kscans

Chapter 794 - To the Gathering Place

—The domain where [Green Connect, Jehatreglie] resides. Its location is five hundred kilometers due west of the Great Bell Tower in the players' primary base, the [Safe Area].

It's the central point of the places where the 'nations' once stood, which also exist in the east, south, and north.

It was a massive crater, several kilometers in diameter, as if a divine hand had scooped out the earth. There were four of these in this virtual world... no, if you include the lair of the [White Throne], which for some reason was the only one to leave the [Garden of Divine Creation] and set up shop in a beginner's field, then there were five.

They are Arcadia's greatest conquest targets, and the five colored pillars that the administration and development staff—or rather, the 'insiders'—have secretly acknowledged as 'content related to the Grand Clear.'

Their detailed story is still unknown. But with an overwhelming and profound presence that certainly hints at a 'past,' that—... uh, that...

........................

"—In the end, what is that thing, biologically speaking...?"

"A turtle, right?"

"Isn't it a dragon that looks like a turtle...?"

"Its face is square, so it could also be a hippopotamus..."

"Ah, haha... It usually comes down to those three choices, doesn't it?"

And so, just as the white, blue, and gray trio stated their respective opinions, no one, neither among us nor in the general public, has been able to find the perfect words to describe its form.

That 'turtle that looks like a dragon with a hippo's face' continues to fill the massive crater with its ridiculously huge body, as motionless as ever today. Its scale is, as always, off the charts.

"Man, being able to fly is just too broken. When you can ignore the environment and obstacles and just fly in a straight line, even a long journey of hundreds of kilometers feels like nothing..."

Past noon, high in the sky.

Starting a five-hundred-kilometer journey an hour before the meeting time might sound reckless on paper, but with our cheerful 'wings,' it was a piece of cake.

We soared through the sky with ease, successfully completing our journey a whole ten minutes early. To be honest, as the master of these wings, I couldn't help but nod in agreement with Natsume-senpai's words.

"—If everyone could tame a flying [Stardust Beast], the world would shrink dramatically, and not just metaphorically. ...Well, as it stands, that's impossible for anyone but a certain someone."

And so, on Sapphire's back, I heard a rare voice. Irori, who had, of course, endured his first high-speed flight with a cool expression, was now giving me an annoyingly deadpan look.

"What's with that look, you? You should be grateful I gave you a ride."

"Thank you. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask for a ride back as well."

And with that, the invincible samurai casually leaped off Sapphire's back. Nia, who I was also carrying, let out a cry of "Nyehh...!?" behind me, but there was no need to worry.

A mere hundred-meter fall is hardly dangerous.

"—The rankers are all a bunch of idiots."

"Being able to say that in this situation is, in a lot of ways, really something, Kagura-san..."

And then, a rare voice, part two. Behind me, and one more behind that. The last of the eight passengers on the Sapphire Express, which included the five full members of the clan [Azure Sky], a kitten, and a samurai.

It was his first time flying too, just like Irori, but to my surprise, he also had a cool expression on his face. The exclusive magic artisan, who had casually given my starlight companion, which had easily broken five hundred kilometers per hour, a 'nice' and an amused comment, was showing off a vitality, or rather, a courage, that exceeded my expectations.

And so, with only two exceptions, Kagura-san, who had just dropped the problematic statement 'a bunch of idiots' on the back of a dragon filled with rankers, including himself, didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

"Can't really deny that, though..."

"Well, I'd like to be considered separate from the really crazy ones at the top."

"And I'd like the West to be separate, too. In fact, I wish they'd change the name from 'ranker' to 'seat holder' or something to make a clear distinction."

"Fufu."

And on top of that, the others felt the same way. The fact that there were no complaints from the remaining applicable parties—Natsume-senpai, Tetra, Nia, and Ui-san—somehow revealed the unspoken pecking order.

It seemed my 'Weaver' was, as I had thought, quite the formidable figure.

"...Senpai, are you not getting off?"

Well then, we were now above our destination. Since it was just before the meeting time, a large number of players had already gathered below. And so, we were naturally bathed in a downpour of countless gazes.

As I kept Sapphire hovering in the sky, exchanging idle chatter with my fellow passengers and absentmindedly observing the scene on the ground, Tetra's suspicious voice called out to me.

My apologies, but please forgive me.

"Well... it's just, you know—what an incredible sight."

"It's amazing... and so big..."

"Ah... yeah. This is my first time seeing it in person, too. It's magnificent."

And so, three of them were so captivated by the sight, whether out of interest or something else, that their gazes were glued to it.

Five hundred kilometers from the [Safe Area]. Though it was technically still within the first 'circle,' the 'Beginner Circle,' this was, of course, a non-safe zone.

It's unclear if it's due to the pressure from the abnormal existence that is Green Connect, but there are no enemy territories in this area. However, having hundreds of players 'meet up' in a field far from any city is a big deal.

Everyone has their own circumstances. Very few can leave just before and make it in time like us, and some may have even set out the day before.

In other words, those players would normally have to camp out... that is, they would have to take the risk of logging out with their avatars left in a non-safe zone.

Needless to say, that's not good.

It's not just about the death penalty. The further you travel, the greater the risk of having your progress reset by respawning, a risk you can't ignore.

Even if you end up being safe, it's inevitable that you'll wear down your mental state, big or small, with the feeling of gambling every time. It's a problem and a challenge unique to the 'journeys' in Arcadia, which exists because the world is too vast for a game.

So, what I'm getting at is that if there were a way to solve all these problems at once, it would be a top-tier 'power' in the virtual world.

For example—the super-massive 'barrier' right below us.

"The maximum diameter is a little over a kilometer, right...?"

"Apparently. It's probably still expanding a little right now."

"That's seriously insane..."

A perfect circle drawn with a triangle at its center, formed by three vertices. If you look closely, you can see glowing lines composed of complex and intricate magical patterns running along the ground, forming a massive domain.

[Three Laws Protection Barrier]—was that it? It is a law of absolute safety, a permanent, enemy-impermeable sanctuary, realized through the cooperation of three rankers from the Northern Faction, Nortalia.

"Hah, what a luxurious base camp."

"What are you talking about? A [Colored Monster] raid is, without a doubt, content that deserves everything you can possibly pour into it."

"That's true... Alright. Okay everyone, we're heading down."

Instantly convinced by Natsume-senpai's blunt retort to my muttered comment, I cut short my admiration of the ridiculously fantastical scene and sent a telepathic command to Sapphire to descend.

Our landing spot will be... —Ah, yes, yes.

For now, right next to the cheerfully bouncing figure in light green will do just fine.

---

Second junior (Kanata) is keeping his mouth zipped because he's surrounded by such an imposing lineup. And next time, the cast is gonna explode again, so be ready.