episode_0027

-Clunk!

“Ugh… just let me sleep…”

Number 1, who had been nodding off in a corner seat, woke up as the vehicle swayed. The armored intercity bus clanked along, pulling its bulky frame down the dim pre-dawn road.

On Sunday morning, I had stayed up all night, then left school and boarded a bus headed for the southwest region.

At first glance, it was a bus heavily covered in thick armor. Compared to its size, the interior was surprisingly narrow. Was it a result of trading transport capacity for defense? The narrow, small windows were fitted with bars, reminiscent of what’s commonly called a chicken cage truck.

-It can’t be helped. They say wild monsters occasionally charge at vehicles on the highway, right?-

-Number 7, are monsters truly the only problem?-

Silhouettes of dark blue buildings flashed past the narrow window.

In the shadows of the still-sleeping city, a clattering noise, like beans being roasted, could be heard. Amidst the din, screams and shouts were swallowed by the shadows before they could fully spread.

It was a scene I hadn’t witnessed in the neighborhood I lived in before transmigration. Unless one deliberately went to a country with unstable public safety, they probably wouldn’t encounter such a sight in their lifetime.

-Indeed, outside of school is dangerous.-

-There doesn’t seem to be much difference between school and here, though?-

The Violets muttered in my head.

“It can’t be helped. That’s just the kind of world it is, right?”

Number 1 mumbled, chewing on a chocolate bar. A passenger sitting nearby glanced at me, seemingly having heard what I said, then turned their head away.

Sometimes, when I converse with myself and my thoughts, words slip out. I need to be careful.

-But Number 1, where did you get that chocolate bar?-

-This was in the cupboard, wasn’t it?-

-Hey! That’s Daphne’s! You got caught yesterday, and you took it again so soon?-

“But it’s all for survival,” Number 1 grumbled internally.

I briefly recalled what had happened last night.

While descending the forest as the sun set, I was caught by Daphne taking cup noodles and other snacks (bread, chocolate, candy, cookies, etc.).

It was because the dormitory standby clone was supposed to buy and replenish what had been taken, but forgot.

When Daphne pointed to the empty cupboard and quietly questioned me with a disappointed look, I had no choice but to confess.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t eat it myself, but my clone forgot… I was hungry, so that’s why.”

“Truly… if you were hungry, you should have said something.”

She gently admonished me.

“I think it’s understandable that you ate mine. But taking it without saying anything is too much! Next time, please ask before taking it. Understood?”

“Understood… I’m sorry. I promise.”

“Thank you, Ruzilin-ssi. You’ve made a promise with me starting today!”

My roommate really seems kind.

-So this time, I asked before taking it. And we’ve refilled it with what we bought, so it should be fine!-

-Oh dear… Even though you’re me, you seem to think too simply.-

Afterward, the incident was resolved when another clone quickly bought cup noodles and snacks, filling the cupboard.

Having nothing to do, I climbed onto the bunk bed and idly fiddled with my smartphone.

Unable to sleep, I considered just staying up all night. Then, I looked down and saw Daphne diligently studying under the desk lamp, with textbooks and notebooks spread out.

She had several thick books stacked beside her, as massive as university textbooks.

Curious, I asked her.

“The semester hasn’t even started for a week, and you’re already studying?”

“Yes. Given my major, it seems there’s a lot I need to prepare for.”

She replied with a gentle smile. I’d heard before that it was a medical-related department. They reportedly teach everything from pure surgical treatment techniques to recovery magic and unique healing abilities.

That’s why I heard one needed excellent entrance exam scores to get in. The premise is that one must understand human anatomy and biology to heal effectively.

“I paid a lot to get in, so it would be a waste of money and time to just play around, wouldn’t it? I’m going to learn and study as much as I possibly can.”

“As expected! Is it because your goal is to be a doctor, Teacher-nim? Daphne, you’re such a model student.”

“Oh… that’s too much praise, isn’t it? Strictly speaking, I’m not even a real doctor.”

“Hehehe…”

After that, we chatted quite a bit. Could this be what they call ‘girl talk’? It was fun.

Watching her blush from all the praise, I grew even more curious about my roommate.

Five years before the main story, what dreams did the ‘Saintess of Salvation’ hold? Apart from her significant role in the narrative, Daphne’s past wasn’t really explored.

“Just wondering, what will you do after graduation, Daphne? Will you join a clan? Or get a job at a medical institution?”

“First, I’ll need to find a job, right? I’ll have to pay off my tuition loans. But, if the opportunity arises, I’d like to try medical volunteering.”

“Medical volunteering?”

“Yes, there are so many people in this world who are hurt and sick but can’t get proper medical care. I wanted to help those people with my abilities… That’s not strange, is it?”

“Oh! That sounds like a great idea!”

“Thank you for saying that.”

She lightly raised her right hand, revealing the softly glowing light of pale green ether.

“Ever since I first gained this ability… there’s been someone I really wanted to help.”

As Daphne spoke, a wistful smile settled on her lips, then melted away like late spring snow.

-Riiing!

My phone alarm on the bed rang.

Oh! I set the time wrong.

“This was my alarm clock. It was supposed to ring in the early morning, but I must have set it incorrectly.”

“Now that you mention it, look how late it’s gotten. Ruzilin-ssi, I hope the desk lamp isn’t bothering you while you try to sleep? Is it okay?”

“No, I’m fine! I didn’t interrupt your studying, did I?”

“I’m fine too. It was fun chatting for a bit and clearing my head. I still have some things to look over, so have a good night!”

Right, so I lay there idly, passing the time until it was 5 AM, then I came out, took a taxi, and went to the bus terminal.

While thinking all this, the armored bus jolted violently, as if it had hit a speed bump. Number 1, caught between sleepiness and thought, swayed like a clock pendulum.

“Gah!”

-What the? Why is this bus driver so bad at driving?-

-And they charge so much money!-

The Violets complained in their heads about the terrible ride quality. A squealing sound came from the internal speaker, followed by the driver tapping the microphone.

“Alright, passengers. The recent collision occurred when we hit a monster that intruded onto the road. We apologize to all passengers using our Alpine Intercity Bus for the inconvenience…”

The bus driver kept talking, and then a series of vibrations echoed inside the bus.

Passengers, one after another, took out their smartphones to check. I also felt a vibration in my pocket, and when I checked the screen, I saw this message:

[EMERGENCY!: Currently, a Class 3 emergency alert for the entire Southwest region. Multiple small gates have simultaneously appeared. Be aware of the emergence of low and medium-level monsters and move indoors or to the nearest building. Close all doors and windows and await further instructions. -Academy City Central Safety Management Committee]

I gasped in alarm and looked around. People calmly checked their smartphones, then returned to their usual positions. Everyone was so nonchalant.

For some reason, it reminded me of the disaster alerts from before I transmigrated. There was no difference, except that heatwaves and heavy rains had been replaced by gates and monster riff-raff.

-Squeal!

The speaker crackled on, and the driver made another announcement.

“Alright… passengers, as you may have received, a Class 3 emergency alert has now been declared. For your safety, we will proceed to our destination at high speed. Please fasten your seatbelts tightly and hold on to the handrails!”

-Roar!

“Gah!”

With a heavy roar, I felt my body pushed back as the vehicle accelerated. The armored intercity bus sped down the road at high velocity.

Outside the brightening window, several helicopters crisscrossed between buildings. People could be seen jumping out without parachutes. A heavy thud of an explosion was heard.

Tensely, I scanned the narrow view outside the window. At this rate, it was like a full-blown war zone.

The people around me were either staring at their smartphone screens as if nothing was happening, or deeply asleep. It seemed I was the only one on edge in this vehicle.

I once again keenly felt that I had fallen into a game world.

The emergency alert was lifted 30 minutes later. I tried to go back to sleep.

***

After hours of continuous driving, I finally disembarked from the stuffy armored bus, and then spent dozens more minutes walking towards the dungeon.

The destination was , colloquially known as the ‘Novastia Mine.’

Though called a mine and used for extracting various minerals and materials, it is actually a gateway to an other-dimensional world.

“Alright, advance party of three, assemble!”

“Assemble!”

After creating two clones, we ascended the mountain together.

The Novastia Mine is located halfway up the mountain, so the path up is extremely rugged. Even after calling a taxi and paying a high fare to ride, it dropped me off near the entrance.

We walked up a dirt road wide enough for three or four trucks to pass, and beneath the rising morning sun, the glittering cityscape of Rustrum spread out before us.

“Can everyone see it? It’s deeply moving.”

“Right. To see a place that was only on a screen with my own eyes, it feels new.”

In the distance, the cityscape of the Central District was visible. In the middle of the city, a pointed building soared as if piercing the sky.

“So that’s … it really is tall.”

“It’s visible even from here, just how big is it?”

“They sell food at the observation deck in the middle there. Let’s go try it someday!”

“If we make a lot of money!”

The transcendental structure, boasting a height of 3km, displayed a grandeur that made the countless surrounding skyscrapers seem like mere concrete decorations.

Feeling like tourists, we admired the distant city view and took landscape photos.

-Whoosh!

“Woah! It’s an airship!”

A massive, monstrous object passed overhead, creating a harsh roar. At its imposing sight, we all cheered and waved our hands.

An angular airship, shaped in a way that might infuriate aeronautical experts, flew above us.

On both sides of the airship, propulsion engines emitting an indescribable etheric glow were tightly packed. The steel containers densely loaded beneath the airship were impressive, resembling remoras clinging to a whale’s belly.

“I want to ride that sometime.”

“Me too…”

The cargo airship disappeared to the north.

“Coming out of school, I get to see so many amazing things.”

“Let’s stop sightseeing and get going again. An abnormal weather alert just came up. It says it’s going to rise to 50 degrees, so we need to get into the dungeon quickly.”

“Again? I thought this week would be somewhat normal, but the weather around here is never stable…”

We hurried up. Relying on the map app, we ascended, but gradually the signal was lost, and only strange signals appeared.

The dungeon was getting closer.

“Doesn’t it seem like there are a lot of tire tracks on the road?”

“You’re right. I thought the Novastia Dungeon in the main story was closed because it wasn’t profitable.”

Number 2 sensed something was off and looked back at Number 1 and Number 3.

“Wasn’t that supposed to be the main story five years from now? We’re here five years earlier.”

“Then, currently, it’s still…”

The entrance was visible in the distance. As we approached, we faced a robust barbed wire fence and a massive steel gate.

“Gah! What is that?!”

“Let’s investigate first.”

We climbed the hill next to the entrance. We could see the dungeon entrance covered with multiple fences and barbed wire that weren’t present in the main story. Large autocannon turrets, typically found on warships, were also installed.

Several heavy armored vehicles bearing the symbol of an unknown clan, which had ascended the dirt road, passed through the main gate and disappeared.

As we waited, several large dump trucks drove back and forth, ascending and descending. Hunters carrying weapons could be seen patrolling everywhere.

“This is bad! It looks like it’s currently under management!”

“The security is too tight, isn’t it? Will we be able to get in?”

A brilliant idea popped into my head.

“Let’s hang underneath a truck and get in! Like in a movie.”

We thought it was a good idea and created Number 4, sending her down.

Number 4, lying prone in the roadside ditch, waited for a dump truck to pass, then swiftly rolled and tried to get underneath.

“Huh?”

The timing was off! The truck’s wheel filled Number 4’s vision.

-Squish!

“Agh!”

“Ugh!”

We clutched our heads in agonizing pain.

Fortunately, Number 4 died instantly, so the pain was brief.

Where the truck had passed, Number 4 was visible, flattened like dried shredded squid.

“What should we do?”

“Do we have to sneak in?”

“Look it up online!”

“But there’s no internet here! Don’t forget that Wi-Fi doesn’t work around dungeons!”

As several of us gathered and pondered, Number 8, who was typing on a computer in the library, sent an unexpected piece of information.

-You fools! Why are you dawdling there? Share my vision!-

We shared vision with Number 8. On the computer screen that Number 8 was looking at, the Novastia Dungeon map and an information guide were visible.

-Just in case, I checked. A mid-sized clan holds the business rights for material extraction here, so they do charge an entrance fee, but you can just go in if you have a license.-

We had taken the wrong path. There was a separate entrance for ordinary people. When I sent Number 1 down, there was a parking lot and a checkpoint in a direction we hadn’t noticed before.

“It was a place that’s currently open for business…”

“And the place we came to was a vehicle-only passage.”

After going back down for a while, all sorts of people were waiting. I quickly joined the line.

People of various ages, armed with weapons, moved forward. In front, an armed security hunter belonging to the clan held a terminal and scanned people’s licenses.

“Let’s check your license. Oh dear, your registration period has expired? Please return.”

“What?! Ugh…”

Most passed through, but some were denied entry and had to turn back.

Soon, it was my turn.

“What, a school uniform? The semester just started, but you’re quick. Let me see your student ID.”

When I handed over my student ID, the checkpoint guard scanned it with his terminal, and his expression softened.

“…Polaris Comprehensive Academy, confirmed. May your hunt be fruitful.”

He was more polite than I expected. As I started to walk forward, the guard stopped me from behind.

“Just a moment! Student. You need to pay the entrance fee, right?”

I saw the entrance fee displayed on a sign to the side. It was quite expensive. I emptied my wallet to pay it.

-If I had known this, I would have checked more information before coming…-

-You’re right, I shouldn’t just rely on original story knowledge like when we looked for the crystal flower.-

Number 1 passed through the checkpoint and walked towards the dungeon gate.

It was early morning, but it felt like a bustling marketplace. Merchants could be seen doing business with people entering the dungeon from within.

“Survival backpack sets, buy one get one free!”

“Cheap! Combat rations on sale!”

“First-aid kits on sale!”

I went to one of the stalls and bought three recovery potions. They were the same kind I used in the lab.

-Will this also be able to be duplicated?-

-Go inside and try.-

The portal entrance, shimmering like a dark sea, came into view.

I carefully stepped forward, advancing one pace. A vibration, as if being swept by a wave, could be felt.

“Woah…”

The rocky mountain from before was gone, replaced by the ruins of a gigantic city spread out before my eyes.

“…So this is it.”

I had entered the setting of the prologue, the region.

Perhaps because it was the entrance, hunters carrying weapons and forming their own teams could be seen walking nearby. On one side, the heavy armored vehicles I had seen earlier rolled beyond the ruins along a ramp.

“This is just the beginning. Everyone, stay focused and prepare for creation.”

After walking to a secluded spot, I created clones. Immediately, 14 Violets appeared.

They tied their flowing hair with elastic bands, pulled out and donned face masks, then drew their weapons.

“Good. Let’s go.”

“Let’s go!”

Beyond the desolate gray ruins, the Violet squad advanced.