The Lone SF Transmigrator in the Otherworld Forum
Chapter 188: Resolve (5)

Karlstein was quite different from Longquan, the expert of 《Three Thousand》 who had achieved perfect unity of mind, energy, and body.

I thought it was just because I was close to infinity, and therefore unbalanced.

Of course, that was true, but there was no need to worry about short-term harm. He had never found it uncomfortable in terms of power, realm, or daily life, and it had improved considerably after absorbing the Ziwen Mirror.

But in the long term, the balance would eventually collapse.

A new era, huh…

An era where closed dimensions expand and beings on par with Outer Gods run rampant.

He was not sure exactly what that meant, but it certainly seemed extremely dangerous.

What would happen to those who had trusted and followed him until now? Why did he act as if he unconditionally wanted to open a new era? Could this also be related to the madness Yui spoke of?

Hmm.

Karlstein’s head grew complicated with various thoughts. But as he mulled over Yui’s words, he felt something off.

“From Yui’s perspective, isn’t it just a matter of closing the dimension?”

Why was she so fixated on removing his immortality?

The main reason she stole his heart seemed to be to use it as a medium for the oath, but Karlstein was catching on to her hidden intention.

My immortality is slowly disappearing.

He did not know exactly what method she used, but his immortality was changing little by little, imperceptibly.

“At the same time, my mind is becoming more stable.”

At the very least, she was not doing it to harm him.

“Yui didn’t say anything wrong.”

It was far better to live a long life while maintaining humanity than to be eternally alive as a monster consumed by madness.

“She said she’d return my heart if I defeat her.”

Putting it all together, wasn’t it close to buying time?

“…”

I see. So that’s it.

“Simply avoiding it wouldn’t solve the problem. No matter how hard I try, it would only delay the expansion of dimensions, and those Outer Gods would intervene at some point?”

If simply preventing the expansion of dimensions would solve everything, why was Yui prioritizing the removal of his immortality?

“In other words, the end will come eventually? And by those Outer Gods?”

No matter how he thought about it, it seemed that way.

The madness, a byproduct of Outer God erosion, was affecting him even now, regardless of dimensional expansion, and her actions could not be explained within the closed dimension either.

Also, it did not seem like this state could be maintained forever just because they wanted to keep it closed.

Eventually, the dimension would open, and the invasion of Outer Gods would begin. The world would face its end, and those with immortality would have to live an eternal life of endless suffering under the curse of madness. Yui could not bear to see her brother like that.

In other words, she wanted him to give up immortality and live happily for the given time. Even if he gave up immortality, he would still live much longer than ordinary humans.

It was certainly not a bad proposal. However…

Karlstein thought of someone who was cold and proud, yet always supported him unconditionally. Unlike him, who was affected by lifespan as a living being, she… would live alone for eons.

Although she trusted him enough to accept annihilation if he ordered it, Karlstein could never imagine sacrificing Aria for his own desires.

Moreover, what about Maxien, who was gradually becoming a star due to the curse of her bloodline? She would live for nearly eternity in a body that neither dies nor truly lives.

And what about his other long-lived subordinates?

Karlstein’s gaze deepened.

“…I need to retrieve my heart first, no matter when.”

At the very least, he could not leave before them, could he?

He had ascended to the imperial throne, shouldering countless blood and sacrifices. He had not forgotten a single promise he made to everyone on his way to his current position.

Especially not his self-made vow to build a Galactic Empire more magnificent than any SF!

“Outer Gods?”

Let them come if they dare. Aren’t Outer Gods just another kind of SF?

And Yui. He recalled her eyes filled with madness. The countless years and pain hidden within them.

“When I become stronger, there will be other ways to help Yui.”

Blindly fearing wasn’t his style.

Karlstein accelerated his ship towards the Galactic Empire.

***

She opened a space and emerged, breathing heavily.

“Ugh.”

The madness she had painfully suppressed to achieve her goal was trying to flare up again.

She clutched her head, groaning for a long time. Countless dark, tempting whispers overlapped in her mind, murmuring unbearable knowledge, information, and curses to her.

Her carapace fell off as if molting, and the muscles and skin beneath contracted and relaxed repeatedly, shaking unstably. Her pupils burned red, losing focus and then filling with madness.

After what seemed like an endless time of endurance.

“Haa, haa.”

She barely maintained her sanity and regained her senses.

“Yui. You have to endure.”

For a moment, emotions worn down by long years flashed across her eyes.

Having endured a bout of madness, she wrapped herself in her purple mane like a cocoon and began to recover.

To become a transcendent being called an Outer God, it was not simply a matter of raising one’s realm. One had to embrace countless madnesses and overcome them to grasp the thread of such an existence.

If one couldn’t control the dangerous madness that threatened even existence itself, they would likely become a monster like the Single Numbers.

Even she, who had merely borrowed power through a contract with an Outer God-level being, had to give up a human’s life due to the madness.

The madness butchered the soul and mind to an extent that no ascetic could withstand.

[How much longer can you endure?]

[Ha. hAHa. HA.]

[What’s the point of struggling like a worm?]

[Does your brother even know you’re suffering like this?]

[KEHEEHEH! Kehe. Krrk. Krk.]

[Do you think you can truly be accepted as a sister when you’ve become a monster?]

The incomprehensible voices that split her mind still lingered in her ears, tormenting her.

These voices were not even from the being she had contracted with. It was merely mental corruption eroded from the tiny connection channel through which she received power.

The erosion of madness ravaging her mind could not be avoided simply by not listening.

“Uugh.”

Long ago, when she faced death after being diagnosed with a terminal illness, a being proposed a deal.

Unlike the current whispers that seemed to cause mental breakdown, it was a whisper with clear intent. A chilling voice that approached her when she lost her brother in a Gate accident and was left alone.

[Open the door and welcome me.]

It was hardly even a contract. She simply gained an ability more special than anyone else’s after hearing that whisper: Infinite Regression.

Afterward, she became someone who could not die even if she wanted to.

In truth, she did not care about saving the world, but she began using her infinite regression ability for one thing alone: to save her brother.

However, the regression point was fixed to the moment her brother was caught up in the Gate while sleeping.

No matter how many times she repeated death and regression, the regression point did not change.

Still, she did not give up.

It was the Hunter era, when Gates opened and all sorts of rare items poured out.

She began to find her own way, searching for clues related to her brother’s disappearance and collecting mysterious items.

The ability of infinite regression turned her, who had no talent, into the world’s best hunter.

Even after reaching the top, she dug into all the world’s mysteries and collected information without missing even the smallest clue. Saving the world was just a natural bonus.

She prevented world calamities and defeated doom, but…

It’s a failure…

For her, failure was failure.

After defying death, she plunged in again. She could not miss even the smallest clue. And yet, despite climbing back through countless deaths, she could not find a way to save her brother.

Just as she thought there was no other way, luckily, she managed to get her hands on a mysterious notebook. An item that could harmonize with the past.

Anything written in the present would appear in the notebook that existed in the past. In other words, it was an item that could connect the future and the past.

Yui finally felt like she had found hope.

Of course, to connect with the past before the Gate era, the already numerous restrictions multiplied. Because of this, she could not change the past freely according to her whims.

Restrictions like revealing heavenly secrets, causality, and so on were plastered all over.

After repeating death and regression and making countless attempts, she was finally able to indirectly influence the past in the form of a novel.

Hope seemed within reach.

However…

“…Why!”

No matter how hard she tried, she could not avoid the Gate incident related to Woojin’s disappearance.

Her mind reached its limit.

***

https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken