Mash-up Anime World: Creating the SCP Foundation to Contain Anomalies-Chapter 317 - 311: Shine!(Die)

After the initial greetings, Haruto began to observe himself.

At this moment, Haruto felt quite strange.

This was the first time Haruto had entered another world in the form of a projection.

Normally, this was a phenomenon that occurred when higher-dimensional beings cast their presence into lower-dimensional worlds.

But as an embodiment of many supreme divinities, Haruto was the same in both high and low dimensions.

So this state of projection felt especially novel to him.

Currently, Haruto's body was of normal human size.

However, what composed his body was neither muscle nor bone—

In fact, it couldn't even be said to be carbon-based.

Rather, it was some kind of illusory light.

These lights formed Haruto's body, yet he could move freely.

In contrast, Tohru looked entirely real.

Whatever her true form was, it had been projected here in full.

Perhaps this was because Tohru herself was a dragon, and she had a corresponding existence in the Illusory Realm.

Tohru stared in wonder at the two red dragons before her.

Throughout Tohru's life as a dragon, she had actually seen very few dragons. Only a handful of them could hold a proper conversation with her. More often than not, meeting her kind led to a life-or-death battle.

So now, seeing other dragons like this, Tohru felt a strange mix of emotions.

"Friend! You actually came out of the cave. What a surprise for a dragon!"

"Come now! We must give our friend a warm welcome—everyone will be so happy to see you!"

One of the red dragons said cheerfully.

Hearing this, Tohru felt a bit stunned—and slightly sour.

Since when were dragons so easy to talk to?

Tohru didn't want the other dragons to steal Haruto from her.

Sensing her emotions, Haruto reached out and gently rubbed Tohru's hair to comfort his dragon maid.

Then, with a smile, he said to the two red dragons,

"No need for any kind of welcome. In this form, I can't do much anyway. If you could take me around the Illusory Realm and talk to me about yourselves and this world, that would be the best kind of hospitality!"

The two red dragons nodded.

Truthfully, they had been worrying about how to entertain Haruto.

Food and drink wouldn't really work for someone arriving in this manner.

They had been to the other side before—they understood what that felt like.

Origami's body, for example, couldn't eat or drink either.

"So this is where we came out of?"

Haruto pointed behind them.

Behind Haruto and Tohru, there was a massive cave. Peering inside, it was pitch black.

"Yes! Just now some black smoke came out of the gate—we were startled!"

The red dragon replied.

Haruto looked back at the cave again.

Clearly, this wasn't about any physical object. Rather, the cave was a kind of special link—a "gate" bound to an object.

One that connected the Illusory Realm with the main world.

After that, the red dragons brought Haruto and Tohru into the sky. From above, the Illusory Realm came into full view.

There was no sign of humans in this realm.

Instead, there were dense forests and towering mountain ranges.

Even fantastical sights like trees as tall as the World Tree itself stretched beyond the eye's reach.

Everything looked so natural, magical, and refreshing to the soul.

"After so long, we're finally able to meet again, friend. Peace has endured. Ever since you came and gave us order, this realm has remained a harmonious sanctuary. We miss you. How have your people been lately? You're always welcome here."

In the sky, the red dragons chattered on and on.

Haruto blinked, then narrowed his eyes.

So, the Illusory Realm had once been connected to the human world.

Humans had helped the dragons here, bringing order and harmony to the realm.

But for some reason...

That connection had been severed.

Until Where The Dragons Went reappeared, and the Illusory Realm was once again connected to the main world.

Haruto suspected that the human world once connected to this realm was indeed the main world.

Most likely, it had been some supernatural organization from long ago that helped the dragons of the Illusory Realm.

Thus, the dragons and humans became friends.

This explained why dragons here could read and write human language.

"How strange. Your world has changed so much. Even stranger is how we appear in your world—we're much bigger in the Illusory Realm. Of course, the way you all enter our realm has also become odd. Haha! Maybe it's the gate's doing."

The red dragon continued chatting away.

Haruto quietly listened and replied now and then.

"Look over there—that's an elven village. And over there, a minotaur tribe."

Following the red dragon's gesture—

Haruto saw primitive villages with various beings living in them.

The so-called elves weren't the tall, beautiful pointy-eared maidens one might expect. They were more like chibi-style creatures.

(T/N: Gotten my hopes up -_-)

And the minotaurs—

Well, those were quite the eyesore.

But overall, they were humanoid beasts. After flying in a great loop around the realm, Haruto had seen many fantasy creatures.

And when they returned to the cave—

More dragons had gathered to meet them.

Just like the Origami Haruto had met before.

There were western-style dragons in all colors, and eastern-style dragons as well.

Haruto turned to look at Tohru.

"Aren't you going to chat with them? They should be your kin, and they seem friendly."

Tohru paused, nodded, then shook her head.

"It feels strange. Before, I would've been so happy to meet kind kin like this. But now, I don't feel lonely like I used to. Just having you with me, Haruto, is enough."

Tohru's feelings were the same as when they had arrived.

Or rather, seeing the dragons of the Illusory Realm only strengthened that feeling.

When they landed, a golden dragon came forward.

The others followed behind this dragon.

Perhaps it was just a hunch—

But Haruto felt this golden dragon bore some resemblance to the Immortal Lizard.

Not in appearance or energy but in some more abstract, conceptual way.

"It's so good to see you again, friend!"

The golden dragon said, its joy evident.

Through their conversation Haruto learned even more.

This golden dragon was the leader of all dragons.

It was also this golden dragon that had once made contact with humans and become friends with them.

The "Where The Dragons Went" wasn't created by dragons. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

In fact, according to the golden dragon, it was more like it had been created by humans. Humans had given the dragon race in the Illusory Realm a way to connect—a "gate."

The golden dragon placed that gate at the entrance of the dragon's nest.

At first, the gate didn't operate via projection.

As the red dragon mentioned earlier, they had once appeared in the main world much larger in form.

That is, at first, the gate was a real, physical world-connecting portal.

Humans helped the dragons establish order in the Illusory Realm, and even shared some of their technologies.

But eventually, the gate suddenly closed.

And the Illusory Realm fell into some disarray.

The dragons and humans lost contact. Until recently, when that connection was re-established.

Only now, it was through projections.

After gathering all this information, Haruto returned through the cave to the main world. Having witnessed the Illusory Realm and felt the warmth of the dragons—

Haruto categorized Where The Dragons Went as a safe project. He also requested that if any distress signals from the dragons were detected, every effort should be made to assist them.

Haruto hoped that this friendship between dragons and humans would be preserved by the Foundation.

Afterward, Haruto and Tohru left the Foundation site.

"I never imagined dragons could be like that," Tohru remarked.

Haruto smiled.

"Maybe one day you could try changing the dragons in your world. If they were more peaceful, none of them would be as lonely as you once were."

Tohru didn't seem too concerned by the idea.

Clearly, she had moved beyond loneliness and didn't care much about the other dragons.

Just then, a white-haired loli suddenly blocked their path.

"Shine!" she shouted—

And punched Haruto straight in the face.

Haruto: ???