone.
-And a world that doesn¡¯t need a hero. Hahaha! You remember after all.
-I¡¯ll be waiting. But no need to rush too much.
-¡.
FSSS-Versya¡¯s vision went white as his senses returned.
Glug- Glug-
Upon opening his eyes, he found himself submerged in a green solution.
¡Where am I?
His question was quickly answered. In a slightly¡ undesirable way?
¡°Wee, ve No. 1. Hahaha.¡±
¡°Did you think you could run away by yourself?!¡±
¡°Congrattions on your recovery.¡±
Ahh¡ familiar faces were surrounding the capsule. And¡
¡°Mhm. How much do you think went into this? You¡¯ll have to hustle to make up for it, yeah?¡±
Clearly, the Oradge had no intention of letting him go.
***¡°You mean¡ I¡¯ve been unconscious for almost a year?¡±
¡°They said it was purely for your treatment.¡±
¡°I suppose¡ It simply wasn¡¯t an injury I could recover from.¡±
Versya sighed, looking down at his body.
¡°But what in the world is this?¡±
Smooth, yet supple skin, chiseled abs, and a broad chest as vast as the ocean¡ was not what he saw.
Where did it all go? Why is my body made of metal now?
Versya sighed, gazing at his metal body. It was entirely integrated, so he couldn¡¯t even take it off.
¡°A cyborg¡?¡±
¡°Still, have hope. Apparently they spared your vital function as a man.¡±
¡°¡Such a tear-jerking gesture.¡±
On top of that, when he saw the chat log in the Community, he got a headache.
I have 6 hours of mandatory streaming daily to pay off my debt?
Versya had no clue what the Oradge was thinking.
¡°Haa¡¡±
e on in cyborg.
?hi Genj*~
?Vital function indeed.
?y u sighin when he saved you from castration? lel
?He saved your life, and your little son. You may as well treat him like a second father.
?correction, he was prolly gonna make him a eunuch but stopped halfway
?lol isn¡¯t that the same thing?
?he¡¯s Genj* Shimada!
?MO WO SUTETEMO, MIYORI WA SUTEZU
?Hnng!
?RYUJIN NO KIMOCHI!
¡°Ryu
¡°Hahaha. You have to endure that much. You already received an advance, after all.¡±
¡°¡I suppose so.¡±
Versya chuckled, looking at the Spirit Summoner who was smiling sadly.
¡°But the fortress seems to have changed quite a bit?¡±
¡°You¡¯re only noticing now? Much has changed while you were sleeping. I¡¯ll give you a tour.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Even though it was once a fortress, there was still a sense of field deployment before. But now¡
¡°By the way, we¡¯re underground.¡±
¡°What?¡±
An artificial sun hung in the sky, and the air was so fresh one wouldn¡¯t believe it was underground.
Versya could see buildings densely packed beneath the artificial sun, with people busily moving about, immersed in their daily routines. The streets were lively and bustling with activity. He could even see guards flying through the air. ??
This was supposed to be an SF underground city?
Dozens of transparent passageways stretched up toward the sky. Alloy-d outer walls lined the perimeter, and massive mechanical structures were installed between them.
It definitely had the atmosphere of an underground facility.
¡°What in the world happened?¡±
¡°Haha, this is just the residential sector, so to speak. The military facilities are on the upper level, while the research facilities are down below.¡±
¡°¡¡±
There are more floors like this? Just how big is this ce?
Versya felt like he was listening to a story from another world.
I guess it¡¯s not wrong to call it that¡
Yet something else troubled him more.
¡°Sir Spirit Summoner. No, it¡¯s the same with everyone else. What did you all do?¡±
¡°What do you mean? Haha.¡±
The Spirit Summoner smiled knowingly, even as he asked.
¡°I didn¡¯t think I was the strongest. But the gap wasn¡¯t sorge that I couldn¡¯t gauge your power, or that of the others. Yet now¡¡±
¡°Now?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t sense a thing.¡±
¡°Huhu.¡±
The Spirit Summoner was the very picture of calm, in stark contrast to Versya¡¯s confusion.
¡°Curious, are we?¡±
¡°Of course I am. There was nothing wrong with my senses, so there has to be a reason for this¡¡±
¡°Haha. Come with me.¡±
¡°¡¡±
The Spirit Summoner led Versya to a transparent, cylindrical ss tube that extended toward the sky.
¡°This is?¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to the upper level.¡±
As soon as Versya stepped inside, the tube began to shoot upward. He could see the entire underground city spread out beneath him through the ss.
¡°I see.¡±
Versya could clearly sense how much had changed during the year he had been unconscious.
¡°Woah¡¡±
From above, he could tell even more.
¡°It resembles the Imperial Capital.¡±
¡°Haha. The residential sector, at least, was designed to minimize the sense of alienation, taking into ount everyone¡¯s culture.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t this alone grander than the Imperial Capital?¡±
¡°¡ Though I do feel the same way.¡±
While Versya sighed quietly in awe, the Spirit Summoner continued softly.
¡°The power of the Gctic Empire exceeds our expectations.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Far beyond our imagination at that.¡±
If they could so effortlessly build a city like this in their conquered territories¡¯ residential sectors¡
¡°Well, we knew this much already. Let¡¯s move on. We¡¯re heading to the training grounds.¡±
¡°¡Training grounds?¡±
Versya followed as the Spirit Summoner led him through a series of passages, where barriers opened and closed in sequence, until they arrived at a vast training room.
There, a familiar face awaited him: Transcendent Mephir, the King of Hell, dispatched from the Community.
Beep-
[Versya]
[HP: 336,852/337,000]
[Ether: 10,000]
¡°Oh ho, 330,000. That¡¯s some serious durability. Perhaps physical enhancement really is the answer? And it seems like Ether is built-in by default.¡±
¡°Sorry?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been grinding like crazy only to barely hit the 7,000s¡¡±
Versya could hardly make sense of either the Spirit Summoner¡¯s words or the text that appeared before his eyes.
[Barron]
[HP: 98,230/123,000]
[Ether: 7,600]
¡°The numbers are just numbers, so don¡¯t stress over them. It¡¯s a system that measures HP ording to your toughness and automatically protects you. After all, it¡¯d be a waste if you simply died during sparring.¡±
Versya was still at a loss.
¡°And Ether is an unknown energy that you¡¯ll need to learn about. You may have more than me right now, but actually using it is a whole different story.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Yo! Barron! Spar with me since you¡¯re here.¡±
Mephir called out to Barron, pounding his fists together with a metallic ng, lips curving into a grin. Spirit Summoner Barron epted his invitation with a matching smile.
¡°Watch closely, and observe the utility of Ether¡ªand realize why you must acquire the Ether Cultivation Technique.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Mephir, who had introduced himself as the Ruler of Niflheim, and Spirit Summoner Barron soon began to sh.
¡°Uhh?¡±
Something was different. Completely different from before.
They were using equipment Versya had never seen. Barron had four floating cubes at hismand, while Mephir wore metallic armor and wielded a giant staff.
PZZZZT-
The four cubes assisted Barron, responding to the attributes of the Spirit Kings he summoned.
RUMBLE- BOOOM-
The tip of Mephir¡¯s staff split open, forming a barrel.
So much of theirbat techniques was new. But more than anything¡
¡°Unbelievable¡¡±
These weren¡¯t the same fighters Versya had once known.
C-C-CRASH-
As someone who had fought alongside them, Versya knew of their formerbat abilities.
C-C-CRASH-
Barron unleashed mes with such power that it almost seemed as if he had summoned a god of fire, while Mephir countered, freely wielding his staff, shielded by his armor.
[Versya]
[HP: 223,552/337,000]
Even as a mere spectator, Versya¡¯s HP was being relentlessly shaved off by the sheer force of their battle.
BOOM-
PZZT-
He hastily backed away, but there was only so far he could retreat.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Simply being in the same space made Versya feel as if he were about to explode from pressure.
He knew they didn¡¯t possess this kind of power before. Barron, especially, had once been close to his own level.
Yet now, Barron¡¯s aura alone seemed capable of crushing him.
¡°Eth¡er?¡±
The unknown energy surrounding their bodies utterly overwhelmed him.
As Versya watched their fight, captivated as if witnessing the end of the world, the match reached its conclusion.
¡°Koff! I really can¡¯t defeat you in a one-on-one fight. Go easy on me, will you?¡±
¡°Haha. It can¡¯t be helped. Summoning-type Spirit Summoners are inherently limited in such duels.¡±
¡°Whew¡¡±
After the spar, Barron approached Versya.
¡°What did you feel?¡±
¡°¡Disbelief.¡±
¡°Right? Even I can¡¯t believe this is the result of just one year.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Your body has beenpletely remodeled, so expectations are high.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°See that scoreboard over there?¡±
Versya turned to look where Barron was pointing.
[Ranking (Combat Power)]
1.Virdel (2,294,404)
2.Yongyong (1,452,001)
3.
¡
12.Mephir (432,152)
¡
26.Barron (226,642)
¡
48.Averico (12,553)
¡°Dozens of Transcendents have joined the fight after you.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Despite how powerful he was, Barron ranked only 26th?
¡°In the first ce, you can¡¯t even enter the battlefield unless yourbat power reaches 100,000.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°So train fast and help out. There¡¯s talk of a major battle soon.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°Oh and by the way, the woman with starry hair recently dispatched from the Gctic Empire had abat power rating over 12 million. Virdel¡¯s reaction was something to see.¡±
¡°¡12 million?¡±
¡°Of course, her record was handled unofficially. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Versya was overwhelmed by the revtions.
¡Weren¡¯t we supposed to be Transcendents in our own right?
¡°Sir Barron.¡±
¡°Hnn?¡±
¡°How do I be that strong?¡±
¡°Haha. So you¡¯re finally getting motivated. You¡¯ve seemed pretty lifeless since you woke up.¡±
¡°¡I can¡¯t keep losing forever.¡±
¡°Right. That¡¯s what it means to be a hero! Haha. We Transcendents must keep pushing forward, don¡¯t we?¡±
Just what kind of army was the Oradge trying to build¡ And in the first ce, why gather so much power?
¡°There¡¯s a long way to go. Hahaha.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Chapter 115: World
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Even the faint sound from her nose carried overwhelming pressure.
Virdel had to clench her fists, struggling to stand upright and face the being before her.
Starlight hair, strong yet graceful features, and a perfectly proportioned frame. She was, without doubt, a stunningly beautiful woman.
Yet for all that, every cell in Virdel¡¯s body screamed in rm, refusing to acknowledge the other as anything but a monster.
¡°You are the one in charge here?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The woman before her, Maxien Asteria, had summoned Virdel. Less than an hour after arriving in ¡®World,¡¯ Maxien had already established herself as its most powerful being. By Virdel¡¯s guess¡ she was either a subordinate orrade of Karlstein.
¡°¡¡±Were all of hispanions like her?
12 million¡
If not for the recent breakthrough she experienced, Virdel would¡¯ve struggled to surpass even 2 million inbat power. For her, 12 million was an unfathomable number. And yet, this might not even be Maxien¡¯s true form¡ªjust like Karlstein.
Then, how strong was this woman exactly? Virdel couldn¡¯t even imagine it.
The woman of starlight hair spoke, breaking her thoughts.
¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. Frankly, I don¡¯t care.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°The reason I called you here regardless¡¡±
The oppressive energy radiating from her starlight hair seemed to squeeze the very air around them.
¡°¡is because I don¡¯t like your eyes.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t realized?¡±
Virdel could not grasp Maxien¡¯s words. What was she implying? Was she simply looking for a fight?
However, Virdel had not realized she had instinctively disyed hostility the day she met Maxien.
¡°¡Fine. I¡¯ll set that aside for now. There doesn¡¯t seem to be an immediate issue.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Then let me change the question.¡±
Question?
¡°Why are you so weak despite acting as Karlstein¡¯s aide?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Virdel had pondered this question herself before, but never had anyone voiced it to her. Since being rescued by Karlstein, she had only ever encountered awe or fear from others. Furthermore, Maxien¡¯s casual mention of his name revealed a closer connection than Virdel had anticipated. R
Is this feeling inferiority? Why do I feel anger?
Unexpected emotions surged within her.
¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Karlstein for the details, but you don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be of any real help at that level, do you?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Virdel could hardly say anything. The starlight-haired woman maintained an unyielding gaze, and above all, her words carried no personal malice; they were a dispassionate statement of fact. And that, ironically, was what ignited Virdel¡¯s anger.
Anger directed at herself.
¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯m d you¡¯re not content with where you are.¡±
Virdel had not spoken, but she felt a difort as though her deepest thoughts had been exposed. Yet such trivial emotions were secondary.
¡°¡How can I be as strong as you?¡±
Virdel met the other¡¯s eyes, forcing the words out.
¡°¡¡±
The starlight-haired woman remained silent this time.
¡°If I be as strong as you, could I stand by his side?¡±
¡°¡Bold, aren¡¯t we.¡±
Despite Maxien¡¯s reaction, Virdel¡¯s gaze did not falter. The question she posed represented her true feelings¡ªsomething she had long contemted.
¡°Well¡ that look in your eyes. I don¡¯t like it, but it¡¯s not bad.¡±
Fortunately, her sincerity was not dismissed.
¡°Still. Heh.¡±
DRRK- BRK-
Starlight swirled around Maxien¡¯s body as the whole room began to tremble.
¡°!!¡±
¡°It¡¯s problematic if you aim so low¡¡±
¡°Agh.¡±
¡°You are aware, yes? That this body isn¡¯t my true form?¡±
¡°¡Is that so.¡±
¡°But still¡¡±
Maxien¡¯s immense presence quickly returned to its previous intensity.
¡°Perhaps you can follow him from behind?¡±
¡°!!¡±
The tentative approval relieved Virdel, making her legs wobble.
¡°You¡¯ll need to brace yourself.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°Stay out ofbat for now. I¡¯ll inform Karlstein. You¡¯ll likely have a hectic time ahead.¡±
¡°¡Thank you.¡±
¡°If you can endure, that is.¡±
***¡°Karls. Why are all your subordinates women?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Karlstein sighed as Maxien burst through his door with this question.
All women? The Murim Squad and the Community¡¯s Transcendents¡ weren¡¯t most of them men?
More importantly.
¡°Where¡¯d your respectful address go?¡±
¡°Haha. This is ¡®World¡¯, and you aren¡¯t the Emperor of the Gctic Empire right now.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Well, Karlstein didn¡¯t find it impudent or offensive. She was the one who had started with the rigid formalities, to begin with.
This brings back memories.
Memories indeed. He wasn¡¯t anything like the Emperor of the Gctic Empire when he first met Maxien, after all.
¡°Have you had a change of heart? You were the one who started with the formality in the first ce.¡±
¡°¡
¡°That¡¯s?¡±
Maxien hesitated, struggling to find the words.
¡°¡?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±
She couldn¡¯t say? What could possibly be keeping the Great Hero of the Gctic Empire silent?
¡°Anyway, Karls.¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
Her old way of addressing him certainly did bridge the distance between them.
¡°I found a useful one among yours. I presume it¡¯s fine if I train her?¡±
¡°Huh? Who?¡±
Maxien usually recoiled at the suggestion of taking on a disciple.
¡°Oh, Virdel?¡±
¡°Mhm.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Virdel¡
¡°It¡¯s your discretion to take a disciple.¡±
¡°Still, it¡¯s only natural that I gain your permission.¡±
It was no small matter for a Great Hero of the Gctic Empire to take on a disciple, which was why she reported to Karlstein directly. Despite her casual attitude, Maxien was strict about separating personal and professional matters.
¡°Do as you please. But you know, right?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Even if you¡¯re using an Avatar, the restrictions on your abilities won¡¯t be lifted.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°I worry for you, Maxien.¡±
¡°Hmph.¡±
Maxien looked away awkwardly.
Karlstein wondered if she was displeased. Regardless, some things simply couldn¡¯t be allowed. Her health, as a Great Hero of the Gctic Empire, was paramount.
He trusted she would not push herself after his warning.
¡°On another note, maybe it¡¯s the Avatar affecting you. You seem to be showing your old self a bit.¡±
¡°Well¡ I don¡¯t know. This body just feels constricting. It seems this, so-called link? Isn¡¯t perfect.¡±
¡°All the more reason for you to take care. You have to live long, until I die of old age.¡±
Essentially, that meant forever, as he was practically immortal.
¡°¡I get your concern. I¡¯ll go then.¡±
Maxien dashed out as if she had urgent business.
¡°Look at her go.¡±
Karlstein shook his head.
¡°Anyway, I wee Maxien training Virdel.¡±
The stronger she became, with her awakened Dimensional Travel Ability, the more cards he could y.
Karlstein picked up the wine ss on the table and took a sip.
Mm. I guess it¡¯ll be fine.
As sword users, the two women had goodpatibility. Virdel would have much to learn, and if Maxien could uncover clues about Dimensional Travel, it would be beneficial.
Karlstein would be content either way.
***¡°Retreat! It¡¯s them!¡±
¡°Th-those are¡?¡±
¡°Send a report first! Get themunicationwork up!¡±
¡°Communication is down!¡±
Panic swept through the retreating forces.
¡°Everyone be quiet! There must be amunication jamming signal. Prioritize escaping the area.¡±
Boom.
Lightning struck from a giant ship in the sky, destroying everything below. And it wasn¡¯t just one or two bolts.
¡°What is that?¡±
¡°It must be the Sephiroth bastards.¡±
¡°So we have to report this.¡±
The Sephiroth had changed. Until recently, both sides had only engaged in mutual restraint, each expanding from their respective strongholds.
The Gctic Empire¡¯s Murim Infantry and battleships had skirmished against enemy squads, but solely for the purpose of scouting and containment. They had not engaged recklessly, only focusing on expanding their territories while holding the line. The Empire¡¯s side suspected the enemy had the same idea.
The Sephiroth had never shown a ship this massive before. This indicated they were fully ready for a serious conflict.
¡°Did you record the footage properly?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°We¡¯re leaving immediately.¡±
Most of the bombardment directed at the giant ship was nullified by an invisible barrier.
¡°Is it finally time for a real fight?¡±
Naturally, the Empire had also concealed their strength. For example, their top-ranked fighters, and the starlight-haired woman.
¡°This isn¡¯t the time to getcent! Move out!¡±
¡°Squad Leader¡¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Th-there.¡±
But then, another colossal battleship appeared in the direction they were retreating.
¡°Looks like we¡¯re surrounded.¡±
They quickly changed their retreat direction, preparing for battle.
They had to report the situation ASAP!
***DRRRP-
DRRP- DRRP-
In a space filled with slime and flesh, a giant, pulsating sac burst, spewing slime.
Slosh. Slosh.
A figure emerged from within, cloaked in shadow. As the figure walked out, countless eyes turned toward it.
¡°..Co..mmence..the..counter..attack.¡±
-KREEEGH!
-Grrk.
-KRAAAH!
-KEEEEGH!
-Hsss.
A swarm of Kaiju surrounded the emerging figure, screeching and writhing.
Ssss-
World quivered.
Chapter 116: Yongyongmon, Rollin Out!
¡°The front line is retreating again! We have been fighting while minimizing casualties, but the results are poor. Out of 32 strongholds, we have lost two on the outer perimeter. On top of that¡ a significant portion of our defensive fleet has been destroyed.¡±
Spirit Summoner Barron continued his report.
¡°Is that so?¡±
Contrary to Barron¡¯s expectations, Karlstein¡¯s response was utterly calm.
¡°We cannot decipher their current strategy. They seem to be usingrge-scale spatial jumps to strike our strongholds¡ Naturally, we are on the alert for these jumps, but they are getting past our radars and leaving us helpless.¡±
¡°Well, well¡¡±
Their relentless ability to resurrect no matter how many times they were killed,bined with spatial jumps, was infuriating.
Even after finishing his report, Barron could not shake off his unease.
Aren¡¯t we in danger? How can he be soposed? What in the world is Oradge thinking?
¡°Hmm.¡±Tap. Tap. Tap.
Karlstein lightly tapped his fingers on his office desk. His next words took Barron off guard.
¡°They underestimated us.¡±
¡°I beg your pardon?¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Barron could not fathom the Oradge¡¯s thoughts. Nevertheless, Karlstein continued to contemte, projecting a holographic map.
The map disyed the three factions¡ªeach with their own base of operations¡ªexpanding their territories, represented by different colors.
The ratio of upied territory was 4:1:2.
The Gctic Empire was 4, the Sephiroth was 1, and the Kaiju was 2.
The Empire¡¯s expansion was overwhelmingly rapid. The Kaiju had the numbers to match, but even they could not keep up with the pace.
Karlstein scratched his chin, studying the map divided into three factions.
To this point, expanding strongholds had been like a game of Go. All three factions had tried to avoid directbat as much as possible during expansion, but depending on the situation, gaining territory could pressure the opposing side or block their advance.
¡°I suppose it¡¯s finally reached saturation?¡±
The resources of World had not shown any signs of depletion yet. However, as territory was limited, the rapid expansion of the three factions was nearing its limit in terms of avablend.
¡°I expected this, but it¡¯s sooner than I thought.¡±
This indicated that all three factions hadmitted themselves to expansion with all their might.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Karlstein¡¯s thoughts elerated with the rhythm of his tapping.
¡°We¡¯ve mainly pressured the Sephiroth so far.¡±
Why? Because they were troublesome. Putting aside their ability to resurrect, their spatial jumps were unbearably irksome.
And the Kaiju shared this sentiment. Karlstein had intentionally avoided direct conflict with the Kaiju faction, focusing on containing the Sephiroth¡¯s expansion. Yet, their de was undoubtedly also pointed at the Sephiroth.
Perhaps it could be said that the Gctic Empire had formed a tactical alliance with their biggest main enemy, the Kaiju.
¡°Though of course, we set up this situation.¡±
In areas where their advance paths ovepped, the Gctic Empire had made every effort to shepherd the Kaiju towards the Sephiroth. Thus, the Sephiroth inevitably faced pressure from multiple fronts.
They did not have the weakest territorial ratio for nothing. From their perspective, they were under concentrated attack.
¡°Yet they decided to hit us first¡¡±
Karlstein felt they had been underestimated¡ªgreatly so.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Did we push them too hard?
¡°There¡¯s no way they struck at both factions.¡±
Do they want to eliminate us first? I would¡¯ve preferred them to deal with the Kaiju first¡
Karlstein exhaled.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
¡°The enemy surely wants us gone as soon as possible. However¡¡±
Tactics and strategy traditionally involve establishing your base in areas your opponent wishes to avoid.
¡°We need to extend the front line.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Order a retreat, but dy it as much as possible to stretch the front line. That alone will likely suffice to throw them off.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Imbeciles. They should have targeted the Kaiju first.¡±
The longer the front line extended, the greater the sense of pressure. There was no need to rush a response. The Empire just had to retreat slowly, stretch the front line, and conserve their forces.
¡°If it were just the two of us, we could sh head-on, but¡¡±
Currently, it was a three-way battle. Wasting Imperial forces unnecessarily could allow others to benefit.
¡°There¡¯s no need to act first.¡±
¡°Uh¡ ording to the retreat manual¡ the losses in battleships will be considerable.¡±
Barron could not hide his unrest.
¡°Ah?¡±
The battleships. Right. I suppose they all look like the same ships to him.
¡°I can easily give up unmanned ships.¡±
For strategic victory, that level of military expenditure was not an issue.
Tap.
Karlstein pushed off the desk and stood up.
¡°It seems you still don¡¯t understand what it means to represent the Gctic Empire.¡±
¡°Sir?¡±
ary-scale wars won¡¯t even scratch the surface of the Empire. Losing some unmanned battleships¡¡±
That¡¯s nothing to us.
If it was not a matter of special resources or Ether, the Gctic Empire could afford to sacrifice unmanned battleships at any time. They were but mere hunks of metal.
In fact, time was the resource that mattered¡ªtime to train personnel, build ships, and supply materials.
So long as there was time, the Gctic Empire could produce nearly infinite unmanned vessels. They were hardly worth measuring in terms of the ratio of engagement.
¡°I-is that so?¡±
Karlstein simplyughed.
¡°Yes. And the stronghold we need to target is here.¡±
¡°Here¡? Is that not where the fighting is ongoing?¡±
¡°Correct. That¡¯s where the Kaiju and Sephiroth are engaged in a battle for control.¡±
It was a high ground battle of sorts. When the Kaiju attempted to break through, the Sephiroth would defend desperately.
This strategic point was of immense importance to the Sephiroth. Most likely, the scale of the battle would not be small.
Barron was speechless.
Invading that location so suddenly? Shouldn¡¯t we be preparing against an attack right now?
Regardless, Karlstein¡¯s voice was unwavering.
¡°That¡¯s right. Our task is to attack, not defend. We can concede some ground to the Sephiroth. They won¡¯t be able to hold it anyway, especially with their level of infrastructure we¡¯ve confirmed so far.¡±
¡°That is¡¡±
It was true. The Sephiroth had builtrge silver tree structures and established strongholds, but their speed was, naturally, iparable to the Gctic Empire¡¯s.
¡°Send that punk over.¡±
¡°That punk¡?¡±
¡°The one who¡¯s getting cocky just because he¡¯s ranked a little high.¡±
¡°Ah¡¡±
¡°Tell him to earn his keep.¡±
¡°¡Understood.¡±
Barron broke out in a cold sweat.
The punk Karlstein referred to was a being created bybining the body of the strongest dragon alive with the terrifying technology of the Gctic Empire. Yet Karlstein treated him so lightly.
But then Barron realized something.
Oh, this man is a monster too huh.
Karlstein¡¯s ordinaryughter was deceptive at times. But thinking about it, the Oradge was even more monstrous than a dragon.
***¡°Heheheh.¡±
¡°My, aren¡¯t you overly excited?¡±
¡°Of course I am. We¡¯ve limited the use of Ether until now.¡±
A red-haired child puffed air from his nostrils. Hispanion, an archmage elf, shook her head.
¡°War is like a monster that constantly grows to break the opponent¡¯s strategy. Unless there is significant gain to be had, the strategically correct decision is to avoid exposing our technology and forces.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t get it. Oradge didn¡¯t make the wrong call. I was just frustrated. I¡¯m geared up with the greatest¡ªer,test weapons, actually. And I can¡¯t even use them!¡±
¡°¡We were all subject to the Ether limitation, after all.¡±
¡°But didn¡¯t you guys get permission to let loose and go wild sometimes?¡±
The archmage elf¡¯s blonde hair swished, a subtle scent of grass filling the air.
¡°That is because my situation differs from yours.¡±
¡°But well, since we¡¯ve got the go-ahead now¡¡±
Yongyong chuckled.
¡°This might be Full Metal Wardragon¡¯s time to shine! Gahahah!¡±
¡°¡It is like you changed personalities.¡±
¡°Heheh.¡±
Red-haired Yongyong and the archmage elf were using stealth magic and various equipment to observe the battlefield from the air, undetected by anyone.
Theirbination was quite effective in that sense. The archmage provided support, while the dragon served as both a frontline fighter and long-range bomber.
-KIEEEGH!
-Grrur.
[Die!]
KABOOM!
The battle between the Sephiroth forces and the Kaiju horde raged on.
¡°I don¡¯t see the wooden ships that were reported. I hear they can jump through space freely?¡±
¡°It is because all the observed wooden ships were targeting us.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
Due to a long fine-tuning phase for his enhancements, Yongyong hadn¡¯t had the chance to properly observe the Sephiroth in a while.
¡°I guess this is my revenge battle¡¡±
Before his enhancement, Yongyong could only watch the Sephiroth from afar. At best, he could slightly support his allies with magic.
Magic was ineffective against the Sephiroth, and theirbat power was formidable.
Back then, their intimidating presence had made it hard for him to even move.
¡°Ether is so remarkable.¡±
¡°I agree.¡±
Yongyong clenched and unclenched his fist with an excited face. He felt immense power.
¡°Just by mixing a little Ether, the power of magic amplifies to an undeniably significant degree.¡±
¡°And the most important effect would be that it actually works against them.¡±
¡°Anyway, we should stop chit-chatting.¡±
PZZT-
BBBBANG-
BOOOM- CRACK-
¡°Ha ha. Is it time then?¡±
Yongyong was ready to release his polymorphed form.
¡°YongyongTV¡¯s back!¡±
He roared, instantly transforming back into a gigantic metal dragon.
Yongyong¡¯s massive body gleamed. Every inch, from his scales and wings to his internal organs, was ted with the Gctic Empire¡¯s finest alloy in a way that preserved his original shape as closely as possible.
WOOONG!
The archmage elf quickly put distance between herself and Yongyong.
¡°Atmospheric adjustment. Refraction adjustment. Presence¡¡±
All the while, she cast various support magic to prevent their stealth from being broken¡ªthe energy gathering in the dragon¡¯s mouth was terrifying enough to make one¡¯s hair stand on end.
DING-
?o! yongyong bish wasnt ded?
?are you back dragon mfer!
?Why¡¯re you sote! I thought I was gonna die holding my breath for you!
?ayo wut dis? u showing off dragon breath right off the bat?
?Isn¡¯t this a battlefield??
?wohh, he shootin, he shootin! he going for da big one!
?go! Yongyongmon!
The Community users instantly understood the situation as soon as the stream turned on.
?oshet! whats that?
?lmao Yongyong looks badass amirite?
?bro got a proper makeover.
?AAAAAAAH! ITS DRAGON BREATH! DODGE!
?holy shit! are u shitting me?
Even through the stream, they could feel the atmosphere screaming and space warping.
¡°This is beyond my limit! Stealth is breaking! Switching to shield now! Prepare for impact!¡±
WOOONG!
Even for the archmage elf, it was impossible to hide such a tremendous buildup of energy.
CRASH!
PZZZZZT!
The stealth magic broke, and the form of the giant dragon descended upon the battlefield between the Sephiroth and the Kaiju.
WOOONG!
[W-what the?!]
[What is that?!]
[Impossible¡]
-KIEEEEGH!
-Karrr.
-KRGH KRRGH!
The sudden emergence of the metallic dragon, coupled with the immense energy umted in its maw, plunged the entire area into pandemonium.
¡°Bahahahah! Say hi to 1.4 million power Dragon Breath!¡±
Yongyong¡¯s Breath engulfed the entire battlefield.
[Take cover!!]
[Request immediate reinforcement¡!]
[Deploy a barrier! Activate the Spatial Distortion Field!]
[N-no! This can¡¯t be deflected!]
In the midst of the Sephiroth forces¡¯ panic, a colossal explosion erupted on the battlefield.
Chapter 117: Trap (1)
A powerful explosion engulfed the entire battlefield.
?holy shit lol
?what the fk did he do?
?Imagine his first stream being a massacre.
?my dragon breath is nothingpared to this¡
?wows. some r still alive after dat
The massive explosion had swallowed everything, creating a deep crater on the ground. It was an unbelievable miracle, given that Yongyong had once been helpless against even a single goblin-sized Kaiju.
¡°RAWRRRR!¡±
?a dragon¡¯sughter is so gross.
?look at him all shiny and polished?That¡¯s 1.4 million in battle power? Then how strong is a Bluadge then¡?
Yongyong happily closed the chat window and surveyed the battlefield. Whaty beneath him was the ruins of the Sephiroth¡¯s base, and the Kaiju obliterated along the path of his Dragon Breath.
¡°Oh yeah, now this is real Breath.¡±
Even though time had passed since his attack, the ground continued to melt, bubble, and release heat and steam into the air.
¡°Hmm.¡±
¡°40% of Sephiroth¡¯s forces are gone in one ago.¡±
¡°Which means 60% are still alive.¡±
Yongyong mused that they really were not an easy opponent after all.
¡°Then let¡¯s retreat.¡±
The giant metallic dragon¡¯s form began to disappear.
¡°Heheheh.¡±
The goal of this battle was solely to support the Kaiju horde by intensifying pressure on the Sephiroth. Furthermore, such surprise attacks were not confined to this single location.
-This a fire that contains the mes of hell. Inferno st.
-Spirit King Fusion Bombardment activated.
-With this sword forged by the Gctic Empire and my martial arts¡!
The Transcendents of the Community were running rampant across thends.
***Bang!
The assembled Sephiroth fell silent at the sound of a fist mming into a chair¡¯s armrest.
[How has thise to pass?]
[¡This is because the humans are too unpredictable¡]
[Did we not prepare to send support with the Sky Ship?]
[They¡¯re too quick to attack and retreat.]
The Sephiroth were overwhelmed by the Gctic Empire aiding the Kaiju, to the point of near defeat.
[At this rate, it seems not only will we not be able to conquer, but we will be driven out?]
[¡I apologize.]
The woman sitting on a throne woven from tree branches tapped the floor with her staff.
Woom-
The entire space began to tremble as numerous magical formations were activated.
[Even the upper echelon is paying attention to this world. That is why I was sent here.]
She slowly stood up.
Creeak- Krrk-
The entire building began to move with her.
[So, find a solution quickly.]
[¡Yes, I understand.]
The woman gazed out at the lush forest outside.
[If necessary, I will authorize the use of Sacred Relics above middle-grade that were previously restricted.]
[¡Yes!]
***¡°Yongyong.¡±
¡°Call me Lord Full Metal Wardragon.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Spirit Summoner Barron sighed as he watched Yongyong flipping through an enhancement procedure catalog.
¡°We have a mission.¡±
¡°¡Really?¡±
Yongyong¡¯s eyes lit up.
For better enhancements! More expensive procedures! And stronger modifications! He deemed it better to ept high-paying missions to increase his Merit Points.
¡°Oh! This mission gives decent Merit Points.¡±
¡°¡Note that the Oradge specifically chose you, so you cannot refuse.¡±
¡°Of course I have no intention of refusing!¡±
But then, Yongyong tilted his head as he checked the mission details.
¡°Mmm? This time we¡¯re helping the Sephiroth, not the Kaiju?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Oho. Only those with a battle power of 1 million or more can participate, huh¡¡±
Yongyong grinned.
¡°It only makes sense that I go!¡±
¡°This mission is especially important. Failure is uneptable.¡±
¡°Were there ever missions that allowed failure before? Haha.¡±
If the Sephiroth conquered the targeted area under Imperial support, it would facilitate their advance into the Kaiju¡¯s rear.
The strategic point was so tempting that they had no choice but to attack the Kaiju, even knowing the Gctic Empire was behind it all.
¡°Therefore, we must seed this time. By the way, I was assigned to be your support.¡±
¡°Gahahaha! So you¡¯re to be my attendant!¡±
¡°¡That is not entirely wrong.¡±
¡°Right, I¡¯m just kidding. You¡¯re a Spirit Summoner skilled in mass destruction.¡±
The two left their lodging and headed towards the other mission participant.
¡°Mm. I¡¯m a bit ufortable around Perpe though¡¡±
It was rare for Yongyong to express such difort.
¡°Rank 3, with 1.2 million battle power.¡±
¡°Ugh. She didn¡¯t receive body modifications like me either.¡±
¡°She is strong.¡±
The two nodded as they thought about Rank 3 Perpe.
¡°Whatever, let¡¯s go!¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
***Crunch- Crkk-
¡°Whew¡ Berserker Perpe. If I let her continue like this, I probably won¡¯t have a chance to shine.¡±
¡°¡Just wait for now.¡±
In front of Barron and Yongyong, Perpe, a small white-haired girl wielding a huge greatsword, was massacring the Kaiju.
When she cleaved through Kaiju, the blood spilled was absorbed by her. She then used the absorbed fluids to fuel her immense power, crushing more enemies.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Her toughness was chilling to watch.
The power she wielded was astounding for her small frame, and the murderous look in her blood-red eyes made even her allies nervous.
¡°I¡¯ll blow all of you to pieces!!¡±
In battle, she was more beast than human. Her greatsword shattered even the notoriously sturdy ground of World.
¡°Hooh¡ Unlimited stamina¡¡±
As long as she had an enemy to fight and their blood to steal, her power was virtually limitless.
¡°I remember how my precious wings almost got ripped off by that brute swordsmanship.¡±
Furthermore, Perpe could also stock extra blood out of battle, making her versatile in any situation. Not to mention the insane damage she could deal with each blow.
Upon entering World, Perpe was given nothing but an indestructible greatsword. Yet with that alone, she achieved 1.2 million battle power and steadily umted Merit Points.
¡°I wonder what she¡¯s saving all those Points for.¡±
¡°Well¡ To each their own reasons, yes?¡±
¡°Yeah. I guess so.¡±
Of course, Yongyong had no such reason. He was just dragged here while enjoying extreme sports.
¡°Anyhow, let¡¯s start moving ourselves!¡±
¡°I will assist you!¡±
As Yongyong and Barron joined the battle, the tide began to turn. Barron¡¯s Spirit King bombardment, and Yongyong¡¯s cutting-edge weapons made quick work of the Kaiju.
However¡
¡°What¡¯s up?¡±
¡°Hmm¡ Yongyong. Look around.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°It appears they will not continue to simply overlook our intervention.¡±
Despite knowing about Imperial involvement, the Sephiroth chose to target this strategic point. Yet contrary to expectations, they were taking a passive stance.
Aren¡¯t they supposed to take advantage of the opening we made?
¡°They have no reason to endure one-sided damage and abandon this position. It connects to the rear of the Kaiju horde, which could lead to a counterattack, after all.¡±
This was why the Sephiroth had no choice but to fall for their n. Yet, despite gaining the upper hand with Imperial support, they were actually withdrawing their forces.
¡°Then let us also leave. There is no need to get further involved.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
¡°Take care of Perpe. You should have received a device to calm her down.¡±
¡°Will do.¡±
Yongyong approached Perpe, who was ughtering Kaiju, and threw a small metal sphere at her.
Krak-
Naturally, he missed his target due to her reflexes.
Pzzzt-
But the sphere emitted a wave of Ether energy, jolting Perpe back to her senses. She groaned softly in pain
¡°It huurts¡¡±
¡°We¡¯re leaving this ce.¡±
Confirming that Perpe had returned to her usual self, Yongyong was about to leave the battlefield with the others. However¡
Krk- Krrrk-
A chilling sound reached his ears.
What the? What is this ominous feeling?
KRRK- CRACK-
The sound was like ice cracking on a frozen river, spreading through the air and swallowing the entire space around them.
¡°¡Hurry!¡±
Yongyong sensed something was wrong and urged haste, but¡
FLASH-
Twelve pirs of light rose and began to connect.
PZZT-
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°Waaa?!¡±
¡°Th-this is!¡±
The twelve pirs of light enclosed all three of them, including the Kaiju army.
¡°Damn. Is it a trap? Or did we just happen to be caught up in it?¡±
¡°Hmm. Turns out they weren¡¯t idiots.¡±
¡°Yongyong-kun¡ What do we do?¡±
¡°Call me Full Metal Wardragon.¡±
Even as Yongyong grumbled at Perpe, he did not forget to be vignt.
¡°Containment, is it¡¡±
¡°Looks like they¡¯ve pulled out some Sacred Relic or whatnot.¡±
Yongyong attempted to break the barrier with his Ether Breath, but it did not leave even a scratch.
¡°This power is of apletely different element! It is isting dimension itself.¡±
This was no mere Spatial Distortion. It was Dimensional Istion.
¡°I don¡¯t think anything can be done without Virdel¡¯s abilities. Is there any way out?¡±
¡°For a Spirit Summoner like myself, and Perpe, a physicalbatant, no¡¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
¡°This¡¡±
The Kaiju within the barrier were in disarray due to the sudden change. But this massive army of Kaiju, easily numbering over 10,000, was bound to eventually charge at them.
The three of them could somehow handle even 10,000 Kaiju, if they fought to the end. However¡
¡°We do not have much time. The barrier is shrinking.¡±
The barrier was contracting rapidly. They likely would not even have space to move before finishing off the Kaiju.
PZZZT-
¡°I mean, what are we supposed to do?!¡±
¡°We can only wait for Virdel.¡±
¡°¡Isn¡¯t she in the middle of training right now?¡±
¡°Then¡ We are done for.¡±
¡°Waaa? Perpe is going to die?¡±
In truth, even Yongyong was flustered. If it came to a physical fight, he could unleash the countless new weapons attached to his body and retaliate with fire, but this kind of trap was his weakness.
¡°Aren¡¯t you a dragon? Can¡¯t you do something with magic?¡±
¡°¡I am trying, but¡¡±
His efforts were not doing much good.
¡°Is this to be our resting ce?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t go jinxing us! I still have so many enhancements to get done. As if I¡¯m gonna die here!¡±
¡°You are addicted at this point¡¡±
¡°Perpe¡¯s going to die?¡±
Barron stroked Perpe¡¯s head as she whimpered, racking his brains for a solution.
Communications were down and¡
¡°Ah! Yes, don¡¯t we have the Community?¡±
¡°The stream got cut off too. It must be the barrier¡¯s doing.¡±
¡°Gah.¡±
¡°Like rats in a trap, huh.¡±
They had to swallow their anxiety as the barrier continued to tighten around them.
¡°For now, we hold out in the center of the barrier. Find a way out in the meantime!¡±
RUMBLE-
The barrier obscured the outside world, appearing as if coated in colorful oil. What¡¯s worse¡
-SKREEEE!
From among the Kaiju, a creature they had never seen before screeched and began to control the Kaiju.
¡°Is that their leader?¡±
¡°Be careful¡ I sense an unusual energy from it.¡±
¡°Perpe is scared¡¡±
Meanwhile, as these three faced an unexpected crisis¡
?looks like they¡¯re fcked? lmao
?did u bros see the look on Yongyong when the stream cut off lol
?Hey, shouldn¡¯t we tell somebody about this?
?I¡¯m sure they sent a message.
?bruh even the stream¡¯s done so how will they transmit shit?
?ig?
?AY TURN ON THE STREM! WHO SPILLED RICE CAKE ON DA SERVER!!
?hurry up and show us Perpe!!
?dis goon LOL
?what we supposed to do till then?
?imma shit post
?Who aside from Yongyong streams?
?no1
?the other guys dont rlly stream World that much
?That Versya guy is no fun. He¡¯s just training right now.
?YO FULL METAL wARDRAGON! WHEN YOU BAK! THINGS WERE GETTING GOOD!! HNNG PERPECHAN!!
?We have to solve this.
?What? How?
?We have to make our voices heard. (Seriousface)
??
?how?
?how u think bro
?ofc we do it our way. IDC bros! gimme yo strength!
?fr?
?LEZ GOOOO!!
?SPAM INFINITE GILF UNTIL A BLUADGE SOLVES THIS!!
?YEEEEEET!
?HNGNHNGNHNG!
?HUEHUE
?Open the door, owner!!
?STANS GOING WILD
?GILF TIME!
?Myrades. Even if you are blocked, I alone will remember you! So spam with all your might!
¡the Community was rallying in a strange manner.
Chapter 118: Trap (2)
All people know how strong mob mentality can be. We have all experienced, at least once, getting caught up in the flow and shouting for something we did not even care about.
Once the excitement starts, whether for fun or just out of boredom, the crowd enjoys the chaos.
The Community was especially prone to this.
[LEZGOO]
[elf noona in the nude.jpg]
[Upvote if she¡¯s ur ideal type]
[look a cute doggy]
¡
[Comparative Analysis of Holy Swords by Race.]
[Orc Bros Secret Love Affair.avi]¡
All kinds of disgusting shitposts flooded the forums, mixed with rampant bait posts. Even threads with seemingly normal titles led to horrific images, enraging users and sparking retaliatory cursed images that created new victims.
It was chaos on top of chaos!
Naturally, anyone logged into the Community caught on to the madness quickly.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Subus Queen Selena, worn out from her exhausting research. Keisha Winsler, struggling to solve the fortress¡¯ various internal problems. Virdel, suffering through Maxien¡¯s brutal training.
Even those who were not as prominent as these users could easily grasp what was happening.
It was only a matter of time before the Community¡¯s mischief reached someone.
¡°Carry on. I¡¯ll be heading out for a bit.¡±
¡°¡Yes, I understand.¡±
With a gust of wind, the unknown speaker disappeared.
***KABOOM-
The dragon¡¯s massive body was thrown back.
¡°Ugh! What kind of monster is this?!¡±
¡°Only someone like you could have endured that! Be careful!¡±
¡°Humph!¡±
CLICK-
Yongyong¡¯s chest opened, revealing a particle elerator.
¡°Go to hell!¡±
FLASH-
Twin beams of light, containing power that rivaled his Dragon Breath, shot from Yongyong¡¯s chest towards the enemy.
PZZZT-
It was a particle weapon he had kept off the livestream due to its embarrassing design.
-SKREEEEGH!
A 10-meter-tall giant figure, d in red metal, was momentarily held at bay by the beam attack.
The creature was a Kaiju with two heads, four arms, and two legs.
-SKREEEEGH!
The attack had barely halted its advance, but it had not dealt a significant blow.
¡°Grr. Is it a Tank-type?¡±
Despite this, the twin beams were undeniably effective. The Kaiju had shrugged off all previous bombardments with ease.
¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out!¡±
The Kaiju advanced a step at Yongyong¡¯s provocation but was immediately pushed back, unable to close the distance.
¡°Hahaha.¡±
Yongyongughed casually, but the reality was different.
This is no ordinary Kaiju.
It was fundamentally different from the countless Kaiju he had in before.
BANG-
The Kaiju¡¯s figure suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind him.
¡°Holy shit! It¡¯s got speed too?¡±
Even with over 1 million battle power, Yongyong was struggling. What kind of Kaiju was this?!
Is this the kind of foe Oradge always faced?
BOOOM!
¡°Gaagh!¡±
Yongyong was thrown back but swiftly straightened himself and soared into the air.
RUMBLE-
The ground where Yongyong had stood caved in. The red creature emerged from the smoke, undaunted.
¡°Goddamn!¡±
Yongyong¡¯s eyes filled with indignation.
¡°I wanted to be DPS! Not a tank!!¡±
¡°Hang in there a little longer, Yongyong! You are the only one who can handle it.¡±
¡°Blow up everything! Blow it all!¡±
Spirit Summoner Barron was fending off a swarm of lesser Kaiju with his Fusion Cannon, merged with Spirit Kings, while Perpe whirled her greatsword furiously in the middle of the Kaiju army, sting away all the mid-level Kaiju.
¡°Aaaaargh!¡±
BOOM-
Thanks to his Steruim-coated skeleton, Yongyong managed to block the red Kaiju¡¯s attacks¡ though he was already left looking like a total wreck!
Of course, despite his focus on the monstrous red creature, Yongyong did not stop bombarding the Kaiju army with his long-range weapons.
PZZT- BOOM- BOOM-
Kaiju after Kaiju turned to ash following his bombardment.
His attack definitely packed a punch, but that was not important.
¡°What of the barrier?¡±
¡°I¡¯m already at my limit just handling this guy!¡±
¡°Perpe seems to have lost her head¡ I will take the red one! You analyze the barrier!¡±
¡°Forget it! Lord Full Metal War Dragon is gonna handle it somehow.¡±
Don¡¯t underestimate us dragons!
Yongyong endured the red Kaiju¡¯s attacks, bombarded the Kaiju army, and investigated the barrier with magic¡ªall at the same time
¡°Ugh!¡±
His decision was rooted in his recent research on dimensional magic, just before arriving in World.
If Barron faced this guy now, he¡¯d be sliced in half instantly.
Not to mention, the Kaiju standing before him was no ordinary opponent.
¡°Damn it!!!¡±
***[Haha. It serves them right.]
[How good of them to fight in our stead.]
[However, I am surprised. I did not think they could fight a Transcendent Entity without a Sacred Relic.]
[None of them are ordinary.]
The Sephiroth n observed Yongyong, Barron, and Perpe inside the barrier.
[What kind of technology is that? Magitek?]
[I have never heard of fusing spirits and machines.]
[A metal dragon¡ I¡¯ve never seen such a species before. How tempting.]
[They cannot be underestimated.]
[Pah! They are still nothing before our Sacred Relics.]
[True. No matter how they struggle, it is hopeless for them.]
[In any case, Transcendent Entities have begun to emerge, unlike before.]
[It means this world is equally tempting to those of Chaos.]
[Hmm¡]
[Still, I will make a full report. Their strength far surpasses our expectations.]
[Perhaps¡ we should reconsider the Sky Ship operation that is underway.]
[Bah¡]
The Sephiroth n members woreplicated expressions as they watched the ongoing battle. The beings they had always considered inferior and insignificant were actually holding their own against a Transcendent Entity, a foe that even the Sephiroth would struggle with.
But as the atmosphere grew heavier¡
¡°It¡¯s great that there are so many. This ought to make Karlstein happy. Hmm. What should I ask for as a reward?¡±
[Huh?]
[What are you saying¡?]
[Wha?!]
The Sephiroth n members were astonished to find an unknown woman in their midst, as if she had always been present.
¡°What¡¯s this? How do you use it? Is it connected to that?¡±
The woman was observing a glowing orb floating in the air.
[Th-that¡¯s!]
[Why is that there?]
[Uhh?]
[Who are you, woman?!]
[Put that down at once!]
The Sephiroth reacted violently.
¡°Mm¡ I should bring this back too.¡±
The woman cast a sweeping gaze, tossing the glowing orb up and down.
¡°Yup. Looks like I won¡¯t have enough collection boxes.¡±
[C-collection boxes?]
[What are you babbling about?]
[Put that down this instant or¡ª!]
Her cold, indifferent gaze bore down on the Sephiroth n members like a human inspecting insects. A chill ran down their spines.
¡°Didn¡¯t you mention they were a problem? That¡¯s why we had them specially made, of course. This is ourtest research breakthrough, and I needed samples.¡±
The starlight-haired woman smiled for the first time¡ªright before they all lost consciousness.
¡°Hmm. Now, what are those guys doing over there?¡±
***¡°Barron! Hold off the red Kaiju for a bit! I think I¡¯ve found some kind of opening!¡±
¡°Very well, leave it to me! I will slow it somehow.¡±
¡°O-on second thought! Lead it towards Perpe! She should be able to handle it for a while!¡±
¡°¡Never did I imagine learning the taste of weakness in this world. Very well. Trust me.¡±
Yongyong began charging Ether Breath in his mouth.
¡°Get lost, you pain in the ass!¡±
FWWRRRR-
He could not deal a major blow due to the short charging time, but it had instant effect in pushing the red Kaiju back. Even if it could withstand a full charge, it could not stop being pushed back.
Damn, I never thought I¡¯d be using Ether Breath just to knock something back.
Yongyong was struck by both dismay and incredulity at how this world was turning out.
But regardless!
Taking advantage of the brief reprieve, Yongyong pressed his tail against the barrier and hastened to analyze it. His tail split into four analyzing devices that worked frantically to break down the barrier.
All kinds of figures and magic forms appeared in his vision.
¡°All barriers are made up of ports, rooms, and firewalls!¡±
He had sensed a weak point during the earlier battle, though it had onlysted a moment.
¡°Hahaha. A barrier like this is nothing to yours truly!¡±
But as he worked on analyzing and dismantling the barrier, his eyes closed in concentration¡
¡°Huh?¡±
¡Why does it feel like it¡¯s being disabled by itself? No. It¡¯s not being disabled¡ it¡¯s just being destro¡ªAh? Something¡ something is¡? Eh?
The outer barrier had seemed incredibly dense, yet Yongyong sensed something was shredding through it like paper.
He leaped back, his alloy scales bristling with rm.
¡°Shit! Goddamn! What is it this time?!¡±
Yongyong activated the Ether Engine in his wings, generated a force field, and used it to rapidly propel himself far.
I need to get away!
¡°Barron!! Perpe!!¡±
Catching on to the situation, Barron used the Ether Wave Device Yongyong had given him to wake Perpe up and carried her in his arms.
¡°Yoong-yooong¡ª!¡±
Barron reached out, feeling time stretch in that brief moment.
¡°RUUUUNN!!!¡±
Yongyong grabbed Barron and Perpe, deployed dozens of shields around them, and curled up.
The red Kaiju lunged towards them, but now was not the time to worry about that.
¡°Get down!!!¡±
Following Yongyong¡¯s urgent cry¡ª
KRRRK-
¡
KRRK-
ck and white reversed. Utter silence fell over the area, consuming all sound.
!!
THUMP-
KRRK-
All Yongyong could feel was the sensation of something breaking.
AAAH! I¡¯m losing it! Th-this feeling!
He recognized this feeling¡ªit had urred once before. Though less intense this time¡ Yongyong was certain it was simr to the time Oradge got serious.
AHHHH!
Space itself tore apart.
KRRK-
Yongyong¡¯s senses twisted as dimension warped around him.
Yes, he remembered this awful sensation of his very senses being crushed, even though he was untouched.
Secondster¡
¡°!!¡±
¡°GAAH!¡±
¡°Ahhh!¡±
¡°A-are you all right?¡±
Yongyong was blown back by a tremendous aftershock.
The external strike had obliterated everything within the barrier, leaving a wastnd and slicing through something.
¡°Koff!¡±
Yongyong rxed upon confirming that the other two were safe in his arms.
F-fuck!
Even in Full Metal Wardragon form, he could not help but curse from the pain.
I got off light thanks to dodging a direct hit¡ No, it¡¯s because we were never the actual target¡
A starlight-haired woman emerged from the breach in the barrier.
It-it¡¯s her!
Yongyong knew her. How could he not?
¡°M-Maxien Asteria.¡±
¡°Mmm?¡±
She was the entity who had proven to be the strongest right after entering World.
Yongyong¡¯s tail instinctively curled inwards at her gaze.
Th-this is what 12 million battle power feels like?
And at that moment.
BUZZ-
?huh? it connected
?woh! our efforts paid off!
?self-congrattions!!
?MAKE SUM NOISE BOYS!!!!
?HAHAHAHA! I KNEW BEING LOUD WAS THE WAY!
?O! who da prettydy?
?she sexy yeh
?her suit is fking sexy
?Woah.
?But what¡¯s happening right now?
?Yongyong, introduce me thedy will ya?
?yoo. who is that pretty big sis?
?wow, y she feel so erotic even wen she all covered up?
?Less is more. All hail suits.
?Yongyong¡¯s cob streamer?
Oh hell these crazy bastards.
¡
Stop. I¡¯m about to lose it.
?ask wut shampoo she use bruh she got STARLIGHT
?Yongyong! What are you doing! Listen to ur big broz!
?You have to ask her name first.
?i alr named my grandkiddies with her hehe
?can i meet her if i go to World?
These lunatics¡
Yongyong continued to feel his sanity slipping.
Chapter 119: Opening (1)
The battle ended the moment the starlight-haired woman appeared. With a few flicks of her wrist, eight swords of light cut through the air, slicing all the small fry in two.
The red Kaiju had long been a corpse from her initial strike.
Unbelievable¡ She really lives up to the battle power of 12 million!
¡°Hmm.¡±
As her gaze fell upon him, Yongyong instinctively trembled like a frog before a snake.
Oh, so this is what humans feel, trembling in the face of Dragon Fear.
A new perspective was forced on Yongyong.
¡°T-twelve million battle power¡ lets you wield that kind of strike?¡±
He blurted out the question without realizing it.
Ambition for growth. He naturally possessed this desire like any other. He did not crave enhancement procedures for no reason.¡°Huh? Twelve million? Ahh¡ I presume you¡¯re talking aboutbat power in the training ground?¡±
¡°¡Yes!¡±
Yongyong had prided himself on knowing his battle power down to the exact decimal. But somehow¡ seeing her made him feel like a frog in a well.
¡°Hmm? Combat power there is¡ no more than numbers¡ but if I had to measure, I¡¯d guess mine would be around 30 million.¡±
¡°Th-thirty million?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Eek!¡±
Perpe squealed from the side.
Yeah. That¡¯s the normal reaction.
Maxien was the odd one to so casually speak of power in the tens of millions.
¡°This Avatar sure is good though. I heard it was enhanced with some kind of Sacred Relic they obtained. It does seem to withstand my power a little¡¡±
Fuck! Right, she wasn¡¯t even in her real body. And she said it only withstands her powera little. That must mean even her current body can¡¯t handle her original power¡ Then what she just showed¡ Oh. ?
Yongyong stopped thinking at that point.
Yep, she¡¯s from another dimension. No need topare and get depressed.
But just as he reached this small resolution¡
¡°By the way. Aren¡¯t you too weak?¡±
BWAAH! Please don¡¯t be so mean, looking at me with such eyes!
Yongyong was instantly defeated!
¡°Well¡ maybe I should say you held up well against a Quadra Number?¡±
Quadra? Huh? Does she mean the red Kaiju? It sure was strong. A Quadra¡ that¡¯s got a nice ring to it. Maybe it was super powerful? Then maybe I¡¯m allowed to have just a bit of my pride bac¡ª
¡°It¡¯s the lowest of the Numbered Entities, but it¡¯s still a Named one.¡±
¡The lowest? Wha? Uh, what the hell is wrong with the monsters in that neighborhood¡?
Yongyong felt he was close to achieving Nirvana.
Hoo. Calm down, me.
¡°¡Can I be like you, noonim?¡±
¡°You¡¯d need to learn how to use your own body properly first.¡±
¡°What? You mean learn Body Techniques?¡±
Yongyong assumed she saw potential in his nice metallic body, but that was not the case.
¡°You have Ether weapons equipped, by the looks of it¡ and an Ether Engine, right? My meaning is that you¡¯re failing to use them properly.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Wha, does this mean I can evolve beyond Full Metal Wardragon?!
¡°Noonim! Please train me alongside Virdel noonim!¡±
At that moment.
Ssss-
¡°EEK!¡±
Yongyong¡¯s scales quivered under Maxien¡¯s overwhelming aura.
¡°Hmm. Are you prepared? If you¡¯re half-hearted, better forget it.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Her freezing aura made his knees buckle.
But if it¡¯s to be stronger!
¡°¡Yes! I can do it!¡±
Yongyong cried out with determination. However¡
¡°But I don¡¯t want to. The talentless are quick to give up. Imbeciles who can only produce mediocrity even with good equipment¡¡±
¡BWAAAH!!
As a dragon once hailed as a prodigy, Yongyong never imagined hearing such a brutal evaluation. His tears would not stop.
¡°Please help me! I¡¡±
¡°You?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Karlstein hyungnim¡¯s porter!¡±
¡°H-huh?¡±
Maxien, who had been barely paying attention, changed her attitude at his exmation.
¡°Care to borate?¡±
¡°I need to grow stronger to serve Karlstein hyungnim!¡±
It seemed his sincerity reached her.
¡°¡I¡¯ll think about it. But you¡¯ll need to be ready.¡±
¡°Yesss!¡±
I don¡¯t get it, but I guess I got approval! Y-yeah!
Ding-
?look at how dat dragons being treated
?I bet he wouldn¡¯t have had a chance if not for being a porter.
?where¡¯d all his honor and pride as a dragon go?
?rlly Yongyong? Who dis noonim for u to be so humble?
?tsktsk. safe to say he¡¯s singlehandedly bringing shame to dragonkind.
?this is the moment where you speak out liek a man yongyong! Tell her u¡¯ll educate her at night! go on shout!
?So can we meet this noonim if we go to World?
Are these crazies serious? If you¡¯re gonna suicide, do it alone.
Yongyong hastily exited the Community, just in case something happened.
Fortunately, when he checked Maxien¡¯s expression, it seemed like she was not watching the livestream. Otherwise¡ it would have been an utter catastrophe.
Yep, I should delete the rey too.
¡°I will! Do my best! To serve Karlstein hyungnim!¡±
¡°Hmm. I won¡¯t forget those words.¡±
He felt a chill at her remark, but it seemed he had safely cleared the hurdle.
¡°By the way¡ you.¡±
Maxien pointed at the small girl beside them.
¡°Yeek?!¡±
Perpe, usually dazed and unsteady in her normal mode, hid behind Barron in fright.
¡°¡¡±
Barron broke out in cold sweat, forced to meet Maxien¡¯s gaze.
Her gaze is¡ strangely daunting¡
Her eyes were like a predator¡¯s, sharp enough to make him feel as if he were being cut all over.
Barron subtly moved aside, pushing Perpe in front.
¡°Wuhhh!¡±
The girl teared up, but Maxien smiled at her.
¡°You¡ are a bit special. Interesting.¡±
Perpe trembled furiously.
¡°Mm. I definitely want to research you.¡±
Barron slightly regretted his actions upon hearing that.
Surely she doesn¡¯t mean dissection or experimentation?
Fortunately, it did not seem like that was her intention.
¡°First, let¡¯s fix that awful habit of losing your mind during battles and¡ Hmm.¡±
Her sharp gaze, like a researcher studying a subject on the operating table, scanned the trembling little girl.
¡°You¡¯re a Milo-type. It¡¯s rare to have such ridiculously high stamina, and decent attack power too¡¡±
Maxien trailed off, muttering to herself.
Milo? Who is that? I mean in the first ce, does Oradge have only such monstrous individuals forpanions?
While Oradge radiated intense pressure, this woman was different. Her aura felt like raw power. Though not as overwhelming as Oradge¡¯s, it carried an uncontroble edge that made it all the more chilling.
¡°Hmm¡ I¡¯m d to see so many useful children.¡±
Ah. We may im to be the strongest in our worlds, but to her, I suppose we are just useful kids.
Despite his battle power of 220,000, Barron could only cry inside.
***¡°Maxien did what?¡±
Karlstein shook his head, reading a recent report.
-Just you and me in World, huh.
-What are you saying, Maxien? There are so many people here.
The first thing she did upon entering World was to spout some nonsense, which seemed to lift her mood slightly.
Karlstein did not mind¡ªhe was used to her asional strange remarks. In any case, it was not bad news to hear she had decided to train Yongyong and Perpe, alongside Virdel. Especially considering that the Sephiroth were their enemies.
¡°Sacred Relics¡ Sky Ship¡¡±
The Sephiroth mysteriously possessed many abilities extremely useful and desirable.
With Selena and Keisha Winsler, research was progressing. They had taken an Avatar supplied by the Gctic Empire,bining it with Silver Liquid and a Sacred Relic.
¡°In any case, Maxien seems fine.¡±
But the new Avatar was not sufficient for his use.
How do I put it¡ a careless touch will throw off its bnce.
Karlstein had already learned that the hard way, after ruining two Avatars.
¡°Anyway.¡±
Thanks to ongoing research, his n could move forward.
¡°World Grand Opening!¡±
The base of the Sephiroth and Kaiju forces had already been identified. Karlstein discovered that they, like him, were reinforcing their forces through dimensional connections somehow.
¡°Haha.¡±
What a lucky treasure trove! Automatically replenishing resources!
The Silver Liquid buried in World was tempting, but the Gctic Empire also had a considerable desire for Kaiju corpses and the Sephiroth n.
At present, the Gctic Empire was mining enormous amounts of the Silver Liquid, which was simr to the Sephiroth¡¯s Silver Blood, from World. Their mining speed was iparably faster than that of the Kaiju and Sephiroth.
It¡¯s probably a technological difference.
In this situation, rather than making the extermination of the enemies a strategic goal, what if they carried out a hunt leisurely, collected their corpses, and even aimed to obtain Karma Points?
And if they fully opened World to automate everything?
¡°Now that¡¯s hot.¡±
Karlstein did wonder if he was being too greedy, but he would be hitting three birds with one stone. Four birds, actually, if he considered the usefulness of Community users in the future.
Before, he had been unsure how to handle the Kaiju and Sephiroth minions. However¡
¡°Virdel¡¯s Avatar experiment is too sessful.¡±
If they could summon the heroes of the Gctic Empire, they could respond to emergencies as needed.
Still, Karlstein preferred using the Community users. The heroes of the Gctic Empire did not have all the time in the world and could not be deployed indiscriminately.
¡°But we need to make a selection first.¡±
A full-scale opening of World was still too much. He nned to gradually expand the membership through applications.
Depending on the user, World could be an extremely dangerous battlefield, where they could end up massacred. He needed to choose carefully.
Flip-
¡°Heheh. It¡¯s popr, fortunately.¡±
Karlstein did not know why, but ever since Maxien rescued Yongyong and the others, applications for World had skyrocketed.
Flip- Flip-
Guess it¡¯s time to mine for gems.
Karlstein carefully reviewed the users¡¯ applications.
Considering Perpe¡¯s case, I can¡¯t be careless.
Perpe had recently been selected in the second recruitment. Due to being inactive in the Community and seeming rather dull headed, she was almost rejected, but luckily made it.
The oue, however, was unexpected¡ªthe girl was actually ranked third in battle power.
Mm. With just a few more like Perpe, my n will go smoothly.
The goal was to sift through the raw stones for gems.
¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s here¡¡±
And of course, Karlstein permanently banned the morons who put pictures of Orc wieners in their applications.
¡°Fuck¡¡±
¡Frankly, Karlstein thought everyone could perform at least average, except for those nutjobs.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 120: Opening (2)
[You passed.]
Hashimoto Kenji¡¯s heart swelled at those two clear words.
¡°REEEEEEE!¡±
Of course I, of all people, would be chosen! I¡¯mtheman who reincarnated into an Otherworld, slew athousandyokai, and saved the world.
Hashimoto Kenjiro is heading out!
¡°Ahh, is the world calling for me?¡±
My katana Muramasa, sleeping quietly in its sheath, thirsts for blood!
¡°Keheheh.¡±
Hold on, because here Ie. My target is DevilKingVirdel! No one else.
¡°I can¡¯t forget that humiliation.¡±He was 2nd ce in the Official Debate Ranking, and his talent was unconceble even within the Community.
Yet how did this happen? How could the unofficial 2nd ranker get more attention than he, the man who fought thousands of Debates?
What kind of injustice is this?! In what way am I, Hashimoto Kenjiro,cking?! Surely this must be fabricated!
Naturally, official rankings required meeting variousplex conditions including a certain number of formal Debate matches.
In any case¡
¡°I cannot ept this.¡±
It¡¯s impossible for Hashimoto Kenjiro to lose to anyone!
1st ce is an exception by the way. That¡¯s not human after all!
As Hashimoto Kenjiro honed his sword, pacifying his swelling emotions¡
Tzzzzt-
He sensed an alien sound and presence from behind.
Is it an ambush? Assassination? Either way, you can¡¯t escape the great Kenjiro¡¯s senses!
Hashimoto Kenjiro instantly drew his sword and swung it behind him.
¡°Swift Style: Sovereign! Heaven! Sundering! Sword!¡±
As always, his de¡¯s rippling motion was too fast to be seen as it surged toward the unknown intruder.
However¡
Ting-
¡°Huh?¡±
The intruder, a woman, easily deflected his attack with a flick of her finger.
¡°Hashimoto Kenjiro.¡±
¡°Is this an ambush? Assassination? Who are you! Reveal yourself! I won¡¯t fall for any sorcery!¡±
¡°Is this one mad? He instructed me to weed out the lunatics¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
Something about her was familiar.
¡Ah! I get it now. My eternal nemesis, fated rival, and Oradge¡¯s maid¡ªyou¡¯re BluadgeDevilKingVirdel!
¡°So you¡¯vee to escort me¡ª¡°
¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll just skip this one¡¡±
¡°?!¡±
The woman crossed something out on paper with a red pen.
Something doesn¡¯t feel right!
¡°Haha! I can¡¯t be left out of Oradge¡¯s summons! Of course I¡¯ll ept!¡±
¡°¡And he¡¯s arrogant too¡¡±
¡°W-wait!¡±
¡°Do you have something to say?¡±
Her indifferent response left him speechless.
Even from a pretty face, such a cold gaze hurts¡!
¡°Th-that¡! A samurai never backs down¡ª¡°
The woman shook her head.
¡°What a waste of time.¡±
Seeing her about to disappear through a door of light, Kenjiro grew urgent.
¡°A true man knows when to retreat as well.¡±
¡°?¡±
¡°P-please!¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you missing a word?¡±
¡°Agh..! Please, ma¡¯am!¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The woman held her chin, pondering, leaving Hashimoto Kenjiro on tenterhooks.
Fortunately for him, she nodded.
¡°Weeding out the weak is my main job anyway.¡±
¡°Heheh, so you recognized my strength after all?¡±
¡°Haah¡¡±
¡°Agh! That was a joke!¡±
¡°Anyway, I assume you know the precautions?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡Your life is your own to guard. Disobeying the Gctic Empire means immediate execution, not discharge. Also, you are to actively cooperate when the Empire expands hereter. That¡¯s all.¡±
Right. I can endure a moment of humiliation.
¡°I agree!¡±
¡°Follow me.¡±
Hashimoto Kenjiro followed her through the door of light.
Ugh!
Wooong-
With a dizzying sensation, the surroundings changed instantly.
¡°!!¡±
¡°Follow that guy.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Really? Hashimoto Kenjiro,thesavior who slew athousandyokai came in person, yet you won¡¯t guide me yourself¡ª
¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Versya.¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Lady Virdel!¡±
Immediately after, Virdel opened another light door and disappeared.
Versya, a man in full armor, called out to the dumbfounded Kenjiro.
¡°Your name is¡ Hashimoto?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Thwack-
¡°Agh!¡±
Kenjiro was abruptly kicked in the shin.
¡°Pay attention, unless you want to die.¡±
¡°Ugh!¡±
What humiliation is this! Why, why does it hurt so much? And I didn¡¯t even realize I was hit until after.
¡°Come.¡±
¡°Very well¡¡±
¡°You seem somewhat normal, so I¡¯ll let your attitude slide at least.¡±
¡°¡¡±
What is he even on about?
¡°There¡¯s a lot to remember, so stay alert and follow me.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Yes, it¡¯s because your armor is¡ ahem, cool. That¡¯s why I¡¯m letting you off!
At that moment, the fully armored knight turned and stared intently.
S-surely he can¡¯t read minds?
Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem so.
¡°Wee to World, rookie!¡±
¡°Rrgh¡!¡±
After going through that initiation of sorts, Kenjiro thought he could finally rx. However¡
¡°What?! Recovery capsules? S-space battleships?!¡±
Kenjiro gasped in awe at the sights that unfolded.
¡°What race is that?! ¡I must have that design¡! It suits me, the Hashimoto Kenjiro too¡ª¡°
Thwack-
¡°Gargh!¡±
¡°Shut up.¡±
There were so many surprises that it felt like his soul was slipping away.
Above all else¡
¡°Haha, is this a neer?¡±
¡°Rookie! I wee you!¡±
¡°Noisy one, isn¡¯t he.¡±
¡°Now, now. Let us wee him.¡±
¡°You¡¯re too easygoing, Barron.¡±
Many had arrived before Kenjiro, and most of them were training on the grounds.
¡°Versya! We should at least know the recruit¡¯s specialty and battle power!¡±
¡°Naturally, I was nning to, Mephir.¡±
The Community users started gathering in the central sparring arena.
Hmph! I¡¯m the official 2nd ce in Debates!
¡°Versya, who will be his opponent?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already decided. Averico!¡±
¡°Yes. I will do it.¡±
Crack- Crack-
A werewolf Beastkin stretched as he climbed onto the arena, letting out a heavy breath.
Kenjiro went quiet. He was unsure what the scoreboard in the training grounds meant exactly, but he had a general idea of it. They were basically telling him to face off against the lowest ranked member.
Rrgh! Is this hazing? Topare me with someone with a mere(?) 12,000 battle power! What humiliation!
But it would be inelegant to make a fuss here.
¡°¡Fine. Let us start then!¡±
I¡¯ll make an example of you. Show you the strike oftheman who slew athousandyokai.
¡°Begin.¡±
As soon as Versya gave the signal¡
¡°Chaotic Heaven Moongod Striiiike¡ªGUEGH!¡±
Kenjiro copsed with intense pain.
H-huh? What just happened?
When he hastily looked up, Averico was grinning. Leisurely at that.
¡°Your movements aren¡¯t bad? Certainly better than mine. Looks like you tried to counter in the moment. Though well¡ you¡¯re weak right now.¡±
¡°¡?¡±
Unable to believe the result, Kenjiro challenged Averico several more times.
This must be sorcery!
But nothing changed.
¡°Gah!¡±
¡°Guehk!¡±
¡°Ack!¡±
¡°Urgh!¡±
It was a total defeat.
Ah. How is this possible? Hontou ni?
Kenjiro found himself thinking of home without realizing.
I think I¡¯vee to the wrong ce.
He had imagined ying big fish in a small pond, but the reality was being a bottom-rung private.
Rrgh.
Still, everything else was not as shocking as meeting those two.
Fear rose from deep within his subconscious before their overwhelming aura and gaze. Powerful was the word.
Hell¡ are they even human?
Their majestic presence could reduce the Y¨kai King Orochi to nothing but a mere lizard inparison.
¡°Mm? What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The man called Oradge, and the woman called Maxien.
How vast the world is! I still have far to go! Even so, Hashimoto Kenjiro shall not give up!Someday I will surpass them and stand proud at the top! That¡¯s why¡
¡°¡I have realized my shorings. I would like to go back and hone my skills before joining again. Please let me go.¡±
¡°Hahaha.¡±
Despite his request¡
-It¡¯s easye, but not easy go, my friend. (Fufu)
Oradge demolished Hashimoto Kenjiro with that singlement.
Waaah!
***¡°How is it?¡±
¡°Well. Honestly, no one stands out except Virdel and Perpe.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t your standard too high?¡±
¡°But it¡¯s the standard needed to properly handle the Named.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but still.¡±
Rustle-
Karlstein was handling paperwork while looking at holograms and reports.
¡°By the way, what¡¯s that? It looks unusual.¡±
¡°Hm? This?¡±
A tinum egg was floating above Karlstein¡¯s head.
¡°¡I¡¯m not sure either. I did steal it from Prohiden though.¡±
¡°¡Prohiden?¡±
Tangible killing intent rose around Maxien.
Oops.
Prohiden was practically her sworn enemy. He tried to calm her, but it was toote.
Shing-
Maxien had already drawn her sword and swung.
¡°You¡¯d keep something so suspicious near you?!¡±
¡°Ugh¡¡±
But Maxien only cut air, unable to strike the egg.
¡°¡It dodged?¡±
The tinum egg was suddenly floating far away. It had not even shown any signs of teleportation.
Swffp- Swffp-
Maxien swung her sword a few more times, but with the same result.
¡°Leave it be. For now, investigating it rather than destroying it might help resolve your grudge.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Karlstein noticed the surprise in Maxien¡¯s eyes, which he could understand. The tinum egg¡¯s teleportation ability was far from ordinary.
¡°¡It¡¯s a Single Number?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t say. But I do think that¡¯s jumping to conclusions.¡±
Teleportation itself might not be that special. Even across the universe, and among the Integrated Dimensional Community, teleportation itself was not particrly surprising.
But this egg was different. It teleported to one ce as if it had always belonged there.
¡°This¡ is definitely the power of those Reality Warpers.¡±
¡°Hmm. That¡¯s why I¡¯m investigating it.¡±
Karlstein tapped the egg with his pen.
¡°¡?¡±
¡°Maybe because I¡¯ve fed it lots of my Ether? Unlike others, I can touch it.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that all the more reason for you to have destroyed it?!¡±
¡°It¡¯s also a clue to tracking down Prohiden.¡±
¡°¡I see.¡±
¡°Maxien.¡±
¡°¡Mm?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll catch your archenemy no matter what, so trust and leave it to me.¡±
Maxien nodded quietly.
Prohiden had a history of destroying Ste, the home of Maxien¡¯s race, the Asterians.
It got awayst time, but Karlstein could not give up on Prohiden.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 121: Thats Enough Smurfing Now
Chapter 121: That''s Enough Smurfing Now¡°Anyway, take a look at this.¡±
¡°?¡±
¡°It¡¯s quite a lot of material.¡±
Karlstein transmitted some data to Maxien.
¡°¡¡±
After examining it for a while, she nodded.
¡°I¡¯ll need to investigate further, but it seems potentially effective.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°This is¡ rted to the Ether cultivation technique recently distributed?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve refined this one in particr to fit my true body.¡±¡°¡¡±
¡°Naturally, it¡¯s still far from perfect.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Maxien scrutinized it more closely before continuing.
¡°It definitely has theoretical potential.¡±
¡°Right?¡±
¡°But this¡¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°¡You¡¯re not thinking of hunting a Single Number, are you¡?¡±
¡°Hahaha. Well now¡¡±
Karlstein merelyughed meaningfully.
***Deep within me Metal Sect, the elderly sect leader sat with the elders, engaged in a critical discussion that would shape the sect¡¯s fate for millenia toe.
¡°Haah. How shall we address this situation?¡±
¡°Is there still no news?¡±
¡°Hard to say. Although we have news that the Great Sealing Formation was sessful¡¡±
A decade ago, urgent news had arrived from the Southern Continent. The capital of its cultivation world had been destroyed, reportedly by a rampaging individual suspected to be a True Immortal. High-level cultivators were dispatched to stop the culprit.
¡°Yes. There was no issue up to that point.¡±
¡°Indeed, Sect Leader.¡±
¡°The way things were going, not participating would have meant being ostracized from the cultivation world. Not to mention, the promised rewards were substantial.¡±
¡°Yet who could have foreseen this oue?¡±
Like other cultivation sects, me Metal Sect had sent most of its high-level cultivators to the frontlines. The promise of cultivation-elevating resources, just for joining, had enticed even the most senior cultivators. However, they couldn¡¯t have anticipated the consequences.
¡°While the Great Sealing Formation halted the crisis in the northern cultivation world¡¡±
¡°To think they only managed to seal it away instead of eliminating itpletely.¡±
The grim news had just arrived. Only two out of 1,380 volunteers had survived. Both were reportedly on their way back to the me Metal Sect, but one of them was in poor mental condition; their return would take longer.
¡°It¡¯s fortunate that at least Grandmaster Fang Yan survived, but¡¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be able to return?¡±
¡°Goodness. How shall we handle the uing Heavenly Tournament?¡±
¡°With our few remaining junior masters¡ we are shorthanded. Even now, they must interrupt their cultivation to work the front lines.¡±
¡°Haah¡ the future looks bleak.¡±
Sighs erupted, highlighting their scarcity of high-level cultivators.
¡°We will helplessly fall behind Daohong Valley¡¡±
¡°Those cunning rats. I heard they didn¡¯t participate in the bloodshed?¡±
¡°More urately, unlike us, they could not participate even if they wanted to¡¡±
¡°Now that things have turned out this way, we¡¯re the only ones who look foolish¡¡±
¡°Come now! Let us stop there. Saying more will only tarnish our sect¡¯s ancestral reputation.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
¡°Haah¡¡±
They deliberated at length but could not devise any clear solutions.
Meanwhile, elsewhere¡
¡°Am I barely at Core Formation Stage now?¡±
[You rascal! Why have you only just awakened! I thought you had died again!]
¡°Talk about impatient.¡±
[How could you sleep for a whole year without regaining consciousness!]
¡°Phew. Nice mountains, fresh air too.¡±
[Y-you¡!]
¡°J-Junior Brother. I mean, Lord Ga?¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. Call me like you used to when it¡¯s just us.¡±
¡°How can I¡¡±
[In any case, reaching Core Formation Stage during narcolepsy¡? Unbelievable¡]
¡°Hahaha.¡±
Someone¡¯sughter echoed through the air.
***Karlstein assessed himself.
¡°Auto-Cultivation really is the best. Hahaha!¡±
He had finally progressed through Qi Refining and Foundation Building to reach Core Formation Stage.
¡°Hmm. It¡¯s certainly different.¡±
He had achieved Core Formation solely through Auto-Cultivation. This stage could only be reached by condensing Spiritual Power within the body to form a core.
Simr to forming an Inner Core, Core Formation purified one¡¯s Spiritual Power. This was a necessary step before forming the ¡°infant¡± to enter the Nascent Soul Stage.
[Impossible. How could the heavens bestow such gifts upon one like him¡]
¡°My junior reached Core Formation in just 10 years¡? But even for someone with a Heavenly Spiritual Root¡¡±
It was indeed an unbelievable speed. In particr, the process of continuously condensing spiritual power within the body to form the final core typically took about 10 years¡ªhuman concentration is not infinite, so one cannot endlessly condense spiritual power into an Inner Core without rest.
However, the Auto-Cultivation Macro was different.
Once you set up the logic, it executes automatically.
Could it be any more convenient? The oue was equivalent to condensing spiritual power with full concentration without sleeping or resting.
¡°Hahaha.¡±
He was reaping the sweet fruits without enduring the process.
Truly sweet.
Of course, he did log in asionally to make minor adjustments. Thanks to that, he reached Core Formation Stage when he was about to fail.
Though I guess My Heavenly Spiritual Root talent must have yed a part in that.
Not just anyone could achieve these results by running a macro.
¡°Talent sure is the best. How thrilling! Always fresh!¡±
¡°¡¡±
[Deranged fool¡]
The efficacy of the elixirs and spiritual pills he consumed must have been significant as well.
Karlstein had sold items at the Plum Shadow Pavilion, and used all the spirit stones he earned to purchase cultivation resources.
¡°Now, shall I check if the factory¡¯s running well?¡±
The resources he acquired went into the spiritual pill factory he set up.
Thud- Fwhoosh- Thud-Thud- Pzzzt-
The pill factor, built a short distance from his cultivation residence, was still steadily producing pills.
All you need to do is follow the set method without any deviation.
Karlstein had extracted the alchemy techniques and refinement methods from the Puppet Demonic Warlord.
Perhaps because the Warlord¡¯s original cultivation stage was too high, there was no problem refining pills needed for a measly(?) Core Formation Stage.
¡°Good. It¡¯s running well.¡±
The wooden puppets, animated by Karlstein¡¯s puppet technique, ttered as they moved ording to set routines. But naturally, the factory equipment was the core of pill refinement.
¡°Heheheh.¡±
[Haah¡ Where is the world heading?]
¡°I still can¡¯t believe my eyes.¡±
The factory equipment worked at a fixed degree of mes, precise temperature, fixed pressure, and exact timing. All of thisbined produced a refinement sess rate of up to 98%.
¡°Heheh.¡±
Karlstein packed all the refined spiritual pills into his bag of holding before leaving the factory.
[All else aside, your spiritual power is ridiculously high as ever, even after reaching Core Formation Stage¡ my word.]
¡°Right?¡±
[It was close. You could have run out of Spiritual Power due to your absurd capacity. Tsk-tsk.]
¡°Well, I made it and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±
[Such a carefree brat.]
The cultivation ground where he practiced Auto-Cultivation, when he needed to feign narcolepsy(?) to log out, featured a vast silver pool ideal for this purpose. Its Spiritual Power absorption rate was twice as efficient as spirit stones¡ but now he could not use it anymore.
[Since you consumed almost all the Spiritual Power that had slowly umted and condensed over long years, what can be done about it?]
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
[Just what is your body made of? I have neither heard nor witnessed any other absorbing that much spiritual power at mere Core Formation Stage!]
¡°How would I know what you don¡¯t, old man?¡±
[Grgh!]
Karlstein¡¯s tremendous Spiritual Power was a secret that the Puppet Demonic Warlord could not decipher, even after thoroughly examining his body out of curiosity.
But Karlstein could guess.
It must be because of that.
The 17 explosions within his mindscape when he first unlocked his spiritual power.
Karlstein had been secretly disappointed that he only achieved a pitiful(?) result of 6th Stage Qi Refining despite his expectations, but now he understood.
I have spiritual power nearly 17 times that of an ordinary cultivator.
It was practically an unprecedented miracle that would never repeat itself again.
I must be a special case.
Even Karlstein, who knew little about Xianxia, could naturally understand this. This was a level of spiritual power that an ordinary cultivator could not withstand. His body absorbed spiritual power at a terrifying rate, like cotton absorbing water. Endlessly.
It was to the point that the Puppet Demonic Warlord had once expressed worry.
-It may not be a good thing!
-Huh? Why?
-Of course, having plenty of spiritual power is good. But with such arge vessel¡ I wonder if you can properly ascend to the next stage.
-¡.
Well, he had said something along those lines. In other words, it was extremely difficult for Karlstein to raise his cultivation stage, but its effectiveness was beyond imagination.
It went without saying that his answer to that worry was already decided.
¡°Isn¡¯t it too easy?¡±
As someone who had never encountered difficulties in cultivation, Karlstein found it hard to understand the Warlord¡¯s concern. He had proved him wrong, after all.
[¡.]
The Puppet Demonic Warlord was shot down.
¡°Junior Br¡ª I mean Gahwi. The me Metal Sect will probably be incredibly surprised when they find out.¡±
[¡Surprised would be an understatement. Reaching Core Formation Stage in slightly over 10 years of cultivation¡ this¡ this is¡ something that has never happened since time past and present.]
¡°Ohe on, it ain¡¯t such a big deal.¡±
Naturally, the sentiment was hard for Karlstein to empathize with.
[By the way, what is that behind you?]
¡°Huh?¡±
When Karlstein looked in the direction the Puppet Demonic Warlord was pointing, he found a floating oval-shaped egg.
¡°¡¡±
This thing followed me here? Well to be fair, I dide to this Xianxia world because of it. Guess it¡¯s not so strange, considering how it even followed me to World.
¡°Don¡¯t ask. I don¡¯t know either.¡±
[It seems familiar¡ but I cannot quite ce it.]
¡°What?! You know something about it?¡±
[I do not! Did I not say?! A significant portion of my unneeded memories were lost to seal my soul.]
¡°¡What a useless old man.¡±
[Say what? You son of a!#%!@$#%@#$^]
The wooden puppet hopped in rage.
¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go out now. We need to learn a little more about this world.¡±
[¡You speak as if you hail from apletely different world.]
¡°Didn¡¯t I say? I¡¯m the most powerful and supreme ruler of the cosmos.¡±
[I suppose I have no choice but to believe your nonsense now¡]
¡°Tsk-tsk.¡±
They chatted while leaving the Prohibition and arrived at their only trading partner, the Plum Shadow Pavilion.
¡°Huh? What¡¯s up with this ce? Did the Pavilion go bankrupt while I was gone?¡±
The exterior was run-down, unlike before, and there were fewer peopleing and going.
To top it off, there was an argument at the entrance.
-The Plum Shadow Pavilion remains strong! It¡¯s just that the current situation isn¡¯t good!
-Shut it! You couldn¡¯t even payst month¡¯s rent properly, how dare you talk back?
-This isn¡¯t what we agreed upon! The Pavilion has already paid a hundred years¡¯ worth of rent!
-I remember no such thing! Or what, are you suggesting I lied? Are you, a puny mortal, disbelieving the words of a cultivator?
-I am a Pavilion employee first and foremost, not just a mortal!
-Hmph! The Plum Shadow Pavilion has be nothing more than a crumbling stall. A mortal like you, wench, acting as branch manager says it all. Whatever, enough with this pointless argument. This is your onest warning. Back off, or I shall reduce you to ashes.
Karlstein saw a familiar girl blocking the entrance with her arms spread, and three cultivators with murderous intent standing in front of her.
¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Yuyu? She¡¯s be quite ady.¡±
Karlstein smiled, happy to see a face he knew. But things seemed to be going awry for her¡
¡°Ahh.¡±
He decided then¡ªthere was no need to bother keeping up the weakling act anymore.
:"
Chapter 122: Guest Reception (1)
Chapter 122: Guest Reception (1)¡°What¡¯s all thismotion!¡±
Karlstein strode over, his presence imposing and confident. How could he not be? At Core Formation Stage, one was allowed to strut a bit. Or at least that¡¯s what he was told.
Not to mention, his next Avatar was ready. Though not yet connected, it was prepared for intervention at any moment.
As Karlstein¡¯s initial arrival had been by chance, this Immortal Realm was unreachable through the Gctic Empire¡¯s power. But after relentless experimentation with the tinum-colored egg¡ªthe root of all trouble¡ªhe managed to force open an entry passage.
Uh huh. If one won¡¯t cut it, try two. If two don¡¯t work, go three.
With his ability to produce Avatars almost infinitely, death held no fear whatsoever. Recement Avatars always stood at the ready, running Auto-Cultivation macros as well.
¡°Heheh.¡±
But the three cultivators before Karlstein, turning around with murder in their eyes, could not possibly know that.
¡°¡¡±
¡°Were you just talking to us?¡±¡°Who the hell are you!¡±
Two handsome young men and one middle-aged man faced him. One youth exuded calm, the other vigor, while the older man frowned silently. Karlstein felt something vaguely familiar about them¡ but his interest was short-lived.
¡°Yuyu, long time no see! You¡¯ve grown up now, haven¡¯t you? Haha.¡±
Karlstein warmly greeted Yuyu, ignoring the men. It felt like seeing a neighborhood kid, all grown up. Rumor had it Yuyu had been managing the business well.
However, the hot-tempered cultivator among them was not about to stay quiet.
¡°You ignoring us right now?¡±
¡°Haah¡ It looks like you¡¯re from me Metal Sect, so just be on your way. We¡¯re not doing this for enjoyment either.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Huh? That one seems to be at Qi Refining Stage. Aren¡¯t you supposed to address Core Formation seniors as Grandmaster?
¡°Old man. Are theseds mad? Has the world changed? Why is an insignificant Qi Refining nobody talking back?¡±
[Lunatic. You are hiding your Spiritual Power!]
Oh, right.
The automatic macro simply worked too well. Even at this moment, it was circting all Spiritual Power within his body for cultivation, without wasting a single bit externally.
Realizing this, Karlstein offered a kind warning.
¡°Take my advice and just leave, while your hyung here is being nice.¡±
Yeah, Grandmaster sounds too old. Hyung should do.
Unfortunately, the threecked perception.
¡°¡!¡±
¡°Is he insane?¡±
¡°How arrogant. Where are you from?¡±
¡°¡Ah! S-Senior Brothers, I think I know who that guy is¡ª¡°
Yep. I actually knew they wouldn¡¯t listen.
Karlstein briefly paused the cultivation macro, releasing a tiny bit of Spiritual Power from his body.
Is this about right?
Whoosh¡ª
Immense spiritual pressure crashed over the surroundings.
¡°Guh!¡±
¡°Arrgh!¡±
¡°Gasp!¡°
Needless to say, Karlstein had to adjust his power to avoid harming Yuyu.
Meanwhile, the three cultivators went deathly pale, legs trembling.
¡°S-shit!¡±
¡°What¡ is this?¡±
¡°Urrk! S-Senior Brothers, we need to re-retreat¡ª¡°
Oh, that bald middle-aged man. We entered the me Metal Sect together¡ What was his name again?
I can¡¯t even remember.
¡°Get lost!¡±
Figuring words would not suffice, Karlstein manifested power with a slight gesture, levitating the three and tossing them onto the street.
Crash-
¡°Argh!¡±
¡°Gah!¡±
¡°Koff.¡±
That alone was enough to send them sprawling, groaning in pain.
Was that too much?
Karlstein had merely formed a hand of Spiritual Power to toss them. Surprisingly, their fragility(?) required very careful handling.
In any case, the three cultivators groaned, too frightened to even make proper eye contact.
¡°Haha. Well then, Yuyu. Let¡¯s go inside and talk. I have some questions, and we need to discuss business.¡±
¡°Master Cultivator!¡±
Yuyu seemed to remember him, likely due to the few times she guided him during his earlier cultivation.
¡°Cultivators are amazing! Your face hasn¡¯t changed at all! I worried when I didn¡¯t see you around these past few years.¡±
¡°I was busy cultivating.¡±
¡°Well please,e in! I was just waiting for you!¡±
¡°Shall we?¡±
As Karlstein entered the Plum Shadow Pavilion under Yuyu¡¯s warm wee, he deliberately grinned at the three cultivators outside.
Go on, bring some friends.
It was not exactly a good method, but he figured causing an incident would be the fastest way to meet the me Metal Sect¡¯s higher-ups.
¡°That bastard!¡±
¡°Calm down. He¡¯s stronger than us! I couldn¡¯t even gauge his realm.¡±
¡°S-Senior Brothers, that guy is from my generation of disciples.¡±
It seemed like they would handle the matter just as Karlstein intended.
***Karlstein got a quick rundown of the situation from Yuyu.
In the bloody incident ten years ago, the continent¡¯s most powerful gathered to seal away the culprit. However, the damage was so extensive it was hard to even estimate, causing aplete overhaul of the cultivation world.
¡°Plum Shadow Pavilion wentpletely bankrupt¡?¡±
¡°N-not bankrupt!¡±
Yuyu cried out, holding back tears.
¡°Haha.¡±
Many high-level cultivators from the Plum Shadow Pavilion had participated in the battle, with obvious consequences.
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re bankrupt alright.¡±
Yuyu whimpered pitifully.
The Pavilion barely maintained distribution. Compared to the past, they had fallen to the level of a neighborhood corner shop.
Originally, the me Metal Branch of Plum Shadow Pavilion had a hundred-year lease on this ce. But since it was no longer profitable, the me Metal Sect now viewed them as an eyesore upying prime location.
Impressively, Yuyu had fought through all that hardship as a mere mortal.
¡°As long as business with Master Gahwi didn¡¯t stop, I was determined to hang on somehow!¡±
¡°Well, well.¡±
Of course, Karlstein¡¯s sales did help the Plum Shadow Pavilion barely survive, but Yuyu¡¯s desire to repay his kindness yed arge part.
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°But even that hade to an end, so I wanted to see you¡¡±
¡°Why? To ask for help?¡±
¡°N-no! That¡¯s not it! However amazing you may be, Master Cultivator, you¡¯re alone. Of course I wasn¡¯t going to ask for such a favor.¡±
Yuyu had wished to exin their inability to continue doing business and apologize before ceasing operations.
¡°That¡¯s a problem.¡±
¡°I-is it?¡±
In the cultivation world, cultivation resources reigned supreme. Cultivators needed to personally gather all kinds of heavenly and earthly spirit materials¡ªfrom herbs to water, ores, fruits, and trees¡ªto advance their practice.
But for Karlstein, the majestic Emperor of the Cosmos, running around with sweaty feet would cramp his style.
¡°Mhm. A problem.¡±
Why should he bother with such menial tasks? It was only natural to seek a substitute.
Unlike the Immortal Realm¡¯s ideology of self-sufficiency, Karlstein believed in delegation¡ªentrust,mand, and distribute as needed. It was always best to leave work to the experts.
This was simply a matter of course for him.
Is it because they all aim for immortality? They don¡¯t know how to save time.
¡°Mm. Taking over Plum Shadow Pavilion wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea either.¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
To Yuyu, this statement came out of nowhere. Suddenly discussing a takeover of not just the branch, but the entire Plum Shadow Pavilion?
¡°W-what do you mean?¡±
¡°I was thinking of doing business more definitively anyway.¡±
¡°¡?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
A spirit tool factory, spirit pill factory, talisman factory. If we do a bit better, maybe even a cultivator factory¡?
As a man of SF, nothing was impossible as long as one did not ce value on the likes of handmade goods.
¡°Mmhm. That¡¯s right.¡±
Karlstein would expand his influence, investigate and research this world, all while following Proxitan¡¯s footsteps.
Naturally, he would milk every opportunity in the process! That was how he would conquer the entire Immortal Realm.
This was his current n.
¡°Heheh.¡±
Karlstein had already confirmed the chance of seeding, certain after seeing the three cultivators he had spared earlier fleeing on Sky Boards.
Technology is great.
The n would definitely work. It had to seed.
¡°Mmhm. Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s distribution line should be enough.¡±
¡°Huh? L-line?¡±
¡°Good. And it seems we have guests. Just in time too.¡±
Karlstein grinned as he sensed cultivators starting to gather through his spirit sense.
¡°Let¡¯s wee our guests!¡±
[I did know you were psychotic but this¡]
Yuyu was left bewildered, while Zhang Yihong shook her head.
***¡°¡You failed?¡±
¡°W-we are sorry!¡±
¡°To exin¡ he appeared to be a cultivator more skilled than us¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
The three cultivators bowed their heads like sinners before a middle-aged woman.
¡°Chetou. Why are you so quiet?¡±
¡°I¡¡±
The bald middle-aged man called Chetou scratched his head, looking troubled.
¡°The cultivator in question is a disciple of my generation¡ or so I believe.¡±
¡°Your generation¡?¡±
The woman facing them rubbed her chin, contemting a moment.
¡°Hmm¡ the one with the Heavenly Spiritual Root¡ was it?¡±
¡°Yes. Although I only heard the rumors¡¡±
¡°I vaguely recall him having some friction with Cultivator Fang, who¡¯s now at the Foundation Building Stage. But even so, this doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°He entered the sect ten years ago, so no matter how talented, he should be at Qi Refining Stage at most. Yet you ridiculously return like defeated dogs. Is this how I taught you all?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t I say this task was absolutely necessary for Daohong Valley¡¯s takeover?¡±
¡°W-well¡¡±
Their master, a Foundation Building Stage elder of the Treasury Pavilion, belonged to Daohong Valley¡¯s supporting faction.
Although Daohong Valley originallypeted with the me Metal Sect in spirit tool-making, they had now gained iparable power. The supporting faction argued that rather than pointlessly burn withpetition, they should acknowledge and ept this fact.
¡°Didn¡¯t I say there¡¯s no future for the me Metal Sect if we go against Daohong Valley? Their condition was to be immediately handed the me Metal Branch of Plum Shadow Pavilion. Didn¡¯t I tell you to resolve this by any means necessary?!¡±
The middle-aged woman¡¯s shriek grated on their ears.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man named Chetou felt regret inside.
This is why I didn¡¯t want to say anything¡
From what he could tell, that fellow disciple was at least at Foundation Building Stage. However, his two idiotic senior brothers could not even conceive that possibility, especially after learning he was from Chetou¡¯s generation.
What do I do?
Yet what could he do apart from obeying?
But still, this¡
This time, the me Metal Sect seemed determined to finish things once and for all. Watching his master head toward Plum Shadow Pavilion with many other elders and over a dozen disciples, Chetou felt conflicted.
¡°Hmph. While I¡¯m sure there are Formation Core-level cultivators at Plum Shadow Headquarters, they would nevere all the way out to these backwaters. Managing their base of operations should be enough of a headache.¡±
¡°Moreover, I hear the branch manager is just a mortal woman?¡±
¡°Let put a proper end to the matter this time, and quash those opposing Daohong Valley.¡±
¡°Hoho¡ Ghosts unable to keep up with the times, that¡¯s what they are¡¡±
Yet despite the mobilized power, Chetou could not shake off his unease.
I don¡¯t think things will end so simply¡
In particr, when he spotted Junior Master Fang Lunyi among the group, his anxiety grew all the more.
Chapter 123: Guest Reception (2)
Chapter 123: Guest Reception (2)The me Metal Sect erupted into chaos as a Core Formation Stage cultivator suddenly appeared. This should have been cause for celebration, given their desperate need for high-level cultivators¡ but s, they had gotten off the wrong foot.
-Hahaha! So you were alive, bastard! I¡¯m truly grateful! Thank you! Thank you for being alive! Kuhahaha! I trust you haven¡¯t forgotten the past? Well then, now you can die.
Of course, Fang Lunyi was not alone in his hostility.
-Come out at once!
-How dare a criminal show their face here? You¡¯ve got some nerve!
-Are you ignoring the me Metal Sect? You should bow your head and apologize this very instant!
-Do not force our hand.
The Foundation Building elders stormed forward in amotion.
Of course, the hostilities could have turned into a celebration depending on the oue, but given how events unfolded¡
-Come hither, you Immortal Realm rabble!Ssss-
-?
-!!
-G-good heavens!
-Co-Core Formation Stage¡?!¡±
-Impossible! I clearly remember his realm ten years ago¡
-Aargh!
-Koff!
The moment Karlstein partially released his Spiritual Power, the color drained from their faces.The Qi Refining cultivators even suffered internal injuries simply from his deliberate emission of spiritual pressure.
Perhaps this was why the me Metal cultivators fell silent. They realized something had gone terribly wrong.
Yet only one among them could not ept this reality.
-That¡¯s impossible! This must be some kind of sorcery!! Die!!
Fang Lunyi, desperately suppressing his shock, ended up leaping forward. He pulled out three talismans and hurled them immediately.
The talismans emitted light, transforming into snakes with terrifying fangs, but¡
¡°Ahh, talisman techniques?¡±
Quickly losing interest, Karlstein rummaged through his robes.
¡°I wonder how effective this will be.¡±
Swish-
Karlstein scattered hundreds of talismans into the air with a casual wave of his hand.
-!!
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-
Like popcorn, the talismans exploded in a continuous chain reaction, engulfing Fang Lunyi¡¯s entire body. They were merely low-grade Incendiary Talismans, but there were hundreds of them.
¡°Arghhhhhh!¡±
Ignoring Fang Lunyi¡¯s screams, Karlstein surveyed the scene, having to suppress augh at the absurdity of the situation.
¡°Well now, you¡¯re all pretty quick to catch on, huh? Cunning too. Are all cultivators like this?¡±
The me Metal cultivators hade for him in high spirits, yet now they made themselves inconspicuous. They would not intervene until the crazed Fang Lunyi tested the waters for them.
¡°Aren¡¯t you in the same sect as this guy?¡±
Now everyone was wide-eyed and speechless.
¡°But I still gotta set an example.¡±
As Karlstein moved to act, the cultivators panicked.
¡°I ask that you s-stop!¡±
¡°You musn¡¯t! Elder Fang is Grandmaster Fang¡¯s¡ª!¡±
¡°Surely he wouldn¡¯t¡!¡±
¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡±
Yeah no, I can.
Sliiice-
A clean cutting sound brought down silence.
Thud.
Fang Lunyi¡¯s severed head hit the ground.
A small dagger carefully flew back into Karlstein¡¯s robes amidst the smoke. He shook the blood off the de.
¡°Th-this can¡¯t be¡¡±
¡°How will you take responsibility¡?¡±
¡°Oh, oh¡¡±
¡°He was the sole direct descendant of a Nascent Soul Grandmaster¡!¡±
¡°What in the world¡¡±
¡°Unbelievable.¡±
Everyone was thrown into confusion.
¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with these guys? Old man, is Core Formation really superior? Or is it a lesser realm than I thought?¡±
How could they ignore the Core Formation Stage enemy right in front of them and worry about something else?
[¡You deal with it. It seems the boy you just ughtered was no ordinary person.]
¡°Fang Lunyi was the direct descendant of Great Grandmaster Fang Yan, sir.¡±
¡°Lunyi¡¯s Great Ancestor¡ Let¡¯s see¡ the Nascent Soul Stage thates after Core Formation? But why are you suddenly speaking so formally?¡±
¡°There are¡ many eyes on us. And that¡¯s not the important thing here¡¡±
The me Metal Sect cultivators murmured in confusion.
Karlstein still could not understand. The Nascent Soul Stage might be above Core Formation Stage, but¡
They¡¯re distracted in my presence? I sure am being underestimated.
Karlstein nodded to himself.
Yeah, that¡¯s not what you people should be worried about. Why don¡¯t you pay a little more attention to me?
As he decided to take serious action, various Dharma Tools began to fly out of his robes.
¡°W-what the?¡±
¡°What in the heavens¡?¡±
¡°I mean, how¡?¡±
There were dozens of them. But possessing dozens of Dharma Tools was somewhat understandable.
Whoosh-
Using multiple Dharma Tools simultaneously, however, was a different story altogether.
¡°Arghhhh!¡±
¡°My, my eyes!¡±
¡°Ghaagh!¡±
¡°Koff!¡±
A massacre ensued. Numerous heads went flying in an instant.
Everyone froze as blood sprayed like a shower of sttering tomatoes.
¡°Ahh. To start with, I made examples of those who yammered about killing me or whatnot.¡±
Fear began to creep into the wide-open eyes of the cultivators present.
¡°He¡¯s in-insane.¡±
¡°How could he do this to us inside our own sect¡?¡±
¡°Ohh¡¡±
One of them eagerly begged for forgiveness.
¡°Se-senior! We were wrong! Please forgive¡ª¡°
¡°Elder Sun!¡±
But he could not finish his sentence.
St-
Elder Sun¡¯s head exploded before he could.
They all stared at Karlstein, astonished by his actions that were akin to those of a madman.
¡°Huh?¡±
Karlstein, on the other hand, wore an expression of indignance, much to the dismay of the me Metal Sect elders.
Is he truly insane? What in zes is he indignant about?
¡°Mm? Oh, it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t do that, you know?¡±
Then who¡?
Suddenly¡
BOOOM-
¡°Argh!¡±
¡°Koff!¡±
¡°Ugh, my body!¡±
The Foundation Building elders floating in the air were suddenly crushed by an invisible force, falling like autumn leaves.
¡°How much shame do you fools intend to bring to the me Metal Sect?!¡±
An old man, sporting gray hair braided into two ponytails, slowly descended from high above.
¡°Woah¡ That hairstyle sure is¡ brave.¡±
Twin tails, of all things?
¡°Senior Master Shen!¡±
¡°Gah. Please forgive us¡¡±
¡°Urgh.¡±
Ssss-
A faint mist began to form around them, dimming their vision.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Senior Master Shen was one of the few Mid-Stage Core Formation cultivators supporting the me Metal Sect.
The elderly man stroked his beard, surveying the surroundings. His eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing six corpses of his sect¡¯s disciples.
Finally, Shen¡¯s piercing gaze fell upon Karlstein.
¡°It appears you have no mercy, Fellow Cultivator.¡±
His eyes were tinged with anger, yet Karlstein remained at ease despite receiving such a fierce look.
¡°Should I take that tone too?¡±
[This psycho still has note to his senses¡]
Karlstein cleared his throat before speaking.
¡°Ahem-hem. Fellow Cultivator Shen, do you think I should have forgiven the insolence of those fools?¡±
Karlstein squared his shoulders, smiling serenely.
¡°Haha. If so, I would be disappointed.¡±
¡°This happened because these children did not know of your skill. You would have received a weing instead had you revealed your realm from the beginning.¡±
¡°What¡¯s done is done. Late as it is, I wouldn¡¯t mind having a constructive dialogue starting now.¡±
¡°While that does sound tempting¡.¡±
After a subtly tense battle of nerves, Shen seemed to have made up his mind.
¡°I will personally see if you have the skill to mess with our sect in our own territory!¡±
¡°Haha. For all your lofty talk, you¡¯re quite fiery!¡±
Before Karlstein could finish speaking, the me Metal Sect cultivator made the first move.
¡°Fire-Metal Restraint Formation!¡±
Following the old man¡¯s cry, the faint mist in the surrounding thickened into a red haze that seemed to contain fire.
Before Karlstein could analyze the mist, Shenmenced his attack with a sharp grunt.
CLANG!
Golden spikes shot up from the ground, aiming for Karlstein¡¯s heart.
CLANG!
Although Karlstein blocked the spikes using his Spiritual Power like telekinesis¡
CLANG- CLANG- CLANG-
The number of golden spikes increased as time passed.
¡°Whew¡.¡±
[You have not properly acquired any techniques besides your cultivation method and puppet techniques, after all.]
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
Despite Karlstein¡¯s rxed voice, the situation was rapidly deteriorating.
CLANG- CLANG- CLANG- SWISH-
He dodged frantically, but one spike grazed his earlobe.
[Careful. He seems skilled for a lesser realm cultivator.]
¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t expect him to throw the first punch so quickly.¡±
Metal spikes attacked suddenly in the red mist, which was so hot it was hard to breathe. It seemed to be some kind of formation technique.
¡°Don¡¯t formations usually take some time?¡±
[Of course they do.]
In other words, Shen had prepared for this attack even before intervening in the situation.
The old man¡¯s voice echoed through the mist.
¡°I hope that meager skill is not all you have after tarnishing the me Metal Sect¡¯s reputation?¡±
A hint of anger seeped through his mocking tone. Clearly, he had been riled up.
¡°Hahaha. We¡¯ll see.¡±
The enemy¡¯s Spiritual Power was far below Karlstein¡¯s. But faced with a fully prepared formation attack, even pouring several times more Spiritual Power into defense was not enough to block it effectively.
It¡¯s stronger than I expected.
Unlike Karlstein, who simply emitted Spiritual Power and used it like telekinesis, the opponent¡¯s Spiritual Power was achieving several times the effect through cultivation techniques.
CLANG- CLANG- CLANG-
But even so¡
¡°I¡¯m d there¡¯s so much to learn.¡±
¡°What¡¯s that? You should not have the leisure for nonsense right now.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡±
Karlstein suddenly emitted Spiritual Power, creating multipleyers of a low-level defensive technique, buying time to catch his breath.
Soon after, Shen¡¯s surprised voice was heard.
¡°What ridiculous Spiritual Power¡. How can this be!¡±
His surprise quickly faded, though.
¡°Even so, you are simply spewing out Spiritual Power and using it like a child. All you can do is hold out for a moment!¡±
CLANG- CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Golden spikes filled the surroundings in an instant, attacking relentlessly!
[Brat¡ stop ying around. If you are not careful, Yihong and Yuyu might get caught up in this.]
¡°Haha, alright.¡±
Momentster, Karlstein¡¯s hair began to defy gravity, rising upward. He exhaled deeply, and began unleashing his Spiritual Power without limit. He had only released 20% of it until now.
An enormous amount of Spiritual Power, 17 times that of a cultivator at the same realm, mercilessly filled the surroundings.
¡°Wh-what is this¡!¡±
Shen¡¯s voice was clearly more surprised than before.
¡°Hmm. I guess about 10 times is enough to break through without cultivation techniques.¡±
PZT- PZZT-
The formation screamed as it reached its limit.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean techniques alone can produce 10 times the power of Spiritual Power?¡±
[Formations are particrly powerful in that aspect, so do not expect too much.]
That¡¯s still something.
Karlstein, previously on the defensive, broke into a broad smile and began unleashing bursts of Spiritual Power at random.
[Why are you not taking out those bizarre Dharma Tools of yours?]
¡°Mhm, I still have some leeway, so I¡¯ll try with just Spiritual Power for now.¡±
[Ugh¡.]
PZZZT- KABOOM-
As the Puppet Demonic Warlord sighed, the formation shatteredpletely. Chilling Spiritual Power swirled around Karlstein, grinding everything in the vicinity.
And the moment Karlstein clenched his fist¡
POP-
With a sound like a balloon bursting, his flying adversary dropped miserably to the ground.
Thud-
¡°Ahh¡. This world sure has a lot of use.¡±
The other me Metal cultivators, who had retreated far when Shen appeared, trembled in fear.
¡°Anyone wanna be next?¡±
No one dared to challenge Karlstein, who stood at the center of the tremendous storm of Spiritual Power.
Chapter 124: A New Era
Chapter 124: A New Era
***From that point on, everything went smoothly.
¡°Haha, what a pleasure. I¡¯m Gahwi, the new General Overseer of Plum Shadow Pavilion.¡±
¡°¡Pleased to meet you, Cultivator Ga.¡±
The other party, a Core Formation cultivator, reluctantly returned Karlstein¡¯s firm handshake.
There were two more Core Formation cultivators, led by the first, but they did not bother to voice their discontent. Karlstein had already proven his skill, more or less. Moreover, by choosing not to take the life of their Senior Brother Shen, he had shown good judgment.
Friction with a Core Formation cultivator over the deaths of mere Foundation Building cultivators would be a significant loss.
Besides, Senior Master Fang Yan said he¡¯d take responsibility anyway.
They were taken aback by the boldness disyed by the young man before them. Wasn¡¯t he afraid? He was likely to make an enemy of a monstrous Nascent Soul expert.
But there was no worry on the other¡¯s face. Rather, he showed a bright, beaming smile.¡°In any case, we wee someone as capable as you to lead Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s me Metal Branch.¡±
¡°Hahaha. I appreciate your warm wee.¡±
All things considered, there was no need for unnecessary squabbling.
¡°If you need anything, call this child.¡±
As one of the Core Formation cultivators at the back gestured, an old man who had been standing at a distance hurried over.
¡°Ah. I know this child.¡±
¡°How fortunate then. Yucheol! You will serve this person and provide whatever is needed.¡±
¡°¡Yes. I understand.¡±
Ma Yucheol bowed his head, expressionplicated.
¡°This child is a bright one who recently developed a Dharma Tool that can operate without Spiritual Power.¡±
¡°¡Aha. Is that so?¡±
Karlstein grinned. What a coincidence for Ma Yucheol to appear right before him like this.
Moreover, at the mention of a Dharma Tool that could operate without Spiritual Power, he understood what it was and how things had unfolded.
It¡¯s just like graduate school, haha.
¡°I look forward to working with you, Cultivator Ma. I¡¯ll be calling on you often.¡±
¡°¡Yes. Just give the word, sir.¡±
Ma Yucheol broke out in a cold sweat.
And so, the meeting with the me Metal Sect concluded.
¡°Oi, Yucheol!¡±
¡°Y-yes!¡±
Of course, Ma Yucheol was left by his side.
¡°Well, well, you¡¯re quite the clever child, aren¡¯t you? A. Non-Spiritual. Dharma. Tool, huh! Hahaha.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
Ma Yucheol followed,plexion deathly pale.
Karlstein strode majestically towards the top floor of Plum Shadow Pavilion. Of course, there was a separate branch manager in charge of the upper floors, like Yuyu, but the manager would not dare confront Karlstein.
In fact, the branch manager seemed oddly pleased to have gained a strong backer.
Karlstein sat down in his office and gestured to Ma Yucheol with his chin.
¡°?!¡±
¡°Yucheol.¡±
¡°Y-yes!¡±
¡°First, bring out everything you¡¯ve got.¡±
¡°¡Yes sir!¡±
Ma Yucheol started pulling out treasures as if eager to give up anything for Karlstein.
¡°Hmm¡ Is this it? What you were making during closed-door cultivation?¡±
¡°¡Yes, sir. That¡¯s right.¡±
Ma Yucheol¡¯s face had turned pale from sweating so much.
¡°Hmm¡ Your skill is¡ passable, surprisingly.¡±
¡°¡Thank you.¡±
Of course, this was considering it was handmade.
¡°I see the qualities of a factory manager in you. What say you? Hahaha!¡±
¡°¡Pardon?¡±
¡°Anyway, this is good. You seem like someone worth having a conversation with as well.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°Hm? What¡¯s this?¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Karlstein¡¯s eyes fell on a book made of leather with faint traces of blood.
[Well, well¡ Young Pup, make sure to keep that one.]
Rustle- Rustle-
¡°Is this a cultivation manual?¡±
The cover bore the ostentatious title of ¡°Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra¡±.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
¡°Uh¡ I originally intended on giving the Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra to you¡ Honorable Ga.¡±
¡°Aha. Is this an advanced version of the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra? But isn¡¯t it slightly different?¡±
The Grand Void Cultivation Sutra was not made with such ominous leather. The content was also strangely different.
¡°That¡¯s¡ because the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra is a simplified version of the Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra. After many years of revision to make it learnable even for beginners¡ª¡°
¡°Oh, is that so?¡±
¡°Yes¡¡±
¡°Since you were going to give it to me anyway, I presume it¡¯s fine for me to take it?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Although Ma Yucheol hesitated for a moment, he ultimately closed his eyes and nodded.
¡°Huh. Anyway, Yucheol.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t this world so nice?¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
¡°I mean, treating people based on ability over seniority seems like a fine idea. Shall we apply it to World?¡±
¡°I am not sure what you mean¡¡±
¡°Well¡ it¡¯s not something we¡¯ll do right away¡¡±
Ma Yucheol felt like he was being thrown between heaven and hell with each of Karlstein¡¯s words.
Karlstein closed the cultivation manual with a thud, standing up.
¡°Yucheol!¡±
¡°¡Yes sir.¡±
¡°Your voice is weak!¡±
¡°Yes sir!!¡±
¡°That¡¯s better. Yucheol!!!¡±
¡°YES SIR!!!¡±
Karlstein stopped mid-sentence and approached the window, looking down at the street below. He could see a few Qi Refining cultivators flying around on Sky Boards in the distance.
¡°Yucheol. The world will change greatly, and for that, we¡¯ll need many hands.¡±
¡°¡ I¡¯m sorry?¡±
¡°Just keep that in mind. Hahaha!¡±
Karlstein¡¯s boisterousughter echoed throughout the me Metal Sect.
***While Karlstein was throwing his weight around at the me Metal Sect¡
Deep in the sea, from beneath a massive rock encircled by golden ropes, a vehement bellow reverberated across the entire ocean.
¡°Damn it!!! Those insignificant Lower Realm insects!!¡±
But in the end, it was nothing more than noise.
¡°Unforgivable. Even if I have to destroy the Lower Realm, I will surely¡!¡±
He was Jiao Zhenqing, a member of the Noble Archer¡¯s Inspection Bureau. Zhenqing was trapped beneath the massive rock along with his burning rage, unable to escape.
¡°You dare¡ make me waste 10 years¡ 10 years?!¡±
Jiao Zhenqing had been crossing the ocean to the Northern Continent after annihting the cultivation world of the Southern Continent when he was unexpectedly ambushed.
Nevertheless, the enemies were naturally no match for him, and he had reduced about half of the attackers into sacrifices¡ when it happened. The Great Sealing Formation that those bastards deployed at the cost of their lives, spitting blood. Not even Jiao Zhenqing could ignore its power.
Ultimately, he ended up in this sorry state, gnashing his teeth. Krrk.
¡°You bastards¡ Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll give you an easy death¡¡±
His voice rippled through the air, thick with rage.
Krrrk.
¡°Soon. It will be soon. Just wait¡!¡±
Unlike his initial expectation of at least 100 years of sealing, the sealing formation was almost broken.
¡°Once I break thest spell¡ I will chew up everyst one of you¡¡±
Krrk-
Even as he spewed fury, Jiao Zhenqing did not cease breaking the sealing formation.
***¡°Extra! Extra, hear! Extra! Extra I say! Get the news from the cultivation world for just one inferior-grade Spiritual Stone!¡±
A boy of 1st Stage Qi Refining shouted at the top of his lungs, speeding through the streets on a Sky Board.
A passing cultivator raised his hand.
¡°One here!¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
The boy skillfully tossed a newspaper to the cultivator as he rode on. In exchange, a small Spiritual Stone thrown by the cultivatornded in his hand.
The boy tucked the Spiritual Stone into his pocket and disappeared, still shouting, while the cultivator who bought the newspaper straightened it with a shake of his head.
[Milky Way Daily]
¡°The world has changed much indeed.¡±
The cultivator shook his head once more, licking his finger and opening the newspaper.
The front page of the Milky Way Daily boldly proimed, ¡®Plum Shadow Pavilion Strikes Again! New High-End Dharma Treasure Developed? Everyone¡¯s Shocked by Its Power Surpassing Existing Treasures¡¡¯
¡°My word. It hasn¡¯t been that long since they developed mass-produced Dharma Treasures, albeit inferior versions¡¡±
¡°Tell me about it. Isn¡¯t that why the cultivation world is in an uproar right now?¡±
¡°What¡ Does Plum Shadow Pavilion have a Celestial locked up somewhere?¡±
¡°Hahaha. Who knows? They might actually have a real Celestial imprisoned in the basement of Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s me Metal Branch!¡±
The young cultivator reading the newspaper took a sip of ck liquid.
¡°Ahh! Isn¡¯t this ck liquid also from Plum Shadow Pavilion?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, now this is what I call the Drink of Immortals. It¡¯s that refreshing, almost burning sensation that rises from your throat, you know. Arguing about spicy or and whatnot is now a thing of the past.¡±
¡°By the way, have you heard?¡±
¡°About what?¡±
¡°There was a recent cultivation tournament in the Northern Continent, and well¡¡±
¡°Aha. You must be talking about that Late-Stage Foundation Building cultivator who killed a Core Formation expert.¡±
¡°I am. I don¡¯t know where the world¡¯s headed. Even if it¡¯s Foundation Building, it was only possible because they were decked out in Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s high-end products¡ But is it even conceivable for Foundation Building to defeat Core Formation in the first ce? Tsk-tsk.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s good for us. If we can get our hands on Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s high-end Dharma Tools, even I, a mere cultivator of the 10th Qi Refining Stage, can survive encounters with Foundation Building cultivators.¡±
¡°Tsk-tsk. Why can¡¯t you think of the opposite? At this rate, cultivators who strut around proudly might end up being killed by mortals.¡±
¡°¡Well, at least it¡¯s fortunate that they can¡¯t do anything about Nascent Soul cultivators, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
They didn¡¯t stop sipping the ck liquid even as they conversed.
¡°Ohh.¡±
¡°By the way, this is a rumor that hasn¡¯t made it to the newspapers yet.¡±
¡°A rumor?¡±
¡°Well¡ regarding the General Overseer of Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s me Metal Branch.¡±
¡°The Branch that¡¯s evenrger than the Headquarters?¡±
¡°Yes. The Overseer who is far more mysterious than even the Pavilion¡¯s Master.¡±
¡°Shh. Lower your voice. We shouldn¡¯t casually speak of the General Overseer.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already set up a Qi barrier.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s good then. So what about this General Overseer?¡±
¡°¡I heard they¡¯re getting engaged.¡±
¡°¡Engaged?¡±
The listening cultivator¡¯s jaw dropped.
¡°As you know, the General Overseer of the me Metal Branch has never shown their face before, right?¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Yet the most mysterious figure in the cultivation world is now holding a grand wedding ceremony. Which is causing quite a stir.¡±
¡°My goodness¡¡±
It was a rumor hard to believe. The Overseer, who had never shown their face before, is now holding a grand wedding ceremony?
It was impossible not to be intrigued. After all, this person was none other than the very architect of the era they were currently enjoying.
¡°The world must be in an uproar.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it, friend.¡±
¡°How many young women in the cultivation world have been eyeing him?¡±
¡°There¡¯s a whole bunch of women being encouraged forward by the Immortal Sects too.¡±
¡°Haha.¡±
Chapter 125: Contest (1)
Chapter 125: Contest (1)¡°¡What wedding?¡±
¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s true. For some reason, the marketce is in an uproar over this rumor!¡±
¡°What a terrifying gossip to spread.¡±
Yuyu nted her hands on her hips, fixing Karlstein with an intense stare.
¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not true?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s not like that, kid.¡±
¡°Kid? I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m practically a growndy now!¡±
¡°¡Huh.¡±
Karlstein let out a dryugh at Yuyu¡¯s spirited protest.
¡°You¡¯re not my type for starters, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±¡°G-grr! That¡¯s not what I meant!!¡±
¡°Then?¡±
¡°¡Anyway, it¡¯s fine as long as it¡¯s not true.¡±
¡°How boring.¡±
Tsk-tsk. Do they even know our age difference?
¡°You might get snatched up by some scary big sisters if you¡¯re not careful.¡±
¡°Big sisters?¡±
¡°Yeah. There are some unscrupulous, wicked folks trying to force me into bachelorhood.¡±
¡°¡?¡±
In any case¡
¡°To think such rumors are circting¡¡±
¡°What¡¯s causing all this?¡±
Yuyu and I had grown quite close. At some point, her unreserved, chattering approach became not so unpleasant, and as I indulged her, we settled into afortable rapport.
More importantly, this rumor¡ good grief. It¡¯s quite something.
To a virile man who had yet to even lose his virginity, a rumor like this was cause for a bit of resentment. And to think it had spread throughout the entire cultivation world.
Karlstein shook his head, feeling a migraineing on.
I wouldn¡¯t feel so wronged if I¡¯d at least held a woman¡¯s hand before.
¡°Dual Cultivation be damned¡¡±
¡°Dual Cultivation?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not something kids like you should know about.¡±
¡°I told you I¡¯m not a kid!!¡±
Yuyu protested vehemently, thrusting her chest forward.
Karlstein shook his head again.
¡°Seeing that just added to my conviction.¡±
¡°@^$&#^##!!¡±
I don¡¯t know what this little squirt¡¯s on about.
In Xianxia, Dual Cultivation had a simple meaning: a cultivation method between a man and a woman, awakening the harmony of Yin and Yang through Bedchamber Arts.
Truthfully, it was rather ambiguous to call it exclusive to Xianxia. Even in martial arts novels, one could often find references to Bedchamber Arts as a form of Sexual Arts.
Karlstein had not thought much of it either. The reason he started looking into Dual Cultivation was not anything special; it was all because of themunity.
?hnngff
?Dual Cultivation?
?u get stronger while having saxN?v(el)B\\jnn
?Why can¡¯t you just say sex?
?hows that even possible bruh? getting stronger while having fun?
?Why not? There¡¯s sex arts too.
Real-time exchanges were impossible due to the time dtion, but connections could be made like snapshots. It was one of Karlstein¡¯s achievements from his diligent research on dimensions.
Regardless, the topic did not attract much attention at first.
?(SexGod): Kuhaha! Dual Cultivation of Xianxia, huh! I¡¯d like to see how itpares to my Sexual Arts!!
But it all started when a fellow called SexGod began pestering the Oradge, eager to pit his Sexual Arts against the Dual Cultivation Technique of Xianxia.
-Hmm. I doubt they can learn the technique anyway. Guess it doesn¡¯t matter.
Karlstein thought little of the matter. He had experimented with various techniques before, and without Aria¡¯s adjustments, the Community users could not properly learn them.
However¡
?(SexGod): How can this be¡! It¡¯s impossible!
?y u goin in heat again?
?(SexGod): Oradge. What exactly is this?
Themotion started when SexGod managed to learn a Dual Cultivation Technique called Cloud Rain Union Art.
Above all.
?(SexGod): This is not a martial art that can be likened to mere Sexual Arts! No, is it even a martial art?
SexGod, a wanted man who was barely scraping by on the fringes of the martial world, suddenly rocketed into the ranks of the Eleven Supremes Under Heaven¡ªand in just a few months at that.
?me toooo!!
?teach me too bro!
?111
?22
?hawawa¡.
?holy shit. Howd he be a top master with just sex art?
?Murim history is crumbling because of one sorcery!
?this be a temptation no subus cud resist!
The Community users began learning the Cloud Rain Union Art en masse, a development even Karlstein had not anticipated.
-So Dual Cultivation Techniques¡ can be learned?
While even the most skilled Community users could not learn ordinary Cultivation Techniques, they were seeing results with Dual Cultivation Techniques that involved exchanging Qi.
Well, well. What heavenly coincidence.
Increasing the Community¡¯s strength was not a bad thing when considering the distant future. It was beneficial even when thinking about the uing opening of World.
In any case, this piqued Karlstein¡¯s interest.
-Then what would be the strongest Dual Cultivation Technique?
A question arose then. Of course, he had no intention of finding out firsthand.
It¡¯d be a dual cultivation technique that I can¡¯t learn anyway. Can¡¯t waste time on that!
Though a strange stubbornness had set in¡
-Pavilion Master, I have a request.
-Hehehe. A request from Cultivator Ga? It will be handled with top priority.
Karlstein was quite diligent in his own way.
-Ahem. Uh¡ it regards Dual Cultivation¡.
-Dual Cultivation?
He went to see the Pavilion Master at the headquarters of Plum Shadow Pavilion. She was a Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator who was also a business partner, and now someone he couldfortably joke around with.
Needless to say, the Pavilion Master warmly weed Karlstein. After all, he had transformed the nearly copsed Plum Shadow Pavilion into the continent¡¯s most powerful force since the bloody incident a decade ago.
-Hmm¡. I think I might be able to help with that.
-Ahem. Then I¡¯ll trust you.
Karlstein thought he had spoken vaguely enough, feeling awkward about borating further with a woman.
-(Breaking News) The Overseer of Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s me Metal Branch personally seeks Dual Cultivation partner.
-Who is this mysterious me Metal Branch Overseer?
-Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s Master: ¡°He¡¯s the finest man I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±
-Why does this enigmatic Overseer, who has never shown his face before, now seek a partner?
-Plum Shadow Pavilion announces Partner Selection Contest aspetition among Immortal Sects intensifies¡.
-Mountains of treasures offered as rewards for mere selection¡
-Currently the hottest topic of interest across the entire Cultivation World: what is he nning?
All kinds of articles proliferated rapidly.
¡°The hell?! What in the world is going on?!¡±
Karlstein could not help but be dumbfounded. He had deliberately made a quiet visit to only convey his request and leave, yet¡
-If I could just get epted as a Dual Cultivation partner¡?
Not a single cultivator was ignorant to the influence of Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s mysterious Overseer.
-Hoho. It would be possible to build a force in one fell swoop.
-The cultivation world has been quiet since that bloody incident in the Southern Continent. Things are about to heat up.
-This isn¡¯t just a simple partner search. The entire cultivation world is invested! If we use this opportunity well¡!
Now, the whole world obsessed over Karlstein¡¯s Partner Selection Contest.
¡°Tell the Pavilion Master! If this isn¡¯t resolved, there won¡¯t be any new Dharma Treasure development in the future.¡±
¡°Eek!¡±
¡°Yes! Understood.¡±
But despite Karlstein¡¯s attempt at a hard stance¡
¡.
-I¡¯m sorry. Even I can¡¯t do anything about it now.
-Why not!
It was futile.
The Overseer¡¯s extraordinary technological prowess had already put him in the spotlight. The situation was already out of hand.
¡°No wonder she was smiling all meaningfully!¡±
It could not be contained either.
¡°Haah¡.¡±
Still, Karlstein harbored no ill feelings towards the Pavilion Master. Despite her injuries from the Bloody Incident, she had acted on his behalf to bring all sorts of information and cultivation resources. She remained an important figure, obtaining top-secret intelligence about the mastermind behind the Bloody Incident in the Southern Continent and tracking Proxitan¡¯s movements¡
¡°Ahh¡.¡±
Even so, this was too much. At this rate, he would end up married for sure.
¡°I¡¯ve decided to enter too.¡±
¡°You, Yihong?¡±
Are you kidding?
Seeing Karlstein¡¯s indescribable expression, Yihong¡¯s face reddened as she yelled.
¡°I-It¡¯s not that I¡¯m interested in you! I just want topete with various cultivators!¡±
¡°I mean¡ but aren¡¯t you a scrub?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, but it sounds oddly insulting?¡±
¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re a loser.¡±
¡°¡Apparently they¡¯re selecting candidates for each cultivation realm in thispetition. Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul. They¡¯re choosing four people this way.¡±
¡°Wha¡¡±
Seriously¡ why? When did this be a harem gacha? I never heard about this.
Things were taking a strange turn in many ways.
¡°Haah¡ So you¡¯re entering as a Foundation Building cultivator?¡±
¡°Mhm¡¡±
¡°Oh boy.¡±
But that aside¡
¡°Honorable Ga¡ I have also decided to enter¡¡±
¡°What, Ma Yucheol! Why the heck are you joining?¡±
Worse still, thepetition apparently did not discriminate against gender. Or even age.
Ahh¡. For real? How. Why. How can this be?
¡°¡What in cosmos is going on?¡±
Faced with this rming situation, Karlstein immediately went to confront the Master of Plum Shadow Pavilion, but¡
-There¡¯s nothing I can do.
-Come on, what nonsense is this?!
-Listen.
-Listen my ass!
The Yin Yang Celestial Blossom Sutra, renowned as the most powerful dual cultivation technique, was divided into three volumes. Technique could not be properly learned with just one volume.
The three top Immortal Sects of the Northern Continent each held one volume.
-The three sects agreed to hand over the ¡®Yin Yang Celestial Blossom Sutra¡¯ on the condition that Cultivator Ga takes in Dual Cultivation partners. I suppose it¡¯s because it¡¯s useless for them to just hold onto it.
-¡
-Of course, we¡¯ve got our pride as the Plum Shadow Pavilion. We can¡¯t allow them to choose partners on a whim, so we set a condition.
-And that condition is¡?
-We agreed to select through fairpetition. Hehehe!
Ah, shit.
Okay. Let¡¯s say, giving them the absolute benefit of the doubt, that things have spiraledpletely out of control, beyond all expectations. Fine.
Okay. But still.
¡°Why are you all here too¡.¡±
¡°Karl¡ªuh, Your Majesty. You¡¯ve done something unthinkable¡¡±
¡°Wheeze- Wheeze- T-the Avatar maintenance was sessful.¡±
¡°Ahem. Er¡. I apologize, Your Majesty.¡±
The woman with starlight hair, and the girl with a gas mask had also shown up.
And why is that beefcake Milo squeezed in among them?
Karlstein gave up all thought.
***And at that moment, somewhere in the Southern Continent¡ a tremor rippled through the atmosphere as the final Great Seal broke.
Chapter 126: Contest (2)
Chapter 126: Contest (2)
***Wooo!-
¡°How insane.¡±
¡°I never imagined witnessing such a spectacle in my lifetime.¡±
¡°Well now. Who did you bet on?¡±
¡°My money¡¯s on that sword-wieldingss over there.¡±
¡°The one with the starlight armor?¡±
¡°Yeah. I reckon she might be the favorite to win. Doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s shown her full strength yet.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll say, you are clueless. Did you see that girl with the peculiar green mask? She finished her opponent with a single blow before they could even move.¡±
¡°That¡¯s just her fancy objects I¡¯m telling you.¡±¡°Good grief. You clearly don¡¯t have an eye for proper fights!¡±
Despite their bickering, the two spectators were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
This was possibly the biggest festival in the history of the Northern Continent, uniting cultivators and mortals alike no less.
The colossal arena, carved from an entire mountain, stretched beyond sight, teeming with spectators. Their roars drowned out all else.
Thousands of floating rectangr screens broadcast the action, while fireworks and thunderous music electrified the atmosphere.
Pop-pop-boom!
Wooo!!
Thepetition, kicking off with a dazzling fireworks disy, was heating up and offering an endless array of marvels.
The extravagance defied belief, even considering the Northern Continent¡¯s recent rapid progress.
¡°Sweet N Spicy Tornado Potatoes and ck Water for sale!¡±
¡°Scalped tickets for the direct viewing seats!¡±
¡°Sweet snacks, fried chicken! We¡¯ve got everything! Just one inferior-grade Spiritual Stone each!¡±
Had there ever been a festival of this scale?
ck-jawed mortals reveled in their brush with Immortality, while cultivators found themselves utterly captivated by sights far removed from their usual austere training.
Of course, for Karlstein, all this served only to elicit a sigh.
¡°How¡¯d thingse to this¡¡±
He shook his head, clutching his forehead as he surveyed the arena from his vantage point.
¡°Wasn¡¯t it just yesterday that they were raising hell, demanding we cancel this immediately?¡±
Milo avoided Karlstein¡¯s gaze.
¡°I did not say or do anything, Your Majesty.¡±
Bravado was his initial response.
¡°You, of all people, should have intervened!¡±
¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡±
Though he quickly crumbled.
¡°You lot¡ I swear.¡±
Karlstein sighed, unable to tear his eyes away from the arena beyond the ss wall.
This was the ultra-VVIP box, constructed entirely of ss to overlook the arena. Naturally, those outside could not see in.
¡°A woman¡¯s heart may be fickle, but this is just¡¡±
The woman in starlight-like armor and the girl wearing a full-face gas mask stood in the arena. Karlstein struggled to believe that these were the same women who had seethed with icy rage over the contest. He focused intently on their matches, though with an incredulous look.
¡°Why?¡±
Moments ago, they had vehemently demanded the contest¡¯s cancetion. Now they led the charge, reveling in the event more than anyone else. Could they be plotting some greater mischief?
¡°Y-Your Majesty¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
Apetitor¡¯s defensive Dharma Tool was sliced clean through by a sword strike imbued with faint starlight. Another participant was sted out of bounds, struck by thousands of invisible bullets at the match¡¯s start.
¡°¡¡±
Maxien and Cami were currently wielding Ether.
¡°How?¡±
Karlstein was roughly aware that their Avatars somewhat differed from his own.
¡°Well sir¡ Their Avatars were apparently crafted from recently acquired Sacred Relics. Although¡ they are single-use, do not feature logging out, and have limited durability¡¡±
¡°Aria relinquished those¡?¡±
Judging by Milo¡¯s gloomy expression, it seemed a fair bit of significant backdoor dealing had urred. Knowing Aria¡¯s personality, she must have driven a hard bargain.
¡°Even so, this is excessive.¡±
Karlstein shook his head, while Milo¡¯s bodynguage screamed injustice.
¡°Your Majesty¡¡±
***As confused as Karlstein was, there was a group of cultivators equally perplexed at the topmost VIP viewing box in the arena. This section was filled with Nascent Soul cultivators.
¡°What is happening here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m at a loss myself¡¡±
Grave expressions dominated as they each sought solutions to the situation.
¡°Junior Sister Hong¡¯s elimination is shocking¡¡±
¡°If only Senior Sister Zhen had given it her all.¡±
¡°Tell Sister Ling she may use our sect¡¯s treasures.¡±
They watched several matches intently, concern etched on their faces.
Just then, the participant in starlight armor defeated an Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
Woooo-
The boisterous cheering in the general stands contrasted with the VIP box¡¯s somber atmosphere.
¡°¡¡±
¡°Did she appear to use her full strength?¡±
¡°I¡¯m¡ also unsure.¡±
¡°I suppose I shouldn¡¯t expect much from a mere Core Formation cultivator like you.¡±
Nascent Soul cultivators, having achieved prideworthy feats on the Great Dao,manded universal respect. Possessing the pinnacle of status, they could even establish sects at will.
Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators rarely appeared in public, as every action impacted their reputation. Yet, everyone in the VIP box was undoubtedly among the elite of the Northern Continent.
Or so it should have been.
¡°Can anyone identify their Dharma Treasures?¡±
¡°Is it¡ Spiritual Power?¡±
¡°A kind of Spiritual Power even we cannotprehend¡¡±
¡°Goodness¡¡±
¡°They¡¯re unstoppable.¡±
The cultivators were utterly bewildered by the chaotic turn of events.
***Meanwhile, Maxien and Cami were realizing the fights were harder than anticipated.
¡°¡This isn¡¯t easy.¡±
¡°Wheeze-Wheeze-¡¡±
Their intense focus on the contest revealed the caliber of their opponents. Both women were giving their all.
I can¡¯t lose.
I¡¯ll beat everyone, including Maxien!
This was, after all, the selection for Karlstein¡¯s cultivation partner. Even if just for cultivation, wasn¡¯t it still a partner?
Partner,panion, spouse. With such titles at stake, how could they not take this seriously?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
How dare they presume to be Karlstein¡¯s partner?
Impudent fools.
The contest was divided into four categories, but from what they heard, the Nascent Soul cultivators¡¯ matches were the main event.
This exined the difficulty. All the cultivators they faced had tricks up their sleeves, and a single misstep could lead to eternal regret.
¡°I thought I just had to deal with Cami¡¡±
¡°Wheeze- It¡¯s not just Maxien¡¡±
Though their Avatars limited their abilities, the conditions were equal for both. As such, it would have been wise to conserve strength to face each other. However¡
¡°I am Zhang Rouhe of the Tranquil Spirit Dao Sect. May I have the honor of a match?¡±
¡°I am Hu Yue of Heavenly Rain Valley. There¡¯s no need to hold back.¡±
Their opponents did not allow such luxury. Not to mention, these cultivators were capable of summoning their Nascent Souls, a small soul entity which could demonstrate power beyond physical limitations.
If I¡¯m not careful¡
¡®Maxien willugh at me.
Clearly, both women needed to take things a little more seriously.
***Gnash-
¡°Worthless, insolent creatures¡¡±
Biting rage materialized as ming breath.
¡°Hmph.¡±
Countless corpsesy piled at the man¡¯s feet, the stench of blood thick in the skies. Yet, he who was responsible for this carnage remained indifferent.
¡°This should take care of any more nuisances.¡±
The head of the Spirit Severing female cultivator, who had resisted him to the very end, had just fallen.
Thud.
Her face, frozen in terror even in death, testified to their vast power difference.
Jiao Zhenqing spat on the ground.
¡°Damn them all.¡±
The Spirit Severing cultivator had been the problem.
¡°I never imagined finding a Spirit Severing cultivator in this backwater Lower Realm.¡±
Gnash-
Normally, in the Lower Realm, environmental factors alone made it difficult to break through to the Spirit Severing Stage, which came after the Nascent Soul Stage.
Even Jiao Zhenqing himself had to suffer numerous restrictions in order to move within the Lower Realm, barely managing Spirit Severing power himself.
Who would have thought my secret tracking technique would prove so useful?
Jiao Zhenqing had hardly imagined finding a Spirit Severing cultivator among these Lower Realm weaklings, let alone falling for their trap.
Had he not wasted a humiliating amount of time because of that?
Even my searching Dharma Tool is broken.
This was a predicament indeed.
¡°But no matter. I¡¯ll just ughter them all and be done with it.¡±
That would naturally resolve his mission. Moreover¡
¡°As luck would have it, it seems they¡¯re all gathered in one ce.¡±
Jiao Zhenqing could at least sense the flow of Spiritual Power.
He summoned his crude treasure, the Blood-Draining Needle. The surrounding red sea vanished into it.
¡°Surely there can¡¯t be more than two Spirit Severing cultivators around.¡±
Not only was the probability slim, butst time he had merely been slightly careless in his search. No Spirit Severing cultivator could escape his notice now.
If there had been more, they would not have deployed such an imperfect sealing formation again.
¡°I¡¯ll kill everyst one of them.¡±
Jiao Zhenqing closed his eyes, chanting a spell. An eye of light appeared between his brows, and he began to perceive a distant scene. He was using Celestial Vision, also known as the eye of the sky.
As the technique activated, he began to see a ce where immense Spiritual Power was concentrated.
¡°¡A festival?¡±
Jiao Zhenqing¡¯s gut twisted, a vein twitching at his temple. But only for a moment.
A deep smile spread across his face.
¡°Haha. While you fools make merry, your only hope lies crushed.¡±
Nothing could stop him now that he had finished off the lone Spirit Severing cultivator. This time, he had even cleaned up all the Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators he previously marked.
¡°Very well. I too shall indulge in this festival.¡±
Jiao Zhenqing lifted off, flying leisurely towards his target.
Pshhhh-
He unleashed the sea of blood around him once more.
Chapter 127: Jiao Zhenqing (1)
Chapter 127: Jiao Zhenqing (1)Jiao Zhenqing surveyed the capital city submerged in a sea of blood, his tempestuous aura unfurling.
¡°The refinement of my Blood-Draining Needle nearspletion¡!¡±
Just a few more sacrifices, and it would be done.Once refined, half of his personal goal would be aplished. The remaining objective¡ªto find traces of a certain individual¡ªwas not a quick task. Finally, after destroying this Lower Realm and fulfilling the Noble Archer¡¯s mission, it would all end.
¡°Ten wasted years¡ This sin shall not be taken lightly.¡±
With a grand gesture, Jiao Zhenqing caused the blood-red sea to engulf even the city walls, submerging them. Heughed eerily at the countless screams reaching skyward.
Suddenly, his senses prickled.
¡°Hm?¡±
Something flew straight toward him at a speed impossible to ignore¡ªlong yet blunt, cleaving through the air. Jiao Zhenqing tilted his head, perplexed.
¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±
High-speed projectiles did not surprise him particrly, but¡¡°I can barely sense any Spiritual Power from it.¡±
Its speed was out of the ordinary.
¡°Materials that can conceal Spiritual Power should be rare even in the Lower Realm. Hmm.¡±
Jiao Zhenqing had an inkling of what it was. Like the Great Sealing Formation previously used against him, this was likely another trap or ambush.
¡°Are they underestimating me?¡±
For an ambush, it was not exactly subtle, audibly tearing through the air.
¡°Do they think I, Jiao Zhenqing, would even flinch at such an attack?¡±
No Spirit Severing cultivators remained to stop him.
¡°Hmph.¡±
As the cylindrical object, with its blunt, cone-shaped tip, approached rapidly, Jiao Zhenqing reacted with a casual wave of his hand.
Boom-
Despite the loud impact borne of its high speed and considerable weight, Jiao Zhenqing deflected it effortlessly.
ng-
As Jiao Zhenqing gauged its origin, the deflected object¡¯s tip touched the ground.
¡°Huh?¡±
KABOOOM-
SCREECH-
A mushroom cloud bloomed.
***It all began in the VIP seats.
¡°It¡¯s an emergency! You must return immediately!¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter? Calm yourself. Tsk.¡±
¡°I¡ that is¡¡±
Numerous lesser-realm cultivators rushed about, urgently whispering to the cultivators in the VIP seats.
¡°¡That can¡¯t be.¡±
¡°My word¡¡±
¡°Master Song Yan what?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What nonsense is this?! Impossible! Do you know who he is?¡±
The Nascent Soul cultivators were dumbfounded by the news.
¡°Speak inly!¡±
¡°Goodness!¡±
¡°Is that really true?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Th-the Grandmaster truly?¡±
Some rose hurriedly.
¡°We must hurry back. Perhaps¡ no, never mind.¡±
¡°Is it already toote¡?¡±
However, there was someone who had received the news even earlier.
¡°Oh? That maniac got loose?¡±
It was Karlstein, enduring shame-y from the entire cultivation world in the VVIP box.
A screen materialized before his eyes, tracking the maniac¡¯s advance in real-time.
¡°Whew¡ He¡¯s a real nutcase alright.¡±
The screen yed a video; a man summoning a bloody sea, slowly advancing while devouring everything, exuding confidence.
¡°Looks kinda tough, doesn¡¯t he?¡±
His extraordinary Spiritual Power was palpable even through the screen, but Karlstein weed it.
¡°Then shall we use this opportunity to test out some weapons?¡±
He had something to check anyway.
¡°Then I¡¯ll start off light with this one¡¡±
Beep-
At Karlstein¡¯smand, a shadow began to loom over the arena.
-Uhh? What¡¯s that?
-Night?
-No, look at the sky carefully!
-Holy shit¡!
-What is that?! -Ahhhh!
-Wha-what¡¯s going on?
Ripples spread across the sky, revealing something previously invisible¡ªa space battleship crafted to fit this Xianxia world.
A single massive vessel of dark wood and metal unveiled itself.
-Fire the Genesis Bullet.
Bebeep-
***¡°Wha-what is that?¡±
¡°So enormous¡¡±
¡°My goodness¡¡±
¡°I surmise it has something to do with that so-called Overseer.¡±
¡°What is he plotting?¡±
The battleship¡¯s sudden appearance caused an uproar. Its presence, like a floating metal mountain, turned day to night.
Mortals nearly fainted, while lesser-realm cultivators gazed up with trembling eyes.
¡°Is it a Spiritual Object?¡±
¡°No way¡¡±
¡°The Spiritual Power it emits is extraordinary¡¡±
¡°I would say¡ not even Dharma Treasures couldpare¡¡±
¡°A Heaven-Defying Treasure?¡±
¡°Come now. That¡¯s mere legend.¡±
¡°What could it be¡¡±
The battleship¡¯s disc-shaped body dwarfed most mountain ranges. This colossal, unidentified discunched something into the sky.
¡°Considering the usual bizarre creations produced by Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¡±
¡°Even so, a Dharma Tool(?) of such magnitude is unheard of.¡±
¡°Now when have their inventions ever been ordinary? Most were unprecedented.¡±
¡°Still¡¡±
Suddenly, a door opened beneath the disc. Armored puppets poured out, positioning themselves midair.
What arethosenow?
The cultivators observed in silence. Fortunately, the metal-d puppets seemed non-hostile, but their unsettling presence left everyone ck-jawed with shock.
¡°I sense no life force.¡±
¡°They must be¡ puppets, surely?¡±
¡°How should I know?¡±
The puppets emerged in disciplined formation, apparently preparing to wee someone.
Boom-
At that moment, someone rocked from the arena¡¯s topmost building toward the mysterious disc.
¡°Could it be¡¡±
¡°The rumored Overseer?¡±
¡°¡¡±
It went without saying that the Nascent Soul cultivators in the VIP box were also watching this rather absurd happening.
¡°I definitely sensed nothing until now.¡±
¡°His concealment technique is¡ impressive, should I say?¡±
¡°A cultivation technique?¡±
¡°I had no idea such a massive object hid right above us.¡±
¡°Itunched something earlier.¡±
¡°¡If I¡¯m not mistaken, it was most likely targeting him.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s the rumored Overseer, he must know the situation.¡±
¡°Is that why he¡¯s acting?¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Spections flew, but they could hardlye up with any definitive answers. Naturally, they knew nothing of the space battleship either.
However¡
¡°A flying Dharma Tool?¡±
¡°What use is something so oversized¡ tsk-tsk.¡±
¡°No more than a circus act.¡±
Frankly, the Nascent Soul cultivators deemed it useless. Yet someone showed deep interest.
¡°Cultivator Ga! I will apany you!¡±
A Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator from the VIP box leapt toward the disc.
¡°W-well now!¡±
¡°Goodness.¡±
¡°How rash, tsk-tsk. Doesn¡¯t she feel ashamed before her juniors?¡±
¡°Let her be. That child has always been this way.¡±
It was the Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s Master.
¡°Now¡¯s not the time. The Great Sealing Formation has been broken¡ªthat¡¯s the real problem.¡±
¡°Indeed¡¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t this a disaster?¡±
¡°We might end up sharing the Southern Continent¡¯s fate¡¡±
Tension gripped them all.
Just then, a man in colorful silk clothes stepped forward, stomping the ground.
¡°Haha. This is opportunity, not crisis.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
¡°So suddenly?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
The man grinned, introducing himself as Wu Yun.
¡°Why are you all so spooked?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
¡°Say what?¡±
¡°!!¡±
Despite drawing everyone¡¯s attention with his somewhat provocative question,Wu Yun remained nonchnt.
¡°Ahem-hem. Though I did not fight directly, I do have experience with the Great Sealing Formation! Haha.¡±
¡°So what?¡±
¡°¡Are you looking for trouble?¡±
¡°Haah¡¡±
For all their hostility, Wu Yun¡¯s smile never faltered.
¡°You all know, yes? The one who stained the Southern Continent in blood came from the Upper Realm.¡±
¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡±
¡°Are you here just to state the obvious?¡±
¡°Tsk-tsk.¡±
The Nascent Soul cultivators reacted intensely, yet Wu Yun merely mocked them.
¡°A True Immortal from the Upper Realm must possess extraordinary items. We might even uncover the secrets of Ascension.¡±
¡°!!¡±
¡°¡¡±
Only then did the atmosphere shift. Ascension¡ªcrossing to the Upper Realm¡ªwas every Lower Realm cultivator¡¯s dream.
¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that? But he¡¯s a True Immortal! A True Immortal from the Upper Realm! Even cultivators far superior to us were mercilessly ughtered.¡±
¡°Right. We first need the ability to defeat him for spoils.¡±
¡°I hear no one gained anything even after sealing him. This means he must be killed, but who could¡¡±
The mood grew dark again.
¡°Hahaha! Didn¡¯t I say? I helped set up the Great Sealing Formation.¡±
Everyone began to open their ears in earnest. Seeing that, Wu Yun smirked.
¡°The seal used the heart of Five Dragons and the True Blood of an Earth Spirit. It was an ancient formation from a bygone era that we never thought would actually work.¡±
Wu Yun¡¯s lips curved into a crooked smile.
¡°I assure you all¡ not even a True Immortal could be unscathed by such a powerful seal. He must be iparably weaker than before.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Intense greed shed in everyone¡¯s eyes.
¡°Will you all just keep worrying like this?¡±
Wu Yun¡¯s provocation finally changed the mood among the Nascent Soul cultivators.
¡°Isn¡¯t it only natural that we join forces to capture him? For the peace of the Northern Continent!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! We must defeat this great evil together!¡±
Everyone knew they sought spoils, but preached peace outwardly.
¡°If it¡¯s for everyone¡¯s sake¡!¡±
¡°To protect the Northern Continent, I suppose I must step forward. Haha.¡±
Although someone tried to temper the situation¡
¡°It seems we have all forgotten something crucialst time, even with Master Song Yan present, they only barely managed to seal him!¡±
But those consumed by greed were deaf to caution.
¡°Since Master Song Yan has acted, the True Immortal must be deeply wounded!¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you being too cautious? Didn¡¯t that Wu Yun fellow say? He¡¯s weakened after being released from the seal. It¡¯smon knowledge that one is most vulnerable right after being freed from a seal.¡±
¡°Most of us here could not take part in the battle, but it wasn¡¯t because wecked the skills, right?¡±
¡°Exactly. This is nothing short of heaven-sent opportunity.¡±
Cultivation and Ascension were their top priorities, after all. The Overseer¡¯s mysterious artifacts interested them only in peacetime. Now, with the chance to obtain clues to Ascension, that became secondary.
Moreover¡
¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean¡ that Overseer has stolen a march on us?¡±
The waiting room¡¯s atmosphere turned oddly cold. Their opinion of the Overseer was favorable, owing to his poprity and fame. Now though¡
¡°Hmm¡ turns out he was a cunning fellow.¡±
¡°Indeed. A typical youth disrespecting his elders.¡±
¡°¡We should hurry too, if we are not to bete.¡±
They could turn against the Overseer at any time if he obstructed them. Such was their rtionship.
However¡
¡°¡Are they insane?¡±
Naturally, Karlstein had been watching everything in the VIP room through a holographic screen.
Another screen showed a certain somebody who had survived the Genesis Bullet unscathed, shrieking and cursing.
Chapter 128: Jiao Zhenqing (2)
Chapter 128: Jiao Zhenqing (2)¡°Phew¡¡±
¡°Hff- Haah.¡±
Maxien and Cami locked eyes, unable to hide their frustration.
¡°So this is how it goes.¡±
¡°¡Indeed.¡±
They had been radiating murder toward each other in the vast arena, but now expressed their disappointment with deep sighs.
¡°Consider yourself lucky.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ my line.¡±
If they had just a little more time, there would have been a clear victory. But themotion that arose before the finals forced them to withdraw.
¡°Hmph.¡±¡°Tch.¡±
They knew opportunities like this were rare¡ªa chance to fight on equal ground, using Avatars that allowed them to go all out without worrying about the aftermath or consequences.
In their original dimension, such a confrontation could never happen for many reasons. As great heroes of the Gctic Empire, each had numerous subordinates and devoted followers. A loss for either would inevitably affect the empire¡¯s bnce of power.
The two had hoped to settle things by vying to be Karlstein¡¯s cultivation partner, but s. They felt the sting of regret at missing the chance to definitively determine who was superior and more suitable.
¡°Revealing the spaceship must mean the situation is serious.¡±
¡°¡We¡¯ll duel another time.¡±
They could not act rashly, especially considering a certain watchful Chancellor back in the Gctic Empire.
¡°Let¡¯s go. We may be needed.¡±
¡°¡Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already out of steam?¡±
¡°Hmph. As if.¡±
With that, they returned to the space battleship where Karlstein waited. Above all, the woman who had leaped into the ship earlier continued to bother their thoughts.
***¡°These sons of dogs!! Koff.¡±
Jiao Zhenqing¡¯s body was rtively intact, but his clothes were mostly burned away, leaving him in tatters like a beggar.
¡°They will pay for this.¡±
His eyes were bloodshot with fury, teeth gnashing.
¡°What pathetic trickery!!¡±
An area within a radius of several thousand meters had been reduced to ashes. Despite the explosion strangely concentrating on the center, it was enough to reduce the area into a barren wastnd.
Gnash-
Moreover¡.
¡°st it! Again?!¡±
The projectiles kepting without pause, their piercing whistles tearing through the atmosphere. From the second attack onward, Jiao Zhenqing had attempted dodging and various other maneuvers, but¡.
BOOM-
¡°Aaagh!¡±
The peculiar attacks twisted direction to chase him relentless, each followed by an inevitable massive explosion.
VHOOSH-
Immediately after, a tremendous shockwave battered his entire body.
Gnash-
¡°Curses!!¡±
What¡¯s worse, for some reason, each attack grew stronger.
¡°Aargh!¡±
If there was any constion, it was that the attacks were not yet life-threatening.But at this rate, it would undoubtedly be perilous.
The surrounding Spiritual Power is gradually depleting¡!
Jiao Zhenqing needed to draw on the Spiritual Power in the air, but with each ovepping explosion, that power thinned.
¡°What kind of technique is this?!¡±
He was furious. Somehow, even his defensive techniques were not working properly. It was as if the explosive energy was dismantling the solid connections of Spiritual Power, leaving him with disheveled hair and tattered clothes.
¡°Haa¡ Haa¡¡±
Just as Jiao Zhenqin considered whether to use his hidden trump card while desperately enduring with various techniques, the iing attacks suddenly stopped.
¡°Phew¡. Is it over?¡±
He chuckled, musing that it was truly a close call.
¡°That almost ruined¡ the Blood-Draining Needle¡¯s refinement.¡±
Right. After all the trouble he went through to refine this treasure, he could not carelessly waste it in a ce like this.
Jiao Zhenqing released a sigh of relief, but his anger remained undiminished. Soon, what newly began to register in his senses was¡.
¡°Kahaha! After hiding like cowards, you finally show yourselves?!¡±
Hundreds of Nascent Soul cultivators were approaching in a surrounding circle.
¡°That¡¯s right! Come! I shall ughter you all!¡±
Jiao Zhenqing pulled out an ink-ck stake from his bosom.
¡°If I¡¯m to repay you, it¡¯s only fitting I offer something of this caliber!¡±
The moment he firmly nted the stake into the ground.
Zing-
ck and white inverted, Spiritual Power surging forth with such density that it rippled through space.
Whoosh-
¡°Look forward to it, vermin.¡±
Jiao Zhenqing¡¯s figure vanished.
***¡°Thi-this can¡¯t be¡!¡±
¡°Gaaaargh!¡±
¡°Im-impossible!¡±
¡°Wu Yun!!! Where did you go, bastard!!!¡±
They howled for Wu Yun, but there was no answer. He had already fled.
¡°Hahaha! How pathetic!¡±
¡°Aaaack!¡±
¡°Hurk.¡°
¡°We must¡ escape this ce¡!¡±
¡°Ugh!¡±
Spiritual Power, usually scarce, was now so densely packed in this area that it violently pressed down on their bodies.
¡°Hahaha! I should have done this from the start! I could have crushed even Spirit Severing worms with my fingers!¡±
Jiao Zhenqing had cast Heavenly Resonance¡ªa secret technique that temporarily created an environment simr to the Upper Realm using the stake as a medium, removing power restrictions.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t you vermin do anything for Ascension? How does it feel to experience the Upper Realm you so desire? Hahaha!¡±
The violent density of Spiritual Power oppressed the Nascent Soul cultivators. Moreover, this was not regr natural Spiritual Power, but energy harboring clear hostility.
¡°Hurk. S-stop! Please sp-spare us!¡±
¡°We were blind¡ to your greatness¡!¡±
¡°Silence! Such pieces of trash! How dare you try to converse with me! Aren¡¯t you just lowly insects meant to be sacrifices for my Blood-Draining Needle?¡±
Seeing the True Immortalughing maniacally with bloodshot eyes, the Nascent Soul cultivators felt chills down to their bones.
¡°This is madness¡!¡±
¡°We were wrong! Please!¡±
¡°P-please!¡±
¡°Aargh!¡±
The Nascent Soul cultivators burst like insects, so overwhelmed with fear that they could barely breathe.
At that moment, someone abandoned their physical body and extracted only their small Soul Essence, using a Teleportation Technique to flee in an instant.
But when Jiao Zhenqing pointed his finger in the direction the soul had escaped¡
-Aaaaargh! I b-beg of you!
St!
The soul was torn apart with merely a gesture.
¡°How¡!¡±
¡°Everyone! We mustn¡¯t lose our minds! We need to join forces now more than ever!¡±
¡°He¡¯s in no normal shape himself! If you remember the shape he was in at first, do not give up and¡!¡±
Jiao Zhenqing frowned.
¡°You worms dare underestimate me just because my clothes are a little singed?¡±
To be fair, he was notpletely unscathed. The aftermath of the previous Grand Sealing Formation, coupled with the hundreds of explosions he suffered, had indeed left his body battered.
But the injuries were not fatal, and now he had partially escaped the Lower realm¡¯s restrictions thanks to the Heavenly Resonance Technique.
There was no problem. All Jiao Zhenqing had to do was eliminate these vermin and turn the Northern Continent into a sea of blood.
Swish-
Obeying the flow of Jiao Zhenqing¡¯s Spiritual Power, countless hands rose from the sea of blood to devour the cultivators.
¡°Kahaha!¡±
But then.
Vooom-n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡°Hm?¡±
What¡¯s this ominous feeling?
Jiao Zhenqing sensed something familiar. A high-pitched whistle.
¡°!!¡±
Surely not¡? But it¡¯s different from before. This is¡?
The whistling grew near. A white line stretched from beyond the horizon, instantly connecting with his heart.
CRUNCH!!
¡°!!¡±
A thin metal object, about as thick as a finger, struck his heart directly, sttering blood.
The projectile was so ridiculously fast that even to Jiao Zhenqing¡¯s eyes, it appeared as a single beam of light.
¡°Gah!¡±
BOOOM-
The moment it struck, it pushed away all the surrounding air, creating a vacuum and dispersing shockwaves.
CRAASH-
A beatter, the ground caved in with thunderous noise, and Jiao Zhenqing¡¯s body was buried underneath.
¡°Koff! What in the¡¡±
After barely regaining his senses, Jiao Zhenqing was dumbfounded.
And then he realized something.
¡°DAMN IT ALLLL!!¡±
The earlier explosion was not the end.
Another whistle came for him.
¡°Again?!¡±
KABOOM-
¡°GAARGH!¡±
It hit him in the same spot, and a copious stream of blood erupted from the wound.
BOOM-
The already copsed ground crumbled once more, hurling dirt and rocks in every direction.
BANG- BANG-
Total annihtion. An unavoidable, acute physical force kept hammering his heart. A force that even Spiritual Power could not defend against.
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
The projectiles, firing at a rate iparably faster than before, began to drive Jiao Zhenqing deeper into the ground.
He sobbed in pain.
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
¡°Hurk¡!¡±
The relentless barrage was so intense that even the watching Nascent Soul cultivators broke out in cold sweat.
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
BANG- BANG- BANG- BANG-
A long time passed.
¡°Is, is it over?¡±
The Nascent Soul cultivators, who had been trembling in fear and could barely stand, slowly began to raise their heads.
¡°What¡ What just happened?¡±
¡°Who¡¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°I¡ couldn¡¯t see anything.¡±
¡°Who in the world¡?¡±
Despite trembling with fear, they had witnessed firsthand the power that mercilessly pummeled the True Immortal¡¯s body with terrifying speed.
A massive crater marked the ground where the True Immortal had been driven in.
Physical power potent enough to topple a True Immortal¡ They had never encountered anything like it before.
Meanwhile¡
Bebeep-
¡°Mmm¡ I guess this is about as far as conventional weapons can go?¡±
Karlstein muttered grumpily after testing his railgun.
Beeeep-
The life sign from his detection device t-lined.
Chapter 130: Jiao Zhenqing (4)
The Nascent Soul cultivators were jolted to their senses. The terror they believed to have put behind them surged back, suddenly consuming them.
¡°Ah¡¡±
¡°Th-this is¡!¡±
¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±
¡°It c-can¡¯t be.¡±
Rumble-
The ground beneath them quaked, transforming into a crimson, swamp-like morass.
¡°Get away!¡±
¡°Use your Flying Dharma Tools!¡±
¡°Ugh! My feet are stuck!¡±Some leaped high in a panicked bid for escape, but others found their feet trapped in the viscous earth.
¡°H-Help me!¡±
¡°My Spiritual Power is being drained!¡±
¡°Argh!¡±
Those who managed to climb on their Flying Dharma Tools barely had a moment to sigh in relief before fear struck them again.
Boom-
A chilling red shockwave burst from the deep pit where the True Immortaly buried.
¡°!!¡±
It¡¯s often said that human greed knows no bounds, and history is doomed to repeat itself.
Wh-where are those people from earlier?!
They finally grasped the situation, but it was toote. As if oblivious to their earlier disgraceful actions, the cultivators hastily searched for Karlstein and hispanions, only to find they had already vanished.
¡°N-no!¡±
¡°Aargh!¡±
The spiritual pressure, far more overwhelming than before, crushed their breath and sent violent tremors through their bodies.
***Meanwhile, Karlstein watched them on a holographic screen. Expression cold as ice, he exuded an unapproachable aura of authority. His earlier yful demeanor seemed like an illusion, so natural was this shift.
Behind him stood a muscr figure and two women, their gazes also fixed on the screen. They were just as unmoved.
But one other woman could not hide her urgency.
¡°O-Overseer Ga! Please show mercy!¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
It was Jin Shihong, the Master of Plum Shadow Pavilion¡¯s headquarters.
A Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator pleading with a Core Formation cultivator was a sight unimaginable even for a fortune. However¡
¡°If we lose them too, the Northern cultivation world will regress by thousands of years!¡±
To Jin Shihong, the Overseer¡¯s lower realm did not matter at all. She had witnessed his power firsthand and knew just how outrageously strong he was.
But his response was cold.
¡°Thousands of years?¡±
Jin Shihong flinched but pressed on with conviction, knowing what the oue would be if this continued.
¡°The Nascent Soul cultivators aren¡¯t just powerful¡ªthey are the pirs of knowledge and experience that uphold the entire cultivation world!¡±
Yet Karlstein remained apathetic.
¡°It didn¡¯t really seem that way to me though?¡±
Maxien and Cami added their voices in agreement.
¡°Indeed. I question the worth of those arrogant, greedy old monsters¡¡±
¡°¡Me too.¡±
¡°Either way, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. I¡¯ll follow whatever His Majestymands.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The atmosphere was not what Jin Shihong had anticipated. She hurriedly resumed her argument.
¡°With most of our forces lost in the Great Bloodshed and the recent battle, if we suffer any more losses, the cultivation world might not survive. Reaching Nascent Soul isn¡¯t something that can be done through talent or treasures alone. The cultivation world needs them. Even you, who reached Core Formation in under a decade, are stuck at a bottleneck for the next stage, aren¡¯t you? Please reconsider!¡±
¡°¡¡±
Her words wereced with desperation, underpinned by genuine concern for the Northern cultivation world. She was even implying that Karlstein needed the help of the older generation to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage.
¡°Is that so¡¡±
It seemed as if Jin Shihong¡¯s sincerity had shone through. Karlstein¡¯s rigid expression, unchanged since their return to the ship, softened slightly.
Jin Shihong felt a flicker of relief. But then¡
¡°If the rise and fall of the cultivation world depends on such pathetic creatures¡¡±
Karlstein¡¯s freezing words cut through the air.
¡°Then it¡¯s better to destroy it and build anew.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Jin Shihong¡¯s eyes flew wide open.
W-what?
¡°Pavilion Master. Well¡ I do understand. You were born and raised here, so your perspective is naturally limited.¡±
¡°Per¡spective?¡±
¡°But we can¡¯t stay like this forever.¡±
Jin Shihong struggled to grasp his words, but his meaning was clear. His icy gaze locked onto her.
¡°They¡¯re better off not existing.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
¡°Especially in the new era toe.¡±
Despite falling speechless under his unwavering stare, Jin Shihong could not find it in herself to me Karlstein. She could only pity the foolish cultivators.
Those idiots! So steeped in greed! So blind!¡®
No further pleas to save them left her lips. Above all, his mention of a new era carried an ominous weight to it.
An era¡ even newer than this? Impossible.
Jin Shihong could not even begin to fathom what kind of world Karlstein envisioned.
***Truthfully, from Karlstein¡¯s perspective, not taking direct action was already a mercy.
Of course, beyond that¡
He could tell from the actions of those cultivators that the cultivation world had stagnated.
It was an excessively closed-off world, where thew of the jungle and opportunism ruled. A world bloated with bluster and barbarism. It was a wonder that it had maintained its system this long, clinging to the outdated notion of individual inheritance of power.
Indeed. Such a worthless system could never satisfy the Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
Whatever the case, purging the old guard is a necessary step to overhaul this system.
Karlstein had hesitated slightly to take action himself, but the emergence of the True Immortal had turned out to be fortuitous.
¡°I¡¯ll rebuild it from the ground up.¡±
He would craft a system of logic and order, one that suited him.
¡°Not all Nascent Soul cultivators were like those wretches.¡±
The greedy ones had stayed to confront him on the battlefield, while the others had left, thankful to survive.
And that¡¯s why they¡¯re unnecessary.
There was no need to spare those who would only sow discord in a cultivation world poised for reform.
-Aaargh!
-S-spare me!
-Agh!¡±
-Please save us, Honorable One!
The screen showed the remaining Nascent Soul cultivators dying, unable to escape. A towering giant wasying total waste to its surroundings¡ªa giant of blood with three heads and six arms.
Its Spiritual Power was beyond imagination, so overwhelming that it would be rash to confront it using an Avatar.
Swoosh- Rumble-
As the three-headed giant took a step, an entire mountain crumbled to nothingness.
ROOOAAR-
The destruction incarnate unleashed a monstrous roar, turning the earth and sky red as space itself rippled around it.
¡°Mm. Maxien, Cami. Can you two handle that?¡±
The two assessed the situation seriously at Karlstein¡¯s question.
¡°¡It might be difficult as I am.¡±
¡°Although not im-impossible¡¡±
Their responsescked confidence.
¡°I see.¡±
ROOOAAR-
The giant¡¯s roar resonated even within the space battleship, causing it to vibrate.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Yet none among them felt tense¡ªexcept for the shell-shocked Jin Shihong.
Karlstein fiddled with a red button.
¡°This was still in the testing phase¡¡±
But I guess it can¡¯t be helped.
Click.
As he pressed the button, the stealth function of the space battleship disengaged, and it began to vibrate slightly.
Vooom-
I never said I only got conventional weapons, okay?
A darkness that absorbed all light condensed at the main cannon of the ship.
VOOOM-
The Beholder was part of the Micro ck Hole weapon series.
A beam of death shot from the main cannon, racing toward the giant.
FLASH-
An explosion of blinding light erupted.
GRRRVZZZKT-
The silent sh engulfed and annihted everything.
¡°Mhm. The power¡¯s a bit underwhelming though.¡±
BOOM.
Where the giant had stood, only a vast wastnd remained.
***This is insane¡
Jin Shihong knew the Overseer was no ordinary person, but even so¡ she was rendered speechless as she surveyed the ruined battlefield.
What in heavens¡ is this¡ technique?
The power was so absurd that mere Nascent Soul cultivators would be wiped out of existence just by being nearby.
Hearing Karlstein hum a cheerful tune, Jin Shihong felt a chill.
It doesn¡¯t even seem like he exerted much effort¡
All he did was press a red button, and the True Immortal, who had destroyed the Southern Continent and was about to devour the Northern Continent, was gone.
¡.
And his subordinates watched it all as if it were only natural. Just who were they?
Jin Shihong had sensed something different about him, especially with his new technologies, but this felt alien. Yes. Like the legendary Hunshi.
Ahh¡
Now she understood why he was not particrly interested in breaking through cultivation realms. With artifacts capable of such power at the press of a button, who would dedicate themselves to cultivation for strength?
[This is¡ unbelievable¡]
A voice emerged from the wooden puppet beside Karlstein. It was one of the few beings who could sympathize with Jin Shihong¡¯s feelings.N?v(el)B\\jnn
[Haah¡]
The wooden puppet¡¯s sigh was all too rtable.
Yet only an indifferent voice came from the Overseer.
¡°Looks like we won¡¯t need to bring out your Genesis, eh old man??¡±
[¡Shoo the idea. If you keep summoning those¡ absurd things of yours, even Genesis will not be able to handle it.]
What¡¯s he on about? Does this old man still have more to show?
¡°Can¡¯t we just make another one?¡±
[Lunatic! That¡¯s not some disposable item or consumable! Just think about raising your realm! You must refine Genesis yourself!]
¡°Well¡ I¡¯ll start by enhancing it with the stake I got this time.¡±
[Oh, my head¡]
Jin Shihong was dumbfounded, feeling as if she had stepped into a different world. Who was this wooden puppet he called old man?
¡°Then let¡¯s wrap this up quickly. If we unify and manage the entire cultivation world¡ Turn it all into an elixir field¡ Assign dedicated researchers to cultivation techniques¡ As for the Community¡ We¡¯ll have plenty on our tes.¡±
Jin Shihong was bewildered by everything he said, but oblivious to her thoughts, Karlstien turned to his subordinates with a grin.
¡°It¡¯s time you guys also get to work, yeah?¡±
¡°Eh? B-but it¡¯s our rare vacation¡¡±
¡°Cami. Don¡¯t whine to His Majesty.¡±
¡°Y-Your Majesty¡¡±
For some reason, Jin Shihong felt a growing fear of the new era Karlstein intended to forge.
Chapter 131: Upheaval of the Community (1)
Chapter 131: Upheaval of the Community (1)A breeze of change swept through the Integrated Dimensional Community. The era of posting provocative memes, idle banter, emotional pleas forfort, and aimless bragging hade to an end.
The atmosphere was different from the Community of the past.
?i applied for World! pls let me get in!
?i failedst time and i¡¯m training now. bruh they got nothing but monsters gathered over there idek
?Despite reaching the Profound Realm¡ I am just Foot Solider No.1 in World. This has me worried.
?me thinks to save karma n apply study in dat Xianxia exchange program dey callin cultivation sanctuary
?Bro¡¯s rich¡. Apparently u need an insane amount of Karma
?i hear most can¡¯t even afford the entrance fee, and it costs a ton more inside too.
?lmfao karma refusing to umte. gotta cut down on food expenses prolly
?How can you resist chicken??ikr
?SMH u Hopeless
?By the way, I heard someone hit the jackpot in World recently?
A whole new world had opened up to them, in every sense.
Too strong and bored? Feeling listless from theck of worthy opponents? Nothing left to do after achieving all your desires?
The moment they stepped into World, they realized: There¡¯s always someone stronger out there.
?ooly shet!
?Nothing but crazy bishes here¡.
?i swer to god those Kaiju tho¡.
?HAAH. almost died today when my immortality ability broke. epting questions
?It feels like yesterday I was revered as an Archmage. Here I¡¯m just a utility worker who can do some odd jobs.
?¡I miss the peaceful times.
Some were curious.
?then why go there?
?can¡¯t you just y kingfortably in your own world?
Certainly, some did exactly that. But it was a different story for Transcendents.
Those who reached the pinnacle of their worlds often fell victim to boredom. Usually, such powerful individuals had long lifespans, which made it all the worse.
Perspective shifts depending on where you stand.
For those who had already be the strongest, the weight of that boredom was something an ordinary person could hardlyprehend. Who could deny this?
Think about their path to the top: tireless effort, fierce determination, meticulous nning, endurance, achievements. When individuals like that suddenly lose all sense of purpose¡
?¡it wouldn¡¯t be bad to pass away like this.
?now I¡¯m treated like a retired old geezer
?Almost started a war just by saying a few words.
For them, the battlefield of the new universe World was nothing short of wee news. Even if there were Transcendents who wished to remain frogs in a well.
?yall gonna b bottom-feedingborers wen oradge-sensei unifies the dimensionster
?yeh Profound Realm cultivators will work farms and Archmages doin civil work~
?the noobs weaker than me r gonna be my superiors? ainnofckingway
If they were the type to growcent and soft, they would not have made it to the top in the first ce.
Furthermore, this change within the Community was not limited to those confident in strength.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
?anyone taken the basic martial arts theory lecture? me don understand, can someone do tutor? will pay Karma
?The level of online lectures is insane. The martial arts in our world are basically all half-assed shit¡.
?Graduated from the Magic Tower, now taking courses from the basics again.
?rmend me a dual cultivation instructor plz
?o the subus instructors are the real deal for dat
?BRUH it woulda been hell without Oradge¡¯s tuition support
?Let¡¯s work hard. That¡¯s how we survive.
A wave of studying fever swept through the beginners.
-Metallurgy Taught By Your Top-ss Dwarf Instructor.
-Movement Lectures Even Third-Rate Swordsmen Can Understand, Taught By Unrestrained Realm Expert
¨CYou Can Learn Magic From A Dragon? Enroll Right Now.
-The Intricacies Of Dual Cultivation: The Subus Way (Not porn!)
Individual lectures popped up, and naturally, the instructors taught diligently¡ªif only for the Karma. Plus¡.
?Oh, I think my lecture got registered in the Archive.
?woah congrattions.
?The royalties must be sweet¡. So jelly.
?if you open 3 Archive courses, Xianxia exchange is totally possible.
?Isn¡¯t that ce¡ only for nobles even in the Community?
?well as long as u can get in, u¡¯ll be in for a rags-to-riches story 100%
?Let¡¯s crack the Archive bros
?Here¡¯s a tip. First of all, you guys tend to exin difficult things in your own way, but that¡¯s not the way. You gotta structure the lecture so even beginners can understand easily.
?Easy for beginners to understand¡ noted.
?ayo who doesn¡¯t know that huh
?then don¡¯t follow the advice -.-
?the easier it is to understand, the higher the Archive royalties. work hard bruhs
The newly opened Archive was a Community Library certified by the Gctic Empire, which was Oradge¡¯s home base.
The theories and lectures avable were somewhat pricey, but their stability and effectiveness were guaranteed. On top of that, the Gctic Empire offered substantial bonuses¡ªsometimes several times the tuition fee¡ªbased on the quality and quantity of lectures registered in the Archive.
When the Archive firstunched, it caused quite a stir in themunity.
?madshit lol they gon make all that public?
?You can acquire a Transcendent¡¯s lifetime of knowledge for some Karma?
?lez not misunderstand. being able to read it is different from acquiring it.
?but why they making this public? I mean it¡¯s good for me
?dunno. guess its nothing special to oradge
?The Archive knowledge level is hell. It¡¯s not easy to understand with average talent. Don¡¯t waste your Karma.
?But you can¡¯t give up because if you find something that suits you well, you won¡¯t ever get that lucky elsewhere.
?It¡¯s almost free.
?The Karma cost isn¡¯t exactly free¡.
?u think that money is a waste to learn all that? r u insane?
?Lose the beggar mentality kids. The strongest in your world couldn¡¯t hear these lectures even if they wanted to.
?why they releasing this at such low price?
?The royalties are no joke, isn¡¯t the rental fee not enough to cover it?
?isn¡¯t this kind of knowledge monopolized normally?
It¡¯s not like they¡¯re doing charity work, so why release such valuable knowledge? To what end? Just imagine the benefits of monopolizing that alone¡.
Yet Oradge went ahead with the massive public release, as if those gains meant nothing.
?Wow, Oradge¡¯s generosity in releasing all this¡.
?Oradge is the light and salt of my life!
?Simply light.
?urgh! can¡¯t open my eyes!
?praise da oradge!
?Praise him!
?We shall now have an Oradge praise session.
?O-men.
?O-men.
Now, Oradge had ascended to the realm of the sacrosanct.
Above all, this allowed others to indirectly grasp the sheer power of the Gctic Empire.
?In the field of scientific theory¡ no, the Archive is just the truth of the universe.
?its rumored the empire only uploaded knowledge that matches our level.
?I¡¯m the Dwarf Grand Chieftain. Even understanding the engineering basics was difficult.
?wth is the gctic empire even¡.
?can oradge handle it ifmunity users get stronger through the Archive?
?ye. even if we master all that, we can¡¯t even reach the toes of the Gctic Empire.
What kind of ce is the Gctic Empire to release such knowledge almost for free? How strong must they be? It was difficult to even imagine.
And as for Oradge, his true intentions remained a mystery.
?weren¡¯t they preparing for dimensional invasion?
?get ur facts straight. with that difference in power, it¡¯s not invasion just picking up new territory
?Actually we¡¯d be grateful if they came. May the Gctic Empire descend upon us!
Judging by his actions, it looked like he was nning a dimensional invasion, yet now he was trying to nurture the Community users? What was he really up to?
Everyone could not help but be curious.
But as for the man in question¡
¡°Yeah, no. I¡¯m just going to y.¡±
[Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake! I beg of you please! It is high time you dedicated yourself to puppetry!]
¡°Nope, I¡¯m already doing what I need to do.¡±
[It is meaningless unless you reach the Nascent Soul Stage!]
¡°Oh yes, yet I already conquered a Xianxia world at just Core Formation.¡±
[Argh!]
He was busy messing around with a certain entric.
***Of course, Karlstein was not just idling around.
-What have you done¡ that is the history and essence of our sect!
-Stop! I would rather you trample me than¡ªGack!
-Hoho. A new era ising. Instead of extorting, you are sharing the knowledge and techniques you have gained. As a Daoist, I have no reason to stop you.
-Hahaha! It¡¯s over now! The cultivation world will perish!!
His first move was unifying the Xianxia world. It was effortless.
¡°Huh? They¡¯re not listening?¡±
Click.
¡°What? You see signs of rebellion? Maxien! Deploy!¡±
¡°¡¡±
Nothing was impossible for Karlstein. Furthermore¡
¡°Really? That¡¯s not difficult. We¡¯re fellow disciples, after all.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll serve you as my elder brother!!¡±
¡°Th-thank you!¡±
He even took care of the bald middle-aged man and the calm girl who could be considered his fellow disciples from the me Metal Sect.
¡°So, Senior Sister Zhang. What did your family say?¡±
¡°Uh, well¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay. Speakfortably.¡±
¡°¡Thanks.¡±
He also solved Senior Sister Zhang¡¯splicated family matters in his own way.
¡°If you feel they¡¯re causing trouble again, let me know anytime.¡±
¡°Mhm¡¡±
Ironically, it was the family members who sought refuge under her wing that perplexed her.
-Make him yours no matter what!
-Push him down!
-Get him in bed first!
Of course, these details were kept secret from Karlstein.
¡°Anyway, looks like things are settled here too.¡±
[Hmph¡. Had you been serious about cultivation, bing a True Immortal would have been nothing.]
¡°You think I¡¯ve just been ying around? Don¡¯t you worry none. I¡¯m running an analysis in my home base for now.¡±
[Haah¡ That is not how cultivation works!]
Yeah, it is.
¡°Tsk-tsk. Everything should be done efficiently.¡±
[No¡! How can you treat understanding the Heavenly Dao in such a manner¡!]
¡°Nope. You wrong.¡±
[G-gah!]
Unlike a certain old man, Karlstein was achieving satisfactory results in his own way.
Chapter 132: Upheaval of the Community (2)
Chapter 132: Upheaval of the Community (2)World was one of the ces most influenced by the Community.
¡°Hey, did you hear?¡±
¡°Hm? About what?¡±
¡°Word is they¡¯re gonna create a new legion based on rankings.¡±
¡°Legion? But it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re not recruiting that many¡¡±
Calling it a legion despite recruiting only a few people seemed a bit excessive. However¡
¡°They¡¯re just starting it now, but apparently they¡¯ll regrly select Rankers in the future.¡±
¡°As long you get selected¡ I heard you can receive full support from the Gctic Empire.¡±
One of the most popr systems in World was the Ranking System. It was a stage to prove superiority against strong opponents gathered from all dimensions.
The strongest individuals from various ces who needed worthy opponents could not help being excited by this structure. Moreover, injuries from ranking battles could be healed at any time, provided they were not fatal.Users seeking realbat experience could go to World¡¯s battlefield, gain necessary experience, and even receive enhancement treatments with Merit Points. In case theycked knowledge or training, they could study abroad in the Community¡¯s Archive and Xianxia world, and even obtain elixirs with leftover Merit Points.
It was practicallyying out a yground for them to run wild as they pleased.
-What the heck is Oradge plotting?
-Why is he so desperate to make the users grow?
These questions had been circting ever since Worldunched three years ago. But with the recent creation of the legion, some began to piece it together.
¡°Dimensional invasion¡¡±
¡°¡Right. Or dimensional war, I guess.¡±
¡°¡¡±
An army is organized for war. To attack, or to prepare against attacks. Given the ridiculous power of the Gctic Empire and Oradge, it was not an unreasonable guess. Especially when looking at Oradge¡¯s major policies, everything seemed to be converging toward one answer.
Dimensional conquest¡?
Some Community users were detecting the brewing clouds of a dimensional-scale war.
At one point, the Community was wary of Oradge¡¯s absurd abilities.
?tf can¡¯t Oradge do?
?bet the wholemunity gon b swallowed up at this rate?
?his country name has empire in it to begin with¡.
?colonial plunder might start soon.
?awawa¡.
But public opinion about Oradge was not entirely negative.
?oradge already has everything¡ why would he invade?
?it¡¯s the haves who are usually greedier. u don kno shet bruh
?Even if that¡¯s the case, looking back at Oradge¡¯s actions, he wouldn¡¯t just exploit. He¡¯d probably give more if anything.
?if hees, i¡¯m ready to wee him with my panties off
?LONG LIVE GrEAT GALACTIC EMPIRE! LONG LIVE EMPEROR!
?Praise be to Oradge!
?O-men.
?O-men¡.
Now, most Community users knew there were numerous forces beyond their own dimensional army.
¡¶Chaos¡·¡¶Sephiroth¡·
And recently, Orange had revealed ¡¶Three Thousand¡·, the Xianxia world.
?Kaiju are iparable to normal monsters yo
?they a fckin zerg swarm too
?maybe they¡¯re dimensional-scale monsters?
?Last time I saw a broadcast, there were even intelligent Kaiju.
?What about the Sephiroth?
?only Oradge can beat em so easily
?I saw rankers struggle too¡
?can¡¯t even imagine what Three Thousand is like.
?jus think of them as batshit crazy bishes
These beings showed unconditional hostility toward humanity. Of course, the Community included various races besides humans¡ªdragons, elves, dwarves, etcetera¡ªbut they were all in the same boat.
They say unity is achieved before amon enemy. A peculiar sentiment began forming among Community users to band together.
?(I¡¯mThePirateKing): yo! aint we all men here eh?!
?why¡¯s dis guy suddenly acting up outta nowhere
?(I¡¯mThePirateKing): huh? are you guys gonna sit still after being disrespected like this? if ur a man, u should know when to stand up!
?must be crazy¡
?Attention seeker. Ignore the tard.
?fr
?(I¡¯mThePirateKing): if u a real man, u should at least have the ambition to face the wide world¡.
There were traces of a certain weirdo trying to sway public opinion, but it was brushed off.
To be frank, there was some camaraderie among Community users, though it felt distant¡ªlike a story on TV from a far-offnd.
Since World had proven the other dimensional forces weren¡¯t to be underestimated, the sense of unity grew stronger.
?another self-proimed god got sliced up? Kek
?got owned by a top 10 bro LOL
?I think that was a Named Kaiju.
?O¡ Yongyong appears? looks like he gonna get chewed out by a Bluadge hue
?waowee! our Yongyong has grown up! now he doesn¡¯t need to tattle to the Bluadge noonas
They stood against the self-proimed gods of Sephiroth, the Kaiju of Chaos whose very sentience was questionable, and the old monsters of Three Thousand who were crazed with greed.
The Community users who could not join the battlefield showed their pride by cheering on the Rankers, like fans at a sports event.
The Ranking System even sparked the formation of fan bases.
?Perperper-chan! hang in there!
?LOLicon
?(cuffs nking)
?bruh i only cheered for her¡.
?Yongyong, your new custom part¡¯s sick. hw much dat cost?
?fuggin lmao u bros even seen a dragon obsessed with tuning?
?Your body is given by your parents¡.
?looks like Virdel noona is still the strongest
?but she hardly ever streams.
?Seems like she only turns it on asionally because she can¡¯t resist Oradge¡¯s nagging.
?lel all bluadges are like that.
The atmosphere in the Community was quite lively, with each fandom passionately supporting their favorites.
¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be selected anyway, right? How can we beat those monstrous Rankers?¡±
¡°That¡¯s impossible for sure.¡±
¡°But I did hear Versya¡¯s been rising up frighteningly this time.¡±
¡°Oho. You mean the Cyborg Hero?¡±
There were even fan bases among those applying to World.
[Ranking (Battle Power)]
1. Virdel (4,822,201)
2. Perpe (3,257,665)
3. Yongyong (1,952,591)
4. Mephir (1,739,152)
5. Versya (1,621,111)
6. Lae (1,224,734)¡
7. Barron (867,682)¡
8. Averico (257,253)
9. Hashimoto Kenjiro (65,521)
The ranking had already grown to nearly 200 people. And considering the many who had not even made the list yet, the operation of World was going smoothly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡°But how much stronger is the 1st ce trying to get¡?¡±
¡°The gap¡¯s too big. Even Perpe doesn¡¯t seem to be a match.¡±
¡°Ugh, when will we make it into the rankings?¡±
¡°Apparently, if you at least make it to the bottom of the rankings, Karma donations pour in.¡±
¡°And you could buy Merit Points with that¡. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer!¡±
¡°Gotta give it our all. Shouldn¡¯t we at least do better than that dude infected with chuuni?¡±
¡°I suppose so. Even if we can¡¯t aim for 1st ce.¡±
In particr, the number one Ranker Virdel was in a whole different league. She was unrivaled. Absorbing Maxien¡¯s teachings like a sponge, she grew frighteningly powerful, her strength almost overwhelming.
More impressively, her growth rate was so high despite her limited training time, as she was assisting Karlstein with her Dimensional Gate ability.
Next was Perpe in 2nd ce, ater. Given that most high-rankers were early participants when World was created, her talent was not to be underestimated. Not to mention, her fan base was evenrger than Virdel¡¯s.
Community users showered support on the drowsy, great sword-wielding loli.
?show us kiddy stretches n u¡¯ll get a million karma.
?wanna be secret friends with uncle?
?perma ban ciao.
?SRRY! BLUADGE! ORADGE! I RELLY DIDN MEN IT THAT WAY! I HONESTLY WANTED TO BE FRENS SHARING SECRETS¡
?smh
?yeah bai.
-Ehh? Kiddy stretches?
Perpe was even one of the more expressive ones.
Meanwhile, Full Metal Wardragon Yongyong, recently demoted to 3rd ce, was drinking the bitter cup of defeat.
-GAAAH! WHY!
-Hehe¡.
He was obliterated by Perpe¡ who swung her great sword carelessly.
?SMH. he been wasting merit points on tuning to look cool and now this
?Exactly. Our boy Yongyong¡¯s lost his touch.
?yongyong. can u even be Oradge¡¯s porter the way u r?
Nevertheless, he could not openly show jealousy toward a little girl.
Yongyong¡¯s frustration grew day by day as he was bombarded by the Community. Recently, even his 3rd ce was in danger, with Mephir the Ruler of Niflheim and Versya the Cyborg Warrior catching up terrifyingly fast.
-Hmm. I¡¯d like to warm up a bit more.
-Mephir! I¡¯ll keep youpany!
Mephir, a battle maniac to an extreme degree, rose to 4th ce by using all his Merit Points on physical enhancement treatments.
?Isn¡¯t this bro just¡ a maniac?
?ye he wuda be a demon lord if not for oradge.
?ikr. howd he suppress himself all this time?
?All-in on physical enhancement LOL doesn¡¯t the merit point cost increase like mad as the level goes up?
?ikr. it¡¯d be more efficient to receive various treatments, but he¡¯s all-in on physical
?he a real alpha frfr.
And Hero Versya, close behind, was not to be underestimated either¡ªand not just in training.
?There¡¯s something about him that moves your heart when you watch.
?makes you want to cheer for him.
?the number of people getting cyborg treatments because of him has increased a lot.
?ikr. he he has his own charm unlike yongyong.
?a hard worker for real.
?i feel he has the least talent among the high rankers, but I¡¯ve never seen him rest.
Having gained fan bases of their own, these individuals provided all kinds of entertainment to the Community users.
Especially on days like today.
[Full Metal Wardragon Yongyong VS Mephir the Ruler of Niflheim and Versya the Cyborg Warrior]
?who yall betting on?
?I heard Yongyong has no equipment restrictions today, so wouldn¡¯t it be him?
?he¡¯s still a dragon. shouldn¡¯t he at least keep 3rd ce?
?Won¡¯t he get bulldozed?
?who knows. I heard he prepared a secret technique this time.
?considering the tongueshing he got by Maxien noonimst time, it didn¡¯t seem like much.
?plus it¡¯s 2:1 lolol the official theory is that Yongyong was so ashamed to lose 1:1 to the 4th ce that he insisted on getting a 2:1
?But in exchange, Versya won¡¯t use his Holy Sword, and Mephir will only use 50% of his Fighting Spirit.
?thinking about it now, isn¡¯t dis bish Yongyong a total pussy? he forces a 2:1 then puts on all these restrictions
?I don¡¯t think so? pretty sure Oradge put those limiters in ce
?Oradge? Then that¡¯s the right answer.
?if Oradge says so, den we just have to agree
?Simply light.
?godlike bnce patch
?apparently Oradge won¡¯t take Yongyong to the battlefield if he loses this time, so bro¡¯s uber serious
?Look at that gaze. Looks like he could chew through stone.
?lmao Yongyong. u not supposed to use Dragon Fear here!
For the Community users, it was all fun and games.
Chapter 133: First Mission (1)
A breathtaking sight greeted the eye: a colossal form of metal. Patches of vibrant crimson scales adorned its metallic exterior, and beneath this armored skin, muscles rippled with each heartbeat, radiating an aura of concentrated power. Twelve horns of varying sizes crowned its head, shimmering like starlight.
¡°Hmm¡ the air hangs heavy here.¡±
As he spoke, his mesmerizing golden eyes, pupils slitted like a cat¡¯s, swept across the unfamiliarndscape. There was an unmistakable draconic quality to his presence¡ªeach word, each movement imbued with an air of overpowering majesty. His very gaze carried an innate arrogance, as though the world itself bent to his will.
However¡
¡°Oh? Looks like you actually made it, Yongyong. ¡®Course we can¡¯t be without our porter. Wee aboard.¡±
These flippant words, tossed out by an unseen speaker, caused Yongyong¡¯s imposing demeanor to crumble instantly.
¡°¡My good sir! Have you been well?¡±
¡°Uh huh. But mind shrinking down a bit? You¡¯re hurting my neck.¡±
¡°Hehe. Yes, sir!¡±
Yongyong awkwardly rubbed his stubby forelegs together, and swiftly cast a polymorph spell.Poof-
¡°Come on, Yongyong. What¡¯s with the unfamiliar getup? That dashing, muscr appearance doesn¡¯t suit the Yongyong I know!¡±
¡°Ahh¡!¡±
Poof-
In a blink, the handsome, strapping man vanished. In his ce stood a diminutive boy with tousled red hair and blue eyes, wearing simplemoner clothes and hefting an oversized backpack.
¡°Adjustmentplete, big bro!¡±
¡°Hahaha. Yeah, now that¡¯s more like it.¡±
¡°But of course. It¡¯d be dreadful if I looked unfamiliar to you, big bro!¡±
¡°Haha. Such a smooth talker.¡±
Yongyong performed the most sincere kowtow he could muster. It was impossible to tell whether he was driven by glibness, fear, or survival instinct.
¡°Allow me to properly introduce myself! I¡¯m Yongyong, big bro Karlstein¡¯s forever SSS-ss porter!¡±
¡°Uh, um¡ Right. That¡¯s overdoing it, Yongyong.¡±
¡°Yessir!¡±
Yongyong sprang up straight in response.
¡°Alright. Make yourself home at bud.¡±
Only after Karlstein¡¯s weing words did Yongyong finally take in his surroundings.
Hmm!
A thin atmosphere hung around them. The sky above was stained red, while golden mist obscuring their vision.
A subtle sense of pressure weighed upon the dragon.
¡°Wh-where is this?¡±
¡°Oh¡ I was just going to talk about that.¡±
¡°Yessir! I¡¯m all ears, ready to bear every word to heart!¡±
¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, I¡¯ll exin.¡±
The Bluadges Virdel and Perpe, who had arrived earlier, joined Yongyong in listening intently to Oradge¡¯s words. What followed was rather shocking.
¡°We¡¯re being chased?¡±
¡°I guess you say that. Haha!¡±
¡°Th-that can¡¯t be!¡±
It was a preposterous statement. Oradge, being chased? The Oradge? None other than Karlstein Babylon? The supreme dignity of the Gctic Empire, the King-God-Cosmic Emperor?
¡°They¡¯re more persistent than I thought. You¡¯d think they¡¯d give up after taking that much damage.¡±
He went on to exin that they were currently somewhere within the realm of ¡¶Three Thousand¡·.
¡°It¡¯s a passage area connecting the Lower Realm to the Upper realm. It¡¯s a bit of a long exnation¡¡±
[The barrier will soon be lifted. Be on the ready, brat!]
¡°Let¡¯s finish fighting first, then we¡¯ll talk.¡±
¡°Y-yes, sir!¡±
Yongyong was confused. Who was this talking wooden puppet? And how could it call Oradge a brat?
The juxtaposition was jarring, but Oradge¡¯s serious expression silenced any questions.
For now, I¡¯ll just do as I¡¯m told¡ª
Crack- Crackle-
A sound like breaking ice reverberated through the atmosphere.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡®Is the barrier breaking?¡¯
The thought had barely formed when¡
Crrrack- Shatter-
With a piercingly sharp noise, the golden mist abruptly disappeared.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Woaagh!¡±
Yongyong could not stifle a silly yell.
Wh-where are we even?!
A spatial passage, Oradge had called it?
An insane pressure bore down on his entire body.
Vooom-
As the barrier fell, he felt simultaneously squeezed and on the verge of bursting¡ªa paradoxical sensation that stole his breath away.
Fwoosh-
To make matters worse, an invisible storm, its winds sharp as des, filled the air around them.
sh-
¡°Oww!¡±
Despite his powerful scales and draconic auto-protective magic, Yongyong suffered scratches. Even his carefully tuned defenses were being torn like paper.
Vooom-
Yongyong nced around in shock, only to see that Virdel and Perpe already appeared to have adapted, their bodies emitting a faint light as they endured the onught without issue.
Whaa?
¡°I guess it¡¯s still too early for Yongyong?¡±
¡°N-no, big bro! This weak spring breeze can¡¯t stop my heart from beating for you!¡±
Dozens of magic circles instantly materialized around Yongyong¡¯s body, boosting his defenses to withstand the storm.
¡°¡Alright. For now, we need to deal with that first.¡±
Yongyong followed Oradge in adjusting his posture, preparing for battle. However¡
¡°Just watch for now. It¡¯s enough to observe what kind of opponents they are.¡±
Fwsh-
Karlstein moved to confront a figure in martial arts attire floating in the distance.
Whoosh-
Tremendous Spiritual Power began to gather and condense around him, forming golden scales that covered his body.
[Brat. However powerful the Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra may be, with your realm at Core Formation, you can only maintain it for a moment. You must end this quickly!]
¡°Haha, not a problem.¡±
Behind Karlstein, a massive form briefly materialized¡ªa giant with four arms, half-corporeal, enveloped his golden-scaled body.
As Karlstein clenched his fist and thrust it toward his opponent¡
Whoosh-
The blurry form behind him mirrored the action.
BOOM-
A massive current of spiritual pressure, embodied in the extended fist, rushed toward the opponent.
¡°You! How can a lowly Core Formation cultivator embody a Dharma Aspect?!¡±
The young man opposite Karlstein formed a hand seal, his entire body bing transparent and hard as crystal.
CRAASH-
Karlstein¡¯s fist made contact, instantly triggering a spatial storm around the opponent. Tremendous aftershocks spread through the area.
¡°Gaargh!¡±
Karlstein immediately shook his sleeve, producing dozens of cannons with barrels asrge as houses, floating them in the air.
¡°Another one!¡±
Karlstein surged towards his reeling opponent, his fists a blur of motion.
Th-that¡¯s not one more though?
Yongyong¡¯s eyes widened, struggling to follow the incredibly fastbat.
BANG- BOOOM- BOOOM-
Dazzling shes erupted from the massive floating cannons, their projectiles striking the True Immortal¡¯s body.
PZZZT- KABOOM!
¡°Gaargh!¡±
The opponent¡¯s cry of pain pierced the air, unable to regainposure under Karlstein¡¯s relentless assault.
BOOOM-
¡°Hurk!¡±
The True Immortal produced a huge ck sword from his sleeve, swinging it to meet Karlstein¡¯s iing fist.
Swish-
Silver characters flickered along the erged de, creating afterimages that rushed forward like streaks of light.
BOOOM-
¡°Mm¡¡±
Karlstein released a rare grunt of effort¡ªa sound that made it clear just how formidable the force behind the enemy¡¯s sword swing truly was.
BOOOM-
The sword¡¯s afterimages followed, each impact as potent as the first, mercilessly battering Karlstein.
CLANG- CLANG- CLANG-
Karlstein fended off the attacks by crossing the arms of his embodied Dharma Aspect, his brow furrowing slightly.
¡°For a True Immortal facing a Core Formation opponent, aren¡¯t you taking this too seriously?¡±
¡°Keep your nonsense! I abandoned all carelessness the moment Junior Brother Liu fell to you!¡±
From Yongyong¡¯s observation, it seemed Karlstein had already engaged in a fierce confrontation with these so-called True Immortals. But before Yongyong could even gather his thoughts, the Immortal¡¯s long swordshed out once more, beginning to corner Karlstein.
However¡ Karlstein¡¯s eyes lit with fire as he formed a hand seal. Instantly, the sword and its afterimages faltered, screaming under an invisible pressure.
CREAK-
¡°!!¡±
¡°I am sick of you goons.¡±
Karlstein maintained the seal with his left hand while producing a crude, blood-colored needle from his sleeve.
¡°Th-that!! Why do you have the Blood-Draining Needle?!!¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to make use of what one acquires?¡±
Rage contorted the True Immortal¡¯s features.
¡°So it was you who slew Junior Brother Jiao as well!¡±
He spat out a mouthful of Blood Essence, channeling it into his sword. Crimson energy coursed along the de, amplifying its speed.
¡°Die!¡±
¡°Hmph¡¡±
But Karlstein erged the Blood-Draining Needle, grasping it with his Dharma Aspect and swinging it down at his opponent.
CRAASH-
The resulting wind pressure sent Yongyong staggering back, his mouth agape at the battle¡¯s ridiculous aftermath.
BOOOM-
¡°Waargh!¡±
Although he was not even fighting, he could barely withstand the pressure of the wind.
Fortunately, it seemed the earlier sh had decided the oue. Yongyong nted his feet in the ground, barely keeping his bnce as he assessed the situation.
The True Immortal was dropping from the air, drenched in blood.
¡°Big bro!!¡±
¡°It¡¯s too early to rx.¡±
Karlstein swung the Blood-Draining Needle at the falling corpse.
Why? Isn¡¯t he dead already?
Before Yongyong could even ask, a soul entity sprang from the opponent¡¯s body, desperately fleeing. That answered his question.
Oh¡
WHOOSH- BOOM-
[Gaaagh! The Noble Archer shall never forgive you!]
Screaming a curse with his final breath, the Immortal¡¯s soul was torn asunder, bringing the battle to its true conclusion.
¡°Phew¡¡±
Karlstein descended toward hispanions.
¡°You get the hang of it now, yeah?¡±
Eh? The hang of what?
Yongyong was bewildered.
¡°There are still two more, but as you can see, my Avatar is barely managing.
¡°Huh?!¡±
¡°Yongyong, Perpe, you two in particr need to hold out as long as possible while Virdel finishes her part.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Two more monsters of that caliber remained? And he was expected to face one with Perpe?
Yongyong¡¯s mind reeled from shock, but he managed topose himself.
¡°I-I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
¡°Right. But your best isn¡¯t enough. You must seed.¡±
¡°¡Yes sir!¡±
He felt an unspoken pressure emanating from Oradge¡¯s grim gaze, as if failure was not an option.
Waah!
For some reason, Yongyong felt his dder tighten. Was it a mistake to insist on helping?
No!
He gritted his teeth, steeling himself. This was a rare mission entrusted to him. He had to aplish it,e hell or high water!
Chapter 134: First Mission (2)
Chapter 134: First Mission (2)Karlstein curled his lips as he observed Yongyong¡¯s quivering form. The dragon was steeling himself despite his anxiety.
Ain¡¯t that adorable.
In truth, Karlstein harbored little doubt about his ability to handle the situation solo. But his primary motivation for bringing hispanions along was to provide them somebat experience against the Xianxia world. They were Rankers after all.
In that sense, their current level of tension would turn out helpful.
Not that failure is an option.
The mission was crucial. This was about safeguarding a whole dimension¡ªspecifically, the Lower Realm of the Xianxia world, which was developed as part of an exchange program for the Community.
¡°Fail, and you¡¯ll be saying hello to hell.¡±
¡°Please leave it to me.¡±
¡°Eep!¡±
¡°Waah!¡±Ever the reliable one, Virdel responded first, followed by the thoroughly intimidated reactions of Perpe and Yongyong. Karlstein, however, was not worried about Perpe, knowing she would rise to the asion once battlemenced.
¡°Virdel, proceed with the dimensional passage work. You remember what I told you before?¡±
¡°Yes, sir¡±
Virdel¡¯s demeanor radiated firm resolve¡ as if she wouldy down her life to aplish the task.
¡°Virdel. You can afford to rx a bit.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn
Yongyong aside, Virdel was absolutely indispensable!
She answered shyly.
¡°¡I will try.¡±
¡°¡Alright.¡±
I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll handle things well.
¡°Wah?¡±
Yongyong¡¯s eyes went round at the stark difference in treatment between Virdel and himself¡ but it could not be helped. As the sole member who awakened the Dimensional Gate ability, losing Virdel was unthinkable!
¡°Now then. While Virdelpletes her work, Perpe and Yongyong, you two need only follow me and hold off the enemy.¡±
Virdel¡¯s task was to adjust the passage connecting the Lower and Upper Realms. The goal was to block ess from Upper to Lower, while opening a controlled side path from Lower to Upper.
This highlyplex operation was barely designed even with substantial assistance from Aria of the Gctic Empire. Naturally, its execution hinged entirely on Virdel¡¯s unique ability.
¡°They¡¯re persistent, so stay alert. Just hold out as long as you can.¡±
In truth, their predicament would not exist had they still possessed the special battleship crafted in the Xianxia world.
¡°We just had to lose the battleship at the start. How annoying. Tsk.¡±
Their entry into the spatial passage had been marred by disaster¡ªthe battleship, caught in a terrifying spatial storm, vanished in the blink of an eye to parts unknown.
¡°Well, we have to proceed with what we have.¡±
¡°Huh? With what we have?¡±
Yongyong¡¯s expression screamed, Wait, that isn¡¯t something to just gloss over, is it?
Karlstein snickered, noting Yongyong¡¯s reluctance to voice his concerns aloud.
Mhm. That¡¯s how you learn, by being mindful.
He shed a grin, and the dragon returned an awkward smile.
It was not that Karlstein did notment losing the battleship and the puppets it contained. But with their objective looming, past losses were a problem to considerter. Recovering the ship could wait; resolving the immediate issue was top priority.
¡°Perfect timing. Look at them running over, like they¡¯ve got a fire lit under them. Tsk.¡±
Beyond the distant spatial storm, two True Immortals could be seen rapidly approaching on a massive carriage.
¡°Let¡¯s move!¡±
Karlstein took flight, manifesting his Dharma Aspect behind him. Perpe dashed after him, while Yongyong, face taut with tension, eventually followed suit.
In truth, their current predicament stemmed from that one deranged True Immortal bastard¡ªor more precisely, it was because Karlstein had killed him.
Following the Great Bloodshed, when Jiao Zhenqing was merely sealed, no additional reinforcements came from the Upper Realm. But news of his demise prompted the dispatch of investigators.
Needless to say, the investigator also met his end, courtesy of the vicious Beholder¡®s ck Hole Cannon. With his dying breath, he had dramatically foretold theing of the Noble Archer¡¯srades.
While Karlstein dismissed the happening, the Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s reaction had been notably intense.
-Their tenacity defies imagination. Defeating them a few times will not end it. The more you y, the more powerfully they will retaliate.
-Ugh.
The Noble Archers proved themselves exceptionally troublesome.
After eliminating yet another dispatched investigator, they unfortunately encountered the Noble Archer again just as they were about to adjust the dimensional passage. This time, there were five of them.
The battle turned into a struggle, made even harder by the recent loss of their battleship. Truthfully, Karlstein had contemted going all out right then and there, but¡
-No! You of all people must not carelessly use Genesis! Abandon the notion¡!
-Old man, shouldn¡¯t your concern be for me rather than just some object?
-Just some object? You inhuman runt! Treating my eons of work like a disposable tool! You vile little #%@^@^
Well, moving on.
After somehow managing to fell two of the five Noble Archers encountered, they seeded in escaping.
The Xianxia world had been reborn as a kind of elixir field and high-level training ground. Very high-level. As a valuable asset now in the hands of the Gctic Empire, they could not simply abandon it.
The optimal course of action was to finish off the two approaching Noble Archers and seal passage from the Upper Realm.
¡°Well, as for that¡ tty!¡±
At Karlstein¡¯s cry, tty materialized behind him. It was the tinum-colored egg he previously snatched from Prohiden. Now, a pair of infant legs had sprouted from the egg¡¯s base.
I do wonder what the heck it is.
Under Aria¡¯s lead, they tried everything to investigate it, but to no avail. Particrly after tty grew legs, not even Karlstein could catch the egg if it chose evasion. It would simply teleport away whenever he tried.
¡°Anyway, you know Virdel, right? You only need to help her. I¡¯ll feed you tons of Ether once we¡¯re through.¡±
Pororong-
tty wiggled its legs excitedly in apparent delight, vanishing and reappearing at Virdel¡¯s side before Karlstein even finished speaking.
He was no longer felt annoyed by the egg¡¯s antics. Given its unpredictable spatial and dimensional abilities, he had resigned himself to just making the best use of it.
Well, at least that¡¯s something.
¡°We had to expend a hefty amount of the Silver Blood from World, but¡¡±
As long as they could control the passage connecting to the Upper Realm, the cost would be justified.
¡°Well then, it¡¯s time to go wild!¡±
Karlstein channeled his Dharma Aspect Embodiment to deliver the opening strike. Yongyong, back in his dragon form with Perpe astride his head, soared toward the other True Immortal.
A battle of mythical proportions unfolded.
***¡°Oof¡ Where¡¯s b-big sis M-Maxien?¡±
As Yongyong groaned in pain, Perpe gently patted the dragon¡¯s head with her tiny hand.
Karlstein grinned at the sight.
¡°Well done. You¡¯ve be quite useful, haven¡¯t you?¡±
¡°He-hehe.¡±
¡°Oh and, Maxien¡¯spletely tied up at the moment.¡±
¡°O-of course, considering how capable she is¡¡±
¡°The Kaiju bastards have been wreaking havoctely.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Yongyong was taken aback. If Oradge called it havoc, just how dire was the situation¡? Even now, though merely using an Avatar, the man had not suffered a single scratch.
¡°Bear with it a little longer. We¡¯ll tend to your wounds once we¡¯re done and back home.¡±
¡°Yessir!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll even put in a good word at the enhancement clinic.¡±
¡°R-really?!¡±
Knowing Oradge¡¯s generous nature, Yongyong¡¯s eyes suddenly turned into hearts.
¡°Me too, me too!¡±
Perpe stomped her feet, demanding equal treatment.
¡°You too, Perpe. You¡¯ll receive the maximum Merit Points, so spend them as you like.¡±
¡°Hehehe!¡±
Karlstein chuckled as Perpe squealed, raising her hands high.
¡°You both did great.¡±
Yongyong was bleeding all over, his exterior armor half-destroyed. Perpe looked equally worse for wear, her greatsword shattered and a deep wound marring her side.
¡°Of course, you too Virdel.¡±
Virdel flinched slightly, her back turned as she focused on her Dimensional Gate work.
¡°Hahaha.¡±
However, just as Karlstein was about to celebrate their victory with generous promises of rewards¡
Pzzt- Pzt- Pzzt-
The entire spatial passage began to flicker, apanied by an ominous sound.
¡°Mm?¡±
¡°Huh?!¡±
¡°Ahh!¡±
Boom-
Whoosh-
Momentster, thunder rolled in the heavens as a massive milky-white vortex began to swirl. With a sound reminiscent of the sky shattering, beams of light poured down, dyeing the entire passage with a milky-white glow.
¡°Well, well¡¡±
A sigh escaped Karlstein¡¯s lips. Unfathomably immense Spiritual Power emanated from the vortex, as if the entire spatial passage had been engulfed by its energy.
¡°This is¡¡±
Karlstein¡¯s voice sank heavily.
It rivals the presence of a Single Number¡
Of course, this was no time for such observations.
¡°Ugh!¡±
¡°Arrrgh!¡±
¡°Aaahng!¡±
Screams burst simultaneously from Karlstein¡¯spanions.
Ah¡
As the vortex gradually expanded, theirplexions ashened.
¡°I-I must finish¡ my work¡¡±
¡°Hoeee¡¡±
¡°Kagh! B-big bro!¡±
The mere emergence of the vortex had pushed the three to the brink of unconsciousness.
¡°Whew¡¡±
[Brat¡ If this is what I suspect¡]
Indeed. It seemed a formidable being from ¡¶Three Thousand¡· had arrived.
The overwhelming Spiritual Power felt infinite, its very energy crystallizing as it cascaded into the passage. The vortex expanded, growingrge enough to engulf the entire area. From within it, a gaze shifted toward them.
-¡
Karlstein could sense someone¡¯s gaze upon him, even in the silence.
¡°Haha¡¡±
Karlstein let out augh of disbelief.
This won¡¯t go easy.
Chapter 135: First Mission (3)
Although heughed, in reality¡
¡°This crazy bastard¡¡±
Karlstein could only curse. He had invested so much in the Xianxia world, yet now someone was trying to destroy the spatial passage. Worse still, this would undoubtedly affect the three subordinates he had carefully nurtured, not to mention the Lower Realm itself.
If the enemy were in front of him, he would have seized them by the cor without hesitation.
Talk about throwing a wrench in the works!
Boom-
But regardless of Karlstein¡¯s feelings, the situation rapidly unfolded. ck lightning struck from the vortex¡¯s center as something began to cross over. A chilling sensation seeped out, draining warmth from the entire passage¡ªit was as if the gates of the abyss had cracked open.
[Brat¡ Quickly use G-Genesis! Before that thing crosses over!]
Even the Puppet Demonic Warlord, who had been so adamant about not using Genesis, now yelled for him to use it.
Karlstein looked around, seeing Virdel, Perpe, and Yongyong shivering, frost settling on their heads. There was no more time to waste.¡°Don¡¯t you go regretting this, old man.¡±
[Ugh! Pl-please! Be gentle!]
¡°Is that even possible?¡±
[No! My Genesis! The fruit of tens of thousands of years!!]
¡°Yeah no, it¡¯s mine.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
[Gyaaaaaah!]
The old man was on the verge of foaming at the mouth.
Swish-
Karlstein took out the golden tower model he had carefully stored in his bag of holding. It mirrored the tower where the Puppet Demonic Warlord had been sealed, now shrunk to the size of a forearm, gleaming in Karlstein¡¯s hand.
Vooom-
[Gently, I beg you!]
He ignored the Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s desperate scream.
Thump-
Feeling his heart pounding, Karlstein began to form an image.
An image of none other than himself¡ªKarlstein Babylon, Emperor of the Gctic Empire.
***Genesis. The Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s masterpiece, modeled after Hunshi.
Hunshi was one who blurred the boundary between reality and unreality. An entity that appeared in the Upper Realm without warning, destroying the greatest cultivation sect, the Three Purities Dao Sect, in just three days and ughtering countless powerful beings. ?????????¦¥??
One of the strange mysteries surrounding Hunshi was that no one knew its exact appearance. To some, it appeared as a three-headed, six-armed being. Others remembered it as an old man with white hair, while some recorded it as a woman dressed in seven-colored silk.
No two people saw the same form. Each perceived Hunshi differently.
Another record stated that Hunshi could transform into any being in existence, make everything real, and conversely, turn all of reality into an illusion like a fleeting dream.
Nothing in the Upper Realm could stop Hunshi, and the Puppet Demonic Warlord, fascinated by such power, spent the rest of his life creating Genesis in an attempt to imitate it.
[My, my Genesis¡!]
The Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s wail echoed.
Whooosh-
A man in golden armor, exuding an untouchable aura, stood against the vortex¡¯s raging currents.
Rumble-
The spatial passage shook unstably, rattled by the mere energy waves of these two titans.
[End it q-quickly! Please!]
Genesis, a treasure capable of turning imagination into reality, allowed Karlstein to manifest his real body lying peacefully in the Gctic Empire.
CRACK-
Golden full-body armor and a crimson cape materialized. Red mes cascaded down the visor of his golden helmet. His mere presence radiated an overwhelming aura that could freeze time eternally and split space asunder.
CRUNCH-
His breathing alone made all things bow their heads and space itself ripple in submission.
The Puppet Demonic Warlord simply gaped in astonishment, momentarily forgetting everything else.
Ah¡! Such an impossible being¡!
He could not bring himself to believe what he was witnessing.
Genesis had its limitations, being merely a treasure imitating Hunshi.
First, it was impossible to manifest something without knowing it in exact detail. Second, there was a limit to what Genesis could manifest depending on the target.
In truth, the second limitation was something only recently discovered. Genesis was an object forged using vast assortments of rare materials. The Warlord never imagined Karlstein would manifest a being even his treasure could not contain.
What in heavens¡
The Puppet Demonic Warlord could not begin to fathom what Karlstein had brought into reality. Moreover, unlike Hunshi, Genesis could not create purely imaginary beings. Its materialization through Genesis meant it was no mere figment of imagination, but a real person Karlstein knew¡ªdown to the finest detail.
Who exactly was Gahwi? The Puppet Demonic Warlord¡¯s mind teetered on the brink of explosion from unanswered questions.
But his thoughts were abruptly cut short.
CRACK- CRICK-
[AIEEEEEEE! WHAT THE HELL!]
The Warlord heard something rupture within the golden tower-shaped treasure. Karlstein¡¯s manifestation alone had strained Genesis to its limits.
Even if the Puppet Demonic Warlord had foreseen this oue, it did nothing to lessen his anguish¡ªhis wails were unending.
[Aaagh! My dear Genesis¡]
His voice echoed with the desperation of someone calling for a lost child.
CRACK- CRICK-
Regardless, Karlstein relished his freedom from the constraining Avatar. He clenched his fist with satisfaction. The ground floating in the spatial passage split apart, unable to withstand his aura.
CRACK-
The Puppet Demonic Warlord gasped. The brief manifestation from the previous incident had been shocking enough, but seeing it again left him even more astonished.
He groaned and whimpered, knowing the impossibility of Genesis surviving unscathed.
And here I had hoped that boy Gahwi would not use Genesis until he increased his realm and further refined it!
Given the situation, there was no choice but to use the treasure.
So¡
[PLEASE!!! GENTLY I SAY!!!]
He simply hoped for the best.
Meanwhile, the powerhouses hailing from the Xianxia Upper Realm and SF Universe sized each other up.
¡°Hmm¡.¡±
Upon manifesting his true self, Karlstein caught a blurry figure beyond the vortex. The other party seemed quite surprised. The same held true for Karlstein, of course.
The enemy was more formidable than he expected. Now back in his true form, he could tell clearly this would not be easy, which was why Karlstein considered adding Ether Armaments to seal his victory. However¡
¡°Ahh¡ I guess that¡¯s too much¡¡±
Pzzt- Vooom-
Genesis was already at its limit; it could withstand no more. He would have to make do with what he had.
Karlstein took out the Blood-Draining Needle he had acquired from that other True Immortal. A crude and blunt blood-colored needle. Everything else aside, its form could be easily modified.
Vooom-
A thick smell of blood wafted from the Blood-Draining Needle as it began to elongate.
Rumble-
¡°Hasty, are we?¡±
Karlstein held the Blood-Draining Needle and looked at the vortex. A giant ck lotus flower was revealing itself from the center, crossing space.
¡°Since a long fight seems out of the question¡¡±
Karlstein gripped the Needle and took his stance, aiming to settle the matter swiftly.
The ground where he stood cracked as a red sh shot into the sky¡ªhe hurled the needle with all his might, piercing the heavens.
CRACK-
BOOOM-
A massive explosion rocked the spatial passage, tilting it off bnce. The force of the st tore through part of the passage, leaving destruction in its wake, while a blinding sh engulfed everything in sight.
Everyone except Karlstein screamed.
-Ugh!
-Ahhhhhng!
-Gaargh!
[No! My Genesis!!]
One of them screamed for a slightly different reason, but moving on¡
CRASH-
The Blood-Draining Needle struck the ever-expanding vortex with precision.
PZZZZT- KABOOM-
It seemed to pierce through ovepping dimensions, anchoring itself deep in the vortex¡¯s core. But even the spatial passage could no longer endure the sh of powers rivaling those of Outer Gods.
BOOM- CRACK-
The fabric of space itself shattered like ss.
***[Have you returned?]
¡°¡¡±
As soon as he came to, Karlstein gazed down at his own body in wonder.
¡°Hmm. Nothing changed from before I connected.¡±
[That¡¯s because you were simply lying there.]
¡°¡¡±
Aside from a slight sense of difort, Karlstain had felt as if he really had returned to his real body earlier. Yet, ording to Aria, that was not the case.
¡°But I could swear it was my body.¡±
[Did something happen?]
As the matter concerned a Single Number, Karlstein judged Aria needed to know.
¡°I think I found traces of Proxitan. That Hunshi from the Xianxia world is definitely Proxitan. I¡¯m sure of it now.¡±
Proxitan¡¯s absurd ability to reverse reality and illusion was unmistakable. It had to be No.4 Proxitan.
Karlstein nodded happily, casually murmuring to himself.
¡°Mmm. Fortunately, Genesis didn¡¯t breakpletely. I¡¯ll have to research itter.¡±
[¡?]
His remark would have broken the heart of a certain old man.
In any case, he recalled that fragments left from Hunshi had been used as part of Genesis¡¯s creation.
It really is an amazing piece of treasure.
Thest time Karlstein used Genesis, the puppet geezer had been too insistent to allow him a proper assessment. But after using it to the fullest, he was certain: the object¡¯s abilities¡ªmeant to mimic Hunshi¡ªclosely resembled that of Proxitan, and it was powerful enough to temporarily summon his true self even through an Avatar.
¡°Ugh¡ I wonder if Virdel and the others are okay.¡±
Karlstein had taken precautions before the final explosion, so he was not too worried about them.
¡°Anyway. I guess the result is half and half?¡±
While he had sessfully destroyed the passage connecting the Upper Realm to the Lower Realm, the shortcut leading from the Lower Realm to the Upper Realm had copsed as well.
Karlstein silently pursed his lips in regret.
***Far away in the Upper Realm, a certain shocked figure convened an emergency meeting.
Meanwhile, the forces of ¡¶Chaos¡· stirred to life.
-We have waited long, and now the time hase. Plunder, destroy, usurp.
A near-infinite legion of Kaiju began to assemble, marching toward an unknown destination.
Chapter 136: Sephiroth
Chapter 136: Sephiroth¡°Ugh, life¡¡±
For an ordinary person, hearing a dragonment about its life might evoke mixed feelings¡ but there were no ordinary humans here.
Pat pat-
¡°Yong, cheer up.¡±
Little Perpeforted him, while Virdel offered advice.
¡°Focus on mental cultivation.¡±
Just who in the world could advise a dragon to cultivate their mind? Who couldfort a dragon, telling it not to me itself for being weak?
¡°Wahhh¡¡±
But Yongyong could say nothing back. While the other two had maintained theirposure until the end, preparing for any situation, Yongyong had long since copsed.
¡°Yongyong, you¡¯re heavy.¡±¡°¡¡±
It was thanks to them that he barely avoided bing lost in space-time. They had caught him as he was blown away like a leaf, unconscious from the battle¡¯s aftermath.
¡°¡Thanks.¡±
Yongyong felt ashamed of his recentpetitive spirit toward the two.
Despite his feelings, the other two were not faring much better.
Virdel hade to a stark realization: there was always a bigger fish. The chasm between Karlstein and herself showed no signs of narrowing. In truth, she had abandoned the hope of even standing beside him. She would have settled for trailing in his wake, content to be of use.
The recent battle had served as a wake-up call. Oradge or Maxien, the two she had striven to match, had been using mere Avatars. She could only imagine that the power Karlstein disyed in the earlier battle was his true form.
Battle power¡ªbe it 3 million, 4 million, or 10 million¡ªmeant nothing in his presence.
¡°Haha.¡±
Virdel shook her head. She had thought her efforts substantial, but apparently, her recent growth had softened her resolve somewhat. Noticing the twinge of disappointment in her heart, she wondered: had her progress given rise to certain expectations?
Yet, she swiftly quashed this disappointment, steeling herself once more. Virdel would persevere, her gaze fixed on his back, all extraneous thoughts banished. At the very least, she would not be lonely for life.
On the other hand, Perpe was facing a problem of her own.
Hungry¡
Though her dilemma was of a slightly different nature.
***A white temple, enveloped by the roots of a massive tree, stood partially destroyed. Built with white stone, it was no longer in its usual state. Countless corpses adorned the temple, and a river of silver blood flowed from them, indicating a fierce battle had taken ce here.
Step- Step-
Footsteps echoed softly among the dead.
Step- Step-
A purple-eyed Kaiju, architect of this carnage, walked on nonchntly.
[U-ugh¡ No¡ You cannot¡]
An old man, sole survivor amidst the sea of death, reached out a hand in a futile attempt to halt the Kaiju¡¯s advance.
Crunch-
A mere nce from the monster unleashed an irresistible force, tearing the old man to shreds.
Step- Step-
The starlight-maned Kaiju finally reached the deepest part of the temple¡¯s underground.
Voom-
A crystal stone pulsing with blue waves sat upon the central altar, its light intensifying as if in wee of the intruder.
Prohiden, Number 17 in the Gctic Empire¡¯s registry, reached for the stone.
Crackle- Crunch-
The Kaiju wrenched the crystal free and crushed it in its fist.
Voom-
Prohiden unfurled its palm, revealing a small seed that formerly slept within the crystal.
Crunch-
Without hesitation, Prohiden nted the seed into its own heart.
Crack- Crack-
Prohiden¡¯s form began to fracture and shed, as if undergoing rebirth. It was molting.
Voom-
Much time passed.
When the metamorphosis concluded, Prohiden stood transformed. Corded muscles, a protruding chest, and remnants of its former shell created a form more akin to human. Its purple eyes shed as it reached out, fingers brushing against the air.
Voom-
The atmosphere rippled like water, creating a thin membrane. Prohiden, now wreathed in a faint silver glow, passed through the membrane and vanished without a trace.
Rumble-
The temple began to crumble.
***¡°Sephiroth?¡±
[Yes. The reinforcements have ceased.]
¡°Hmm. That¡¯s problematic.¡±
They were discussing additional reinforcements from Sephiroth¡¯s side.
[We¡¯ve left them alone for now, but soon they¡¯ll lose their stronghold to World¡¯s Kaiju.]
¡°I hardly suppose they¡¯ve run out of steam already.¡±
Until now, Karlstein had deliberately left World¡¯s Sephiroth and Kaiju alone, using them effectively. He was even controlling their poption, like farming treasure goblins.
¡°What about World¡¯s Kaiju?¡±
[No significant change.]
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Karlstein felt a tad frustrated not knowing the flow of the situation. The Gctic Empire had expanded its territory to the 2nd zone beyond the barrier. It was a near bloodless advance, but an expansion nheless.
They had firmly established this new territory by pushing back the strangely passive Kaiju. Buttely, the Kaiju¡¯s counterattacks had grown fierce. They rampaged aggressively as if unleashed. This was why Maxien and Cami were at the front lines.
However, their resistance was not particrly threatening. It felt more like they were stalling for time.
¡°Hmm. I wonder if it¡¯s rted to that?¡±
The Kaiju activity would affect more than just the Gctic Empire.
¡°What a waste¡¡±
Karlstein felt it was a shame. A real shame. After all, the Sephiroth had grown like a horn of plenty, dedicating their blood and flesh to the Gctic Empire like a benevolent patron.
Although they gained far more spoils from the Kaiju, the quality found in the Sephiroth was iparable. It was not for nothing that he had left their stronghold alone in a corner of World.
¡°First, we need to control the Kaiju poption.¡±
[Not an issue.]
¡°As for the Sephiroth¡ I¡¯ll have to see for myself.¡±
Their stronghold in World¡ªor sacred area as they called it¡ªcould not be scouted even with electronic devices. It was obscured by a white, hazy dome-like barrier.
Until now, Karlstein had left it alone, not wanting to kill the goose thatid golden eggs.
¡°If they have no more reinforcements, I can only go find them myself.¡±
Karlstein¡¯s lips curled upward.
Noting anymore? Then it¡¯s time for a visit.
***¡°Yongyong!¡±
[¡What?]
¡°Higher!¡±
[¡]
The massive dragon ascended despite grumbling at Perpe¡¯s request.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Atop Yongyong¡¯s head perched Perpe¡ªarms spread wide in excitement¡ªalong with Virdel and Karlstein.
[We¡¯ll arrive soon. But I really can¡¯t see any of those Sephiroth guys.]
Perhaps due to the Gctic Empire¡¯s Kaiju poption control, the scenery below was uncharacteristically peaceful for World, which was typically a battlefield.
¡°Did we bash them too hard?¡±
The Gctic Empire¡¯s forces in World grew stronger with time. Unlike the Kaiju, who simply multiplied, the Gctic Empire built and solidified its foundation, resulting in overwhelming productive capability.
The Kaiju stood no chance. And the Sephiroth, unable to match even in quantity, fared worse still.
¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. I¡¯ll admit their tricks are often unpredictable.¡±
The Sephiroth had created teleporting Sky Ships to attack freely between front and rear lines. However, the Gctic Empire¡¯s fortresses were not so easily breached by strategies relying solely on speed.
-You don¡¯t know where they¡¯ll pop up from?
-Then set up defenses in all fortresses.
They had no cards to y whatsoever.
[Letting our guard down¡ Who else but you would do that, big bro¡]
Truthfully, only Karlstein could afford such luxury. The Rankers actually fighting on the battlefield had to risk their lives on the rare asion of encountering a high-ranking Sephiroth.
Someone of Virdel¡¯s caliber might be fine, but she was not the type to rx carelessly in the first ce.
Karlstein¡¯s worry was unnecessary.
¡°Ahem.¡±
Karlstein cleared his throat as he eyed the distant, colossal tree illusion shrouding the entire enemy stronghold.
In any case, they were in enemy territory. Karlstein narrowed his eyes, heightening his guard, but nothing caught his attention.
¡°A full withdrawal?¡±
The situation seemed far worse than when he had received the report and departed. Now it appeared no different from an abandoned dwelling.
¡°Yongyong, go faster.¡±
[Yessir!]
Blue mes erupted from Yongyong¡¯s wing thrusters as he elerated.
¡°Ahahaha!¡±
Perpe¡¯sughter stretched out, distorted by their speed.
As Yongyong breached the colossal tree illusion¡ª
Whoosh-
Karlstein¡¯s consciousness cked out, as if being sucked somewhere.
***¡°¡¡±
He found himself surrounded by pure darkness, reminiscent of a mental realm¡ªthendscape of one¡¯s inner mind.
Well, well. A trap?
Karlstein looked around, seeing nothing. Curiosity, rather than rm, was his primary reaction.
Who was he, if not the one and only Karlstein?
Mental Prohibitions from the Xianxia universe proved futile against him, and he was unscathed by the Kaiju¡¯s various mental pollutions.
Unless facing a Single Number, he was virtually invincible in the mental realm. Yet here he was, his mind dragged somewhere without consent.
Karlstein could not help feeling curious at this unprecedented situation. And his curiosity deepened with the appearance of another presence.
Following an iprehensible echo, a blurry, illusory figure materialized in the empty space as if it had always been there.
But Karlstein was not surprised.
¡°Who are you?¡±
He surmised this ce was akin to a mindscape; anything could happen here. The curious part was that he, of all people, had been summoned.
As Karlstein focused on the formless illusion, a transformation urred.
Voom-
The shapeless entity distorted, assuming the form of a giant bird. Simultaneously, an enormous white tree materialized behind it.
¡°A tree?¡±
The colossal tree,posed of pure white light, was so immense that even Karlstein could not fathom its size. He would not be surprised if it were said to berger than the sun.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The luminous giant tree, devoid of leaves, possessed a strange quality¡ªit felt both distant and near.
There¡¯s no sense of perspective.
Suddenly, the tree¡¯s branches quivered slightly, as if weing him in this windless dimension.
No voice reached Karlstein¡¯s ears, but it was not difficult to deduce who had summoned him.
¡°¡Sephiroth?¡±
Yes. It was undoubtedly Sephiroth, the entity they revered and called mother.
Chapter 137: The Berserker Witch (1)
¡°Uhh¡¡±
Karlstein¡¯s eyes fluttered open to a searing pain coursing through his body. He shook his head to clear his mind. His sluggish limbs, heavy as if waking from a deep sleep, slowly stirred with a flicker of energy.
As his senses slowly returned, he propped himself up to take in the surroundings. Empty, lifeless destion weed him.
¡°What the¡¡±
Just moments ago, he had been having a normal conversation¡
Karlstein struggled to piece the events together.
Right¡
He had been investigating the Sephiroth stronghold in World when he touched the illusion of a tree masking their hideout. And then¡ªonly his consciousness had been whisked away somewhere. There, he¡¯d spoken with someone.
¡°Mm.¡±
Images flickered in his mind: A colossal white tree. A white bird.Yes¡ He had spoken with someone, likely Sephiroth.
Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed at his brain, like needles piercing his skull. His memory of the conversation remained fragmented.
¡°Mmm.¡±
Karlstein shook his head again to steady himself, exhaling deeply. As the fog in his mind slowly lifted, the ache in his body faded.
¡°Sephiroth. Ahh¡¡±
With the pain subsiding, he began to remember the conversation.
Right¡ It imed to send me back to where I truly belong.
The details were still riddled with holes, but he remembered the gist of it now.
Where he truly belonged¡ Not just World. Not the Gctic Empire, either. What Sephiroth meant was painfully clear.
My past life¡
It referred to his life before the transmigration.
¡°Haha.¡±
From the moment he first entered the Community¡ªand even long before¡ªhe had searched relentlessly for any trace of his past, only to find nothing.
Yet he was offered a way back to the Earth he once called home.
¡°¡¡±
Karlstein admitted it was all normal up to that point. Regardless of motive, he was made an offer. Regardless of his response, he was given a choice. Putting aside whether that offer was genuine or not, everything went fine until that point.
But then¡ they continued talking, and something went wrong.
A sharp pain shot through his skull again, as if he were recalling something forbidden.
¡°Phew¡¡±
Once the pain ebbed away, his fragmented memories began to realign.
¡°¡¡±
¡¶Sephiroth¡· was this powerful?
It even knew about his transmigration, which no one except Aria knew about, and offered to help him return.
However, Karlstein was no longer the greenhorn from the early days of transmigration who whined about wanting to go home. He had spent much of his life in the Gctic Empire and aplished many things. He did notck attachment to his current life enough to abandon everything and leave abruptly.
To begin with, he had no lingering attachments to his former life except for just one thing.
Right. I remember why I argued with it.
The one regret he left behind: his younger sister. The child who was left to face the world alone after her only family was gone.
¡°¡¡±
That was why Karlstein shed with Sephiroth. Though truthfully, it was more like him one-sidedly venting his anger. It was uncertain whether it was unable to contain his fury or was bound by certain limitations, but Sephiroth shattered the pitch-ck dimension, hurling him into an unknown ce.
¡°Damn it¡¡±
Beyond that, everything was a nk. It felt as if his memory had been forcibly wiped.
Karlstein sighed.
Bastard Sephiroth. You really are worth a good shakedown.
That tree was not to be taken lightly, of course. The fact that it could summon him in such a way¡ªdespite his near wless mental defenses granted by Mental Invariability¡ªproved how formidable it was.
It was rather shocking. Karlstein¡¯s mind should have been immune to any sort of tampering.
Though I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because I¡¯m in an Avatar¡
It made sense, in a way. Right now, he was just wearing an Avatar. His mind was basically detached and anchored into it.
Vulnerabilities might have emerged during that process. The Avatar Connection System was extremely tricky, and not all so convenient to use.
¡°For now, I¡¯ll discuss this with Aria¡¡±
Logout. Eh?
¡°Logout.¡±
¡
Logout?
¡°Mm.¡±
Apparently, the logout function was broken. Was it just temporary?
¡°Integrated Dimensional Community!¡±
¡
Even the Community was not responding.
Scratch scratch.
¡°Looks like I¡¯m screwed?¡±
It seemed things had taken a slightly troublesome turn.
¡°That asshole Sephiroth.¡±
Whether this was intentional or not, it definitely needed looking into.
***As Karlstein surveyed his surroundings and pieced together what had happened, he managed to get his bearings.
That¡¯s a relief.
He had not been thrown into an unfamiliar realm. This was a world he recognized.
¡°I feel for your situation, but see, we¡¯re not running a charity.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Right? Lucky for you, we could use a porter.¡±
Karlstein gave nomittal replies and fell in step behind the group. Their attire was an odd mix of medieval and modern styles.
¡°In any case, having an A-rank healer in the party is reassuring.¡±
¡°Hehe. Just leave it to me.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the only one to count on, Miss Ayoung. You¡¯ve got a big heart, too. Hem-hem.¡±
Huh¡ I got a feeling that guy isn¡¯t really talking about her heart.
The male party members¡¯ gazes shifted awkwardly, drawn to the healer¡¯s heart that swayed prominently with every step she took.
¡°Let me know if you need any buffs.¡±
Her priestess robe, with its oddly modern design, only heightened her allure, entuating an air of immoral sensuality.
Mm. A woman who knows how to work the art of concealment¡
¡°Miss Ayoung could¡¯ve taken it easy while raking in those bonuses, given her healing power. If only the Association wasn¡¯t so pushy.¡±
¡°I gotta do my part for humanity too.¡±
¡°Haha! That¡¯s our Miss Ayoung!¡±
Well, that about exins the atmosphere.
This was the , a world where Hunters formed parties to conquer the Towers spread across different countries.
Hmm¡
It was the same world where Perpe lived, which was why Karlstein did not worry much. Once he met her, he could connect with Aria and resolve the Avatar link issue.
Perpe was usually buried in training, but she came and went using Merit Points often enough. He figured it would be no big deal.
However¡
¡°I heard Team Supreme from the U.S. has their eyes on our Tower.¡±
¡°You mean the party led by that new S-rank prodigy?¡±
¡°Yeah. Tsk.¡±
¡°Ugh. The Berserker Witch¡¯s rewards are enough to make anyone drool, sure enough.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t they know business ethics? I dunno what the higher-ups are even doing. Tsk-tsk.¡±
¡°What if Team Supreme takes down the Berserker Witch?¡±
¡°Then well¡ we¡¯re screwed. Where else in the world do you find a boss that hands out rewards without being defeated?¡±
The fact that Perpe was a boss monster in this was a bit iffy.
¡
¡°Still¡ our country may have been the only onegging behind, but maybe Korea will finally break through the 50th floor and reach the 51st.¡±
¡°Most other countries are already past the 70th floor, you know.¡±
¡°Howplicated.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lose hope. The boss is a problem, but perhaps even we can make it to the 50th floor.¡±
¡°Yeah, who knows? We might even defeat the Berserker Witch.¡±
¡ Defeat Perpe with their pitiful level?
¡°Hmm¡¡±
¡°You there. You need to stop falling behind and stick close, my friend. Sometimes theye at you from behind.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
In any case, Karlstein easily pinpointed his location thanks to meeting a good-hearted(?) party. Moreover, among the various Towers of Trials, the Tower they were currently ascending was the one erected in Korea.
Korea. In some ways, it could easily be mistaken for the ce he lived in his past life, but¡
That can¡¯t be.
There were several worlds with modern settings in the Community, just not the ordinary Korea he had known.
It was a parallel world. A Korea that was the same yet different. Still, Karlstein felt it was worth taking a look around.
Since I¡¯m here, it might be good to see how Perpe has been doing.
Given Perpe¡¯s talent, it would definitely be worthwhile. Of course, meeting her and solving the logout issue would be top priority.
Karlstein hurried to catch up with the group ahead.
***After he left.
Thud.
¡°Uugh¡ That f-fiend¡¡±
¡°What the hell is that man? He really isn¡¯t a monster?¡±
Three Hunter agents in suits, who had been hiding using concealment skills, revealed themselves in the spot the party had just vacated.
¡°Koff.¡±
¡°The measuring device?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s broken.¡±
¡°This is insane¡ Does this mean he¡¯s on par with the Berserker Witch?¡±
¡°He wasn¡¯t on the entry list.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s head back and report first.¡±
¡°What about them¡?¡±
¡°A-rank healers are rare, but this is more urgent.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Phew¡ What in the world.¡±
The agents, appearing to be government affiliates, quickly cleaned up the area and withdrew.
Their fingertips still trembled at the memory of what urred moments ago.
****Hmm¡ They held no hostility.
Although the Hunter agents had shown no signs of killing intent or hostility, he had no idea what they were up to, struggling to hide in that cramped spot likepressed cushions. It was such a pitiful sight that he simply left them be.
But they were still stronger than the ones in front.
Another reason for his lenience was that their attire suggested they were more management personnel or government workers thanbatants.
¡°Miss Ayoung! We need a shield!¡±
¡°Leave it all to me! [Barrier of Protection]!¡±
¡°Out of the way! [Fire Arrow]!¡±
¡°Vanguard, catch your breath for a moment!¡±
¡°Huff¡ huff¡¡±
¡°Persistent bastards!¡±
¡°But it¡¯s almost over! They¡¯re tired too!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go! [Glorious Charge]!!¡±
¡°Support him!¡±
Vooom-
Hmm¡
Karlstein pondered the strength of this partypared to other Hunters. To be frank, he viewed their strength as little more than that of Imperial civilians who had undergone body enhancement injections.
Yet they spoke of defeating Perpe? Regardless of the rank differences among Hunters, it struck him as utterlyical.
Karlstein nced at the beast drooling at him from outside the shield¡ªsupposedly some Barrier of Protection or whatever¡ªencasing them in a hemisphere.
Growl-
The creature had three bright-red eyes, a body the size of an average horse, and fangs sharp enough to chew through iron. While the other beasts focused on the Hunters in front, this one red only at him, drooling.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
What¡¯re you lookin¡¯ at?
Karlstein casually positioned his middle finger against his thumb, ready to flick. He returned the re and lightly flicked his fingertip.
Whoom-
Crash-
¡°Ahh!! The Barrier of Protection!!¡±
¡°Miss Ayoung!¡±
¡°Vanguard! Shields up front!¡±
Mm. Their party members could attack from inside though¡
¡°Everyone stay alert! I think something¡¯s out there!¡±
¡°F-for the Barrier of Protection to be breached like this¡!¡±
¡°Miss Ayoung! What¡¯s the cooldown?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡°Ranger! Drop out ofbat and guard the surroundings! There could be someone hiding!¡±
Uh¡
Apparently, a porter was not considered part of the same party. Karlstein had unintentionally ended up trolling. He quietly looked away from where the wolf monster had been, nowpletely disintegrated.
Still, I shouldn¡¯t troll.
He was a little more generous to big-hearted(?) people.
Chapter 138: The Berserker Witch (2)
Meanwhile, elsewhere¡
A group of Hunters cautiously made its way through an ancient ruin, its walls weathered beyond recognition. Mysterious totems jutted out among the rubble, and a dense, great forest enveloped the area.
Kim Ayoung, an A-rank healer as rare as an S-rankbat Hunter, fought to calm her racing heart.
What am I supposed to do?
Ayoung forced the brightest smile she could manage, though cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
¡°With the way things are going¡ we should be fine on this floor too.¡±
Although her voice almost faltered under the weight of extreme fear, she held it steady through sheer willpower.
But she was not the only one shaken.
¡°¡Haha. All thanks to Miss Ayoung.¡±
¡°Y-you think so too? Hahaha.¡±¡°Let¡¯s keep it up! Ha¡ ha¡¡±
Are these people serious? Why are they being so obvious? Do they have a death wish?
Ayoung regretted telling them. It would have been far more natural to have kept treating him like a helpless lost person they had initially assumed.
The man in question trailed behind, whistling and strolling as if on a leisurely walk. He was now temporarily employed as the party¡¯s porter.
At first, they truly believed he was stranded and helped him without much thought. The porter position was more in name than duty, as they did not actually expect him to pull his weight.
He wore strange clothes and appeared to have lost his weapons and gear. Since he did not emit any special aura, no one objected to his presence in the group.
Ayoung had even exchanged a few words with him while bringing up the rear.
But then¡
-Mm? Oh? I¡¯m¡ a D-rank hunter.
D-rank?
Systematically, D-rank Hunters were not allowed beyond the 30th floor. Of course, special jobs like government agents or porters were exceptions. Had she not pegged him as thetter when they first met?
But the man clearly said D-rank Hunter.
Hunters and porters were entirely different roles. Perhaps it was a mistake, but his answers stayed consistent when she probed further.
Why lie¡? Could he be a plunderer?
An ominous thought crossed her mind. Plunderers sometimes posed as stranded victims, waiting for the right moment to betray their rescuers. They took advantage of the Hunter Association awarding hefty bonus points for rescuing stranded Hunters.
But a plunderer this obvious? It did not add up.
-ID tag? Lost it.
-Promotion? Mm. I took the testst year. It was tough.
The stranger sounded so out of touch. He simply knew too little about the industry.
There was no specific test for D-rank promotions¡ªthere were far too many people for that. Promotions were based purely on scanner readings of a Hunter¡¯s ability.
Not to mention, losing an ID tag was impossible. How could anyone lose a tattoo branded on the wrist? It was even forced by the System.
All the evidence indicated the man was clearly lying. And he was pretending to know facts that even plunderers would know.
At that point, Ayoung came up with one hypothesis: he was a wandering hidden boss. A type of boss found only in Korea. Like the Berserker Witch, it could appear anywhere regardless of floor, and was a monster that could speak and think like a human.
Since such types of bosses were not found outside Korea, Ayoung had not thought there might be simr beings, but¡ If one already existed, why not two?
¡
The Berserker Witch¡ªa hidden boss no one could defeat. Given the circumstances, that man was surely a terrifying monster as well. Even his behavior matched. He spoke and acted like a human, yet carried an air of naive ignorance about the outside world.
And then came the moment when Ayoung became certain he was a ridiculous being on par with the Berserker Witch.
He broke the Barrier of Protection¡?
Ayoung¡¯s [Barrier of Protection], tied to her unique ability, was a top-tier skill that should never break. Its duration might shorten with enough damage, and cooldown could increase, but the barrier itself should have held strong.
Yet during one battle, it shattered with a resounding crash.
That¡¯s impossible.
Only something like the Berserker Witch could achieve such a feat. Given that [Barrier of Protection] was a skill even top-ranking foreign Hunters relied on, her suspicions seemed justified.
¡°Sh-shall we take a break?¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
A faint, displeased snort followed the suggestion. It was not very loud, but in this tense atmosphere, there was no way the others had not heard it.
¡°Uh¡ I think it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to rest on the next floor¡ maybe.¡±
¡°R-right! Let¡¯s push through just a little more!¡±
Ah¡
Ayoung had dropped a subtle hint, hoping to prevent her party members from acting too wary and provoking the hidden boss, but they were still being so obvious.
Act natural, for heaven¡¯s sake!
She wanted to scream in frustration but held it in. In the end¡
I¡¯m pretty sure government agents were hiding nearby¡ Please, let rescuee!
Government monitoring was provided in real-time for verified A-rank healers and above. The service was also avable to top-talent and high-ranking Hunters, meant to prevent any sudden greed-driven murders.
Swift government intervention was their only hope.
Why did I bothering out for some fresh air¡
Ayoung resented her own diligence that drove her to continue scaling the Tower after her old party disbanded, just to stay in shape.
And all else aside¡
sh-
Pop-
Grrgh.
¡°Uhh! It, it died! Thankfully. Ha. Ha. Ha.¡±
¡°Everyone must be, er¡ in good shape today, huh?¡±
¡°M-maybe the 50th floor isn¡¯t such a big deal?¡±
The 50th floor? What a joke. Their confidence came only from not having fully experienced the 40th floor range, which was far beyond their current abilities.
However¡
Screech!
Roar!
Whine!
As if someone was secretly helping, every floor boss crumbled without much of a fight.
Uh¡ Maybe this guy can¡¯t even tell regr monsters apart from boss monsters?
[Entering the 44th floor.]
Stopping was not an option.
***¡°A wandering hidden boss?¡±
The government was naturally capable of reaching the same conclusion as Kim Ayoung.
¡°And his tag can¡¯t be identified either¡.¡±
High-level plunderers could manipte their ID tags to impersonate others, but removing the tag itself was impossible. Plus, with special guests expected at this time, plunderers had been thoroughly rooted out.
Considering all the reports, there was only one possibility: a wandering hidden boss.
¡°Haah¡ I don¡¯t know whether to be relieved or worried.¡±
Things had just gotten a lot moreplicated. If this hidden boss was anything like the Berserker Witch, it might not be a bad thing for Korea.
The Berserker Witch often let people go even if they failed to defeat her, andtely, she had even been giving out items that were not registered in the System.
-Oh? A lightsaber?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
-I heard weapon drops are rare¡
-Please, give me a suit!
-Keke. I stillugh remembering the guy who got chickenst time.
-A hidden boss drops chicken?
-But don¡¯t they say it tastes way better than your regr chicken?
-Of course! How could it be ordinary when it¡¯s from a hidden boss? Hahaha.
Admittedly, there were plenty of duds too.
But in any case¡ For Korea, the Berserker Witch¡¯s quirks were oddly wee. Though her history¡ªthe very reason she was called a witch¡ªmeant they could not be entirelyfortable.
¡°Anyway, this is a headache.¡±
Whether this new hidden boss was friendly or not, its appearance could not havee at a worse time.
¡°What¡¯s Team Supreme¡¯s status?¡±
¡°They¡¯ve just cleared the 29th floor.¡±
¡°Already? It hasn¡¯t even been long since they went in¡.¡±
-Really? A new hidden boss? Perfect. We¡¯re on our way.
-What? B-but¡.
-Enough!
The moment they got wind of a new hidden boss, the overbearing members of Team Supreme immediately began their climb.
This was more than just inconvenient for Korea. If the hidden boss was as friendly as the Berserker Witch, Korea would lose out if the American team imed the victory. On the flip side, if they failed and someone died, that would cause a whole new set of problems.
Ah¡
¡°I just hope nothing goes wrong¡¡±
Whether that wish would be granted remained to be seen.
***Presently, on the 30th floor¡
Thud-
A heavy crash echoed as the floor boss fell.
¡°Whew. Thatstbo was nice.¡±
¡°I heard Towers differ by country, but I guess the difficulty¡¯s not far off?¡±
¡°Yet Korea still hasn¡¯t cleared even the 50th floor. That shows their level don¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Right. Anyway, where are those guys now?¡±
¡°¡My readings say they¡¯re on the 44th floor.¡±
A brief silence followed.
¡°¡Weren¡¯t they B-rank Hunters with an A-rank healer?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you say they were on the 37th floor just earlier?¡±
¡°¡¡±
The party was stunned by the Korean team¡¯s impossibly fast climb.
The Americans had an elite team led by S-rank hunters, which exined how they could breeze through to the 30th floor, but¡.
¡°Is the hidden boss helping them or what?¡±
¡°¡Wandering hidden bosses have never appeared outside Korea. It¡¯s not impossible.¡±
¡°So they show mercy, drop super high-tech items, and now they¡¯re helping clear floors?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Outrageous was the word.
Chapter 139: The 50th Floor (1)
The Towers of Trials were mysterious constructs of unknown origin that emerged across the globe.
Each floor within a Tower unleashed bizarre monsters, testing the climbers. Perhaps a reward for enduring these trials, Hunters often gained power unimaginable to mortals, risking their lives to ascend.
Yet, true to its name, the Towers of Trials were not entirely a boon for humanity.
Outbreaks¡ªcatastrophic events where monsters spilled into the real world, triggered by Tower conquests and climbing achievements.
But humanity adapted swiftly, and now the economy relied heavily on the mana stones harvested from the Tower.
Crack-
¡°Is this the 49th floor now?¡±
¡°Almost there.¡±
¡°Stay alert.¡±
¡°What kind of enemy will we face this time¡?¡±While entering towers in other countries was normally impossible, the many mysteries within them sometimes lifted these restrictions¡ªjust like now.
¡°It¡¯s the hidden boss after the next clear, right? Is it really still waiting on the 50th floor?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t leave the 50th floor.¡±
¡°Hmm¡ is it really waiting for us?¡±
However, such international ess came at steep cost for various reasons, unless one chose to immigrate. Yet despite the expense, S-rank Hunter Max, considered a rising star by some, personally led his party here. The reason being¡
-Unbelievable¡
-This technology isn¡¯t created simply out of mana!
-What a marvelous fragment of engineering¡!
-We need more samples! More samples!
-Where did you find this Item?
Mysterious Items had begun appearing in Korea. Unlike other Items, they were not ssified by the System, yet their existence was undeniably otherworldly¡ªproof that they were, without a doubt, true Items.
-What? From a boss that only appears in Korea?
-Take it down immediately.
-Uh, what about my losses then?
-You will bepensated handsomely.
-Well, if that¡¯s the case¡
Max had be a Hunter for money anyway, and with the promise of generouspensation, nothing could make him hesitate.
Besides, he was also curious. A wandering hidden boss¡ an opponent no one had ever conquered. Though it had once nearly brought catastrophe, whispers spread of how close some hade to defeating it.
Well¡ rumor has it that it¡¯s absolutely beyond human capability.
Korea suffered regr Outbreaks because of this entity, and the nation¡¯s copse seemed all too inevitable. Yet fate had a strange sense of humor. The very hidden boss that had driven Korea to the brink was now offering Items as rewards, gradually breathing life back into the fallen nation.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Max studied the short, stubby cylindrical metal object in his palm. When he pressed the central button, light erupted forth, forming a brilliant de.
A lightsaber.
¡°Gotta admit it¡¯s definitely worth the huge investment.¡±
Korea teetered on the edge of ruin, too fragile now to withstand even minimal pressure from America.
Slice-
¡°Oh yeah¡¡±
Max stared at the lightsaber, mesmerized. What remarkable reward might await someone who could defeat a boss that casually distributed such artifacts? Everyone burned with curiosity, enduringplicated procedures to finally reach this ce and discover the truth.
¡°Soon now¡.¡±
An undefeatable boss, they imed? True, it might be terrifying as humanity had yet to conquer all floors of the Towers. However¡
Zing-
¡°Hmph. Not a big deal.¡±
The lightsaber¡¯s blue sh drew his gaze, as did the ring adorning his finger.
[Decree of Destruction (1/2)]
An SS-grade instant-kill Item. One scratch, one nick from his incredible de, and his target would perish, whether by pierce or sh.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Defeating a hidden boss with its own gifted lightsaber¡.
¡°Interesting. Haha.¡±
Max led his party forward, a smile ying at his lips.
There was nothing to fear.
***Crack-
¡°Eh?¡±
The marble Karlstein had been idly ying with split cleanly in two.
¡°Gasp!¡±
¡°!!¡±
¡°Huh?!¡±
The lead Hunters flinched in unison at the sharp sound of breaking.
¡°He broke an indestructible Object¡¡±
¡°As if it were chopsticks¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
Karlstein cleared his throat awkwardly before offering a confident excuse.
¡°I guess its durability ran out.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Th-then what about the quest¡?¡±
Their mission required gathering all the Objects to reach where the Berserker Witch¡¯s frequently appeared¡
¡°Mm! It must¡¯ve been fake.¡±
¡°Really¡?¡±
A moment of silence fell upon the party.
¡°Ha. Ha. That must be it, right?¡±
¡°¡It was just an ordinary stone, I guess.¡±
¡°Y-yeah?¡±
¡°Ha. Ha. Ha.¡±
They were in a bind. They had reluctantly entrusted the Object to the unidentified hidden boss disguised(?) as a porter since he showed interest in the quest item, but¡
¡°Er¡¡±
¡°These things happen.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s right. Even if it was a quest Item, it¡¯s not impossible to enter without it¡¡±
The healer¡¯s warm constion seemed to lift the party¡¯s spirits slightly.
In any case, Karlstein casually tossed aside the broken marble and looked around.
And I was wondering where the kid was spending so much Karma on.
Mountains of broken monsters(?) resembling giant snacks littered thendscape. Oddly, beneath their sugary exterior, mechanical innards of wires and circuits asionally peeked through.
¡°Haah¡¡±
He had unwittingly gained insight into Perpe¡¯s tastes.
A great castle loomed ahead, surrounded by trees and monsters¡ªall made of snacks.
Is this some kinda fairy tale or what?
A brief inspection gave Karlstein a rough understanding of the monsters¡¯ interior(?) workings.
She must have used the Premium Dimensional Store¡
The store¡¯s services had evolved considerably. Beyond the products he personally offered, it also provided custom products to client specifications. Naturally, this required enormous amounts of Karma.
And they¡¯re tougher than I thought.
Seeing the attention paid to the creatures¡¯ specifications, Karlstein could tell how much effort went into their creation.
Though it¡¯s still nothing much.
He hesitated to call this a hobby.
Karlstein could not suppress a sigh. It was like witnessing the careless splurge of a child handed too much money.
¡°Huh?¡±
His musings cut short as he stopped in his tracks.
¡°Hmm. Looks like someone¡¯sing?¡±
Hic-
He turned his head, ignoring the hup in the background. Though distance kept them hidden from view, he felt it clearly¡ªthe killing intent directed at him.
***¡°Wh-what the heck?¡±
It was bizarre. Truly bizarre. With Tower-clearing experience up to the 68th floor, Max was confident nothing could surprise him. Yet¡
THUD. THUD. THUD.
A giant muffin, its mass dwarfing even an ogre, lumbered forward to peer down at him.
¡°¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s a non-aggressive monster¡. They say there¡¯s no problem as long as we don¡¯t provoke it recklessly.¡±
THUD. THUD. THUD.
A croissant joined its muffin friend.
¡°¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just pass by for now. But we shouldn¡¯t let our guard down.¡±
Nod.
Max did not need the reminder; they asionally encountered familiar monsters, which were unlike these clearly alien snack behemoths.
Seriously though¡
Even more bewildering were the monsters fighting against the snack behemoths.
¡°Let¡¯s hurry and move before things get messy.¡±
Max snapped from his daze at hispanion¡¯s urging, quickening his pace while trying to ignore the egg tart that the croissant brought along.
¡°Hm. Most of the battle traces are simr.¡±
¡°They all have holes where the mana stones were. But ording to my information, the party ahead doesn¡¯t have skills capable of this.¡±
¡°The hidden boss¡. Is it really clearing the Tower?¡±
¡°Looks like they used a pration skill, maybe.¡±
¡°But I can¡¯t figure out the pattern.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn
For a while, they advanced while investigating the traces of battle, until they spotted a group of Hunters waiting in a cake-like hut in the distance.
¡°¡That¡¯s them.¡±
¡°Get ready forbat!¡±
¡°Check buffs!¡±
¡°Doping first!¡±
Being veterans, theypletedbat preparations in an instant.
Max pulled out his stubby rod, letting it erupt with light as he slowly closed the distance.
Zing-
Just then, he noticed the man presumed to be the hidden boss had started gaping.
¡°Hmm. Yes, this lightsaber¡¯s currently the best weapon Item. Even you seem to be nervous about it, huh?¡±
The boss seemed to wear an expression of disbelief¡
¡°There¡¯s a limit to underestimating mankind. What¡¯s the reason for handing over such weapons to us?¡±
Max was half-convinced the hidden boss couldmunicate. Inside the Towers,nguage barriers did not exist.
Following his moment of posturing, Max rushed towards his target in an instant. The words he spouted were merely a distraction¡ªhis true intenty in the skill that made him an S-rank Hunter.
Sfff-
He used [Teleportation] to instantly get behind the boss.
¡°Bye.¡±
Along with the strongest movement skill, Max wielded the ultimate weapon that had elevated him to glory. Although its Item information did not show, its nature was obvious. There should be nothing it could not cut.
Of course, considering the lightsaber came from the hidden boss, there could be a trap.
But it doesn¡¯t matter. This time I¡¯ve prepared a definite instant-kill Item too.
On top of that, a barrage of buffs from his party and a wide array of magic skills rained down all at once.
Max thrived in skirmishes, and Team Supreme had been formed specifically to enhance his strength. With their top-tier support unleashing the team¡¯s full might, defeating the hidden boss should not have posed an issue.
¡°Eh?¡±
It really should not have.
Chapter 140: The 50th Floor (2)
¡°Mmm¡. Even I get startled when someone appears out of nowhere like that¡¡±
¡°!!¡±
¡°Max!!¡±
¡°Captain¡¡±
Their expressions were a mix of urgency and disbelief. And for good reason.
¡°Wha¡?¡±
Where Max had been¡ªafter teleporting behind Karlstein¡ªnowy a body on the cold floor, half its head missing. The culprit¡¯s words only twisted the knife.
¡°You really should¡¯ve been more careful¡¡±
The Hunters could not process those words at first. While it had appeared to be an instinctive response to a surprise attack, response was not quite right. The movement had been too quick to follow. It happened so instantly that they could not even see it.
Maxy motionless, utterly dead.¡°¡¡±
Karlstein cleared his throat unnecessarily out of awkwardness.
¡°Ahem.¡±
¡°Y-you¡!¡±
¡°How dare a mere monster kill our captain¡¡±
¡°M-Max!¡±
¡°Hick!¡±
Team Supreme fell into panic at the sudden loss of their strongest member. Karlstein had little to say about that.
¡°¡Um, sorry?¡±
The attackers trembled with barely contained rage, while the Korean Hunters who had guided him here stood pale-faced and shaking.
Karlstein sighed.
¡°There goes my porter act, I guess?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Not that he had been much of a porter to begin with. He had simply followed the Korean party, taking in the sights.
¡°Now that we¡¯re here, I¡¯d like to ask a few¡ª¡°
Karlstein figured he might as well satisfy his curiosity, given the situation. But to Team Supreme, his peaceful(?) demeanor felt like mockery. Perhaps they even thought Max¡¯s death was merely idental.
¡°I¡¯ll have you dead¡¡±
¡°You¡¯ll pay for what you did to Max!¡±
¡°Attack formation!¡±
The American Hunters went absolutely crazy. Faced with such hostility, Karlstein could only offer one kind of apology¡
¡°Hmm. I guess one mouth should be enough?¡±
Shiver-
¡and that was to forcefully bring them to their senses.
***Tremble-
The Korean Hunters quaked in fear.
¡°Hm¡ Is that so?¡±
¡°Yes sir¡ So please spare my life¡¡±
Gone were the raging members of Team Supreme. All that remained was a single smallmb faced with overwhelming terror.
Alice, the team¡¯s healer and sole survivor, kept her eyes fixed on the ground. She shook uncontrobly, as if meeting his gaze might spell her doom.
On the other hand, Karlstein wasn¡¯t very interested in the information he heard from them. Yet Karlstein found little interest in their revtions about Hunters, the Towers of Trials, System, or Items. Such trivial matters held little weight for the Gctic Emperor, who had witnessed far greater things.
His expectations had vanished the moment he witnessed that one fellow brandishing a lightsaber as if it were the ultimate weapon.
Perhaps sensing Karlstein¡¯s tedium, even the Korean Hunters scrambled to offer information.
¡°Hm¡ But I guess I¡¯m still curious.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
They hung on the hidden boss¡¯s every word, but for Karlstein, only one matter held his interest.
¡°Korea¡¡±
A Korea simr to his past life, closer to a parallel world than an exact match.
¡°Since Perpe isn¡¯ting, shall we take a look outside the Tower?¡±
¡°Sorry?¡±
¡°¡?¡±
His words seemed to baffle them. The Hunters questioned it unconsciously.
Karlstein merely replied with innocent curiosity.
¡°Why?¡±
Why, indeed¡ While Outbreaks did ur, they only involved mindlessmon monsters. No boss monster had ever left a Tower.
¡°Er¡¡±
Even the Berserker Witch was no exception to this.
In the first ce, they had guiltlessly leaked information because a hidden boss could do nothing much with it. Had they simply survived by his mercy and escaped the Tower, all would have been well.
But now this mighty hidden boss spoke of leaving the Tower? It would be an utter catastrophe. Their certainty only grew as they watched him idly burning his own arm with the lightsaber as if it were some massage tool.
¡°Shall we go then?¡±
¡°¡Yes sir.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°¡¡±
It was all the more reason why they could not voice their concerns.
***¡°So you¡¯re saying, Team Supreme¡¯s life signs are lost?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°Haah¡¡±
A short-haired woman in office attire, her eyes shadowed by dark circles, sighed deeply. The government agent who had delivered the report flinched at her response. After all, though retired, the woman before him was a former A-rank Hunter who had fought on the frontlines.
Yet even she had her limits in politics.
¡°Damn it.¡±
She clutched her head in frustration. America had recently shown pointed interest in Korea, particrly regarding the Items the hidden boss had been freely distributing. From Korea¡¯s perspective, such attention was hardly wee, as treasure they could not protect would only invite trouble.
Korea was not stupid. How could they not recognize the worth of these Items? Unverifiable by the System, clearly alien in origin¡ªthese were Items born of pure technology, not mystical elements like mana or mana stones.
Naturally, research was ongoing, with decent results. If they could maintain exclusivity, Korea¡¯s future would be assured.
However¡. other nations would not remain ignorant or idle, be it America, China, Russia, or Japan. Unlike Korea, trapped below their Tower¡¯s 50th floor, these countries showed prominence in the mana stone industry.
Korea,gging far behind, was unable to withstand their pressure. Even if these powers suddenly emerged and dered their intention to defeat the Berserker Witch, Korea would be powerless to respond.
¡°Haah¡¡±
At least if the floor was cleared, Korea might advance beyond the 50th floor, opening the possibility of a different future¡
But the conquest had failed, Team Supreme¡ªAmerica¡¯s fully-backed team¡ªwaspletely wiped out.
America¡¯s reaction was predictable, and her deep sighs were inevitable. She regretted leaving the field for misced patriotism.
¡°They must have offended the hidden boss. What an oversight. Even the Berserker Witch showed no mercy to the disrespectful.¡±
¡°¡I suppose they were certain of victory.¡±
Their worst fears had materialized.
¡°Haah¡¡±
As she grappled with this impossible situation¡
Bang.
Someone barged into the office.
¡°Director!¡±
¡°What? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m reporting to the Director right now?¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. Must be urgent. So, what is it?¡±
¡°I, well!¡±
The Director¡¯s jaw slowly dropped at her subordinate¡¯s report.
¡°The hidden boss left the Tower?¡±
But an even more shocking development followed.
Bzzzt-
The officeputer activated on its own, crackling with noise.
Bzzt-
The static cleared, revealing a man¡¯s face on screen.
¡°Huh? I never turned that on?¡±
Her confusion was cut short.
[Ahh. Can you hear me?]
¡°!!¡±
¡°What the?¡±
[I am Karlstein Babylon, Emperor of the Gctic Empire.]
The Director wondered if he was deranged, or if this was some case of hacking.
What a concept¡
But her mind went nk at her subordinate¡¯s exmation.
¡°Th-that¡¯s him! The newly discovered hidden boss!¡±
What are you¡ª
[Starting now, I¡¯m taking over Earth.]
Excuse me?
She could not process what was happening.
***
?did yall see too?
?ye lol looks insane
?scared me when my screen suddenly changed at work lol
?mfer i was sneaking in some game time lmao
?total chaos at the inte cafe rn haha
?FFS I WAS IN MY PROMO MATCH!
?we in middle of epic teamfight wen dis guys face suddenly pops up lol almost smashed my monitor
?u dipshits. does that rlly matter rn?
?wat matters then?
?¡
People were dismissive at first. After all¡
?Gctic Empire LMFAO
?hrious concept yo
?man rlly called himself EMPEROR.
?wao lel guess u gotta look at least dat gud to be emperor
?bro¡¯s lost his marbles ye? lol
?Even chunibyou is on a different scale these days.
?KEK whats the government saying about dis?
?They¡¯re still quiet.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
An emperor from some gctic empire taking over the world and whatnot? It was perfect fodder for inte mockery. But then¡
?Looks like it¡¯s not just our country.
?bros, I¡¯m studying in Canada and it¡¯s the same here.
?im in japan. same here too.
?this is happening worldwide?
?lmao earth getting owned by one hacker
?Seems like the higher-ups aren¡¯t taking this lightly.
?I¡¯m on phone now but even our intr is the same.
?eh?
The hacking was not limited to just one region or broadcast channel. It seemed the entire country¡ªno, the whole world was affected.
This would have been far-fetched even in a movie¡
Bzzt-
[Ah, the representatives of each country shoulde meet me. We have things to discuss. Over.]
Yet it happened not just once, but twice.
However, it was still hard to take seriously, especially given the man¡¯s insincere attitude. His tone was yful. Or oddly light-hearted, perhaps.
[This is fun. Haha.]
What¡¯s more, his amused muttering was caught on broadcast at the end of the second video. Who knew if it was intentional or not?
??
?def insane¡.
?Is this real? Fake?
?lmao bro¡¯s enjoying it too lol
?Quite a unique concept.
?so all this was forughs?
?bro got skills dat for sho.
?Gctic Emperor lmfao
None of them could seriously believe his im about conquering Earth.
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