Screams filled the air, and most were suddenly cut off. At the same time, a dreadfully oppressive wave of mana pressed down from above.
Evelyn staggered, but instinctively straightened and raised her rapier. "What in the world-"
Roars echoed from all around, and a black tide of monsters surged forward from every direction.
Evelyn's eyes widened and she quickly swung her rapier, sending out a barrage of elemental magic.
"Winds, gather and howl at my command... [VORTEX]!" From Evelyn's right, Marisa chanted and then swung her staff, sending a hurricane of razor winds.
The two attacks met and melded, cutting a swathe through the horde of monsters.
Evelyn didn't hesitate and ran forward.
Roland immediately dashed, taking position slightly behind to Evelyn's left. "This place... isn't this Edelweiss? I thought it fell to a Gate overflow, not... this."
Marisa flew through the air taking position slightly behind Evelyn's right. She looked around, her emerald eyes searching. And then she said, "This is hell itself... Was this what Alex lived through?"
Evelyn swept her silver eyes around the area and pursed her lips.
Imperial soldiers dead on the streets in horrific ways. Heroes fleeing frantically, only to be cut down. And some even shoving other heroes into the maws of monsters only to buy a fraction more time.
Evelyn felt her heart ache. Because if this truly was what her Alex had lived through...
An earthshattering roar split the air. At that time, a man wearing a white uniform emblazoned with a golden sun called out. "You kids! What are you doing here?! Get to-"
His words were cut off as a giant scaled head emerged from the shadows and swallowed him whole.
Evelyn's eyes widened and she quickly raised her rapier. As she did, she said, "Roland. That white sword you had when you appeared. Is it useful in combat?"
A massive paw reached up from the shadows and then pushed the rest of the body out, revealing a tarry black dragon with melting obsidian scales.
Roland swallowed and then drew his blade, focusing. Mana surged and white light wrapped around it. "Well... I guess we'll have to find out. Grandpa said it's incomplete... but it should be the strongest Art in the modern day?"
Marisa swept her and chanted. "Let the winds gather as our shield, let the breeze carry behind our backs, and let the tides of destiny guide our blades...
Shimmering emerald light wrapped around the trio.
Marisa wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and clenched her staff, hiding her trembling hands. "It had better be, Rolo. Because that monster... is at least Rank 7. It doesn't look like it has a domain but-"
Evelyn narrowed her eyes as she felt something in the air shift. Then she let out a nervous laugh and said, "This is when Alex would say, be careful of what you speak..."
Darkness spread in every direction, blocking out the crumbling city.
At the same time, the obsidian dragon seemed to grow, staring down with ominous crimson eyes.
Marisa trembled, her teeth chattering. "T-This pressure...
Roland clenched his hands, his legs shaking a bit. "E-Even if it is. We have to win. Alex is counting on us...!"
Evelyn felt the pressure. But then she also felt it sink inside her. Like with every new energy she had every encountered. Then she swung her rapier, sending out a wave of mana, easing up the pressure a bit. "Focus. Dragon it may be, this is a recollection. A trial. It is something that can be defeated."
Marisa let out a slow breath. She focused on the dragon and said, "You're right. It's a dragon... but if it's here, it can be killed."
Roland crouched, running his left hand along his shining white blade. "Even if it can't... Grandpa said this Art is meant for killing the unkillable. So... let's find out."
Evelyn clasped her left hand behind her back and pointed her rapier at the dragon. Then she said, "Be ready. It comes!"
The dragon roared and then lunged forward, swinging a black tail.
Evelyn lunged as well, swinging her rapier. Iridescent light bloomed before coalescing into golden sparks as it clashed against the tail. "You face Eternia's Imperial Princess, Dragon! And Eternia has slayed many of your kind in the past! Today... We shall slay again!"
===
Power thrummed through [my] veins.
'So this is how it feels to proper equip
It was like the stars themselves were in reach.
I felt invincible. Almost all-powerful. But I knew it was an illusion. 'This thing is dangerous.'
Keeping it equipped in the inventory was definitely the way to go.
Wearing it on my body like I was now... even though it was attuned to my mana signature, the equipment almost seemed to have a life of its own, bleeding out mana into the surroundings and distorting everything.
Was that the
Either way, it was scary powerful. And something I absolutely could not let anyone get their hands on. But for right now, in this isolated Gate... and in this hellish landscape, I needed all the trump cards I could muster.
The mysterious young girl/[Betty] clung to my chest, sobbing. "I'm scared, Alex... Mom and Dad. Th-they...!"
["I know, Betty. I know."]
Again, words that weren't mine fell from my lips.
And [I] held Betty tight as I continued running through the ruined city streets, covering her vision from the bodies we passed.
Beatrice Smith. The girl that [I] called Betty. And the system messages updating the quest...
'Alexander Smith. Who are... No, who *were* you?'
Questions without an answer.
Although there was someone 'else' moving and reacting right now, it was more like an 'instinct' left in my body. Not a conscious thought.
The person who could have answered those questions had disappeared long ago.
That was the sense I got of it. The moment that I arrived in this world as Alexander Smith, the real [Alexander Smith] had vanished.
But apparently, it had been willingly.
Which begged the question...
'What drove you to such lengths, Alex? To give up your very existence and prepare yourself as just a role for me to play?'
It was a false assumption from the start.
I had believed I was an 'extra' as in a completely extra character. Someone added. But that wasn't it. I could see that now.
[Alexander Smith] was an 'extra' yes, but in the sense of an 'extra' to the story. A background character that wasn't detailed in the story of Roland's adventure to save the world, but one who existed nonetheless.
Not a blank vessel that Rob prepared for me to use like I assumed.
And hadn't he explicitly said so from the start?
===
> Note: Although this system is similar to a game, your character exists in a proper reality. The status screen will automatically update to reflect improvements and enlightenments obtained beyond the general Upgrade function.
===
...Right. I remembered the message. 'Your character' exists in a proper reality... Meaning that Alexander Smith was a person. Someone who existed in this world.
But who?
I knew everything about 3D-ED. I'd written copious notes. But the name 'Alexander Smith' didn't ring a bell. I'd thought it generic, and it was. But maybe I should have given it more thought...?
"Alex..." Betty sniffed and then looked up with her violet eyes. "Why did this happen to us?"
I felt a surge of rage, indignity, and bitter resentment. ["I don't know, Betty."]
And I didn't. Because this was a scene I didn't remember. Maybe it was in one of the notes I had written to prepare for 3D-ED, but it definitely wasn't part of the story proper...
Still.
I held Betty tight and said, "But I'll keep you safe."
Betty sniffed and nodded. "O-Okay, Alex. I trust you... Don't leave me too. Please..."
"[I swear. I'll never leave you again.] And I'll make sure we make it out of here. Okay?" I put a smile on my face and patted Betty's back as I kept running through the ruined streets.
Thankfully, with
And since I had combined my physical and magical stats... that meant that I had infinite stamina right now. Paired with all the traits I had... running through the streets like this and sprinting away from the Demons was a non-issue.
But I couldn't keep running forever.
I could see it still.
That ominous hand was still piercing the sky. Although it was dripping miasma, it hadn't left.
And from the system messages, I knew what it was.
"Demon God Umbrel..." I subconsciously murmured his name.
-Umbrel. Carrying the 'el' suffix that signified an angel, but also the prefix 'umbra' meaning shadow.
I'd designed him as a dark angelic god of destruction similar to Lucifer. But instead of an angel that fell from heaven, he was a demon who rose to heaven. Hence, not just a being of darkness, but also of 'shadow' what was cast by those bathed in light.
But lore aside... He was a being that sought to erase the world and return everything to darkness since he himself was denied the light after the angels cast him out due to prejudice.
And he also should not have been present in the story at all-
Wait.
'No, I vaguely remember this now.'
A faint recollection from when I was first just starting the draft of 3D-ED.
A scene that I scrapped because I thought it was too much of a lore dump and relegated to just a casual mention near the end of the novel.
*Roland ran his hand through his crimson hair in frustration. "How can we defeat it, Mari? How do we defeat something that can't be killed like that?"
Marisa wrapped her arms around Roland's body and hugged him, leaning her head against his shoulders. "Be calm, Roland. It isn't unknown. Although brief, it had descended once before. And it was repelled."
Roland shook his head. "I know. Edelweiss... but the devastation left behind from just the emergence of a single limb..."
*
'Holy crap.'
I almost stumbled in realization.
This world... It wasn't just 3D-ED. It wasn't just the story that had been completed. No... it was everything.
All my notes.
All my scraps.
All my drabbles.
Everything.
Which meant-
Space shattered. An enormous hand clawed through it, grasping towards Betty.
Betty screamed in terror.
I cut my thoughts short and swung my sword again. "Not today! [Not ever!]"
> [CANNOT BE READ] recoils in confusion.
> Success! Rank down is applied on [The Hand of
I swung my sword one more time, cutting off the hand's thumb.
> [CANNOT BE READ] roars in pain and fury!
"Yeah, yeah!" I grumbled and quickly dashed off away from the hand.
It was fine.
Even if it was the hand of Demon God Umbrel itself, I was the Author. I brought it into this world, I could take it out... especially in an isolated place like this Gate.
But...
I glanced down at Betty who was still trembling in my arms.
[What do I do now?]
A question that I wanted an answer to as well.
And then, in the distance, white light bloomed, coupled with an emerald vortex and shining golden light.
I saw that and smiled. I held Betty tighter and said, "Your big brother's friends are here too. So why don't we get you somewhere safe, alright?"
"O-Okay, Alex." Betty sniffed and kept holding on. "Protect me from the monsters. Please."
"I swear. [You will never be harmed as long as I'm here.]"
Now... let's abuse these Rank 7 stats while I can still use them, shall we?