Half a month later.
At the entrance of the Imperial Armory.
Just as dawn broke, a large group of shipgirls, Spirits, Heroic Spirits, and civilian girls were already crowding at the door.
The last time they had lined up like this was to receive mass-produced Teigu.
At the time, breakthrough progress had been made in researching the Akame ga Kill world spoils, and both the Demon Slayer Squad and Night Raid team had been equipped with Teigu.
But this time, it wasn't just ordinary humans—there were quite a few shipgirls in attendance too.
The armory had expanded slightly again. In addition to technological items, magical artifacts were now also stored inside.
Clack —
As the door opened, Setsuna, along with Richelieu, Yat Sen, and several shipgirls, greeted everyone inside.
They made their way to the underground chamber of the armory.
In addition to various Teigu, the chamber now stored World-class items and equipment seized from the Overlord world, neatly organized by type: weapons, armor, accessories, and more.
In any fantasy world, this collection alone would be enough to outfit a mythical-level army.
"So many!!!"
The Demon Slayer girls and Night Raid members were dazzled by the sight.
Teigu only numbered in the dozens, but equipment from the Overlord world totaled in the thousands.
The massive hall, spanning tens of thousands of square meters, was nearly packed to the brim. Wherever you looked, everything was exquisitely crafted, gleaming armor and weapons.
"Mass production of World-class items and mythical-tier equipment is still underway, so these won't be distributed for now."
"Once we can produce them in quantity, we'll update your gear."
Seeing Gudako eyeing everything eagerly, Setsuna gently tapped her on the head.
"Fineee."
Gudako pulled a face.
In the adjacent exhibition hall, rows upon rows of scrolls were neatly arranged on metal racks.
Each display case featured a holographic interface marking the name and effect of the scroll.
[9th Tier Spell: Grasp Heart]
A ninth-tier instant-death spell. Against weak or death-vulnerable enemies, it kills instantly.
If the target has high resistance, it instead causes paralysis.
[Super-tier Magic: Fallen Down]
After activation, it unleashes extreme heat that incinerates everything in its range. The heat is enough to crystallize the ground.
[Super-tier Magic: Army of Heaven]
A summoning-type super-tier spell. Summons six Level 80 Seraphim-class angels equivalent to YGGDRASIL guardians.
[Super-tier Magic: Dark Young Sacrifice]
An area-based instant-death spell. For each victim killed, one Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath is summoned, up to a limit of five.
...
"Whaaat?!"
Reading these absurd descriptions, the girls were all stunned.
"Pick freely. These scrolls were crafted by the magic academy using Overlord world tech."
"Think of it as getting a free use of high-tier magic."
Setsuna generously gestured to the crowd.
"Everyone should pick a few scrolls according to their combat style."
"But take note—these must not be used recklessly within the capital! Offensive magic is strictly forbidden outside the training grounds!"
The crowd stared in awe.
The variety was astonishing, covering offensive, illusion, healing, and every type of magic across all tiers.
"Dark Young Sacrifice?!"
"Isn't that the skill the Bone King used in the original plot to wipe out the Kingdom's army by summoning Dark Youngs? I... I can use that too?!"
"Didn't it kill like 70,000 people in one shot?!"
Akame held up a scroll, stammering as she looked at Setsuna.
"Yes. It's a one-time-use spell, but mainly for summoning. Against powerful enemies, don't expect it to have the same lethal effect."
Setsuna nodded.
"What about Fallen Down? Commander-oniichan, I can't use magic, and my sword skills aren't as strong as Kanae-nee's... Can I still use it?..."
Nezuko tugged on Setsuna's sleeve and asked.
"Yes, the mana needed to activate the spell has already been sealed into the scroll by the magic academy. You just need to activate it."
Setsuna patiently explained to Nezuko.
Magical scrolls essentially sealed various spells within them, to be activated when needed.
Sealing super-tier spells was extremely difficult—in the Overlord world, it was practically impossible. Even level-100 players faced many restrictions:
Only four uses per day, long casting times, no consecutive casts, etc.
But the Spirit of Origin and Bulins didn't play by normal rules.
Mio could do whatever she wanted within her reality-warping domain, sealing any magic at will.
The Bulins figured making scrolls that sealed super-tier spells wasn't all that hard.
Once they had the materials and learned the crafting structure, all it took was a few smacks with a wrench.
Through the combined efforts of the Little God and the Almighty Bulins, the sealed super-tier magic scrolls were born.
As for the underlying principles...
No need to know. As long as it works.
Everyone spent quite a while picking.
The Demon Slayer Squad, Night Raid team, and other civilian girls each selected a few super-tier magic scrolls as trump cards.
After all, unleashing a battlefield-scale Noble Phantasm or summoning a few elite fighters was always handy.
Almost everyone picked up a Fallen Down. Akame found Dark Young Sacrifice way more powerful than her March of the Dead: Eight-Room.
The shipgirls, on the other hand, were more interested in functional magic scrolls.
"Teleportation? Opens a portal to anywhere within 3,000 kilometers?"
"Hmm, not much on a cosmic scale, but quite convenient for everyday use."
Formidable examined a teleportation scroll.
"Like teleporting into the Commander's room at night?"
Ägir made a dangerous remark.
"The Eternal Snowfall is already enchanted by Lucoa. Any attempt to teleport into my hull will drop you into the Mariana Trench."
Setsuna reminded her expressionlessly.
"Tch..."
"Never mind then."
Roon and Akagi suddenly lost interest and put the scrolls back.
The shipgirls picked selectively, mostly going for teleportation spells, area distortion magic, and other rule-altering or utility scrolls.
They didn't need destructive super-tier magic, and the storage was already full of combat angels, so summon scrolls were redundant.
Some of the smaller shipgirls, just for fun, grabbed a few flashy spells like Chain Dragon Lightning or Hellfire Wall to scratch their magic-casting itch.
"Oh right, make sure each of you takes a few resurrection scrolls, just in case."
Setsuna reminded them.
The girls immediately chattered and rushed over to another metal rack.
[10th Tier Spell: True Resurrection]
Revives any living being without any loss of experience or memory.
Below the usage instructions was a small note:
(Magic Academy Note: Please do not recklessly waste scrolls. Thank you for your cooperation.)
When venturing out, Setsuna worried most about the safety of civilians like Gudako and the Butterfly Sisters.
Their durability couldn't compare to Heroic Spirits or shipgirls.
If a shipgirl's hull was damaged, they could still drag her back for repairs by Akashi and the Bulins. As long as the Wisdom Cube was intact, it was fine.
But if something happened to a civilian, it would be a real mess.
Now that problem had been solved. With the cheap and effective resurrection spells from the Overlord world, they would definitely come in handy.
"Oooh..."
Kanae and the others took a quick look around.
Checking their gear, they realized they had been fully outfitted like high-level pay-to-win warriors.
Each person now had several pieces of Teigu and super-tier magic scrolls.
"Commander, thank you so much for your generosity."
The Butterfly Sisters gave a deep bow.
"These scrolls... they must be really expensive, right?"
"Hmm..."
Setsuna pondered for a few seconds.
"By Overlord world standards, yes. Scrolls capable of sealing super-tier magic are made from rare high-tier magical beast drops."
"But we can restock in the Goblin Slayer world. If you're ever bored, just run a few dungeons. The cost will pay for itself."
"Praise be to the Commander. Amen."
...
The first batch of mass-produced magical scrolls from the Overlord world's spoils caused quite a stir in the capital.
Thanks to these one-time-use items, ordinary people experienced a significant boost in strength.
Baseline destructive power from super-tier magic, the utility of angel summoning, and even resurrection scrolls for emergencies.
When the Demon Slayer Corps and Akame ga Kill squads went to farm Goblin Slayer dungeons, they were far bolder than before.
Previously, they only dared venture into low-difficulty dungeons under the protection of shipgirls.
Whenever strong enemies appeared, the shipgirls would unleash a barrage of aerial support to erase the threat instantly, fearing for their safety.
But now, decked out with luxurious gear, resurrection scrolls, healing scrolls, and all sorts of overpowered equipment, their confidence had skyrocketed.
They could now challenge even Demon Lords in that world without assistance—their combat strength rivaled that of true Heroes.
At the same time, farming materials from the Goblin Slayer world had become a way for them to repay the Commander.
Every few days, you could spot the Butterfly Sisters, Sword Maiden, Akame, and Kurome traveling back and forth between the Goblin Slayer world and the capital via teleportation anchors.
On departure, they were full of excitement.
On return, they carried bags upon bags of spoils.
Initially, using pay-to-win scrolls to farm dungeons was a money-losing venture.
Onboard the starship, Akame and Kurome counted on their fingers to calculate the costs and gains from the trip.
"We cleared 3 dungeons this time, took down 2 Demon Lord-class monsters and 14 high-tier beasts. Our loot was..."
"We used 11 super-tier magic scrolls, 2 healing scrolls. So the total cost was..."
After tallying up the used items and the loot, they were shocked.
"What?! We took a loss?!"
"Using super-tier spells on elite mobs isn't cost-effective?! Even if we wiped out a dozen in one go with Fallen Down, the loot doesn't even cover the cost?"
The two sisters quickly got into an argument.
"I told you! That fire giant didn't need a Fallen Down! It was just a trash mob! With its high fire resistance, wouldn't a 7th or 8th tier ice spell have worked?!"
Akame jabbed Kurome's cheek, lecturing her.
The Commander didn't mind a few wasted scrolls, but returning from a trip with a loss was just embarrassing to Akame.
Thankfully, the Empire had vast resources. If a typical hero operated like them, they'd have gone bankrupt.
"I just wanted to clear it faster!! And you, you wasted several 10th-tier scrolls on a boss fight! Wouldn't a single super-tier spell have done the job?!"
Kurome argued back.
"That was a test!! Got it?! An experiment! I wanted to see if a cheaper spell would work!!"
However, after some practice, they soon learned the ropes.
Those cheaper, low-tier magic scrolls weren't useless after all.
Used wisely, they could be extremely effective in battle.
Each time they farmed dungeons in the Goblin Slayer world, they gradually shifted from losses to breaking even, and then to turning a profit.
Their consumption of scrolls dropped, and the spoils they brought back increased.
Their personal skills also advanced rapidly through life-and-death battles.
In just one or two months, the combat capabilities of the Demon Slayer Corps, Night Raid squad, and others had transformed dramatically.
Even Heroic Spirits praised their rapid improvement.
...
Elsewhere—
While the civilian girls were showing off in the Goblin Slayer world, Setsuna arrived at the Starbase.
Kayo Senju and the loli researchers, who had previously worked on the Transwarp Key, brought good news.
Their research on faster-than-light travel had entered the production testing phase. The civilization was on the verge of becoming a true spacefaring race—an FTL civilization.
Click —
The Eternal Snowfall descended outside the Starbase.
The sun beneath their feet continued to radiate a warm orange-yellow glow. Even through the shielding, the intense heat felt as if it were just within reach.
At a glance, the number of research lolis at the base had grown noticeably—likely due to a recent batch of elite students graduating from the academy.
Each wore distinct-colored uniforms: sky blue for physics, orange for engineering, and light green for life sciences.
One could instantly tell their field of study and research division.
There were even more Bulins and Angeloids present. In the docks, in the hydroponic farms, and floating in the air were countless colorful Bulins and soaring Angeloids.
This truly felt like a self-contained space kingdom 150 million kilometers from Earth.
"Onii-chan!"
Kayo Senju led her little team and pounced into Setsuna's arms.
She nuzzled her head against him like a cat.
"Onii-chan! It's been so long!"
"Good work."
Setsuna had immense respect for these petite science lolis.
They gave up a comfortable life in the capital to conduct research here in the Starbase.
All to contribute to the advancement of their civilization.
And it paid off—these genius lolis had become a critical part of the Empire's foundation.
Without them, there would be no explosive tech progress.
"Using the Transwarp Key Onii-chan brought back, we've developed a stable FTL solution."
"The first faster-than-light starship has already been built!"
The little loli tilted her head up proudly.
"That fast? Which method of FTL did you use?"
Setsuna asked in surprise.
From project approval to completion, it had only taken two to three years.
Given the difficulty of such a technology, it was nothing short of miraculous.
"Hyperspace."
"Our theoretical research was already in its final testing stages—just a few key parameters were missing."
"The stuff you brought filled in the last piece. With Bulins helping, there were no manufacturing hurdles. So yeah, it was fast."
Kayo scratched her head.
They only needed to handle the theoretical models and blueprints. Even the most complex structures could be left to the Specialized Bulins.
A match made in heaven.
The science lolis led Setsuna and the accompanying shipgirls into the Starbase dock.
There, a silver-white cruiser floated gently in the anti-gravity bay.
Golden patterns adorned its hull, giving it a clean and elegant appearance.
The ship's model was painted across the bridge:
"Aurora-C12"
"This is?..."
Thump —
A shipgirl with long golden hair, sweet features, and dressed in a white naval dress uniform jumped down from the bridge.
She gave a graceful bow to Setsuna.
"Aretusa-class Light Cruiser—Aurora, hull number 12. You may also call me the Goddess of Dawn."
"Commander, it's an honor to participate in the first FTL test."
"Oh?"
Setsuna looked at the shipgirl with mild surprise.
Aurora—in a way, he was quite familiar with her. She had another, more commonly known name: the infamous Re-education Ship.
"After successful unmanned FTL starship tests, we built a large hyperspace engine for use on shipgirl hulls."
"Aurora is the first shipgirl equipped with a hyperspace drive. Her speed now far exceeds all of you."
Kayo added.
"Not bad."
Setsuna patted Aurora on the shoulder.
"I was just lucky. Lots of sisters wanted to be the first to test with the Commander. Sadly, there could only be one winner in the draw."
Aurora replied with a sweet smile.
She led everyone aboard her hull.
First, they toured the hyperspace engine crafted by the science lolis and Bulins.
In the aft compartment, Setsuna saw a machine the size of several buildings.
Its structure was entirely different from the engines used on other starships. It glowed with a soft blue light and was currently on standby.
"This is the hyperspace engine," Kayo explained.
"Its principles are similar to the Transwarp Key."
"In higher dimensions of the universe, there exists a hyperspace network invisible to ordinary eyes—like a cosmic highway."
"Once the engine is activated and the ship enters the network, it can travel across stars at speeds far beyond light."
Setsuna nodded to indicate he understood.
Very familiar.
Primitive civilizations just making it to space typically began with hyperspace drives.
The Transwarp Key functioned like a hyperspace gate from Earth to Cybertron, enabling the Autobots to travel FTL.
Reverse-engineering and applying that technology to build a similarly functional ship was only logical.
"We're still working on long-distance jump tech. Shouldn't take long, especially with the dimensional matrix for reference."
Kayo promised confidently.
"How fast is the hyperspace drive exactly? Roughly how many times the speed of light?"
Richelieu asked curiously.
"Times? No, no. On a cosmic scale, you need a bit more imagination."
The science loli shook her head.
"Speeds of several times, dozens, or even hundreds of times light speed just aren't enough for interstellar travel over thousands or tens of thousands of light-years."
"Commander, would you like to try it?"
Aurora stood at the control console and extended her hand toward Setsuna.
"Right now, I can cross hundreds, even thousands of light-years in a short time. To Alpha Centauri 4.2 light-years away? That'd take only a few dozen minutes."
"Shall we explore the galaxy together?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven