Chapter 157

Get In Line (1)

The following was my first reaction when Bachurka delivered the contents they had decided upon:

‘What? Did she… aim for this?!’

Of course, I answered her words calmly without revealing my emotions.

“I’ll think about it and get back to you.”

– I hope you consider this positively. At this level of condition, we can consider that the opposition has caved in to an extent.

After ending the inter-dimensional communication, I was lost in thought for a moment.

‘My current unique skills are [The Successor’s Eyes] and [Mana Drain]… And I were to upgrade these and then demonstrate them in front of the commissioners?!’

I had never officially disclosed my unique skills, so of course, beings of other dimensions didn’t have the faintest idea about them.

The reason why the proposal wasn’t as easy as it sounded was that according to what the female figure that taught me, the secret of the successor emphasized…

I should prevent myself or anyone from divulging my identity in front of those related to the system.

However, wouldn’t I inevitably have to expose myself to upgrade my unique skills?

‘This is giving me a headache.’

After I thought about it for a while, I attempted to establish an interdimensional communication network with Adam.

It was a separate secured line from the line that I used to talk to Bachurka.

– What’s going on?

I forwarded the contents that I just heard through my mind.

– What? They want you to upgrade your unique skill?

‘That’s what she told me.’

– Hmm… Although it’s not too much to ask, I’m sure what’s been bothering you about it is ‘that,’ right?

‘I was thinking that they might be making an excuse to expose the [The Successor’s Eyes].’

– That’s indeed suspicious. It can’t be helped but to doubt that someone from the Union may have intentionally pulled this move, suspecting your identity.

If I unleashed the upgraded [The Successor’s Eyes] in front of them, it would surely expose my identity.

‘It’s true that it is dubious, looking at the situation.’

– But it’s hard to say no to an offer under such a circumstance as well.

‘There is a risk of rather solidifying suspicions that have only been speculated if I were to refuse.’

– Well, then there is only one answer to your problem after all.

Adam spoke with confidence.

– In the past, I was almost convinced that you were the successor when I recommended early entry to the Main Quest.

‘Indeed.’

– That’s why I convinced you that you could upgrade your unique skill once you proceeded to the Main.

‘We both didn’t know then that we must not expose the existence of the successor to the system.’

– Yeah. Now that we know that information, it’s going to be dangerous to upgrade [The Successor’s Eyes].

The conclusion was easily drawn.

– There’s one piece of information that they will never know even if anyone in the Union suspects you of being the successor.

‘The fact that I have two unique skills is an

I had only one unique skill in my life as “Choi Seung-Hyun.”

That part might have been the same for the other reincarnates as well.

The only reason I had two in my current life was that I was possessed in the process. The reincarnation had even overlapped with the possession.

– You probably have no choice but to thoroughly hide [The Successor’s Eyes], but expose [Mana Drain] to them in return.

After concluding that, Adam, who had already experienced it, explained the process of upgrading the unique skill.

When I heard it, it reassured me.

‘Just like the Ministry Spirit didn’t know my unique skill… Unless I reveal it of my own volition, even the system won’t know about it!’

Unique skill modifications were carried out by the system making a deal with the Awakened beings, “recovering” them once, and then returning the reinforced or the changed version to the owner.

The unique skills traded once that way would have their performances reduced before being changed to a regular skill card. Afterward, they would be distributed in each dimension so that other Awakened could learn.

The original owner would have the upgraded version, while the other Awakened beings would have the downgraded version.

‘Unique skills are beyond the power of the system. The system alone cannot create it. That’s why they find it necessary to trade with Awakened beings and collect them.’

Regardless, that time again, the information that Adam told me was extremely helpful.

I replied to him through my mind.

‘Okay, I’ll reply to the Union that I’ll follow up with the proposal.’

I suddenly became curious while wrapping up the conversation.

Adam was continuing to help me to achieve his species’s long-cherished will.

‘Adam.’

– Hmm?

‘You said your race’s long-cherished desire… was to be one of the pillars of the Second Empire, which the successor would establish, right?’

– Yes. Although it turns out, it’s not the second empire, but it’s going to be the first empire at the current point in time.

Only Adam, among his species, was currently aware of the information that the empire never existed in the past. Rather, it was an organization that would be created in the future.

In fact, there was no part of that information that affected their long-cherished will.

The part that they’re preparing for the future was the same anyway.

‘However, if you look at how things are rolling right now, it is most likely that the ‘Union’ would be the empire’s prototype organization. They are the largest group that puts each dimension together, after all.’

I didn’t know as of the moment what the extent of the ‘plan to make the butterfly effect’ to create a greater empire was.

However, the most influential pan-dimensional organization at that point was the Union.

I wasn’t aware of how the masterplan intended to manipulate that organization either.

Perhaps it wasn’t a task that would be finalized in my generation?

After continuing to reincarnate over and over again… Perhaps my distant future’s successor could be born with the “fate” of becoming the Union head.

With that in mind, I asked Adam a question.

‘Why don’t you join the Union when you have that kind of long-cherished will? That could be an easier way to achieve your goals.’

Adam replied in a tone that asked me why I only asked him that at that moment.

– There’s a decisive reason. I don’t know how the successor plans to utilize the Union. Later, it could be indeed used as a bone and flesh for the founding of the empire. But what’s certain is that the Union’s action ‘at this age’ is far from our values.

‘In what respect?’

– They’re 100% supportive of the current system.

‘I see.’

– This process, in which the system turns those who were not aware of Mana into Awakened beings and train them through the dungeons… It is considered to be a process of preparing for future empires in a bigger picture— a step to create a stronger empire if you will.

‘I think so, too.’

– But there are too many victims sacrificed in the process. The successor who saved us in the past… was questioning such a situation. I’m not sure as well if the system is working as the initial successors had intended.

‘…?’

– The Union inherited such a tendency of the system. Countless dimensions had been driven to extinction due to dungeon breaks before entering the Main Quest or even killed by other invading races due to a Gate that suddenly opened. Still, the Union thinks that the phenomenon is justifiable. When even our species almost became like that.

Adam’s race was originally destined for extinction without overcoming the tutorial. At least that was the case if the successor didn’t arrive on time.

In fact, it was the same as Earth’s situation in my previous life. It couldn’t endure the tutorial either.

Adam chose his words for a moment.

– The Union says it is natural providence. Predators and preys? Survival of the fittest? Yeah, it’s all correct. It’s natural for powerful carnivores to eat weak herbivores. And if there is a drought, animals less dependent on hydration will be advantageous in terms of survival compared to animals that are water-dependent. I understand that, but…

Adam’s tone was imbued with a deep belief.

– This, right now, is not a ‘natural state.’ This ecosystem is not ‘nature.’ Seeing that the system pushes each race to each other, it’s like forcing carnivores and herbivores into one cage, which should never encounter each other because they live on a different continent. It is the way of the system to create a forced drought that shouldn’t have happened. And… I don’t know if it was like this from the beginning.

‘You mean that it could have been different in the past.’

– That’s what the successor that my ancestors met thought.

He spoke beyond the communicator as if to conclude.

‘Anyway, to solve this mystery, we will have to join with the cause that the successor will show in the future over multiple reincarnations. Our ideas may have been wrong, and the past’s successor may have been mistaken due to the lost memories. To find the answer, we will continue to search for the successor, and we will move along with them. Until we can solve this problem, that is. And we will establish ourselves in their potential memories as a definite ‘aid.’ In doing so, we will become one of the pillars of the empire that will be created in the future.’

It was as long-term and as great of a desire as the fate the successors achieved throughout their lives.

*

When I sent the Union a message of acceptance for the proposal, the teleport scroll package they prepared arrived.

I decided to move alone at that time. Judging based on what the “trial” was to complete the quest, I decided that its difficulty wasn’t something that Nate and Hibiki could handle yet.

Since it was a one-person quest, no one could help me.

Paht!

Paht!

Paht!

.

.

.

I didn’t consume my Core by unnecessarily using the [Door of Hope] that time as well.

The Union provided all the support I needed on its own, so I took full advantage of it.

I teleported to the front of the Gate, crossed the door with my feet, and tore the next scroll. I repeated that cycle until, finally, I arrived at a Gate open in some world.

The system message of the blue door leading to the dungeon had put up a unique explanation.

Dungeon Information

Level: SSS

Maximum Number of Entrants: No Limits

Clear Condition: Impossible to be Cleared

Time Remaining Until Evolution: Not applicable

Status: Very Stable

It was of the worst level of difficulty, SSS-Class, but it said that it could be entered without restrictions, and Clearing it was impossible.

However, that world’s residents didn’t have to worry about that Gate.

The door would never collapse.

‘The System had created this dungeon for a special purpose.’

The original purpose of a dungeon was for Awakened beings to fight, farm, complete the Clear to receive the items, and expand and attempt to Clear it again.

But that space was different.

It was used as a place for Awakened beings to carry out special quests, and that quest wasn’t as simple of an objective as a dungeon Clear.

Swoosh!

After crossing the Gate, a completely different landscape unfolded.

That dungeon was called the “Red wilderness” in the old days. Likewise, those who wanted to upgrade their unique skills had to meet and receive trials from the “Sage of the Red wilderness” waiting inside.

But the place in front of me right at that moment didn’t look like a wilderness.

As soon as the environment changed, a loud noise reverberated.

It was a colossal city spread on the red earth.

“Hmm? Another one has come in.”

“Hell, the waiting keeps increasing when the line in front is not decreasing! Jeez…”

Through the interpretation magic, I could hear the sound of each race chattering.

When I showed up at the Gate, they stared for a moment and soon turned away as if they were not interested.

Then everyone got absorbed in what they were doing or went on their way again.

I was surprised at the size of a much larger city than I expected.

‘Is this the “City of Waiting”?’

It was a city with irregularly laid roads and its framework built on chaos.

Perhaps it was right to describe it as a melting pot made of ‘buildings,’ ‘nature,’ and ‘phenomena’ mixed?

By simply looking at the buildings, one could deduce that they were rarely built in a unified style. All buildings had unique characteristics and showed a bold style that didn’t care about such things as harmony with the surroundings.

Among them were small houses that humans could use and even buildings such as large air-raid shelters that were exposed outside.

Up to that point, it was close to a human’s common sense of residence. It meant ‘to live in a structure with a roof’ after all.

Tanks were often seen, filled with liquid. They appeared to be a residential area for the marine species, and next to it is a large hole, perhaps in consideration of the underground species. In some areas, blazing lava flowed, and in some distant place, glacier fields unfolded out of nowhere.

At least those were understandable of what kind of characteristics they were each being considerate about.

But then, there were places like the aurora-like scenery wavering in the sky over at a distance or space where light purple bubble-like thing constantly rose and disappeared while bursting a bolt of lightning. I couldn’t even assume for which species those areas were created.

‘That’s how many species are gathered here. They desperately built an environment that is comfortable for each of them to live in and endure through it.’

Since they had to build shelters, that could mean that there was a long waiting time.

I stopped sightseeing around the city up to that point and caught sight of the place where I had to go.

‘That must be it.’

There was a high probability that the place was originally an isolated temple located in the wilderness.

I walked towards the small building surrounded by a vast city.

As I approached, I noticed a huge alien who seemed to have crossed the Gate just before me.

I could see him opening the door and entering first.

I didn’t have to run as if I was competing, so I followed in leisurely.

In that small room, a female being that appeared to be a receptionist was sitting in front of the desk.

It had the most unmotivated expression among all races I had ever seen. It came close to that of the Ministry Spirit.

When I saw the horn on her head, skin color, and the Mana pattern, I quickly noticed it.

‘It’s a magic species.’

She and the giant, who entered right before, had just begun to talk.

The visitor spoke.

“I will challenge the trials.”

Then the magic race receptionist gestured, and something like a hologram came up in the air.

“Please fill in your name and origin dimension.”

The giant did as she told him. Then…

Beep!

Archid characters popped up in the hologram.

The giant was shocked to see it.

“What?! The number of beings in line in front of me is… 145,000?!”

The receptionist replied in an unchanged unmotivated tone.

“You’re lucky, though. It goes up to a million when it’s hectic. You know the rules, right? If you go outside the dungeon, the waiting number will disappear. You will have to wait after getting another number ticket again.”

“… Damn it! I can’t afford to wait that long!”

“Next Awakened.”

The giant looked like he couldn’t accept the situation.

Instead of going out of the temple, he muttered something to himself. He must be attempting interdimensional communication.

I ignored him and approached the receptionist and said the name and origin dimension as he did.

And the moment the magic race tried to give me the waiting number as she did earlier…

“Wait a minute.”

I took a golden ticket out of my arms.

There was no change in the devil’s expression when she saw it, but the hand she was typing with stopped.

She gestured instead of giving me a number.

“Let me confirm it.”

After receiving the “System” grade item that the Union secured for me, she placed it on the hologram and typed something new…

‘Beep!’

Seeing the reaction, she still nodded with an unenthused look.

“… System Class Item [Priority Ticket] has been confirmed. Please wait here for a moment. You can go in by the next order.”

Then, a loud noise that seemed to tear the Heavens and Earth broke out from behind my back.

“What are these bastards and bitches dooooooing?!”