Research Journal
A dim light flickered in the pitch-black room.
It illuminated the silhouette of a single girl.
“Haa… I went and said something unnecessary, unlike me.”
Tower Master Evangeline pulled a cube from her subspace after a long time and gazed at it.
The cube that contained the soul of her former mentor.
“…This shouldn’t have succeeded.”
It was a thought that had crossed her mind countless times since the cataclysm.
The result that proved a Dimensional Transferee’s ability could be left in the world and even transferred to someone else.
This was practically the root cause of all the chaos—her legacy.
But regrets now were pointless; what was done couldn’t be undone.
“Eli…”
Evangeline closed her eyes, recalling her mentor from ages past, who had long departed this world.
Elias Asterion, the mage who was a Dimensional Transferee.
A Dimensional Transferee who had awakened the ability to create virtual worlds within consciousness.
In its early stages, that power had been akin to a form of mental interference.
An absurd ability that pierced the mental barriers of intelligent beings far too easily, linking consciousness to consciousness.
She had said that at first, it was only like one-on-one chat with specific targets, right?
Well, once the ability fully matured, she had become no different from a god of the virtual world.
The various abilities in the current community didn’t even reach a tenth of her original power.
Where did it all begin…?
Yes… it must have been that moment.
Applying the community functions—originally for Dimensional Transferees only—to all intelligent beings in this world.
Elias’s power had reached a level that could blanket the entire world.
She probably wanted to change the world with her ability. That’s the kind of person she was—one who acted if she had the power.
The community’s functions explosively increased cultural exchanges with distant lands, forming a knowledge-sharing space anyone could access, which overall improved commoners’ living standards.
The marketplace integrated markets across the world, eliminating transport costs and narrowing price gaps.
Goods made by rural artisans could now spread across the continent, breaking the commercial guilds’ logistics monopoly.
Beyond that, it became a channel to expose corruption in politics and administration, easing regional discrimination.
Of course, such massive changes came with side effects, but overall, the positive impacts outweighed them.
Quality of life improved, and civilization accelerated.
Like the spread of smartphones in the modern world, the community seamlessly integrated into the lives of this world’s people before anyone knew it.
It became so natural that people couldn’t imagine life without it.
Even she had worried about the chaos if the community suddenly vanished after her death.
As a mortal, she couldn’t live forever.
So she began her research: to make her ability independent.
Time passed.
In the end, she completed the research before her lifespan ended.
Elias succeeded in stabilizing an external terminal at the cost of her soul, and the community fully took root in this world.
Thanks to her research and sacrifice, many would continue enjoying the community’s functions.
But those who had helped with the research apparently thought it wasn’t enough.
Her fellow researchers, the research patrons, those who assisted with the soul-transfer ritual, and others who had directly or indirectly supported Elias’s work.
They wanted to continue the research even after her death. Probably coveting the Dimensional Transferees’ powers.
They desired to preserve a power that defied the laws of nature—and ultimately wield it themselves.
They demanded that Evangeline, Elias’s sole disciple, carry on the research.
She refused.
The research itself intrigued her, but the moment she saw the greedy eyes of those pigs, disgust welled up.
Time passed, and the research team naturally disbanded.
But some started new research to seize Dimensional Transferees’ abilities.
Evangeline didn’t know about it at the time.
Centuries later, anomalies arose somewhere on the continent.
She realized they were remnants of that ancient research only long after everything had unfolded.
They had lurked in the shadows, waiting for Dimensional Transferees with external terminals—rare ones that appeared once every few decades.
How many had they killed over centuries? Impossible to tally.
What mattered was that their experiment had succeeded.
In the worst possible way…
Evangeline had tracked down and captured the ringleaders too late, but it did nothing to contain the disaster.
It was a situation even they hadn’t anticipated.
Evangeline found and read the research journal of those repulsive scum who had named their group the “Asterion Foundation” after her mentor.
Subject: Dimensional Transferee Reverse Heaven Sword Theodor Blain
Subject confirmed as the 8th Dimensional Transferee with an external terminal via observation.
[Redacted Year] [Redacted Month] [Redacted Day] Combatants deployed to secure subject's pocket watch-form external terminal 'Chrono Trigger'.
Foundation Templars (40), Swordmasters (5), Holy Mages (12), Combat Priests (8) deployed, but annihilated after engaging subject.
After upgrading subject's growth stage assessment, deployed 5x combatants, but neutralization failed; eliminated on site.
Secured subject's corpse and external terminal Chrono Trigger.
Injected new power source from Research Journal #255 for maximum stabilization, but surrounding space-time began warping continuously.
Nearby researchers suffered various side effects: body parts aging or rejuvenating, etc. Experiment halted.
Chrono Trigger naturally disintegrated after 1 month.
Subject: Dimensional Transferee The Seer Libera Garifas
Subject confirmed as the 11th Dimensional Transferee with an external terminal via observation.
[Redacted Year] [Redacted Month] [Redacted Day] Combatants deployed to secure subject's crystal eyeball-form external terminal 'Third Eye'.
However, subject foresaw all traps and assassination plans via ability and evaded.
Despite all measures, further manpower deemed meaningless. Foundation shifted to awaiting subject's natural death.
20 years later, secured Third Eye and corpse immediately after natural death.
Special Note: Confirmed writing presumed to be message directed at Foundation, as if subject foresaw our arrival. Content as follows:
Well done, blind fools. Your folly has sealed the heavens themselves. The Cradle of Chaos, fueled by sorrowful souls, will rot the world from within.
…Content submitted for interpretation.
Refined human souls as new power source. Remarkably, external terminal did not disintegrate for nearly 6 months and is stabilizing.
…Research progressing significantly, but something feels off.
[Redacted Year] [Redacted Month] [Redacted Day] During Third Eye stabilization, one researcher began convulsing.
Subject bled from all orifices, destroying research facilities; 5 injured, 2 dead while restraining.
Guards eliminated subject. Until end, subject screamed of seeing the future while focusing on destruction.
Presumed to have seen one of Third Eye's abilities: foresight. Reliability low due to instability.
Special Note: Crystal in eyeball form. Organic tissue began growing on Third Eye's surface inexplicably.
Third Eye destabilized rapidly thereafter, disintegrating after 9 months.
Subject: Dimensional Transferee Lifebringer Lamiria de Elrid
Subject confirmed as the 16th Dimensional Transferee with an external terminal via observation.
[Redacted Year] [Redacted Month] [Redacted Day] Combatants deployed to secure subject's egg-form external terminal 'Incubator'.
Subject's combat prowess lower than prior Dimensional Transferees; secured successfully.
Constant sedatives to prevent community aid requests.
Special Note: Subject was 9-months pregnant, but excessive sedatives caused miscarriage.
Secured live Dimensional Transferee intact.
Like Elias's case, transplanting intact Dimensional Transferee soul likely stabilizes.
However, without consent, soul fragments tear apart during ritual; decided on negotiation.
Stopped sedatives. Upon awakening, negotiated using fetus (deemed most effective).
"Fetus alive; cooperate, and child returned safely." But… subject already knew of miscarriage.
Seemed unaware of sedative overdose cause; presumed one of subject's abilities.
Subject went berserk; isolated Incubator spawned familiars nonstop, so fully neutralized and eliminated.
Regrettable, but research advanced external terminal stability beyond 1 year; no issues.
Dimensional Transferees won't cooperate anyway; must stabilize without their souls.
Ownerless Incubator destabilized rapidly, but stabilized upon power injection.
Injected soul of similar full-term pregnant woman (forcibly extracted; imperfect, but for fuel only—no issue).
Most souls fail to settle, volatilizing as fuel; but similar souls like subject's aid stabilization significantly.
…Perhaps mental similarity is key?
Incubator stabilization month 3. 9th full-term soul injected.
All imperfect souls consumed as fuel without settling (even intact souls never settled).
Presumed only original Dimensional Transferee's soul can settle.
Special Note: Signs of new life forming inside Incubator.
External terminals self-act when fueled; not alarming.
[Redacted Year] [Redacted Month] [Redacted Day] Confirmed: something resembling early fetus formed inside Incubator.
But ceased vital signs immediately upon exit. Excessively unstable.
…What is this?
One certainty: this form suggests Incubator manifested what the injected pregnant soul desired.
Even shredded soul yearning for fetus… perhaps we've found a new method.
Days later, after soul fully consumed as fuel and injecting next, new attempt: extracted fetus from empty pregnant corpse, inserted with soul.
And… one month passed.
Conclusion: success!
Prior max 11 days; this soul endured over a month intact.
Pregnant soul desperately clinging to revive fetus corpse inside.
Aaah… great mother!!
Incredibly, fetus revived. But unsure if human… too many eyeballs. Excessively so.
Whole body packed with eyes. As expected from damaged soul?
Regrettably, died shortly after exit. Predicted from instability.
Reference: this method yields nearly 3 months per soul! ~10x prior efficiency.
Special Note: Changes in Incubator. Like prior terminals including Third Eye… organic tissue growing.
And 5 more years passed…
Incubator did not disintegrate. Far exceeded prior limit of 1 year 6 months.
…Yes! Incubator endured 5 full years without disintegrating!
This was the answer…!!
Incubator now fully covered in organic tissue, pulsing with heartbeat… like a living being!!!
Beautiful. Visually nightmarish, yet divinely sacred—tears welled up.
Some cultures depict angels as horrific monsters? Now I understand.
Angels come to greet us, for we'll soon grasp creation of life and trespass into god's domain!!!
Thump- Thump- Witnessing the pulsing, writhing Incubator, we realized…
It had fully adapted to this world…
No longer needing power injections.