Episode 297
“I will escort you this way.”
Mirai Tech Headquarters.
Having arrived after receiving a sudden call, Hanbit’s mother followed a suit-clad employee to the basement.
The corridor, lined with a series of closed rooms, felt unsettling.
“…Where did you say this was?”
“This is a special zone for Gear research. Access is generally prohibited for the general public, but we have determined this is an exceptional situation, so we are escorting you, Mother.”
The employee’s words were robotic, yet an invisible tension was palpable.
Mother quietly nodded and followed behind him.
*Crunch*
—Proceeding down the silent corridor, the two stood before a silver iron door.
*Click*—
[Approved.]
As the employee swiped the card on the reader, the door opened with a click.
Inside, people in white lab coats and dozens of monitors were arranged in a complex layout.
“Good morning.”
Just then, a man approached from among the busy researchers.
A grim expression was clearly visible on his face.
“I am Ryujo, in charge of Special Capsule research. I have personally escorted you to show you Hanbit and to provide you with as much information as possible.”
“Is my son… inside there?”
The mother’s gaze fell upon the capsule in the space surrounded by transparent windows.
Although his face was not visible from here, she had a feeling that her son was there.
“Yes. We provided a capsule we owned to find clues regarding the issue that occurred in RP, and as a result, he is now in a situation similar to being trapped inside a game.”
“…….”
Having heard the brief explanation over the phone, the mother could not bring herself to react.
Ryujo fully understood her feelings, but it was also his duty to convey the exact situation.
“I will explain while looking at the screen.”
Ryujo pointed his hand at one of the monitors in the row.
A warning message appeared clearly on the screen, which was tinged red.
[User Unidentified]
[Biometric Information Unable to Verify]
[Connection Path Tracing Failed]
[Connection Blocking Unable]
… … .
“What… does this mean?”
the mother asked in a trembling voice.
The warning message was filled only with the words “Unable” and “Failed.”
Although she could not fully understand the content, she knew that there was no positive element to be found.
Ryujo spoke with an even darker expression.
“Normally, we check the in-game status and estimate activity based on specific patterns, including the user’s biometric data. However, the current situation… is displaying a warning as if Mr. Hanbit does not exist anywhere.”
“…Does that mean my son is in danger?”
“That…”
“I will explain.”
Just then, a woman appeared from a separate booth inside.
Approaching her, she bowed her head before the mother.
“I am Yoshiko Takahashi, CEO of Mirai Tech. First of all, I would like to apologize for the unfortunate situation that has occurred.”
“…….”
Faced with an apology devoid of any excuses or justifications, the mother could find nothing to say.
Biting her lip, the mother looked at the capsule.
“First… may I go inside?”
“Of course.”
Nodding, Yoshiko walked to the transparent window and opened the door.
“You may go in.”
“…Yes.”
Following the instructions, the mother stepped inside.
It was not long before she saw her son lying in the capsule with his eyes closed.
“Son.”
There was no answer even when she called his name softly.
Approaching closer, the mother cautiously reached out and took her son’s hand.
The warmth she felt was a little colder than usual.
“Is your body… okay?”
“Based on monitoring, it is within the normal range. And, this is something I am not supposed to share, but…”
Yoshiko paused in thought as she continued her answer.
Then, as if she had made a decision, she spoke.
“All of these events are connected to a being called God.”
“…What?”
Her mother looked bewildered at the sudden remark.
She wondered if Yoshiko was bringing up religion, but Yoshiko continued immediately.
“It may be hard to believe, but it is the truth. The problem currently affecting Hanbit is also, fundamentally,…”
Beep—!!
Just then, a warning sound suddenly rang out from the main monitor.
Everyone in the laboratory turned their gaze to the screen simultaneously.
[Connector’s biometric information detected.]
[Re-identifying the connection.]
Beep-beep—
The mechanical sounds ringing out amidst the sudden silence, and the unexpected message.
The research team became busy in an instant.
“H-hurry, check the logs first!”
“There are changes over here, too!”
“Don’t miss even the smallest one!”
The shifted atmosphere heated up the air.
It was clear, at the very least, that it was a positive change.
“I apologize. I will just take a quick look.”
Yoshiko approached and began to quickly inspect the capsule device.
The atmosphere had changed suddenly.
The mother, feeling as if she were left all alone in the midst of it, quietly murmured,
“…Son.”
She had absolutely no intention of interfering with what her son—her everything and her pride—was trying to do.
However, given the situation, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted. Her mind couldn’t
keep up, especially since the CEO of such a large company had even mentioned being a god.
“There are no problematic changes in the device itself, but we will conduct a more precise investigation.”
Yoshiko, who had been examining the capsule, stepped out to join the research team.
Just then.
*Pow!*
A fierce light suddenly erupted from the capsule.
“…Ugh!”
The sudden radiance intensely stimulated the vision of both of them.
Despite the shock, the mother leaned forward urgently to check on her son's condition.
"Son!"
As the light vanished immediately, the figure of Hanbit lying inside the capsule came into view.
Fortunately, her son's face was free of any scars.
Aside from that, there was nothing particularly concerning.
"Phew."
The mother let out a deep sigh of relief.
And when her gaze naturally shifted to the hand she was holding…
"…?"
She discovered a black and white pattern engraved on the back of her son's hand.
***
Swoosh—
Along with the sensation of a trans-dimensional transference, the landscape changed.
A sea of complex colors was visible around them.
Hanbit was standing at the summit of the Black Tower.
"You have returned."
The man who had been waiting in the same posture spoke quietly.
A face whose age was impossible to gauge, and eyes holding the immeasurable length of time.
He was the Sage, the master of the Tower.
"How was your experience meeting a relative from another world?"
He took a step closer and looked at Hanbit.
His gaze was unwavering, yet it held a small sense of relief.
"Yes. I met the Dragon King in person and spoke with him."
Nodding in response, Hanbit recounted everything that had happened there. Perhaps sensing
that the Sage had gathered quite a bit of new information as well, his expression grew increasingly complex.
“That is the end. In conclusion, it appears the trial of awakening is to find the White Dragon and seize the power he has accumulated.”
Having finished his explanation, Hanbit summarized the goal in a single sentence.
The Sage nodded and shifted his gaze beyond the horizon.
“You received the alias of the Black Dragon in the past… Was there such a past?”
The Black Dragon, a companion-like presence by Serenia’s side.
Because he was a man of few words and rarely spoke of himself, it was a story he had never heard before. After all,
he had said that the name Black Dragon merely represented his color.
Come to think of it now, it was quite a silly joke.
“I understand the situation. It is fortunate that the Dragon King is showing you favor.”
“…Well. It didn’t feel like favor to me.”
“If it hadn’t been favor, I would have been banished from the Otherworld the moment I set foot in Dracones. I, too, did not know the Dragon King’s emotions.”
The Dragon King's feelings toward the Black Dragon were complex.
His younger brother had become a guardian, ignoring the wishes of his family who had tried to dissuade him.
He had believed the Black Dragon had been killed by Barcasia, yet unexpectedly, the son born from that union had arrived.
Had he harbored feelings bordering on rage, it would not have been surprising if he had driven him away immediately. Though,
after all, he would never have harmed the blood of royalty.
“Furthermore, the Dragon King’s interest in you stems from power and talent that transcend bloodlines. After all, the Dragon race is a being that pursues strength above all else.”
With a stomp,
the Sage moved to the center of the tower's summit.
He then drew his staff and gazed at the sky.
Swoosh—
a cloud of color had suddenly appeared in the sky above.
It moved rapidly and began to form a shape.
“…Is it a map?”
“Yes.”
The color, which took shape in an instant, resembled a map from RP.
Looking up at it, the Sage continued speaking slowly.
“As you know, the Black Dragon and the White Dragon are beings who left Dracones in the beginning and migrated to this world. Among them, the White Dragon was the one who was drawn by the Goddess of Turmoil.”
“So I did consider whether I should kill the White Dragon. An enemy wouldn’t readily lend their strength.”
“I understand your concerns, but to be precise, the current White Dragon is not on Barcasia’s side.”
“…Huh?”
Question arose at the unexpected remark.
At that, the Sage stirred the clouds in the sky once again.
“It was in the primordial era that the White Dragon sympathized with Barcasia’s will. It was a time when they dreamed of definite change. From the very beginning, the two dragons of that time were not acting for a specific goddess, but for the sake of the world.” It was
the primordial past where they united their wills to dream of prosperity.
It was a time when the wills of the two goddesses healthily exchanged ideas on how to shape the world, centering on that foundation.
Naturally, the Black Dragon and the White Dragon followed that original will and stood with the two goddesses, striving for the world without taking sides.
“The problem was Barcasia’s will, which was becoming increasingly radical. Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, she left the world, and an uneasy atmosphere prevailed. Even in such a situation, the White Dragon trusted the goddess and waited. However, in the end, Barcasia launched an invasion for the sake of destruction.”
“…According to the records, it was written that a single dragon betrayed us. Was that not the case?”
“To put it simply, it was a misunderstanding on the part of the Black Dragon. The White Dragon threw himself into the fray solely to stop Barcasia. I thought the same at the time, so I have no excuse.”
Back in the past, when the war broke out,
the White Dragon, striving for the world, immediately joined Barcasia’s camp.
It was to grasp the will and true intentions of the Goddess of Turmoil and to make a decision.
“The White Dragon is a being with unwavering standards. He never acts against his convictions.”
“…Then was he killed by Barcasia? If he isn’t alive…”
“No, he is alive.” The clouds in the sky, which had been
slithering,
expanded toward the terrain where the sea once stood.
It was the northernmost point, a place known as the Sea of Frigidity.
“Barcasia neutralized the White Dragon who launched the attack and tore out a part of his soul. She kept him alive with a specific intention.”
“…If you mean intention, could it be Sirius?”
“Yes. It was a plan designed with another monster from another dimension in mind. Just as the Black Dragon became your vessel, I used the White Dragon as a vessel for the soul. I even went so far as to steal the name Sirius.” *
Swoosh*—a
uniquely shaped underwater prison appeared on the slightly enlarged map.
Just looking at it gave one an unsuppressable feeling of suffocation.
“The quality of the souls of the monster from another dimension and the primordial dragon race were vastly different. That is why I tore off and used only a portion of the soul. Barcasia imprisoned the White Dragon in the underwater prison to use the remaining part in the future.”
“Then, Sirius will be on the move soon, too.”
“Probably. He will be moving frantically to replenish his depleted soul and seize even more.” *
Swoosh*—The
Sage erased the image in the sky and lightly raised his hand.
At that, a single crystal appeared, sparkling with a blood-red light.
Receiving it, Hanbit examined its mysterious appearance and asked,
“What is this?”
“The Sea of Frigidity is blocked by a barrier created by Barcasia’s divine power. You must use this Warp Crystal to enter that realm. However, resolving the situation facing this world comes first.”
“…Ah.”
The situation facing this world.
In other words, it meant that the entire RP had become unstable.
The massive butterfly effect caused by the contact with Momo in reality had not yet vanished.
“The world is currently too unstable. Considering the damage caused by variables, it would be best to return it to normal. After all, Sirius is likely focusing on recovery.”
The Sage slowly extended his arm and placed his hand on Hanbit’s shoulder.
And the moment a rippling power was felt,
*swoosh*
—a blue portal appeared in the silent center of the tower.
Turning his gaze to Hanbit, he spoke with a serious expression.
“Use the power of the Guardian to quell the waves rising in the Sea of Souls. As the son of the Black Dragon and one who embraces the three realms, you are capable.”
