novelnext Chapter 259 : The Answer
Chapter 259 : The Answer
Human and Dragon.Silence fell between the two beings.
But it was anything but quiet.
The sirens signaling Code Red continued echoing chaotically throughout Sector E, while the panicked civilians ran in every direction, desperate to escape.
The plasma Aaron had created continued melting the air and the surrounding ground into molten lava.
Ssssssss.
Steam suddenly burst from Aaron's shoulders, which had been heated to several hundred degrees Celsius.
The culprit behind the steam was none other than the rain.
One drop.
Then another.
The instant the raindrops landed on Aaron's shoulders and head, they evaporated.
White steam quickly filled the area around the two of them.
The air became so hot and humid that it felt like standing inside a sauna.
Perhaps because the Anti-Rain had turned into steam, its characteristic sharp chemical odor smelled even more pungent than usual.
And that nauseating smell seemed to affect the Dragon even more strongly than Aaron.
The Dragon frowned as though the odor were giving him a headache, repeatedly pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose.
It was an unexpectedly human gesture.
Taking an action that "obscured his vision" could only mean one thing.
He had absolute confidence in his own strength.
Aaron, on the other hand, could not afford to remove either hand from his sword.
The Plasma Cutter created by combining Techblade and Cloud Spider demanded extraordinary concentration.
It had gained enough power to pierce even a Dragon's scales by reproducing the power of the sun.
But controlling it had become even more difficult.
Thanks to receiving Omega's cells, Aaron could withstand the tremendous energy consumption and overload generated by the technique to a certain extent.
Even so, if his concentration wavered for even a moment, the plasma could consume his own body instead.
A double-edged sword.
Simply holding the blade required hundreds—
No, thousands of times more energy, memory, stamina, and concentration than normal.
And under those circumstances—
The "truth" he had just learned was more than enough to drain Aaron's mental strength.
‘Damn it......’
A Transmigrator.
Another Transmigrator.
Aaron cursed inwardly, but his agitation did not last long.
To be honest, he had already grown accustomed to the existence of Transmigrators.
Ever since learning that this world had originally been constructed as a board game, situations deviating from the Original Story no longer disturbed him very much.
The important questions were "why" and "how."
Whether the Dragon before him was a Transmigrator or not hardly mattered.
What mattered was discovering its objective—
And figuring out how to stop it.
“......”
Glance.
Aaron shifted only his eyes to check on the Stingray ninja unit.
They still showed no signs of moving.
He had no idea what they were waiting for.
But as long as they did not interfere, that was enough.
For now—
Focus on the enemy before me.
“So... you're saying you intend to kill Kristarian. You speak as though you've actually met him.”
Most Transmigrators—
Or at least those belonging to the Transmigrator Alliance—
Did not truly understand how this world functioned.
At most, they probably believed something along the lines of:
"The author of Cyber-Module's Necromancer was a transcendent being who forcibly brought us into this world."
Yet this Dragon spoke as though such an "author" could be killed.
Did that mean it understood the true nature of this world to some extent?
As Aaron pondered that possibility—
The Dragon answered.
【...A closed world.】
“Hm......?”
【This is a closed world.】
A closed world.
The moment Aaron heard those words, strange images began forming inside his mind.
It was probably some form of thought projection being sent by the Dragon.
Aaron attempted to forcibly block it using the circuitry of his cybernetic implants.
But he was too late.
By the time he regained his senses—
The universe stretched before his eyes.
【We Dragons travel between dimensions, searching for places we find suitable to build our nests. Our tough hides and scales are the result of adapting to withstand the overwhelming dimensional pressure generated while passing through the cracks between multiverses.】
“...Keep it simple.”
【Do not try to understand it. I never expected a mere mortal like you to comprehend it in the first place. These concepts are far too complex for a human mind.】
“Weren't you a Transmigrator too?”
【Which is precisely why I say this.】
For some reason—
The murderous fury that had seemed ready to pierce Aaron's flesh only moments ago had softened.
The Dragon's emotions now resembled resignation.
【When the part of me that was still 'human' remained, I wandered through dimensions searching for my way home. I forced my way through countless cracks in reality until my skin and wings bled, desperately searching for the world where I originally belonged.】
If this world existed inside a novel—
Then surely the original world existed somewhere in another dimension.
Believing that he would eventually find it if he simply continued crossing dimensions, he wandered endlessly.
【But I was wrong. This place was fundamentally different from the very root.】
“What do you mean?”
【Imagine a tree.】
At those words—
A gigantic tree appeared within the cosmic vision.
Its bark shone with brilliant golden light.
According to the Dragon, all living beings existed by relying upon an enormous tree.
The worlds they inhabited existed at the tips of its branches.
The distance between branches was so vast that ordinary creatures could never hope to cross it.
Only certain exceptional beings—
Like Dragons—
Could move from one branch to another.
Not merely between small branches.
They could cross major branches as well.
Some could even travel near the trunk and roots.
【A single tree possesses countless branches. We Dragons simply choose whichever branch we like best and build our nests there. But even that is the limit of our abilities.】
“So you can't move to another tree.”
【You're quick to understand.】
If this world were Tree A—
Then the tree where he had originally existed before becoming a Dragon would have been Tree B.
Crossing between entirely different trees was incomparably more difficult than merely moving between branches.
“So that isn't the end of it, is it?”
【Of course not.】
The Dragon chuckled.
【To reach another tree, one must first descend to the ground. Climb down from the tip of the branch toward the trunk... then toward the roots... and finally search for another tree somewhere beyond. The important part is that you must descend into the 'ground,' where absolutely nothing exists.】
“Then why not simply do that?”
【There are obstacles.】
The Dragon growled.
【Every tree has beings that might be called guardians... or administrators. Perhaps 'gods' would be the better word. They vigilantly watch over the roots, preventing the creatures living upon their tree from crossing into another.】
“And Kristarian is one of them?”
【Correct. In other words... the 'God' of this world.】
The moment he said that—
The vision vanished.
The scenery of the worn-out city returned.
【Kristarian—the 'author' who brought both you and me into this world—is the administrator of this tree. Among Dragons like myself, there are those who cooperate with these gods, believing it their duty to protect the tree they inhabit. Others simply act out of greed. By now... you should understand what I desire.】
“...I see.”
Aaron nodded.
“So there really is another Dragon managing this world. And it was by forming an alliance with that Dragon that the Stingray Group came to dominate the city.”
But another question arose.
“Then why settle here? Why cast those strange spells upon the low-ranking members of Sector E......?”
【Strange spells? Kuhahaha!】
As though Aaron had pressed a button, the Dragon burst into loud laughter.
【Kuhahahahaha! Naturally you'd call them that. You possess no magical aptitude! Yes... humans have always been like this. None of you could truly perceive Source Power! Even those who can only glimpse fragments of it!】
“Source Power......”
Aaron's eyes twitched slightly at the familiar term.
【Strange spells... Kuh... Ahh, it's been a long time since I've laughed. From the perspective of mortals, I suppose that's exactly how it appears. Did you think I was simply playing the role of some Genie of the Lamp? Secretly empowering puppet soldiers? Preparing to use them against the Stingrays and the Dragons?】
“Wasn't that it?”
【Half right. Half wrong. The general outline is similar. The details are not. I was merely preparing to open a 'passage.'】
“A passage?”
【Indeed. A passage. Humans each possess a microcosm within themselves. Connect it to The River, and you can construct a pseudo-dimension. That is what distinguishes humans from Mystics....】
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
【Simply put... humanity's inner worlds can become entirely new 'branches.' Imagine grafting countless smaller branches onto the end of a larger one.】
“......”
【You needn't force yourself to understand. What matters is that Source Power flows throughout this world, sustaining its very existence. I merely intend to use humanity to create a great enough 'well' for me to pass through.】
Trees.
Branches.
Source Power.
A well.
Aaron had heard all of these concepts before.
Yet he still lacked enough understanding to form a complete picture.
Instead, he decided to change his perspective.
The Author had once said this world was a board game.
And that he himself was its GM.
If so—
Everything in this world, including the Transmigrators, could be considered game pieces and objects moving across the game board.
And the method of leaving the board...
Perhaps the Dragon intended to use the object known as "humanity" to create a literal hole in the game board.
A hole large enough for himself to escape through.
【Humans who draw closer to Source Power gain strength beyond their original limits. Hidden talents awaken. Impossible powers emerge.】
Of course, Aaron had no way of knowing whether his interpretation was correct.
Wouldn't everything simply return to normal if this "game" were cleared?
Was there truly any need to overturn the entire board?
Did the Dragon already know the answer to that?
No.
More importantly—
Why did any of that matter?
Aaron shook away those distracting thoughts and asked the only question that truly mattered.
“...One final question.”
【Go on.】
“If your plan succeeds... what will happen to this world?”
【I intend to break off a branch. A broken branch falls to the ground. It collides with the earth beneath.】
“That's not what I asked. What happens afterward?”
【Those who survive... survive.】
Ah...
Hearing the Dragon answer so casually, Aaron sighed inwardly.
For a brief moment, he had held out hope simply because the Dragon had once been a Transmigrator.
Perhaps that hope itself had been mistaken.
Thinking about it—
From the moment Synchronization had been completed, the Dragon's way of thinking had ceased being human.
It had become that of a Dragon.
What meaning would the protagonist...
The heroines...
The Academy...
Or the Original Story possibly hold for such a being?
Its overwhelming power and elevated existence had rendered every scrap of novel knowledge utterly meaningless.
In the end—
It simply did not care.
A being capable of crossing dimensions would merely leave for another world if this one collapsed.
For all Aaron knew, perhaps it could even travel through time itself.
Of course, those were only guesses.
But there was one thing Aaron knew with absolute certainty.
【Have your questions been answered?】
“...Yes.”
The instant those words left his mouth—
Slash.
Aaron vanished.
And when he appeared again—
His sword of blue plasma flames had already sliced halfway through the Dragon's neck.
Fwoooosh!
The plasma flames continuously burned through the Dragon's flesh.
Everything was incinerated so thoroughly that not even blood could escape.
Yet the Dragon merely stared back with his reptilian eyes.
Despite having half his neck severed—
Showing not even the slightest trace of pain—
His expression reflected nothing but disappointment.
【So... this is your answer?】
“Yes.”
Aaron's golden eyes flickered with a chilling light.
“You die here, Dragon.”