Planet Master

While the matter of virtual reality was overseen by Leif since he was the one who had great interest in the Technology Tree, Dian tried to expand his Afterlife Model to the other planets.

The method was, of course, to keep fresh deceased who were ready for battle, enter the Afterlife Arena. Dian wanted to grind for Medals there to buy certain props to support his Afterlife Model.

[Name: Afterlife Relay

Price: 500 Medals

Description: This relay is used to increase the area of effect of the Afterlife Model the Planet Master possessed, allowing it to spread to even another planet. The area cannot be bigger than the Afterlife Model on the Mother Planet.]

Dian used this item to make his Afterlife Model bigger in influence as well as to spread it into another planet, since the other planets in the star system did not have an Afterlife Model influence on them.

“Finally done.” Dian sat and leaned back on the throne, letting out a sigh as he saw that the Afterlife Relay was placed on the Futuro and Bultar Planet.

“While you are placing those things, we are watching a change of an era with the appearance of the virtual reality game.” Leif walked to him before standing in front of him.

“Ah, yes. Simultaneous development is definitely good. With the Fixed Planetary Fortress being repaired in progress, the civilization has launched the virtual reality game at the same time and distracted the people from the topic of the celestial object in the Cerulean Planet’s sky.” Dian nodded happily at the thought.

“I also want my Queen to be able to do it!” Chikara was slightly protesting.

She knew how good the virtual reality game was and was even eager to let the Queen of the Glings try it.

“Soon. It can’t be now since there are some technicalities needed to modify the cabin into the specification that can satisfy the Queen of the entire Glings.” Leif replied softly.

“Fortunately, my race seems compatible with the virtual cabin.” Frie smiled as she looked at the Elves being able to enter the virtual world.

“Argh, my race can’t enjoy it at all!” Arowana was screaming since it was tough for merfolk to enter the virtual cabin underwater. They needed further adjustment for that and could not be realized in the short term.

“Don’t be so noisy just because of this.” Mazdari commented from the side while watching the progress of the Fixed Planetary Fortress being repaired with a calm tone.

“That’s what I also want to say.” Dian said this which made the others look at him in amazement.

“Why though?” Ghylea asked.

“It is because the scope of the virtual reality game will also spread to the rest of the civilization. At that time, everyone will be able to enjoy the benefit it brings.” Dian explained a bit.

“But it needs time to realize, right? Then those who first entered it have gained an advantage over those who don’t enter early. What should we do when that point happens?” Chikara asked.

“There will be some adjustment and the latter people do not necessarily they will be left behind in a race. There are always advantages and disadvantages.” Dian said with an understanding of how some people operated.

Hearing that made the rest feel their unease ceased and they continued to monitor their tasks since now they could monitor multiple planets.

-

For those in the Afterlife, they felt like their world was expanding at a great rate. Some of them explored and found out that they were connected to the other planets, other than their mother planet.

“This is a welcome surprise.” Goto exclaimed as he looked at the Nafs who chose to go to the other planet to influence them.

“With this, we have more options and more potential. I feel glad and burdened by that.” Kudungga on the other hand commented this way.

Goto realized that with opportunity came opportunists, meaning that this could go both ways.

“More things to do. Now, who should we allow to learn some basic things?” Chi You asked since he could teach the people some of the basic fighting techniques he had honed throughout his life and learning in the Afterlife.

“I don’t know but let’s try the situation on the other planets first, then report here. How about that?” Kudungga said.

The other two nodded and then they went their own ways. They had their own job and calling whenever someone referred to them in thoughts or knowledge. That was how this Afterlife Model worked.

Smagenrog on the other hand felt lost but also filled his time in the Afterlife teaching basic things and some common sense to the people in the civilizations built together on the foundation that humans became the main rulers among the other races.

‘Teaching them transcendent methods truly strengthens what I learn from them.’ Smagenrog thought as he flew in the high sky of the Afterlife Model.

He felt that his mind was refreshed when the wind hit his body and scales.

Then he looked below and saw the deceased from the human civilization spread out to the other planets while those who did not get the opportunity started to make their move in the Cerulean Planet people’s mind.

‘Will this be fine? Or is it that this is an unexpected side effect from expanding the Afterlife Model? Whatever the case, I just need to find a place of my own. Where is it suitable for me? Perhaps…a place where no one will disturb me.’

Smagenrog then flapped his wings and moved to the peak of a mountain. The peak of the mountain was flat and it was covered in snow. Smagenrog did not mind the temperature since he was there to enjoy his sleeping period but unexpectedly, he felt a connection from inside him and then the connection reached an individual he knew best.

“Dragon Slayer…this is just a misunderstanding…”

Tatsumi who was also repairing the most important weapon platform, suddenly heard Smagenrog’s voice inside his mind.

‘I don’t think this is a misunderstanding. So now is the time for us to be connected.’ Tatsumi just did what he was doing like usual, as if the conversation in his mind had not happened at all.

‘So what should I do?’ Smagenrog felt that he did not know this kind of connection when it came to personal experience.

‘Relax and just tell me what you want. I am already used to so many deceased with different personalities communicating with me.’ Tatsumi replied in his mind while connecting the severed cables and causing the energy core to be connected to the weapon platform.

‘About this…I am still inexperienced since this is the first time I have been forced to acknowledge that I am still a creature with limits. I am thinking about the future where I can get stronger.’

Hearing that, Tatsumi had an idea for how the mighty dragon had ended up like this.

‘I see. You are still inexperienced and not mature. I am not saying that you are weak but you need to acknowledge that you are still not strong enough to fight against a stronger foe. The fact that you recognize and acknowledge this shows that you are maturing in yourself.

‘Your body might be no different than an infant but your mind is sharp.’

Tatsumi praised the dragon sincerely. Someone who could perceive reality better deserved that at the very least.

‘If you don’t know something, learn from someone who knows. If there is someone who doesn’t know, you can teach them. This is a mutually beneficial relationship in the Afterlife.’

Tatsumi got to the point where he had to say the essence of the Afterlife that he knew of.

Smagenrog recognized that as a fact since he had some experience in that regard.

‘Give and take. A simple but understandable concept, don’t you think?’ Tatsumi smiled as he said this in his mind.

‘I understand.’ Smagenrog said with a clear intonation.

‘Then if I learn from you, will you object?’ Smagenrog asked this because he had glimpsed into what made Tatsumi into the man he was now.

‘No. You can watch and learn from not only me but others who you want to know.’ Tatsumi replied as he sighed with relief that his work was mostly done.

‘So what are you doing right now?’

‘I am repairing the main weapon platform. According to the scientists and the engineers here, it is the main weapon of the Fixed Planetary Fortress.’ Tatsumi slowly explained the overall situation to Smagenrog since he wanted to learn more.

‘I bet that this actually came at an opportune moment.’ Smagenrog commented after hearing what Tatsumi had said so far.

‘That is what I assume as well. Its appearance was so good for us that we could even equip it with our own weapons.’ Tatsumi nodded with a solemn expression.

‘Are you worried that this is actually something that will harm the civilization?’ Smagenrog could know that the Fixed Planetary Fortress was something beyond what the human civilization could create and its appearance to this place meant that someone sent it here.

‘Of course I am. But this is also an opportunity for us to use this thing to our advantage. In short, we need it.’ Tatsumi said with a dour expression.

“We are done with this part.” Tatsumi said while standing up from his previous squatting position.

“Good job. I can’t believe that transcendent like you could help us in this way.” The engineer praised Tatsumi for his effort.

His job was to repair the cables that connected the facility to the energy core.

At the energy core, several scientists were discussing how they should reverse-engineer it into their own.

Charlene and Ivana, on the other hand was trying to draw something on the paper, which from the perspective of the others looked like the energy core they were observing.

‘How can an energy core maintain its form? Perhaps I should make it dense enough to form an attraction force strong enough to radiate a strong gravity field. But then the energy won’t flow properly.’ Charlene thought as her red eyes looked at the sketch she had made and compared it to the real thing in front of her, or rather, below her.

The direction below actually made her look at the energy core, which was also generating its own gravity with the help of the device surrounding it.

“Here you are.” Tatsumi walked and said out loud.

He was not alone as the engineers followed behind him to assist the one at the energy core.

“Sorry, we are a bit late. You all don’t mind, won’t you?” the engineer said apologetically.

“No, you are just right on time.”

Seeing who had come, the scientists and the engineers located near the energy core became spirited. Their eyes lit up at the additional people who came.

They needed additional manpower due to the difficulty that the energy core posed. Most of the time spent on the energy core was on the method of replicating its method of energy storing and circulation.

Even after a long time of abandonment, the energy core still worked perfectly as if it were made just yesterday. Only the scientists and the engineer who had worked on the energy core knew just how old it truly was.

“Only this place left, huh.” Tatsumi looked at the energy core which was covered by a spherical building around it.

Seeing that Charlene was there, Tatsumi went to her first and he could even see Ivana working on the side.

“How is it going?” Tatsumi asked.

“There are some things that need to be verified but most of the mechanisms behind the energy core have been done.” Charlene said.

“That thing acted both as an energy power plant and an energy storage. It is not something that our technology hopes to create but I manage to mostly decipher how it works. Maybe we can create a miniature version on our own one day but for now, this should be sufficient to explain to the others.” Charlene said as she gripped a paper with the drawings of the energy core in it.

Then the scientists heard what she had said and quickly swarmed her position.

Tatsumi had to make sure that the scientists did not mob his wife and forced them to obediently make space for her. At least it would be able to pacify them.

To Tatsumi, the enthusiasm of the scientists was quite scary as if he were facing himself in search of the transcendent methods.

Charlene then explained succinctly about the drawing, from its basic working to its inner mechanism that was enveloped by the gravity modificatory facility.

“I see.”

“So that’s what this means.”

“Fortunately, we have you to help. Otherwise, the progress would be slower and we could possibly be caught off guard when an unexpected thing happens.”

The scientists thanked Charlene for her effort. By drawing the energy core blueprint, they could finally see an exclusive understanding of the energy core.

“Alright, stop bothering her.” Tatsumi said.

The scientists blushed slightly since their enthusiasm was overwhelmingly huge. They then went to their own task to complete it based on the understanding of the blueprint of the energy core.

‘Hearing that from your wife means a lot to me.’ Smagenrog had an epiphany and could probably turn it into a practical effect in the future.

‘She’s good, right.’ Tatsumi smirked as he said this in his mind.

‘Not just good. In any civilization, she would be treated with the utmost respect for her mind alone.’ Smagenrog praised Charlene greatly which made Tatsumi feel proud and warm in his heart.

‘Of course. Let’s just say that is the exact reason I am attracted to her.’ Tatsumi said.

‘Right. I glimpsed a fragment of your memory and found that fact since you remember it so vividly.’ Smagenrog commented.

‘Even you can connect to someone through an encounter alone? Teach me!’ Tatsumi found out that Smagenrog could even glimpse at a fragment of someone’s memory through an encounter in the mindscape.

‘Well…’

-

After teaching Tatsumi or should he say that he guided Tatsumi on the specific method, Smagenrog realized that his situation and karma was linked to him.

After that, Smagenrog deactivated the connection between Tatsumi and him and enjoyed being able to finally sleep on the highest peak in the Library of Consciousness.

At the same time, the three forefathers returned from the other planets’ Afterlife and felt that they had planted at least some seed for their own benefit.

“The people on the other planet faced things that are taken for granted on the Cerulean Planet.” Kudungga said.

“They develop their own ways of life. I think that will become a new culture on its own.” Goto said as he received the exchange of knowledge.

“They definitely fight against the current uninhabitable planets’ situation with the Terraforming Machine.” Chi You commented.

The three of them then stared into each other’s eyes and saw that they had found something new in their boring duty.

“Let’s do this again sometime.”

As the three forefathers returned and resumed their mission, Smagenrog felt another connection and then connected to another person through it.

Smagenrog was initially happy, assuming that this time he needed to try on his own to understand the current situation in the Cerulean Planet’s civilization.

But when he delved deeper, he found that this was a slightly familiar mindscape. He felt it as he was dying and even after his death.

‘Wait a moment. Who is this again?’ Smagenrog felt confused for a moment before he had a sudden realization.

‘Um, is it really you?’ from the other end of the connection, Smagenrog could feel that the state of the person he connected to was in some sort of another device and his perspective then changed into that of the person’s consciousness.

‘It is you!’ the two said at the same time in their mind.

‘He often said things that you are in the Afterlife. What might you be doing connecting to me?’

This time, Smagenrog recognized the need to see through this person through viewing the memory.

‘I am just as confused when I initially at this place. From the looks of it, the Afterlife of your side assimilated the Afterlife of those you defeated. You know about this, right?’

‘Of course I know it. He often talks about it to me. But…why are you connecting to me?’

‘So you are currently in the virtual reality world.’ Smagenrog had a realization.

Through the words that the wind whispered, Smagenrog knew about the first virtual reality game that was released now.

And for the person he connected with…

‘Yes. I want to see for myself what kind of game it is that can change the lives of people. And I was not disappointed. There are so many things I can do here.’

Smagenrog also realized that the person he connected with had a perfect connection to the Afterlife, just like Tatsumi.

‘Miss Ame, I am just an entity who wants to gain my previously stolen freedom. Before this, I was just a small being confined in what you can call the Dragon Domain. Now that there are no threats to me, I can enjoy my freedom. Connecting to you might seem like a coincidence but to me, it is actually inevitable.’

Smagenrog was connected to her and perceived what she had seen through her consciousness.

Ame on the other hand realized that her connection to the dragon might perhaps be some sort of intervention from the higher being.

‘Maybe. Let’s just say that to be the case. What are you going to do now that you are connected to me?’ Ame asked in her mind while exploring the virtual world along with her family.

‘Let’s just form a close connection like with Tatsumi and the three forefathers of humanity. How about that?’ Smagenrog offered.

‘Sounds good. It’s a pleasure to work with you.’ Ame replied.