Chapter 200

The [Galactic Railroad]

So I’m finally riding this thing.

Naturally, it wasn’t open to just anyone. Even on Earth-34, famed for its wealth and extravagance, the percentage of people who had experienced space travel barely touched one percent. So the Galactic Railroad probably catered only to the ultrarich, top-tier ability users, high-ranking officials, military leaders, and maybe a smattering of space mercenaries.

At the unexpected communication, I swiveled my head.

There stood an entity wearing a crew uniform emblazoned with “Longinus 7,” designed so that anyone could easily recognize them as staff at first glance. They had pulled their cap low, doing their utmost to conceal their face.

It was obviously not human. Despite the uniform that covered her body tightly, including the gloves, the exposed face had only bright light instead of eyes, nose, or mouth.

“Oh, we’ve been here several times already. Just guide the rookie,” Shin Jiyeon said while producing her mercenary license. As the black card glistened, the seats around her rose and formed a wall with an entrance, dividing the space. A small room had been created.

The quick-witted Stone Department Head approached me with a smile. Despite his casual demeanor, his words seemed sincere.

Are you a disciple of the Game Master?

Naturally, the Game Master, being the supreme divinity among gods, had his own disciples.

Well, I suppose I am indeed the Apostle of the Game God. Though it’s a bit unconventional due to the Revenge System; I lack both skill and stat books.

The process for appointing a disciple of the Game Master differed significantly from that of other deities’ priests. To become a priest, one must complete what is commonly known as a ‘Job Change Quest’. Only upon its completion could the individual harness the sacred power of the Game Master as a true priest.

This was a completely different kind of power from ordinary holy strength.

It’s the absolute divine energy of Gigas Pilots.

The apostles of the Game God had entirely different abilities from the clergy of other gods, and these powers became extremely efficient when they rode the Gigas, far more so than usual.

Needless to say, even among Gigas Pilots with the same skill level, their value could vary from 2 to 10 times depending on whether they were an apostle of the Game Master or their rank.

“Vice Chancellor! I’ll put the luggage in the baggage compartment.”

The cheerful Vice Chancellor, with a quick wave of his hand, turned back to me and began explaining.

I followed his guidance to find my seat. Each car was two to three times larger than those of conventional trains, yet they only held six seats. Therefore, every one had a generous amount of space.

“Very comfortable… I thought it would be more cramped.”

The seats were so plush—practically akin to a bed—that it was nearly possible to fall asleep on them. As I settled in, the conductor named “Fast Sunset” began his explanation.

The accommodations were quite lavish. There was a table next to the sofa filled with various snacks and beverages that replenished immediately after being consumed, allowing passengers to eat freely without any qualms. Additionally, there were summoning devices that could manifest various entertainments like games and karaoke at any time, as well as facilities for exercise. There was even a cushion designed for smart pets.

At this point, it was more appropriate to view the passenger compartment as a small hotel rather than just seats.

[Kr. Isn’t it truly remarkable? In the past, there was only one galactic train operating from Uroboros, but now we have 52 lines, and the space has become even more spacious. I’d say it’s nothing short of the grace of the Game Master.]

“Ah, yes…”

The Conductor of the Candler race, who possessed the most advanced science and technology in the universe, seemed to be quite obsessed with Game Masters. Well, that’s probably why this noble was serving as the Conductor of the train.

“Yes, thank you. Good evening, Mr. Conductor.”

I sat down in the seat. A board game appeared on the table.

I knocked on the table and executed Revenge.

Revenge wasn’t a game with a very large player base. In terms of number of subscribers or concurrent connections, it wouldn’t even be in the top 10, let alone the number one in terms of revenue.

However, this also meant that the game catered to a small, elite group of customers. It was designed with theVVIP in mind, ensuring they received utmost attention. The game was so well crafted that it could even be played in the astral realm or the hidden world.

I’m lucky nobody else is around to disturb my auto-hunt sequence. It’s too bad raid bosses don’t spawn this way, though…

After setting up the auto-hunt, I sat cross-legged and began transcribing the scripture. While the other elders were either sleeping or eating, I had no need for such things - my sustenance and rest came from Ardenia.

Speaking of which, these Hae jungtang defenses serve a good Ardenian meal. Maybe development really does flourish in times of prosperity.

I worked non-stop, transcribing diligently.

The elders paid me little mind; after all, I wasn’t just another junior, but a Transcendent.

Buzz…

As I continued my task, the train compartment door slid open.

“Oh! Humans, I see. Are you the legendary Cosmic Mercenaries?”

“From Earth-34, where they say there are over a hundred million ‘Masters’?”

The beings who entered bore a passing resemblance to humans, yet they were by no means human. They were indistinct, almost alien in appearance.

…Ain?

The three “ain” had each donned different attire. One wore a flowing, Eastern-inspired robe. Another sported a suits and glasses. The last, with his small frame, had a casual shirt and a simple knit sweater.

It was the suited ain who chose to speak.

“Lower your voices, you lot. Remember your manners in public places. It’s because of beings like you that our Stoneprimate race…”

His calm demeanor suddenly shifted as he made eye contact with me. His intelligent gaze narrowed, and he chuckled.

“Ohho… quite something, isn’t it?”

“Why? Professor,” asked the small monkey.

The larger monkey grinned at its companion’s question.

“I’m impressed. Life energy is truly remarkable. It’s astonishing how such a well-established field has existed for only a few hundred years.”

He greeted me with a slight nod, which I returned. Then, the group of monkeys passed by our carriage and moved on to the next one.

I was astounded.

A force to be reckoned with.

Their perception was far superior to even that of Executive Director Chen Xianyi—a complete reserved force among Mythical-Rank monsters.

Come to think of it, they’re stone monkeys, aren’t they?

These beings were commonly known as stone monkeys. As descendants of Sun Wukong, the finest warrior of the heavenly realm, they held considerable influence even among the nobility.

They’re rarer than dragons, but I’m lucky enough to see some here… Come to think of it, there must be more of them in the other carriages, right?

Curiosity suddenly gripping me, I rose from my seat and began to peer into the other compartments.

“Housekeeper. Scratch my belly.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Housekeeper. Fetch me something to eat.”

“Yes, young master.”

In one carriage sat Prajāna reclining on a couch, attended by his housekeeper.

“Ah, another powerful being. Truly, the universe is vast…”

In another carriage sat a Transcendent martial artist, finely dressed and seated with perfect posture.

Drurung…

In a corner, I spotted a fairy dragon coiled up in a ball, its tiny frame barely visible under the mass of leathery wings.

To think there’s really a galaxy-wide train.

Each passenger was quite remarkable. Of course, some clearly looked they way one might expect a wealthy person from any world to appear, but even they were likely powerful figures of repute in their respective civilizations.

“Fascinating,” I mused.

Instead of approaching them, I returned to my seat.

There’s no need to make a big fuss over every single one of them. After all, the journey has just begun.

So, thirty hours into our journey:

The elderly passengers who had been engrossed in music or reading books rose one by one from their seats. I put aside my writing and slipped on the suit jacket I had draped across the back of my chair.

It sure is fast.

To traverse a distance that would take even light eons to cross in a mere thirty hours—this was the marvel we were witnessing. And it wasn’t just one such vessel; over sixty of these ships were crisscrossing the cosmos, ensuring the name of Earth-34, with its domain limited to our solar system, resonated throughout the entire universe.

Whoosh!

In an instant, my companions and I had crossed vast expanses of space.

A different civilization, perhaps…

It was a thrilling novelty for me, accustomed as I was to traveling between only two worlds—Ardenia and Earth—to now step out into the cosmos and set foot on entirely new ground. Other stars, other civilizations…

It was…

Kwakuwah!

”…What the hell. Is this some kind of warp accident?”

The scene was eery. :frightened: Han Seokwoo looked around in bewilderment.

We had arrived at a ruined site, utterly devastated and completely uninhabited.

“No. This is the right location. The situation seems more serious than we thought.”

Just as Tom Holiday said, there was a deeply inscribed magic circle beneath our feet.

And off in the distance, on a nearby hill…

Kiguguong!

A jet-black spiritual energy was surging into the sky.

“Operation begins. Skill Book! Gigas Call!”

“Skill Book! Gigas Call!”

“Skill Book! Gigas Call!”

“Skill Book! Gigas Call!”

In almost perfect unison, four Gigas materialized and swiftly engulfed the elders. The sequence—from opening space to manifesting and boarding—was so fluid and rapid that it would be nigh impossible to intervene.

Han Seokdu’s Human Gigas Chang Bogo cleaved the earth like a hot knife through lard, submerging into the ground. Beside him, Shin Jiyeon’s Human Gigas Nightingale stood ready.

As the two Gigas vanished into the earth, Tom Holiday’s Human Gigas Carlos took a light step back.

Swish.

The giant, over four meters tall, disappeared like smoke. In a flash, only Gat and I remained.

Gat observed me and said:

Despite sensing the overwhelming presence of Transcendent-class monsters in the distance, his attitude remained light. I chuckled and nodded in agreement.

“We should hurry.”

Bang!

Human Gigas Carlin charged forth like a bolt of lightning.

”…Elderly folks sure aren’t ordinary.”

There was no need to devise a plan. They were specialists in a battle that had raged for nearly 100 years—perhaps even longer.

Don’t worry about it; just focus on your task!

With a burst of energy, I charged forward as well.

Whoa?! You’re fast!

In a flash, I overtook the startled Kat and observed the dest__$result = str_replace([’…’, ‘And the rest of the line is…’, ‘And now for the rest of the line…’, ], [”, ”, ”], $content);->___ruction ahead. Beyond the rubble, a narrow road and charming buildings came into view.

“Hurry up! Run now!”

“Move to the shelter!”

The foreign languages were translated into my ears via my mercenary license.

For reference, here’s what it sounded like without translation:

“Woof! Woof woof!”

“Whyyyyy?”

“Mrrr~!”

“Wow… I knew it was coming, but still.”

Animals dressed in clothes were running along the road.

They weren’t therianthropes.

Although they walked on two feet like humans and even wore clothes, their forms were completely those of animals. Moreover, they were all quite small, averaging barely 60 centimeters in height.

This is the renowned travel destination—Lute, the most famous holiday planet in the universe.

Colloquially known as Jupiteria.

Kaboom!

“Hahahaha!”

“Dammit! Fire! Keep firing! Don’t retreat!”

“But! We can’t stop it!”

Armed with various advanced weapons, animal soldiers bombarded Lute with a barrage of attacks. However, neither the relentless laser fire nor the protective barriers proved effective.

“Th-that monster…!”

“How can a mere sword wield such power…?!”

One could see the Dobermans in military uniforms swallowing hard. They continuously pulled their triggers, unleashing lasers, but none of their attacks could breach Gunggang’s defense.

“We must hold out until the Power Forces arrive!”

“Dammit! Our firepower is insufficient! Any Gigas left?”

“They’re all destroyed! We’re fighting with what remains!”

As the conversation between the Dobermans and Pit Bull Terriers continued, I advanced steadily.

The dogs finally noticed me and started barking.

“Monster!”

“No, it’s a human. That ID code… it’s a cosmic mercenary!”

I charged at the man, who was slaughtering cute animals. The ground shook as I ran.

Clang!

Our swords clashed, splitting the earth apart.

“Hrk?! Where…!”

Our sword techniques were evenly matched, but our physical performance—especially strength—was not.

With a clash of blades, we entered a deadlock. His body was helplessly pushed back.

I burst out laughing at the surging joy.

“Glad to meet you.”

It was truly a great meeting.

“Sword King.”

I would draw one more Hyperion.

And then.

I would make a reserve sword, loaded with combat sockets.