Chapter 298
Seong-Hwi stared at a blue wall several kilometers tall, with a very clean cross-section as if it had been cut with a blade.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Blue Wall,” he mumbled.
This wall was the entrance to the sixth zone, the blue ring. The wall before him was the ocean. He was in Navale, a boisterous port city on the outer edge of the sixth zone
“Alright! The Brixita is up for bidding at the Effie Auction House! As you all know, the Brixita is a first-class mana ship, and...”
“Recruiting crew members to look for the mystical island, Eizo!”
“Try out this mana surfboard!”
Navale was a birdfolk city, blessed by the angels. Hence, birdfolk flew around the city to sell their products to visitors. Just then, a male birdfolk flew down from the sky and landed in front of Seong-Hwi.
“Hey! Are you a human? I was just in need of crew members, so how about it? Wanna come with us? Anyone is welcome, as long as all their limbs are intact. Our ship, the Figasher, is a third-class galley, and we’re headed to Avchi, an island west of here,” the birdfolk said.
“I’m heading northeast,” Seong-Hwi said.
“Come on, don’t be like that, and come to our ship! We pay well for a three-month voyage. We just have to fill the ship with oil coconuts, Avchi’s specialty, and come back—”
“I already have a destination. I’m going to Gurzes,” Seong-Hwi interrupted.
The birdfolk expressed confusion. “Gurzes? Do you have any idea how much of a filthy temper those merfolk of Pontus have?”
“I do.”
“You clearly don’t! They’ve gotten more active lately, and now they’re sinking every ship that even approaches Gurzes, even the fishing boats!” The birdfolk flapped his wings in anger. “That’s why all the sailing routes in that area have been blocked. Those damn fish think the entire blue ring is their territory! They’ll receive the almighty God of Heaven’s divine judgment one day—”
Once Seong-Hwi ignored the birdfolk and started walking away, the birdfolk shouted from behind him, “Not only that, but the Underfish have been losing their minds lately! There won’t be a single ship going to Gurzes! Come to the tenth port if you change your mind!”
No ships, my ass. I’ll just go by myself, Seong-Hwi thought with a smile and looked up.
Several pillars resembling cranes were installed around the Blue Wall, and their ends extended horizontally like diving boards, connected to the ocean. Each pillar was a port, and the ships heading to the blue ring were anchored up there.
It was the seventh port, if I remember correctly, he thought, recalling the ship that the Sēmen mentioned they had prepared for him.
They had offered him a heavy cruiser and crew members familiar with the voyage to Gurzes, but he refused and simply asked for a compass pointing to Gurzes and a small but sturdy boat. He planned to head to Gurzes as soon as possible, so a large ship and crew members would only be a nuisance.
Though it’s a shame I couldn’t find Old Man Go Gil-Rae.
Seong-Hwi had asked Jurie to look for a man named Go Gil-Rae as soon as he found out his destination was Gurzes, but there hadn’t been enough time. Gil-Rae had joined Clan Calasanz quite late in his past life, and it was no exaggeration to say that it had been purely thanks to him that they managed to sail through the sixth zone. And by sail, he did not mean on the ship of another race doing menial tasks, but with the power of humanity alone.
He may not be necessary in the immediate moment, but we need him when we begin reclaiming the sixth zone.
His alias at the time had been the Shipyard. He was a phenomenal shipwright, and his unique skills were specialized in that field.
I could have reached Gurzes much faster with the ship the old man made, but... it can’t be helped, Seong-Hwi thought as he took the first step up the stairs leading up to the seventh port.
***
A small boat raced along the blue ocean with immense speed like a wooden spear. Seong-Hwi was in the middle of the boat, and the sixteen Wings of Evolution were distorting as they blazed from emitting explosive amounts of mana. He was practically acting as the boat’s jet engine, easily reaching over several hundred knots.
“Straight ahead from here,” he mumbled as he stared at the compass in his hand.
Since he had positioned the boat on the right course, all that remained was to go straight. The boat creaked once he emitted even more mana through the Wings of Evolution.
Anyway, I’m glad the mission that the Sēmen gave me was in the sixth zone.
He had been planning on traveling to the inner zones once their home base was secured by forming Together. That was what Underground and the spring cleaning had been for.
I needed Karma, too, so just in time.
Seong-Hwi had used all his Karma from this round of raising his stats. He would welcome a Lang-rank Chaos to attack him on his way to Gurzes.
It would also contribute to my rewards from the quest, Slay the Chaos, he thought as he examined the Akasha Message about the world quest’s description.
[Slay the Chaos (World Quest)
Rank: —
Description: A world quest bestowed upon all races. Slay the Chaos to diminish their numbers. Rewards will be paid based on rank, calculated by one’s contribution throughout 100 days.]
This quest had been given to every single individual in the Mirror World. He wondered why such a quest had been activated.
It reminds me of Lina’s Architect Theory.
Lina believed there was an architect who had built the game that was the Mirror World. If following her theory, the architect seemed to believe that the number of Chaos needed to be reduced.
There hadn’t been a quest like this in my past life. What changed compared to my past life? Seong-Hwi wondered, but immediately realized the answer.
“The reclamation of the ninth zone was moved forward,” he said to himself.
The ninth zone had been reclaimed much quicker than in his past life. In other words, the powerful Chaos monsters that existed in the ninth zone had been released much quicker than in his past life. The quest, Slay the Chaos, could be a control system that was automatically activated to counteract them.
“There’s also the issue with the survival tax having increased already,” Seong-Hwi mumbled, recalling his conversation with Lina before he had left for Gurzes.
“What do you think the survival tax is?” Lina had asked.
“What do you mean? It is what it is. A tax to survive in the Mirror World.”
“Yeah, and I’m asking who is collecting the survival tax, and for what purpose.”
Seong-Hwi tilted his head in confusion. He had never thought about it before. The survival tax had existed since the beginning, and everyone simply recognized it as something they needed to pay.
“For example, why did we pay taxes on Earth?”
“Because the government collected them.”
“Why did the government collect taxes?”
“Well... they needed money to maintain the system, didn’t they? Expenses for national defense, medical care, and—.”
“Exactly. The survival tax that we pay is required to maintain the system that is the Mirror World.”
Seong-Hwi nodded. If one thought even a little about it, it was obvious. It only sounded weird because the system itself was the Mirror World.
“That tax has increased. This basically means that they need to spend more money. The money required to maintain the system has gone up.”
“So, what does that mean?”
“Just think about it. The survival tax has gone up, meaning it has become difficult to maintain the system that is the Mirror World.”
“It’s become difficult to maintain the Mirror World?”
Seong-Hwi did not quite understand. Then, Lina used her unique insight to explain further.
“The Mirror World is a tattered world, created by copying worlds on the brink of collapse. However, it couldn’t copy living organisms, so they were forcibly brought here, which we call the Lost phenomenon. The Lost individuals are real. Conversely... it means this world itself is fake.”
“What?”
“Let’s think of the Mirror World as an improvised, fake world. Someone is collecting the survival tax to maintain it, but this world is undoubtedly limited. The Mirror World is losing its lifespan.”
Seong-Hwi simply listened in a daze, having no idea what she was talking about. Lina’s eyes became hazy as she continued her explanation.
“Perhaps... we need to find a way here.”
“Find what?”
“A way to save our home dimension, Earth, from its destiny of collapse.”
Seong-Hwi expressed shock.
“If the Mirror World is limited, then we’ll have to return to Earth sooner or later. When that time comes, we need to have the key to stopping Earth’s collapse in our hands.”
Seong-Hwi woke up from his recollections once he felt the cold sensation of the drops of seawater splashing on his face.
“I’m so glad you’re by my side, Lina. I’m a very shortsighted person, so I need someone like you with a macroscopic view of things,” he said.
If Lina were correct, then that key was the Master Stone, of which there was only one. In other words, only one dimension could be saved. The faces of those whom he had laughed and shared celebratory toasts with flashed past his mind.
Bafor, Elementum, Irura, Taidzu, Chiron, Echo... Did I not tell them about Lina’s theory to betray them in the final moments? Betrayal? No, I’m being too sentimental. This is a matter of survival.
If only one dimension could be saved, then it had to be Earth.
“Kekek! Of course!”
“One winner is more than enough in a war, my friend.”
“We need... scapegoats.”
Seong-Hwi shook his head as the mumbling of various destinies echoed in his head. It was ironic to be greatly satisfied with a dependable alliance, but its members also needed to be wary of one another. Seong-Hwi clicked his tongue and glared at an Akasha Message as if it were his mortal enemy.
[Path of Life (World Quest)
Rank: —
Description: Head to the center of the Mirror World and obtain the Master Stone. Everything you want will be granted.]
“It’d better not be a lie! If what you claim is true...” he trailed off.
He demanded that the world be ready once he reached the end of the road. It would have to be ready to grant him everything he wished.
“You had better let me save every single dimension!”
Seong-Hwi initially wanted to become someone who grasped his destiny. Then, he wanted to grasp humanity’s destiny. Now, he wished to grasp the destinies of every dimension. That was his desire. He only wished he wasn’t being greedy. He was certain that as long as he kept following his shining star, it would guide him down the road of destiny that allowed him to grasp everything.
***
Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the sea fearing man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny.
Carl Schurz
***
“Hey! It’s not level on that side!”
“We need more lumber!”
“Move your asses!”
Dwarf and human laborers were working tirelessly to make a building. They were at the center of Together, which the residents decided to call Omphalos, or navel. It was the center where the territories of the Capital, Ferrum, the Ancient Forest, the Spirit Land, Fortitudo, and Arimaspi were perfectly connected.
“Ahaha! Our dwarf embassy must be the best!”
“Show them the pride of humanity! Don’t lose to the dwarves!”
“Hah, you dare challenge the race of artisans?”
“What makes us so different?! We have two hands and ten fingers, just like you!”
“Fat chance!”
“Haaaaahhh!”
The dwarves and humans were competing to build an embassy that represented them. They believed the dignity of the embassy translated to the pride of the race, but the two races were the only ones going all out on building their embassies.
“They sure are enthusiastic,” elves said as they planted trees along the trail that led to the center to avoid rainfall.
The orcs simply set up a giant tent that resembled a ger.
“Chwik, they just love to waste energy.”
“I’ll say, chwik.”
The centaurs built a simple riding ground.
“Neigh! All we need is a roof to block the rain. Should we lay more hay?”
“It's fine like this. The sky is our roof, and the wind is our blanket.”
As for the Spirit Land, there was only a rock crackling with electricity.
“Wow!” an old, wrinkly black woman shouted, impressed by the variety. “It's so pretty!”
She hopped in place with sparkling eyes like a little girl, unbefitting her appearance. She was the Black Saintess, Negrita, whom Seong-Hwi had rescued from the abuse she had suffered in Exorcist’s Travelogue.
It had been a while since she tasted freedom. She had assumed she would now have to make prophecies for Seong-Hwi when he rescued her. After all, everyone coveted her power and did whatever it took to use her prophecies. She had simply wished that he wouldn’t hit her as Hong Lian had.
However, when Negrita asked him what kind of prophecy he wanted, he simply placed his hand on her head and said this.
“I don’t believe in prophecies. Destiny belongs to the one who grasps it.”
Negrita placed her hand on her head, which was now covered in white hair, and recalled the dependable sensation of Seong-Hwi’s hand.
“How old are you?” Seong-Hwi had asked.
“I’m... twelve.”
Seong-Hwi had remained silent momentarily and said, “No more prophecies from now on. Use what remains of your life purely for yourself. Considering your contributions to humanity, I’ll accommodate you the best I can.”
“Hehehe,” Negrita giggled as the blunt but warm voice echoed inside her head. “Oppa said not to, but... I’ll use it just one last time.”
The Evil Spirit’s Ouija Board appeared in her hand, and she activated a skill.
[Activating Unique Skill: Speak to me, Ouija.]
An unsettling green mana wrapped the Ouija board.
“Ouija, Ouija. What will happen to Seong-Hwi oppa on his current adventure?” she asked.
Ouija answered, the wooden arrow rapidly pointing at the letters.
A—B—S—O—L—U—T—E
D—E—A—T—H
“Cough! Kurgh!” the wide-eyed Negrita collapsed as she vomited blood.
“Huh? What was that noise?”
“A granny collapsed!”
“Healer! Is there a healer around?!”
Negrita’s consciousness faded as she felt people gathering around her.
No! I have to... bring Oppa back!
Seong-Hwi was destined to die on his current adventure.