Chapter 524
Chapter 524
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 524
Chapter Title: Solidifying the Base (3)
-How intriguing! Let me see... A back side world? A sub-dimensional space? No, it's a bit different from that. Wait! Could this be...
A familiar voice flowed into Howard's mind.
The Doctor, now the management personality of the 「Dragon Lair」, had started mumbling to himself and analyzing his situation the moment he regained consciousness.
-Aha! So it's part of the 'Virtual Overlapping Phase Artificial Dimension' created through the intervention of the Akasha System! Is this the power of a Privilege too? Heh heh heh—! The System really is amazing the more I learn about it. To whip something like this up without any computation or medium!
Howard slightly furrowed his brow at the incessant noisy chatter echoing in his head.
Of course, he could fully understand the sentiment.
The Doctor's last memory would have ended at the moment he was subdued while inhabiting the Mecha Demon's body.
Yet suddenly, his consciousness had returned, and he found himself bound in some strange space. Maintaining his composure in such a situation would have been the odd thing.
-Oh ho? To bypass the constraints of sustaining the space by sacrificing my karma and rank? Even I have to acknowledge that! To twist Providence itself and fix someone else's soul into a fragment of a Privilege-created space! Indeed, you have the worth to earn my recognition, Howard!
...Still, no matter how you looked at it, that didn't seem like the reaction of someone in panic.
If anything, his adaptation to the situation was so swift it was disconcerting.
-More importantly, why did you wake me up like this? You wouldn't need my consciousness just to maintain the space. Ah! Wait! Let me guess first. Hmm... Yes, there's only one reason! You couldn't bear to bury my genius as is! It's only natural...
"Hoo, I was trying to put up with it, but now my head's throbbing. I get where you're coming from, but could you shut up for a bit?"
Unable to endure the nonstop babble any longer, Howard finally spoke up.
As the Doctor said, it was true he wanted to make use of his genius, and since they were in the same boat now, he had intended to let it slide amicably...
'But this is a bit much, isn't it? How long does he plan to ramble on by himself? And why is he acting so chummy?'
He knew the Doctor had always been like that, but he hadn't expected such a reaction even in this situation.
No matter what anyone said, Howard was the one who had ultimately stripped away his bodily freedom and turned him into that state—as his enemy.
'Yet strangely, there's hardly any hostility. No, it's more like he's showing goodwill.'
Of course, he had placed various restraints for safety, but this wasn't a reaction forced by those constraints.
It was pure, one hundred percent genuine feeling.
It wasn't a bad thing since they'd be cooperating long-term, but it left a slightly uneasy aftertaste.
-......
Fortunately, it seemed the command authority was working properly.
At his single word to shut up, the Doctor went as quiet as a clam.
But with much work ahead and plenty of conversations to have, he couldn't keep him gagged forever.
"Ahem! Since my head's ringing, keep your words to a minimum from now on. Ideally, just answer what I ask. Got it?"
-Pfft hahat! That's simple enough! But communication is vital in research. Exchange between peers is essential for technological progress! Just answering questions would severely hinder innovative development...
"Shut up."
-......
There was a brief hiccup in aligning their views, but they soon reached a compromise.
He toned down the headache-inducing volume, limited the amount of sentences he could utter at once based on content importance, and granted a moderate degree of autonomy by adjusting the restraints accordingly.
-Heh heh hm, it's a bit stifling, but I'll endure it.
"Jeez, I have no idea how the Reverse Heaven Society put up with this chatterbox all this time. Is that why you had that huge lab all to yourself? Were you ostracized or something?"
-As if! I know who to talk to. Wasting time on monkeys who can't even grasp a fraction of what I say? Hard pass!
"Thanks for thinking that way. Strictly speaking, compared to you, I'm sorely lacking myself."
Howard stroked his chin beard, feeling awkward at the Doctor's roundabout praise.
In truth, without his special abilities like 「Technological Revolution」 and his dwarf traits, the old him—who hadn't even reached Transcendence—wouldn't have caught the Doctor's interest at all.
-Huh? Isn't that obvious? You didn't think you were on my level, did you?
And with a few casual words, the Doctor shattered that mood entirely.
'This bastard...'
As Howard pondered how to punish this insolent fool,
the Doctor continued speaking.
-What's important is new possibilities. The sparkling seeds of progress that shatter existing limits at the pinnacle of a field! Something brainless followers scrambling after pioneers can't have!
And Howard had already proven it.
By churning out items the Doctor himself couldn't replicate yet and releasing them into the world.
And now, he'd even advanced further to achieve this monumental feat...
-You can be prouder! You'll surely reach the realms I achieved someday!
"...Thanks."
-Ufufufu~ You're welcome!
Anyway, that wasn't the point right now.
The operation to ease constraints using the Doctor's core was a resounding success.
Now, with just one Avatar inside the 「Dragon Lair」, he could sustain the Privilege indefinitely, and even with multiple entities entering, it would last far longer than before.
'Then what's left is...'
To grasp what the Doctor—as the management personality—could do and how it would help him.
To firmly assess that performance.
Standing at the center of the 「Dragon Lair」, Howard began various tests while manipulating the control unit containing the core.
At the same time, through conversations with the Doctor to gather new information, he learned why the man was so amicable toward him.
-Well, what's done is done, right? And I have expectations for the current situation too!
...The reason, when revealed, was even crazier than imagined.
-Who would've thought I'd get a chance to merge directly with a System Privilege amid Providence's flow? Ahh~ This is exciting! If I could've done this alone, I would've ages ago. Heh heh heh!
He didn't view his current state as bad at all.
Simply because, in a way, it was more advantageous for unraveling the world's truths.
To him—who had even used his own body and rank as research materials—methods and forms weren't major concerns.
-Sure, it's a shame about the research I was doing with Reverse Heaven Society's support. But I can just continue here, right? Looks like you brought everything from my lab too!
The mechanical arm beside Howard moved on its own and gave a thumbs-up.
And that wasn't all.
Computers and various machines activated in unison, while assisting robots swiftly formed orderly ranks.
The Doctor, now the 「Dragon Lair」's management personality, had gained full control over the internal facilities.
As the top expert in this field, his adaptation was beyond expectations—tremendously so.
-No body is regrettable, but this isn't bad either!
"You're awfully cooperative. Doesn't this mean betraying Reverse Heaven Society? You okay with that?"
-What can I do? It wasn't intentional, and I can't rebel anyway. Might as well do my best here.
Was this rational or just quick to give up?
Tongue clicking at the utterly pragmatic judgment, Howard released his hand from the control unit holding the core.
He had a rough grasp of its capabilities; now it was time to test it for real.
"We're going to stop the New World Project. That masterpiece you poured your heart into."
-Tch, that's disappointing. My goal was to create a new world with my own hands...
The Doctor had various reasons for joining Reverse Heaven Society, but the biggest was the aspiration to create a new world himself.
Passing up such an intriguing research subject was unthinkable for him.
-Well, I've already done the key parts anyway. The rest is just watching the results. Success or failure—anything's better than being sealed and blind. Uncovering the world's secrets with Masquerade isn't bad either.
The utterly rational Doctor quickly shook off any lingering regrets.
No point clinging to something completely out of his hands now.
And perhaps because he'd just found another equally intriguing subject, the disappointment wasn't as great as thought.
-Whoa haha! I never expected this. All those archenemies thwarting Reverse Heaven Society's plans were one person? The Chairman would never imagine it!
It was a fact he could know because his existence was bound to the 「Dragon Lair」 Privilege itself.
Knowing his true owner was basic.
Of course, since betrayal was impossible anyway, Howard didn't care what he said.
'Hmm, if I play this right, I could set up an automated factory to mass-produce magic tools.'
Stroking his chin beard as he surveyed the bustling workshop,
Unlike Earth, the 「Dragon Lair」 encompassed all mysteries and had a time dilation of a hundredfold.
Moreover, the management personality controlling it was a creator at the pinnacle.
In truth, with sufficient materials, there was nothing it couldn't accomplish here.
"...Impressive. Of course, we have top priorities to handle first."
-Oh ho? Sounds intriguing. Must be one hell of a big project if you're saying that!
Howard nodded and mounted the large kickboard-shaped machine parked nearby.
As he stepped on the footrest, the floating device lifted slightly.
Soon, it shot off like the wind in a certain direction per his will.
Before long, the 「Dragon Lair」 was taking on the form of a full-fledged secret base.
-Hm? This direction?
"Heh heh heh, I think you'll like it."
Arriving at the destination in an instant thanks to it, Howard stepped down.
Then, gazing up at the enormous metal structure before him, he smiled faintly.
He hadn't forgotten his original planned goal.
"For now, let's finish that together first."
-Ooooh! Excellent! I'll give it my all!
The joint project of two former enemies sharing one dream.
It began with perfectly resurrecting the unfinished 'Giant Transforming Combined Robot'.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero Ha Seung-hun.
In the current martial world, anyone who'd tasted the edge of a blade knew the name.
Starting from rumors after his exploits rivaling Transcendent Realm masters in the final battle against the Demonic Cult, now that the war had ended, his fame had soared even higher.
"How dare you here of all places!"
A disheveled old man with an unkempt beard snarled fiercely.
But unlike his momentum, his eyes—unable to hide his emotions—shook like a ship caught in a storm.
"Give it up already. Blood Wolf Ghost Killer Grip."
A young man drew his sword and approached slowly from before him.
Unlike the wrinkled elder, he looked just over thirty, with refined, handsome features evoking a noble house scion.
Yet the overwhelming aura emanating from him asserted that this youth was no inferior to the old man.
'Damn! Damn! Why is the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero here!'
The elder before the youth, Blood Wolf Ghost Killer Grip, ground his teeth and darted his eyes frantically.
He didn't know how his location was exposed, but he couldn't just surrender here.
'There's still a chance. The formation prepared in this hideout is an absolute barrier even Enlightenment Realm masters can't easily escape. If I catch him off-guard with that...'
A head-on fight was out of the question.
Though known publicly as the same Enlightenment Realm, the opponent before him was a true monster who'd slain countless masters deemed superior.
Blood Wolf Ghost Killer's eyes flashed as he awaited his chance.
Finally, the perfect moment arrived.
Without hesitation, he activated the absolute barrier—
Sugak—
—and right after, a flash severed both his arms.
"K-Kuaaak—!"
Kneeling in agony, he stared at his elbows.
Clean cuts spewing blood like waterfalls.
Even if his focus slipped momentarily while timing the formation's activation, for an Enlightenment Realm master to not even properly sense the incoming attack?
'What? What was that just now? That sword strike...!'
But he couldn't even continue the question.
Tuk—
Another flash, and the severed head could think no more.
"Ah, failed again this time."
Ha Seung-hun murmured lowly while swinging his sword through empty air, looking down at the end of a villain who'd committed countless atrocities amid the chaotic times.
"...Just a little more, and I feel like I could reach it."
The strike he'd just unleashed wasn't an ordinary one.
Infused with the Black Dragon Secret from Reverse Heaven's Black Dragon Lord and the Black Knight's insights, it was the best blow he—on the verge of breaking through the wall—could muster.
'One step. Just one more final step...'
Swallowing his regret, he let out a short sigh and turned away.
Toward his waiting companions.
Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero Ha Seung-hun.
The Transcendent Realm was just one step away.