Ryu Seoha had once seen an image on TV, depicting a computer network visualized as a complex spiderweb. It resembled the tangled neural networks of a brain. As she gazed at the ‘worlds’ before her, that image ca to mind.
The small spheres, which looked like soap bubbles or glass beads, were connected by thin, translucent lines—almost like silk threads or piano wires. All of these lines extended toward a distant, unseen location.
“Piyu?”
As Ryu Seoha stared intently in the direction where these connections seed to lead, Ruby, who had been floating alongside her with wings wrapped around her, tilted its head as if to ask why she was so focused.
“…Choi Kanghu will probably follow those lines.”
The black hole that had sucked Ryu Seoha and Ruby into this space had completely vanished, leaving no trace behind. Had they not been wearing the Robes of the Star, they likely wouldn’t have survived the speed at which they’d been pulled in.
If Choi Kanghu had followed her into this higher dinsion, he too would have been swept up in the sensory storm that this place created, drifting to an unknown location. As soon as he regained his awareness, he would surely begin searching for her.
In this vast space that resembled the universe, the most conspicuous elent was the translucent lines, and Choi Kanghu would likely try to approach the main core that governed all the ‘worlds’ under the Darkwing’s control.
They had discussed this in their strategy sessions—how the main core was akin to the brain’s central command, a fragnt of the creator’s power. Even the higher beings had long forgotten how to control it.
Since no one could use it, it had been left without much security, essentially abandoned. The crucial point was that this mont, before the higher beings could gather together, was the perfect ti to take them down one by one.
“I hope I run into at least one of them while moving…”
Of course, Choi Kanghu also knew that he needed to [Devour] the core of a higher being to move more freely. However, his concern for Ryu Seoha’s safety might cause him to focus solely on finding her.
“Piyu…”
Ruby snapped its beak several tis in quick succession, clicking impatiently, as if to express that it wasn’t worried about Choi Kanghu, but about the safety of the one right in front of it—Ryu Seoha.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m the one in more danger.”
Ryu Seoha softly stroked the feathers under Ruby’s chin and took a deep breath. While Choi Kanghu needed to find and confront the higher beings to increase his power, Ryu Seoha’s situation was the exact opposite.
For her, survival ant avoiding them. Fortunately, the individualistic nature of the higher beings ant they rarely wandered outside their own domains.
Most of them stayed within their territories, content to observe the dinsions they controlled. For them, each ‘world’ was a source of effortless inco and a diversion to stave off boredom.
That’s why it was so rare for multiple beings to gather, even when they jointly controlled a world. The idea that three of them would invade Earth together had seed inconceivable.
According to the original story, they were calculating and arrogant beings. Ryu Seoha hadn’t expected that they would go so far as to personally intervene in a lower dinsion, especially without any interdiaries, and in a group, no less.
‘Our recent actions must have made them feel threatened.’
Since the situation was so unusual, it was likely that even those without any stake in Earth had heard the news. They wouldn’t want to admit they felt threatened by re humans, so they wouldn’t rush in, but still…
“Piyu! Piyu!”
Ruby gently tugged on Ryu Seoha’s hair, as if to scold her for drifting off into thought. It seed to be reminding her that encountering a higher being unexpectedly could be disastrous.
“We should move toward the main core.”
Ryu Seoha climbed onto Ruby’s back as the bird flapped its wings, as if impatiently urging her to hurry.
“I’ll count on you.”
With a soft pat on Ruby’s neck, she signaled for them to take off. Ruby flapped its shimring, red-gold wings, slicing through the strange space ahead.
The upper dinsion, though seemingly empty, was filled with unknown forces, much like the dark matter that filled the universe. Ruby’s ability to manipulate matter allowed them to nullify these forces and move forward.
Slowly, they began to follow the path that led toward the main core.
Ti passed. Without a sun or moon, the concept of ti felt blurred, yet the journey still felt long.
“Piyuuu!”
Ruby let out a delighted chirp, having spotted the glowing main core before Ryu Seoha did.
[Buff 'Enhanced Vision (3 minutes)' has been applied to the designated target (caster).]
With her vision enhanced, Ryu Seoha could now see the distant light—a ring of light rotating in place. It was surrounded by countless translucent lines, forming sothing that resembled a giant spiderweb beneath a streetlamp.
Ironically, the closer they got, the dimr the light beca. At a certain point, the brightness faded entirely, allowing them to look at it comfortably. They had reached their destination.
“You’ve done well.”
Ryu Seoha stroked Ruby’s head, expressing her gratitude for bringing them here safely. She exhaled in relief. She had been on edge, wondering what to do if they encountered a higher being, but thankfully, there had been no sign of them.
—“If you can touch that main core, you’ll gain access to all the world’s truths.”
Ryu Seoha recalled the words of Dr. Han Kangseok, who had once mused aloud when they were discussing the upper dinsion.
—“Just like how monster cores or dungeon cores act as the engines for life and space, that dinsional core serves to maintain the very fabric of reality.”
His musings were filled with the insatiable curiosity of a genius.
—“If you can control the main core that governs all the worlds under the Darkwing’s dominion, you could wield nearly godlike power for a brief mont.”
Ryu Seoha’s gaze swept across the chaotic lines surrounding them, her eyes calm and cool.
—“Of course, whether a human can handle that power is another matter entirely.”
In the upper dinsion, the main core was treated like an ancient relic. It had been neglected for ages until Choi Kanghu figured out how to access its system in the original story.
There was little reason for a higher being to co all the way here. The most important facility had beco the safest hiding place. Until Choi Kanghu arrived, she could do whatever she wanted.
“Piyu?”
Ruby tilted its head again as Ryu Seoha slowly extended her hand toward the ring of light, like Saturn’s rings. She smiled reassuringly at Ruby.
“If anyone approaches, run away on your own. They won’t be able to touch
anyway.”
S-Rank monsters like Ruby could survive just about anywhere, and Ryu Seoha gave it instructions before closing her eyes. She could feel the imnse power emanating from the light.
[You are exposed to the effects of the item ‘S-Rank Sensory Booster Potion.’]
[Buff 'Enhanced Senses (3 minutes)' has been applied to the designated target (caster).]
[Skill ‘Light of Harmonization’ has been activated.]
Ryu Seoha used every thod available to her, trying to find a pattern in the spinning light. Once she discovered a rhythm, she linked her body’s mana flow to the core’s starting point.
Though her magic circuit wasn’t as perfectly structured as Choi Kanghu’s, it was functional enough. Her circuits flared with heat, sending a dizzying wave of nausea through her body. Her forehead and eyelids felt as though they were burning.
[SYSTEM: Connection detected. Dormant lock has been released.]
Just like in the original story, the sa phenonon occurred. Ryu Seoha’s body swayed.
“Piyut!”
Ruby’s worried chirp echoed in her ears. But even if she were to fall, she would just continue floating in this space with no ground to catch her. Despite her unsteady posture, a smile spread across Ryu Seoha’s face.
[SYSTEM: Partial restoration of main control functions has begun.]
Just like Choi Kanghu had done in the story, Ryu Seoha successfully linked her magic circuit to the spinning ring of light. The sight before her was breathtaking. She felt a rush of exhilaration, as if she had beco omnipotent.
An overwhelming amount of information flooded her mind. The rise and fall of countless nations, the life and death of various species across dinsions—everything unfolded before her eyes.
Most of it was beyond her comprehension, and the sheer magnitude of it all made her feel like both her body and soul were about to crumble. Even so, Ryu Seoha focused her thoughts on the information she most wanted to see.
[SYSTEM: Would you like to view the information on lower dinsion KE3718-A's entity #S159-EX0? Y/N]
Of course, it was related to Choi Kanghu. Information about his past, present, and future began to unfold before her in a panorama. The sheer volu was staggering, and only a small fraction was comprehensible.
As she carefully scanned the data, hoping to find any potential dangers, her eyes widened. She had just witnessed a specific ‘past’ where Choi Kanghu failed to escape from the Abyss and perished.
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