One slash.
And the dream split apart.
Golden Hour—
A Self-Annihilator of Nihility slowly drew the blade in her hand.
This nodachi was named Naught.
The nothingness of Nihility.
At this moment—
The white-haired oni hidden deep within Acheron's heart emerged once more.
The golden dream began trembling violently.
In the long night ahead—
You will witness countless setbacks.
Countless tragedies.
Until black and white are the only colors left in your eyes.
But remember this—
Within that monochrome world, a fleeting streak of red will appear.
And when the moment of choice arrives—
It shall reveal itself once more.
When that happens—
You must reject its meaning.
Then return to the waking world.
There—
We will find the answer.
High above the sky—
A purple flash surged upward alongside a cyan bullet streaking across the heavens.
The moment Galaxy Rangers across the universe saw that mark—
They immediately began rushing toward this dream-covered world from every corner of the cosmos.
Even if they each had prey they were already hunting—
The instant that bullet was fired—
Every Ranger understood one thing.
Within the Asdana Star System—
A Ranger had fallen.
And somewhere in Penacony—
Injustice still remained.
Boothill stood atop the highest point of Golden Hour.
Watching that meteor tear across the sky—
Then watching countless more meteors begin descending toward the land of dreams from all directions.
"Son of a nice lady..."
"I knew you bastards weren't dead yet."
"It's about damn time these cowards remembered—"
"The Galaxy Rangers ain't gone extinct!"
Others didn't know the truth.
But Boothill did.
The reason the Galaxy Rangers seemingly vanished—
Wasn't just because they hunted down Lord Ravager Zulo.
There was another, more important reason.
Not long ago—
They assaulted one of Dr. Primitive's laboratories.
And most of the Rangers were caught in the aftermath.
Their minds regressed.
Many of them deteriorated to the point they couldn't even care for themselves.
So the remaining Rangers hid themselves away—
To take care of their comrades.
And because of that—
The outside world believed the Galaxy Rangers had been wiped out by Dr. Primitive.
But now—
It was time for the universe to learn the truth once again.
Meanwhile—
Dream's Edge, Dewlight Pavilion.
Aside from Sunday, head of the Oak Family—
The leaders of the other major Families had already gathered.
"Hey, Aventurine."
"Are you sure this guy's reliable?"
"Fools always enjoy doing pointless things."
"Trying to challenge gods with mortal power."
Dr. Ratio glanced toward Aventurine.
After learning about Evan's plan—
Even someone as rational as him couldn't stay calm anymore.
"Honestly?"
"I've got no clue."
Aventurine smiled.
"But doesn't that just prove how good my instincts are, Professor Ratio?"
"I'm a fool myself."
"Otherwise why would I join a gamble like this?"
"If we win, I'll gain everything."
"If we lose..."
"I'll just go back to having nothing."
Dr. Ratio rolled his eyes.
At this point, he genuinely had nothing left to say to Aventurine.
Actually—
The entire Strategic Investment Department was full of lunatics.
Even little Yelena was like this.
Fools.
Every last one of them.
No wonder none of them received Nous's attention.
With reckless plans like these—
How could the Aeon of Erudition possibly favor them?
"Still, Professor Ratio."
"There's something I think you'll find interesting."
"What is it?"
Dr. Ratio responded flatly.
"Aside from being a Nameless..."
"This Mr. Evan also carries traces of the Path of Erudition."
"...Erudition?"
"A member of the Intelligentsia Guild?"
"No... that doesn't sound right."
"Wait."
"...Surely you don't mean—"
For the first time, genuine shock appeared on Dr. Ratio's face.
Could it really be that coincidental?
Not long ago—
The IPC had been searching the entire universe for a certain genius.
The mysterious Genius Society Member #85.
No one knew their identity.
No one even knew whether the Eighthy-Fifth Seat was male or female.
Could this Nameless called Evan—
Actually be the rumored #85?
That coincidence was almost absurd.
Dr. Ratio rarely believed in coincidence.
He only believed in conclusions reached through calculation.
"How much do you know about him?"
"Not much."
"But there is one piece of information."
Aventurine smiled faintly.
"The Eighthy-Fifth Seat came from Jarilo-VI."
Dr. Ratio slowly nodded.
That rumor had indeed originated from the Masked Fools.
Jarilo-VI...
"And not long ago, that genius already left Jarilo-VI."
"Topaz passed that information to me recently."
Aventurine chuckled softly.
This time, he came to Penacony to smuggle in his Cornerstone.
And for that—
He prepared three backup plans.
The first—
Using Topaz's Topaz Stone to enter Penacony.
Allowing Sunday to discover and confiscate it.
That part had already succeeded.
The second—
Crushing his own Aventurine Stone and hiding the fragments inside his luggage.
Those shattered crystals—
Were his true Cornerstone.
And finally—
Using Jade's Jade Stone as cover.
"If this really is all part of that genius's plan..."
Dr. Ratio adjusted his alabaster head sculpture.
"Then things just became much more interesting."
"After this is over, I hope you'll introduce me to him."
"Looks like they're here."
Soon—
Aside from Sunday—
Several unfamiliar Family heads entered the room.
Oti Alfalfa.
Head of the Alfalfa Family.
A Pepeshi.
One of the founders of Penacony's economic system.
The overseer of Penacony's markets, auctions, currency circulation, and trade.
To completely take over Penacony—
The IPC first had to deal with him.
Maeven Iris.
Head of the Iris Family.
The famous Sicilia Studios belonged to the Iris Family.
Sir Whittaker.
Current head of the Nightingale Family.
A Dreamweaver.
And Fischer's disciple.
"They're here."
Aventurine casually spun the gemstone in his hand.
"Let's go greet our honored Family leaders."
"Hopefully that Nameless succeeds."
Even with only one-tenth of a Preservation Cornerstone's power—
Handling these Family heads wasn't difficult.
Besides—
He didn't need to fight them personally.
He only needed to stall them for a while.
And merchants rarely solved things through violence anyway.
If not profit—
Then what else was there to discuss?
The dream shattered.
Immediately afterward—
Large numbers of Galaxy Rangers entered the world.
Ena's Dream began destabilizing further and further.
Penacony Grand Theater.
The grandest place in all of Penacony.
And now—
Evan and the others had arrived outside the theater's entrance.
"We're really doing this?"
March gripped her bow nervously, hiding behind everyone while trying to act brave.
Meanwhile—
The others instinctively shielded her from the front.
As expected—
March really was the Astral Express's precious little treasure.
Well—
Stelle too.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Those two shared the exact same brand of lovable stupidity.
"Of course!"
Stelle swung her bat onto her shoulder.
"My baseball bat's been starving for action this whole time!"
"We're really going in~?"
March whispered nervously.
"Robin's brother sounds kinda scary..."
"What are you scared of?"
Stelle grinned.
"We'll just fight him and find out!"
"The theater's right in front of us."
"We're not turning back now, are we?"
...
Inside the grand theater—
Sunday stared uneasily at the stage before him.
The theater was now completely empty.
Over a hundred thousand Oak Family members—
Had already made preparations.
And Dreammaster Gopher Wood stood there as well.
"Damn it!"
"That Galaxy Ranger deceived us!"
"She's an Emanator!"
"An Emanator of Nihility under IX!"
"Her slash tore open a fracture directly through Ena's Dream!"
"More Galaxy Rangers have already arrived!"
"Penacony's dreamscape is destabilizing!"
Gopher Wood's aged voice trembled slightly as he looked upon the crumbling dream world.
For the first time—
Sunday's heart began wavering violently.
"Sunday."
"My child."
Gopher Wood stepped forward slowly.
"Begin."
"Summon the Harmonic Choir."
"Even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance—"
"We cannot give up!"
"Only Order can save this broken world!"
"Only Order can save these foolish masses!"
"As martyrs chosen by Them—"
"We cannot abandon even the slightest possibility!"
"Begin, my child!"
"Order shall avenge Robin!"
Robin.
The moment he heard his sister's name—
Sunday's wavering heart hardened once more.
His sister had been murdered by traitors within the Family.
Yes.
That was right.
Killed by traitors.
Although from beginning to end—
Sunday never wanted Robin to become the Harmonious Choir's sacrifice.
Never wanted her to become a divine vessel for the Chorus.
Still—
"Mr. Gopher Wood."
Sunday stepped forward.
"I am ready."
"Good."
"My child."
"Order is destined to descend upon this dream world."
"And you—"
"Will guide them all into its radiance."
"May tomorrow's dream guide you toward your destined conclusion."
"The Nameless of the Astral Express."
"The Galaxy Rangers."
"The IPC."
"Nihility's Self-Annihilator."
"The Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection."
"The Masked Fools."
"Heh..."
"No one can stop the descent of Order."
"Begin, my child."
"Bring forth the light of Order—"
"And lead Penacony toward the eternal dusk."
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