CHAPTER 102
There is a space between the 1st and 2nd Worlds.
How did Cain come to know of it?
It didn't take long to figure out the answer.
Black Dawn.
It meant that they were beyond that space.
The moment they heard those words, everyone's expression changed.
No one had expected to find a clue here.
"Cain, speak clearly. The Black Dawn bastards are there, aren't they?"
As I immediately pressed Cain, he flinched and trembled.
It was a conditioned reflex from the pain.
We absolutely had to extract information from this guy.
I healed his legs so that Cain would be more cooperative. Once the pain subsided, Cain wore the expression of someone who had just been saved.
"I can break your legs again."
Sorry, but this is no time to be looking relieved.
My expression had become much grimmer than before.
"Answer me properly first."
Transferees have a low tolerance for pain.
This tendency is even more pronounced in those who have only recently transferred.
It's a trait of modern people, who rarely experience extreme pain.
I, too, couldn't bear it in the beginning.
Cain seemed to be the same, as he was quickly overcome with fear again.
"R-Right. I-I learned about it thanks to the Dimension Eater. When they moved us, they used that space."
The reason Black Dawn could appear here, there, and everywhere.
The reason for it had finally been revealed.
"I knew they were lunatics, but this…"
Ririran let out a sigh.
From her reaction, it was clear she was not unaware of the space between the 1st and 2nd Worlds.
"Lady Ririran, do you know about this space?"
"Yes, I do. I also know that it's a void of nothingness. It doesn't even have coordinates."
A void without coordinates.
Is it even possible to move freely in such a place?
And yet, Black Dawn had done it.
Considering their movements so far, there was no other explanation.
"It's a place without even air to breathe."
They weren't called lunatics for nothing.
Whatever they did, it was always beyond imagination.
A world of void that even Ririran, a master of space magic, hadn't considered viable.
But finally, a clue to Black Dawn's whereabouts had been revealed.
Furthermore, the circumstances lined up.
Back in the spider cave, how was Black Dawn able to station criminals at the exit of the 2nd World in advance?
It was by using the void space.
"In that case, is it impossible to find Black Dawn?"
This was too precious a lead to let go.
At my question, Ririran was lost in thought for a moment before raising her head.
"We must find them. We absolutely must, wouldn't you agree?"
It was a dependable answer.
Moreover, this incident revealed one more fact.
Why Cosmic Jac, Black Dawn's Sin of Sloth, had been so intent on killing Ririran.
'He must have thought that if Ririran was given a clue, she would be able to find Black Dawn's base.'
To them, Ririran's space magic was the most dangerous tool against them.
That's why they were willing to sacrifice the Sin of Sloth, Cosmic Jac, to stop Ririran.
But an unexpected variable had appeared for them.
Me, with my Resurrection magic.
The existence that rendered Cosmic Jac's self-destruct attack meaningless.
Keeping Ririran's existence hidden as much as possible until now had been the best possible move.
My fists clenched.
I was once again reminded of how many variables my existence created within Black Dawn's plans.
And Black Dawn, too, would soon realize this fact.
"Cain, can you find where Black Dawn is in that space?"
"I-I can do it! I can definitely do it!"
Cain nodded his head vigorously.
He had realized that this was the only way for him to survive.
'He probably doesn't know the exact details.'
This information was just something that had slipped out inadvertently.
There was no way Cain would know the precise location of Black Dawn's base.
If he had, their base would have been exposed by others long ago.
From Black Dawn's perspective, Cain must have been an unforeseen variable. They probably never imagined his Dimension Eater Ability would be this potent.
Their mistake is our opportunity.
Because we have Ririran, who can find out even with the smallest of clues.
She wasn't called a master of space magic for nothing.
"Lieutenant General Inferno, what do you think of this?"
I turned to look at Inferno, who had been listening quietly.

He, too, had a thoughtful expression on his face.
Like the Lieutenant General he was, he was probably already running through various scenarios in his head.
"If I go into the 2nd World as bait, the Black Dawn bastards will move to capture me. And in the process, they will naturally have to emerge from the void between the 1st and 2nd Worlds, splitting their forces."
Black Dawn would be determined to get their hands on me.
They, with their No-Named Abilities, knew my value better than anyone.
As long as I exist, they can never win their war.
No matter how many powerful individuals they kill, they'll be back on their feet, perfectly fine, a few minutes later.
If they formed a special unit with Ririran and Soun, they could be deployed again and again even if killed, and there was nothing more terrifying than that.
But to use such a strategy, it had to be an all-out war.
If they continued to cause incidents and flee as they had been, it would be difficult for us to respond.
The Ririran and Soun special unit combo is only meaningful if there's an opponent to fight.
Their objective is not a war with us.
Their goal is singular: to complete the Artificial Transcendent.
Moreover, the reality is that Black Dawn is outmatched in terms of military strength for an all-out war.
That's why they've been causing terror incidents but have avoided a full-scale confrontation until now.
But as long as I exist…
They, too, would be forced to gamble to avoid the worst-case scenario.
The worst situation, where they have to take the bait even though they know it's a trap.
It is the eve of an all-out war that must be fought, for both Black Dawn and the Regular Army.
And the starting point is me.

"While I act as the bait, the Regular Army will strike Black Dawn's base."
Black Dawn doesn't yet know that we've figured out the location of their base.
So, we will use this to our advantage.
The moment their forces are divided to go after me as bait.
We will use that opening to completely destroy Black Dawn's base itself.
What happens then?
"If their base is blocked, their path of retreat will be cut off."
The Regular Army is stationed at every route back to the 1st World.
For Black Dawn, there would be no way back.
Black Dawn will be left with two choices.
One is an all-out war.
The other is to remain in the 2nd World.
What they would choose was already decided.
An all-out war with everything on the line.
Once they lose their base, they have no future.
"However, this is all predicated on Lady Ririran finding their base in the void space first."
As I turned to look at Ririran, she let out a dry laugh.
"I absolutely must find it, I suppose."
"Yes. Time will be tight."
"Leave it to me. I will get it done in time."
Although I've been making it big recently, my main job is still a Pioneer.
If I stay away for too long, the likelihood of Black Dawn becoming more cautious increases.
We have to move first, while they are in disarray because of my existence.
To the point where they are willing to take losses to capture me.
Furthermore, this operation must be known only to us.
It must be kept secret, to the extent that even the summoned Regular Army forces won't know until just before entry.
"Since they have a place to retreat to, they won't mind an all-out war with the Regular Army."
"Hoo."
Inferno exhaled.
He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes burning with fervor.
"This is the perfect situation. A chance to finally crush those bastards."
It was a plan that even the Commander-in-Chief, Rapha Hastel, had approved.
There was no reason not to execute this plan.
"Lady Ririran, perhaps that woman, the Red Flame Lord, was lying to Soun-nim as well."
"You mean the story about Black Dawn attacking the Imperial Palace?"
"Yes, that's right."
Considering the Red Flame Lord's behavior just now, it's entirely possible she was lying.
To deliberately tie Soun down at the Imperial Palace.
When I mentioned this, Ririran thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"No. Even if that's the case, I believe pulling Soun out is too risky. With a significant portion of the Regular Army's forces being committed to this operation, we don't know what the situation at the palace will be."
The Imperial Palace's defenses are formidable, but their opponent is Black Dawn.
We had to consider the possibility that they would employ a diversionary tactic.
"It's a shame Soun can't participate in the war, but with him alone, the Imperial Palace can be securely defended."
It seems we won't be able to borrow Soun's strength after all.
"And this time, we have him, don't we?"

Ririran smiled warmly.
The 'him' she referred to was Rapha Hastel.
The man called stronger than even Soun, the undisputed strongest in the world.
Though he had aged, his strength remained undiminished.
"As long as he is with us, there is no defeat for us."
Ririran's faith in Rapha Hastel was unshakable.
In that case, let's trust her faith.
"The Regular Army will move as soon as Ririran-ssi gathers the information."
Ririran finding the void space is the highest priority.
The tide of the war will change depending on how quickly she finds it.
"Conveniently, under the pretext of the worsened public security due to the earthquake, I'll assemble the Regular Army for appearances' sake. Ririran-ssi, please inform me as soon as you have the information."
"I will. I'll be taking this boy with me."
Ririran gestured, lifting Cain into the air.
Cain is no match for Ririran in the slightest.
She will make appropriate use of him.
The all-out war with Black Dawn.
That moment was now truly just around the corner.

Just you wait, you sons of bitches.
I'm going to burn your house down to the ground.