Chapter 1054
Episode 251: The Adversaries (4)
After Orgal left, the comrades remained lost in thought for a while.
So much had changed in an instant. The shocking truth had come to light: Kinzello, once their sworn enemy, was now an ally. And the power of the Gipl that the alliance had uncovered so far was only the tip of the iceberg.
Especially for the five who had seen versions of themselves from other dimensions, the situation felt even more complicated. Even Sandra had stopped her rampage to clear her mind.
“…First, I need to report all this to Chief Butler,” Jin said.
“I’ll make sure to relay the details to the allies, including the Bihgung,” Mary and Kashmir picked up their communicators. This would send shockwaves throughout the entire alliance.
“Hmm, the way things are unfolding doesn’t look good. If everything Orgal said is true, then those demon generals could attack us at any time, right? I mean, if they manage to overcome the restrictions on interfering between worlds.”
“That’s right, Murakan,” Jin nodded.
“Honestly, it’s hard to believe. With the alliance’s current strength, it feels like we could handle anything that comes our way.”
“…If I were a Gipl from another dimension capable of interference,” Jin began, drawing the attention of his comrades, “I’d be preparing for an all-out war. I’ve already dealt with every other world—this one’s the last.”
If they could finish this world, the Gipl would be the sole victor across all dimensions.
With the goal so close, there was no reason not to give it their all.
“Right now, there are still restrictions, but they can observe us while we can’t observe them. That alone means those restrictions are already breaking down. They’ve won in countless worlds. We’ve grown stronger than ever, but they’re probably even stronger.”
If it were just a single dimension, maybe they could win. But against a ‘Dimensional Alliance’ or a ‘Unified Gipl’ force, a direct confrontation was impossible.
“…Therefore, we must end the Gipl quickly and decisively. We can’t let them receive support from other worlds.”
“But even if we defeat them here, couldn’t other Gipls invade?”
“That’s always possible. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, we need to put out the fire at our feet. First, Brother Ban, once the Golden Fleet returns, begin tracking the Tower of Stories immediately. Butler Ruet of Runkandel will join you.”
Ruet was currently managing Runkandel’s internal affairs.
But now, like Valeria, Ruet needed to be on the front lines. She was also a record keeper, after all.
“Understood.”
“Since Kinzello has tentatively become an ally, we’ll significantly reduce the forces assigned to homeland defense. Given the current situation, the chance of the Gipl invading us immediately is low. Above all, if they’re aware of interdimensional beings like us, they’ll likely prioritize holding out until reinforcements arrive.”
“That makes sense. It’s a battle we win by endurance. Aside from manipulation through the demon stones, our forces are overwhelming.”
The Tower of Stories was currently believed to be mobile, like a flying fortress.
Moreover, the demon stones around the tower were continuously causing some kind of interference, making it nearly impossible to track records—perfect for defense.
“Murakan, Luna, and I, along with other superhumans, will track the Tower of Stories, making sure our paths don’t overlap with the Golden Fleet.”
The long-awaited ‘Golden Fleet’ of the Bamel Alliance had now entered full production. With the liberation of Laprarosa, most technical issues had been resolved. So all the superhumans would ride the Golden Fleet to pursue the tower.
“Brother Ban and the king will organize the fleet. And to guard against manipulation, tracking will always be done with either Changseong or a record keeper present.”
Changseong’s ‘Power of Existence’ and record magic—though the former was somewhat weaker than the latter—could still counter historical manipulation to some extent. No matter how many Golden Fleets there were, one of these two was essential.
“While we focus on defense, the enemy will try to assert their presence in the general world somehow. When that happens, forces sympathetic to the Gipl’s power might appear, just like before. Quikantel, you’ll be in charge of preventing and suppressing that. Runkandel and Tikan will provide troops.”
“Got it. Yeah, there are plenty of fools out there.”
“And tracking Ganesto must proceed alongside the search for the Tower of Stories. Come to think of it, I should ask Orgal if we can use his dream abilities for that. And Jet.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Contact the Jinma Realm immediately and arrange a meeting with Silkia.”
Silkia Arsia.
Jin thought of her. In the Jinma Realm, she was known as the one who saved the most people, possessing the world’s strongest ‘large-scale dimensional travel’ ability.
—Besides that, Silkia has other powers. Sir Basset said she hasn’t even fully awakened her own strength yet. So if we ever need her power in the future, we can reach out. Or maybe Silkia will contact us first?
Basset had described Silkia as a ‘being who could become a god,’ and her dimensional travel ability was practically divine.
Jin thought that power might be the key to countering the Gipl.
A dimensional gate that could pierce through the Gipl’s manipulations and lead to the Tower of Stories, or a passageway to interfere with other dimensions.
Of course, there was no guarantee Silkia would succeed, but if there was even a small chance, they had to explore it. Even if not for those two things, Silkia’s powers could be used in many ways.
Also, the Jinma Realm was a place that needed to be revisited.
In the two months since liberation from Jito, the Jinma Realm had been focused on reconstruction. The ‘Flame of Destruction’ left by Kelliak had almost vanished, so alongside rebuilding, there was now a new priority.
Finding the altar of the Sun God remaining in the Jinma Realm. If it was Kinzello’s self who wished to ‘maintain’ it, he would be a reliable ally. If not, they had to destroy it before it could resurrect like Bligiet.
“Understood!”
Aside from meeting Silkia, Valeria was the most important person for all other matters, just as Orgal had said.
“That’s all for today. But be on high alert—unexpected incidents could happen anytime.”
Jin left the conference room to meet Valeria.
‘She’s probably sorting her thoughts inside the hangar, in the Red Owl.’
Everyone’s minds felt heavy, and Jin was no exception.
Regression.
On the way to the hangar, Jin thought about his regression. Maybe it was time to reveal to his comrades that he was a regressor.
‘When I was young, I had no power, so I couldn’t tell anyone. Besides, there was no reason to. After gaining strength, I couldn’t explain it, so I still didn’t tell. And now…’
Now, there was no reason not to.
Even if the alliance learned he was a regressor, they wouldn’t blame or abandon him. But countless ordinary people whose lives had changed because of his regression—he couldn’t expect all of them to support him.
‘The world hasn’t improved since before I regressed, and some have certainly suffered because of it.’
The only one who had ever understood that burden was Ayula, just before she disappeared.
—The deaths along your path aren’t your fault. They’re the responsibility of the one who made you this way. But when you reach the end of that path… maybe you won’t be crushed by all those deaths. There must be a reason you gained the power of regeneration as soon as you became Changseong.
Ayula’s words had been comforting, but it wasn’t reality yet.
‘Regeneration… can this power really undo all the misfortunes they endured?’
Impossible.
He had always thought so. That was why, as a regressor, he had to make the world a place worth living in.
That was also why he now felt he should reveal his regression. Just as he sought to explore Silkia’s power, maybe his regression held a clue to turning the tide.
He wasn’t afraid of being judged. Even if his comrades were disappointed, that didn’t scare him. The only fear was that his regression might make the world suffer more.
“Valeria.”
Jin opened the door to the Red Owl. As expected, Valeria was curled up in the cockpit.
“You’re here.”
They stared at each other for a long moment.
“Earlier in the conference room, I wasn’t looking for any particular answer from you. You know that, right?”
“I do. But…”
“You want to talk about your secret, don’t you?”
Jin’s eyes widened.
Valeria recalled the day they met on Honka Island. That day, Jin had essentially revealed his ‘secret,’ but she had deliberately avoided responding. She had a gut feeling it wasn’t the right time.
“That’s right.”
Just as Jin was about to continue, Valeria shook her head, stopping him.
“Don’t.”
“Huh?”
“I’m really curious too, but whatever it is, now’s not the time to talk about it. For very practical reasons.”
“Practical reasons?”
Valeria stood and approached Jin.
“To be honest, I’ve come to suspect what your secret might be. There were some personal experiences I had that you don’t know about, and the information Orgal brought was like the final piece of the puzzle.”
By ‘personal experiences,’ she meant the strange things she’d witnessed while with Jin—like the time he ordered the exact same meal that her past self used to love at a restaurant.
“So why…?”
“I believe your secret is the most crucial factor in this whole situation. Even more important than the meeting with Orgal or Helluram. And Orgal said himself that his encounter with Helluram would be recorded in the completed Demon God Stones of other dimensions. That means the G-Phils would become aware of their meeting.”
Valeria was on edge.
The moment Jin confessed his secret, those completed Demon God Stones from other dimensions would record it.
“Of course, the completed Demon God Stones can’t record everything in this world. There are limitations. But they’re likely to capture the most important facts—like the meeting between Orgal and Helluram… or your secret. So if your secret gets exposed, we could lose one of the most critical variables. That’s why I told you not to say a word. Absolutely not.”