Kidnapped Dragons

Chapter 349: Episode 100: At the End of the 1,000-year-long Voyage (3)

The power with its own will that can analyse everything abstract and substitute them into something comprehensible. The authority that allows one to overcome humanity’s limit in insight.

[Conceptualisation (SS)]

It worked like this.

[Conceptualisation (SS): Comfort]

Adding a target into it immediately flipped Yu Jitae’s world upside down.

At the same time, the baby dragons appeared in front of his eyes. Sitting around the table together having a meal: mouths chirping with sound; hands trying to feed him food and eyes asking him how to eat some of the food they were unfamiliar with… Time went by with them whispering and chattering to each other.

This was the mirror image of ‘comfort’ that was seen through the lens of [Conceptualisation (SS)].

“…”

It was a dark night that day due to the moon hiding its presence.

Sitting down at the highest place of the residential area, the clock tower, he gazed down at the world. 

He activated Conceptualisation,

And entered a few words as the target.

[Conceptualisation (SS): My Dream]

With him at the centre, everything ranging from the distant skies to the nearby objects turned upside down. Before long, a dark world appeared all around him as he was sitting down on top of a certain boat.

He could hear the calm splashes of the ocean but his eyes could not find anything in this world no matter how far they faced. Looking up did not let him find any stars nor the moon and there was nothing but void in his eyes.

From time to time, the authority Conceptualisation tended to direct its user towards the answer. However, adding ‘my dream’ into Conceptualisation was unable to show him any solution. 

That was how it used to be.

For several times, and several dozens of times but…

Leaving the port, the boat was once again floating adrift but the immense basis called ‘Myu’s heart’ had started directing him towards a path for the very first time.

Raising his eyes, he gazed off into a distance.

Look. Off in the far distance somewhere within the darkness – isn’t there something definite that was even darker standing tall oozing with presence?

As if telling him to come…

*

Things wouldn’t end in a day or two after going inside.

The flow of time might be different. Although at least it wouldn’t last several years, it might reach a few months if drawn out. 

Therefore, Yu Jitae summoned the highest executives of the Association and made them aware of his absence.

Various preparations had long been finished all for this moment. Chaliovan the head of the Association, Valentine the Witch and BM, as well as Clone 2 who had now absorbed roughly 10% of Yu Jitae’s power, that was now as strong as the addition of the Witch and BM. The military might of the Association was enough to protect the world even if the Last Night was to befall them.

“I will trust you all.”

Even though the damage might be immense, they won’t be annihilated.

For him, that was more than enough.

After ending the conference at the Association, he returned to Unit 301. He told them that he would be away for a month or two. The mature Bom and Yeorum simply bid him farewell but Kaeul continued whinging that 2 months was too long while Gyeoul looked as if the world had crumbled in front of her.

“…Do you have to go?”

He had to.

There would be no problem in terms of safety because Clone 1 and the protector will be their guards. With the two of them here, no-one in this place would die even if the catastrophe-ranked demons were to all come at once. Never.

For him, that was more than enough.

“See you.”

“…”

Right before leaving the dormitory, Gyeoul reached her two arms forward. He raised her up into the air as Gyeoul wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘…Can we, go together?’ She still seemed reluctant but he said no in return. ‘…Wait.’ Saying that, Gyeoul went into Yu Jitae’s room and came out carrying the music box that was decorating the desk.

“…”

Since it was her gift, she was telling him to play it whenever he thought of her so he received the music box from her.

Walking out of Unit 301, he was about to face his feet once again to the Association but that was when Bom started walking towards him from the other side of the corridor.

With an emotionless look that seemed like a slight pout at a glance,

Bom walked towards him,

And raised her heels.

He embraced her as Bom matched her lips with his. After a light and soft kiss, Bom retreated a little and said with her eyes looking up at him.

“We’ll be lonely.”

“It won’t take long.”

“You have to come back four times faster. Only one person is leaving but there are four people waiting so if you come late, it will become a sea of tears.”

“Don’t worry. I will come back immediately once the task is over.”

Bom opened her mouth with a calm yet slightly bitter voice. 

“Do you know why no-one asked about the reason?”

“Why?”

It was something he hadn’t thought about.

“Recently, Gyeoul said that something was slightly strange about oppa. And she went around asking me, Yeorum and Kaeul if there was anything off about you.”

He gave a curt reply.

“And what happened.”

“I listened to them in secret and all three of us said we had no idea. Funny isn’t it. All four of us knew but three of us told the same lie as if we had discussed it beforehand to console one young child. Everyone now trusts that there has to be a reason why you have to leave, and that you will return for sure even if you do leave.”

“Thanks. I won’t be too late so don’t worry about it.”

“Please don’t feel burdened by us and finish your work. Gyeoul should be fine if I soothe her well.”

He faintly smiled as Bom returned a similar smile while murmuring, ‘Or not.’

“…Maybe Gyeoul should be the one soothing me.”

In that awkward situation, he caressed her cheek with his fingers and used his thumb to wipe the glistening saliva off of her lips. Bom, who was driving him into a corner, looked slightly away from embarrassment.

But she still opened her mouth to ask a question.

“It’s not like you want to leave, right?”

It was a difficult question to answer.

When he remained silent, her red lips opened once again demanding him for a quick reply but instead of giving her what she wanted, he gave her a kiss. Bom opened her eyes wide in surprise before gradually easing her expression.

Slowly, her eyes came to a close.

*

Once again, at the Association.

All the preparations were now over.

He headed into Myu’s isolation chamber. She had yet to fully recover and was lying there unconscious. The two Grade 0 agents waiting nearby rolled their eyes around so he sent them outside.

That was when a large and black dog spirit beast raised its body to stare at Yu Jitae. It was the guy called ‘Season’. 

It had been a while since Yu Jitae had stepped into the isolation room. Season the dog was wearing a harness on its chest and looked a lot tidier than he expected.

“You should go outside as well.”

Like the Grade 0 agents, the dog rolled its eyes trying to read the mood.

“What are you doing. Do you not understand what I’m saying?”

The dog lowered its tail and its head while walking around in a circle. 

Growl… Wong, wa uunng…

That was what the dog said in response.

According to [Fallen Babel (S)], it was saying, ‘No I don’t want to. Please let me stay.’

This was outside his expectation, and the way it looked was not simply better, but a lot better than what he was expecting. Taking a closer look, he could see that the dog was actually quite plump and fat. He thought Myu had taken it in to abuse and vent her anger so this was quite unexpected.

“You can’t stay here. You will be a hindrance to an important task.”

‘Season’ started to growl sorrowfully as if this was a lifetime farewell with its owner and resisted by chewing on Myu’s clothes with its teeth.

Uuuwoong auunauuunn wooong…

“Leave.”

In any case, he smacked it on the butt and pushed it outside leaving behind only Yu Jitae and Myu inside the isolation room.

He stood in front of the sleeping black-haired woman.

Living through the daily lives, he learned how to match himself to the surrounding mood and it was thanks to that that it wasn’t obvious. In truth, he was a lot more serious right now than any other time ever since the start of the 7th iteration.

It will be a start to a very difficult journey because the target of Conceptualisation this time would be the protective authority made personally by the ‘Ancient One (EX)’ who had managed to become a transcendent authority. 

Things will be different compared to simple concepts like ‘comfort’ and ‘my dream’. He was sure he wouldn’t fail but it would not be anything simple.

He had to be cautious.

From his experiments, he found a formula for [Magic Antigen] inside the Will of the Ancient One. If he failed from this ‘Conceptualisation’ by landing a weak hit on the Will of the Ancient One, it would earn the power to reject the next Conceptualisation by gaining immunity.

Therefore, he only had one opportunity.

Yu Jitae used the authority.

[Conceptualisation (SS): Origin Fragment]

The authority inside Myu’s heart that was incomprehensible and thus unbreakable reacted to Yu Jitae’s authority. 

The world flipped and cut off Yu Jitae’s consciousness.

***

He was at a foreign village by the time he reopened his eyes.

Like a countryside town of a foreign dimension, it had crudely built houses lining up with children running around the river. A blue butterfly unhurriedly flapped its wings in front of him and landed on a flower blooming within the bush. 

For a split second, he felt doubt.

He was at a high altitude – it was a small village located in the middle of a mountain. Standing still, he waited as his authority started floating messages after finishing its analysis.

+++

[Conceptualisation (SS)]

– Target: [Origin Fragment]

+++

This village.

It was the interpretation of Myu’s Origin Fragment analysed by Yu Jitae’s authority. At the same time, because the mana attributes embedded within the Origin Fragment had affected the materialisation of this location, this was the world form that Myu was wishing for in her dreams.

The place appeared quite peaceful, unsuitably so for Myu of the black race, a cruel massacrer and a filthy garbage of the dimensions.

Soon, a crevice reaching several hundreds of metres in length appeared in the achromatic sky. A horrendous sound like that of ripping flesh resonated all across as the eyelids opened, revealing the red eye within.

The red eye scanned across the world and fixed its gaze on Yu Jitae after discovering him. The orange-coloured iris wriggled and set its focus on him.

The guy was staring at him.

<[Will of the Ancient One (SS)] finds the foreign being suspicious.>

There was no way that the great transcendent authority would ignore an infiltrator.

<The use of every authority and ability including S+ and above are restricted.>

<Low-grade blessings and abilities that can avoid suspicion can be used.>

As he had expected, the countless blessings and abilities protecting him seeped out. He wasn’t completely removing them and was just turning them off for a moment to escape from the doubtful gaze of the eye.

Up to here was the explanation on the background and his current situation and the last message was related to the destination.

<Somewhere within the [Origin Fragment] interpreted into the shape of a village lies the ‘mirror images’ of the 9 sub-authorities included within the [Will of the Ancient One (SS)].>

<The mirror images are the mana formulae interpreted by [Conceptualisation] into forms and if this is broken, so will the [Will of the Ancient One (SS)].>

In other words, it meant that the authority was changed to either people or furniture, and that the mana formulae that cannot be broken from outside can be physically crushed inside this place.

<Find the hiding mirror image of the [Will of the Ancient One (SS)].>

Yu Jitae lowered his gaze from the sky towards the village. Hundreds of existences were walking around living an entangled life. Everything revealed in front of him shaped like a human, animal or a piece of furniture were all ‘authorities’, ‘abilities’ or ‘blessings’. This was the sheer number of magic that existed in the heart of an adult dragon.

Them talking to each other or sharing food appeared to be an interpretation of the process of giving and receiving mana organically within one body.

The ‘mirror images’ would all be acting according to their nature.

As if to prove that, a short boy with a large nose ran up to Yu Jitae from a distance. He waved his palm and carefully greeted him.

“Hello?”

“…Hello.”

“Who are you mister?”

<You can confirm the identity of the following ‘mirror image’ through physical contact.>

Yu Jitae reached his hand out to the boy. In return, the boy held his hand and smelled it. A few seconds passed and Conceptualisation floated a message after identifying the boy’s identity.

<The following mirror image is not the [Will of the Ancient One (SS)].>

<Target: [Olfactory Identification (C+)]>

The name of the boy appeared in his mind. The large-nosed boy in front of him had the name of the blessing that allowed one to identify an existence through the sense of smell. 

“Hmm, it’s a familiar scent…”

Immediately the boy turned his body around with a flick and started running to the village – he was trying to relay Yu Jitae’s information to others. Yu Jitae sneakily followed the child from behind.

What he had to do now was simple. Firstly he had to find ‘Myu’ in this place.

To be exact, even though it would be a spitting image of Myu, it wasn’t Myu. It was the mirror image representing Myu’s ‘personality’ that he had to find.

From now, Yu Jitae would have to give the inside of the Origin Fragment several stirs both large and small. Some might get hurt or die in that process. Although it was fine for other authorities and abilities to be damaged during that, Myu’s personality was something that had to stay unharmed, because a personality being injured was not much different from death.

Therefore, he had to find Myu’s personality and make it stay next to him.

Going into the village, he could see the town had suffered from some damage. A few of the buildings had fallen apart and he could also spot a large beast that had bandages wrapped around its seemingly wounded head.

This too was something interpreted into something Yu Jitae could understand and that was why a modern bandaging system that was unsuited for an otherworldly countryside village like this was being used to heal the head of the large monster. 

Those symbolised the parts of the [Origin Fragment] that had been damaged from his experiment.

The experiment itself had been conducted under Myu’s permission and that was why the authorities, blessings and abilities weren’t really hostile to him despite seeing him.

They simply ignored him and looked away.

So where was Myu?

Throughout his life, he had used [Conceptualisation] multiple times and knew most of the areas that a personality would be located in. They would usually be at the highest, fanciest and the most noble areas because an individual’s personality came before authorities and whatnot.

However, going through the village for several hours, scavenging through the probable buildings and visiting places filled with groups of mirror images did not let him find Myu’s personality.

In doubt, he headed to other areas.

Was the personality not being treasured in this place? Or did black dragons not have a personality in the first place?

He was lost because it was his first time using Conceptualisation on the heart of a ‘mutant dragon’.

After another hour, Yu Jitae coincidentally came across Myu’s personality at a place outside his expectation.

It was at a certain dumping ground behind the village.