Book 21 Chapter 12
Episode 205
Inside the Anti-Dragon Barrier was a completely different world.
Beyond the curtain, the ancient mystery, rejecting the touch of providence, whose arrival was palpable through an unreal high heat.
One might wonder how sandstorms and acid rain could coexist, but inside this curtain, it's a different universe, one not controlled by providence.
"Crazy… In this state, it's impossible to even pinpoint our direction, let alone move forward!"
Friede yelled at the top of her lungs.
She wasn't angry.
If she didn't, the storm and heavy rain would swallow her voice, making communication impossible.
"The temperature is still skyrocketing… Something, something irreversible must be about to happen."
Four Hagnises created a barrier of flames in front of their direction of travel to form a breakwater, but their movement speed was extremely slow.
'At this rate…!'
Stopping the celestial path would be nothing but a delusion, and even breaking the Anti-Dragon Barrier was already an impossible situation, let alone achieving anything beyond that.
"Given the situation, Shuan, why on earth did you tell us to head this way?! What in the world is here?!"
The artifact on Shuan's wrist was emitting light.
He had said that if the artifact hummed brightly, it was the correct direction, and if it was silent, it was the wrong direction.
Shuan spoke without taking his eyes off the artifact.
"We're here! It's close! The signal, it's very close…!"
"What signal, then?!"
"It's done! We've reached the range where the call signal can be received!"
In that instant, the ground shook violently, and something massive surged up from beneath the earth, which had become slushy due to the acid rain.
"The military supply optical rail train, T-Pex 707!"
Lynn gaped in astonishment.
She hadn't known what a "train" was to begin with, but she thought perhaps if several carriages were connected, it might look similar.
However, what Shuan had summoned was a massive conglomeration of metal, without wheels or beasts of burden (牛馬) to move it, and it was doubtful if even beasts of burden could pull it in the first place.
"Oh my goodness… This actually exists! Greta Veiser searched for it so much but couldn't find it."
As everyone was steeped in bewilderment, Nils Blantz murmured in a voice full of reverence.
"Nils, do you know what this is?"
"It's an object used by the <Ones Who Came> in the Mythic Age, after they captured the <City of One Hundred and Eight Pillars: Larien>, to move all their warships northward to the edge of the continent!"
"Why is it here?"
"Because the First Ain Chief Engineer Gunter reused it when he built <Shuriganakyus> and <Raftas> under the command of the <Ones Who Came>!"
It was only briefly mentioned in legends, so no one would have imagined it actually existed…
"What in the world is the identity of this Manuki, who just casually found something like this?"
"Ah~ If you're curious about my identity, I'd tell you to consult the scriptures, but unfortunately, we don't have time for that. Everyone, get on board!"
The mass of metal called a "train" had its front designated as the engine room (機關室), followed by what were called Passenger Car 1 and Passenger Car 2.
Though they were called passenger cars, each one was large enough to rival the <Shuriganakyus> arena, having once accommodated several of the <Ones Who Came>'s warships.
Stepping into the engine room, which was even more vast than the passenger cars, Nils, after manipulating various terminals, spoke.
"Wrong! There's not enough power! This massive chunk of metal will absolutely not have the power to reach <Raftas>!"
"There's a way."
Shuan took out a jewel he had been wearing around his neck, cherishing it more than any other treasure in the world.
It was the Dawn (黎明).
A mystery as if the dawn rising beyond the horizon had been plucked and crafted into that small stone.
'Could this be…?'
At that moment, Nils Blantz vaguely realized Shuan's true identity.
Dawn Shard (黎明片; a piece of dawn).
The <Ones Who Came> were beings from a highly advanced scientific civilization, and it is said that most of them carried miniature nuclear reactors capable of powering an entire planet for decades.
'The Black Sun Karenaiden's Black Yanglin is the most famous, inherited by the Page family, and other <Ones Who Came>'s reactors haven't been historically confirmed… But isn't this the Dawn Shard of the Crimson Sun Shurigan?'
Shuan then attached the Dawn Shard to the control terminal and manipulated the artifact more skillfully than Nils himself.
[System Online: Welcome.]
"How can we run at full speed with the current power?"
[System Advice: If you minimize the weight by disconnecting Passenger Car 1 and Passenger Car 2, full-speed propulsion will be possible for 88.6 hours.]
Then, suddenly, the ceiling of the passenger car opened and merged with the outer walls…
And then those outer walls folded downwards and slid into the floor?
Simultaneously, the connection between Passenger Car 1 and Passenger Car 2 was severed, leaving only Passenger Car 1 connected to the engine room.
[System Advice: Please set the target coordinates.]
"Target coordinates set, <Raftas>!"
[Error: The place name <Raftas> is not found in the architect's data.]
"Calculate the coordinates using satellite-based triangulation. It's the place directly southwest from here, adjoining the coast."
[Calculating: North Latitude 19°47′36″… East Longitude 18°33′6″… Accuracy 98%, error margin ±1.8. Marking the location on the satellite map.]
"That's it! Head there! Full speed!"
At that moment, unbelievably, the train floated up… and two beams of light emerged from underneath it, pointing southwest.
And then… it began to race.
Despite having neither wheels nor beasts of burden, this object began to race rapidly along those light tracks!
"Wait, Shuan! If we go straight to <Raftas>, we won't be able to receive commands from the Red Dragon Legion! Shouldn't we take care of the Anti-Dragon Barrier first?"
"I know! I've programmed it to track anomalous phenomena! We'll proceed along this trajectory, and then temporarily veer towards the core of the Anti-Dragon Barrier."
"What? Does that mean…?"
Friede clenched her fists at the train's power, which was swiftly cutting through the storm of sand and acid rain, and said.
"It means 'killing two birds with one stone,' getting two benefits from one action! That bastard Jelly, he'll be shocked speechless when he sees us invading so quickly! His expression will be a sight to behold!"