Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: Delaila’s Memory
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Young Delaila loved the stars floating in the sky.
Whenever she gazed at those warm starlights, her heart felt at ease.
At a distance she could never reach.
When she looked up at the sky, studded with beautiful jewels like grains of sand.
“Ah.”
It comforted her.
Compared to them.
Human existence seemed so insignificant, petty, and small.
All her pains and hardships felt trivial in comparison.
Was that why?
Curiosity blossomed within her.
Why are they so big?
Why are there so many of them?
Questions turned into knowledge, and knowledge birthed even more questions.
The questions grew deeper, eventually coalescing into a single dream.
The dream of becoming an astronomer.
Delaila would haul her telescope up to the hills every night.
She preferred reading [Universe Science Magazine] over the [World Literature Anthology].
“Ah, the universe only seems to grow vaster the more I learn about it.”
She smiled innocently.
She had thought the sun was the largest star, but it wasn’t.
The sun was actually small among stars, and it took tens of trillions of such stars to form a galaxy.
‘Dozens of those galaxies make a galaxy group, hundreds or thousands form a galaxy cluster. Countless galaxy groups and clusters make a supercluster? And there are over ten million galaxy clusters in our universe?’
The astonishing fact was.
That was only the observable universe.
Since we need light to see anything.
We couldn’t observe the outer space expanding faster than light.
‘Whoa.’
And so.
‘We can only come up with speculative hypotheses.’
Nothingness.
There might be nothing at all.
Existence.
There might be a mirror world, reflecting our universe like a reflection.
Multiplicity.
There might be countless universes like ours, as numerous as the stars in the night sky.
Furthermore.
Higher dimensions.
Just as a flat 2D being can’t perceive our 3D world.
There might be higher-dimensional realms beyond our very comprehension.
‘I wonder, I wonder.’
Before sleep, young Delaila would close her eyes and ponder.
What lies beyond this world?
If gods exist in this world, why did they make it so we can’t see its end?
‘I want to go there, I want to know the truth.’
Did that earnest wish reach the heavens?
The world changed, and on the day she came of age and awakened her unique ability.
[Congratulations!]
[You have awakened your unique ability.]
[Your unique ability is ‘Dungeon Maker’.]
[You are a ‘Dungeon Maker’ who can freely wander countless worlds.]
[You can connect worlds and create passages through dungeons.]
She received the system’s gift.
A precious and invaluable gift.
‘This is amazing!’
The 20-year-old her was thrilled.
How overpowered this ability was?
Or how strong it would make her, or how much money it could earn?
None of that mattered.
She was just happy she could personally explore the worlds she had always longed for.
Her heart raced.
‘I’m going right now!’
From that moment, she began touring every corner of the worlds.
World Link.
A skill that allowed her to go anywhere without restriction, as long as there were communicative beings.
“Aaah!”
She couldn’t stop marveling.
“Just as stars differ in size and brightness, so do worlds. There are ridiculously powerful worlds, and others that could be destroyed by a flick of my finger! How is this possible?”
As numerous as the stars.
Worlds were diverse.
“They call these dragonkin? Dragonkin are huge?”
“Is it because there’s so much oxygen here? The lifeforms are massive. Gross.”
“There are more vibrant underwater worlds than land ones?”
She slowly accumulated knowledge.
She learned about the birth of civilizations and communicated with various lifeforms.
Her skill was mystical.
It allowed communication with all beings beyond mere language.
Then, one day after three years.
Delaila learned a shocking truth.
“Wh-what?”
Goosebumps prickled her skin.
“That’s... the world ranking board?”
The mysterious giant billboard that appeared in the eastern U.S. after Earth changed.
In this world?
It existed in other worlds too!
A mystical stele engraved with the top 1,000 hunters ranked by order.
Those worlds had systems too.
And they were fiercely competing, ranking each other just like on Earth.
Why?
Why do these things appear?
Her curiosity, which had transcended astronomy, now extended to this phenomenon.
So she visited a few more places.
Focusing on worlds where civilization energy—places where stellar energy felt intensely strong...
And soon, she realized.
“Whoa, it’s not just one or two? There’s a board here too?”
“Huh? Here too...!”
Worlds with ranking boards were countless.
From what she sensed.
Weak worlds had no boards, strong worlds did.
She entered those worlds herself.
And met the rankers, conversing with them.
Only in worlds where the boards had appeared long ago...
“Who are you! How dare you speak to me? Die!”
Of course, for those who threatened her.
Snap!
[Using ‘World Link’ (SSS Grade).]
She could flick her finger and escape, making it possible.
Delaila traveled far and wide, seeking out those curious about her.
“Hmm, connecting worlds...?”
The man was one of them.
Surprisingly, they looked almost human.
Except for the cat tail at the back.
“A mystical being. Are the dungeons appearing in our world your doing?”
“No, not at all.”
Delaila decided to call them beastkin.
“Very well. Then let’s exchange information. Tell me about your world, and I’ll tell you about ours. How about it?”
“Sure, deal.”
It went like that.
Not just beastkin.
She met and exchanged with other mystical races in the same way.
Summarizing what she gained.
‘Boards only appear in worlds with real competitive edge?’
Systems intervened only where visibly strong beings existed.
Perhaps.
Some unidentified entity was testing them?
‘But why Earth of all places...’
Truth be told.
Earth wasn’t pushover either.
Humanity itself was weak, but the potential was immense.
Jack, allied with demons.
Hasera, shattering mountains with a finger.
Sophia, already grasping magic.
Zombie Aria.
And so on.
All had awakened less than three years ago and adapted to the changed world.
‘Hmm.’
But that was it.
No matter how much she traveled.
No matter how much she asked.
Nothing was certain yet.
Just speculation.
“I think there’s some entity out there. Terrifyingly powerful. One that grants us mystical powers and wields the system freely.”
“People in other worlds thought the same.”
“Is that so? But what if that transcendent being gave us these powers to test us?”
“What do you mean?”
“They spread out civilizations, let only the superior ones survive, and wipe out the failing ones.”
“What?”
“Don’t say it’s nonsense. Think about it—this universe, the system, our very birth. Nothing’s been truly explained yet!”
He wasn’t wrong.
It was also the most memorable thing she’d heard on her travels.
“So we started preparing.”
“Preparing?”
Delaila tilted her head.
“Yes, preparing. Thanks to you, we now know other worlds exist... We must prepare for the unknown, right? So all our world’s rankers united. No, not just rankers—all beings united. We aimed solely to grow stronger.”
“Hmm?”
It made sense.
Even Delaila was tempted, if only briefly.
More precisely, she was afraid.
‘Earth could be wiped out?’
No matter how much a universe traveler she was.
Earth was her home.
The more she visited other worlds.
The more profoundly she felt Earth’s preciousness and beauty.
‘Should I prepare?’
It wasn’t certain.
But it felt necessary.
However.
It was troubling.
What charisma did a girl with just one ability have to unite prideful rankers?
They might not even believe such worlds existed.
About a year later?
“We’re doomed.”
The being said.
“The world’s been ruined. Aaah, it’s all your fault, outsider.”
“My... fault?”
“Yes, because of the info you gave us, we all fell into fear. Everyone abandoned their livelihoods and chased only strength.”
“What...!”
“When all discard tools for swords, society collapses rapidly. The economy tanked with no recovery in sight, and even parents killing weak children appeared... Aaah, if only I hadn’t said anything! If I’d just let it follow its natural course...!”
He lamented his own reproach.
Regretted his folly.
“...”
Delaila stared silently at the being.
She felt many things.
‘Secrets must be controlled.’
Truth is precious.
But sometimes it becomes a disaster.
Like Pandora’s box in Greek and Roman mythology.
‘But we still need to prepare.’
After another year observing countless worlds.
Delaila discovered a chilling truth.
Worlds that stagnated and grew complacent perished.
Whether by natural disaster.
Or asteroid impact.
They perished anyway.
Too consistent to be coincidence.
When a world’s history stalled, or its competitiveness lagged far behind others.
It crumbled.
‘Maybe that beastkin man was right.’
She calculated slowly.
By pure competitiveness?
Earth was far behind.
Less than ten years since gaining unique abilities.
It was an expected outcome.
‘Should I raise it up?’
Delaila clenched her fist.
She wanted to protect her beautiful Earth.
‘I’ll create rankers. Or more precisely, find high-potential ranker candidates.’
Skill, ‘Dungeon Making’ (S Grade).
To place someone in a dungeon she made, their existence had to be weaker than hers.
Existing rankers.
Especially top-tier ones had overwhelming presences.
She couldn’t handle them.
Creating trials for them might instantly deplete the energy she’d built traveling the universe.
‘I’ll focus on non-rankers.’
In her fourth year of awakening.
When she was world rank 159.
That day.
She planned her first trial.
Not for her own greed.
Solely to elevate Earth’s level.
* * *
[Ding!]
[You have heard part of Delaila’s ‘Secret’.]
[Theme 6 ends.]
“...”
I suddenly looked up.
The moment I did, I snapped out of my reverie.
More precisely, out of Delaila’s memory.
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[Restrictions applied for hearing the ‘Secret’.]
[Revealing this ‘Secret’ to the ‘Outside’ will nullify all rewards and plausibility gained from this trial.]
[‘Outside’ refers to those who haven’t heard the secret.]
“...?”
Restrictions.
The penalty Delaila mentioned?
By the way, plausibility from the trial...
[Target List]
[Poison Fog, ‘Immunity to All Poisons’ (S Grade) upgrade, ‘Behemoth’s Bone Shield’ (S Grade), ‘Hundred Arts Teaching’ (SS) upgrade portion, Sealed Spirit of the Seven Essences (4/7)... etc.]
A list scrolled down.
Skills and items from past trials.
“Whoa.”
Others aside.
Poison Fog and essences vanishing?
The ‘penalty’ was harsh.
Though I had no intention of telling anyway.
[Congratulations.]
[You have cleared all of Delaila’s trials.]
[You gain candidate recommendation rights per cycle (1/5).]
With the message, I was back in the heart of the universe.
Delaila smiled before me.
“Sincere congratulations, Mr. Joo.”
Clap clap clap!
She applauded.
“Thanks to you, I felt excitement again after so long. It was rewarding. And I have high expectations for you going forward.”
“...”
Truthfully, I wasn’t that surprised.
Having gone through so many dungeons and trials.
Of course.
The other worlds I saw through her were intriguing.
Worlds with ranker systems like ours were novel.
‘But.’
That was it.
My goal from the start was to become a ranker, now number one.
Delaila’s curiosity had nothing to do with my aims.
Of course, I supported and respected her actions.
And I was grateful to her.
Thanks to her, I achieved my goal easily.
“So here’s a gift for you.”
Suddenly, she extended her hand.
“Huh? What?”
I tilted my head, looking at it.
A mystical figurine.
“It’s the latest dungeon artifact. Consider it an honor. I only give this to hunters I truly acknowledge.”
“Dungeon artifact...?”
Huh, this.
I think Gi So-yul mentioned it.
Something about using your own subspace?
“Hehe, it’s the best one released yet, so look forward to it. Well... that’s our goodbye. Time to send you back. I’m really low on energy now. You should head home too, Mr. Joo—eat some chicken, crack open a beer to celebrate. You earned it.”
She smiled brightly.
At the same time, snap!
She flicked her finger.
[Congratulations!]
A message engraved in the air.
[Keep striving toward ranker status like you have...!]
[Wink :)]
The true end of the trial.