An otaku is being bullied in school. He got NTRed by the school bully. When walking the streets, he saved a 5-year old kid and got hit by truck-kun. And then he died... Did he?

(This intermission is all about what people from Earth think about the Multiverse. All words that have been written here are real, so don't doubt their credibilty.)
The multiverse, also known as a maniverse, megaverse, metaverse, omniverse, or meta-universe, is a hypothetical group of multiple universes.
Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them.
The different universes within the multiverse are called "parallel universes", "other universes", "alternate universes", or "alterverses".
***********
Multiple universes have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, astronomy, religion, philosophy, transpersonal psychology, music and all kinds of literature, particularly in science fiction, comic books and fantasy.
In these contexts, parallel universes are also called "alternate universes", "quantum universes", "interpenetrating dimensions", "parallel universes", "parallel dimensions", "parallel worlds", "parallel realities", "quantum realities", "alternate realities", "alternate timelines", "alternate dimensions" and "dimensional planes".
The American philosopher and psychologist William James used the term "multiverse" in 1895, but in a different context. The term was first used in fiction and in its current physics context by Michael Moorcock in his 1963 SF Adventures novella The Sundered Worlds. 
************
The physics community has debated the various multiverse theories over time. Prominent physicists are divided about whether any other universes exist outside of our own.
Some physicists say the multiverse is not a legitimate topic of scientific inquiry.
Concerns have been raised about whether attempts to exempt the multiverse from experimental verification could erode public confidence in science and ultimately damage the study of fundamental physics.
Some have argued that the multiverse is a philosophical notion rather than a scientific hypothesis because it cannot be empirically falsified.
***************
In Dublin in 1952, Erwin Schrödinger gave a lecture in which he jocularly warned his audience that what he was about to say might "seem lunatic".
He said that when his equations seemed to describe several different histories, these were "not alternatives, but all really happen simultaneously".
In 2007, Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg suggested that if the multiverse existed, "the hope of finding a rational explanation for the precise values of quark masses and other constants of the standard model that we observe in our Big Bang is doomed, for their values would be an accident of the particular part of the multiverse in which we live."
****************
Scientists such as Stephen M. Feeney analyzed Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data and claimed to find evidence suggesting that our universe collided with other universes in the distant past.
However, a more thorough analysis of data from the WMAP and from the Planck satellite, which has a resolution 3 times higher than WMAP, did not reveal any statistically significant evidence of such a bubble universe collision.
In addition, there was no evidence of any gravitational pull of other universes on ours. 
*************
In his 2003 New York Times opinion piece, "A Brief History of the Multiverse", author and cosmologist Paul Davies offered a variety of arguments that multiverse theories are non-scientific:.
George Ellis, writing in August 2011, provided a criticism of the multiverse, and pointed out that it is not a traditional scientific theory.
He accepts that the multiverse is thought to exist far beyond the cosmological horizon. He emphasized that it is theorized to be so far away that it is unlikely any evidence will ever be found.
Ellis also explained that some theorists do not believe the lack of empirical testability falsifiability is a major concern, but he is opposed to that line of thinking:
Ellis says that scientists have proposed the idea of the multiverse as a way of explaining the nature of existence. 
He points out that it ultimately leaves those questions unresolved because it is a metaphysical issue that cannot be resolved by empirical science. He argues that observational testing is at the core of science and should not be abandoned.
**********************
Max Tegmark and Brian Greene have devised classification schemes for the various theoretical types of multiverses and universes that they might comprise.
Level IV: Ultimate ensemble: The ultimate mathematical universe hypothesis is Tegmark's own hypothesis.
This level considers all universes to be equally real which can be described by different mathematical structures.
 Level III: Many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics: Hugh Everett III's many-worlds interpretation (MWI) is one of several mainstream interpretations of quantum mechanics.
In brief, one aspect of quantum mechanics is that certain observations cannot be predicted absolutely. Instead, there is a range of possible observations, each with a different probability.
According to the MWI, each of these possible observations corresponds to a different universe.
Suppose a six-sided die is thrown and that the result of the throw corresponds to a quantum mechanics observable. All six possible ways the die can fall correspond to six different universes.

Level II: Universes with different physical constants: In the eternal inflation theory, which is a variant of the cosmic inflation theory, the multiverse or space as a whole is stretching and will continue doing so forever, but some regions of space stop stretching and form distinct bubbles . Such bubbles are embryonic level I multiverses.
Different bubbles may experience different spontaneous symmetry breaking, which results in different properties, such as different physical constants. Related to the many-worlds idea are Richard Feynman's multiple histories interpretation and H. Dieter Zeh's many-minds interpretation.
Level I: An extension of our universe: A prediction of cosmic inflation is the existence of an infinite ergodic universe, which, being infinite, must contain Hubble volumes realizing all initial conditions.
Accordingly, an infinite universe will contain an infinite number of Hubble volumes, all having the same physical laws and physical constants. In regard to configurations such as the distribution of matter, almost all will differ from our Hubble volume.
However, because there are infinitely many, far beyond the cosmological horizon, there will eventually be Hubble volumes with similar, and even identical, configurations. Tegmark estimates that an identical volume to ours should be about 1010115 meters away from us.
This follows directly from the cosmological principle, wherein it is assumed that our Hubble volume is not special or unique.


After all the things that he had done in his life, Alex realized that it was already his time to die. 

But a sudden encounter with a weird person will turn his whole life around.

The formerly about-to-die teen shall now be a Traveler of different worlds!



"You are an Esper? Then come and taste my saber!"
"You are a Daoist? Then come and taste my fist!"
"You are a Genie? Well, can you grant me infinite wishes?"

Everyone shall witness Alex's rise on his endless journey!


Disclaimer: (((Don't make me credit to einlion. His novel, Endless Paths: Infinite Cosmos, from the reception of his readers, is obviously good,  but its an accident that my title is similar to his. Really.)))

　　
When the lid of the dormant cabin slowly folded down, Hao Ren’s confused thoughts gradually calmed down and he began to enter the forced state of dormancy. Before he slept, his last thought was, if a team specialising in Hollywood science-fiction movies came and saw this scene, they would not be able to imagine anyone using high-tech gadgets quite like this: The sleeping-cabins were covered with bedding and pillows, and a kettle filled with water sat beside his head. More and more he felt himself lying in a coffin.
Stuck in a trance; the same as his previous experience. The darkness lasted for less than a second and he 'woke up' again. Noise from The Plane of Dreams was ringing in his ears. The breeze, which was fresher than that of the earth brushed against his cheeks. Hao Ren opened his eyes and found himself standing in the small town, Lamberg, near its entrance. What he saw were the strange buildings he saw once before as well as a circle of terrified locals and two soldiers who were holding spears pointed at him.
"Who are you?!" One of the soldiers holding a pike shouted nervously. This guy had little freckles on his face and looked about 10. He stared at Hao Ren, who suddenly appeared before him as if he was about to face a formidable enemy.
Hao Ren hurriedly raised his hand (together with the kettle) to indicate that he meant no harm. He just remembered that one of the distinguishing features upon entering The Plane of Dreams was that he would appear at the same spot where he last left. The last time he disappeared right in the middle of the public's eye on the busy street! They were in trouble this time.
"Errr, I’m a wizard from another place, err, a wizard." Hao Ren quickly organised a sentence and made up a believable excuse based on his understanding of The Plane of Dreams. "We were just experimenting with teleportation but we ended up here. If you don’t believe me, we can do it again and show you..."
Hao Ren spoke as he looked around for the rest of the gang. Supposedly, they should have appeared beside him. However, it was probably just a 'ride' so, the teleportation speed of the rest could have been slower. Soon, he found that the air around him began to twist. One by one the figures slowly emerged from virtual to reality. Among them, the 2.15-meter-tall giant was the easiest to recognise. This apparent abnormality made the two soldiers nervous again. The freckled lad continued shouting, "No dangerous magic experiments on the streets!"
"Last few people, last few people!" Hao Ren waved his hands as he signaled Lily to stay on the spot. She just went through teleportation and was a little confused. "We are the wizard team. We’re studying teleportation technology!"
Vivian and Nangong Wuyue arrived and wanted to study the strange buildings around them but, they found that something was not right. The two of them leaned towards Hao Ren at the same time, whispered and asked about the situation. While Hao Ren explained things to the two ladies, the soldiers confirmed that the teleportation had stopped and the strange guys in front of them did not seem to be hostile. They put their guard down slightly and asked, "What kind of wizards are you? How is it that you guys don't know that no dangerous experiments are allowed on the streets? Do you have a pass? What about your Professional Qualification Certificate of Wizardry?"
"What’s that?!" Hao Ren shouted but then, he quickly corrected himself and said, "Err, I mean, who would've had time to take those things when in an experimental accident. Don’t you see that I’m still carrying the kettle? How hasty we were…"
"Holding a kettle while carrying out teleportation experiments?" The freckled guy paused for a moment. "Although I don’t know magic, you don’t fool me…"
"This is a personal habit, you can’t control it." Hao Ren gently knocked on the lid to gesture the little mermaid inside to keep quiet. The little kid was probably playing with the MDT, making some cracking sounds. Then, he began to wave his arms to disperse the crowd. "Let’s disperse. Just an experimental accident, nothing special…"
"Everybody, go back to whatever you were doing. Don’t block the road." The two soldiers also began to disperse the crowd. And the freckled boy walked up to Hao Ren after he dispersed the passersby and said, "Follow us to the garrison to register."
This made Hao Ren's head ache. He did not expect to have such just right after they entered The Plane of Dreams. He was not sure if he could fool them if they really went into the garrison. He tried awkwardly to discuss with them. "We have something urgent to do now. I wonder if you can…"
"Hey, just a standard procedure," another soldier smiled and said. "The control in our little place is quite lax. Also, these experimental accidents involving wizards can get kinda troublesome. Just registering your name will do. In case there's any request from the Wizard Guild, we can explain it."
Hao Ren looked at Vivian and the rest, thinking that it was certainly not a problem to resist arrest with their skills. They could even just run away. However, if he wanted to carry out the investigation in this world smoothly, he could not get into trouble. While he was hesitating, Y’zaks suddenly said, "We'll go then. Just register our name."
Now, Hao Ren just remembered how the great demon was a moral pacesetter. With this man, Hao Ren had no choice but to be a moral pacesetter as well…
The two soldiers glanced fearfully at Y’zaks. One of them stayed behind to guard the entry. The other one (the freckled boy) brought into the town. Nangong Wuyue was at the back of the team, her shoulders drooped. She heaved a sigh and said, "Such bad luck. Landlord, how did you manage to get us into this?"
Hao Ren laughed awkwardly but did not speak. Lily, who did not seem to have the slightest negativity in her mood, began her journey of exploration. Even though she could only follow the team, she still ran around as far as possible. One moment she was studying the wall decorations, the next moment she was studying the things being sold on a roadside stall and another moment she was playing with cats and dogs by the roadside. She was really happy and enjoying herself there. It was the first time for Lily to enter The Plane of Dreams. She saw such a different world with marvelous style and this really excited the husky girl.
The pedestrians by the roadside were also attracted to this group of foreigners who had on outlandish costumes, especially after Lily kept jumping around excitedly. The situation was getting worse. Hao Ren had no choice but to drag Lily’s collar, pulling the girl back again and again. "Can’t you calm down?"
"I can’t," Lily replied straightaway. "The... There’s so much fun here!"
"I've wanted to ask you this since just now." The freckled soldier who led the way had never seen such a group of wizards, especially someone like Lily, who seemed so excited. "Are you guys really wizards? Why aren't you wearing robes?"
Hao Ren lied. "Oh, we are a small team from a self-formed faction. The faction's rules allow us to not wear wizard robes."
"Is this big brother a wizard too?" The freckled soldier gingerly pointed at Y’zaks. "Why does he look like a mountain berserker?"
"He is an all-rounder," Hao Ren laughed and said. The information he got from Becky last time was coming in handy, including information about the wizard’s nature and the existence of the 'magician knight' type of career in this world. "So, you've seen the mountain people?"
Hao Ren found the soldier very easy to talk with. Therefore, without being suspicious, Hao Ren tried to ask him for some information. The soldier answered him without doubting him too. "Mountain people, I’ve seen a few times. Isn’t there a small village of theirs in the Far West? Many mountain people have started to move to the plains. They also communicate with people from the outside frequently. But I really found out for the first time that the mountain people also learn magic."
Y’zaks smiled perfunctorily and said, "I know a little bit of it."
When the freckled soldier saw Y’zaks’ 'friendly' smile, he immediately stopped going on with the topic.
They did not forget to observe their surroundings as they walked on the street. Vivian studied the ancient symbols depicted on the outer walls of houses by the roadside since the very beginning. She moved closer to Hao Ren and whispered, "They're really Letta runes but, I don’t see anything valuable. These are all the simplest sentences used to pray for well-being and peace of the homestead. Plus, there are many spelling mistakes and far-fetched sentences with almost no practical magic effect."
"Meaning... they're just for decoration?" Hao Ren whispered.
"Well, they do only serve as decoration," Vivian muttered, "And the mysterious Letta runes on Earth may only be common words that people use in their daily life here so, people here won't deliberately use them to cast spells."
They finally reached a fortified building in the middle of the town, the so-called garrison. However, when Hao Ren got ready to step in, a slightly familiar voice suddenly rang from the side. "Ah! The one who broke the head! You’re still here?"


As a person who is down-to-earth as well as a good Samaritan, Hao Ren desires to live the rest of his life as a benevolent landlord. Stumbling into a curious yet mysterious lady, he began his journey of “collecting” abnormal and supernatural tenants. 
His life only became more chaotic when he receives a labor contract from “God”. Discover the many races, myths and worlds that lie beyond what humans define as normal! This bizzare fantasy full of fun is sure to bring you on a crazy rollercoaster of emotions!

A dark and grim cloud covered the sky while a heavy rain stormed the night. Darkness blinded the world while the only sounds were those of the raging wind. 
The rain smashed furiously against the window of an obscure chamber illuminated by the light of the thunder. Calm reigned inside the room almost as if there was a funeral. 

It's been 4 days since Kadyn's disappearance and Mike, after countless hours of search, was unable to find even a single clue to her location. Even the word "despair" was too light to describe the situation. 
The young man, head applied against his desk, slept in front of a computer where information about the possible kidnappers was displayed. He tried everything he could've tried, he gave everything he could've gave, everything just wasn't enough to bring the girl he loved back. 
Everything happened so fast. Mike was lost in his sorrow and pain. 

The light inside the chamber was suddenly turned on by a man entering the room.
Dane, pushed by Angela in a wheelchair, entered the room without a warning.

[Dane] - "Thank you, Angela, just leave me with him, go take care of your patients. "

[Angela] - "If there is anything you need, just call me. "

[Dane] - "Alright. "

The head doctor left the room without a word while Dane looked at Mike who remained unresponsive on his table. 
Moments have passed and not a single word came out of the young man's mouth. 

[Dane] - "Mike! "

[Mike] (frustrated) - "Make it quick... Bloody hell, I fell asleep... "

The young man slowly raised his head from the desk and looked back at Dane with a half-dead look. 

[Dane] - "If I am a bother to you at this time then I can come later. "

Mike quickly cleaned his eyes and sat up straight. 

[Mike] - "What kind of "necessary information" do you wanna tell me then? "

[Dane] - "Listen, I'm sorry about what happened with Kadyn... I know how much this hurts you but... there are just some facts that I must have you know. "

[Mike] - "Facts... What kinds of reality are just gonna drop on my already destroyed world? "

[Dane] - "It's about Kadyn... "

[Mike] - "What about her then? "

[Dane] - "She's also a spy that's working for Talon. "

Mike looked at Dane with a "Are you mocking me? " look.

[Mike] - "Dane... Really? Did your injuries cause you to become delusional or have some neurological troubles? "

[Dane] - "Hey, hey, before you conclude that I'm insane or something, hear me out first. "

[Mike] - "Hear what? Hear about how my mother could've possibly been a spy? "

[Dane] - "No, listen! Back when your mind was still shattered into 2 other personalities, Kadyn came to me telling news about my father. 

Dane pulled a cigar out of his pocket and smoked the roll of tobacco a few times before resuming his phrase. 

[Dane] - "Clearly, I knew she wasn't someone just there with you for the show because she told me to keep her presence a secret. It wasn't long until one of our spies told me that she was spying on you. At first, I thought about capturing her for interrogation but soon, I found out how much she cared for you. I realized that her feeling for you is true and she only accepted this job to get close to you. "

[Mike] - "And? "

[Dane] - "And I decided that I would not do any harm to her. I even registered her as one of ours to protect her from any kind of suspicion. We eventually became friends and I did everything I could to help you recover your original self. What I'm trying to say is that I cared for both you and her and that I and the rest are ready to help you. "

[Mike] - "No, Dane, this is my business, I cannot put you guys in danger for my own problem. "   

[Dane] - "Who said that this doesn't concern us? You saved us all from that darn CR-455 guy. Of course, we own one and that's how we will pay you back. "

[Mike] (moved) - "You guys... You would do that for me? "

[Dane] - "Me and all those who thank you for everything, for our life and our family. Thanks to you, a lot of people managed to see the face of their wife and children again... "

Mike's eyes were once again filled a spark of life and hope as Dane spoke.

[Mike] (touched) - "I... I don't know what to say... I... "

[Dane] - "This is the least we could do to pay you back. We will find Kadyn and we will bring her back to your side. "

Mike stared at Dane in a roller coaster of emotion while he shucked his hands.

[Mike] (emotionally) - "I deeply give my thanks to all of you and I will cherish your words for the rest of life. "

[Dane] - "Get some sleep, son. You'll need some rest if you want to be ready to find the love you've lost. "

*In a Talon base

Inside a huge auditorium where the only illuminated place was the front, hundred of executioners sat and waited for the long due speech. Sniper suddenly appeared in front of everyone with the Judge and Mazolatta accompanying him on the scene. 
Sniper will tonight give the right to hunt down Mike to a single team of 4 executioners. If the nominated team successfully hunts Mike down, they will get a total of 3 billion dollars for their achievement and be rewarded the position of "Divine servant" for the rest of their life. 

*Later that night

[Sniper] - "...And the winning team for the "Hunting right" will be "Team zero"! "

The audience stood in shock while whispers spread all around the place. Even the Judge was shocked to the bone as he stood in silence beside Sniper.
The old man slowly approached Sniper's ear. 

[Judge] (in a whisper) - "My lord, why would you give the "Hunting right" to that team? The team has been called "Team Zero" for a reason! "

[Sniper] - "That, my friend, is because you don't understand! Everything I do has a reason and a meaning. If an action can only be done under circumstances you deemed logical then it could never fully fulfill the unpredictable. I chose them for a deeper reason than simple logic. "

After the executioners calmed down, Sniper resumed his speech.

[Sniper] - "Very interesting result indeed! But as the rule applied, "Team Zero" will be the only team to have the right to hunt down Mike with all the resources, information and connection they need. The reward will only be given to this team. The team will retain its privileges up until their death. "

*Down the reactor shaft

The agitated flame and the fiery steam burned the place into the devil's playhouse. The heat is nothing a human could survive. 

[System] - "Substance of unknown origin detected, initializing clean up. "

A grappling hook grabbed a large piece of the debris on the shaft's wall and threw everything out from a small hole. The pieces soon made their way inside a carbage deposit center.
From the wreckage, Purple Fiction, with only half her torso, her left arm and parts of her head left, crawled out in pain. She couldn't be angrier, her hate kept her alive up until this moment. 
As she crawled, a tall figure with an imposing shadow appeared in front of her. 
She gradually looked up to see a huge silver-skinned creature with a pair of large upright horns that resembles the ears of a leporid, a slime body build and instead of having a face, has a cavity filled with black goo. 

[P.F.] (in agony) - "Who the heck are you? "

[Cheaper Than Cheap] - "I am Cheaper Than Cheap! I was supposed to replace you after you failed your mission as a spy in this base but I suppose you are still alive and well. "

[P.F.] (in anger) - "Well? Do I look like I am well? Help me, god damn it! "

The creature put his foot on the demi-human's face and laughed sinisterly. 

[CTC] - "Who do you think I am? Your slave? Oh please! The one with the most chance of becoming a slave is you and your cheap ugly face. "

[P.F.] (enraged) - "Get your foot off my face, bastard! "

[CTC] (sarcastic) - "Sure! Lick my foot and I'll let it off you! "

[P.F.] (furious) - "WHAT? YOU SON OF A... "

Cheaper Than Cheap shoved the tip his sharp robotic foot inside Purple Fiction's mouth and taunted her with it. 

[CTC] - "If you won't calm down then I won't be able to help you! You know, I want to help! "

[P.F.] (in a pleading) - "Just help me, please! I will die if my batterie fades away. "

[CTC] - "Then what will I get for that? "

[P.F.] - "What do you want then? "

[CTC] - "I want equality, I want my freedom as a living being, can you get that for me? "

[P.F.] - "Anything! I beg of you! Just take me to Dane's laboratory! "

[CTC] - "As you wish. "

Cheaper grabbed Purple Fiction's body and dashed to Dane's laboratory in no time. Once arriving at the place, Cheaper put the girl on the floor and walked toward the exit. 

[P.F.] - "Where are you going? "

[CTC] - "My work is done, I'm leaving! "

[P.F.] - "I need you to help me rebuild myself! "

[CTC] - "Then I'll require you to pay me something more on top of my liberty and right. "

[P.F.] - "What? But... I already promised you to... "

[CTC] - "Every filthy act is done at a reasonable price and that goes the same for me. "

[P.F.] (frustrated) - "You... You... What the heck do you want? "

[CTC] - "I want you to be inferior to me, I want you to lose your right and freedom. "

[P.F.] (enraged) - "YOU FUCKERRRR..... "

Purple Fiction's generator could not hold it any longer, her systems were shutting down.

[CTC] (with a laugh) - "Time's running out! "

With no other option, Purple Fiction hesitated before slamming her fist against the floor in a fit of rage.

[P.F.] - "I SUBMIT! "

[CTC] - "Good! You better hang on to our promise or the piece of nanites I left in you will make you pay! "

[P.F.] (worried) - "Nanites? "

[CTC] - "I'm a nanobot, I'm entirely made out of nanites. "

Cheaper grabbed a piece of equipment he found inside a safe and installed the piece on Purple Fiction's chest. The piece is a Chronos accelerator, a piece of experimental equipment that caused misfortune to Tracer from Overwatch. Upon its installation, Purple Fiction felt an overwhelming power coursing through her body. The power ascension, the power of the divines. 

[P.F., while becoming one with the accelerator] - "I shall take my revenge! Grant me the power and justice I deserved! Just you wait, Mike, I will get to you! I WILL KILL YOU! My name is no longer Purple Fiction! I shall be reborn as Divine Maiden! "

To be continued...

*EXTRA
Profile: Cheaper Than Cheap
Real Name: EXP-1223
Ability: ???
Affiliation: Talon
Backstory: ???
Based off: Dirty Deed Done Dirt Cheap from Jojo's bizarre adventure.

*NOTES: If you're not familiar with the game Team Fortress 2, just read it as a normal story.

A single mistake could mean endless consequences. The day where a difficult reality presented itself in front of Mike, the young man wasn't ready to face it; he foolishly tried to escape a fate attached to him by blood. Bound by the chain of fate to become another tyrant to the world, what kind of future awaits the man with a corrupt golden heart? All the trials, promises and dreams, will the people bow oppressed by a tyrannical emperor or bow out of respect for an emperor who sidelined the evil that comes with great power?

A Slime Calamity the likes of which had never been seen before didn't last for a week as promised. Instead, it lasted for a full month!
If it weren't for the fact that the dragons grew impatient and forcefully located the me who had gotten lost in the joys of experimentation, then this ancient city might have been destroyed for such a ridiculous reason.
Even so, I succeeded in giving the Bardi Empire and the dragons a good lesson by doing what I pleased, not caring about the consequences. I taught them what a living Calamity was.
Once the Slimes' experimental numbers reached three digits, Slime Kings and Hallucination Slimes started to appear—now even Young Dragons or Silver-ranked knights couldn't deal with them.
Slime Kings were the amalgamation of countless Slimes, and their self-destruction capabilities were capable of instantly clearing out all the… clothes within a radius of five kilometers. Yes—only clothes, as the Slime King only focused on making people naked.
Hallucination Slimes, on the other hand, had seventeen different magical properties, including but not limited to: bondage, hallucinations, and lust-filled dreams. Those who fell victim to it went through untold hardship and suffered in indescribable ways. What happened on the streets could be depicted on mosaics, passed down for posterity.
There was a particular Immemorial Blue Dragon, whose abbreviated name—yep, abbreviated name—was Helatefenderonkasoswener. He, however, went by the shortened "Halos" to more conveniently communicate with other species. Halos was one of the main leaders of Dragon City and was proficient in ancient curses. He possessed authority and strength equivalent to that of a Great Immemorial ranked dragon despite being only at the Immemorial Level.
There were seventeen dragon leaders around Halos' level in strength in Dragon World. Of course, with their personalities less than half of the dragons would listen to Halos' commands even though he was a leader of Dragon City. Currently, this Halos was appointed to be their intermediary with Roland.
The dragons were indeed in quite a hurry to get the Mage Country to come to their aid. However, the ancient dragons had many eras of experience and knew that this was an excellent excuse for us to make many demands. The dragons also understood that in negotiation, whoever could remain more patient would have the advantage. Originally, the dragons had intended to simply stand by and watch this Slime Calamity that was obviously just an upgraded prank.
The dragons had thought that since both sides were eventually going to meet, how could the short-lived humans possibly compare to themselves in patience and cunning? Yet they discovered that the envoys acted as if they had entirely forgotten about the dragons' invitation. Unable to withstand their boredom and the change in the situation, the dragons finally set out to find Roland.
Looking at this from a bystander's viewpoint, neither side was at all the reliable type. The dragons and Orloss had invited the Mage Country to help them resolve the problem of the Titan Giants in Dragon World by using the threat of a ticking time bomb. Basically, if the Mage Country didn't help, the end result would be "Hey, you'll suffer too if the Titan Giants are released." But the mages ended up tossing this responsibility over to the even more unreliable Roland. Meanwhile, just as everyone who knew him expected, Roland unhesitatingly tossed this duty of his aside. Although this job did seem like one where he would "save the world," in truth it was more like he was "helping the dragons wipe their own asses."
"Every minute is critical. Yet he actually wasted a month? Does he intend to do his job at all? Why was someone like him chosen to be the negotiator with us dragons?" 

 "…Like I said, the threat of the Titan Giants is useless against him. Even if the Titan Giants revive, they won't cause any damage to the Mage Country for some time, but Dragon World will be devastated. It may be a danger for them, but it's even worse for us."
Yet it could be so that from the Mage Country's standpoint, Roland was actually the best candidate. Considering the relationship between the dragons and the mages, no other mage would likely be capable of acting as shamelessly as Roland.
Halos wasn't here to negotiate with Roland by himself—he was accompanied by Halent. Since Halent was personally responsible for bringing this Calamity to the Bardi capital, he was recently having a hard time by being pressured by both the royalty and the dragons.
"Are those two Immemorial Red Dragons still in the city?"
"Yeah."
"Ignore them. Tell your Dragon Knights to pretend not to see them."
From a certain standpoint, "pretending not to see them" was a type of attitude. Some Red Dragons and Black Dragons had already appeared on the surface for a period of time, and East Mist even had a small mercenary dragon squad. If Dragon City wanted to intervene, they would have done so long ago.
Also, sending a Blue Dragon leader to be the emissary to negotiate with Roland was also the dragons' way of displaying their friendly attitude—Blue Dragons, after all, were Elemental Dragons or, if you would, Color Dragons.
"It's impossible to think about rescinding the ban on the Red and Black Dragons returning to the surface. Although none in our generation have memories of that internal conflict, some ancient artifacts among us still adhere too strongly to tradition. We can only pretend not to see them."
From a certain standpoint, the method by which the surface dragons displayed their attitude was seen when Little Red and Halos met—they saw each other but didn't say anything. However, this attitude was enough to make the Underground Dragon City delighted as this meant Red and Black Dragons would be able to freely roam about on the surface without worrying about other dragons hunting them down.
As for whether the dragons would be able to directly ignore any Red or Black Dragons right before them… actually, I had an idea about this before we reached Bardi.
"Let's just rename the Red Dragons to Fire Dragons or Crimson Dragons. Yep, so we'll have Male and Female Fire Dragons. As for the Black Dragons, how about changing their names to Gray Dragons or Colorless Dragons? Right, their triangular bony heads resemble dog heads, and they're also poisonous. How about just changing their name to Poison Dog Dragon? See? Easy!"
In a way, this was a very shameless move, but as long as the Red and Black Dragons changed their names both sides could avoid great amounts of awkwardness. Little Red even seriously considered the possibility of changing her species name to "Fire Dragon." Nevertheless, a decision to change the name of her entire species would require her to consult with the other leading Red Dragons of her tribe.
"…Poison Dog Dragon isn't even worth considering. Just hearing this suggestion will make all Black Dragons want to kill you. As for being a Female Fire Dragon, although I mysteriously feel like you have some evil joke in mind, I suppose I could try that name."
In the end, Little Red decided to later return and convene a meeting to decide the issue of renaming the Red and Black Dragons. Perhaps Red and Black Dragons would no longer exist in the future, with Dog Dragons, Female Fire Dragons, and other possible evolutionary paths giving the dragons new methods to abuse others…
Without a doubt, the Underground dragons were tacitly permitted to return to the surface, and this was a compromise from the surface Dragon City. Compromise was a very rare thing for the prideful and traditional dragons.
The final result wasn't because the dragons cared about their close relatives—no, no, it was the opposite. Actually, in their private meetings, the Gold and Silver Dragons were loudly clamoring to kill off all these evil Underground dragons. However, their council of elders came to the decision to allow them to return, mostly a result of the current situation the dragons were in.
If I compared the current world with the game history, then the biggest difference in the Underground World would be how they were now currently united. And their combat strength and threat level had far surpassed what it was at the same moment of time in the game history. Even two mega empires together would be unable to deal with them if the entire Underground moved in unison. Also, not only was Little Red the Underground Dragon Empress, she was also an Underground Autarch who represented the entire strength of the Underground.
If you ignored these outside factors of status, Ein Mezus had been able to reach the Immemorial Dragon rank despite her young age. And her reputation was excellent by Red Dragons' standards.
Previously, Little Red had joined the campaign against Yongye. She had defeated the demons' and devils' evil schemes and was known to be anti-war after becoming the Dragon Empress. Plus, her actions proved she had good intentions, making her a rare figure among Red Dragons: she didn't have much ambition. Of course, such a Dragon Empress was perfect for the surface Dragon City as most Red Dragons would have far more ambition than power.
As for whether or not the Red and Black Dragons would attack humans after returning to the surface… Unless some high-ranked dragon restrained them, this was almost certain to occur. However, the dragons tacitly decided to ignore this matter. Not a single dragon even thought of this as an important point of the negotiations.
The reason for this? Actually, the Green, Blue and White dragons on the surface commonly attacked humans. Even the so-called "good dragons" from legendary stories, the Gold and Bronze Dragons, would wake up several million gold coins richer after taking a nap. All dragons viewed humans as monkeys with strong reproductive abilities who wouldn't go extinct regardless of what they did to them. Only the Silver Dragons, considered an anomaly amongst the other dragons, would work hard to obtain benefits for humans and even voluntarily went to live in human society.
In the legends, Silver Dragons preferred to appear as beautiful, silver-haired female elves. In one story, a Silver Dragon even fell in love with a human musician. Actually, this story wasn't completely fiction. Silver Dragons were considered as artists among the other dragons and indeed adored human and elven creativity and artistry. But for this same reason, Silver Dragons often fought against their Color Dragon relatives, giving them a bad reputation within the dragon tribe.
Of the seventeen Dragon World leaders, only two were Silver Dragons despite the fact that they were the second strongest dragon species, only weaker than Gold Dragons. This was evidence of the status problem they had despite their great power. Also, it should be mentioned that Silver Dragons preferred to establish their nests near volcanos, just like Red Dragons, making them enemies with each other ever since the immemorial generations. This made it so that any Silver Dragon opposition would be viewed as a personal grudge.
On the surface, Little Red's visit was for her Red Dragon species' benefit. However, the surface Dragon City also saw the three other factions she represented: the Ayer Faction, the Mist Alliance, and the Underground World. The fact that Roland accompanied her and represented the Mage Country meant that the dragons' typical traditional habits lost out to pragmatism.
The Holy War was under way. Dragon World, their little paradise, was facing a problem, and they needed the mages' assistance to solve it. Tacitly giving permission to the Red and Black Dragons would help gain the friendship of so many factions. Not only that, but adding two more dragon species to their overall strength would be useful in any future battles. It would be an excellent deal even if it caused them to slightly lose face. The dragons had analyzed this quite deeply.
And that was how Roland's plan to shake the dragons for what they were worth succeeded. With so many influencing factors, the seventeen Dragon World leaders cast their votes and decided upon tacitly allowing Underground dragons to return. With a vote of seven to five, with another five abstaining, the surface dragons formally agreed to tacitly allow the Underground dragons to return. As Dragon World was one of the three locations where the greatest number of dragons gathered, their decision was no different to one made by the entire dragon species.
Whether or not a new position for a "Fire Dragon" species would be added to the leadership council of Dragon World was practically a done deal since the Red and Black Dragons were now confirmed to be returning.
Of course, none of this would be stated out loud. That was why Halent became the dragons' best messenger. He transmitted Little Red's intentions to the dragons and also told her about the dragons' intentions. But on the surface, it only appeared that Little Red came over, circled around, and then the dragons tacitly permitted her to stay.
After the dragons came to such a conclusion, it was obvious that this was a compromise. Naturally, Roland wasn't supposed to procrastinate any longer. At least, Little Red didn't want to see him acting ridiculously for any longer… but the problem was that Little Red would first have to find him!
Since I knew that I made many people suffer this time, especially that I accidentally angered Little Red yet again when she was in a foul mood, I unhesitatingly escaped. In order to obtain plenty of experimental materials, Olivia, Harloys, and I directly took over the laboratory of some random unlucky Bardi royal alchemist and made him into our puppet to obtain resources for us while we hid behind the scenes. But if that was all there was to it, the dragons would have found me much sooner.
In order to increase the degree and rate of the Slimes' mutations, I actually moved the experimental laboratory into my Frigidwinter Earth. All that remained in the Mortal Plane was an exit and a biological laboratory. And so my Slime army naturally became more and more ridiculous thanks to my power of Creation supporting them. I was also immune to all sorts of prophecy magic to begin with, and hopping back and forth between the Mortal Plane and my world made it impossible for the dragons to locate me.
I was finally discovered because Olivia, who had re-entered the Mortal Plane to record the situation and toss out more experimental subject Slimes, was tracked down by the dragons. Although her creations were ridiculously amazing, she was still limited in power by her young age and mana limit. How could an alchemist like her, who just entered the Gold-rank , possibly escape from the dragons' tracking capabilities?
But Halos and Halent were dumbfounded when they finally arrived in front of me.
Our alchemist's experimental laboratory had been completely hollowed out. It was filled stacked up boxes of Slimes of differing colors. Let's not mention how there was a huge number of Pudding Slimes on the table, waiting to be eaten. There were also dark red Slimes even larger than the average dragon, which were currently eating the stone walls and expanding the experimental laboratory's size.
When the Blue Dragon Halos discovered us three passionate researchers, we were in the midst of researching edible Pudding Slimes and Stone-Eating Slimes capable of digging through the earth. The Pudding Slime would perhaps become one of the new main household foods in East Mist, while the Stone-Eating Slime was an invention which helped me climb the Calamity Rankings. Halos took a very long time before he understood the connection between these two different types of Slimes and why they were being researched together.
But now wasn't the time to think so much into things. Halent recalled what that powerful dragon had told him and hesitated for a moment before speaking. On the side, Halos looked at him with an expression indicating he should speak.
"Your Highness Roland, do you happen to remember Lady Evelyn? She requests for you to meet her."
"What? Who's that?"
"…She said that if you forgot her, she'll truly come out and kill you."


This is the story of a crazy lich who possesses an internal game system and brings catastrophe to the entire world.
“Let’s look at the daily quests today… it’s the damned choose one-of-two-options-type again. Destroy a town with a population of 30,000 people or above; reward: 10,000 evil points. Steal lollipops from 3 children; reward: 1 evil point. If neither of the quests is completed, then 2 points will be deducted.”
“Tsk! You think I’m stupid? If I really destroyed a town, a crusade of Myth-ranked Holy Knights would definitely come hunting me down. Even if I earned the points, there wouldn’t be any life left in me to spend them. I better just go be a kindly lollipop bandit.”
I’ve already had enough of being a notorious lich. Who says a lich can’t be a good person? I’m definitely going to beat this damned system and be an upright and dignified good man.

It was early morning, when Chen Fan finally reached Zhongyuan City with a joyful heart.
The "fight" on the bed just now, had not been any easier than finishing a triathlon. He now felt extremely hungry. After he drove to the city center, both of his eyes eagerly scanned the restaurants nearby.
Although none of the upscale restaurants were open yet, there were many barbeque stalls that were still open for business. So, he pulled up to place his order.
"Boss, give me two kilograms of lamb shashlik, three sizzling squid, and…"
"Ah…" the barbeque stall owner was immediately dumbstruck, as witnessing a sports car that could only be seen in an auto show, parked right in front of his stall, was not an everyday sight! In fact, he kind of looked as if he had been struck dead by lightning!
Even the noisy young customers were completely stunned at the scene. Aside from the sizzling sound that was coming from the grill, the place had fallen into a complete silence.
"Pretentious!" The youngsters, who were dressed like hooligans, snickered in unison!
While he waited for his food, Chen Fan received many rude stares from countless eyeballs. After receiving his food from the hawker, he did not even bother to collect the extra change. Instead, he quickly got in his car and drove away.
It was now four in the morning, and Chen Fan was tossing and turning in his bed. He could not fall asleep. The event that happened a few hours ago was still playing in his mind, just like a movie. He simply couldn't get rid of it.
Chen Fan sighed, then got out of the stone-like bed. He switched on his laptop, figuring that he would try to kill some time by reading web fiction.
...
The surface of the sea glimmered as the sun shone upon it. It appeared as if a layer of shattered silver was blanketed on it. It also looked like a crumpled piece of blue brocade.
The soothing mist and the slightly fishy-smelling sea breeze felt somehow healing, like the fragrance from a maiden's lips. The mixture of it made it irresistible, so much so, that everyone could not help but take an extra breath. 
The workmanship of the sloop yacht was extremely exquisite. The front of the hull and the shipboard were evenly covered in resin, and a layer of thorny flowers, which looked as it they were entwining the silver shell, were sculpted on it. It dazzled fascinatingly under the reflection of the sun. The white sail, which had been made from some sort of beast hide, fluttered along with the sea breeze, hanging on a column, which had a rhombus-shaped carving on it.
If any scientists were to have witnessed the scene, they would definitely have rolled up their sleeves and dashed toward the sloop yacht. This was not because the workmanship of the sloop yacht had exceeded the limits of human technology, but rather that one of the two people now standing on the deck deserved to be dragged into the lab and sliced open for experimental purposes!
The one standing at the left was an old man. He wore a purple brocade robe with a gorgeous crescent-shaped heraldry embedded on the chest. His jawline looked as if it had been chiseled with a knife, as it was extremely sharp and well-defined. His white hair and slightly wrinkled face made it rather difficult for others to guess his actual age.
The guy standing beside him was the one who deserved to be dragged to a lab and sliced open for experimental purposes. He was extremely tall and had a black beast hide, which was wrapped around his waist. He had grayish-green skin, and his head looked hideous. His muscles looked just like reinforced iron, to the point that even Shaquille O'Neal would look inferior by comparison!
"Argyll, what kind of rubbish nautical chart did you provide me with? It has been 12 days, and I still have not even seen a single drop of bird dung!" The green monster waved his hands desperately, roaring with an almost distorted expression.
"We were lucky enough not be caught in the terrifying storm. What are you still hoping for?"
The old man named Argyll took out a parchment scroll from his bosom, then squatted down and opened it up. "Look! According to the nautical chart and my calculations, we're now close to Roanoke Island. As long as we wait patiently for a few more days, we will definitely be able to reach our destination."
"Wait patiently for a few more days? Argyll, you sneaky old man! Why did you abduct me?" Barru's eyes turned red. He held his casserole-sized fist in front the old man. "I'm fed up with the endless drifting. We have already eaten up our last breakfast. Do you intend to make soup out of your deer hide bed for the next following days?"
Argyll touched his beard awkwardly. "Let me investigate on it a bit more!"As he finished his sentence, he drew from his pocket a little rounded silver box that looked like a pocket watch. After opening the box, he placed it on the parchment scroll, then fiddled with it with nonstop.
"Tell me when your investigation results are out. I need to chug a few big bowls of cold water. Otherwise, my stomach is going to start trying to digest itself," said Barru, with a hint of sarcasm. He then dashed into the cabin.
After half a day, Barru, whose stomach was now filled with cold water, ran to the deck, shouting, "Argyll, I have bad news! We have completely consumed all of the freshwater in our storage."
"You glutton! You consume more than a bear!" Argyll, who had been investigating the nautical chart, lifted his head to reply. "Since we ran out of freshwater, we have no choice but to wait for our deaths. When that time comes, we shall compete. Let's see who can last till the end."
"You're the dumb one! Can't you just distill more freshwater, once it runs out? We are in the middle of the sea, after all! We will never run out of water."
"Barru, your saliva is all over my face!"
"Ah!"
Barru, the monster, roared crazily. "I don't care! I can't stand being on this crappy wooden boat anymore! I want to kiss the land and touch the greeneries!"
"Shut up! You have distracted my train of thought!"
Sigh!
Barru looked at the nautical chart with dull eyes. He then turned his head to stare at the bluish sea sluggishly. From afar, he looked like an old baboon.
After a while, Argyll, who was dressed in a purple robe, stood up and stretched his cramped waist. "I have finished brainstorming. I think that we are very near Roanoke Island, as long as we have stayed on course!"
"What if we are on the wrong track?" questioned Barru.
"Hmm…" Argyll thought to himself quietly for a while. "According to the nautical chart, Roanoke Island is the the only huge island in the east sea. If we are heading in the wrong direction, then we could only depend on our luck. If we are lucky enough to stumble upon an unknown island, we would still be able to replenish our food then. Otherwise, you might have to catch some fish from the sea!"
"Argyll, tell me why I believed your nonsense in the first place, enough to follow you to Roanoke Island, just for the sake of finding the Hurricane Bird?"
"That's easy! You did so because the Hurricane Bird is so special, and also because we dreamed of a ride, which could allow us to travel for thousands of miles. And, most importantly, because you are an idiot!"
"Enough! Now you're insulting my intelligence, too?!" Barru took a step forward, intending to grab the collar of the old man in the purple robe. Unexpectedly, due to a slight misstep, he accidentally sent the silver compass, which was laying on the parchment scroll, flying into the air.
Under the brute force of his accidental kick, the tiny silver compass was launched at full speed, then plopped into the sea.
"Ah!"
Without thinking too much, Barru immediately hopped over and jumped into the sea, going after the silver compass. The splatter drenched the purple-robed old man, making him look like a drowned rat.
Barru dove in the sea for about half of a minute, before emerging from the waters with a dispirited look on his face. "Argyll, wait for me. I'm going to catch some fish for our lunch."


Because of an accident, Chen Fan obtained the power to possess an electric eel!
Of course, being an ambitious guy, Chen Fan just HAD to explore his Electric Eel Avatar thoroughly!
Captains, are the Somali pirates still giving you a headache? Come and hire me online, and I will guarantee that your ship will be even safer than protected by an American aircraft carrier!

A lo largo de mi carrera he escrito diversos pastiches sobre Tarzán y también una biografía del señor de la selva, conocido en Inglaterra como Lord Greystoke, hombre muy cosmopolita y cultivado. (Sí, Virginia, existe un Tarzán real).

   Cuando se menciona a Tarzán, el primer nombre que suele venir a la mente a menos que sea usted de esas personas que sólo le conocen a través de las películas, en cuyo caso no conoce al verdadero Tarzán, es el de E. R. Burroughs, autor de diversos libros en los que dicha figura aparece considerablemente novelada. Me aficioné a los libros de Burroughs siendo muy joven aún y todavía no he logrado superar completamente esta adicción.

   Pero en época reciente, he tenido oportunidad de leer y admirar (aunque nunca me aficionaré a ellas) las obras de otro Burroughs, de nombre William. Sus historias, si se les puede llamar así, están escritas en un estilo inculto y plagado de absurdos, y se enlazan entre sí mediante técnicas muy poco convencionales. Entre todas ellas, recomiendo especialmente Nova Express.

   Casi   todos   sus   trabajos   contienen   grandes   dosis   de   homosexualidad, toxicomanía, violencia, aversión y desprecio por las mujeres, paranoia, sadismo y masoquismo, además de hacer hincapié en los aspectos más repugnantes de este mundo (y también de otros).

   Esta combinación suena bastante poco atractiva, pero su inquieta imaginación y las delirantes metáforas que utiliza hacen que la lectura de sus singulares escritos sea mentalmente estimulante.
   Por desgracia, lo subjetivo de muchas de las referencias logra confundir incluso al lector más letrado. Dichas referencias pueden comprenderse mediante la lectura de Junkie (heroinómano), la biografía del autor. En realidad, el lector no debería recurrir a esta para comprender la novela de William. No obstante, y aunque no logre captar tales referencias, puede encontrar que la escritura de Burroughs es digna de ser leída y que resulta mentalmente estimulante.

   Así pues, un día en que me hallaba releyendo Nova Express, pensé: ¿Qué hubiera ocurrido si en lugar de Edgar Rice Burroughs, hubiera sido William Burroughs quien hubiese escrito los libros de Tarzán?

   Estaba seguro de que no habría posibilidad de vender semejante pastiche doble en caso de que yo lo escribiera. Por otra parte, la supuesta obscenidad y pornografía que inevitablemente contendría, no constituiría obstáculo alguno para su publicación.  Estábamos  en  1968;  tanto  Henry  Miller  como  William  Burroughs habían publicado, y mi propio Jinetes del Salario Púrpura había aparecido el año anterior en las Visiones Peligrosas de Harlan Edison. Sin embargo, estaba seguro de que ninguna revista de ciencia ficción aceptaría publicar el relato. Por alguna razón que desconozco, no se me ocurrió enviarla a Playboy pero, de todos modos, dudo de que se hubieran quedado con ella. A los editores podría haberles gustado, pero no la habrían considerado adecuada para la mayoría de sus lectores.

A pesar de la dificultad de venderlo, lo escribí porque me divertía hacerlo, y porque quería saber si era capaz de imitar el estilo de William Burroughs. El primer intento duró tres horas. Al cabo de dos días, volví a él y elaboré el segundo y último borrador en una hora.

   Bueno, pues se vendió casi de inmediato, pero a una publicación muy peculiar. Me refiero a que era la última clase de revista a donde creí que iría a parar.

   Roger   Lovin,   director   de   una   editorial   dedicada   a   publicar   revistas pornográficas, la American Art Agency, era al mismo tiempo un entusiasta de la ciencia ficción. Había oído hablar de mi relato y me pidió verlo, lo leyó, y dispuso que se imprimiera en Broadside. Según me dijo Norman Spinrad, se trataba de una revista de lo más obsceno y, riendo, añadió que era la mejor de las que la American Art Agency publicaba, la que tenía más clase.

   A Lovin no le importaba. Él quería publicar el relato y este acabó por aparecer en Broadside, entre pechos colosales y mujeres con medias y ligueros, guapas pero demasiado mamíferas. Los otros dos escritos presentados era Francesas en venta y Mi idilio con 60 starlets, ninguno de cariz novelesco. Suponiendo que se molestaran en leerla, imagino que la mayoría de los lectores debieron quedar bastante confundidos por mi historia, exceptuando en todo caso un 0'01 por ciento.
   En estos momentos estoy hojeando la revista. Tanto las fotos como la prosa de los artículos resultan bastante inofensivos, casi inocentes. Mucho han cambiado los criterios en once años.
   Dos años después, Charles Platt reimprimió el relato en New Worlds Science Fiction, una revista inglesa dedicada a la literatura experimental de «nueva ola». Un salto considerable.

En 1971, Norman Spinrad recopiló una antología titulada Los Nuevos Mañanas, una obra que contenía algunos de los mejores ejemplos de la  «nueva» ciencia ficción. En ella incluyó mi historia, y escribió un prefacio en el que reconocía mis esfuerzos pioneros, en el campo de la ciencia ficción.
   
Hace unos pocos años intenté escribir un pastiche en el que Edgar Rice escribía Nova Express, pero no funcionó y tuve que desecharlo. Aunque todavía no sé cuál, soy consciente de que este fracaso encierra una lección. Tal vez sea que uno no debe exprimir algo hasta tal punto. Pero hay que intentarlo porque ni no, no hay forma de hacerse sitio.

   Si William Burroughs, en vez de Edgar Rice Burrougs, hubiera escrito las novelas de Tarzán

Mundo del Río

La serie está integrada por cinco novelas, más un libro de cuentos. De las cinco novelas, cuatro de ellas forman parte de la tetralogía original, mientras que la quinta es un añadido posterior:

A vuestros cuerpos dispersos (1971), que obtuvo el premio Hugo en 1972.
El fabuloso barco fluvial (1971).
El oscuro designio (1977).
El laberinto mágico (1980).
Dioses del Mundo del Río (1983).
El Mundo del Río y otras historias (1979).
River of Eternity (1983).

Soon enough, Gawain was led by Byron to the Dark Range's ancient fortress where the front lines of the exploration were at.
This place was already close to the middle levels of the ancient fortress. It was an achievement after consecutive days of hard labor from Byron and his exploration team. The room was connected to the upper levels with large stairs; it was spacious inside and had a high ceiling. To create such a spacious room within the mountain was truly a difficult task. Since the creator chose this scale, it would mean that this area required such a large space.
Even the corridors had added height, so did the doors and rooms.
Gawain picked up a map and used the illumination from the magic crystal lifted by Heidi and checked the routes on the map. Sir Byron had done his task dutifully and completed the map of this area. Gawain could clearly see from the map that there were plenty of leveled corridors and rooms. Some of the rooms and forks were annotated with a special marking to indicate there were unknown things there or suspicious side paths. It was obvious that even after exploring for several days, Sir Byron and his group weren't able to figure out the size of this astonishingly massive ancient fortress.
Exactly how deranged was the scale of this place?
Currently, Gawain, Heidi, Amber, Byron, and a large group of soldiers had already arrived at the special room. Byron pointed at the large door and the control mechanism that had already been cleared out. "Your Excellency, we discovered this place purely due to chance. The door was originally sealed, but there is a crack, probably due to the many years of neglect, leading to an airflow that we detected. The mechanism at the side should be already faulty. Its recognition function is already ineffective, and anyone can activate it."
"Even the creations of the Gondor Empire aren't able to survive through the millennium…" Gawain let out a sigh and said, "Demonstrate for me to see."
Byron nodded and took off his glove before putting his hand on the metallic device. There was a distorted voice that came from the device: "Detecting… Specimen subject… Stable period… Access granted. Opening isolation door…"
After the creaking sounds of the machine, the ancient isolation door embedded in the wall was gradually opening.
"Just like this, and the doors will open. Afterward, it doesn't matter if anyone enters or not, the door will automatically close after five minutes. Or you can hit this pillar twice to close the doors. There is also the same device on the other side," Byron explained in greater detail.
Subsequently, two soldiers walked across the door, and the device made a similar sound and informed them the isolation door was already opened.
It seemed like it would go through a useless recognition process on everyone who made contact with the device and deemed them as stable specimen subjects.
But Gawain couldn't help but frown. He was in a deep contemplation after hearing the device saying the words 'specimen subject'.
"This thing can actually talk!" Amber developed an interest in the device and ran over to do the same thing by putting her hand on the metallic pillar. She then spoke in high spirits, "I heard that the elves and the warlocks can also create talking magical puppets, but I have never…"
"Detecting… Warning. Not qualified. Indistinguishable target. Passageway closing. Alarm activated." 
Along with the harsh and cold voice, the isolation door rapidly closed after a loud nose. Amber stood at the side of the device with a dazed expression and said, "Hey… I didn't do anything?!"
After the so-called 'alarm activated', Gawain immediately placed his hands on the hilt of the Sword of Pioneers. After waiting for half a minute, he still didn't hear any commotion; therefore, he relaxed. It seems like most of the functions in this facility have already stopped. This door is probably operating independently and wouldn't issue any alarm.
Byron, Heidi, and others were shocked by the sudden change of events. They had all drawn their weapons as though they were about to face enemies. Heidi let out a breath of relief after they verified that no ancient traps were activated. She then looked at the metallic device with astonishment and asked, "What is going on? Why didn't it work when Amber touched it?"
"Don't bother about that first." Gawain pushed Amber aside and placed his hand on the metallic pillar. "We need to check if this thing still works."
As a result, the old door device echoed with the voice that said the detection had passed, allowing the isolation to open up once again.
"…This door is shameless!" Amber hopped up and down furiously and said, "Why is it fine when others touch it, but the doors will close when I touch it?!"
"I can roughly guess what went wrong…" Gawain frowned while he made a bold conjecture based on the responses from the door. "This recognition device probably isn't faulty."
Amber had a face of disbelief and asked, "It isn't faulty? Why can anyone open it if it isn't faulty?"
"This door's security settings might not be as strict as I initially imagined. Its function is to ensure that only 'normal people' go through the door." Gawain frowned and said, "Do you remember that Nicholas Egg mentioning something? This facility used to conduct research suspected to be for human-body experiments. When the device said 'specimen subject', it probably referred to living people. As for the so-called 'stable period'… it probably checks if there are any mutations or anything that is out of control. It means to say that only normal people can pass through this door."
"Then why can't I enter?" Amber had wide eyes as she said, "I am rather normal!"
Gawain sized up Amber before asking, "Are you a normal human? Don't even talk about normal. Are you human?"
Amber's sharp ears twitched as she commented, "…Alright, it makes sense."
The others had also nodded with pensive expressions, and it seemed like Gawain's explanation had obtained everyone's approval. However, after Gawain finished his explanation, he went into a deep contemplation.
Was the situation really so simple? Was this door just to prevent the escape of any test subjects they lost control of? Could it have other restrictions? 
It was unknown why when Gawain heard the system's harsh and cold voice, he couldn't help but feel an extremely faint but very realistic sensation of hatred and conflict. Gawain searched through his memory but wasn't able to find the source of this negative emotion.
It didn't matter what was behind this door, he had to enter.
They found out that Amber was only unable to go through the door's detection device, but if she followed behind others, it wouldn't activate the alarm. Gawain then led the team into the space behind the door.
They went through a corridor that was constructed with unknown metal. On the two sides of the corridor, there were rows of metallic pillars that Gawain couldn't help but associate with sterilization devices or something to eliminate static electricity. At the end of the corridor was another opened isolation door. On the other side of the isolation door was a circular hall.
The hall was constructed with man-made materials. The white paint on the walls might already have dust and have dropped off, but everyone could still imagine this hall during the olden days when it was bright and spacious. After taking a glance in the hall, one could see a large number of pipings and metallic pillars that were arranged along the wall and connecting with ancient magical devices. These devices extended out with another kind of pipe that all gathered towards the center of the hall. There were over a dozen objects of strange shapes.
They were on metallic pedestals, and above the pedestals were transparent tube-like structures that were used to breed organisms. On the top of the tube-like structure, there was a visibly heavy lid. That lid was fully covered with runes and magic circles, but all the runes had already been extinguished.
Gawain was slightly dazzled by the scene in front of him that he wasn't sure was magical or science fiction. However, Gawain Cecil's memories related to the glorious era of the Gondor Empire had swiftly reduced the unwell feelings in his heart.
Looking at these neatly arranged devices, Gawain could almost imagine that these vessels were once filled with biomass solvent, and each of them would have an experimental subject submerged within it. In the surroundings of the vessels would be the empire's Master Mages walking around busily. They would be recording all sorts of data from the specimens in the vessels and would occasionally use spells to stimulate the specimens inside. They would use a near inhuman and cold attitude to deal with those 'test subjects' that were of the same race as them.
Human body experiments during the Gondor Empire era weren't considered a rare thing, and it was even more common in the Anzu Kingdom.
"It is truly unimaginable…" Heidi had an intoxicated expression while looking at those mysterious, ancient magical devices. Those neatly arranged runes and intricate metallic structures had made her extremely amazed. "Such complex rune combinations… such seamless assembly… such uniformed components… How did they do it?!"
"These runes were making use of the endless energy from the Well of Deep Blue. They had accumulated all these experimental data while disregarding consumption, and these components…" Gawain looked at the magical equipment that already resembled industrial equipment and let out a light sigh. "These types of equipment required thousands of technical craftsmen, over twenty kinds of fundamental workshops, an entire set of complicated production machines, and at least a thousand standard parameters, along with the entire empire's technological support."
Heidi was rather despondent as she said, "…We actually left behind such advanced technology… Were we really unable to preserve them back then?"
Gawain sighed and said, "Back then, Anzu Kingdom's first-generation pioneers were working hard to restore these things when they were still alive. However, the data that we retrieved wasn't enough to restore even 5% of the things. The industrial chain was severed, and a bunch of semi-literate people from the borders wasn't able to compensate for the loss even after studying those blueprints for a decade. Furthermore, the conditions back then didn't allow anyone to spare time for research. The first-generation pioneers had to spend 90% of their effort into production work, to ensure that the number of people starving to death wouldn't exceed the birth rate…"
Gawain then shook his head while saying, "But as compared to this, the most important reason is because we lost the Well of Deep Blue. The Well of Deep Blue supplied a massive amount of pure energy and would reduce the huge operational requirements of countless magical equipment. If the same equipment was put into other magical environments, it might not even operate. It was fine for those fundamental and simple things, but complicated and high-grade equipment would be completely useless when situated away from the Well of Deep Blue."
Amber listened to Gawain and was suddenly moved as she asked, "Is that why you emphasized the interchangeable and adaptable functions?"
"A magical industry using the support of the Well of Deep Blue shouldn't be considered a true industrialization." Gawain said something casually that no one understood. He laughed after looking at the surroundings. "Instead of talking about all these things, it is better to look through the pleasant surprises that this ancient testing ground has left for us."
He scanned all the breeding vessels, control platforms, magic-guided pedestals, and sensors that had a history of a thousand years. He finally looked at the surface of the wall in the vicinity and couldn't help but freeze.
There were large writings that were written in the ancient common language:
"Humankind shall last forever… Even if we defied the gods."


During Gawain transmigration, a little problem occurs.
After hovering in the sky above the land of a strange world for over hundreds of thousands of years, he realizes that perhaps his transmigration is completed by acquiring a physical body.
Never did he imagine that he would have to guide the body out of a coffin after going through great difficulties to obtain it, only to come face-to-face with his two extremely shocked great-great-great-great... great-granddaughters, and also—
Be thrust into a world that's the verge of its era’s end.

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