by Sakon Kaidou
Prologue: The Kingdom of Altar’s Big Three
The story of a few Masters
A little over a year ago in Infinite Dendrogram time, a certain monstrosity was ravaging the lands of the kingdom. Its name was the “Tri-Zenith Dragon, Gloria.”
It was a three-headed, enormous draconic creature, as mystifying as it was terrorizing, and also the third SUBM ever witnessed.
Gloria appeared in one of the kingdom’s mountain ranges and made its way towards the capital, leaving death and destruction unmatched by most natural disasters in its wake.
As things were, the kingdom would’ve certainly fallen to the monster.
Thus, the kingdom tried to stop Gloria... but alas, its armies were powerless against it, with many of the forces being unable to even stand on the battlefield.
The only tians in the kingdom who could fight it were Superior Job owners such as the Arch Sage and the Celestial Knight, Langley Grandria, or high levels such as the Royal Guard’s vice commander.
However, even if they were to combine their powers, victory against a force as immense as Gloria would still be unlikely, if not downright impossible.
Thus, tians all across the world thought that the kingdom would soon be no more.
But as despair at their encroaching doom overwhelmed Altarian hearts, a certain group of people stood up to the monster.
They were the kingdom’s most experienced Masters... the ones many would refer to as the “no-lifer players.”
A lot of them had been playing since Infinite Dendrogram’s release, and all of them had either reached level 500 or acquired a Superior Job.
To the tians, Gloria’s charge was a matter of the country’s survival or desolation, but to the Masters, it was an mega event typical of MMOs. They scrambled into battle without hesitation, challenged the great dragon... and tasted a crushing defeat.
Gloria’s immense power was one reason for this outcome, but there was an even bigger problem: the Masters didn’t cooperate with each other.
Though they could work together with their party or clan members, they hadn’t been willing to coordinate with Masters outside their circles. And with Gloria being the equivalent of an ultra-powerful world raid boss from classic MMOs, it simply couldn’t have been defeated by a number of small groups haphazardly fighting for and by themselves.
The Masters, however, considered wide-scale cooperation to be nothing but plain stupid. After all, Gloria was an SUBM — the apex of all UBMs — meaning that the MVPs of such a fight would receive a Superior MVP special reward, an item of the highest tier.
Thus, coordinating with many people was out of the question for them, as greater numbers would reduce the chances of them becoming MVPs.
Max-level no-lifers that they were, they simply couldn’t make this compromise, and that led to their defeat.
So the tians lacked power, while the Masters couldn’t work together and failed.
As the kingdom’s end once again became all but certain, another set of individuals came to face the dragon.
They were the three Superiors of the kingdom.
The King of Destruction, Shu Starling.
The Over Gladiator, Figaro.
The High Priestess, Tsukuyo Fuso.
Lei-Lei the Prodigal of Feasts had yet to evolve into a Superior, so these three were the only ones the kingdom had.
Due to their status as the tops of the country’s three rankings, they were considered to be Altar’s strongest, which led many to believe they could succeed. However, the three were Masters as well, and many thought that they, too, would be unable to cooperate.
Such cynics were proven right when one of the Superiors said something outrageous.
“I’ll go first. By myself.”
And thus, without even a party at his side, Figaro went solo against Gloria.
Despite his status as a Superior, the power difference between him and the monstrosity was so immense that it seemed hopeless.
Even so, Figaro didn’t break. He continued fighting for as long as he was alive, and when he inevitably began to vanish, he took one of the dragon’s three heads — the one that breathed a devastating light — with him.
“We’re up next, darlings,” said Tsukuyo Fuso. “My ultimate skill won’t work on this one, so let’s take it with our numbers.”
And thus, the head of the Lunar Society and her followers began a raid against Gloria.
The religion’s 34 strongest Masters at that time overwhelmed the dragon while cooperating and coordinating without flaw.
Despite that, they were all wiped out, but they took another head — the one that upheld a deathly barrier — with them.
With that, only one head remained.
“...Going down to just one head made its stats go up,” Shu observed.
By losing two heads... two ways to use its immense power... Gloria had gained stats even greater than before.
Not even the firepower of a Superior Embryo like Baldr could defeat it as it was now, which was exactly why Shu didn’t take that route.
“Then I guess we’ll settle this with fisticuffs,” he said.
Standing in a canyon with no one around to see the showdown, he and the monster glared at each other...
“■■■■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ — Baldr.”
...and began the final battle.
The intensity of their vicious clash shook the earth and changed the surrounding landscape beyond recognition, and at the end of it all, as it was with most fights, there was a victor.
With the death of its last head, Gloria met its end and vanished.
Three Superiors had felled the three heads of the awful, terrorizing great dragon. Thus, after those harsh battles, to show respect for the victories they’d achieved, the people gave them a name.
The ones who’d slain the three heads of Gloria...
The ones who’d surpassed the three-headed dragon...
The three absolute strongest of the Kingdom of Altar...
They were now “The Kingdom of Altar’s Big Three.”
◇◆
Approximately half a year after Gloria’s defeat in Infinite Dendrogram time, the glory of the Big Three had started to fade.
This was because, for reasons unique to each, they had all failed to participate in the war against Dryfe. Many looked down upon them for this, seeing them as failures who had been defeated by the imperium’s Superiors before even fighting.
Recently, however, things had drastically changed.
It had all begun with the incident in Gideon one month ago Dendro time.
First, the Over Gladiator, Figaro, had fought in the Clash of the Superiors and defeated Huang He Empire’s Master Jiangshi, Xunyu, proving that his power was not below that of foreign Superiors.
Second, the King of Destruction, Shu Starling, the one bearing the nickname of “Unknown,” had entered the spotlight and purged the tens of thousands of monsters produced by the Dryfean Superior known as Giga Professor, Mr. Franklin, making his power and presence obvious and known.
With the names of the two resounding throughout the world, Altarians and foreigners alike became aware that the Kingdom of Altar once again had its Big Three.
Indeed, the incident at Gideon had resurrected the name, and since the term “the Big Three” wasn’t complete without a third, naturally, the people’s attention shifted to the High Priestess, Tsukuyo Fuso.
Many wondered what the bearer of this venerable title was doing right now, and to answer that...
“I’m sooo booored. There’s nooothing to dooo.”
...she was rolling around on the floor of the inner parlor of her Lunar Society’s headquarters.
Though she looked about twenty, the way s
he rolled on the tatami mats made her seem like a child, but for some reason, it seemed to suit her. Of course, this action made a mess out of her expensive-looking — priceless, in fact, considering it was a Mythical special reward — junihitoe, but she didn’t seem to care.
“Hey, hey, Kage. Heard of any other PKs around the capital?” she asked hopefully. “You know, some people we can blame for something, gang up on, and wipe out like we did the last time.”
A month ago in Infinite Dendrogram time, the Lunar Society had annihilated the PK clan known as “K&R” for, allegedly, giving the death penalty to one of their members.
Wanting something similar, Tsukuyo turned to her clan’s sub-leader and her secretary in real life, the King of Assassins, Eishiro Tsukikage.
Despite looking about as old as her, he had the air of an aged butler about him.
“Currently, there are no such PK incidents in the capital’s surroundings,” he said. “The most notable matter here is the spread of the Epidemic, but as you’re surely aware, it’s not fatal. Also, the lack of malignant mutations leads us to believe that it’s the type to last a while, but have weak symptoms.”
“Is that so?” asked Tsukuyo. “I healed it right away, though. It’s important to weed out diseases before they take root.”
“We also have some more adherents that have caught this Epidemic, so you should remember to heal the ones who pay,” Eishiro added. “I hear that the first princess and the visitor... the third prince of Huang He... have healed naturally, but there are some new infected among the senior statesmen.”
“Really? But I wasn’t called to the castle this time, either.”
The Epidemic had spread, and it had even gone as far as to afflict the royal family, and yet Tsukuyo — a Superior Job of the healing-adept priest grouping — hadn’t been called to the castle even once.
“I believe the first princess is apprehensive about asking for your help,” Eishiro commented.
“I wonder why,” said Tsukuyo. “My High Priestess skills can easily cure the Epidemic. And just about anything else.”
“The illness is not fatal, so she probably thinks that simply waiting for it to abate is better than owing something to you, Lady Tsukuyo.”
“Oh dear me, I wouldn’t ask for too much. That princess is such a worrywart,” she said with a bell-like giggle before forming a wide smile. “I’d only have her change about ten state churches into Lunar Society establishments.”
Depending on one’s outlook, that would be a very heavy condition. A while ago, Tsukuyo had proposed to heal the kingdom’s royalty and VIPs in exchange for an increase in the Lunar Society’s religious institutions, and this offer was still active to this day. This was her modus operandi.
Even if the current Epidemic was fatal, she would still force the country to accept her conditions before she would help.
Tsukuyo always presented outrageous deals and waited until the other parties had no choice but to swallow them. And with her being the High Priestess, she knew there would be no one in this country who could match her in healing ability.
As things were, the Lunar Society was gradually gaining more and more tian adherents.
This was because, just like the standard state churches, the Lunar Society’s establishments healed illnesses and wounds. Not only that, Tsukuyo herself could also rid people of afflictions and injuries too heavy for the state clergy, and she could do it with little effort on her part, provided that the payment was right. However, unlike the state church, the Lunar Society limited their healing services only to their adherents.
Thus, through the pain suffered by the ill and the blood spilled by the injured, the clan and religion continued to grow, eroding the current Altarian faith in the process.
Those familiar with the history of Earth would expect the country to crack down on the Lunar Society and begin to suppress it, but that was impossible in this situation. There were a number of reasons for this, but the most prominent one was the fact that the clan’s upper echelon was dominated by Masters, Tsukuyo included, and suppressing a gathering of resurrecting, undying individuals was nothing but a fool’s errand.
Additionally, the Lunar Society had had enough no-lifers to challenge Gloria — the greatest foe the kingdom had ever faced — and had grown in power even more since that time.
As no-lifers, they naturally had save points in other countries, so even putting them on Altar’s wanted list wouldn’t cause a problem for them.
Thus, though the kingdom saw the growth of the Lunar Society as troublesome, it was unable to make an enemy out of them, since doing so would mean waging a religious war against a cult full of battle-focused Masters led by a Superior. Worst case scenario, that could result in the end of the kingdom.
“Anything else?” asked Tsukuyo.
“Well, there’s one thing you might find intriguing,” said Eishiro.
“I’m allll ears.”
“It’s related to the incident in Gideon.”
“Oh. Maaan, that was sooo unfair. Those two got to show off sooo much. I wanted to go wild, too.”
“Lady Tsukuyo, if you went wild, there wouldn’t be many survivors, so I would prefer it if you didn’t.”
Eishiro spoke his warning while looking at the wand fixed at Tsukuyo’s side. It was the Superior special reward she’d received for taking one of Gloria’s heads, Gloria β.
The effect of the deathly barrier it could create was weaker than that of the Tri-Zenith Dragon’s, but it was still enough to instantly kill low-level commoners, and it hardly needed to be said what would happen if she used it in a battle to protect a city.
“Oh, come onnn,” groaned Tsukuyo. “I’m borrrred, you knowww?”
“I know quite well,” said Eishiro as he reached into his inventory, took out a photo, and handed it over to her. “Which is why I’ll show you this.”
The photo portrayed a particular scene from the incident at Gideon. Specifically, the instant a blond young man, beaten and burned, raised his right arm up into the air.
It was a photo of the moment when Ray had defeated Franklin’s RSK — the Ray Starling Killer.
“Oh, this boy,” said Tsukuyo. “I was watching Fran’s broadcast, too. He was pretty good.”
“Have you heard that he’s a Maiden’s Master?” asked Eishiro.
“Oh, really?”
“Also, the battle cost him his left arm, and he keeps it like that instead of fixing it with a death penalty.”
“...Oohh?” Tsukuyo’s smile turned even wider.
To some, it might’ve seemed like she was merely having a good time, but to others, her expression was that of a carnivorous beast with prey in sight.
“Now that’s interesting,” she said.
“I’m glad you found a way to kill time, Lady Tsukuyo,” said Eishiro, feeling nothing but pleased that the one he served seemed satisfied.
“Kage, bring him over to me, will you?” she asked.
“As you command.” A moment later, Eishiro sank into his own shadow. From toe to head, he was consumed by his shade and vanished, quite literally, without a trace.
“Well, I guess I should prepare to welcome him,” said Tsukuyo. “I wonder what he’s like when you talk to him.”
She got up from the ground, stretched, and looked towards a certain part of the room.
“Hear that? His Embryo is a Maiden. You’re a bit excited, aren’t you... Kaguya?”
“Indeed I am. In fact, I am about as excited as you, Tsukuyo.”
The one to answer was a kneeling woman clad in curious clothing. She was wearing a raiment characteristic of tennyo from Japanese myth, and had long, silky hair reminiscent of moonlight.
Though she appeared as fantastical as Tsukuyo, the aura about her was quite different. True to the name “Kaguya,” she seemed to have come from another world.
“Eheheh. Oh, I am excited indeed. Very much so. It appears they even used ■■■ once. Eheheheheheheh.”
Her eyes cl
osed shut, Kaguya — the Type Maiden Superior Embryo — giggled with anticipation for her meeting with a certain Master and a certain Embryo.
“Come hither, new goddess... Nemesis. I will treat you kindly... Eheheheheheheheheh.”
Kaguya smiled, and so did her Master, Tsukuyo.
Those expressions were a sure sign that the most wicked of the Superiors in the Big Three would soon bring Ray and Nemesis into the fox’s den.
Open Episode: “The Third Power.”
Chapter One: In the Jaws of the Fox
Journalist, Marie Adler
“Just so you guys know, I’m starting college tomorrow,” Ray revealed out of the blue.
A month of Dendro time had passed since Franklin’s annoying little game. We were currently at a diner annexed to Gideon’s sixth arena, celebrating the success of a recent quest.
“Oh, really?” I asked. “Well, it’s that time of the year, after all.”
In real life in Japan, tomorrow was March 31st. As far as I was aware, colleges and the like would normally start on April 1st, but I guessed it had been moved a day back due to it being a Saturday.
I hadn’t gone to any college or university, so I wasn’t too knowledgeable about this. The manga I was drawing was set in a societal underworld dominated by inhuman assassins, so I hadn’t really needed any higher education.
...Honestly, I was probably more knowledgeable about guns and poisons than anything relating to college life.
“I must say, I had no idea you were a college student,” I said, realizing that he was actually younger than me. I’d always assumed that we were as old as each other, or that he was a little bit older. I mean, that bear man was 27.
Then again, it was entirely possible that he’d repeated years or entered college following a gap after high school, which could easily make him older than me.
Digging too much into the real lives of other players was bad manners, but even if it was BM, I couldn’t help but be curious.
How old was he? What college was he going to? Maybe I should just ask him? I wondered.
“Will that lower your online time?” Rook spoke up before me.
Oh, yeah, that would be a problem.
These past few days, Ray the one-armed wonder and Rook — no longer Pimp, but a Lost Heart — had gone on many various kill quests, and I’d accompanied them to help them level up. We’d even returned to the capital and raided the Tomb Labyrinth. Our party had consisted of us three and Kasumi’s trio, and we’d been able to defeat the boss on the tenth floor.
