Chapter 520
Chapter 520
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 520
Chapter Title: New World Plan (2)
The 「Dragon Lair」 was a secret space that only he himself could access.
True to its name as a colossal dragon's nest, it boasted a vast expanse, allowing him to divide it into sections as he pleased for uses like warehouses and workshops.
Moreover, since it followed a different dimensional time flow and had a semi-permanent time acceleration barrier installed, he could utilize time inside that was nearly a hundred times that of Earth...
In any way you looked at it, calling it the ultimate secret base was no exaggeration.
'The only downside is that, being a space created through a perk, I can't stay here for days on end like in other dimensions.'
Still, up until now, that had been more than enough.
Aside from serving as Dwarf Howard's personal workshop, there hadn't been much else to use it for, and thanks to the accelerated time ratio, it had already fulfilled that role to overflowing satisfaction.
'But things are different now. With Doctor's entire lab relocated here, its importance has grown even more. Whether it's information analysis or production work, more available time is always better. If only there were a way to ease those restrictions.'
Most of the spoils from this recent haul had been piled into the workshop section that Howard favored.
That way, he could easily grab anything he needed mid-work.
"Ahem, isn't there some good method? With so much already on my plate, tinkering with that too would leave me short on time."
In one of the areas now crammed with those spoils—a place that might as well be called a giant robot hangar now—Howard pondered how to secure time for realizing his dream.
'I can't just seal the real Horus and make it the core of the 「Dragon Lair」. Maybe create another dragon avatar, raise it up... No, wait.'
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him.
'...Does the core really have to be a dragon?'
Something like a dragon heart from the Karma Shop wouldn't cut it as an energy source.
What mattered was granting this special space the plausibility to persist beyond its limits, in exchange for the target's stature and karma.
The name 'Dragon Lair' just evoked dragons, but in truth, any being with sufficiently exalted status would do.
'But this is a space only I can enter. So aside from my avatars, there aren't really other options. Unless there's some special exception.'
A special exception, huh.
Well, for example...
"...Hmm."
Right there beside him, that orb emitting a brilliant glow.
The one that had ascended to a realm mocking the laws of the world, only to offer itself as a subject for research, ultimately sealed by him.
The core containing the consciousness of the being known as Doctor.
"Heh, this might actually work."
Stroking his lushly grown beard, Howard tilted his head slightly and murmured softly.
Regardless of anything else, Doctor was a monster who had reached that stature purely through academic achievements.
Even if what was sealed inside wasn't his complete self, a being who had honed itself to such heights was eternally imprinted on the world.
If he could properly utilize that sealed ego—the largest fragment of the individual called Doctor...
"Alright! This is firing me up! Kekekeke!"
Laughing heartily, he strode toward the core and roughly patted it.
Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.
This went beyond simply crafting something with tools; it was a grand undertaking that influenced the very laws constituting the world.
In terms of raw power, it would require at least Transcendent level to even attempt.
But he was confident.
He had already witnessed something similar with his own eyes—not to mention touched and handled it himself.
'The Mecha Demon was a similar case, right?'
The Mecha Demon, which had forcibly overlaid and fused the presence drawn from the deceased Executioner's homunculus.
Compared to that production difficulty, using Doctor's ego for a little workaround was hardly impossible.
"Euhaha—This must be what they mean by turning the tables! Or is it karma?"
Just attempting this challenge would be a major stepping stone for growth.
With eyes blazing hot, Howard stroked the orb several more times, fully entering creator mode as he muttered to himself.
"Let's see, to do that, I need to subordinate it to the space first. Wait, if I do it that way, couldn't I turn this guy into the 「Dragon Lair」's management personality? Then it wouldn't just be loosening restrictions, but something more..."
Skills like 「Understanding of Creation」, 「Path of Engineering」, and 「Technological Revolution」 activated all at once, flooding his mind with explosive inspiration that boiled over fiercely.
His thoughts, leaping bounds thanks to 「Limit Break」, touched a corner of truth and whispered new possibilities to him.
'Doctor.'
There was already a being who, as a creator, had surpassed Transcendence into the divine realm.
He had even briefly worked alongside him, absorbing various knowledge and growing further.
So what reason was there he couldn't achieve what Doctor had?
'I will surpass you no matter what.'
And so, the artisan whose eyes burned with the flames of desire—yearning for the realm of the Divine Craftsman, beyond master craftsman and grand master...
"...Shall we begin, then."
Even if that beginning stemmed from his personal dream—the desire to build a giant robot.
In the end, as long as the results were good, the motivation hardly mattered.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Hesperon, equipped with Titan, let out a small sigh.
He had succeeded in analyzing the data stored in the Master AI with the help of Habis, the auxiliary personality built into 「Mechanical Eye: Calicas」, but the process hadn't been as smooth as hoped.
'He keeps almost everything in his head, so every bit of stored info is missing screws.'
Just like his chaotic lab, the stored information was scattered haphazardly, not properly organized—a problem in itself.
Given his position, where he never needed to report to anyone during operations, it was perhaps inevitable.
If the exchanges hadn't remained in the Master AI's internals, analysis like this would have been impossible.
'New World Plan. Only a handful of top executives truly know about this project.'
The Reverse Heaven Lord had employed various methods to gather underlings loyal to his will.
Proclaiming Earth's destruction or Outer Gods' descent from the start wouldn't have convinced many, and leaking that level of heavenly secrets would have been impossible anyway.
Defying providence and reversing time meant bearing immense burdens each time he altered fated outcomes.
Twisting the world's massive flow single-handedly naturally imposed such weight.
'Even now, lurking in the world's shadows and tightly controlling his subordinates, he's under that much constraint. If he'd exposed everything outright, he'd have been tied hand and foot, unable to act.'
There was also the fact that more people knowing accelerated the Outer Gods' arrival, shortening preparation time.
Thus, he differentiated information shared based on the recruits' importance.
For the rank-and-file, most prone to leaks, it was merely pitched as a dark organization plotting world conquest.
An absurd goal, but potent force and accumulated tangible/intangible assets from countless regressions lent it credibility. Moths drawn to the power and authority offered by the Reverse Heaven Society formed the foundation of his grand scheme.
'Higher up. For branch leaders, Transcendents, or top-tier Extreme Realmers, the pretext was...'
Sowing new mysteries on Earth, a barren land for abilities.
The Reverse Heaven Child—former East Asia branch leader of the Reverse Heaven Society, now leading the Black Dragon Society and following him—was a prime example.
'For those at that level, the Reverse Heaven Society's goal must have been an irresistible temptation.'
Returners to Earth could grow no further.
Skills and stats merely existed; without the system's aid, all progress like skill proficiency and evolution was sealed.
With no special energy present, they were forever stuck at their achieved ability realm.
'Unless they were an extraordinary case like the Reverse Heaven Child.'
But if mysteries bloomed on Earth like in other worlds, that changed.
Stagnant potential unlocked, paths to greater heights opened.
They could ascend to higher realms, seize greater power.
'Doesn't apply to me, a walking bundle of variables, but every Returner chafes at halted growth, they say.'
For those obsessed with power, reaching Extreme and even Transcendence? The frustration would be immense.
Earth, swarming with powerhouses from every dimension, suffered severe power inflation compared to other worlds—getting battered left and right only amplified that thirst.
Rumor had it many regretted returning for that reason.
Settlers lost the system but could at least refine abilities to elevate their realms.
The Reverse Heaven Society's plan was their sole salve.
'...And those plans aren't entirely lies. They do seek world conquest, and through it, to plant mysteries on Earth.'
The issue?
Even those were mere stepping stones.
"New World Plan."
Murmuring softly, Hesperon scanned the contents floating in the Mechanical Eye once more.
Terror attacks worldwide even now, and efforts to sprout mysteries on Earth—all mere preludes to this single plan.
'Only a god of equal hierarchy can oppose a god.'
He, having faced the Reverse Heaven Lord recently, knew this better than anyone.
To counter that Outer God at Main God level, they needed a matching entity.
A Main God-tier deity capable of creating a world.
'His goal: become a new Main God himself.'
But that was no simple feat.
Even the current Reverse Heaven Lord—virtually a true god—had needed hundreds, thousands of time loops to reach that domain. To become a creation god akin to a Main God, what more was required?
"...This guy's completely insane."
His method was straightforward.
Sacrifice Earth itself wholesale.
But Earth, devoid of mysteries, couldn't serve as an offering—hence the need to first meet that prerequisite, accepting some sacrifices.
"Whew, well. In a way, it's rational enough."
Once the Reverse Heaven Lord ascended to Main God, all problems solved.
A new world would follow immediately.
A new Earth, governed by his laws—free of Outer God interference or system whims.
'So he plans to flip the board entirely and restart from scratch with the stakes.'
New World Plan.
Its true essence: the feat of 'world creation'.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A space devoid of ceiling, walls, or floor—filled only with hazy, dreamlike smoke.
In its center sat a brown-skinned woman, slowly removing the mouthpiece of her hookah and gazing toward one spot.
"You've come, Charicha."
"Hey, Oracle. It's been ages since we met in person."
A blonde woman shuffled in leisurely, waving casually in response to her greeting.
"I heard roughly what it's about... Where's the Black Knight? Not here yet?"
"Seems he's running a bit late. Probably has some cleanup."
Small talk began with greetings.
Not the closest of friends, but their positions allowed conversation without reservation.
"...Ah, looks like he's here."
Mid-chat, as Oracle sensed something and spoke.
A massive black shadow parted the thick smoke and emerged.
"Sorry for the delay. Had some aftermath from the recent incident."
Unlike Oracle in Indian sari or Charicha in t-shirt and jeans, the Black Knight—clad head to toe in thick black armor—approached and stood before them.
"No issue. You're not that late. How's the Lord?"
"He's in seclusion. Even Doctor's dimensional space is free of Earth's constraints, but caution is needed until things kick off."
"I see? He must've used a lot of power. What did you think, Black Knight?"
Oracle based in India's capital, Black Knight secluded in Canada but visiting Europe at Doctor's request, Charicha idly passing time near Russia's Lake Baikal.
The Reverse Heaven Society's remaining top executives—all gathered here.
"As you all know, I called this urgent meeting about Doctor. This is bigger than the Executioner—our muscle—getting taken out."
"Sigh! Yeah, true. If that idiot were alive, things wouldn't have tangled this bad."
Charicha grumbled at Oracle's words.
Rivals with the Executioner, yet now she inwardly regretted his loss.
His personality had flaws, but she acknowledged his abilities fully.
"Then let's start the emergency meeting."
The gathering unfolded in the smoke-filled space.
Oracle slowly opened her mouth, looking around at her like-minded comrades.
"For our utopia soon to come—the New World."