Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse
Chapter 235: Field Nebula

The teleportation was punctuated by solar gasses, and colors, and comets, and shimmering stars… And when it was over, nothing changed.

Jack and Brock stepped out of the teleporter and looked around.

There was no sky. As one looked up, their gaze met a sight that looked like a dream. Instead of the darkness of space, purple and orange gasses filled the distance, glittering with stars. These gasses were present in all directions, surrounding the planet from an incalculable distance away.

It was like being wrapped in a gassy, colorful bubble.

Jack looked down. They were standing on a large rock—a comet, maybe? A moon? A dome stretched around them, transparent if not for the shimmering of air, creating a habitable environment only a mile in diameter. Inside it was the teleporter, before which they currently stood, as well as what resembled a small town made of slick, modern houses.

Three planets were also visible. They surrounded this place equidistantly, slowly revolving around it like it was their sun, and they weren’t too distant—maybe as far away as the moon was from Earth. Two of them were covered by lush greenery and dark blue seas—Jack could even see starships flying to and from each planet, swarming them like bees to honey. As for the third planet, it was devoid of starships and surrounded by clouds, which prevented Jack from inspecting it properly.

“What is this place?” he wondered, looking around with mouth agape.

“Welcome to Field Nebula,” a woman’s voice came from behind them. She wore long yellow robes bearing an image of an exploding sun, her skin was tanned, her hair dark and long, and her eyes piercing in their brownness.

Human (Earth-44), Level 130

Faction: Exploding Sun (B-Grade)

“Field Nebula,” Jack repeated the name, tasting it. His eyes flashed. “Wait! Do you mean we’re inside an actual nebula?”

The woman smiled with amusement. “Indeed. Surrounding us is the Bow Nebula, the birthplace of stars. And the place under your feet is the Center Moon, part of the capital of the Exploding Sun faction.”

“You guys live inside a nebula!?”

“We do.”

Jack knew what nebulas were—or, at least, the basics. If he remembered correctly, when stars died, they formed titanic gas clouds. These clouds gravitated towards each other and formed even larger gas clouds called nebulas. Inside these nebulas, the most condensed of gas clouds combined due to gravity, eventually forming large gas spheres that, due to nuclear fusion reactions, began to burn and unleash tremendous amounts of energy.

These spheres were called stars. Therefore, nebulas were the birthplace of stars, formed and maintained by the death of older stars, like a phoenix rising from its ashes.

Jack knew those from Earth science classes. However, he had never heard of planets existing inside nebulas, let alone inhabitable environments.

“Sorry,” he said to excuse his surprise, “I just didn’t expect this at all.”

“Why not?” the woman replied, laughing. “Nebulas are made of gasses, but they also contain all sorts of space rocks. Some of them are planets, formerly belonging to a solar system long gone. If such a planet is stable, terraforming it is not too difficult.”

“So there are more places like this?”

“No.” Her face shone with pride. “Field Nebula is the only widely-inhabited, intra-nebulaic space in the galaxy. Its history is quite intriguing…but, if you don’t mind, perhaps it could wait until after we settle the details of your arrival?”

Jack coughed in his hand. In his excitement, he’d completely forgotten that he’d just teleported to the capital of a B-Grade faction. Obviously, there was a procedure to be followed.

“My apologies. I am Jack Rust, here to visit my master, Shol. He is a deacon of the Exploding Sun.”

“I am Brock,” said Brock.

“I also have this,” Jack added. Reaching inside his pocket, he removed the plaque that Lady Priya had given him back in Trial Planet—it was a bronze disk with the Exploding Sun insignia carved on it, and it was supposed to act as a guarantee of his identity here.

The woman’s eyes widened as she saw the disk. “May I?” she asked. Jack handed it over, and she stared at it for a second, ascertaining its authenticity. “It’s an honor to assist you, sir,” she said, her attitude instantly turning deferential. She handed him back the plaque. “I will contact Deacon Shol immediately. Would you mind waiting in our guest lounge for now?”

“Of course,” Jack replied. “It would be our pleasure.”

The woman led them to a building next to the teleporter. Inside, they found a luxurious garden complete with a refreshing fountain, short trees, birds, and even a small river with a wooden bridge on top. There were comfy chairs placed throughout the carefully trimmed garden paths, so any guest could sit wherever they preferred to enjoy this place.

“I’ll be with you shortly, sirs,” the woman said. “Please wait inside the garden.”

“Of course.”

She then took off, leaving Jack and Brock alone. She’d called this a guest lounge, but there was nobody else here—maybe it was only for important guests?

“Did we just fly business class, Brock?” Jack asked.

Brock didn’t get the joke, obviously, but he was too busy admiring the garden anyway. So was Jack. This place reminded him of something he would only find in a five-star hotel on Earth.

“Gardens like this, terraformed planets inside a nebula, and D-Grades as attendants…” He sighed. “Why do I get the feeling we just dove in the deep, Brock?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Time passed. Jack spent his time watching the sky—or rather, the space above. Starships and immortals were constantly flying overhead, shooting from one planet to the other, while the nebula shone in the background. Even though there was no sun illuminating this place, the nebula’s brightness created a similar effect.

Brock spent his time admiring some fish in the river.

It was only an hour later that the door to the garden opened again. Jack glanced over, expecting to see the D-Grade attendant.

Instead, he saw a bald man in monk robes and a yellow cape. His eyes were glittering like the nebula above, while his smile stretched from ear to ear. “Jack!” he exclaimed.

Jack’s face mirrored that wide smile—his first genuine one in a while. “Master Shol!”

***

Old Man Spirit had teleported Jack all the way from Trial Planet to the fringes of the Animal Kingdom constellation, from where he’d made his way to Field Nebula.

Others, however, had it easier.

Swoosh.

With a warp of space, Nauja appeared on a rock. The very first thing she did was look up, and her face beamed with excitement.

“I’m here!” she shouted. “I’m out of Trial Planet! I can see space! The stars, the sun! Look, Salin, it’s— Salin?”

She looked around. She stood alone on a rock, in a small bubble of air on the ruined surface of Trial Planet. Her excitement was doused. She struggled to form words. “But…”

With another warp of space, Salin appeared at her side. “Hey,” he said.

“Salin! What happened?”

“Sorry, I got lost.”

“Wh— In the teleportation?”

“Yeah.” She looked him dead in the eye. He grinned. “Happens to the best of us.”

“You know that doesn’t make sense, right? We touched the pedestal at the same time. We should have teleported together. And you can’t get lost mid-teleportation.”

“Sheesh. And here I was looking forward to your first time in space.”

“Oh!” Her eyes widened. “Right! I’m in space, Salin, look! There’s the stars! And the twin satellites! And that over there is a sun! Oh, Salin, this is so beautiful! So large, too!” She made a circle around herself, admiring the endless expanse of space. “How can anything be so big!?”

He opened his mouth to make a joke again, but at the last moment, he held it in. His gaze mellowed. “It really is your first time outside…”

“Of course it is. Why, did you think I was lying?”

“No. It’s just…” He shook his head. “Nevermind. I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? I love it!”

Nauja felt like a child. She was so full of wonder, and excitement, and yearning to see the world. She could adventure now. She could grow strong, and meet new people, new civilizations, witness all sorts of magnificent sights. She’d heard stories of spinning stars and holes darker than black, of white planets and space monsters patrolling the depths of space.

She would see it all. Her chest was already tingling. Thinking to that point, she looked down. “I’m not dressed weirdly, am I?” she asked. This fur clothing was fine in her ring, but maybe the people of the galaxy dressed otherwise?

“I think you’re lovely,” Salin replied, bringing back her smile.

“Great! I think so too. Oh, what’s that? That star which looks like it’s flying our way?”

“It is flying our way, but it isn’t a star. It’s a starship.”

Her mouth widened. The needle-shaped metal contraption grew in her sight until, only seconds later, landing right before her. It was soundless.

Salin pulled her arm and leaned close to her ear. “They’re from the Hand of God,” he whispered as the starship doors slid open. “Remember; after waiting for a month, we saw no sign of Jack and decided to leave. Brock is still in Garden Ring. Okay?”

“Hmph. I remember, of course,” she replied.

“Good,” Salin said, straightening his hair. His sharp canines glittered in the light, slightly longer than a human’s would be. “Then, it’s time to turn traitor.”

“Really?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m a free man now. Fuck the Animal Kingdom. Let’s go to the Exploding Sun, where that knight said Jack would meet us.”

“Right.”

They’d been planning to visit Earth, too, but it could wait. Not only was it dangerous, but Nauja technically couldn’t go, as she was not a local.

Two women descended from the starship. Each had white hair and skin pale as a sheet, but they were both immortals. Nauja simply accepted that fact, while Salin raised a brow.

“Names and affiliations, please,” they ordered. “And display your ring conqueror titles, if you would.”

They did, both showing off their Seventh Ring Conqueror achievement.

“Nauja,” said Nauja. “Unaffiliated.”

“Gan Salin. Also unaffiliated.”

They raised a brow at Salin. “Your System inspection says you are part of the Animal Kingdom?”

“Oh, whoops. I knew I’d forgotten something.” He laughed. “System, get me out of the Animal Kingdom faction, please.” A moment later, he added, “Yes, I’m sure.”

Nauja scanned him again.

Canine (Earth-387), Level 79

Faction: -

Title: Seventh Ring Conqueror

The two women raised their brows at Salin but did not comment. So did Nauja.

There was great significance in leaving one’s faction. Salin had already betrayed the Animal Kingdom multiple times, but they wouldn’t really care about that, as long as he was strong enough. Now that he left the faction, however… Rejoining would be a major issue.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said with a smile, making her look away, “but it will be fine. I will never go back.”

“If you say so… I’m glad to hear that.”

They smiled at each other. One of the two women coughed in her hand, then asked, “We will now transfer you to the satellite, where you will be deep-scanned and questioned in accordance with Hand of God policy. After that, you will be free to use our major teleporters to reach any constellation of your liking. Could you please inform us of your next teleportation destination?”

Salin nodded. “Field Nebula. We have an appointment.”