Chapter 67: Awakened Virdel

Chapter 67: Awakened Virdel

[We have already completed 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 Fallen Planets, the entire fleet near the Barrier would cross over, and the Galactic Empire's fleet would advance, exterminating Kaiju even at the cost of destroying planets.

The Galactic 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 Galactic Empire. The Automatic Interception System ‘KAI’, which the Galactic 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 Galactic Empire was already that prepared, perhaps even excessively so.

"..."

But would that be enough?

It was not a matter of doubting success or failure. No matter how long it took, the Galactic Empire would overcome 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 could last for tens of thousands of years.

Even the Galactic 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 what comes 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 from complete.

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 blade.

But I heard he rarely leaves the Imperial Palace...?

"Did you come to the Divine Cult alone?"

The Empire's greatest Master, famous for both his status and skill.

"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 a complete 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 a landscape painting.

Yes. If I had to put it into words, it's like a towering tree in a landscape 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 Dogun laughed 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 village 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 place 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 placed the dignity of the Imperial Palace 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 Palace 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. I lack 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 place?"

"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. Incomparably 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 planning? /genesisforsaken