wavenovel Chapter 236: Open World (6)
Chapter 236: Open World (6)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Gweon Raju, Division Commander of the 3rd Division of the 99th Legion of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire, thought of this assignment as nothing more than a vacation. Cleaning up backwater dimensions like this was far too easy.
They were worthless trash.
Their combat ability was laughable, and they were nothing but plant-like beings who babbled on about peace and harmony and other such weak drivel. That made them easy to slaughter. When invited under the pretense of signing a treaty, they naively showed up bearing gifts. They were so feeble and foolish that there was no point in even testing newly developed weapons on them.
Worthless creatures like these had no right to live.
At least their appearance was decent enough, so he had them preserved as taxidermy for his collection.
Gweon gazed at the taxidermied specimens on display, then stroked one's skin. Warmth flowed through his gauntlets and into him. He shuddered, overcome by an intense rush of pleasure.
The ones preserved like this were still alive, frozen as if time had stopped, destined to remain in this state forever. Their consciousness was likely still intact, which made it all the better. When boredom struck, he could unseal their mouths.
Hearing them beg and plead for death was a delicacy.
Gweon stroked the skin of a taxidermied Luzen native, then clenched his grip. Flesh and blood were terribly inefficient, but that was precisely why the nobles loved them. And missed them.
Gweon summoned his adjutant.
"Is it done yet?"
"They should have finished incinerating everything by now. I've given repeated orders to bring only the priestess back alive, as you instructed."
Gweon nodded.
The priestess was the finest specimen he had seen in a long time. If he preserved her with care and presented her as tribute, it could earn him significant points at the next promotion review. For something obtained in a backwater dimension like this, she was remarkably impressive.
'Of course, she'll need a bit of modification.'
When Gweon nodded, the adjutant saluted and stepped outside. Opening the door to the inner chamber revealed a spacious room filled with various tools. Tools for cutting flesh and bone, and for attaching all manner of things.
Gweon moved the Luzen native he had recently taxidermied inside.
"Now then, shall we get to work?"
His plan was to start by severing all four limbs and replacing them with something else. Gouging out the eyes and inserting gemstones would make it even better, he thought.
"Heh heh, I'll make you pretty."
When Gweon pressed a button, an old-fashioned tune began to play.
The mouth portion attached to his helm twisted and contorted, reflecting his excitement.
Hot steam was even escaping from it.
WHIIIIRRR!
When he picked up the tool, a saw blade emerged, vibrating intensely.
A single tear fell from the taxidermied Luzen native's eye. He had partially lifted the paralysis so he could hear the screams. Just as the saw blade was about to touch the shoulder...
"I-it's an emergency!"
"Hm?"
The adjutant's frantic voice rang out.
Irritated, Gweon set the tool down and stepped outside.
"What is it?"
"The 3rd Regiment that was heading to the city with the priestess has been, has been wiped out!"
"What? The 3rd Regiment?"
The 3rd Regiment, part of the 3rd Division under his command, had never once been defeated.
He simply could not believe they had been beaten in a garbage dump like this. It was beyond imagination.
How was he supposed to report this to the Legion Commander?
If he received a reprimand, it would deal a devastating blow to his promotion review.
"Give me a detailed report."
The adjutant reported the extent of the damage.
It was near-total annihilation. The vice-commander and staff officers who had accompanied the regiment to search for specimens worth preserving had vanished, and every surviving soldier was completely combat-incapable. On top of that, the supply unit had abandoned its materials and retreated.
Calling it a retreat was generous; it was no different from fleeing.
Stepping out of the barracks, Gweon stared blankly at the carnage spread before him.
There were surviving soldiers.
"Hee, heehee! Hehehe!"
"Kill me! Kill me! No more!"
"AAAAAARGH!"
The invincible soldiers who had feared nothing were trembling violently, smashing their heads against the ground over and over, laughing maniacally one moment and screaming the next.
The 99th Legion may have been a low-ranking unit, but belonging to a Legion still meant they were elites. And those elite soldiers had completely lost their minds. It was a horrifying sight he had never witnessed before.
"Did a Dimensional Predator intervene?"
Monsters that caused Erosion and corruption.
Unidentified beings that appeared one day, devouring countless dimensions and expanding their forces.
They were threats worthy of being called gods, the greatest enemy that menaced the Kalsus Dimensional Empire. If a Higher Entity among the Dimensional Predators, one with a high-ranking title, had intervened, a division-level force could never hope to contend with it.
Only a legion-level force armed with the Kalsus Dimensional Empire's state-of-the-art weaponry could stand against one.
"Th-there were no signs of a Dimensional Predator appearing."
"Perhaps it arrived in advance and was hiding. What about the surveillance unit?"
"Well, about that...."
The surveillance officer's head had burst open, and every recording he had taken was destroyed. The equipment was all fused together as if it had melted.
"The entire surveillance battalion was annihilated, and all surveillance equipment has been destroyed. A-and the 3rd Regiment's equipment as well...."
Gweon clenched his fist.
The 3rd Regiment had possessed a weapon capable of erasing an entire mountain. It was so extraordinarily expensive that only two existed in his entire division.
"Perhaps... we should report to the Legion Commander and retreat?"
"Retreat?"
Retreat meant the end.
Countless rivals would tear him apart.
"There will be no retreat. A Dimensional Predator..., if we destroy it and offer that achievement, the Legion Commander will overlook this loss."
"Th-that may be true, but...."
"Bring the Spatial Disintegrator!"
It was an anti-Dimensional Predator weapon that had been deployed on a trial basis.
After testing was complete, it had been temporarily entrusted to the 99th Legion for transport. It was stored in his division, which had the largest warehouse in the 99th Legion, but naturally even a division commander like himself was not authorized to use it on his own discretion.
"B-but...."
"We can become heroes! If this works out...!"
Either way, if he retreated like this, he would face disciplinary action and be demoted. The chances of being stripped of rank were high.
And demotion meant death.
All the enemies he had trampled on his way up would undoubtedly come back to tear him apart.
"It's still..., it's still fine."
It was still fine.
All he had to do was turn this crisis into an opportunity.
A hero who eliminated a noble-class Dimensional Predator through brilliant strategy!
Becoming a Legion Commander, or even gaining entry into the Imperial Knight Order, was not just a dream.
Groundless courage swelled within Gweon.
The adjutant's fate was bound to Gweon's.
He had no choice but to follow orders.
That was the beginning of suffering beyond anything they could endure.
* * *
The madness of Luzen had not subsided.
Jinwoo discussed with his team how to handle the situation.
"How about we explain everything and clear up the misunderstanding?"
"Nah, I doubt they'd believe us."
"Why not just go with Evil God? Doesn't seem like there's any downside."
At Ignis's suggestion, all the team members nodded.
Jinwoo blinked at the proposal.
"You want me to play the Evil God?"
Wasn't it a bit much for the chief deity of Arsilan to become an Evil God?
"You're still a god either way, Captain."
"It's just one little word tacked on in front...."
"Besides, it's pretty cool, isn't it?"
"Anyway, you're the one who called the shots that led to this...."
"It's not like we can take it back now."
Evil God... might be going too far, but being treated as a god could certainly help create plenty of content here.
'I should try talking to her.'
If they had a conversation, maybe the misunderstanding could be cleared up to some extent?
Jinwoo decided on that approach, trying to stay as optimistic as possible. Gongd walked over to him.
"Captain, can I take a look at the stuff we brought back?"
"I did tell them to grab everything..., let's go check it out together."
He had ordered everything the enemy left behind to be collected in order to conduct a thorough investigation of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire.
The Dimensional Transit Ship had followed Jinwoo's orders to the letter, hauling every last item into the cargo hold. The objects were large and numerous, but that was no issue. The cargo hold's space expanded endlessly.
The Dimensional Transit Ship had even ripped out the base the enemy had built and brought it along. When they visited the cargo hold, they found it packed with weapons and equipment of every kind.
"Their level of civilization is more advanced than Levannas."
There were tanks, armored vehicles, and even engine-powered warships. Jinwoo examined a device the size of a building.
[Kalsus] Dimensional Tunnel Excavator
Equipment that scans nearby dimensions and creates connecting passages.
Requires an enormous amount of energy, enough to consume an entire dimension. The length of the tunnel has limits, and the longer it becomes, the more energy it demands.
Now he understood how they conducted their dimensional invasions.
They absorbed dimensions to grow larger, or once they fully conquered one, they scanned the surrounding dimensions and bored tunnels through to them. In the process, an entire dimension was consumed. Once two dimensions were connected, the link was permanent, though maintaining the tunnel still required energy.
The Kalsus Dimensional Empire's military did not possess the ability to pierce through dimensional walls and drift between dimensions the way the Higher Entities of Erosion could. It was said that once everything vanished and a dimension became a Bubble Dimension, it was drawn toward the Wall of the Abyss as if pulled by a magnet.
'Was the Erosion that crossed the Wall of the Abyss a unique entity?'
Perhaps it had crossed the Wall of the Abyss to escape competition and conflict.
"There's a ton of stuff here we can adapt for Magitech Engineering. Mind if I take some apart?"
"Disassemble to your heart's content. If you need more, we'll just go get it."
"Heh heh! This is exciting!"
Large-scale weapons and equipment the likes of which they had never seen were scattered all over Luzen.
According to information extracted from the regimental commander, a division-level force was stationed in Luzen. A division-level force in the Kalsus Dimensional Empire meant a force capable of erasing an entire dimension. It was far larger in scale than anything on Earth.
Running the intelligence processing had also yielded a wealth of data.
[Kalsus] Dimensional Map
A map of dimensional realms compiled with the Kalsus Dimensional Empire at its center.
Every dimension identified by the Kalsus Dimensional Empire is recorded here.
They had obtained a Dimensional Map.
The Kalsus Dimensional Empire sat at the center, flaunting its massive bulk, with countless dimensions scattered around it like droplets of water. The Kalsus Dimensional Empire was a lake, and it was growing ever larger as those droplets were absorbed into it.
The rate of expansion was remarkable, giving the impression of space itself expanding as if from a Big Bang.
"Compared to the scale of the dimensional realms, we actually don't have enough Heroes."
That was how vast the dimensional realms were.
It couldn't compare to the scale of the universe as observed from Earth, but it was still staggering.
Jinwoo grinned.
Content for the Arsilan Saga would never run dry now. Whenever they ran low on fresh content, all they had to do was unfold the Dimensional Map and go on a dimensional excursion.
"Well then...."
Jinwoo stepped outside the Dimensional Transit Ship.
About a day had passed since they arrived, but this was his first time actually setting foot in Luzen.
"The air is nice."
Jinwoo took a deep breath.
For a planet half-consumed by Erosion, the air was remarkably fresh. It felt even more refreshing than Elvens. It was as if a cool breeze was flowing directly into his soul. It was fitting for a world inhabited by a race that valued harmony and peace.
Before going to meet the priestess, he decided to look around Luzen first.
The 99th Legion's forces were spread across a wide area, and the tunnels created by the Dimensional Tunnel Excavators were being maintained by Dimensional Portals erected at their openings. They looked similar to Dimension Gates. However, each Dimensional Portal could only support a single tunnel, so they couldn't branch out to multiple dimensions.
Jinwoo activated his concealment and descended onto the top of a Dimensional Portal.
Interfering with a Dimensional Portal was no difficult task. Once he inscribed magic into it, the portal closed and the tunnel was completely sealed. He had blocked it by adapting Arsilan's barrier, so unless it was a Higher Entity of Erosion, breaking through again would be extremely difficult.
"Th-the dimensional tunnel has been blocked!"
"Wh-what?! Activate the bypass communication device!"
"It's not working! There's no response at all!"
Chaos erupted immediately.
The 3rd Division of the 99th Legion that had invaded Luzen was now trapped there.
Annihilating the 3rd Division would be effortless. There was no need for Sacred Magic; a single cast of Grand Magic would melt them all in an instant.
But he did not do that.
'They're walking experience points.'
They were a feast prepared for the Heroes.
Relative to their combat power, they were packed with experience from head to toe. If the Heroes came here, they could level up to 200 in no time. The efficiency was highest for those at level 170 or above.
Jinwoo moved to the city where the Luzen natives had gathered. At the center of the city stood a temple, and the Luzen natives were demolishing the old temple and building a new one.
Entering the building next to the temple, he found the priestess praying alone. She prayed ceaselessly and with great devotion.
Her prayers were reaching Jinwoo.
He could faintly hear them by his ear.
"...Slash and stab and rend, and bring slaughter upon the world. Of annihilation...."
Hearing whispers like that in a quiet place was enough to give him sleep paralysis.
'Let's try talking to her first.'
Maybe the misunderstanding could be resolved?
Jinwoo approached the priestess.
Sensing his presence, the priestess lifted her head and looked at him.
"......"
"......"
What should he say?
While Jinwoo hesitated for a moment, tears streamed down the priestess's face. The sound of teardrops hitting the floor reached his ears.
"O Evil God! To grace this lowly wretch with your divine descent...! Even if my soul were pierced ten thousand times on the skewers of hell, I would have no regrets!"
The priestess bowed her head and prostrated herself on the floor.
THUD! THUD!
She slammed her forehead against the ground, wailing at the top of her lungs.
"Calm down."
Jinwoo grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Apparently overwhelmed with emotion, the priestess fainted briefly. Blood even poured from her nose.
Jinwoo let out a sigh and cast a Sacred Spell on her.
"To bestow such a blessing upon this filthy body...! I shall never wash again!"
"No, wait, just...."
"You are right. Forgive me."
The priestess flinched and nodded.
Was she finally ready to have a conversation?
SHING!
The priestess drew a dagger from the corner. It appeared to be a ceremonial dagger rather than a weapon for combat. She pressed the blade against the arm Jinwoo had touched.
"I shall sever it and preserve it for all eternity! I will enshrine it in the temple so that all may behold this blessing!"
Was she insane?
The priestess's eyes held nothing but pure, unadulterated faith.
So impossibly clear that not even a single fish could survive in those waters.
An unknown terror washed over him.
It was terrifying precisely because it was genuine, not pretense or performance.
"...Please treat your body with care."
"Oh! The First Commandment...!"
The priestess quickly produced a pen and paper. She wrote down what Jinwoo had just said. Jinwoo read what she was writing.
[The time of annihilation shall come! When annihilation is fulfilled, offer your intact body upon the altar! Until that day, let not a single scrap of flesh be lost!]
He wanted to tell her that was not what he meant, but the moment he uttered those words, he felt it would only spiral further out of control. This was a god's intuition.
...Let's just ask for her cooperation.
Jinwoo explained things to her calmly.
He had come from Arsilan to spread light, and from this point, he would extend into other dimensions as well. He asked for cooperation since he would be setting up various things and staging performances of sorts on this world. And he told her he would help them with whatever he could.
"You have come to destroy the hungry ones! And you have chosen us to spread annihilation across all the world!"
Come to think of it, that was not entirely wrong. He had come to destroy all of Erosion, and somewhere along the way, he had also decided to eliminate the Kalsus Dimensional Empire.
'Hmm....'
Am I actually the Evil God?
For a moment, the thought crossed his mind.
It felt like he was being gaslit.
"And to turn Luzen into a stage of blood! For worthless wretches like us, who trusted only Great Nature and filled our heads with flowers, it is an infinite honor. I shall offer my heart as the very first sacrifice."
"Please..., please stop...."
That was not what he meant by stage.
He did not want hearts as offerings.
Jinwoo squeezed his eyes shut.
The priestess twisted everything Jinwoo said just slightly, completely altering the meaning. He felt as if his sanity were being gnawed away bit by bit.
The priestess was transcribing everything Jinwoo said and compiling it into an evil scripture. He could sense her excitement and joy, so he could not bring himself to stop her.
"What's your name?"
When Jinwoo asked her name, the priestess's eyes wavered slightly.
"I was the last priestess of Luzen, but from the moment Great Nature abandoned us, I renounced that title. The instant the Evil God took me in, my soul was seized by the great evil that the Evil God harbors, and I became a slave. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Luna, a worthless servant who wishes to offer everything to the Evil God."
"R-right."
Ah! So her name was Luna!
What a pretty name.
Jinwoo maintained his composure.
In any case, he had secured Luzen's cooperation. Receiving only one-sided help was not ideal.
"Is there anything you want?"
"Anything I want, you say...."
"I'll grant whatever I can."
He would not be granting anything involving annihilation or the like.
"There are brethren of ours who were captured by the invaders. If they still survive, I humbly beg that you extend your hand of salvation to them as well."
"That much is easy."
Jinwoo smiled and nodded.
Things had gotten a bit wild, but at their core, they were a kind-hearted race after all.
"I need a large open area."
"I shall guide you."
Following Luna outside the building, they came upon an open clearing.
It was the clearing next to the temple.
[Deploying drone squadron.]
Drones launched from the Dimensional Transit Ship and began searching for survivors. They found a fair number of survivors awaiting execution and survivors whose bodies had stiffened from being preserved as taxidermy.
When Jinwoo snapped his fingers, a magic circle appeared on the ground and all of them were teleported here. Those who had been taxidermied were treated immediately.
"A-a miracle!"
"M-my body can move!"
"Aah...!"
"Nngh...."
The Luzen natives came flooding in.
Among them were those reuniting with their families.
"The great Evil God has bestowed a miracle upon us! When Great Nature abandoned us, the Evil God descended upon Luzen in person and showed us mercy!"
They bowed their heads toward Jinwoo.
'Hmm....'
Faith of 100% purity washed over him.
Everyone waited for Jinwoo to speak.
"Well..., live in peace. Anyway, I'll be going."
Jinwoo concealed himself in a flash.
Luna smiled benevolently and raised the paper on which she had written Jinwoo's words.
"The peace of which the Evil God speaks is the annihilation of the world. When the flames of evil consume the world, we shall greet a perfect peace, free of all worry and concern. I shall now share with you the 66 Commandments that the Evil God himself has spoken."
Sixty-six of them?
Jinwoo returned to the Dimensional Transit Ship for now. Regardless of what happened, he had secured cooperation. Now he just needed to install the Soul Gate and return to Arsilan.
"Welcome back. There's another uproar going on over there, by the way?"
"...Yeah, I don't know anything about that."
Ignis walked over to Jinwoo.
He looked at Jinwoo's hand and tilted his head.
"What's that on your hand?"
"Hm?"
Jinwoo looked at his own hand.
FLARE!
A black flame was flickering. It was a sinister flame that looked incredibly ominous. It writhed like a serpent. It was qualitatively different from the power of darkness.
"What the, what is this?!"
As the black flame coiled around his fingers, Jinwoo recoiled and shook his hand frantically. It clung on like gum that refused to come off, but after shaking it repeatedly, it mercifully vanished.
It did not seem to harm him physically, but he felt his mental fortitude being shaved away.
"...I could use some rest."
His head ached worse than when fighting Erosion.
In any case, the specifics of Episode 6 had been decided. The Heroes were already experiencing various games through the Arsilan Saga side episodes. They would be able to adapt quickly.
And wouldn't the Heroes be blown away by this expanded world?
Jinwoo organized his various thoughts and lay down on a bed for the first time in a while.
"Ugh, ungh...."
That night, lying in bed, Jinwoo had a nightmare.
A nightmare in which he was surrounded by Luna and the Luzen people, forced to listen to horrifying prayers all through the night.