episode_0154

Omne Diraberetur

“Aghhhhhh!”

“Aaaaaahhh…..”

Stain, whose back was slashed by Trahan, and Omega, whose mouth was pierced by Aria’s beam, simultaneously fell backward. Dio V Runner grinned, satisfied that the operation had succeeded and that I had defeated Stain, and thought as he watched the collapsing Omega.

‘As expected… He was desperately blocking attacks aimed at his mouth from the start, so his mouth must have been his weakness. He probably instinctively knew that his insides weren’t as hard as his outer shell, so attacks aimed at his mouth would be fatal… And Zeke… I expected he wouldn’t die from Stain’s attack, but to go beyond that and even defeat Stain… Well done, Zeke…!’

“Aaaahhh! Zeke-nim!”

“Ah… ahaha… Aria… Ugh…”

The moment Dio V Runner thought I was admirable, Aria, realizing that I had just spat blood from Stain’s attack, released the radiance of her sacred ring and descended. She then rushed towards me. Just then, as I was about to collapse from exhaustion, having used so much of Iruvan’s flames and magic, Aria was startled. She quickly rushed over and urgently supported my body and back with her hands. She slowly sat down, placed my head on her lap, and urgently began emitting divine power from her hands to heal the bruise on my abdomen.

“Ugh… Zeke-nim, I’m sorry… Because I was too late, Zeke-nim…”

“Haa… It’s okay, Aria. Rather, it’s thanks to you that I was able to defeat Stain…”

“Yes…?”

Aria blamed herself, thinking that I had suffered such a large injury because she was late. I, however, thanked her, saying it was thanks to her that I could defeat Stain. Aria looked bewildered, not understanding the meaning of my words, and pointed at herself with her left hand. I nodded and explained to Aria.

“Yes. If Stain hadn’t been focused on you, my surprise attack would definitely have failed. Thanks to you not giving up and fighting Omega, I was able to make Stain drop his guard. And thanks to that, Omega didn’t even pay attention to me, did he? So, I was able to win thanks to you. Thank you, Aria.”

“I… is that so…? Still, it feels a little strange… I could have won without Zeke-nim getting hurt like this… But thank you for the compliment, Zeke-nim.”

Aria, though not yet feeling satisfied because I was injured, smiled and thanked me, clearly happy that she had been complimented. Well… I had traveled with Aria for several months, so I had already expected her to have mixed feelings. And in reality, I really was able to defeat Stain thanks to Aria…

“Ha… haha… Right… Then, can I really leave the rest to you? It seems I’ve lost all my strength…?”

“Hmmmm… Lost all your strength, you say…? Hehehehe… Understood, Zeke-nim… This Aria will take responsibility for the rest… Eehehehehe…”

“….”

Relieved that Aria felt at least a little satisfied, I closed my eyes and asked Aria to take care of the rest. Aria then grinned sinisterly, saying she would take responsibility for what was to come. I then remembered Aria’s forgotten personality and immediately became serious. Damn it… I shouldn’t have said anything… While I rested, worried about the future with my head on Aria’s lap, the experimental subject girl, who had been watching all of this from the control room, couldn’t help but be surprised.

“I… incredible… To defeat Stain and Omega… Ah, this is not the time for this! Yuria is currently…!”

The moment the experimental subject girl was greatly surprised that Aria and I had defeated Stain and Omega, she remembered that Yuria was currently freezing the passage. She quickly began checking the screen to see where Yuria was. When she realized Yuria had already frozen many passages, the experimental subject girl was appalled by Yuria’s activity.

“What?! She’s already frozen most of the passages?! How on earth did she freeze such a wide passage in such a short time…!”

The moment the experimental subject girl couldn’t understand how Yuria had frozen almost all of the wide passage in such a short time, she saw on one of the screens that Yuria was gliding across the frozen floor, freezing the surroundings as she went. She was greatly shocked. As Yuria finished freezing all the passages and was returning to where she had been, the experimental subject girl was startled to realize that the Saintess and priests had descended there. Yuria also seemed flustered, perhaps not expecting the Saintess and priests to follow her all the way here.

“Seriously… You followed me all the way down here? You guys are truly amazing…”

“There’s nowhere left to run, Snow Woman. You’ve learned too much in this place. By her will, disappear from this place…!”

“Yuria! Jump to the wall on your right right now! Hurry!”

“….! Right?! It’s blocked!”

As the Saintess and priests slowly approached Yuria, the experimental subject girl urgently shouted at Yuria to jump to the right wall. However, Yuria didn’t understand why the experimental subject girl was suddenly telling her to jump to a wall that was blocked.

‘Ugh… Still… Let’s just trust her for once!’

But remembering that the experimental subject girl had saved her life earlier, Yuria held Tiavel and ran with all her might to the right. At that moment, she pressed a certain button. The right wall opened up and down like a door, and Yuria jumped into an empty space beyond the opened wall. The wall immediately closed. Krischa, the Saintess, saw this and snorted, then spoke to the Saintess and priests.

“…. Oh my… To think such a device was hidden… Oh?”

“Phew… Now collapse, you damned facility!”

Yuria, whose life was saved once again thanks to the experimental subject girl’s help, placed her hand on the wall and immediately began shattering the frozen passage beyond the wall. Cracks began to appear in the passage, and Krischa, realizing that the facility was about to collapse along with the passage, smiled sweetly and spoke to the other Saintesses and priests.

“Oh… I didn’t expect this. To try to collapse the entire facility… There’s nothing we can do. Let’s retreat quickly, everyone.”

“Bu… but…”

“Don’t worry! It won’t change anything just because they know. Then… I look forward to meeting you outside… Zeke, Aria.”

As Yuria’s ice shattered, cracks slowly began appearing in the passage, and the sound of the facility crumbling could be heard. Krischa led the Saintesses and priests back the way they came. Meanwhile, Yuria, hearing the facility collapsing from inside the room, looked up to see a large hole in the ceiling. She chuckled and said,

“So this was the escape plan you prepared? Well… Zeke will be fine since he has Aria, and Dio V Runner will protect himself… If they escape from this facility, I’ll have to hurry and tell them this fact… Let’s go, Tiavel!”

Believing that Zeke and his party would safely escape the facility, Yuria held Tiavel in her arms, sprayed cold air from her body, and flew into the air, escaping the facility. Meanwhile, in the central laboratory, I saw dust falling from the ceiling and was greatly bewildered, saying,

“This… the facility is collapsing, isn’t it…?”

“That’s right! Yuria destroyed a pillar, and the facility is collapsing! So let’s escape quickly too!”

“…. In that case, we’ll have to break the ceiling again. To get out safely, we’ll have to fly again…”

“Hehehe… Khahahahaha…”

The experimental subject girl suggested we escape since the facility was indeed collapsing as I predicted. Aria raised her staff towards the ceiling to break it and began gathering light. Just then, Stain’s laughter, despite his fallen state, was heard. Everyone turned their heads towards Stain, and I reached for Trahan beside me and spoke to Stain.

“Still alive, you man of warped desires.”

“To think that this whole mess happened because we couldn’t handle one experimental subject born and raised here… I truly didn’t expect the facility to actually collapse… To freeze and collapse the passages… What an ingenious idea…”

“It’s all over now, you filthy researcher. This facility, filled with items from another world, will be buried underground with you. Oh, don’t worry, I’ll make good use of the camera.”

‘…So she liked the camera after all, Aria…’

Aria said that this place would collapse, but she would make good use of the camera she obtained from here. I let out a snort, thinking that Aria had liked the camera. Just then, Stain continued to laugh as if mocking us, and we simultaneously felt something suspicious about him. Stain then spoke to us.

“Khahaha… Perhaps this was meant to be… But… but it’s not over yet… To prepare for something like this… We’ve prepared a final resort…!”

“….? A final resort…?”

“Yes, Explorer… *Omne Diraberetur*…!”

I wondered what his final resort was. Stain chuckled and mentioned the words “Omne Diraberetur.” Hearing this, Dio V Runner and the experimental subject girl were startled. Dio V Runner urgently shouted at Aria.

“….! Aria! Subdue Stain immediately!”

“….? What’s suddenly…”

“It’s too late, Otherworlder! Everything… will crumble!”

Suddenly, Dio V Runner shouted at her to subdue Stain. Aria didn’t understand the meaning of this. Just then, Stain pressed a button on his wristband. The central laboratory began to shake violently, and the floor of the laboratory began to collapse from the center. A purple vortex appeared from beneath the floor. Aria, feeling something ominous, picked me up, unable to move due to exhaustion, and quickly retreated to the edge, shouting at Dio V Runner.

“Wh… what is that?! Dio V Runner! What on earth is that?!”

“It’s a dimensional path! That crazy bastard! To open a dimensional path as a last resort! We need to break through the ceiling and escape from here…! What?!”

The moment Dio V Runner looked up, saying they needed to break through the ceiling and escape, the ceiling also began to collapse like the floor, and a dimensional path appeared within it. At that moment, all passages leading to the central laboratory were sealed. Stain, confirming that everyone in the laboratory was trapped, scoffed at us and shouted,

“Hahaha! It’s useless, Otherworlders! No one here will return to their original world! Explorer! Embark on the journey to a new world you’ve so desired! Whether that place is hell or heaven, I don’t know! Hahahahahahaha!”

Stain told us we wouldn’t return to our original world, then fell into the dimensional path along with the collapsing floor. Omega, too, fell below the giant Omega and plunged into the dimensional path. Not only the floor but also the walls began to crumble. It was obvious that everyone would be thrown into a strange dimension instead of Krentid World. I was greatly flustered and shouted at Dio V Runner.

“Damn it! Dio V Runner! Is there any way?!”

“No! We could be separated, and the Elum Dimension only has one dimensional path, and its entrance changes every time, so it’s unknown when we can return! Furthermore, this vortex is rapidly approaching us, so we don’t have time to react!”

“What did you say?!”

Dio V Runner said that it was difficult to return due to the strange structure of the Elum Dimension’s dimensional path, and that they had no time to react as the vortex was rapidly approaching them. I was appalled. So… if we fall into that vortex now… we can’t return to this dimension… No! That can’t…!

“Zeke-nim… If we fall into that vortex… this Aria will definitely be with Zeke-nim… Don’t worry, this Aria will surely hold onto Zeke-nim so we don’t get separated… No matter what dimension we arrive in… I will definitely protect Zeke-nim!”

“Aria… Yes… Let’s just hope we don’t get separated…”

Aria tightly held my hand and told me that she would definitely hold onto me no matter what dimension we fell into. Feeling a little relieved, I gripped Aria’s hand tightly, hoping we wouldn’t be separated. Just then, the experimental subject girl, who had somehow descended the stairs, stood before us with her back turned and asked,

“I have a question, Zeke.”

“…? You… what are you going to…”

“What if… what if I fall outside of this dimension…? Will there be… will there be people there who aren’t afraid of me and accept me, like you…? Will there be someone who will treat me warmly…?”

The experimental subject girl, with her back turned, sniffled and asked if there would be people outside this dimension who would treat her warmly and accept her without fear, like me. I was lost in thought for a moment. Then, looking between Aria and Dio V Runner, I said to the experimental subject girl,

“There are many strange people in the world… So there definitely will be. Definitely…”

“…. I see… Listen carefully, Zeke. There’s a last resort.”

“….?! What did you say?!”

Hearing my answer, the experimental subject girl seemed a little relieved and calmly told us there was a last resort. Dio V Runner was startled and shouted at the experimental subject girl. The experimental subject girl then looked at the vortex visible beneath the crumbling floor and said,

“The Revalud researchers implanted various devices in my body, saying that a perfect living being should be able to travel dimensions proficiently. Using these devices, I might be able to set the destination coordinates of this vortex… to this dimension. However… no one knows where we’ll actually be moved to. But isn’t it better than the worst-case scenario…?”

“…. Wait… You don’t mean… in order to efficiently use that device…”

“Yes, Zeke. I have to jump into this vortex first. Then I’ll be transported to another dimension, but… you all will be able to remain in this dimension.”

Recalling the experimental subject girl’s meaningful question, I realized that for the experimental subject girl to use the device in her body, she had to touch the vortex. I was greatly shocked. No! She just got out of the cage! Absolutely not!

“….! Ju… just a minute!!!”

“Thank you for saving me, Zeke… I’ll… I’ll trust your words… Thank you, Zeke. Really…”

“….! N-no!!!!!!”

The experimental subject girl gave me a dry smile and thanked me, then jumped straight into the vortex. I reached out my hand, trying to grab her somehow. But being completely exhausted, I had no strength to hold her. I was dumbfounded watching the experimental subject girl jump down. Dio V Runner, who was descending to try and grab the experimental subject girl just like me, realized it was too late and gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Damn it… Damn it…!”

“….! Zeke-nim! The floor has completely begun to collapse! At this rate…”

“…. Let’s trust that child and jump too. If that child truly succeeded… then when we open our eyes, it’ll be Krentid World, right? But… it doesn’t matter anymore. It wouldn’t be bad to just live and see each other again. And if we don’t jump right now, we’ll betray the trust of the experimental subject child who just sacrificed herself for us! Don’t you think so, Aria?!”

“….! Yes! As long as Zeke-nim is alive next to me…! Understood, Zeke-nim! I’ll jump!”

“He… hey!”

I said that it didn’t matter where, as long as we lived and saw each other again. Aria agreed, picked me up, and jumped straight into the vortex. Dio V Runner also threw himself into the vortex, and we began to fall down the vortex. Dio V Runner, unable to reach us no matter how much he flew, gave up and shouted at us,

“It seems we’ll be separated, Zeke! Aria! If that experimental subject’s sacrifice succeeded, and we open our eyes again in Krentid World…! We must meet again! The Revalud facility is finished, but don’t forget that the priests, Saintesses, and the Goddess are still out there!”

“Understood, Dio V Runner! Launcher-nim, you be careful too!”

Dio V Runner predicted that he, Aria, and I would be separated and warned us not to forget the Goddess. I told Dio V Runner I understood and to be careful. Dio V Runner nodded and began to sink further down. Aria and I slowly began to sink downwards. Meanwhile, in a dark space, Saintess Krischa was reporting to some entity.

“Everything is proceeding according to the Goddess-nim’s plan. They still seem to have no clue what plans the Goddess-nim has made.”

“But Renbu lost his life. Well… thanks to him, it alerted me that there are those who would oppose me, so it wasn’t a wasted death… Anyway, it’s time to conclude the plan. Place my statues throughout Krentid World, my children.”

“Understood. Goddess Camilla-nim.”

Krischa bowed to the yellow-haired woman in white robes before her, Camilla, and replied that she understood. Camilla then turned away, seemed to remember something, and asked Krischa,

“By the way, what happened to that man Stain? The researcher who was deliberately kept alive with his emotions twisted by divine power.”

“He seems to have lost his life. The Revalud facility was destroyed by their hands.”

“Well… thanks to his twisted emotions, he never even dreamed he was helping us… Anyway, we’ve secured enough Tiamel, so his death doesn’t matter. Oh, and tell the other high Saintesses. The day our wish will be granted is not far off.”

“I will do so, Goddess Camilla-nim.”

Camilla commanded Krischa to inform the high Saintesses that the day their wish would be granted was not far off. Krischa bowed and replied that she would do so, then withdrew. Camilla then took out a framed picture of Aria from her pocket, looked at the drawing, and grinned, muttering,

“The time is almost here, my child. And don’t worry. I will grant even your wish…”

Camilla, muttering that she would grant Aria’s wish while looking at Aria’s picture, began walking down a deeper and darker corridor. Meanwhile, I, who had fallen into the vortex and lost consciousness, blinked my eyes at the sound of birds chirping around me and slowly opened my eyes. As I opened my eyes, Aria, realizing that I, who was resting my head on her lap, had woken up, smiled sweetly and said to me,

“Zeke-nim, you’re awake. That’s a relief…”

“Uh… ugh… My head hurts… I think I lost consciousness midway because I used too much strength… Oh, right… Are you okay?”

“…! Hahaha… To worry about me first as soon as you wake up… As expected, Zeke-nim is so kind, aren’t you? Ah! I’m perfectly fine, Zeke-nim. It’s just… I was surprised when I saw Zeke-nim lose consciousness as soon as we arrived… I suppose? Hehehe…”

“…. Yes, for you, it must have been a heart-stopping shock… Anyway… it’s a relief that both of us are safe… This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“No. If you’re doubtful, shall we take a picture of us with this camera?”

“…. You brought it after all. Hmm… it seems our belongings also got caught in that vortex and came along… Phew…”

Aria took out the camera from her pocket. I looked at the belongings around us, realized it was definitely reality, and sighed in relief. Then, realizing I could move my body now, I immediately got up and looked around, asking Aria,

“By the way… what dimension is this? No… is this even Krentid World? Aria, do you know where this is?”

“Of course, Zeke-nim. I explored the surroundings while Zeke-nim was unconscious and found out where we are!”

“Oh… that’s impressive? And if you found out where this is, then this must be Krentid World… So where in Krentid World is this? Is it the Herlos Region?”

“No? This is a forest in the Magrion Region?”

“…. What?! Wa… wait… Then we… came back?!”

Aria told me this was the Magrion Region. I, who hadn’t finished exploring the Herlos Region yet, was startled and greatly shocked that we had landed in the Magrion Region. Aaahhh! That means we have to go all the way back around! I was greatly appalled that I would have to start the journey almost from the beginning again.

Part 3 Afterword

Hello! I’m Photon, the author serializing “The Black Saintess”!

Finally, Part 3 has concluded, and we’re entering the final chapter.

In Part 1, they fought ancient beings, in Part 2, fate, and in Part 3, beings from another dimension! I believe everyone knows who Zeke and Aria will fight in the final chapter. Anyway, once the final chapter ends, the long story of “The Black Saintess” will come to a close!

Hmm… Unfortunately, the characters from “The Black Saintess” are not planned to appear in “Dimensions” even when it reaches Part 2. With the exception of just one character, that is. “The Black Saintess” will appear in “Dimensions” Part 3, but getting to Part 3 is still a very, very long way off, haha… The “Dimensions” series has currently been serialized for over 450 chapters in total, but if it’s still a very, very long way off… I’ll probably have to write about 2000 chapters… No, is that still too little…? Um… Anyway! In this afterword, I’ll only be talking about four things and then conclude. Why, you ask? Hmm… Because the rest might be spoilers…!!

1. The Language of the Levalud Facility If you’ve seen the final episode of Part 3, you might be able to guess the language of the Levalud Facility, but— Surprisingly, it uses a language similar to Latin. It’s not exactly the same, but it uses a language of a similar form.

2. Dio V Runner Dio V Runner is a character who also appears in the main story of “Dimensions.” He doesn’t appear in the currently serialized “Dimensions” chapters; he’s a character who appears around the beginning of Part 2. Currently, due to circumstances requiring him to search for someone, he’s visiting various dimensions. That’s how he noticed the existence of the Levalud Facility and came to investigate Krentid World. And like Zeke’s nightmare, who taught Aria about cameras… No, never mind.

3. Tiamel and Bramel Tiamel and Bramel are minerals that also appear in “Dimensions.” They have the power to store something, and the ability to repel that power. Aria had a hard time because of these minerals, so why was she able to destroy the sphere of ‘Cheollyang’ which was made of the same material?! That reason will be revealed later. Well… I’ll just tell you that the reason is surprisingly simple.

4. Magical Power Ah… I think I need to mention this again… A few months after I finished serializing “Where Do Devils Live?”, I realized something. That I had confused ‘magi’ and ‘magical power’ in the “Dimensions” setting… So, I should have originally referred to demonic energy as ‘magical power’, but I mistakenly called it ‘magi’… I apologize for confusing you all! ‘Magical power’ is the correct term!

Anyway, thanks to your interest and love, “The Black Saintess” has been able to enter its final chapter. I express my gratitude once again to all of you who have continuously shown interest and love for “The Black Saintess.”

….

But what was the length of the final chapter…?

Ugh…