Reincarnated Hero System - Chapter 1166 - 1166: Power Play

[…What could you have offered them to bring them out of hiding?]

“Oh, that? I simply offered them items they’d wanted for years, showed them places they’d been seeking, and granted a few other favours to make them owe me.

I also promised that even after lending their aid, they’d remain ‘Veiled’ and neither their nations nor ‘The Five’ would try to control them.”

[That’s a bold claim,] Rizass responded. [You say you can make ‘The Five’ follow your bidding. Is that because of the relationship you have with Rathal and Kolvar? I hear you’re quite close with Kolvar’s little boy.]

At that, Evan shook his head.

“I wouldn’t deny that I was counting on that at first, but now, it’s just one of many ways I can make ‘The Five’ comply.”

[Comply, huh? Very well. Now explain why you want me to face the Demonic Hand’s Fifth Executive.]

“Because I want you to take the chance to become a Transcendent, start comprehending universal laws, and get closer to realising an Authority.”

At this, Evan decided to speak on his Transcendence Project.

“I don’t want to rely on external forces, or forces that may have either abandoned us or have been shuffled off the mortal coil, to protect this planet.

I plan to build this planet’s defences against the invaders from the other side of the Galaxy. My Transcendence Project aims to create more Transcendent Level Existences for this world and empower the already existing ones.”

[Empower?] Rizass echoed, and Evan nodded.

“It’s one of the means I can use to make them comply. I have a cache of raw EXP that can be used to empower Transcendents, but ONLY Transcendents, since anything below that wouldn’t be able to handle the sheer amount of energy in the cache.

That’s why I want you to become Transcendent first, before I use the cache on you and the other Superior Sovereigns across the planet, whom I plan to bring under the banner of my Project.”

Rizass remained silent longer than usual after Evan spoke, then the golem nodded lightly.

[An EXP Cache, you claim to have,] Rizass finally said. [Capable of empowering several Transcendents.]

Clearly, she didn’t believe Evan, and he nodded in understanding.

“It’s understandable that you doubt me. But it’s only a matter of time before I bring you proof of its existence.”

Opening his inventory, he continued.

“What I can show you right now are the Law Crystals containing Universal Law information that I intend to share with those under the fold of my Transcendence Project.”

He brought out a box of law crystals, some he’d received from Arthur while in the past, some from Jamie, some he’d acquired in Duscon nearly two years ago (Chapter 482), and many others.

However, it wasn’t the crystals themselves that caught Rizass’ attention, but his words.

[‘Universal Law,’ not ‘World Law.’ It seems you know more than I thought. Even I only learned the truth after reaching the Peak of Mortality.]

His phrasing seemed to please Rizass, as the dragon golem’s head nodded lightly before her voice echoed again.

[I understand what you want. You have great plans for this world, but there’s just one factor I wish to confirm.]

The dragon golem’s body seemed to lean forward as Rizass’ voice echoed across the silent chamber.

[All the plans you’ve described are plans that require ‘Power.’

You need a certain level of power and influence across the nations of this world to execute them, especially your Transcendence Project.

I may isolate myself, but I am not unaware of what happens on the surface of this planet. I’m well aware of all you’ve done over the years, particularly the technological advancements you’ve introduced, ideas you’ve likely acquired from other worlds.

But the influence you’ve gained so far isn’t nearly enough, and neither is your known power.

I would not place Dragondune in the hands of someone who lacks the might or influence to make these grand plans a reality.

There are those who will oppose you, mostly for personal reasons. There are those who will try to use you, and those who’ll attempt to control you. You need power to make them fall in line.

So, Hero Evan, I ask you this…]

The golem’s eyes seemed to shine brighter as Rizass continued.

[Do you possess the power required?]

And to that question, Evan smiled and asked,

“How about you check for yourself?”

…

There was a tense silence, and then,

[Hmm. I suppose I can afford a few minutes. Stand back, Bianca.]

Bianca quickly stepped away as the golem began to glow, a six-ringed magic circle appearing on the ground and expanding to cover the entire clearing. A glass dodecahedron formed around the circle, its interior filled with intense light and heat.

Looking at the polyhedron, so bright that nothing inside could be seen, Evan muttered, “Ah, I see. No wonder the First Finger couldn’t locate you all these years, even after searching all around the world.”

He lifted his gaze, looking past the glass dome and up into the sky above.

“You’re not on this ‘world’ at all, but on the moon.”

And so, the location of Dragondune’s Master was revealed, something even Bianca hadn’t known.

“You were able to sense my original location instantly, despite the spatial distortion? It seems you’re due more credit than I already gave you.”

The voice Evan had been hearing over the past few minutes echoed again, this time without the mechanical edge.

He lowered his gaze and saw a massive four-limbed dragon, about 25 metres from head to tail tip, with five grey horns, glowing amber eyes, and a body covered in glossy obsidian black scales that reflected faint light.

An immense pressure radiated from her, enough to bring anyone below its level to their knees, a tangible force that cracked the earth beneath them.

“If you’re on the moon, then I wonder,” Evan said, speaking as casually as ever despite the immense pressure, “have the Iremiths been activated?”

Rizass responded calmly, showing not the slightest surprise that her Dragon Fear had no effect on him.

“Temporarily. Several Dimensional Rifts have been torn open recently. Starting with the one that ripped through not just space but also time at the end of last year, and another similar one a few days ago.”

Evan was about to mention that he’d been the one going in and out of those rifts, but Rizass added something that made him frown.

“What’s more, something happened to the ‘Aidos’ shortly before the first rift opened, but somehow none of the planet’s Defence Mechanisms noticed until after the rift and the god Queen’s descent.”

“What? Something happened to ‘Aidos’? Have you found out what? Any damage?” Evan fired question after question as he sat up, and Rizass shook her head.

“We’re unaware of the cause. However, the ‘Aidos’ has been unable to materialise ‘her’ physical incarnation since then, and will likely remain unable to do so for some time.”

‘No wonder ‘she’ hasn’t appeared since I returned. And why didn’t Artemisia mention this?’

There was no way Artemisia didn’t know, after all.

“Do you have any idea who’s responsible? Any suspects?”

“None. The Iremiths have a name, but they refuse to share it with me,” Rizass replied, tilting her head as she asked, “Do you have a suspect?”

“I do,” Evan said. “But I’m not completely certain.”

He rubbed his chin lightly, thinking over the suspect in mind, then looked up and asked, “What about Artemisia? How did she react?”

“She’s said nothing on the matter besides telling the Iremiths that ‘Aidos’ would be ‘fine’.”

From that, Evan grew more confident that the suspect in his mind was the culprit, though he still lacked crucial information to be sure.

Just as he thought this, the intensity of Rizass’ Dragon Fear increased.

Noticing it, Evan raised his gaze, meeting the amber eyes of the dragon who said, “Do not forget the original reason for my presence here. You said I should check for myself if you possess the power to make your grand plans a reality, didn’t you?

I intend to do just that.”

The entire lake around them was instantly enclosed by a glass domain that stopped all magic from leaking out, and the dragon responsible finally lifted off the floor, standing on all fours as they dominated the surrounding universal law energy.

Sensing this, Evan silently went on guard, knowing what was coming next.

This was the reason he had guessed that Rizass was Bianca’s mother from her earlier narration.

Bianca had said her mother blocked the spiritual attack meant to destabilise her soul. That attack, powered by a Pseudo-Authority of Reincarnation, could only be countered by interference from a power of that level or higher.

And the Master of Dragondune possessed exactly such a power, which was why the First Finger had considered them a threat to be ‘removed’.

The fusion of three Unique Series Skills of the Earth, Fire, and the rare Glass Attribute, itself a subset of the Earth and Fire attributes.

Raising her right forelimb, Rizass gathered magic at her index finger, pointed it at Evan, and declared.

[Ultimate Seed: Vitroterra.]

The condensed magic power erupted in a burst of light, exploding outward into black glass branches that expanded rapidly through the air like lightning or tree limbs, splitting into smaller branches which branched even further.

Within seconds, Evan was surrounded by these spiked branches closing in from nearly every angle, and faced with this, he calmly muttered.

“Burn, Mesarthim.”

Prismatic flames erupted from him in an immense burst, instantly melting the nearest glass branches. The flames then swirled around him, forming a cyclone of energy that rapidly expanded, consuming the branches from all directions.

Evan dispersed the cyclone with an outward burst, unleashing a shockwave that swept across the entire area, cracking the glass dome containing the immense magic power he and Rizass were radiating.

The shockwave washed over Rizass’ body, pushing her a few inches back before cracking the stained-glass windows behind her.

Silence fell as the flames fizzled out, and Rizass lowered her finger, speaking in a satisfied tone,

“Seems you’re not all hot air. Very well.”

The dragon nodded to herself before declaring.

“Dragondune shall grant you its full cooperation to defend the nation of Tarse, and I shall cooperate with your Transcendence Project.

My cooperation regarding any other plans you have for Aidos, however, depends solely on the details and how necessary I deem the actions to be.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Evan replied, rising to his feet and brushing the light soot from his trousers.

“I’ll have your daughter act as the liaison between us to relay any further information.”

Turning to Bianca, he continued, “Please meet me at Wikmery City in the Zhosa Region on the 17th. We have Hero business there.”

With that, he turned, waving behind him as he walked away.

“Say hello to the Sun and Moon Ouroboroses for me, Rizass.”

After saying this, he stepped forward, jumped into his own shadow, and teleported from the centre of Dragondune, returning to the train in Zaixson, where Kuro was.