Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 5

Nemer was one of the beings classified as a transcendental entity within the Dungeon Fighter Online universe.

Jinseong was dumbfounded as he looked at Nemer, who was several times larger than himself.

It was even more difficult to understand the mystical sight before his eyes, considering he seemed to be upside down compared to her.

‘A being that only moves for Kalosso… that itself is a fragment of Kalosso – no, no, that’s not it!’

Then he suddenly realized.

Now was not the time to be admiring Nemer or thinking about what kind of being she was.

“Hey, excuse me! Hey, you there?”

Why was Nemer even in front of him in the first place?

Could this really be happening?

If it wasn’t reality, was it because he had been playing Dungeon Fighter Online for too long?

‘I’ve been tired all day, seeing hallucinations… beyond that – have I gone mad? Am I dreaming such a vivid dream? I am obsessed with Dungeon Fighter Online to the point where it even appears in my dreams, but still…’

In the atmosphere where he couldn’t distinguish between dream and reality, Jinseong’s body suddenly stopped moving.

It was because Nemer’s voice began to resonate once again.

『Human from the plane connected to Plane: Arad.』

Jinseong was momentarily lost in the mystical feeling of hearing the voice of the being before him from all directions.

However, he couldn’t help but respond to Nemer’s subsequent call.

『The human who touched the blade being tempered and caused it to break.』

“Uh, yes? Me? Did I?”

Even if he didn’t fully understand the meaning, how could he remain silent when it seemed like he was being blamed?

Moreover, as a Dungeon Fighter Online player, wasn’t it something he could vaguely understand?

A word he couldn’t overlook, even if he didn’t completely grasp the lore, ‘the blade being tempered.’

“You mean I broke the blade? The blade being tempered-.”

『However, the broken blade was one that could not be tempered anyway, so this is not your fault.』

If there was any relief for Jinseong, it was that Nemer didn’t seem interested in listening to him.

Perhaps her abrupt response, cutting off his words, was her answer.

Whatever it was, hearing that it wasn’t his fault brought immense comfort to Jinseong.

With a sense of inexplicable relief, Jinseong began to mumble.

“Well… I don’t know if this is a dream or what, but I do like Dungeon Fighter Online and I’m quite good at it – oh, of course, compared to DPS characters, I’m naturally weaker, but still, when a new raid comes out, I’m almost always among the first clears, and I used to do quite well in PvP too, but still-.”

Of course, he couldn’t finish his words.

『I have seen your abilities. Your skill in handling the character adventurers in Plane: Arad. With the skill honed as a character adventurer, you can certainly become a true adventurer, a true blade. But I do not wish for you to merely become a true blade.』

Nemer spoke.

『Your ability is to hone the blades of the character adventurers in Plane: Arad.』

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Although Jinseong knew it was referring to him, he still couldn’t clearly interpret its meaning.

From the start, there was no reason for Jinseong to try to understand such words now.

Before talking, he awkwardly raised his hand like he was before his teachers again.

“Um… excuse me, but how can I get home? Can you wake me up?”

If it was reality, he wanted to be sent back, and if it was a dream, he wanted to be awakened.

How many people could actively respond to and understand everything when thrown into a situation they couldn’t accept?

At the very least, Jinseong was just showing a very human reaction.

『There is an entity that seeks to break all the blades of Plane: Arad. An entity that interferes with those who have started honing themselves, those who can become true adventurers, and those who have started the honing as character adventurers.』

The unfortunate point was that ‘Transcendent Nemer’ had no interest in the circumstances of ‘mere humans.’

“…Yes, I see.”

Jinseong gave a meaningless response.

He thought he might be able to go back once Nemer finished talking, so he tried to get her to finish as quickly as possible.

However, he couldn’t just mindlessly agree.

『You must thwart the interference of the entity that has infiltrated Plane: Arad to break the blades. Help the character adventurers complete their practice to become true adventurers, and ensure that those who have become candidates for true adventurers can be honed into even sharper blades. This is the responsibility of the one who broke the honing blade.』

After hearing Nemer speak of responsibility, Jinseong couldn’t remain silent.

“Wait, wait! Just a moment! Didn’t you say earlier that it wasn’t my fault? So why-?”

『The presence of intent and the presence of guilt are not the same, so even if it isn’t your fault, the weight of the responsibility still exists.』

“No, no, what responsibility? Guilt? What guilt do I have-?”

『Do you think you bear no responsibility for the broken blade?』

Nemer asked.

Jinseong swallowed hard. He couldn’t understand the situation, but he wasn’t a fool.

Up to this moment, if Jinseong retraced what Nemer had been saying and how he reached this point, he could arrive at a relatively simple answer.

“That user died. I mean, I didn’t exPlane it 100% perfectly, but you can understand it even if I skip over some parts, right? Ultimately, it can’t be entirely my fault. It’s funny to talk seriously about this, but just because a game character died-”

『He is not a character adventurer from Plane: Arad. The adventurer you faced was one of the Aradians being honed to become a true blade. Also, he was one of the humans summoned to Arad to become a true adventurer, having been the best at handling character adventurers from Plane: Arad in the past.』

“…What?”

Jinseong was bewildered.

He didn’t understand Nemer’s words, but at the same time, he did.

“Uh, wait a minute. Did I misunderstand? That user who died—the character that is…”

How should he express it?

As Jinseong hesitated for a moment while struggling with his murky emotions, Nemer spoke.

『What is needed is a persistent and tenacious will.』

“No, no, listen to me! Nemer! You created the Knights, right? According to the lore? Then send the Knights! Why are you suddenly picking on me-”

『No longer as a character from Plane: Arad, but as a true human of Arad.』

“When a person speaks, you should at least pretend to listen! What am I supposed to do if I go-”

『When the fierce hammer of trials hones the blade, you will be the tongs that hold the blade steady.』

“No, if you’re going to ask for a favor, be clear, polite and precise-”

『When you fulfill your mission as the tongs, you will return to the place you desire.』

Nemer waved her arm lightly.

“Oh, fuc-”

────────────…….

Jinseong couldn’t finish his sentence.

All the light that had seemed to illuminate the world until a moment ago vanished.

* * *

The golden energy that made up Nemer, the white space where the energy and Jinseong himself had existed—all disappeared as he fell in a heap on the ‘ground’ head first.

The surroundings were filled with a peculiar darkness, a faint yet deep purple, occasionally flashing yellow lights, like a space reminiscent of the universe.

It was so dark that Jinseong could barely confirm the presence of his hands and feet by their silhouettes.

‘What? What’s going on? Suddenly, what is this-‘

But no sound was heard.

He couldn’t see anything far away. He couldn’t grasp the state of his own body properly.

He had a massive headache though, so his head should still be attached to his neck.

In the midst of it all, Jinseong thought about what Nemer had said.

‘No, more importantly… adventurer, blade…? Even with a rough understanding of the Dungeon Fighter Online story, I know how important those words are and what they mean.’

At least, based on the Dungeon Fighter Online game Jinseong had played, both ‘adventurer’ and ‘honed blade’ referred to the ‘user.’

‘A user who has become stronger by overcoming trials, being sharpened like a blade, and killing all the apostles… Amidst this, there are conspiracies tangled and intertwined. Broadly speaking, that’s the gist of it, right?’

In-game users, humans outside the monitor.
The storyline that makes them more engrossed in the game.

‘But what I’ve been doing… No, not just me. What everyone in Dungeon Fighter Online has been doing… character adventurers?’

But was it real?

Jinseong retraced what Nemer had said.

‘Plane: Arad and character adventurers… Plane is like a concept of a dimension—Ah!? Oh?’

However, he couldn’t stay immersed in that thought.

A sudden stiffness spread through his body, and he saw a light ahead.

How exhilarating the bright light was, flickering in the midst of the dark, murky, and sometimes eerily purple space.

Jinseong moved.

Whether he was flailing or running, he didn’t know, but he moved diligently towards the light.

Whether the light was approaching him or he was moving towards it, when it finally drove away all the surrounding darkness and dazzled his eyes!

Jinseong’s feet touched solid ground.

“…What is this?”

But the scene before him was somewhat disconcerting.

He wasn’t in front of his computer.

“Where… Cough, cough. Huh?”

Thick smoke rising from everywhere and the heat he felt.

It didn’t take long for Jinseong to realize he was in a forest, a burning forest at that.

He didn’t wonder whether it was reality or not because he could already feel the heat of the approaching flames and the sharp, stinging cough from inhaling the smoke.

“Eh? Ow, what the hell, crazy!? My arm—why is my arm—”

The realization that this was his reality came with the shocking recognition of his own body.

His body was vastly different, almost unrecognizable compared to just moments ago when he was moving around.

Particularly unsettling was the clanking sound that echoed with every movement of his arms. His once-lively arms had turned pitch black, devoid of any life.

The heavy, awkward movement of his arms was less startling than what they signified.

‘A Ghost Knight! No, not just any Ghost Knight—’

His body had transformed into that of a Ghost Knight.

More specifically, into one of the special classes from Dungeon Fighter Online.

“-Dark Knight!”

So startled was he that Jinseong involuntarily shouted, but there was no time for shock now.

“Who goes there!?”

“Gah.”

A sharp, piercing voice made Jinseong cover his mouth and crouch down.

Soon, he understood.

A dense forest.

Raging flames.

A woman’s voice, clearly audible despite the considerable distance.

“Whoever is in this forest, did you destroy the magic circle? It will never go as you wish. This forest, Granfloris, I will protect it!”

Only after quickly turning his head in the direction of the voice could Jinseong see.

Amidst the raging flames, a figure floating gently in the air—whether human or not.

A woman standing out particularly red among the blazing flames.

Any Dungeon Fighter Online user would recognize her within ten minutes of starting the game, an NPC and the boss of ‘Dungeon: Burning Grakrak.’

‘The Flame Vinoche…?’

Jinseong was utterly bewildered but quickly realized.

It was too early to be just bewildered.

Another voice, different from Vinoche’s, could be heard.

“As expected… it was Lady Vinoche.”

Two silhouettes walking towards the flames from further away than Vinoche.

And among them, the leading figure, the owner of the voice, was someone Jinseong could picture with his eyes closed—someone he was very familiar with!

‘…Seria! Seria Kirmin!’

Any Dungeon Fighter Online user would have encountered this NPC more than any other, and Seria Kirmin was approaching.