Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Chapter 36: Liberation and Destruction
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It seems like I'm ending up holding meetings more often than I'd like. But with matters this serious, there's no helping it.
"The Saik Dimension has split into two factions. The traitors who discarded their flesh for immortality. And the rebels fighting back to protect their bodies from the traitors."
"So the enemies we've faced so far are the traitors. And the ones ruling the Saik Dimension are traitors too."
Davi said. I nodded, tapping the paper in my hand.
"That's what it looks like from what's written here. The rebels are on the defensive right now. They're on the verge of annihilation, hoping we'll repel the traitors' invasion and save them."
I'd already distributed copies of the information the rebel leader had handed over to everyone.
Of course, the original was stored elsewhere. What we had here was a sort of copy translated by pressing the translation device to my head.
"Thanks to this, a major question has been answered. The reason they've been invading us."
Just as Davi said. The traitors need a substance called the "Core of Eternal Life" to shed their bodies and gain immortality, and they can only obtain it by winning a dimensional invasion.
In the end, they have to annihilate us for their race to reproduce. Of course, I have no idea how any of this is even possible.
"But the info mentions something called the 'Great Game' several times, with no explanation of what it is. That might be the most serious issue."
Davi frowned, and I nodded in agreement.
Yeah. That's the biggest problem.
It doesn't explain in detail, but the info gives off a strong vibe that the Saik Dimension itself is part of something even larger, forced into this.
"Putting it all together, there's this 'Committee' overseeing everything... It seems like it ranks higher than the entire Saik Dimension. Not certain, of course."
"So even the Saik Dimension is ruled by some higher dimension?"
"Probably?"
Of course, the real confirmation will come after we win this dimensional invasion.
The information laid out future events in a fairly systematic way.
First, the dimensional invasion starts with a gate opening and the Saik Dimension's offensive—the first wave.
Block that, and after a set time, the second wave hits.
Keep blocking them, and it goes all the way to the seventh wave.
Yeah. Seven waves.
Finally, I know where that damned wave ends.
"It says here there are seven waves in total. Blocking even one looks tough, but seven? Could this be fake info? Can we really trust it?"
Kyle was the first to voice doubts. Yeah, I get how you feel. I'm the one who least wants to believe it.
But we have to.
The copy only detailed the first wave, but the original listed enemy types for every wave, even their scale.
And it matches perfectly with my actual experiences from the first through fifth waves in the previous regression.
So the sixth and seventh waves I haven't seen will probably play out exactly as written.
"It matches what I saw in the revelation for the early waves. For now, let's assume it's true and prepare."
"If you'll permit it, I'd like to return to the main temple right after the meeting and relay this to the High Priest. Is that alright?"
Escort Priest Trimum asked. I handed over a few more prepared copies and said,
"Do that. And tell him I'll visit the High Priest in person later."
"Understood. With less than ten months left, this is dire. We should activate emergency protocols in all temples across the nation."
"The Empire's already on emergency footing. Anyway, we'll use this as the basis to plan how to counter the invasion once it starts. Everyone, stay sharp and focus on personal training until then. To block this to the end, you all need to perform your roles perfectly."
"Yes! Understood."
Everyone in the meeting room bowed their heads in response. Yeah. I'm really counting on you all. If Virex's info is accurate, this is going to be brutally tough....
* * *
But for all my words, the core of stopping the dimensional invasion will inevitably come down to me.
Assuming I'd successfully completed all the routes prepared in this tenth regression, the power balance was 7:3.
All the Empire's knight orders, infantry legions, and mage corps.
Mercenary knights scattered across the entire western continent (as long as money allows), plus every priest in the temples.
Add in ogres and barbarians.
Even elven and dwarven forces, plus every minor mage from western nations.
Finally, the Claude Knight Order I'd painstakingly raised—that totals 70% of our power.
And I handle the remaining 30%.
Combine them right, and we could definitely break through the fifth wave....
But due to 'time' constraints, all calculations went perfectly awry.
Everyone else's power except mine is mostly weakened as a result.
At least the Claude Knight Order can boost with cores for some comfort. Aiming for powerful one-shots via the unplanned Meredes and Linen is big too.
Of course, normally we'd have raised around fifty promising knights over seven to eight years.
But now it's just six. Even for an elite few, this is a bit much....
Tolary's addition is a major variable, of course.
But we have to account for not getting Trombone, who I'd factored in as a constant.
In the end, plus-minus zero. Though Tolary outclasses individuals.
Ultimately, I have to fill all these new power gaps and variables. Sigh. I've been busy so far, but from now on, it'll be non-stop flying around with no breather.
"The sixth wave starts with three gates opening...."
"Three is a lot?"
I was mumbling a review to myself when Teus butted in. I lightly stroked the back of the golden eagle, boasting first-class ride comfort.
"Not a lot—it's few. Up to the third wave, five gates. Fourth and fifth, four gates."
"So one fewer. Fewer spots for enemies to pour out—sounds good for us. Less dispersion of our forces."
Just then, Teus's body tilted sharply, banking about sixty degrees in the air. Even so, the wind cushion steadily supported my leaning body.
"Right. Makes it easier to move quickly between gates.... But you're laying wind magic around and controlling it in real-time? How is the ride this smooth?"
"It's my job—gotta improve, right? These past few days, I've researched how to make flights even comfier."
What service spirit. Touching. At this rate, I'll fall asleep like I'm in bed, even way up here in the dizzying sky.
My destination now was the Naifia region, where I'd once stopped to get Life Link.
If I'd known, I should've hit every spot on the way last time.... But that's not so easy.
The Naifia region itself is a ridiculously vast highland plateau.
Even flying everywhere, combing every nook of this complex, expansive land for long periods isn't simple. Supplies have limits too. I can't survive on sugar bars for days, right?
But ever since getting our golden eagle—Teus—those worries vanished.
I reached into the large luggage bag tied to his neck and pulled out a bundle of cookies wrapped in paper.
Yeah. Gotta eat like a person.
Crunch!
"Hmm.... These got too hard. They were moist when Rania first packed them."
"Sorry. Can't control humidity yet."
"You'd be a god if you could. Throat dry? Want sugar water? Or honey water?"
"I'm fine. We'll reach the destination soon enough—I'll drink then."
Down below, countless cliffs and precariously perched trees came into view. Uren's sanctuary must be somewhere around there.
Head further west from here, and you hit barren canyonlands without a blade of grass. That's where my first stop on this long trip, the 'Wind Canyon,' awaits.
"Enhanced Flame Bottles, huh.... How much stronger are they than regular ones...."
"Does the enemy basic composition change from the sixth wave?"
I'd shown Teus a copy too, so he knew the gist. Maybe even more than the others, since I kept mumbling reviews.
"Yeah. Up to fifth, just regular Flamekin, but the rebel info marks them 'enhanced.'"
"Armored in sturdy plate, spewing fire from their bodies—that's Flamekin, right? Enhanced means tougher armor or fiercer flames."
"Or both. With enhanced Flamekin, a hundred per gate...."
"At least the numbers dropped. Weren't there three hundred per gate up to fifth?"
Numbers down to a third—maybe each is three times stronger? I nodded, simulating in my head.
"Order matters too. If Flamekin come first, easier. But if monsters pour out ahead, or mixed with Flamekin, it's a nightmare. And five Bomb Mines per gate right off...."
"Are Bomb Mines that hard to kill?"
"Killing's relatively easy. But leave them, and our side takes heavy losses."
"Priority one for elimination, then."
"Right. Problem is the new unknowns...."
Per rebel info, from sixth wave, brand-new monsters appear.
First, Shadow Fiends.
What a brutal name.
Not my invention—it's written that way. Translation glitches possible, though.
-Shadow Fiends are living weapons that traverse space freely via shadows.
About twice human size, extremely fast, mainly physical attacks.
Likely immune to most magic, wrapped in 'Bandages of Reason.'
Minimal combat experience with rebels, so no further details.
...That's it.
With so little info, hard to gauge strength.
Can't they explain simply? Stronger than Berserkers, weaker than Corruption Lords. Teleports via shadows, elusive. Something like that.
No comparisons makes prioritizing tough.
Is a Shadow Fiend more urgent than a Bomb Mine?
Ugh.... Headache.
Can't blame the rebels, though. Should be kowtowing in thanks.
Even knowing they exist ahead of time is huge, priorities aside.
Anyway, three Shadow Fiends per gate.
Three Corruption Lords too.
Five Chimeras.
Five Berserkers.
Ten Terror Lords.
....
Suddenly want to cry.
Sixth wave tougher than fifth makes sense....
But this scale bloat is insane!
Normally, others hold while I solo one gate, then rush to help clear others one by one.
Doubt I can solo even one now. Ah, possess with Ignis? But post-possession, I'm combat-ineffective?
"You went quiet. That bad?"
"Huh? No. Just.... Thinking about the rebels."
No, it is that bad. But no need to demoralize early.
"Their situation sounds really rough. Hope they hold out till we block the invasion."
Virex detailed the rebels' plight on the last page.
-After losing the war to the traitors, our rebels hid deep underground for centuries.
-But enduring long-term in isolation without sunlight isn't easy.
-Food and water shortages reached limits; women can't get pregnant, population plummeting.
-Even born children have physical or mental issues; healthy ones are weaker than prior generations, unfit to raise as warriors against traitors....