Chapter 3: Karlstein Babylon

༺ Karlstein Babylon ༻

​ ​

***

​

Calen, the Vice Minister of the Central DBMS Department.

​

He was anxiously checking his attire while breaking out in cold sweat.

​

“Be careful with your words and actions as you will soon be granted an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”

​

At the cold voice of a woman, he hastily nodded his head. Even then, he stealthily glanced sideways to check the owner of the voice.

​

The woman, who held the positions of both the First Chancellor and the Chief Secretary of the Galactic Empire, was scrutinizing him from head to toe with the eyes of a hawk.

​

‘Hooo…. Calm down.’

​

The identity of the First Chancellor of the Galactic Empire was not revealed to anyone. There were rumors that she was one of the Empress candidates, so it was better to be cautious.

​

Calen had to keep taking deep breaths to calm his nerves.

​

An Empress candidate was quite an important figure, but when thinking about the person he was about to meet, she seemed utterly trivial.

​

Karlstein Babylon.

He was a sovereign with countless terrifying titles, such as the Monarch of the Apocalypse, the Omniscient Emperor, the Maestro of Slaughter, the Destroyer of Star Systems, the Singer of Carnage, the Deep Impact of Genocide1Refers to Deep Impact space mission, where it is tested on how much the impact levels of a comet is. It is to prepare for the case where a comet hits the Earth. In this situation, it is used as a way to describe that the MC actually did fall onto a world like a comet, thus committing genocide. It is also a bit of a meme in korean forums about how it “deeply”…”impacts” someone, and more.

​

If one merely caught his eye, the talent in question would beg on their knees to serve under him; it was said that nothing was impossible if he set his mind to it.

​

The first thing he did upon becoming Emperor was to massacre the corrupt officials from all walks of life and it was said that the blood shed during that purge could cover entire planets. Emperor Karlstein was known as the bloodthirsty ruler who was even feared by one of the giant forces of the universe, ‘Sparrow’, a notorious Space Pirate Alliance known for their cruelty.

​

Even unidentified hostile space life forms without any intelligence dared not rashly approach him, showing just how incredible he was. To be frank, he could not be described with mere words.

​

As the hero who ended the 28,000-year-long Third Great Cosmic War, Karlstein was considered an absolutely unique and unprecedented ruler. The very embodiment of a deterrence to war that no cohort could ignore.

​

Under the Emperor, there were countless hidden blades assisting him as his shadows and rumors even said that his eyes and ears were watching over the entire galaxy.

​

In front of his presence, lies became utterly meaningless as there was nothing he did not know. In fact, it was rumored that if one spoke even a single falsity, they had to leave their eyes and tongue behind.

​

Naturally, Calen could not help but be nervous about being granted an audience with such a historically unparalleled Emperor.

Calen was a factory worker struggling on a frontier planet. A lowborn who barely survived after his lifespan was halved. Such a person had now risen to the position of Vice Minister with just a word from Emperor Karlstein. Thus, the Emperor’s influence was clearly evident without needing to see it with one’s very eyes.

​

“Enter.”

​

Even from outside the door, he felt a majestic dignity from just that single word. How could this be? Was it because of his overwhelming achievements? Or was it because of his very genes?

​

Calen swallowed down such questions and, following etiquette, entered with his head bowed at 45 degrees, stepping forward without a hint of disorder in his gait.

​

“Hm….”

​

A heavy tension settled in the audience chamber at the sound of a single nonchalant hum. Around that time, Calen realized that Minister Makia was also present in the audience chamber. And, upon discreetly observing his complexion, noticed it was not much different from his own. Both were tense, careful not to make even a single mistake.

​

He felt a sense of relief knowing there was at least one other person in the same circumstance as him.

​

‘This isn’t the time for such thoughts.’

​

He quickly regained his composure and listened attentively to the Emperor and Chancellor’s words.

​

“We have a task for you, you see….”

​

While keeping their heads down and avoiding eye contact, they carefully tried to gauge the Emperor’s intentions, racking their brains in a fervor​.

​

***

​ ​

After leaving the audience chamber, Vice Minister Calen could only calm his trembling legs upon exiting the Imperial Palace.

​

‘To think it would be this overwhelming, even though His Majesty the Emperor hardly said a few words.’

​

The Emperor had only spoken a few words like ‘That is right’, ‘I asked if you could do it’, ‘Make sure to show results’. The actual commands and explanations were conveyed by the Chancellor. Nevertheless, the overwhelming presence and unapproachable dignity made it impossible to even lift his head.

​

While he was catching his breath, Minister Makia appeared behind him.

“Vice Minister Calen, spare me a moment.”

“Yes, understood.”

​

Calen got into the car with Minister Makia. As soon as they boarded, the car automatically started its engine, set its destination, and began to levitate.

​

“Hooo…. His Majesty’s realm seems to be deepening by the day. It is becoming quite difficult to even stay in the same area as him.”

“Do you think you’re the only one who feels that way, Minister Makia? I also suffered.”

“No. Perhaps because I’m older, I felt it far more intensely.”

“Haha.”

​

After listening to Minister Makia’s complaints for a bit, they began to discuss the actual mission at hand.

​

“It seems like that His Majesty desires to venture into and conquer other dimensions.”

“Excuse me?”

“His Majesty must be envisioning a future of the Galactic Empire that someone like us cannot even begin to imagine.”

“That is… likely.”

​

Calen hid his inner perplexity.

​

‘Wasn’t the ultimate goal to hack into an unidentified community, so that desired functionalities can be inserted? And if possible, to also gather user information and track coordinates?’

​

​No. The august and stern Emperor would not personally issue commands for such trivial matters.

Calen shook his head, before nodding in agreement with Minister Makia.

​

‘As he is someone who holds immortality itself in his imperial grasp, it is beyond us mere mortals to judge.’

​

He decided to think that way. At least in Calen’s mind, imagining Emperor Karlstein cackling while posting on a community was utterly unthinkable.

“Anyway, since the Chancellor has activated the ACC, there is less of a need to worry about failure.”

“Indeed. Even if it wasn’t a direct order from His Majesty, understanding His hidden intentions and preparing in advance is our duty as subordinates.”

“Yes, it looks like we’ll be busy for the time being.”

“That’s right. So, let’s handle it as quickly as possible.”

​

Calen and Makia continued to converse about the mission, gradually moving away from the Imperial Palace. ​

​

***

​ ​

Could this be how the Big Bang was like?

​

In the center of the universe, red and blue lights flickered against the backdrop of the pitch-black expanse.

​

Whooooong-

​

Behind Karlstein, who was floating in space, a planet was screaming its last breath as it faced death.

​

The surface of the celestial body cracked, breaking into pieces, and between the fine cracks, a hot and dazzling red wave pulsed. It split, then split again, before emitting a flash akin to the sun and dispersing into dust in the pattern of a circular wave.

​

Guooooooo-

​

The death of a heavenly body.

​

With just a single attack, Karlstein decreed death upon the planet and turned around, letting go of a 2 km long exclusive weapon from his hand.

​

Ziiiiiing-

​

Panels floating around the weapon like satellites emitted a blue force field, thus enveloping the blade and quickly transforming into a case that covered the massive 2 km spear.

​

From the vicinity, an officer in a reinforced suit waddled towards Karlstein, who was clad in a golden full-body armor.

​

-We apologize for the troubles. Please accept our deepest thanks.

​

Nod-

​

Karlstein nodded with gravitas and then flew back to the flagship. ​

​

The officer, left in the place where Emperor Karlstein had departed, continued the task of retrieving the Emperor’s exclusive Ether Weapon. He had to struggle to calm his trembling heart while continuously clenching and unclenching his fist.

​

‘Perhaps only His Majesty could draw out such a performance from an Ether Fusion Weapon that operates in multi-probabilistic physics.’

With just a single swing, he had annihilated a major planet infested by the Plant. Despite having experienced numerous battlefields, the sight still sent shivers down his spine. The formidable defense of the Plant was like a candle in the wind before His Majesty. ​

​

Meanwhile, Emperor Karlstein, having returned to his personal flagship, took a selfie with the exploding planet as a backdrop.

​

Cli-ck-

​

It was a built-in feature of the Integrated Dimensional Community. For reference, it could also edit photos.

​

-Title: Done with today’s work! Time to clock out ^^

(CasualPhotoOfPlanetExploding.jpg)

I exerted myself a little and now I’m craving a beer.

└….

└the fuck did i just see?

└the way he bluffs can def be called the zenith of the universe lol

└why in the world is he even posting something like this?

└it has to be at least believable for me to consider upvoting it lmao

└so fcking pathetic

└Baldmen

└I, too, can destroy a continent, but…

└this has to be the worst case of cappin ive ever seen LOL

└Welcome, Cap Artist.

└crazy mfer hahaha lets see how far this fabrication goes

└Baldmen

└LOL destroying planets, ye?

└bruh how does that even make sense LMAO look at that long ass spear LOL how much did he photoshop it to make those proportions and length LMAOOOO makes no sense at all LOLOLOL

└since it’s space, why not? what’s so impossible about it?

└if that’s real, doesn’t that make him the community numba one in terms of power?

└He’s of the Heavens

└how are you actually believing that crap, you gay mofo….

​

If they had known that the planet in the photo was a Ulyssna-Class supergiant planet, several times the size of the sun, they would have been astounded.

​

Karlstein smirked and responded to the comments.

​

└cant anyone do at least that much?^^ it’s not that impressive, you know. why did u guys even transmigrate if u cant at least do this?

​

Ding-!

​

└why is this mfer talking some mad shit? fucking hell

└yeah yeah okay buddy ur photoshop skills are the only thing that’s impressive

└who invited this little fucker to the community? admin, get over here!

└as if there’s an admin LMAO

└look at this edgelord, wearing armor in space

└how shameless

└i wanna correct him so bad

└what do u mean why transmigrate?! u think i wanted to? u think i asked to transmigrate?! I! WANT TO GO BACKKKKNEAGONE!

└fax

└Looking for party members to correct this serial capper (1/100)

└mememe(2/1000)

└u think a thousand ppl is enough for someone who breaks planets? as if lol goofy ahhhh

​

​The reputation of the ‘Cosmic Emperor’ began to resonate throughout the entire community.

1

Refers to Deep Impact space mission, where it is tested on how much the impact levels of a comet is. It is to prepare for the case where a comet hits the Earth. In this situation, it is used as a way to describe that the MC actually did fall onto a world like a comet, thus committing genocide. It is also a bit of a meme in korean forums about how it “deeply”…”impacts” someone

/genesisforsaken