Chapter 320: Winged Heavenly Being Subjugation (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 320: Winged Heavenly Being Subjugation (8)
In the deep silence, I slowly let my tension fade.
A broad smile spread across my face.
“Do you remember me?”
I offered a greeting, but when no response came, I tried speaking again.
As expected, there was only silence. Dorothy simply watched me with her multitude of eyes. Her starlight mana acted as a veil, preventing me from reading her emotions or intent.
I knew Dorothy didn’t recognize me. According to the records she left behind, she had long since lost her sense of self.
The Dorothy standing before me was a transcendent being. The mana she radiated so effortlessly was at least on par with that of the Nether King. Someone like me didn’t stand a ghost of a chance against her—especially with my mana reserves nearly depleted. She could likely kill me with a mere flick of her wrist.
Would it be better to just die by her hand?
That absurd thought, which had crossed my mind during the Trial of Frost, resurfaced, and I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
“You asked me once, didn’t you? Whether Dorothy and I… what was it? Whether we loved each other?”
I spoke lightly, as if chatting with an old friend, despite the underlying embarrassment.
“I think so. At least, I do. And Dorothy seems to like me, too. I could be wrong—it might just be wishful thinking—but that’s how it is. I’m not sure if you can even grasp what I’m saying.”
I took a shallow breath.
“You were the same. You were actually the first Dorothy I ever met. You probably didn’t have any particular feelings for me, so this might feel awkward, but if I had to say… I really liked you. Truly.”
I spoke in a gentle voice, the kind Dorothy would have loved to hear, pouring my sincerity into every word.
“You’re beautiful, like a star… Even after losing everything, even when facing death, the way you fought just to live… I admired that so much.”
You healed me and painted a world full of possibilities.
That’s why I wanted to do the same for you.
The way you lived your life to shine saved me, and now I want to save you so your life can shine even brighter.
“I missed you. Even as a god, you’re still dazzlingly beautiful.”
Standing before her, sharing the feelings I had never been able to express, I realized something. There was a mountain of unresolved emotion trapped inside me.
The more I burned Dorothy’s image into my mind, the more those suppressed emotions stirred, slowly consuming my entire being. As the cool air brushed against my blood-stained cheek, my heart felt heavier than ever.
I’m powerless and unwise… that’s why I couldn’t save you.
The sense of helplessness and loss gnawed at my heart like a parasite.
Clang.
With a clear, resonant sound, a swarm of stars rose around me. My body became weightless, floating through the air until I reached Dorothy.
“Dorothy…?”
The only trace of her former self remained around one of her eyes. Even that eye was devoid of life, emitting only a quiet, lonely, and mysterious starlight.
Dorothy placed her hand on my chest. I felt nothing but a biting cold.
Hiss.
Suddenly, brilliant starlight mana flowed gently from her hand into me. Every cell in my body felt like it was bursting as an overwhelming, heavy mana began to flood my circuits. It didn’t hurt; in fact, it felt strangely warm.
And yet, I was seized by a terrible premonition.
“What are you doing…? Dorothy?”
When I tried to push her hand away, the swarm of stars surged up and bound my entire body. I couldn't move a muscle.
“Dorothy! Hey!”
As I shouted, my vision suddenly washed out into pure, blinding white. I couldn’t see a thing. If I had any mana left, I might have been able to dispel a spell like this, but my body was in no condition to resist.
“Dorothy! What are you doing?! Answer me!”
[Hello?]
An all-too-familiar voice drifted from behind me. I whipped my head around. There she was—the Dorothy from the first timeline, dressed in white, standing right before me.
[You must be really surprised, right?]
I stood there, mouth agape, unable to find words.
Why? How?
[This is the final message I’m leaving for you. First of all, congratulations on making it this far! It was an impossible task, so you must have… suffered a lot.]
A message. It seemed she had recorded this before she lost her sanity. I couldn’t move toward her; it felt as if my feet were fused to the ground. Dorothy’s magic was holding me fast, pulling my consciousness into this recorded memory.
[I’m sorry I don’t remember your name. But I hope you know that I missed you.]
As Dorothy turned her head, the sky transformed into a brilliant, starry night, and the ground became the desolate wasteland once ravaged by the Floating Island. Before I knew it, Dorothy had changed into a little girl in a yellow dress. It was her childhood self.
[You were probably a bit startled when I gave you my mana, right? Sorry for not telling you in advance. I knew you liked me, so I thought it might cause trouble if I warned you.]
“You… what are you doing right now? Why are you giving me your mana?”
Even though I knew it was just a message, I couldn’t help but ask. There was no other way to reach her.
[This is for you. Please, defeat Ozma.]
What?
[You probably don’t recognize that name. She is the god within you. The one I mentioned before—the one helping you, but who must never be trusted. I don’t know what her ultimate goal is, but I’ve heard that if she achieves it, you will die.]
“…”
[Moreover, Ozma harbors a deep resentment toward Stella… If she fulfills her objective, something terrible will undoubtedly happen.]
If Ozma succeeded in taking over my body, she wouldn't just defeat the Evil God. She would bring about a whole new disaster.
[In truth, Ozma was once a princess of a distant country, destined to seal Nephid as a hero.]
It was a story I had never heard before.
[Back then, Nephid was a Demon Lord, not an Evil God. Ozma eventually became a servant of the stars and succeeded in sealing Demon Lord Nephid. On that day, she used too much starlight mana, which caused her to transcend into a deity. But that transformation triggered a great catastrophe, and her appearance became hideous. Deeply scarred, she began secretly wandering the world you live in.]
Dorothy continued her story as if reciting a dark fairy tale.
[Meanwhile, Nephid awakened the Authority of Godslaying in the abyss and ascended to the level of an Evil God. It was an unforeseen event. Even though Nephid remained trapped in the abyss, the Authority of Godslaying began to affect your world.]
Dorothy made a light gesture.
[When gods intervene in that world, they become Nephid’s prey. But Ozma was an exception. She had become a transcendent before the Authority of Godslaying was ever activated, and she hid within the essence of many beings. If Nephid had awakened her divinity right after being sealed, Ozma would have been absorbed as well. She was lucky.]
Ozma became a god first and hid. Then, Demon Lord Nephid became an Evil God and awakened the Authority of Godslaying.
[Therefore, to oppose the Evil God, Ozma was necessary. When the Evil God attempted to awaken the Authority of Godslaying, Stella approached Ozma and made a deal so that Ozma would help you.]
In other words, my entire journey—the fake Status Window, the quest to defeat the Evil God—had been orchestrated long ago.
[And I was part of it, too.]
“What?”
[Stella foresaw my birth back then. She planned to use me to defeat the Evil God. She bestowed the blessing of starlight upon my distant ancestors, and that is how I eventually awakened my starlight magic.]
Just as the Elfieto royal family received the blessing of the Night Fairy, and White awakened the power of the fairy through that bloodline, Dorothy had undergone the same process.
So, rescuing Dorothy from the Floating Island was…
[I only found out later. The reason I was able to escape from the Land of Oz was because I had awakened starlight mana. The Stella I saw back then was a remnant she had left for me—another Stella passed down through my blood.]
The Stella who saved the young Dorothy from the Floating Island was like an AI programmed into Dorothy’s lineage ages ago. Now I understood why Stella, a transcendent being, had not fallen to the Authority of Godslaying.
[So, I also became a piece in the plan Stella laid out, leading to the situation we’re in now.]
I knew that the Dorothy from the first timeline had lost her life according to Stella’s plan. But I hadn’t realized the seeds of that plan had been sown so long ago.
[You know, your Dorothy won’t end up like me. I’ll make sure of it.]
My shoulders trembled.
[I will give you my power.]
“No, don’t…”
I furrowed my brow and shook my head, but my plea couldn't reach her.
[I will give you the power meant solely for battle, so you can become stronger than anyone. I will drive Ozma out of you. Even though you aren’t a suitable vessel for starlight mana, the remnants of Ozma will allow you to use it temporarily. Use that power to defeat Ozma and seize all of her strength. Then, after you escape the Icy Lake, you’ll be transported back to the rift. Once there, I’ll open it for you so you can leave safely.]
The young girl, Dorothy Gale, clasped her hands behind her back and smiled softly.
[That is my wish for you.]
“…”
[Even though I can’t remember you, I still feel like I would have liked you. If we had stayed together, I’m certain I would have liked you more than anyone… It’s a little embarrassing to say.]
Dorothy blushed, letting out her characteristic laugh.
[So, I hope you live a happy life.]
“Dorothy, please…”
A deep darkness began to spread, and the image of the young Dorothy started to fade.
[Did you know? The Wizard of Oz is said to be someone who grants all wishes.]
As if saying her final farewell, the girl smiled brightly, like a flower in full bloom.
[Please… be my Wizard of Oz.]
Silence.
I closed my eyes and opened them again. My vision returned to the dark, frozen scenery of the Icy Lake. From the spot where Dorothy had stood, brilliant starlight particles scattered into the air. Even the sparkling remnants of her life disappeared like dust.
The emptiness was overwhelming. It felt as though something was mercilessly carving out my insides, dragging them into the depths, leaving only an unbearable silence.
I stared into the void for a long time until the cluster of stars around me finally faded away. My body began to fall.
Fwoooosh!!
Just before hitting the surface of the Icy Lake, I released a powerful burst of cold air, cushioning my descent.
A strange sensation swirled inside me. It was different from anything I had felt before. It felt as though something vital had left me, and something entirely new had filled the void.
[────────.]
An unintelligible, piercing tone rang in my ears. I slowly lifted my head.
Blood-red clouds swirled violently, and the beautiful aurora that had filled the sky began to spiral into a vortex. Beneath it, a being with the majesty of a vast, brilliant universe sat in silent meditation.
Two rings, imbued with an astronomical amount of mana, rotated around its body—the unmistakable aura of a transcendent. Countless eyes covering its form glared down at me simultaneously.
“…So, it’s you, Ozma.”
Mana saturated with anger, resentment, and hatred bore down on me. This was Ozma’s true power.
I walked forward in silence. Every step felt like I was carrying the weight of the world. I couldn't stop the cold, rigid expression from forming on my face.
“Let’s end this Status Window game.”
I extended my right hand.
Chararang!
A white cluster of stars bloomed above my palm.
