1002-1010

Chapter 1002: Fate of Twins (3)

It was time to part.

Rhode gazed at the familiar face in silence. In fact, he was rather hoping that this was a conspiracy. If it were possible, he wished to abandon everything and remain in this place with her forever. But his rationale told him that it was impossible as all good things must come to an end. Even though it didn't feel as serious, he realized just how rich his feelings for her were when he faced her directly, so rich that he couldn't simply say with words that could change everything. But the young lady also seemed aware of it. She quietly gazed at Rhode, her eyes filled with strong attachment. Then, she slowly lowered her gaze and spoke.

"Time is up, Big Brother. You should be leaving now."

"Can you go with me?"

Rhode hesitated, before asking the question. The young lady shook her head quietly in response.

"I'm only a spirit fragment, Big Brother. I have reached my limit, showing myself in this form..."

"Perhaps I can turn you into my summoning spirit? You know, like..."

"This is Earth, Big Brother."

The young lady chuckled.

"Have you forgotten that this isn't the Dragon Soul Continent? Our strength as Creator Dragons will only be effective in the Dragon Soul Continent. Earth doesn't have the rules that fit Spirit Swordsmen. If not, why would we turn back into ordinary humans?"

"..."

This time Rhode didn't say a word. In fact, he tried activating his power earlier but there were no effects at all. Nothing appeared and everything was abnormally peaceful as though he didn't possess any power and appeared more like a sufferer of the 'middle-school second-year syndrome' who lived in his world of delusions. It seemed like the Creator Dragons were right. This world wasn't suitable for their rules to unleash power. They also didn't have enough power to change the rules of this world.

"If it is possible, I hope to continue living. I don't want to die. But... sometimes we have to accept reality. Big Brother..." The young lady stood to her feet. Then, Rhode also stood up, gazing at her delicate body, slim waist, and bright, dazzling eyes. He knew clearly that she was here. But he was about to lose her again.

"Huhuhu. Alright, Big Brother, don't put up that expression, you're making me feel terrible. Besides, you still need to take care of our daughter, so you don't have a choice to not head back, okay?"

"Daughter?"

Rhode was taken aback, widening his eyes blankly at the young lady before him. He was completely speechless. The young revealed a witty smile at him, before touching her chin with her fingers and said, "Did you forget what we've done, Big Brother?"

"No. But back then... Besides, you... Why am I not aware... The doctor didn't mention anything..."

Rhode stuttered in disbelief. Indeed, their relationship had developed at lightning speed after their 'cold war' ended. Shortly after, they exceeded the boundaries of moral ethics. Due to the strange and mysterious telepathy between them, not only could they sense the blissfulness and comfort in their bodies, but they could also enjoy the sensation from each other. They were addicted to double happiness. Perhaps knowing that she couldn't live for long, the happiness from abandoning herself to despair gave them the taste of 'living day by day'. It was the behavior of being unable to accept cruel reality and continuously indulging themselves in the paradise of illusory fascination. But even so, what they got was far more than what they lost.

"Have you forgotten, Big Brother? I'm the Void Dragon."

The young lady held her stomach and revealed a blissful, gentle smile.

"That was my first love. Well, if I die without leaving anything behind, I won't be able to forgive myself. This body does lack the ability, but it doesn't mean that I don't have a way to make myself pregnant."

Rhode was shocked by this sudden news. He rubbed his forehead and calmed down after a long time. Then, he spoke.

"Who is the daughter that you said? Where is she? How do I look for her?"

"Huh?"

The young lady blinked curiously.

"Haven't you met her already? I sensed her presence from you, Big Brother. How strange... Didn't Christie tell you anything...?"

"What you're saying is..."

Rhode was baffled. Of course, he knew that this 'Christie' wasn't the one who had always been by his side. Instead, she was referring to the powerful figure in the Astral Temple. It seemed like there was only one explanation...

"But aren't you unable to... How did you..."

"Indeed, I was really weak back then, so weak that I couldn't return to the continent. But I'm the Void Dragon, after all. In terms of space travel, I have more experience than anyone else. Although I lacked the strength to transmigrate, it wouldn't be a problem if I have a life form in me made by the strength of my Big Brother. Besides, Christie is my direct subject. In terms of space, she is as adept at it as me. But I didn't expect that... Huhuhu, you're still kept in the dark by her."

I swear I will catch that little rascal from the Astral Temple and give her a good spanking after I return!

At this moment, Rhode only had one thought. He finally realized that he was cheated by the other 'Christie'. The other 'Christie' had never explained Christie's identity clearly. She only mentioned that she was her other self, which was why Rhode treated Christie as a human with the bloodline of the Deity Warden. But now, it seemed like... Damn it. If his younger sister was truly the Void Dragon, Christie would be her creation. And according to his younger sister, the other 'Christie' was 'born' from his and her combined power. This meant that the two Christies were sisters. In this case, there wasn't an issue with Christie calling the other 'Christie' as her other self... But...

Forget it, I will teach her a lesson after I head back!

Rhode threw this thought to the back of his head decisively. Then, he asked anxiously.

"By the way, our daughter has poor health, just like you. Even though it is nothing serious, she doesn't look optimistic. Do you have any solutions?"

"Just like me?"

The young lady stifled her smile slightly. She lowered her eyes and pondered.

"There are ways... Although I don't understand the specific situation, I suspect it might be due to the tolerance issue of a fragile human sustaining the formidable power of the Void Dragon. I suppose you're already aware that dragon soul heirs don't exactly pass on to the next generation by means of heirs. Instead, only talented ones are able to inherit the dragon soul powers. It seems like... our child is facing the same problem. It's a pity. If I gave her my body back then... No, if I did that, the pitiful child may not be able to survive the spatial turbulence and will be directly ripped apart..."

"Is there any solution?"

"Of course, Big Brother."

The young lady smiled at Rhode's anxious query.

"The biggest problem for our child now perhaps is that her human body is unable to tolerate the overbearing dragon soul powers. All you needed to do is to just transform her body to become the Void Dragon Race like you and I. You know it... Soul changes body, isn't it?"

"But I don't have such powers..."

"Yes, you don't have such powers now. But I will pass you mine. Thereafter, you can become the perfect Void Dragon. This is my mission and my original assignment. And now, it is time for me to accomplish my mission, so please don't refuse, okay, Big Brother? This is my wish and also for the sake of our daughter..."

The young lady extended her arms and embraced his body. Rhode was taken aback. But he instinctively wrapped his arms around the warm, fragile body. He was aware that perhaps this was the last hug. But even so, he wasn't willing to let it end.

"If this is a beautiful dream, I hope it will never end."

"But one will always awake from dreams, Big Brother."

Hearing the familiar voice beside his ear, Rhode felt his younger sister hugging him tightly. He shut his eyes and enclasped the petite figure in his arms.

"Big Brother... please don't forget. I will be with you forever... I love you."

As the gentle voice that resembled sleep-talk sounded in his ear, his vision was filled with an incomparable radiance. Then, he felt the sweet, familiar pair of lips pressing against his again, while a warm, powerful energy flowed into his body. He hugged the warm body tightly as though they were fusing into one, losing the boundary between them and returning to a presence of an eternity once again. The aromatic scent, soft skin, and beautiful, tender body belonged to him now. From this moment onward, they had become one forever.

"I love you too..."

Responding to him was a string of crisp, bell-like chuckles. When he opened his eyes again, there was nothing in his arms.

The spots of bright light drifting before his eyes were the only proof of what had happened.

Chapter 1003: A Risky Plan

Rhode laid his hands down, quietly gazing at the spots of light fading away. After the final spot of light vanished, he turned around and left the room without looking back. Everything that he experienced here had ended, just like in the past, present, and future. The beginning of a phase meant the end of another.

Same went for everything else.

When Rhode returned to the meeting room, the four of them displayed awkward expressions. Arthur gaped, but didn't speak a word. Ningmi and Ningjing looked at Rhode with complications. Serena let out a cough upon realizing their reaction, but when she was about to speak, Rhode raised his hand and stopped her.

"Alright, there's no need to talk about the past anymore. I've heard enough and don't wish for it to repeat. We need to get back on the right track. I suppose we don't have time to waste on consoling and having a heart-to-heart chat."

"You're right."

Arthur immediately composed his emotions for business. Then, he stretched out his hand and retrieved four crystal-clear crystals. Inside the beautiful crystals were countless, tiny, constantly revolving runes. They formed a strange, mysterious formula, flashing across the surface of the crystals. Rhode took the four crystals and clearly felt a pure energy exuding from within them. Arthur was right. Rhode didn't understand the differences between Order and Chaos in the past, but now the crystals in his hands were the perfect representation of Order. Rhode sensed the power of Order coalesce within the crystals, as though they were dismantled furniture, which was then packaged and left right there. All he needed to do was to release it from the crystals and install them according to the steps. They would then become the most natural and perfect system.

"After you return, you will need to activate these crystals beside the signal tower, Mr. Rhode. Order within them will automatically complete the next step. You just have to check the system interface from time to time and ensure there are no issues with the merging of Order. Don't worry, it won't be a difficult task. We have injected corresponding knowledge in them. As soon as you activate them, you'll receive the content in them, Mr. Rhode."

"Why me? Can't the other dragon soul heirs do it?"

Rhode knitted his brows. In fact, he wasn't interested in managing the data of a world all day like a Game Master. Game Masters had shift rotations and weren't even doing the job alone. Were they intending to let him manage the world alone for the rest of his life? Arthur showed a forced smile to Rhode's question.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Rhode. Everything including the search data fused with your body when you transmigrated. That is why only you can execute adjustments through the system. Of course, the other dragon soul heirs will also sense the subtle changes in Order. But with their abilities, they will have difficulties making adjustments and changes on a high level. Mistakes may even occur by accident if they aren't careful. This is why we can only rely on you."

"Only me... Frankly, I can't guarantee that everything will go well."

"Don't worry about this. Apart from you, 'No. 7' can also assist you in this mission."

ネオグレイス - 広島県東広島市

"What's that?"

For some unknown reason, Arthur suddenly mentioned a term which Rhode couldn't understand at all. Arthur gazed at him, slightly surprised.

"It's the program that we used to search, conform, and confirm the intelligence and rules of this world. Didn't I explain it to you already? Mr. Rhode, when the program sends you back to the Dragon Soul Continent, it will also send the data with you, just in case. The data includes the program used to gather intelligence. We named it the '7th Generalized Intelligence Collection And Integration AI'. In short, 'No. 7′. Judging from the current situation, it has already been activated. Didn't you see it, Mr. Rhode?"

"... Why don't I remember anything about this 7th-what program..."

Rhode scratched his head in puzzlement. He did have the system, but had never witnessed any so-called AI before. Not only that, but the system was also an ordinary one and didn't come with any artificial intelligence that stuck around with him like in some of the novels. Arthur gazed dubiously at Rhode and at this moment, Ningjing spoke with some hesitation.

"By the way, Mr. Rhode. The AI has even given itself a name—Gillian. Does it ring a bell to you?"

"... Damn, her..."

Rhdoe's expression turned strange. After sensing their curious gazes, he gave an awkward cough, suppressing his urge to instantly head back and pull that sly fox out of the hole by her ears. Then, he waved his hand airily and changed the topic.

"Yes... I'm aware. Alright, I know who to look for now. Let's get back to the main topic. Do all of you really think that everything will be fine?"

"Mr Rhode?"

The four of them stared blankly at him, before exchanging glances with one another. Rhode spread his arms apart and looked into their eyes one by one. Upon sensing his gaze, they revealed unprecedented, helpless expressions. Then, Serena let out a sigh and spoke.

"That's right, Mr. Rhode. This will not be enough and we're aware of it. But we're not personally there, after all. The only thing we can do is to strengthen the Order barrier and pray that it can defend against the attacks of Chaos for much longer. This is the only thing we can do. And it is our only choice."

"I don't think of it this way. In fact, when I spoke to her earlier, I suddenly came up with an idea and she supported me. If my idea can work, we can resolve this problem once and for all."

That's right. That was Rhode's true thoughts. After meeting his younger sister, he seized the moment and thought about the situation. Then, he realized that the Creator Dragons' solution was only a temporary and not permanent cure to the problem. Indeed, the strength of Order would solidify with the addition of these rules and might become much stronger. But this wasn't enough at all. If this were for Earth, humans wouldn't need to worry about this problem because earth was relatively safe in the universe. Apart from the acts of self-destruction from humans, the only external problems would come from either the sun extinguishing itself or getting hit by meteorites. Also, other than the meteorites that burned out of life in the atmosphere, the only catastrophic meteorite that could crash into Earth only occurred once in a few thousands years.

On the other hand, the current situation for the Dragon Soul Continent was as though it were facing constant meteor showers and from time to time, several devastating meteorites were also mixed among them. Apart from this, many people also sought death by attempting to summon more powerful meteorites and even 'planets' to destroy the continent. In this case, even if the strength of Order was as sturdy as a turtle shell, it would eventually crumple in one day. The four of them didn't need to worry about this problem anymore. It wasn't that they were cold-blooded, but since they couldn't return, there was no point in worrying about it. But it was different for Rhode. He only came here as a mental projection through the enhanced connection of the signal tower. If anything were to happen to him, it wouldn't be surprising that the rest of his afterlife would be spent in the Dragon Soul Continent. For his safety, he didn't wish to live under the roof that would be crushed by a hail of meteors... When that happened, he would be busy robbing Peter to pay Paul.

"Oh?"

The four Creator Dragons lifted their heads instantly, gazing at Rhode curiously. They knew who was the 'her' that Rhode mentioned. They also knew that it wasn't nice of them to do this, but... this was all that they could do. Their curiosity piqued immediately after hearing from Rhode that he had a way to resolve the problem once and for all.

"What ideas do you have, Mr. Rhode?"

"Firstly, I want to be sure of something. The Dragon Soul Continent should be just like what you described: a world wrapped inside an egg, with the dragon soul protection as the shell, right?"

Rhode asked sternly. In fact, he wasn't too confident of this thought. After all, everything he knew was based on the game and now, since the 'creators' were here, it was most important for him to gather information.

"You're right."

Although they didn't know what Rhode was building up to, they eventually nodded. But Rhode didn't seem too assured yet. He asked again.

"Just to confirm, the dragon soul protection envelops the entire continent, including the four elemental planes, Seven Fantasy Boundaries, and hell, right?"

"Yes. The Seven Fantasy Boundaries and four elemental planes are on the main plane. But as the concepts of existence are different, it isn't possible for people to discover their presence. As for hell... it is less obvious. They didn't only make use of the dragon soul power to protect themselves from Chaos, but they also took advantage of the Order barrier. But in terms of strength, it is almost the same."

"In this case... I think it will work..."

"What exactly are you trying to do, Mr. Rhode?"

Serena asked nervously, gazing at Rhode's proud expression. No matter what this was the world that they created. If there were any accidents, they wouldn't be able to return and make up to him.

"Simple."

At this moment, Rhode seemed to be in a good mood. The edges of his mouth lifted uncharacteristically into a smile. He spread his arms apart.

"Since we can't beat it, we can only escape. There is an infinite amount of Chaos and we can't possibly win. In this case... Why can't we build an ultralarge Dimension Gate and transport the entire Dragon Soul Continent to another world? Even though other worlds may also not be safe, compared to a continent flooded with Chaos, wouldn't it be a great choice? If we transmigrate to a place similar to Earth where Chaos poses no threats, wouldn't our future lives be much safer?"

The Creator Dragons were bewildered.

Chapter 1004: What I Can and Want to Do

In an instant, the meeting room fell into a unique silence. Rhode shrugged, gazing at the four stupefied people. In fact, Rhode wasn't the first person who suggested this idea because he suddenly recalled a novel that he had read about escaping disasters. Humans on Earth installed several massive propellers to force Earth off its orbit. Although this was only pure sci-fi, he had to admit that this gave him some inspiration. If you don't want to do it, why can't I? Why must I stay here and die with you? Besides, one was limited while the other was unlimited. As long as one didn't have any mental problems, one would know that it was unfavorable to continue resisting.

"Why? Aren't you concerned about the risks and dangers from transmigrating immigrants? There won't be any issue if we transmigrate the entire continent, right? The dragon soul protection should be able to resist the spatial turbulence and other possible dangers. What do you think of this idea?"

"This..."

One by one, the four of them knitted their brows and pondered carefully. Then, Arthur forced a chuckle and nodded.

"Frankly, Mr. Rhode, this is a really bold idea. We never thought of doing it and theoretically speaking, it is possible. But... the risks are huge. Besides..."

"Yes, you're right. To eke out a living until the last person dies or to gather everyone and carry bravely on a journey that may possibly destroy everyone, this is indeed a problem."

Rhode understood what Arthur meant before he finished his sentence. Indeed, a higher presence like the Creator Dragons naturally understood the threats of Chaos. But how about the ordinary people? Transmigrating the entire continent involved high risks and dangers. If anything were to go wrong, everything might collapse. When that happened, the Dragon Soul Continent would be destroyed in their hands rather than by Chaos. This was as though two glasses of poisoned wine, where one would seal the throat while the other would allow the victim to speak a few last words. That was their choice. Of course, if one were more cautious, it wouldn't be possible to be like Earth, where they permitted elites and talents to enter different Dimension Gates by batches. If they were fortunate enough, they might possibly find a world similar to Earth. Perhaps the chances were low, but there ought to be one that would lead to 'paradise' after passing through 100 Dimension Gates. And as long as they could survive in the new world, they could reproduce and continue civilization.

But...

"I admit, just as you said, I'm someone from another world. I'm not any of you and can't understand how you created, cared, and protected this world. But... Everyone. Even children have to graduate from school, leave their parents, step into society to work, live, love, and get married one day."

Rhode waved his hand.

"This is why I can't dedicate myself to it until the very end. All I can think of will either be the best of both worlds or benefit me only. I don't want to cover up the truth. To me, this proposal is my final thought. Apart from that, I can't only act like what you said: escape through the Dimension Gate if we fail to resist Chaos. I suppose I can more or less protect some people and head into a beautiful, new world using my power. Since we want to see great results, we need to work hard. It is the same for both the game and reality. If you want to raid a dungeon perfectly, then don't anticipate the commander to prepare everything beforehand because if you don't work hard, everything will be for naught. Since they also crave for a peaceful life, they shouldn't hide behind the safety of others and should also share the risks. If they tremble in fear and hide like ostriches, avoiding reality while you're fighting to the death, that will be their own problem."

"But Mr. Rhode, they're ordinary people, after all..."

"Ants will bite when they're facing threats. If they are worse than ants, they are better off killing themselves than to burden others. As long as they're able-bodied, they will be useful in some way. So, how is it? Don't tell me that they're just a bunch of batteries soaked in nutrient fluid and used for intubation. Even if they are, they can still be used to generate electricity."

Rhode had no hesitation about it. He respected the Creator Dragons, but now, he felt the need to explain the situation clearly because he was the person in that world, unlike the 'former' Creator Dragons who were as though ironic animal protectionists who escaped disaster and lived their lives savoring nutritional food while calling loudly to protect animals and promote the coexistence of people and animals. If one were to abandon them in the Gobi Desert without any food, they would probably eat a panda. Since ancient times, the animal protectionists, human rights activists, and liberals were all the same: a group of incompetent fools. After eating and drinking their fill, they spread their presumingly noble and unrealistic ideals, disrupting this world of its peace. They had no intelligence, lacked knowledge, and yet they did everything they wanted with their self-righteous enthusiasm. Forget about those who naively released cobras in residential areas, those dimwits who brazenly entered research institutes to release animals infected with deadly viruses back to the city and turned an entire city into a ghost town were the biggest threat to mankind. Not only that, but they were also unrepentant, irresponsibly pushing the blame to the world... This group of dimwits was mostly likely those passionate, idiotic characters in 'Jurassic Park'. When they had nowhere to go after being chased by the very dinosaurs they released, they would understand their true standpoint.

"... We understand now, Mr. Rhode."

After a few moments, Serena sighed as though she accepted Rhode's suggestion and said. She retrieved a gemstone from her pocket and extended her arm. Along with her action, she injected a pure, spiritual radiance into it. Shortly after, Ningmi and Ningjing took over the gemstone and made a few hand gestures above it. Finally, Arthur grasped the gemstone and closed his eyes. Then, the glamorous gemstone instantly turned dull and pitch-black. He handed it over to Rhode.

"This gemstone contains the production resources of the Dimension Gate, Mr. Rhode. Honestly, your idea is really bold. But... this may be a great solution."

"High risks, high rewards."

Rhode accepted the gemstone and scanned it.

"How will you be rewarded if you don't work hard for it? Don't you agree?"

"You're right."

Arthur said and became silent. He exchanged glances with the three women, before continuing.

"Since you've come this far, we don't feel the need to cover up the truth from you anymore, Mr. Rhode. If you really want to do it, we suggest that you find the Order Star first."

"Order Star? What is that?"

Rhode was taken aback. He quickly recalled his memories and realized that he had never heard of this thing. Shortly after, Serena answered.

"Mr. Rhode, you're also aware that Order and Chaos are relative. The disorder in Chaos reflects the presence of Order, while the destruction of Order symbolizes the generation of Chaos. This is the origin of us, the Creator Dragons. We used the strength of Order within Chaos to create this continent. Because without Order, there won't be Chaos. But too much Chaos will destroy Order, like a self-breeding virus, like how humans raise animals and slaughter them for food. Through the creation of Order, Chaos will destroy and abstract its energy to expand its presence. But ordinary people won't realize that Order is buried underneath the infinite Chaos. In fact, the entire Dragon Soul Continent is created through using the hidden strength of Order."

Arthur said, spreading his arms apart.

"If you go through space and arrive at another world, you will be like us. Even if you possess powerful strength, you can't cast any spells in them. Order in the entire Dragon Soul Continent may possibly collapse and all energy systems will be remodified and divided. Therefore, just in case, we hope you can find the Order Star and fuse it with the continent to perfection. This way, even if you head to another world, Order in the Dragon Soul Continent will remain an independent existence and won't enter different rules and lose its energy."

Really?

Rhode knitted his brows slightly. According to the Creator Dragons, this Order Star should be the source to create this world.

"So where is it now?"

"We aren't too sure. Back then when we created the world, we didn't keep it closely with us in order for it to not be discovered by Chaos. But according to our understanding, it should be somewhere deep in Chaos. It will be a really dangerous task... Mr. Rhode, if you intend to retrieve it, please be mentally prepared."

"... I understand now. Thanks for your reminder."

At this moment, the meeting room gradually turned blurry. Rhode looked at the surroundings; everything was beginning to display weird reflections. The four Creator Dragons quelled their expressions, before gazing helplessly at the happenings.

"Seems like time is up..."

Rhode's body slowly became transparent. There wasn't enough energy to maintain his projection in this world anymore. Rhode shrugged at this thought, before lifting his head and gazing at them.

"Alright, please don't worry and leave this matter to me. This is the only thing that I can do for all of you."

"This may be harder than you imagine."

"I know."

Rhode turned around and waved his hand airily.

"I can only do it myself if you aren't willing to. Don't rely on others if you want to do something. I feel that it is more reliable to handle it myself. So then, everyone... Goodbye."

The walls vanished and a white radiance enveloped the place. Everything within it disappeared.

Chapter 1005: The Beginning to Connect the Present and Future

The weightless dizziness struck Rhode as the white radiance enfolding him gradually disappeared. He closed his eyes and opened them after a few moments. The blurry, white radiance slowly turned into a clear light. Shortly after, he witnessed people standing below him. The light column that enveloped him slowly dissipated. The flickering light on the signal tower became less distinct.

"Sigh..."

Rhode let out a long sigh, resting his hand on the signal tower for support. Perhaps the signal tower had used his power to activate the signal, which explained why he felt extremely exhausted. However, the rewards from this trip were great. Rhode clutched the gemstone in his hand and swept a glance at the system interface before him. Ever since he returned to his senses, he kept hearing pleasing jingles from it. He couldn't be more familiar with it. It was the sound of leveling up.

"Seems like this trip was the right choice?"

Gazing at the [LV100 (+30)] detail at the top of the screen, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Not only did he receive the power that his younger sister had left him, but he also gained strength from the four Creator Dragons. They purified their power, wisdom, and techniques and passed them all to him, which increased his strength dramatically. Even though the system interface showed that Rhode was at the maximum level of 100 like the other Creator Dragons, he had an additional 30 levels now. Although the extra 30 levels didn't provide him with more skill points, his overall attributes had shot up drastically. He was sure that with his current strength, he could take on any dragon soul heir without pressure.

Of course, it would be hard to tell if he faced the twin dragons...

"Let's go with this..."

After being forcefully upgraded to level 100, he currently owned between 40 and 50 skill points, where not even Canary and Mini Bubble Gum had this many. But of course, they were only players while Rhode had literally become a 'BOSS'. If he were of the same caliber as players, it wouldn't make any sense at all.

Shortly after, he quickly filled up the remaining six talents in his talent trees. He spent nearly 20 skill points on [Holy Code: Energy of Illusion], [Soul Code: Undead to Death], [Sinister Code: Spirit Traveler], [Sword Legion], [King's Path], and [Absolute Willpower].

[Holy Code: Energy of Illusion] could strengthen the cards that were equipped on him and separate them from him. In the past, Rhode needed to equip the card on himself when he wanted to use its abilities. But after unlocking [Energy of Illusion], he only needed to summon the card, battle alongside it, and he could obtain its strength and techniques.

[Soul Code: Undead to Death] was a killer weapon against undead creatures. Within the range of [Undead to Death], all of his summoned spirits would possess a certain probability to ignore defense and deal an instant, killing blow to undead creatures. This also meant that he would have higher success rates against the attack of undead creatures in the future.

[Sinister Code: Spirit Traveler] would fire up Rhode's spiritual powers, making him immune to all skill damage for a period of time, and after the effects ended, he would continue to possess a 50 percent chance of immunity and counter damage until the battle ended. Rhode felt really satisfied. It would be too miserable for him if he couldn't be invincible in the same ways as a BOSS.

豊田自動織機 - 豊田自動織機からの入社特典合計55万円!寮費無料＆正社員登用制度あり.

[Sword Legion] was a passive talent. It could instantly summon all cards in the entire deck, while consuming only the energy required for summoning one spirit. Moreover, it could strengthen all spirits in the deck by 15 percent and make them share the damage taken by Rhode. In other words, the more spirits he summoned, the less damage he would receive... But it was a pity that there was also a limit to it. If not, he could basically summon 300 spirits and would be completely invincible.

[King's Path] was a relatively huge teleportation ritual. Rhode could teleport himself and his subjects to a specified location. But it was a pity that this skill was only effective under his very own dragon soul protection. If he were to use this skill in other territories, the effects would be weakened and might not even work. This completely smashed his hopes of teleporting a squad of elites to backstab enemies. He finally understood why the teleportation rituals of the protagonists in movies and games couldn't send them directly to the final bad guy. It was due to the plot needs, it seemed... No, it was beyond one's power.

At this moment, he seemed to detect something incredible.

[Absolute Willpower] made him realize the truest and most powerful part of being a Creator Dragon. This particular skill allowed him to revive people who worshiped his dragon soul power and return them back in perfect condition! Those revived by him would automatically become his direct subjects and receive powerful strength. But the strength would be relative to their level of devotion. The more they were devoted to the Void Dragon, the higher the chances for them to be revived and receive strength. If not, those people under his dragon soul protection would technically never die.

It seemed like his talent trees had also changed as he turned into the Void Dragon. Not only were his previous talents enhanced in strength, but also the newer talents were so powerful that they seemed like 'cheats'. But... this should be the way for a BOSS. He was one of the Creator Dragons, so how could his talents be the same as players?

And next...

Rhode widened his eyes slightly at the three talents that had fused together as one. Then, he shifted his gaze away and the screen changed into a new form along in his movement.

[Detected Number 1, Number 2, Number 3, and Number 4 additional data. About to connect to Number 0 port. Confirm to activate port?]

After reading the system prompt, Rhode answered softly in his head.

Activate.

[Port activation complete, begin downloading of upgrade data. Please do not turn off the power. Awaiting completion of data download before installation process. Download progress 5%... 10%... 15%...]

Will I be able to turn off the power even if I want to? Rhode gazed at the system prompt and criticized it in his head. But shortly after, he lost the mood to ridicule it.

The world began to transform at this moment.

The bright radiance dimmed as though it were contaminated by darkness. This scene left the people below knitting their brows anxiously. But shortly after, Rhode gestured for them to not act rashly. The group witnessed the signal tower coalesced from crystal shine brighter. One by one, mysterious, flying characters rushed forth and gathered. At the same time, the entire world became darker. It wasn't a dark luster, but more like everything around them was slowly turning faint and illusory.

"That is..."

Erin gazed astonishingly at the signal tower before her. Anyone who was as powerful as her sensed an incomparable aura of Order exuding from within. No, not only exuding, but also suffusing in all directions. This burst in the aura of Order felt similar to when godlike figures awakened their strength and inherited new roles. But Erin knew that this was entirely different because she vaguely sensed that this aura of Order was not only infiltrating the continent, but was also altering and adding to the rules within!

How is this possible?

Erin was baffled. Even though she wasn't a dragon soul heir, she had grown up with Ion. Perhaps she wasn't experienced in politics, but she understood her big brother well. With Ion's abilities, he might be able to 'change' the rules to a certain degree. But to entirely 'modify' and 'increase' the rules were impossible! If not, Ion wouldn't need to rely on his undead armies anymore. He could simply change the rules of this world and dominate the entire continent!

But now, the energy erupting from the signal tower was slowly and unwaveringly changing this world. Even though Erin wasn't aware of the reasons behind it, she knew that it was related to Rhode. Although she knew that this Void Dragon who appeared out of nowhere was a difficult person to handle, she didn't expect him to be this difficult... which was almost exaggerating. Who knew what rules he was 'transmitting' to this world exactly?!

Erin grimaced at this thought. She had always hoped that someone could stop her big brother's impetuous and arbitrary ideas. She couldn't rely on the twin dragons because they wouldn't move from their nest unless the world was on the verge of destruction. On the other hand, the Light Dragon was completely unreliable. Without a choice, Erin paid close attention to Rhode, who suddenly appeared and was strong enough to stop her big brother. But it seemed like there was also a limit to how far this man could stop her big brother despite him suddenly becoming the Void Dragon and owning a huge territory. No matter from which aspect, Rhode had only just become a dragon soul heir and in terms of ability execution, he couldn't possibly pose too much threat to her big brother. But this was the first time that she felt doubtful after sensing this powerful strength. Was her judgment wrong?

She could accept Rhode as a stumbling block because this way, she could at least slow down her big brother's reckless thoughts and actions. But what if Rhode wasn't a stumbling block and was a tall mountain or an endless abyss instead? Would there be any meaning left if her big brother failed, fell into the abyss, and couldn't get out of the predicament?

Should I eliminate this threat once and for all now?

This thought flashed in her mind. Even though she felt that Rhode was an interesting person and hoped that he could cause some 'harmless' failures in the Country of Darkness, she absolutely hated to see the destruction of the Country of Darkness. Based on the fact that Rhode could change and even increase rules and Order, this showed that he was a troublesome enemy. As the princess of the Country of Darkness, her priority was to remove this threat completely. But...

No.

The murderous intent lasted for only a brief moment in Erin's mind. If she were facing Rhode earlier, she was confident enough to kill him in a single attack. But it was different now. Even though only a few moments had gone, the presence and pressure that he brought upon them were as deep as the abyss. Even though it wasn't as heavy and breathless like her big brother's, Rhode's imposing presence was like the massive ocean while Erin stood by the shore, gazing in awe from the bottom of her heart. This was what she felt from Rhode right now.

I can't defeat him. In this case, I'll only make things worse if I act rashly. It seems like...

Erin let out a subtle sigh.

Perhaps I have to really consider fulfilling the duties of my identity and... protecting the safety of the Country of Darkness.

At the same time, an unspeakable fluctuation in the air erupted. Then, the entire world came to a halt.

[Data download complete, begin upgrade. Please do not turn off power during the upgrade process]

How about you tell me how I can turn it off...

Rhode gazed at the system prompt, speechless.

Chapter 1006: Everything That is Changing

[Upgrade Complete. Rebooting system]

After Rhode witnessed the lines of system prompt, his entire world shook. Then, his vision turned black. A faint, golden thread glowed and transformed into an enormous square that exploded and expanded across the land, scattering quickly into countless golden threads that were intertwined into a massive web. For some unknown reason, Rhode realized he was as though overlooking the sky, watching the web of golden threads enfold the whole Dragon Soul Continent. The golden web gradually twisted and changed its shape as though welcoming a certain presence. Shortly after, the innumerable golden threads slowly vanished before his eyes. The dragon soul protection over the Dragon Soul Continent had completely changed its form. If it was said that the dragon soul protection in the past was as though a rubber cover, it had now become a solid, matchless defense barrier made of alloy. The entire energy system was slowly operating, re-abstracting, and changing the structure and composition of the strength of Order, as well as strengthening the defenses and resistances against the outside world.

Everything seemed rather similar to when Rhode transcended into the Legendary Stage. But now, he felt a deeper connection, as though he was connected to the world and the world was a part of him. As long as he swung his arm or thrust his foot forward, he could change the world completely. Unlike using a powerful might to destroy everything, it was something more special and natural, just like the inevitable changes when a human moved.

But this feeling only lasted a few minutes, before everything returned to normal.

Rhode's vision was pitch-black. After returning to his senses, everything before his eyes had disappeared and was replaced by a system interface that had completely changed its form. If it was said that the system interface in the past was a standard client of a certain online game, the system interface now was more like a large-scale framework for strategic simulation games. Not only could he read the current situations of the entire continent, but he could also witness the strength of the other dragons' territories, as well as the balance and structure between Order and Chaos.

The stability level of Order for the Country of Darkness, Country of Law, and Void Territory was above 95 percent on average. The Country of Law was nearly 100 percent, the Void Territory was around 90 percent, and the Country of Darkness was around 85 percent. On the contrary, the Country of Light had the lowest stability level of Order at 59 percent, and the corrosion rate of Chaos was the highest ,at 41 percent. Based on the icon colors, most of the regions in the Country of Darkness, Country of Law, and Void Territory were in green which represented stability of Order. On the contrary, almost all regions in the Country of Light were yellow, like a desert, except for Casabianca, which was in green. Some of the stability level of Order in remote areas had fallen below 30 percent; completely corroded by Chaos. In other words, there were no hopes in recovering them.

"This is really troublesome."

岩井川 - 福岡県久留米市

After scanning the upgraded system interface, Rhode finally understood why the four Creator Dragons needed him to complete the mission. He discovered some visual reminders on the system interface. If he were to compare the entire continent to a spaceship and he was the commander, he would hold the authority to read, investigate, and make decisions. But apart from that, the way the spaceship flew, received intelligence, or changed the programming structure was all managed by the AI.

"Mechanical worshiping of postmodern, social civilization... Sigh. How I wish it wasn't this automated."

Rhode gazed at the map before him and criticized it in his head. There were no options for him to adjust features of the continent. In other words, he couldn't possibly be like Game Masters who could simply ban players or fix bugs in the game. On the contrary, he had to work for the changes. For instance, the Country of Light with an unstable level of Order. In order to stabilize the level of Order, Rhode had to dispatch men to eradicate Chaos in the affected areas and couldn't simply adjust the proportions of Chaos and Order using the system interface.

But the biggest benefit this upgraded system brought to Rhode was the ability to completely monitor movements of the entire continent. Moreover, Rhode would be notified when Order in a certain region was compromised and could nip the problem in the bud immediately. Furthermore, his system was as though an omnidirectional, three-dimensional satellite that allowed him to see everything that was happening in the continent. But perhaps due to the difference in strength of dragon soul protection, some areas weren't as visible to him. For instance, he could only discern the topographic map of the Country of Law and Country of Darkness and not clearly see their buildings and people, as they were covered in a thick layer of gray smoke. On the contrary, apart from Casabianca in the Country of Light, the other places were basically revealed to him...

The situation in the Country of Light seems really dangerous.

Even though Rhode sensed weakness in the Light Dragon in the past, those were only guesses, after all. But now, he felt it deeply after seeing the various data on the Country of Light. At this point in time, the Light Dragon's soul protection over the Country of Light was like a piece of cheese with holes corroded by Chaos. Not only that, but the conversion efficiency of the Light Dragon was also the lowest, maintaining at the minimum level. If she were compared to a power plant, perhaps a slight increase in pressure could cause a power trip.

The main energy source that supplied the dragon soul protection over the Country of Light came from the Munn Kingdom and other regions... Which was a horribly tragic sight. The country was riddled with problems and was pitiful and heart-wrenching. The Country of Light was as though an infected, rotten, and swollen wound. Rhode had to either heal or remove the wound completely. If the wound was left untreated, the infection would spread. When that happened, it would be more complicated and challenging to resolve the problem.

It seems like it is essential to resolve the problem with the Country of Light.

Rhode pondered in silence. In order to transmigrate the entire continent, he needed to ensure the dragon soul protection over the continent was perfect. Of course, it wouldn't work having the dragon soul protection over the Country of Light in this broken state now. If he were to transport the entire continent in this state, the whole continent would take off like an unchecked spaceship and only god knew whether the spaceship would end up as the 'Space Shuttle Challenger disaster' [1. A fatal incident in the United States space program that happened on January 28, 1986.] or 'Space Shuttle Columbia disaster'. [2. Second fatal incident in the United States space program that happened on February 1, 2003, following the incident in 1986.]

It seemed like the issues in the Country of Light were getting more complicated. In the past, Rhode had the intention of watching from the sidelines only because he could still transfer Lilian over safely and leave the Country of Light to their demise. The death of others in the Country of Light also had nothing to do with him at all. But now, for his plan to succeed, he had to attach some importance to their problems. No matter if it were to ensure that Lilian could completely grasp the nation or if he had to deal with the Country of Light, he needed to end the chaotic situation before him.

Forget it. I'll think about it after I head back.

Rhode waved his arm at this thought, shutting down the system interface. Then, he lifted his head and descended down the stairs. Everyone crowded around him quickly and many realized the changes in him from the inside-out, where a powerful, unstoppable aura suffused from him. This meant something even more for Mini Bubble Gum and Canary.

"Leader, I have to solemnly draw a clear line between us from today onward. I'm extremely dissatisfied with your illogical way of leveling up..."

Mini Bubble Gum crossed her arms and spoke with knitted brows and a pout. On the other hand, Canary smiled in silence, while the holy sword spirits looked with dubious expressions. Because they felt a familiar scent from Rhode's aura.

"Master, you... the... Void Dragon?"

"Yes, and a few others."

Rhode nodded and answered Celestina's astonishing question. Considering the fact that Erin was also present, Rhode didn't go into details. However, the holy sword spirits couldn't contain their surprise any longer, where even Karin pushed up her glasses and her eyes glinted in an unprecedented flash.

"Master, can you explain the details?"

"Now is not the time."

Rhode lowered his head, gazing at Christie, who was looking at him in uncertainty. Then, he smiled and stroked her long hair gently. In fact, he felt complicated emotions looking at Christie now. He had to admit that he wasn't mentally prepared to be a father yet. Even though he always treated Christie well, he felt like he had more responsibility to look after her now, after learning that she was his daughter... He didn't know how, but it seemed like he had to act like her father now. But the most important problem was...

"Let's head back."

Chapter 1007: Directions to The Future

After activating the signal and upgrading the system interface, Rhode's group sealed up the Deepest Labyrinth once again and returned to the Void Territory. This was an extremely important matter to everyone. Rhode gathered his trusted aides, which included Marlene, Lize, Anne, Lapis, Canary, Mini Bubble Gum, Orchid Heart, Alice, Gillian, the five holy sword spirits, and anyone who were qualified to know his secrets, for a meeting as soon as he returned to the Void Territory. This time, Rhode confessed everything, including the final whereabouts of the Creator Dragons, his relations with the Void Dragon, situations that would occur in the future, and his proposal to 'transmigrate' the entire continent to another world.

After hearing the news, no matter the natives or players like Marlene and Canary, they were all equally stumped. In an instant the meeting room was in an odd silence. After a few moments, Mini Bubble Gum widened her eyes and asked in disbelief.

"Are you for real? The game that we played was made by the Creator Dragons?"

"After I awakened my powers, I learned from my past memories that the five Creator Dragons left this plane of existence for another world. But I didn't expect... you to be from that world, Rhode..." Marlene returned to her senses and stuttered. This news had baffled her. Or perhaps, everyone was stunned by this news. Except for one person.

"Gillian."

Rhode narrowed his eyes and swept a glance at the fox-eared young lady who was smiling cheekily.

"Do you have anything to say?"

"Aiyah-yah, Master. Since you're already aware of everything, I have no choice but to admit it now..."

Gillian chuckled, stood up straight, and gave a bow.

"Alright then, allow me to introduce myself once more. I am the primary server's core unit program for B&M Company—'7th Generalized Intelligence Collection And Integration AI'. You can call me 'No.7' or simply 'Gillian'. Of course, I personally prefer the latter. After all, it just feels strange for you to call me a so-called AI, isn't it?"

"I wasn't aware that artificial intelligence had evolved to this level..."

Mini Bubble Gum pouted, gazing at the giggling Gillian.

"Could it be that Big Sister and I are also artificial intelligence like you?"

"That's not the case, Bubble. Well, I don't see the need to hide any secrets now. In fact, anyone who enters the game will have some of their spirits extracted in secret and they will turn into spiritual power that I can use to maintain and support my intelligence gathering. It is essential to have spirits to create a world. As a result, you can consider yourselves as your own clones, while Master has the strength to materialize your clones into reality through thoughts."

Gillian stuck out and shook her finger proudly.

"Oh. By the way, I'm not a so-called artificial intelligence. I'm a subject fully created by the four Creator Dragons. But I figured, wouldn't it be strange to exist in that world if I didn't have a high-tech name?"

"I don't understand... but it seems like... Sister Bubble, Sister Canary, and Mr. Rhode came from another world?" Lize raised her hand timidly and asked. "So then... will all of you return to your world?"

"Just like I said, we can't return even if we want to because there isn't only one world between ours. If it weren't for the almighty four Creator Dragons, perhaps it would be impossible for me to communicate with them through my projection. To us, this place is like our second home now."

"Ah... That's great... Ah, no! I didn't mean that..."

Lize heaved a sigh of relief hearing Rhode's response, before muttering under her breath. Shortly after, she realized that her words didn't sound good, which she quickly waved her hands about in embarrassment. Fortunately, no one was offended and Mini Bubble Gum even patted Lize's shoulder.

"It's no big deal, Lize. So what if we can't return? Besides, even if we do return, we will just bring you along with us. Listen, even though our world is boring, there are lots of fun things to do. I guarantee there are many things that you've never seen before! Hahaha. The thought of your flustered face is gonna make it so much fun!"

"Ugh..."

Lize lowered her head with red painted across her face. But this was just an episode, after all. Rhode swept a look at Lize simply, before turning around for something more important.

"So Master has already found a solution to solidify the strength of Order..." Unlike Lize, Alice was more concerned about the substantive problem. Or perhaps she just wasn't interested if Rhode's bed had additional space for her. "I don't really understand the specifics of that world. But some things... like the reputation level that you mentioned, Your Majesty, are they reliable?"

"I don't think it poses a huge problem."

Canary, who was pondering in silence, said.

"These things are closely related to reality. However, this world lacks the concept, that's all. In our world, it is really common to have this concept. You learn and gain knowledge and power—these are the experience points. After you reach a certain level with your studies, you can break through the bottleneck and reach a new stage—this is level up. Even though I don't really understand how rules work in this world, I suppose they add a standard to original behaviors, that's all."

That makes sense... considering the years we spent playing 'earth simulation' games. This isn't too surprising.

"Alright then. Let's discuss the next and most important problem."

Rhode turned to Lapis.

"Lapis, as I have explained, if we were to transmigrate the entire Dragon Soul Continent to another world through the Dimension Gate, how do you judge the risk levels and feasibility based on our current technological level? How long do we need?"

"Ah, yes... Sir, please give me a moment to think about it..." Lapis knitted her brows and pondered deeply. Then, she turned to Marlene and they whispered into each other's ear. Lapis shook and nodded her head, before looking up and spoke to Rhode. "I'm sorry, Sir. We have limited information on our hands, especially about the Dragon Soul Continent and the node installations..."

"I can resolve them."

Rhode shook his head and interrupted Lapis. Then, he reached out for a gemstone in his pocket—the item that the Creator Dragons had given him. After returning to this world, Rhode checked its contents, but eventually couldn't figure them out. He was better off leaving it to the experts.

"All information regarding the Dimension Gate and other areas are inside this gemstone that the Creator Dragons have given me. I need you and Marlene to research and confirm the amount of materials, time, and manpower needed for us to execute this plan as soon as possible. Also, find out the location we should set the items, as well as the various dangers and situations that will happen. If your current tasks aren't that important, delegate them to your assistants. This new task will be your main priority. Oh, by the way, I've made my decision regarding the production issue of the magic furnaces. The civilians are allowed to purchase them in limited quantities. As for the other aspects, we will make them on our own."

"Got it, Rhode."

Marlene nodded slightly. Then, she gazed worriedly at the man before her.

"You intend to convince the other dragon soul heirs?"

"There is no harm in trying. If worst comes to worst, we will just have to do it ourselves. I know it is cruel, but it is up to them to seize the opportunity as it presents itself. If they put their heads in the noose, then it is their freedom to wait for death to fall upon them..." Rhode spread his arms apart and shrugged. "I will try, but don't pin too much hope on me. After all, who can ever read their minds?"

"Yes... You have to threaten, blackmail, and deceive everything in order to become the perfect diplomat."

Marlene sighed and shook her head. Just as Rhode mentioned, it would be extremely tough to convince the other dragon soul heirs to agree with him. Rhode had his eyes on the future while they focused on the present. Of course, courage and imagination were required to come up with imaginary future plans. One would only relate to reality when it was formed by past, present, and future.

"Senior Heart."

Rhode shifted his gaze to Orchid Heart.

"I need you to form an elite team to eradicate Chaos. Like us, they will accept missions, eliminate Chaos, and receive rewards. Form a comprehensive team and leave them in Gillian's care. I abstracted some information from Grazite's soul stone and it seems like Chaos isn't going to stay silent. We have to be prepared before that."

Orchid Heart nodded slightly. Then, she yawned, before responding.

"I have no problems finding people for the team. But Rhode, what should we do if we lose them?"

"Don't worry about it."

The corners of Rhode's lips lifted.

"I have said earlier that after the rules merge, this continent we're on will become similar to the one that we know. In other words, some things that can only be accomplished in the game can also be done here."

"What you're saying is..."

Everyone stared blankly. Shortly after, Canary, Mini Bubble Gum, and Orchid Heart returned to their senses. Mini Bubble Gum blinked in excitement as she gazed straight at Rhode. Rhode looked at her and nodded slightly.

"That's right, Bubble. It is just as you think. The moment for you to display your full potential will come in the future."

Chapter 1008: Hibernating Fragments

After setting the target, everyone started working immediately. Shortly after, missions were issued one after another and every aspect was worked on methodically. Of course, most of them didn't understand the reason behind it as Rhode didn't provide an explanation. Although the threat of Chaos existed, most people hadn't personally experienced the dangers and crises it brought. Rhode handed Celestina the task of analyzing Grazite's memories. It wasn't simple to read the memories of a devil's chaotic mind. Their chaotic nature turned the simplest of thoughts upside down and confused the causes and effects. If it weren't for a demon like Celestina who was familiar with devils, perhaps it would be harder than climbing to heaven to arrange Grazite's thoughts and intentions. This was even based on Grazite as the 'devil who most resembled demons'. If it were any other devil, perhaps Celestina couldn't read their minds at all.

On the other hand, after Rhode issued the missions, he locked himself up in the room as he had more important matters to attend to.

One of the important matters was about Christie. Rhode didn't confess Christie's identity to everyone. He intended to speak to the other 'Christie' about it. He believed that the other 'Christie' was surely aware of it and didn't have the intention of telling him the truth. If not, she wouldn't have kept it a secret until now. Rhode also didn't know what Christie would think about herself after knowing the truth. This made things really difficult for Rhode.

The other problem was about himself.

After returning to the Void Territory, Rhode scanned through his attributes and discovered something really strange. He still couldn't transform into the dragon form.

Based on the concept of the Void Dragon, Rhode should be able to transform into an enormous, mighty dragon. There was no doubt about it. In the game, the three final BOSS forms of the Dark Dragon were in the form of a large dragon. Moreover, Rhode had also personally witnessed Erin in her dragon form, as well as the twin dragons in the Country of Law whom they, as the dragon soul heirs, could transform into dragons effortlessly. Therefore, it was impossible that Rhode couldn't take up the dragon form as one of the Creator Dragons. What astonished him was that he totally lacked this ability.

There wasn't a talent within the talent trees that could transform him into a dragon. There were no changes in race techniques either. Rhode checked the system interface from top to bottom, but failed to find anything related to it. He was incomparably depressed. Thereafter, he tried meditating like the protagonists of online novels, but it was useless too. Of course, he asked Alice about it and got a confirmation from her that the first generation of Void Dragon could indeed turn into the dragon form.

Rhode was at his wits' end.

Where exactly went wrong...?

Rhode couldn't understand. It wasn't that he had some obsession in being a dragon. Instead, it was much more convenient for him to engage in battle as a dragon, especially when facing large armies. A single breath of flame could easily wipe out the enemies as compared to him slashing his way through. Besides, the visual effects were much more outstanding too, wasn't it? A strong image was essential to make others fear him.

Am I not strong enough? That's impossible.

ネオグレイス - 広島県東広島市

At this moment, apart from his strength as the Void Dragon, he also possessed the essence and power of the other four Creator Dragons, so it was impossible that strength was the issue.

Is there a bug in the system?

Gillian had already run an analysis on the system and found no issues. However, she prompted him that from a game perspective, since a thing that should have appeared didn't show up, it was highly likely that some conditions weren't met.

Rhode was extremely familiar with it, such as upgrading to a higher class or holding concurrent jobs. Some things needed players to uncover and trigger in order for them to appear. But these conditions were odd. The sequences for ordinary ones could be found in the forums. But it was harder to determine for rarer ones.

"Where exactly went wrong?"

Rhode murmured, gazing at the open field before him. He tried basically everything but to no avail. He had even attempted the most ancient method: shutting his eyes and imagining himself as a dragon. Of course, this method didn't work. Or perhaps, this made him heave a sigh of relief. If this method worked, his confidence about the future would definitely be crushed. Rhode recalled a familiar, beautiful face at this thought. If she could be by his side, perhaps there wouldn't be any issues... But she was already dead and her last spirit fragment had fused into his body as one.

Dead?

Suddenly, Rhode's heart skipped a beat and a thought emerged in his head. Even though he felt ridiculous, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that there was a possibility. He was the Spirit Swordsman and what was the Spirit Swordsman's job? Wasn't it...

He extended his arm when suddenly, a summoning ritual appeared in midair and enfolded his body and the floor. Then, he shut his eyes. Bright spiritual energy shone from the summoning ritual and whirled in his movements. Rhode opened his eyes.

[Activate Spirit Language. Please choose target]

[Rhode]

[Target selected. Spirit Language activated]

As the system prompt appeared, Rhode felt the spiritual energy flowing into his body. Then, he suddenly felt a certain weak area in his body twitch as though it was another heart inside of him that was shocked by an electric current. However, it felt so indistinct as it faded away almost simultaneously and he thought that it was just an illusion. But shortly after, he witnessed a new line of system prompt before his eyes.

[Activation Failed]

There's hope!

Rhode felt agitated instantly because the system prompt showed [Activation Failed] and not [Activation Invalid]. This meant that this skill was effective on him, just that it wasn't able to succeed. But this definitely wasn't a big issue for him. This proved that his expectations were right. As long as he had unlimited spiritual power, he could continuously attempt it for ten, hundred, or thousand of times. He refused to believe that there wasn't a chance to succeed!

[Activate Spirit Language——Activation Failed]

[Activate Spirit Language——Activation Failed]

[Activate Spirit Language——Activation Failed]

But the situation was far more challenging than he imagined. He tried out for half a day already but failure persisted. The success rate was as depressing, like as an adventurer with low-level unlocking skill attempting to open a high-level treasure chest in the game. There was an option to give up in the game, but he didn't have this choice here. He had to succeed. No matter how many times he had to try, he must succeed!

Rhode's nerves were almost numb to the system prompts by now. No matter what, one would feel powerless after repeating the same action without gaining any results. But even so, he fought on as he sharply sensed the persisting, weak trembles despite the spiritual energy rushing into his body continuously. On the contrary, the trembles turned from almost nothing to strong, hard beatings. Rhode knew that his efforts weren't wasted!

[Activate Spirit Language——Activation Failed]

[Activate Spirit Language——Activation Failed]

[Activate Spirit Language——Activation Successful. Spirit Summoning Program Activated]

Finally, after yet another 'ding' from the system, the system prompt that he was yearning for finally appeared before his eyes! At the same time, the summoning ritual beneath his feet shifted to the side and its white radiance instantly changed into a dazzling hue of gold. Golden light spots erupted above it, enveloping the surroundings like rain drops falling one after another. Rhode felt a warm, powerful burst of energy in his body gradually swelling and turning into a light column that burst into the sky.

The pitch-black, starry sky shook, while bright, dazzling halos diffused across the surroundings. The invisible and massive force enveloped the entire sky. After a few moments, the light faded away and returned to nothingness. At the same moment, a card emanating golden radiance appeared before Rhode. It hovered in midair, waiting quietly for its holder. Rhode took in a deep breath, gazing at the card meaningfully. He had summoned many card spirits in the past, but none of them made him this nervous. He stared blankly at the card and after a few moments, he reached his hand out and held the card determinedly. The instant he touched the card, a feeling of flesh and blood instantly appeared in his mind. The numbness at his fingertips like the shock of electric current felt so familiar...

Rhode dwindled the thought and scanned the card in his hand. In the middle of this golden card was a large, beautiful, and elegant dragon with expanded wings. Between its wings were countless stars and a combination of the sun and moon. It looked as though the God who created this world. A few mysterious runes hung above it.

[Void Dragon]

Chapter 1009: Fused Will

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"It still doesn't work, huh..."

Rhode let out a soft sigh, gazing at the card in his hand. He flipped it over where the specific details of the card were written——[Void Dragon (God Card Attribute. Unique. Soul-bound). Appoint a target to use. Infusible. Creator God. Holder can appoint himself and turn into the dragon form. All attributes will be strengthened by one-third in the dragon form. Attacks of different levels will be ineffective on the holder. Received the highest authority (The wings of void concealed Earth. The figure enveloping all things comes back to life once again)]

If it were an ordinary summoning card, Rhode could appoint it to one of the ten card seats. But it seemed like the system had its own intention. Or perhaps the strength hibernating inside him which belonged to its owner was overly broken and this led to Rhode being unable to summon a Void Dragon. Instead, he received an equipment card that could turn him into a dragon. Although he refused to believe in heresy and experimented with the card, the system quickly responded to him in the same way———[Target Exists. This card can't be summoned again. Appoint seat]

Rhode let out a helpless sigh at the sight of this result despite expecting it. After all, it was only the clone of the spirit fragment that spoke to him in the other world back then. Moreover, now that her power had fused with him, it was no wonder that she said she couldn't be awakened. Now it seemed like this was the truth. The system recognized Rhode and his younger sister as one person, so it was impossible to summon himself at all. In fact, instead of deciding that the card in his hand was the original 'Void Dragon', it would be more appropriate to say that it was the 'Void Dragon' that was born from the merging of Rhode's and his younger sister's power. Rhode couldn't possibly summon himself because he was still alive and kicking. Since he still existed, how could he be summoned? Besides, his younger sister's strength had completely fused with him. The only problem left was if he could be awakened and make use of the strength since they couldn't be separated after the fusion.

If one were to refine candy that had melted into the water, the only option was to boil the water completely.

Forget it. This isn't too bad either.

Rhode gnashed his teeth at this thought. He extended his finger, stroked the card, and sensed the familiar spiritual undulation. At the same time, he heard a sweet-sounding voice.

"Big Brother, are you still worried?"

"..."

The corners of Rhode's lips lifted as he read the words. Even though he failed in the end, he didn't fail completely. He couldn't see, hug, and kiss his younger sister on her lips anymore. But she was living inside him now. During the previous summoning, she revived in another form due to some possible issues in some areas. And now, Rhode sensed that his younger sister had merged with the system. In other words, she was as though an artificial intelligence in the system that controls the core.

"Welcome back. How do you feel?"

"I feel great, Big Brother. Although I don't have a body now and can't cast my power, I'm still surprised that I could be revived. This is a great result, isn't it?"

"Yeah..."

Rhode sighed to his younger sister's response.

At least they were together in some form again. Although Rhode didn't have any solution now, this didn't mean that he had given up on finding one. Since his younger sister had regained her consciousness through the system, he was certain that there were other solutions. In sci-fi movies, wasn't it common to create bodies for artificial intelligences? Rhode believed that he would succeed if he looked for it.

"I will find a way to let you have your own body. Believe in me."

"Of course... I've always believed in you. Haven't I, Big Brother?"

As Rhode communicated with his younger sister in his head, he suddenly heard an anxious voice.

"Rhode, what happened earlier?"

Marlene and the others rushed up the stairs and crowded around him worriedly. They witnessed the burst of light columns from before. They knew that Rhode was pondering deeply on the balcony, which was why no one wanted to disturb him. But they were really concerned after the light column vanished and didn't hear a sound from him, which explained why the group of young ladies ran up to check on him. Rhode shrugged helplessly.

"It's nothing. I was just confirming a thought."

"Have you succeeded?"

"Well, you can say so..."

Rhode gazed at the group of young ladies and let out a sigh. Shortly after, he cleared his head. Even though he didn't feel great from not truly succeeding, he had to accept the fact. After all, it was unlike back then. He could only gaze helplessly at his younger sister's passing and sense the other half of his life fading away in his body. He couldn't even let out a tear as though it weren't his younger sister who died, but him instead. Back then, it left a deep impression on him. He struggled for a long time walking out of the trauma and accepting reality. And now, the situation that he faced was much better than he anticipated. At least he could see the hope of the future now. Perhaps that was only a dream, but if one had no dreams, what was the difference between one and a salted fish? Rhode shut his eyes at this thought and took in a deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes, facing the group of young ladies. He threw the final trace of sorrow and depression to the back of his head.

"By the way, look at this awesome stuff."

Rhode said as he lifted the card in his hand. At the next moment, a dazzling radiance enfolded him entirely and once again transformed into a blinding light column. The scorching air and immense pressure forced the group a few steps back. After a few moments, the light faded and the group sucked in a deep breath of cold air at the sight before them.

Dragon.

A dragon stood on the balcony with its expanded wings. It had an enormous body and even the balcony of the size of a plaza couldn't contain its claws. The massive wings spread apart majestically, concealing the sky above them. Its wings presented the deep, illusory color of the night sky instead. It wasn't like the tone of darkness of the Dark Dragon. Instead, it was as though the starry sky of the cosmos, with a dark, surreal color and texture. As the wings flapped, the airspace around them rippled in dazzling spiritual lights. The people instantly felt immense pressure at the sight of the large pair of golden eyes.

"How is it?"

Rhode cocked his head with a proud expression, gazing at the stupefied group. After turning into a dragon, he clearly felt the presence of his younger sister. She was chuckling away softly and silently. But Rhode was aware that she was right behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck, shutting her eyes, and quietly feeling their warmth... But Rhode had no intention of revealing this to anyone. At least for now.

"Not bad. You look just like the final BOSS. Come to think of it, Leader, why do I feel like you're much stronger than that BOSS we killed in the game? Not only your imposing presence, but you also look twice as large..."

Mini Bubble Gum asked, scanning Rhode curiously from top to bottom with knitted brows. Canary revealed a dubious expression, but Rhode knew the reason behind it. According to the Creator Dragons, the strength of the Void Dragon who fought alongside them was only one percent of the true Void Dragon and also an existence who was re-represented by the form of data. And now, he had the strength of two people and became the perfect Void Dragon. He couldn't be mentioned on equal terms as the Void Dragon in the game.

"Of course, I feel really great now. I'm confident to even kill three generations of Ultraman if they come find trouble with me now."

Rhode spoke, swaying his head. He wasn't speaking with his mouth. Instead, he used telepathy to transmit his voice into their heads. If not, the group on the balcony would perhaps be blown away. Not only that, but the body of a dragon also felt entirely different from a human's. This was a refreshing experience for him. For instance, even though he had a massive body, he felt really lightweight. He might even be able to straighten his body and perform eight-set radio calisthenics now. Besides, it felt completely different having a tail and a pair of wings. He attempted to swing his wings and the instant burst of gales left everyone on the balcony leaning unsteadily from side to side. Rhode was sure that if the Dark Dragon were to fight him alone, the latter wouldn't stand a chance. But Rhode wasn't that certain of his chances against the twin dragons. After all, fighting with their mouths was the twin sisters' expertise and even Rhode wasn't confident if he could defeat them as they 'shot their mouths off'. But... the best way to not turn enemies into enemies was to rope them in, wasn't it?

"Bubble, Lize, you two are free now, right? Hop on. I'll show you an awesome place."

"Huh?"

Lize was startled by the invitation. On the other hand, Bubble cheered excitedly with both hands raised, darting forward and climbing up Rhode's lowered head. Lize hesitated, gazing at Mini Bubble Gum's actions. Then, she quickly followed and crawled up Rhode's head too. This wasn't easy for them. After all, Rhode's head was more than a dozen storeys tall. But fortunately, as 'combat' clerics, Mini Bubble Gum and Lize had their means. They cast a nimble spell on themselves and lithely climbed up like feathers, grabbing Rhode's scales. After ensuring that the two young ladies were seated tight, Rhode gradually expanded his wings.

In an instant, he burst straight up into the sky.

Chapter 1010: A Mysterious Visit

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

How would the people react when they witnessed a dragon in the sky?

In fact, they wouldn't have any reaction. It would be as though when one lifted one's head to the sky and couldn't spot a plane ten thousand meters high. This was the situation for Rhode's group. Rhode glided through the air smoothly as winds blustered against his expanded wings. Two illusory spatial undulations circulated to the back between his wings. According to the scientific divisions on Earth, Rhode was currently in the stratosphere. But he didn't feel uncomfortable. Mini Bubble Gum and Lize who sat on his head didn't seem cold, nor did they lack oxygen, which once again proved that science didn't exist in this world. In this case, let us talk about the world with magic instead.

Earth rushed past below them. Rhode lowered his head, narrowing his eyes at the system map. Of course, he didn't know everything in the heavens above and the earth underneath. But after obtaining the global GPS, none of this was a problem anymore. Shortly after, Rhode spotted his target from the map. He flapped his wings and dove quickly.

Lize and Mini Bubble Gum weren't mindful of why Rhode brought them along. In fact, they were indulging in the thrill of soaring in the sky. Although there were floating boats in the Munn Kingdom, the feeling of standing on a dragon was entirely different. They looked down at the scenery in excitement, twittering with each other. As the saying went, one woman equaled 500 quacking ducks. In this case, 1000 quacking ducks sure gave Rhode a hard time.

The towering mountains thronged with green, lush forest stood mightily before their eyes. Rhode flapped his wings and his massive body slowly shrunk. Even though this was his first time as a dragon, his ability to control his movements was so comfortable as though he had transformed more than a thousand times after gaining his younger sister's wisdom. His body shrunk, turned into an illusory shadow that enfolded Mini Bubble Gum and Lize within, and quickly landed on the surface. As soon as they touched down, Rhode had already returned to his usual self.

"This is... the church?"

Lize was startled as she gazed at the tall, white building surrounded by the green forest. Of course, she knew where this place was. Quite some time back, they had accompanied Rhode here for the Order Ceremony. This was the center of the Country of Law. But what were they doing here?

"Come, put this on."

Rhode said, handing out two white robes to the young ladies. Then, he also wore his own and pulled down the hood to cover his face. Judging from his appearance, he seemed like an ordinary believer. Although Mini Bubble Gum and Lize felt dubious, they also put on the robes. At this moment, a beautiful figure appeared in midair and went up to the trio.

Siena was clad in her usual outfit with the thin sword hanging diagonally behind her. The Ruling Dragon gazed at the trio blankly, clutching the hilt and asking softly with knitted brows.

"... Your Majesty Rhode?"

"Yes, it's me. Greetings, Siena."

"... What are you doing here? If you wish to visit the Country of Law, please come through the main entrance. Frankly speaking, if it weren't for the burst of dragon's prestige that Big Sister and I felt, we would have believed that we were invaded." Siena loosened the grip on the hilt after hearing Rhode's response. But judging from her confused expression, it was apparent that she didn't understand why Rhode 'trespassed private property' and was dressed up as a sneaky thief. Although Siena had met many dragon soul heirs, this was the first time she met someone as reckless as Rhode.

"My apologies. As I have a really important matter to attend to, I have to carry it out in secret or there will be trouble."

Rhode gestured as he spoke, while Siena's solemn expression twitched. Even though she couldn't figure out what Rhode was up to, he was the Void Dragon, after all, and there was no way for her to hold him accountable for trespassing. If it were others, they would have been captured by the twin sisters already.

"Alright then... Even though I don't know what you intend to do, Your Majesty Rhode, please come with me. This is..."

"No, no. We're not here for a casual chit chat. We have an important matter about the Dragon Soul Continent that we need to discuss with you and your sister. Only you and Her Majesty Nalea have the rights to know. By the way, I suppose this is the holy church where corpses were stored. Are there any new corpses of worshipers who are especially religious?"

"... Your Majesty Rhode, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Siena felt even more dubious and her curiosity piqued. Well, she couldn't be blamed since Rhode sneaked to this place and mentioned that he had something important to discuss with the twin sisters. And now, he asked about the corpses of their believers? The Country of Law was the core of the church. Many reputable believers were buried here after their death, so their spirits could find peace. Some of them were bishops at the end of their lives, while some were holy knights who died in battles. This was why it wasn't hard to find their corpses here. But what made Siena dubious was that... what had it got to do with Rhode?

"Something interesting. You'll know later."

Although Siena didn't know what Rhode was up to, she nodded in agreement, turned around, and left for a while. After a few moments, two figures returned, flitting across the air and landing before Rhode's group. But unlike Siena's stern expression, Nalea seemed more excited and curious as she blinked her large eyes at Rhode.

"Something interesting, huh? Your Majesty Rhode, I heard you are going to show us something fun?"

"Yes it is. You'll see it soon."

Rhode maintained his secrecy, leaving the twin dragons curious and suspicious. Even though they didn't know what Rhode was going to do, they led his group to the graveyard at the back of the mountain. Unlike the blackened, creepy graveyard that Rhode imagined, it was spotless from filths and vestiges. On the contrary, it was clean and quiet. The luxuriant green grass, white tombstones, and crisp, melodious singing of the birds from around the forest gave a feeling of serenity. The knights guarding the entrance witnessed the arrival of the two dragon soul heirs and quickly bowed respectfully, before turning around and making way for them. Under Nalea's and Siena's lead, Rhode's group entered the perfectly clean, white hall. Radiance from the sun spilled through the windows, gently splashing the hall before them. Dozens of beds carved from white jade were laid with several people. Some were clad in knight armor, while some wore bishop robes and were all seemingly in deep sleep. Logically speaking, without any preservative measures, their corpses should have turned rotten by now. But... science didn't exist in this world, anyway.

"This is the Cardinal."

Siena walked up to one of the elders and said softly.

"He contracted a terrible disease while saving the villagers. As he wasn't treated in time, he..."

"Ugh... This won't do."

Rhode gazed at the elder, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head.

"Do you have one who has just died? Someone younger and fresher?"

"..."

Siena glared at Rhode fiercely. She was apparently dissatisfied with his lack of respect for the deceased. However, she went up to another bed where a knight was lying on. He seemed to be around 30 years old. He had a determined face, crossing his arms on his chest and tightly clutching a sword in his embrace.

"He was a brave knight. Unfortunately, he was struck by a bandit's poisoned arrow while protecting the villagers..."

"Hmm... this is the one."

Rhode nodded as he gazed at the knight. Then, he turned around to face the twin sisters. At this moment, Siena and Nalea were looking at him curiously and dubiously. No matter what, this was all too strange to them. It was baffling that Rhode came all the way here and even requested to see the corpses. What exactly was he up to? Rhode gazed at their expressions, but apparently had no intention of explaining his thoughts. Instead, he turned around and gestured to Bubble.

"Bubble, it's time for some action."

"Leave it to me, Leader!"

After hearing Rhode's command, Mini Bubble Gum instantly understood his purpose in coming here. Mini Bubble Gum couldn't be more willing to be in the limelight. She raised her arms and suddenly, a dazzling light column descended from above, striking the knight directly. Siena puckered her brows, instinctively holding onto the hilt, but eventually didn't make a move. On the other hand, Nalea widened her eyes curiously at this scene. Shortly after, the radiance faded away. Mini Bubble Gum waved her hand, signaling that she had done her job.

"..."

Everyone shifted their gaze to the knight, but his eyes remained shut as he continued lying lifelessly like nothing had changed. Rhode felt rather surprised. He looked at Mini Bubble Gum, while the latter spread her arms apart and shrugged as though this had nothing to do with her. As a cleric, the instant the rules returned to this world, the individual and group resurrection spell of clerics that Mini Bubble Gum possessed in the past had returned to her. Just a few moments ago, she cast an individual resurrection spell on the knight. But it seemed like... it wasn't effective?

Hold up. Players in the game have to confirm their decision to revive the target. Could it be that this is the same in reality?

"Your Majesty Rhode, what exactly are you..."

After a few moments, Siena couldn't tolerate it any longer. She asked when suddenly, a weak groan interrupted her.

Everyone looked at the knight and found him slowly opening his eyes.