Episode 244.
A space completely shrouded in darkness.
Lost in a heavy, stifling sensation, Hanbit let out a short sigh.
'What on earth is going on?'
When he attempted to use the Orb of Resurrection, an error covered the screen. He was
forcibly transported to a mysterious location.
The only thing visible at first glance was a single faint beam of light in the distance.
'The broadcast is off, too.'
The screen where the streaming had been running was completely black.
Perhaps due to the error extending to this side as well, there was no response.
*Crunch*
—Checking his hands and feet, Hanbit slowly moved forward.
It felt like walking underwater, yet his sense of direction remained intact. *
Swoosh*—As
he drew closer to the light, the outline of the space began to reveal itself.
A tunnel-like passageway and a circular entrance visible straight ahead.
Stepping inside was instantaneous.
'Nobody's here.'
Stepping inside, Hanbit looked around with a puzzled expression.
A space filled with transparent crystals.
It wasn't very large, but it exuded a sacred aura.
'Hmm.'
A cylindrical structure and a spiral staircase stood in the center.
Being only about three stories high, the top was not visible.
Hanbit looked around, then slowly stepped up the stairs.
'A cradle?'
Upon reaching the top, a flower-shaped cradle caught his eye.
Having fully ascended, Hanbit cautiously approached.
And the moment he discovered the being lying inside the cradle…
“…What?”
His eyes widened, and a voice involuntarily escaped his lips.
A woman asleep, clad in pure white robes without a single speck of dust. It was the Goddess of Silence who had dragged him to this other world, the one he could never forget, no matter how hard he tried. “Why are you…?” Hanbit took another step closer and was engulfed in a rush of questions. Why was the Goddess asleep in such a place? Why had she summoned him? There were so many things he had to ask. *Crunch* —Taking another step, Hanbit reached out his hand toward the Goddess. Just as his fingertips were about to touch her shoulder… “She cannot wake up at this moment.” A voice came from behind the cradle. *Thump—* Hanbit naturally stepped back and reached for the sword at his waist. However, that weapon, too, had vanished. “You do not need to be so wary. This is a space where neither side can interfere with the other.” With a swoosh, an elderly woman appeared. It was certain that he had never seen her face before, even after searching through his memories. “I do not know how you came here, but I believe we will be allowed a brief conversation.” The old woman wore a serene smile. Hanbit, whose mind was in turmoil, was also in a situation where he needed to talk. Looking at the goddess’s face, he asked a question. “Where is this?” “This is a sealed space within the Record Project. As you can see, the Goddess of Silence is asleep here.” “…Sealed?” The unexpected truth left him bewildered. To think that the very person responsible for this series of events was sealed away. He was so dumbfounded that he couldn't even manage a hollow laugh. “It is understandable that you find this difficult to understand. However, I can tell you with certainty that the choice of sealing was for the sake of the world and Lord Black Dragon.” “For my sake?” “Wasn’t it strange? Why was Lord Black Dragon the only one granted 55 chances? Why are the players on the side of the Goddess of Turmoil targeting Lord Black Dragon? It was like perfectly fitting gears, too perfect to be dismissed as mere coincidence.” “…….” Hanbit could not respond to the old man’s words. It was the significant difference he had noticed while facing those with experience in another world during roleplay. While everyone else was merely on their first playthrough, he had experienced a peculiar number of 55. Ultimately, this served as a weapon incomparable to anything else in the roleplay. It was also true that he had gained financial security that would have been unimaginable in the past. He suspected that the Oracle and the Holy Body Faction, who were obsessed with him, were extensions of that. “…Who are you?” Hanbit asked, gazing at the old man. He knew neither his name nor anything else, yet he possessed so much knowledge. He was certainly not an ordinary being. “The vanished people of the gods. That would be the correct way to describe it.” “The people of the gods, then…….” “You can think of them as people who lost their lives along with the destruction of Paradise. It would be easiest to imagine the Restricted Zone. Though it is likely from the distant past.” “Ah.” The unique space that appeared upon clearing the Restricted Zone.
It was a unique sensation, a blend of multiple worlds and time.
It was familiar to Hanbit, as he had faced death every time in this other world.
“Were you revived by the Goddess’s power?”
“It is nothing but an illusion, but I am grateful to be able to guard the God’s side. The ‘game’ element on Earth is truly fascinating.”
The smiling old man appeared genuinely satisfied.
Although the exact circumstances were still unknown, the general situation was clear.
Of course, there were points that needed to be addressed.
“I will ask the question again. What exactly does it mean that the Goddess was sealed for my sake?”
“You would be better off hearing that from him.”
The old man’s gaze turned beyond the front.
Turning his head, Hanbit saw a red-haired man standing near the stairs.
“…I never expected to meet you like this.”
His expression was quite complex as he quietly murmured these words.
The man approached and stood before Hanbit.
Then, he spoke his name.
“I am Team Zero. It would be more accurate to introduce myself as an experienced being of another world, like Lord Black Dragon, rather than a developer of RP.”
“You…”
Team Zero, the developer of the Record Project.
Receiving a message in the first private zone was the entirety of their one-sided conversation.
“The seal remains intact.”
Zero gazed at the Goddess and carefully examined the condition of the Cradle.
It seemed that this was also the entity responsible for the seal.
“I think I need an explanation.”
Hanbit requested information from Zero.
As the person in charge of RP, he surely had plenty to tell.
“…I will tell you what is possible.”
Nodding, he stepped back a step from the Cradle.
Then, looking around the crystal-filled space, he spoke. Before
anyone realized it, the old man had disappeared behind the Cradle.
“First of all, the reason Lord Black Dragon came here was due to an error. To be precise, a problem arose in the structure of the pre-designed Divine Power. In terms of probability, it was an unexpected coincidence so improbable that it is difficult to even calculate.”
“Are you saying RP was created with Divine Power?”
“A tremendous amount of divine power was used. The technical elements that make up the game are merely secondary.”
He added that it was also the result of consultation between the Goddess of Silence and the Goddess of Turmoil.
As it had been roughly mentioned in the contents of the stone tablet, it was not difficult to understand.
“Then what happened to the seal? You mentioned it was for my sake.”
“The Goddess chose to impose restrictions upon herself.”
“Restrictions?”
The phrase “self-imposed restrictions” sounded somewhat strange.
It seemed like a bad move to make during a war of gods over the destruction of the world.
As if reading my thoughts, Zero asked a question.
“Do you think divine power is omnipotent?” “
Well, if it were omnipotent, I wouldn’t have needed to roll 55 times, would I?”
“…That is a slightly different matter, but in any case, divine power has limits. It is even more restrictive, especially when two or more gods are involved. The way to resolve that is precisely by imposing restrictions and conditions.”
Zero’s explanation was simple.
The two goddesses who had used divine power to bring the world known as RP to life.
They poured additional energy into the areas they each desired and laid the groundwork to lead them to victory.
However, for a more secure future, the Goddess of Silence imposed several shackles.
One of them was a seal.
“The Goddess of Silence poured the greatest effort into the composition of the Black Dragon. She hoped to bring in as much of the 55 experiences as possible. Because that barrier was so high, several restrictions and conditions were added.” “
…So, you invested everything in me?”
“Considering the personnel for assistance as well, that is how it will end up.”
“Haa…”
At this shocking news, Hanbit glared at the Goddess’s face.
The sight of her sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the situation, was utterly absurd.
“Why me?”
“That is not something I should be speaking about. The shackles placed upon you will be released once the uncensored zone is conquered, so please do your best.”
“What if I let go of everything?”
“Then we will simply perish along with the RP. The ruins seen in the uncensored zone will become the future of Earth.”
Her vision blurred at the destructive prophecy she uttered so nonchalantly.
Of course, I have no intention of letting go, but how on earth does the idea of investing everything in a single person even come about? I
felt an urge to wake that carefree goddess as soon as possible.
“What about the Holy Body Faction? The Goddess of Turmoil must be aware of the restrictions.”
“Of course, they must have exerted their influence as well. The Holy Body Faction players currently dominating the rankings are proof of that. The good news is that their intervention and interference in Lord Black Dragon’s episodes are acting as a restriction.”
“…So, you’re saying that the more those people interfere, the stronger the divine power the Goddess pours out becomes?”
“You can consider it a brighter future.”
“…….”
Hanbit was left speechless by the sincere expression on his face.
Not that the decision to exclude those who would jump in to cause trouble would change, anyway.
“I want to wake the Goddess quickly.”
“That is something I earnestly desire as well.”
“Then please give me a hint about the other restricted areas.”
“Unfortunately, that is impossible. It is a matter included in the agreement of the gods.”
Zero shook his head firmly and refused.
He must have prevented excessive intervention in the flow of the game as a developer and operator.
“Are you aware of the other issues? People like Momo or Grace’s younger sibling?”
“It appears they were taken by the Goddess of Turmoil and suffered damage. It would be best if you found the answer yourself.”
Zero cut off his words as if putting the brakes on.
This, too, seemed to be a factor related to the flow of the game.
For now, the mere fact that a solution existed was enough.
Crack—
Just then, a small line split in the corner of his vision.
Crack—crash—
it began to spread, gradually expanding its territory.
“This is a phenomenon where the error is naturally repairing. You will be able to return to where you originally were soon.”
Zero explained on her behalf.
Hanbit, who had been quietly gazing at the Goddess’s face, asked a question that suddenly occurred to him.
“Come to think of it, what happened with the special rewards? I haven’t received them since the second episode.”
“Distribution is being refused. It seems the Goddess has something else she desires.”
“…I understand for now.”
He was left speechless at the mention of the Goddess.
He didn’t know what she intended to give him, but if it fell short of expectations, he could simply complain directly.
Crack—
just then, the rift enveloped almost his entire field of vision.
“Then, I will meet you next time on a normal occasion.”
“Very well.”
Responding to Zero’s greeting, Hanbit shifted his gaze to the cradle.
And the moment he took in the Goddess’s face…
Crack—
along with the final rift, the sensation of transference struck.
Swoosh—
a green landscape that had appeared out of nowhere filled his vision.
Seeing the yellow sunlight streaming through the leaves, something felt strange.
*Thump*
—Hanbit looked at the vines wrapped around his body.
For some reason, he found himself nestled among the dense branches of the World Tree.
*Sssss*—Just
then, a branch crept closer from beside his head.
Lifting his head, Hanbit opened his eyes wide.
*Rust*
—Golden petals bloomed upon a pure white calyx.
The iridescent dust scattered between them was enchantingly beautiful.
Reaching out as if entranced, Hanbit carefully touched the flower.
*Ding*—
[You have obtained the World Tree Flower.]
