Sakon Kaidou – illustratör

In the year 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, the world''s first successful full-dive VRMMO was released. In addition to its ability to perfectly simulate the five senses, along with its many other amazing features, the game promised to offer players a world full of infinite possibilities. Nearly two years later, soon-to-be college freshman, Reiji Mukudori, is finally able to buy a copy of the game and start playing. With some help from his experienced older brother, Shu, and his partner Embryo, Reiji embarks on an adventure into the world of Infinite Dendrogram. Just what will he discover and encounter in this game world known for its incredible realism and infinite possibilities?

After an unexpectedly challenging journey, Ray and his party finally arrive at Gideon, The City of Duels.The mere sight of the towering arenas and thriving fantasy townscapes is enough to instantly awe and enchant him. However — like anything that stands tall and proud — the city cast a great, dark shadow.The name of this shadow is the Gouz-Maise gang — a loathsome band of cutthroats who turn their profit kidnapping children and demanding ransom.Ray, wide-eyed and innocent, was blissfully unaware of just how cruel the hyper-realistic world of Infinite Dendrogram would become.

The day after Ray and Hugo faced off against the vile Gouz-Maise Gang, the city of Gideon was far livelier than usual, brimming with excitement and anticipation for a certain event. As one would expect from a metropolis bearing the title of "city of duels," the event was a match between two highly notable duelists: Figaro — the local hero — and Xunyu — one of the most powerful individuals from the far-east empire of Huang He. Both were Masters wielding the powers of Superior Embryos, and both would give their all to fight, make merry and emerge victorious. But a malicious plan unfurls itself in the shadows, who is it that seeks to strike the Kingdom of Altar at its most vulnerable? More importantly, who will survive the Clash of the Superiors?

The city of duels is suddenly besieged by one of the Dryfe Imperium’s Superiors. Mr. Franklin, the Giga Professor. Both admirably cunning and incorrigibly heinous, the sadistic scientist sets his sights on throwing Gideon into utter Pandemonium. As luck would have it, Ray, Marie, and Rook are caught right in the middle of his malicious machinations. Though outmatched, outnumbered and outsmarted, the knights and Masters of The Kingdom of Altar don''t hesitate to retaliate. They have the spirit, no doubt, but will it be enough to defeat the mastermind of Franklin''s Game?

Thanks to Ray and his allies, the chaos in the city of duels is gradually abating. However, Giga Professor Franklin is far too obsessed with victory to let it end so easily... “Plan C!” he cries, as he plays yet another ace up his sleeve. But as Franklin stands proud, watching Gideon — and the kingdom with it — face utter destruction, a certain man moves out to show the Giga Professor the true meaning of the word.

College will soon begin and set a limit on Reiji Mukudori''s free time. Bent on enjoying his last carefree days in Dendro to the fullest, Ray speaks to his party and makes plans to go to the beach. A nap at the inn to clear his mind leads to a rude awakening as he finds himself kidnapped by the influential cult-clan, The Lunar Society, and is personally approached by their spiritual leader and the last Superior of the kingdom — High Priestess, Tsukuyo Fuso.With Ray caught in her web, this scheming fox of a woman begins to unfurl her nefarious scheme.

Ray''s arrival at Torne coincides with the beginning of the Windstar Festival, a joyous occasion that commemorates the defeat of an ancient evil.But the mischievous hands of fate twist the celebration into a birthday. The once-slumbering entity has returned, and it is now ready to unleash chaos, suffering, and despair upon all in sight. Naturally, Ray Starling is not a man who can allow such a creature to exist.The stars look down, the wind howls... but Ray soon finds his struggle intertwining with the life of a certain PK, and the matter of the missing Master.Only one thing is certain in the carnage: They need a miracle.

Having maxed out his Paladin rank, Ray considers what job to take and level next. As he does so, he hears of a job that was newly excavated alongside an ancient ruin in Altar''s Quartierlatin County — an area bordering the Dryfe Imperium.As it happens, Ray already meets the conditions for the job, and it suits him well, so he wastes no time going out to make the switch. But of course things are never quite so simple...Along the way, he encounters Azurite — a mysterious masked swordswoman. There was simply no way Ray could''ve known the far-reaching political implications of his venture to the ruins...

The battles around the ruins are intensifying. Two agents from Dryfe enter the stage, and the superweapon built to be the hope of ancient humanity is on the verge of awakening.The threats to the kingdom force the masked princess to reveal her power, while the demon lying dormant within Ray''s bracers waits for her time to show herself.The Quartierlatin County is in grave danger, and it''s up to Ray and his allies to stand and protect it.

The chaos at Quartierlatin subsides, and the kingdom begins to mend its relationship with the Masters. After a very long weekend, Reiji returns to college to work on his studies and mingle with his Dendro-playing friends. But as that happens, Hugo travels to Caldina to apprentice with a Superior. As he tries to level up, he finds himself embroiled in a major conflict with the local mafia...In Infinite Dendrogram, the storms never subside. They simply move elsewhere.

An AI looks into the past, at an event long before Ray Starling set foot in the world of Infinite Dendrogram. The unstoppable Tri-Zenith Dragon emerges from the mountains. It is a bringer of death, wielding a miasma of desolation in its wake. The citizens of Altar can do nothing but watch as doom descends upon them. However... There are three who may be up to the challenge. Three Masters who, if they managed to work as one, could stop the imminent desolation of the land they call home. But with so much glory to gain, what could they stand to lose?

Gideon, City of Duels, is bustling with life! A great celebration is underway, and a grand duel is about to take place. At Azurite''s behest, Ray accompanies Xunyu on an escort mission to the great City of Duels. Meanwhile Hannya, the devilish berserker, is finally freed from the Gaol. She has only one thing on her mind: visiting her beloved (and oblivious) Figaro! Thus Gideon becomes the backdrop to the convergence of many stories, and many forms, of love.

Dryfe offers an olive branch to Altar, but just what will the price of peace truly be? Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, the Altarian government begins its preparation for the coming negotiations. Altimia needs to decide on her kingdom''s terms and gather her retinue, while Ray needs to choose a new job and join a clan in case the talks go sour. Of course, the imperium isn''t just resting on its laurels, either. As its leaders craft their plans, a vorpal blade flashes in the darkness, and a rabbit-shaped shadow hops out of the northern land on a top-secret mission to the southern kingdom...

All hopes of peace crumble as Princess Claudiah makes her intentions and demands known. Backed up against the wall and with nowhere else to turn, Ray and his companions must do everything within their power to keep the Kingdom of Altar safe. But even with the combined strength of Altar''s Superiors on their side, will they be able to hold their own against the sheer might of the one hailed as the world''s Physical Apex?

As conflict rages at the peace conference between Altar and Dryfe, another battle entirely breaks out on the city streets. Ideologies intersect as those seeking the truth clash with each other, while a treasure-seeker makes her own desperate play. A grand battle, one that may well begin to unravel the mysteries weaved into the world, is about to unfold... What exactly are the Control AIs? What is the nature of the Arch Sage? And, perhaps most urgent of all... How might the people within Infinite Dendrogram avoid the ultimate Game Over?

The search for the Treasurebeast Orbs scattered across Caldina leads Hugo and AR-I-CA to the great city of Cortana. This cosmopolitan center of commerce is no doubt a jewel of the desert, but few things in this city have as much value as the Orb said to have arrived here—one said to bestow the coveted power of immortality. With such rumors spreading far and wide, it would be foolish to think that Hugo and AR-I-CA would be the only ones in pursuit of this boon.

A knight of ice, a soaring songstress, a bloodstained child, and a Master of death converge upon the poisoned oasis, heralding the coming of a brand new possibility.

After embarking on a quest in the Sauda Mountain Pass, Ray chances upon a surprising reward — a ticket to a control AI-led special event called "The Anniversary."

Joining up with Juliet and, more surprisingly, his college friend from Tenchi, Ray and his team agree to attend it and cooperate, only for their plans to crumble when they find out what kind of event it actually is — an all-out battle royale on an uninhabited island!

Nevertheless, they strive to do their best to come out on top in this battle of champions — this cradle of elite Masters from all over the world.

Ray and his newly-formed alliance, Death Period, are readying themselves for a major dueling event when they''re suddenly met with some surprising new recruits. The clan grows ever larger — large enough for them consider finding a home of their own. Luckily for them, Count Gideon seems to have a most unexpected offer in mind...

Not all is well, however. In the gaol, Sechs and his collaborators begin putting the final touches on a heinous plan unlike any before... Past and present converge, revealing the long-held secret known only to the King of Destruction...and the King of Crime!

As Death Period is settling into their new home in Gideon, City of Duels, the Tournaments are about to begin. Many powerful Masters, Ray Starling included, have gathered from all over to fight for the right to challenge a special UBM—but in a strange twist of fate, Ray finds himself matched against an opponent that even Altar’s Superiors would hesitate to fight.

Meanwhile, Sechs and his Illegal Frontier finally commence their plan to break out of the gaol, setting off a cascade of consequences that will echo throughout the world of Infinite Dendrogram.

Will Ray emerge victorious from his unexpected challenge? Will Sechs succeed in his plot to do the unthinkable? Or will the answers to these questions be swallowed up by another storm brewing on the horizon, as this escalating chain of events threatens to stir the Overlord of Dreams from a restless slumber?

Answering a request from Moneygold, King of Revelry, Hugo and Cyco sign on as bodyguards for a trip aboard the luxury sand liner Eltram. The two of them know all too well that any task coming from a Superior can’t possibly be as simple as it seems, and their suspicions are soon justified when the sand-ship becomes a battleground for multiple rival factions. Just what plans do these organizations have for the sand liner—or is it the cargo they’re all after instead? Numerous Superior Jobs converge upon this jewel of the desert—The Weapon, Murder Princess, King of Burglary, and Over Pilot among them—each with their own schemes in motion. Hugo has no choice but to face the ensuing carnage...but can he emerge victorious in this capriccio on the sands?

The [King of Plagues] is a disaster in human form that once roamed the world of Infinite Dendrogram, leaving only carnage in his wake. He destroyed an entire country and murdered [The Hero], the pinnacle of tian-kind...but not even that was enough to sate this walking catastrophe’s hunger. He immediately moved on to the next tragedy, not knowing he’d left behind a single survivor—a young boy who would come to unleash a hell of his own in the name of vengeance.

With Altar’s Tournaments as the backdrop, the origins of the Superior Killer are finally revealed!

The Tournaments in Gideon are approaching their climax, and as the final day arrives, everyone anticipates Figaro will claim the ultimate prize... But the duel champion’s certain victory is suddenly called into question by the unexpected appearance of a Superior who shouldn’t even be in Altar!

Meanwhile, Juliet wanders the city and stumbles upon a streamer by the name of “G.” The two become fast friends, but it seems that this Legendarian content creator came to Gideon with a purpose Juliet may not be too happy about...

Corpse Stronghold, Abyss Shellder: this elusive and deadly monster shook the world with its ravenous hunger, consuming any who dared enter its domain. Ignoring all those who advised her it was a fool’s errand, Riella—the young commander of Granvaloa’s adventure fleet—sets off on a voyage to hunt the creature down. With few allies at hand, a posse on her tail, and her quarry a beast of unimaginable strength, her chances do indeed look slim... That is, until she comes across a certain bear adrift on the sea with a dubious offer: “I’ll pay for the ride by breakin’ that thing!”

Following the events on the Eltram, Hugo finally reaches the capital of Caldina. There, he meets the leader of Sefirot, the strongest clan in Infinite Dendrogram, and encounters a particularly...dubious Superior from the enchanted realm of Legendaria. Meanwhile, in a city far to the south, Caldinan and Granvaloan Superiors converge for critical negotiations. The motives of countries and the motives of their Superiors intertwine and collide, with unexpected results!

In the year 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, the world''s first successful full-dive VRMMO was released. In addition to its ability to perfectly simulate the five senses, along with its many other amazing features, the game promised to offer players a world full of infinite possibilities. Nearly two years later, soon-to-be college freshman, Reiji Mukudori, is finally able to buy a copy of the game and start playing. With some help from his experienced older brother, Shu, and his partner Embryo, Reiji embarks on an adventure into the world of Infinite Dendrogram. Just what will he discover and encounter in this game world known for its incredible realism and infinite possibilities?

The trouble with full-on MMO''s is that there''s always some overpowered nutcases who can show up and wreck things. It seems like Infinite Dendrogram is no different, with a set of four in the Kingdom of Altar alone! Having previously been PK''ed out of the game, Ray continues his quest to level up and press ahead, But in the background, political maneuverings cause the game''s top players to make their presence known.

Who needs peace and quiet when you have games to play?

Ray''s climb towards becoming a super paladin continues, but it''s never as easy as anyone hopes. Ultimate Boss Monsters, cursed costume pieces, and positively mad penguin are just some of the grinds in his way ⁠— and that''s not even including the dread specter of gacha mechanics.

Can Ray keep his in-game life ⁠— and dignity ⁠— intact, or is he just another cog in the machine of Infinite Dendrogram?