"A Dimensional Defense… I should've backed out when I still can. I had a hunch that it would be about this…"
A Rank 1 Transcendent near me clutched his head, lamenting his choice to repay the Great One's graciousness.
The one next to him gritted her teeth and clasped her hands into a fist to stop it from shaking.
? And the one next to her took a step back as if he was shocked by what he heard.
That's the various reactions of the Rank 1 Transcendents upon hearing what the Task will be.
Is the weakening of the Dimensional Barrier dangerous? Of course, it is, especially for someone who had just reached Transcendence.
According to what I heard from Alwyn, Dimensional Defense became the more common name for the battle whenever the Dimensional Barrier weakened. In there, it's easy for a Transcendent to die, especially Rank 1 like us. Mortal Ranks couldn't join it after all. Mortal bodies will not be able to withstand the nature of the Dimensional Space.
Much like how it is in Mortal Rank, the weakest ones will most likely become cannon fodder.
Well, the same thing will happen to the Rank 1 Transcendents of the enemy world after all. They will be the ones tasked to build the Dimensional Bridge by pooling in the Energy or using items that contain energy such as Energy Stones and the likes. At first, they will be the hottest target of the defenders to stop them from building that bridge.
Although their lauded objective for attacking an Invasive World was to eradicate it, it's just an embellishment of what they really aimed at. Each world has its own resources, most importantly, the Source Energy. If the Dark World benefits from Mortal World's Source Energy then if those Transcendent Worlds successfully took them down, they would be dividing the Dark World's Source Energy among themselves to strengthen them.
As always, there's another side of the coin. The Dark World denizens are the evil invaders to the Mortal Worlds while those Transcendent Worlds who keep on attacking them are the bad guys in here.
Nonetheless, I somehow find myself looking forward to this Task. It's not like I will be crucial in it. I will be focusing on gathering information and new insights about these higher worlds. Their motivations will be laid bare.
"W-why are you smiling? Aren't you scared?"
While I was lost in my thoughts, the one on my right suddenly asked me. Looking at his expression, he's just the same as the one on my left. Shaken and regretful.
It's not like there will not be any benefit in joining the defense. With two Source Energy that will clash and mix in the Dimensional Space, being active in it will provide more progress than a regular Absorption Session or fighting on a normal battlefield. The risk is high but the benefit is also high.
Looking at how the Transcendents will die one after another, the chance to also loot some items to the enemies or to allies who died is high.
This is why the Exalteds are cheering. Alwyn said that the higher ranks prioritize to kill those lower in rank than them; Rank 4 to Rank 3, Rank 3 to Rank 2 and Rank 2 to Rank 1. Not everyone will pit their necks to fight the same rank. They will be more inclined to butcher ducklings than wait for a mother duck to lay a golden egg.
And even if there is someone who will prioritize stopping those at the same rank as him, killing each other will be near impossible.
"I'm looking forward to the benefits that I will get, of course. Rather than rotting away without any progress in that prison cell, I will choose to fight in the Dimensional Space any moment. Who knows? I might get lucky in there."
Alwyn only said not to be flashy and excessive. This will be fine, right? Besides we still don't know where they will put us in the equation, these guys are just reacting too early… These higher world Transcendents are a bit disappointing. However, it's not like I don't know where they're coming from. They will be like kings if they are sent to Mortal World but in this kind of battle, they're the pawns who don't have the ability to kill any other chess pieces.
Upon hearing my words, those nearby stepped back and distanced themselves from me. But there's someone from a few steps away who also heard it. With something like an idiotic grin on the mug of his face, he swaggers his way towards me with his chest puffed out.
"Great optimism! It's rare to find someone with the same optimism as me. I'm Udann, you?"
"Ember," I answered sparingly.
"Great. Unlike these scaredy cats, only those like us can shine in this kind of situation. I am close to completing the 1st Realm of my Transcendent Pathway. If not for being sent to that prison, I would've already long surpassed the guy who tossed me in it."
With unexpected talkativeness, Udann continued to shoot his mouth off while we listened to the rest of the Oxflame Monarch's speech.
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Along the way to the site where the Dimensional Space will manifest, I delved back into what Alwyn told me. She already had a rich experience in that regard. She became an Exalted while fighting in one of the Dimensional Defenses she participated in.
According to her, the Dimensional Space would be randomly generated and it's at the expense of the attacking world. Sometimes they will find themselves in a wide expanse of plains, forests, mountain ranges, ocean regions or worse, outer space.
Usually, the attacking world would choose to limit the participant to below Rank 4 Transcendents but there were previous instances where Rank 5 Transcendents can participate.
The last time Illiana went out to participate in the defense, she seriously injured the enemy world's Rank 5 Transcendent who led her worlds Transcendent in a bid to encroach in this world, Although she's the same Rank 5, she's only equivalent to a Tribal Sovereign. Within a minute, the attacking world retreated and halted their construction of the Dimensional Bridge. Because of that, the battle ended instantly.
Somewhere along at the other end of the Dimensional Space, there will be a core component that they needed to destroy if they wanted to end the battle early on. But because of almost the same strengths between their worlds, only when there were monsters that could overwhelm someone at the same rank would that happen.
Teleporting from the Dafirae Tribe to an outlying town, where a huge crack in space could be seen even from a distance, the Oxflame Monarch led us to a military camp where Transcendents from the Dafirae Tribe already made their preparations. The addition of the freed prisoners was just decided because of the sudden decree of Illiana.
Since this kind of battle happens every two years, not only one Transcendent World but at least three would try to put an anchor in this world. And that means, there will be three or more Dimensional Space that will manifest once the Dimensional Barrier weakened.
To easily respond to it, the Great Ones decided amongst themselves that the Great One and tribes under them will be responsible to the Dimensional Space if one manifested in their territory. And this time, the Oxflame Monarch told us that there were two cracks that appeared in Illiana's territory. One here at the Dafirae Tribe and another one on the Warfiol Tribe located in the south.
Because the tribes under Illiana were reduced to three, the Dafirae Tribe chose to take on this one Dimensional Space alone while the other two tribes will take care of the other.
With the odds of being against the whole strength of another Transcendent World, the Dimensional Battles happening in her territory will always be a disadvantaged battle. Although that's the case, ever since the Dark World became an Invasive World, Illiana's Territory had never lost any battle and prevented every Transcendent World from building their bridge.
"You, Rank 1 Transcendents will be in charge of carrying our supplies inside the Dimensional Space. Once that's done, you're free to leave the battlefield or join our Rank 1 Transcendents in their task. Your choice."
One of the Exalted following behind the Oxflame Monarch announced after separating us from the higher-ranked freed Prisoners. They're aware of those scared and regretting their decision.
In fact, the Dafirae Tribe already prepared themselves to deal with the Dimensional Space with their forces alone. But thanks to the Decree of Illiana, they now have extra hands that could carry some of their burdens.
Thanks to this coincidence, the suspicion about that risky move of Illiana will be pointed here instead of thinking that she did that to free someone.
When they heard the Exalted's announcement, a lot of the Rank 1 Transcendents who were just shaking in their legs earlier released simultaneous sighs of relief. The possibility of leaving this dangerous battlefield made them relax.
Udann and the others who looked forward to joining the battle deflated though. Being in-charge of carrying the supplies will put them at the rear. By the time we finish that task, they're probably thinking that there will be no more interesting part for the Rank 1 Transcendents even if they decided to stay.
"Where did your optimism go? Isn't this better for us? Rather than risk ourselves to fight alongside them, joining the Dafirae Tribe's battle-harden Rank 1 Transcendents is much better, don't you think so?"
Acting disappointed, I remarked at the Rank 1 Transcendent next to me.
"You're right. But… you see, their Rank 1 Transcendents will probably only join during early phases. What can we do against those higher in rank? We'll just die meaninglessly."
I knew this is what he would think. Although I planned to follow Alwyn's words, this is a rare chance for me to benefit in this world. But for that to happen without doing anything excessive, I decided to trick someone and let himself be used by me.
I can just support him specifically from a distance. And that is if he is willing, I have to reignite his optimism.
"You disappoint me, Udann. So you only want to fight small fries at the same rank as you?" I shook my head with my arms crossed.
"You… Are you thinking of challenging a higher rank?" Surprised at what I said and the confidence that I'm still showing, Udann couldn't help but ask.
"Of course. However, I'm not combat-oriented. My abilities can increase someone else's strength. It can let a Rank 1 challenge a Rank 2 Transcendent. What do you think? Do you want to team up with me? If you don't want to, I will look for another guy who has high aspiration."
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